Rogue Protocol
Review
Rogue Protocol, by , is the third book in the The Murderbot Diaries. It follows Murderbot as it investigates a GrayCris terraforming station and, you guessed it, ends up saving a group of humans.
Like Artificial Condition, Rogue Protocol strikes a great balance between action and exposition. Murderbot stows away aboard a ship carrying a salvage team to the GrayCris station, only to find out they’ve brought along their own human security. The SecUnit has to hide from them while trying to dig up proof that the station is actually an illegal alien-relic mining site.
The primary theme of this story is Murderbot’s evolving relationship with humans, and what it actually wants from those interactions. This plays out through Miki—the “pet” robot that accompanies the group—and Murderbot’s mix of horror and jealousy at how the humans treat Miki as a friend and colleague. It also comes through in how Murderbot has to work with the human security consultants, who are less competent at basically everything.
Rogue Protocol feels like a pop version of ’s Blindsight. The abandoned station in the clouds is like Rorschach above Big Ben: both apparently empty, but full of non-sentient threats. Both stories tackle themes around the self and the mind. But Blindsight is much darker and digs much deeper into consciousness, while this book keeps things light and packed with action.
I once again enjoyed watching the hyper-competent Murderbot navigate danger and save the humans. Onward to Exit Strategy.