# Fugitive Telemetry

![Book cover of Fugitive Telemetry](/books/covers/fugitive_telemetry.jpg)

by [Martha Wells](/books/authors/martha_wells/)
Book 6 of [The Murderbot Diaries](/books/series/the_murderbot_diaries/)
Awards: [Locus](/books/by-award/#locus-award)
★★★☆☆

## Review

_Fugitive Telemetry_, by Martha Wells,
is the sixth book in _The Murderbot Diaries_. In it,
Murderbot is reluctantly pulled into a murder investigation by Preservation
Station security.

_Fugitive Telemetry_ is a stand-alone story set between [_Exit Strategy_](/books/exit_strategy/) and [_Network Effect_](/books/network_effect/). As
Murderbot and station security investigate, they discover the dead man was
helping slaves escape from the Corporate Rim, smuggling them through various
neutral stations.

The book is good fun. Murderbot is its normally anxious, depressed,
hyper-competent self. Bad guys get beaten up. Good guys learn to like
Murderbot, first begrudgingly and then genuinely. The mystery moves quickly
and mainly forces Murderbot to work alongside humans instead of just hacking
or shooting its way through the problem.

_Fugitive Telemetry_ continues the series's interest in what makes someone a
person, which I discussed in my review of [_Network Effect_](/books/network_effect/). Here the focus shifts to
ordinary bots. We learn that they have their own, highly formalized
query/response language and that on Preservation they are allowed to name
themselves (much to Murderbot's chagrin). And unlike Murderbot or humans, they
don't have emotions because they don't have neural tissue. But when one of
their own appears to be in danger, the bots act together to avenge it and
protect the humans nearby.

I enjoyed _Fugitive Telemetry_, but I think that was partly just a bounce-back from
the slow-paced [_A Trade of Blood_](/books/a_trade_of_blood/). Usually, with this series, I spot some
theme that Wells weaves through the book. I have fun
finding that and discussing it. But for this book I don't have a lot to say
because... the book doesn't have a lot to say that's new. It's about agency
and what makes a person, again, and it feels less integrated into the
narrative. I hope this isn't a sign the series is losing me.

## Reviews that mention _Fugitive Telemetry_
- [_Artificial Condition_](/books/artificial_condition/)†
- [_Exit Strategy_](/books/exit_strategy/)†
- [_Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory_](/books/home_habitat_range_niche_territory/)†
- [_Hyperion_](/books/hyperion/)
- [_I Sexually Identify as an Attack Helicopter_](/books/i_sexually_identify_as_an_attack_helicopter/)†
- [_Last Stand_](/books/last_stand/)
- [_The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress_](/books/the_moon_is_a_harsh_mistress/)†
- [_Network Effect_](/books/network_effect/)
- [_On Basilisk Station_](/books/on_basilisk_station/)†
- [_Shards of Earth_](/books/shards_of_earth/)†
- [_This Is How You Lose the Time War_](/books/this_is_how_you_lose_the_time_war/)†
- [_A Trade of Blood_](/books/a_trade_of_blood/)
- [_The Triumphant_](/books/the_triumphant/)†
- [_We Are Legion (We Are Bob)_](/books/we_are_legion_we_are_bob/)†

† _Mentioned via a link to the series._

## Related Books
- [_Exit Strategy_](/books/exit_strategy/) by [Martha Wells](/books/authors/martha_wells/) --- ★★★★☆: Exit Strategy, by Martha Wells, is the fourth book in The Murderbot Diaries. It wraps up the GrayCris storyline as Murderbot returns to save its friends.
- [_Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory_](/books/home_habitat_range_niche_territory/) by [Martha Wells](/books/authors/martha_wells/) --- ★★★☆☆: Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory, by Martha Wells, is a short story from The Murderbot Diaries, set between Exit Strategy and Network Effect. It shows us Murderbot and Mensah adjusting to their new situation after the GrayCris storyline.
- [_Network Effect_](/books/network_effect/) by [Martha Wells](/books/authors/martha_wells/) --- ★★★★☆: Network Effect, by Martha Wells, is the fifth book in The Murderbot Diaries. It’s the first full-length novel in the series and features Murderbot getting kidnapped by ART to rescue its crew.