We knew from the start that this series was a formula. It's a decent formula that Wells can use to create readable books, but it's a formula, and I really can't give more than 3 stars to it. Formula being said, Murderbot is developing a bit as a character--becoming more assertive and confident, mostly through expletives. It's a nice lightweight read if you're in the mood for that, and I actually was when I read it. So--murder committed, murder investigated by Murderbot, murder solved. There is a window of development that could go somewhere. Murderbot is always worried about the media accounts of SecUnits, which have them going rogue and killing people. Murderbot's support network is very assured that this cannot happen, but then again Murderbot did in fact hack its own governor module and free itself, so it realizes that going rogue is actually possible. That comes forward in this book but is not dealt with. If it becomes a theme around which to build the story then there are some interesting possibilities. Formula books winning awards (Fugitive Telemetry was nominated for the majors and won the Locus) does not speak well for the state of the field.
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