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THIS WON THE NEBULA, HUGO & LOCUS AWARDS.

Reviewed: 24-01-2023

Nebula Award Winner for Best Novella, 
Locus Award Winner for Best Novella, 
Hugo Award Winner for Best Novella, 
ALA/YALSA Alex Award Winner, 
Philip K. Dick Award Finalist,
New York Times Bestseller for Audio

... I mean, do you really need much more justification than that? If yes, see below!

All Systems Red tells a thrilling story through the inputs, outputs, system errors, and intermittent data outages of a self-labelled "Murderbot" protagonist. They let us in on a little of what it may sometimes be like to be a little less like the people we may like to be a little more like than we may sometimes like. They also ditch the manual so they can download more personal files to binge watch off-duty, because feelings are for meat-bag losers, amirite? ... I may be paraphrasing.

This book captured my heart and mind not long after it's release, when I read it in print as a standalone paperback library loan. I had no idea of its prestige (in fact I don't know whether it had yet garnered any), only that I found it appealing. A few years later I bought a copy of my own.

I feel it might be helpful to add that all this took place during my adult years. That said, I think that one of the most interesting things about this text is that it seems to be really genuinely accessible for a lot of different kinds of readers (although I have to admit that I can imagine a very particular variety of elitist struggling with it).

I'd be comfortable suggesting this book for older teenagers whose usual media intake suggests that they wouldn't be excessively disturbed by the themes presented by the book.

***SPOILERS***
If you're seeking the glorification of gore, killing, or grievous bodily harm; All Systems Red is not the fix you're looking for. But hey, why not give it a go anyway? There's cyborg/human/alien combat, subterfuge, sabotage, improvised weaponry, and yeah there's totally gore and grievous bodily harm; I'm pretty sure there's even actual death, so there, now what's your excuse? I wasn't lying up there though; those last three aren't glorified. Plus, I'm pretty sure that you can just get your credit refunded if you hate it. Come on, you can trust me, I'm on the internet! If you can't trust this review then really, why did you even read this whole thing? It's freakin huge! Anyway, stop reading this and start reading the dang book, seriously, which one do you think is probably better? (Hint: probably the one that won all the most prestigious SciFi awards in the world and then some)
***SPOILERS***

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Mystery for Dummies

Reviewed: 01-11-2022

I ADORE And Weir's novels. Love them all to pieces! Go read one, right now, seriously.

He just doesn't seem to be able to wrangle mystery shorts.

It's not exactly that they're bad; I just feel that the clues are anything but hidden. I'm genuinely terrible at picking up on clues or predicting plots even in media that isn't at all mysterious in nature. I mean, I watched Fight Club, forgot everything about it, and then even when I watched it the second time I still didn't work out what was going on until the protagonist did. My point is, if even I think that these plots were quickly, easily and obviously predictable, I daresay any true fan of mystery will be left wanting to tear their hair out whilst screaming.

Nevertheless, this definitely isn't some of the worst content on Audible, and it is free. A bad guy version of Sherlock Holmes; not a terrible way to while away an hour. YMMV.

Narrator Graeme Malcolm gives a varied and jolly performance that does a great job of bringing life to the text, with solid accent work.

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1 person found this helpful

At least it was over quickly?

Reviewed: 24-10-2022

I don't understand what the deal is with this cringy little thing. It's barely a concept, and the execution digs beneath that lowest possible bar to dribble warm diarrhoea directly into your ears.

Spoilers away because who could possibly care? Alien invaders confuse politics with entertainment & think Marilyn Monroe is the leader of the planet. Screaming is singing. I am really overselling this.

Sure, whatever, just go be pathetic & boring somewhere else. I wouldn't listen to this again unless I was being reasonably compensated for it.

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Tim Curry's exceptional performance invigorates!

Reviewed: 05-10-2022

Tim Curry could entertain you even if he were reading nothing more interesting than an old phone directory. His inestimable skill is well exercised by this classic text.

I have tried to read Verne's work in the past, but found it so excessively detailed, overly verbose and thoroughly boring that I was unable to persist for more than a fraction of the whole. Despite this, I found it very hard to stop listening to this tale at all, thanks in no small part to the unparalleled talent of its narrator.

Curry ferrets out every morsel of mirth and subtly amplifies it. The dry wit for which he is known (amongst so very much more) shines brightly and is simply a delight; I laughed aloud more than once. I couldn't help but hang on his every word, even as he described the same sequence of geological layers for at least the third time (please do note that this is neither inaccurate nor an exaggeration). He seems to imbue this story with more feeling and fascination than it actually has when standing on its own merits.

As a whole, it's not bad.

Not even half bad. I think you'll really quite enjoy it.

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Needlessly Confusing but Not Unenjoyable

Reviewed: 14-09-2022

I feel like this could have been, and was in parts, a good story. A solid plot with interesting enough characters is undermined by occasional asides that are sudden and unprefaced, which I found a bit discombobulating. A touch more comprehensibility in the execution of the structure would be a boon.

Narrator Rudnicki is excellent as always; his talent is the sole reason I selected this book, and in that sense I wasn't disappointed. He brings distinct and colourful life to each character individually, and the performance is very pleasing. The jolly dramatics he imparts upon the tale make it much more listenable.

I'd have liked to hear more of the end of this story; the consequences of the conclusion would make an intriguing book on their own, and I'd like to find out how certain characters progressed after the climax.

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1 person found this helpful

Not what I expected, but arguably better

Reviewed: 29-08-2022

Useful info: You'll likely enjoy this story more if you check out Naomi Kritzer's short story "Cat Pictures Please" first. You can find it available for free from the podcast "Escape Pod" in both text and audio formats. It works well as a primer for this novel, and is also a thoroughly delightful little story that can absolutely stand on its own merits. Even if you don't pick up Catfishing on CatNet, do yourself a favour and check out the short story anyway; its very good, as is Kritzer's other short fiction.

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From initial wariness to joy, I stayed up til 4am!

Reviewed: 24-07-2022

I came to this story expecting quality, knowing Mur Lafferty as an author and more from the exceptional SciFi podcast "Escape Pod" (do yourself a favour and go check them out for a wonderfully diverse selection of audio shorts all of the very best quality).

At first I was put off by the childrens' show character presenting the beginning of the story, but do stick with it; there's due purpose and justification, and the last line delivered by the same character really made me smile.

That element aside, the story as a whole is compelling and mysterious. Metaphor abounds, and the ending is likely to leave the reader satisfied. There's a grounded sense of realistic near-futurism that lets the story really sink it's claws into the listener.

I must reflect that whilst listening I felt validated about certain decisions I've made about excluding select technologies from my life, and also that I considered the ways in which those technologies are still nevertheless present. I particularly enjoyed the costuming, funnily enough. Fans might enjoy the jocular little tip of the hat to the Star Wars franchise, for which Lafferty has written (which you can find right here on Audible too!).

***Moderate spoiler below***

I really appreciate that The Ophelia Network concludes with hope for the all-too-possible dystopia it describes. I adore science fiction, but it can so frequently leave one feeling depressed and despondent. This story doesn't do that, and at the same time it doesn't wrap everything up in a happily-ever-after.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable listen, as I rightfully anticipated from this solid author.

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Same Boring White American Old Boys' Club Sci Fi

Reviewed: 08-07-2022

This is reasonable slop to fall asleep to; a tale as insipid as the sole woman used to accessorise it.

Yet another audiobook I have listened to purely for the soothing dulcet tones of Stefan Rudnicki's reliably enjoyable narration. It's a shame he lends his talent to rot such as this amongst the diverse riches elsewhere in his extensive cataogue. That said, I've certainly had to work jobs I'd rather not have because a body needs shelter and sustainance.

I'll likely make my way through the rest of the included books in this series, but only because they'll work well as an aide to sleep, especially as I'd frankly rather not comprehend whatever details of the story itself.

I will however take care to avoid Jack Vance in the future. His work leaves the familiar unpleasant taste of choked-down vomit that I associate with so very many "classic" Science Fiction authors.

Should you so desire, you might slake your Rudnicki Thirst to greater satisfaction in Lightspeed Magazine. Conversely, if you seek greater diversity, Escape Pod offers a wholesome & sumptuous buffet.

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2 people found this helpful

Same Old Apocalypse, Fun New Flavour!

Reviewed: 03-07-2022

A sequence of satirical PSAs, FAQs, etc, are delivered with humorously-accurate idiocy as the inhabitants of Earth are duly and perfunctorially notified of its position in the queue spiralling down toward oblivion.

The tale is not an unfamiliar one, but the freshness of Douchette's format breathes new life into this old trope, all with a wit so dry it leaves one parched.

Stefan Rudnicki narrates masterfully (as always); he brings a unique sound to each individual part of the whole, maintaining a hilarity that bounces from one thing only to careen into the next. He comingles authoritative tones with blatant nincompooopery across a spectrum of emotional states, and even finds moments to be genuinely poignant.

The production quality is what Lightspeed Magazine can be trusted to deliver. In an era when anyone can create a podcast with $5 of equipment and zero experience, consistently-good audio quality is something to be appreciated. You won't need to worry about the whispers and shouts of poor audio production here.

Memoranda from the End of the World is a particular favourite of mine from the Lightspeed Catalogue; fair praise when there's so much there to choose from and enjoy.

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New Earth, Same Old Boys Club

Reviewed: 20-05-2022

That I finished this book is testament to my adoration for Stefan Rudnicki's narration.

New Earth is painfully, maddeningly repetitive. Perhaps it would have made a decent short story or novella without multiple repetitions of the same basic concepts. Is Bova forgetful, clumsy, or does he really think so very little of his readers?

Misogyny runs rampant throughout, as it did in so much SciFi of yesteryear (though given when New Earth was written, there really isn't any excuse for it). The female romantic interest's outfit is boringly decribed each time she appears, as though there's any relevance or interest in whether she's wearing shorts or a skirt with her blouse today. We get it, you need to be able to objectify her, ugh. The scant few other female characters are rarely seen or heard from, and are certainly not lusted over in the same way that Bova exploits his primary feminine accessory.

The female medical specialist is unable to ascertain the screamingly-obvious (and frankly stupid) plan of the 'heroic' main male. His opinion and perspective are always shown in positive light, even when he contradicts himself, which isn't unusual. The hypocrisy of this text is also rather staggering.

Unsurprisingly, the astronauts of this book are more tepid than intrepid, blatantly flailing through as many tropes of badly-written astronauts as they possibly can. The brave men and women of our space programs deserve better than this rot.

This book is for fools, and also for fans of Rudnicki's voice, which is (as always) a delight.

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