# Network Effect ![Book cover of Network Effect](/books/covers/network_effect.jpg) by [Martha Wells](/books/authors/martha_wells/) Book 5 of [The Murderbot Diaries](/books/series/the_murderbot_diaries/) Awards: [Hugo](/books/by-award/#hugo-award), [Locus](/books/by-award/#locus-award), [Nebula](/books/by-award/#nebula-award), [2025 Favorites](/blog/favorite-books-of-2025/) ★★★★☆ ## Review _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. [soldier]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soldier_(1998_American_film) _Network Effect_ brings back the best non-Murderbot character from the GrayCris storyline: ART, the asshole research transport first seen in [_Artificial Condition_](/books/artificial_condition/). The power fantasy is toned down a bit---ART isn't all-powerful anymore; it's been taken over and needs help, so it kidnaps Murderbot to come bail it out. The book goes deeper into Murderbot's personality and feelings. It doesn't like logos because it's been branded. It hates pretending to be a SecUnit because it reminds it of being enslaved. It likes being cared for. It doesn't like being used. ART is its friend. We also see more of the horrors of the Corporation Rim, where colonies and their people are left to die if they're not profitable. Agency is a major theme of _Network Effect_. Murderbot and other SecUnits are controlled by their governor modules. The Corporation Rim employees are essentially owned by their employers. ART is hijacked by a virus, and the people of the colony are mind-controlled by an alien remnant. Even the decision by ART and the humans to risk everything to save Murderbot raises questions about how loyalty and love can be controlling. _Network Effect_ introduces some new characters. Murderbot 2.0 is a copy of Murderbot's mind used as a virus, a trick it learned in [_Exit Strategy_](/books/exit_strategy/). The book lightly explores whether the copy is still Murderbot, a question that shows up in other sci-fi like [_Pandora's Star_](/books/pandoras_star/) and [_We Are Legion (We Are Bob)_](/books/we_are_legion_we_are_bob/). _Network Effect_ reaches roughly the same conclusion as [_A Memory Called Empire_](/books/a_memory_called_empire/): the copy isn't really you, because your nervous system is part of who you are, and that is not duplicated. It made me think about what defines a _person_ in [_The Murderbot Diaries_](/books/series/the_murderbot_diaries/). The humans are, of course. Murderbot is too, even though its brain is heavily augmented with computers. ART is clearly sentient, and it's entirely software. Murderbot 2.0 is even more abstract. It's code living inside other systems. The book, like [Peter Watts](/books/authors/peter_watts/)'s [_Blindsight_](/books/blindsight/) and [_Echopraxia_](/books/echopraxia/), got me thinking about how we define personhood, and whether any of today's computer systems, like LLMs, might start to meet that definition. Another new character is SecUnit 3. It is a SecUnit that Murderbot convinces to help out by sharing memories. Three acts as a mirror for Murderbot, letting it see how it behaved and felt right after it first gained freedom. _Network Effect_ reminded me of some other works: - The `HelpMe.file` used to tell a parallel story reminds me of how [John Brunner](/books/authors/john_brunner/)'s builds his world through in-universe media in [_Stand on Zanzibar_](/books/stand_on_zanzibar/). - The alien-infected humans fighting a war amongst themselves while taking human hostages was similar to [Hal Clement](/books/authors/hal_clement/)'s [_Close to Critical_](/books/close_to_critical/) and [Robert L. Forward](/books/authors/robert_l_forward/)'s [_Dragon's Egg_](/books/dragons_egg/). - The alien virus taking over people's minds was like the Blight from [Vernor Vinge](/books/authors/vernor_vinge/)'s [_A Fire Upon The Deep_](/books/a_fire_upon_the_deep/). - Murderbot's greatest fear---being abandoned on a planet---reminded me of [_Soldier_][soldier], which also explores the theme of a former weapon developing emotions and finding community. - Murderbot and later Three sneaking into the space station and colony reminded me of Djan Seriy Anaplian infiltrating the Shellworld at the end of [Iain M. Banks](/books/authors/iain_m_banks/)'s [_Matter_](/books/matter/). This book lives up to the rest of the series, with a great mix of emotion, action, and worldbuilding. I can't wait to read [_Fugitive Telemetry_](/books/fugitive_telemetry/). ## Reviews that mention _Network Effect_ - [_Artificial Condition_](/books/artificial_condition/)† - [_Exit Strategy_](/books/exit_strategy/)† - [_Eyes of the Void_](/books/eyes_of_the_void/) - [_Fugitive Telemetry_](/books/fugitive_telemetry/) - [_Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory_](/books/home_habitat_range_niche_territory/) - [_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/)† - [_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 - [_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. - [_Fugitive Telemetry_](/books/fugitive_telemetry/) by [Martha Wells](/books/authors/martha_wells/) --- ★★★☆☆: 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.