Artificial Condition by Martha Wells, the second instalment in The Murderbot Diaries, is just as humorous, emotional, relatable, and incredible as All Systems Red. The more I read this series, the more I love Martha Wells and her glorious brain, but the more I also find my appreciation for sci-fi growing.

It has a dark past – one in which a number of humans were killed. A past that caused it to christen itself “Murderbot.” But it has only vague memories of the massacre that spawned that title, and it wants to know more. Teaming up with a Research Transport vessel named ART (you don’t want to know what the “A” stands for), Murderbot heads to the mining facility where it went rogue. What it discovers will forever change the way it thinks.

Artificial Condition is a fantastic return for Murderbot, giving the reader a much-needed exploration into its past, one the Murderbot intentionally seeks out, amid a plot of great hilarity and action-packed drama. Murderbot is growing as an free individual, learning and experiencing while not so legally being a stowaway on private vessels. Enter ART – the exact thing Murderbot needs right now.

The characterisation of Murderbot and ART is comical, entertaining, and deeply touching. Two robots, two completely different intentions for existence, yet they find common ground through media, problem solving, and protecting humans. Their interactions and random relationship is both light-hearted and essential to Murderbot’s development and realisations, and while ART can be a pain is Murderbot’s ass, it helps to have a robot who not only computes things fast, but understands what’s necessary in the heat of the moment.

The catharsis of finding out the truth, while brief and perhaps not the whole truth, is a great way to further the story – with what Murderbot learns, where will it go? What plans does it have? Will it go back to Perservation, Doctor Menssah, and the crew? Will it continue to go off on its own, trying to find answers for whatever comes across its radar? There are so many places this could go and the possibilities are exciting. With so many novels let to get through, I’m sure there will be a few additional journeys with new crews to work through first before returning to some familiar faces.

Artificial Condition is an incredible read, and The Murderbot Diaries should be added to your tbrs ASAP. They’re short reads, but they pack such a punch and the characters are intriguing, entertaining, and full of emotion – especially the robots. Martha Wells is a genius and her novels are not to be skipped.