# Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory

![Book cover of Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory](/books/covers/home_habitat_range_niche_territory.jpg)

by [Martha Wells](/books/authors/martha_wells/)
Book 4.5 of [The Murderbot Diaries](/books/series/the_murderbot_diaries/)
★★★☆☆

## Review

_Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory_, by Martha Wells,
is a short story from _The Murderbot Diaries_, set between [_Exit Strategy_](/books/exit_strategy/) and [_Network Effect_](/books/network_effect/). It shows us
Murderbot and Mensah adjusting to their new situation after the GrayCris
storyline.

_Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory_[^note] takes place immediately after [_Exit Strategy_](/books/exit_strategy/), and is told
from the perspective of Dr. Ayda Mensah as she gets back to life on
Preservation Station. She's grappling with her own PTSD---stemming from her
near-murder by GrayCris in [_All Systems Red_](/books/all_systems_red/) and kidnapping in [_Exit Strategy_](/books/exit_strategy/)---while
trying to navigate politics, deal with pestering reporters, and support
Murderbot and her team.

[^note]: Available for free on Tor's website: [_Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory_][home]

[home]: https://reactormag.com/home-habitat-range-niche-territory-martha-wells/

_Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory_ dives deeper into themes of mental health and identity than
any previous entry in [_The Murderbot Diaries_](/books/series/the_murderbot_diaries/). It raises the question: "Can you
separate _who_ you are from _what_ you are and what you've experienced?" In
exploring this, it draws a parallel between Murderbot---created as a weapon
and shaped by that---and Mensah, whose trauma has reshaped her as well.

It also more directly confronts the horror of the Corporation Rim, especially
their system of slavery. The story highlights how both their human
workers---enslaved physically---and their constructs---enslaved in both body
and mind---are trapped. It made me realize that SecUnits are basically
_Warhammer 40,000_ servitors, just
deceptively less grimdark.

What I love about [_The Murderbot Diaries_](/books/series/the_murderbot_diaries/) is the perfect mix of action and
emotional, thought-provoking insight. But Wells doesn't
quite manage to balance those elements in _Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory_'s 14 pages as well
as in the longer installments. Still, I appreciated seeing the world from a
different angle.

Next up is [Adrian Tchaikovsky](/books/authors/adrian_tchaikovsky/)'s [_Shards of Earth_](/books/shards_of_earth/) for my book club---then I'm heading
back into [_Network Effect_](/books/network_effect/).

## Reviews that mention _Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory_
- [_Artificial Condition_](/books/artificial_condition/)†
- [_Bolo: Annals of the Dinochrome Brigade_](/books/bolo_annals_of_the_dinochrome_brigade/)
- [_Exit Strategy_](/books/exit_strategy/)
- [_I Sexually Identify as an Attack Helicopter_](/books/i_sexually_identify_as_an_attack_helicopter/)†
- [_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/)†
- [_System Collapse_](/books/system_collapse/)†
- [_This Is How You Lose the Time War_](/books/this_is_how_you_lose_the_time_war/)†
- [_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
- [_Rogue Protocol_](/books/rogue_protocol/) by [Martha Wells](/books/authors/martha_wells/) --- ★★★☆☆: Rogue Protocol, by Martha Wells, is the third book in The Murderbot Diaries. It follows Murderbot as it investigates a GrayCris terraforming station and, you guessed it, ends up saving a group of humans.
- [_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.
- [_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.