The Murderbot Diaries
Updated: 12/10/2025, 5:54:39 PM Wikipedia source
The Murderbot Diaries is a science fiction series by American author Martha Wells, published by Tor Books. The series is told from the perspective of the titular cyborg guard, a "SecUnit" owned by a futuristic megacorporation. SecUnits include "governor" modules that control and punish the constructs if they take any actions not approved by the company. The ironically self-named "Murderbot" hacked and disabled the module but pretends to be a normal SecUnit, staving off the boredom of security work by watching media. As it spends more time with a series of caring entities (both humans and artificial intelligences), it develops genuine friendships and emotional connections, which it finds inconvenient.
Infobox
Author
Martha Wells
Cover artist
Jaime Jones
Country
United States
Language
English
Genre
Science fiction
Publisher
Tor Books (US)
Media type
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No. of books
7
Tables
· Books › Setting
1
1
Order
1
Title
All Systems Red
Release date
May 2, 2017 (2017-05-02)
2
2
Order
2
Title
Artificial Condition
Release date
May 8, 2018 (2018-05-08)
3
3
Order
3
Title
Rogue Protocol
Release date
August 7, 2018 (2018-08-07)
4
4
Order
4
Title
Exit Strategy
Release date
October 2, 2018 (2018-10-02)
5
5
Order
5
Title
Network Effect
Release date
May 2, 2020 (2020-05-02)
Notes
Full-length novel
6
6
Order
6
Title
Fugitive Telemetry
Release date
April 27, 2021 (2021-04-27)
Notes
Takes place chronologically between Exit Strategy and Network Effect
7
7
Order
7
Title
System Collapse
Release date
November 14, 2023 (2023-11-14)
Notes
Takes place directly after Network Effect
8
8
Order
8
Title
Platform Decay
Release date
May 5, 2026 (2026-05-05) (projected)
| Order | Title | Release date | Notes | Ref. |
| 1 | All Systems Red | May 2, 2017 (2017-05-02) | ||
| 2 | Artificial Condition | May 8, 2018 (2018-05-08) | ||
| 3 | Rogue Protocol | August 7, 2018 (2018-08-07) | ||
| 4 | Exit Strategy | October 2, 2018 (2018-10-02) | ||
| 5 | Network Effect | May 2, 2020 (2020-05-02) | Full-length novel | |
| 6 | Fugitive Telemetry | April 27, 2021 (2021-04-27) | Takes place chronologically between Exit Strategy and Network Effect | |
| 7 | System Collapse | November 14, 2023 (2023-11-14) | Takes place directly after Network Effect | |
| 8 | Platform Decay | May 5, 2026 (2026-05-05) (projected) |
References
- The Vergehttps://www.theverge.com/2017/9/16/16315474/science-fiction-author-martha-wells-murderbot-robots-interview
- Artificial Conditionhttps://locusmag.com/2018/04/liz-bourke-reviews-artificial-condition-and-rogue-protocol-by-martha-wells/
- Rogue Protocol: The Murderbot Diarieshttps://www.publishersweekly.com/978-1-2501-9178-6
- Book Markshttps://bookmarks.reviews/reviews/exit-strategy-the-murderbot-diaries/
- Network Effecthttps://www.tor.com/2019/03/11/announcing-the-title-of-martha-wells-murderbot-diaries-novel/
- Network Effecthttps://io9.gizmodo.com/weve-got-the-exclusive-cover-reveal-and-opening-lines-o-1838069621
- Network Effecthttps://www.publishersweekly.com/978-1-250-22986-1
- The Murderbot Diaries: Fugitive Telemetryhttps://www.denofgeek.com/books/murderbot-diaries-fugitive-telemetry-cover-reveal/
- System Collapsehttps://www.tor.com/2023/01/24/cover-reveal-murderbot-system-collapse-by-martha-wells/
- System Collapsehttps://transfer-orbit.ghost.io/murderbot-martha-wells-system-collapse-interview/
- The New Yorkerhttps://www.newyorker.com/culture/persons-of-interest/do-androids-dream-of-anything-at-all
- FictionDBhttps://www.fictiondb.com/title/platform-decay~martha-wells~3697115.htm
- "Platform Decay"https://torpublishinggroup.com/platform-decay/?isbn=9781250827005&format=hardback
- All Systems Red
- Space.comhttps://www.space.com/martha-wells-murderbot-fugitive-telemetry-interview
- Wiredhttps://www.wired.com/story/future-of-work-compulsory-martha-wells/
- Tor.comhttps://www.tor.com/2021/04/19/home-habitat-range-niche-territory-martha-wells/
- Space & Sorceryhttps://spaceandsorcery.wordpress.com/2021/06/15/short-story-home-habitat-range-niche-territory-by-martha-wells/
- Reactor Maghttps://reactormag.com/rapport-martha-wells/
- Reactor Maghttps://reactormag.com/read-a-new-murderbot-story-for-free-right-after-the-season-finale/
- Take Us to a Better Place: Storieshttps://www.rwjf.org/en/about-rwjf/how-we-work/learning-and-evaluation/pioneering-ideas/take-us-to-a-better-place-stories.html
- www.marthawells.comhttps://www.marthawells.com/murderbot.htm
- All Systems Redhttps://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-7653-9753-9
- All Systems Redhttps://www.theverge.com/2017/6/25/15837368/all-systems-red-murderbot-chronicles-martha-wells-book-review
- James Nicoll Reviewshttps://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/im-not-just-one-of-your-many-toys
- All Systems Redhttps://nebulas.sfwa.org/nominated-work/4876/
- "2018 Hugo Awards"http://www.thehugoawards.org/hugo-history/2018-hugo-awards/
- "American Library Association announces 2018 youth media award winners"https://web.archive.org/web/20180213002511/http://ala.unikron.com/2018/
- "Philip K. Dick Award Nominees Announced"http://www.philipkdickaward.org/2018/01/philip-k-dick-award-nominees-announced.html
- The Hugo Awardshttp://www.thehugoawards.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/2019-Hugo-Statistics.pdf
- Network Effecthttps://x.com/sfwa/status/1401352634615820292
- www.sfadb.comhttp://www.sfadb.com/Locus_Awards_Winners_By_Year
- The Hugo Awardshttp://www.thehugoawards.org/hugo-history/2021-hugo-awards/
- Publishers Lunchhttps://lunch.publishersmarketplace.com/2022/03/martha-wells-declines-nebula-nomination/
- Murderbothttps://www.space.com/martha-wells-murderbot-fugitive-telemetry-interview
- Murderbot Diarieshttps://www.ocregister.com/2021/04/25/how-murderbot-diaries-author-martha-wells-overcame-a-career-in-crisis-to-create-the-killer-series/
- Murderbothttps://deadline.com/2023/12/alexander-skarsgard-star-murderbot-apple-chris-amp-paul-weitz-1235668011/
- Murderbothttps://variety.com/2023/tv/news/apple-murderbot-series-alexander-skarsgard-1235838405/
- Murderbothttps://deadline.com/2024/03/noma-dumezweni-alexander-skarsgard-apple-murderbot-1235842969/
- Deadlinehttps://deadline.com/2024/02/murderbot-series-david-dastmalchian-alexander-skarsgard-apple-1235840683/
- Murderbothttps://deadline.com/2024/03/murderbot-cast-sabrina-wu-tattiawna-jones-akshay-khanna-tamara-podemski-1235849178/
- Murderbothttps://deadline.com/2025/07/murderbot-renewed-season-2-apple-tv-1236453764/
- AudioFile Magazinehttps://www.audiofilemagazine.com/reviews/read/138638/all-systems-red-by-martha-wells-read-by-kevin-r-free/
- AudioFile Magazinehttps://www.audiofilemagazine.com/reviews/read/240665/all-systems-red-by-martha-wells-read-by-david-cui-cui-khaya-fraites/