I’m back to reading Murderbot. I read the first three books in the series last year, and thought it was time to come back to them and see where it goes. While Rogue Protocol diverged somewhat from the Sci-Fi/Action formula laid out in the first two books, opting instead for horror elements, Exit Strategy is a classic hostage and escape narrative. In fact, the title is apt, especially compared to the first two books.

Like the others in the series, this book isn’t too deep or literary, but it is a fun story. Even so, we see Murderbot’s character develop quite a bit over the course of this short volume, and that’s always satisfying to see.

The way he just wants to bury himself in his hole while observing the world around him–it’s so relatable. I suspect that Murderbot’s major challenge is what we nowadays would call simply “social anxiety.” I have it too, and there’s something profoundly satisfying about seeing it depicted here. As Murderbot says about Sanctuary Moon, “It made me feel like a person.”

Well done here, and I’m excited to read through the rest of the series.