System Collapse

The first novel in this series was really good, and I was looking forward to the second. After reading it, I'm a little disappointed. Not very disappointed, because it's not a bad book; but it's definitely not as good as [b:Network Effect 52381770 Network Effect (The Murderbot Diaries, #5) Martha Wells https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1640597293l/52381770.SY75.jpg 63614271]. It feels like a filler: the sort of effect you sometimes get in the second volume of a trilogy, when the author is dealing with necessary things that have to happen between the more exciting first and last volumes.This novel follows on soon after the events of [b:Network Effect 52381770 Network Effect (The Murderbot Diaries, #5) Martha Wells https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1640597293l/52381770.SY75.jpg 63614271], and there is clearly at least one more novel planned to follow after this one. Do not try to read this one as a standalone novel, the author makes no provision for that, and doesn't even provide a summary of preceding events. Before reading this novel, you should at least have read [b:Network Effect 52381770 Network Effect (The Murderbot Diaries, #5) Martha Wells https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1640597293l/52381770.SY75.jpg 63614271], and preferably the preceding novellas too—although [b:Fugitive Telemetry 53205854 Fugitive Telemetry (The Murderbot Diaries, #6) Martha Wells https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1589475583l/53205854.SY75.jpg 80438420] is optional, it's worth reading but not really an essential part of the series.So, what didn't I like about this one?1. There's less humour in it than usual. I enjoy and value the humorous side of Murderbot, and it's not entirely absent here, but it appears more rarely.2. For a long time in this story, not a lot happens. When something starts happening at last, it's rather muddled, the situation is confused, and Murderbot and ART both have trouble in dealing with the confusion. Murderbot is also trying to cope with its own mental trauma left over from the events of [b:Network Effect 52381770 Network Effect (The Murderbot Diaries, #5) Martha Wells https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1640597293l/52381770.SY75.jpg 63614271], so it's not operating at peak efficiency.3. By now there are quite a lot of human characters in the series. Some of them are in action here, some are not, but there is little character development, their personalities are not much on display. The series as a whole is weak on human characterization, perhaps because they're all seen from Murderbot's point of view. By now I'm familiar with the Preservation team who have been there from the beginning, and they have distinct personalities; but unfortunately they now seem to be sliding into the background and being replaced by ART's crew members (introduced in [b:Network Effect 52381770 Network Effect (The Murderbot Diaries, #5) Martha Wells https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1640597293l/52381770.SY75.jpg 63614271]), most of whom remain just names to me.