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I can’t believe how quickly Graphic Audio is getting through The MurderBot Diaries! Somehow, we’re already on the fourth book in the series, even though it (being this adaptation) only launched a few months ago. Amazing.

For those who don’t know what I’m talking about, Graphic Audio is basically doing a full-cast version of the series. Meaning that we get to see (hear) our favorite SecUnit in a whole new way. It has been a delightful experience.

Listening to Exit Strategy was probably less jarring than the previous novellas since there are no new characters in this book. So, I’m used to the cast and their interpretation of the characters at this point. I still enjoy the previous books, to be clear. But this one felt the most natural to me.

The highlight of the Graphic Audio version has to be the action scenes, as you can hear MurderBot’s panic during all the “oh shit” moments. It hits differently, and mostly in a good way. I’m looking forward to seeing how it all goes down in Network Effect (which drops on Dec. 15, I just checked).

My Original Review of Exit Strategy

Woo! I can’t believe it’s already time to dive into the fourth novella of The MurderBot Diaries. Exit Strategy was highly anticipated (by me and other fans), and it did not disappoint.

I’m not going to lie; at first, I thought that Exit Strategy would conclude the series. I am so thrilled to tell you that this is not the case. There will be more to the MurderBot world, and I am here for it. 

What I love almost as much as the series itself is listening to others and how they react to the series. Reading and seeing their theories for Murderbot and the world they live in. It’s rapidly become such a fantastic and welcoming community. Everyone I know who has read the series has something to say about it, and the fact that they feel like Murderbot has become such a part of their lives is exciting.

There are several things I’ve come to expect from our wonderful Murderbot. I expect/hope for sass, confusion about humans and emotions, fascinating fight scenes, babbling about shows, determination, doing the right thing even when it sucks, and another healthy dose of sass. Exit Strategy doesn’t fail me on any of those counts, and I couldn’t be happier.

Honestly, there’s so much good to this series that I’m struggling to pick something to talk about. As a book reviewer, I’ve gotten used to using my words to describe my love (or not) of a novel, so I feel like that is saying something.

Exit Strategy brings the story around full circle, just as promised. We find ourselves heading back to the same characters we met in the first novel, and more importantly, Murderbot finds itself having to interact with them once again. It was fascinating reading about Murderbot’s conflicted and confused emotions about the whole process, and it made me love them that much more.

I’ve always been impressed by Murderbot’s ability to multitask. I know, I know, they’re a SecUnit and, therefore, are very good about that sort of thing. But still, who doesn’t wish they could consume their favorite media while simultaneously successfully doing their job? That sounds wonderful. Okay, maybe not the job part in this case, but you know what I mean. I do feel like Exit Strategy did a fantastic job of showing us just how far Murderbot could split its focus and still complete the tasks with efficiency.

Did I mention the sass? Many humans have a natural way of shielding themselves in uncomfortable situations: they sass or backtalk to people to appear bolder. Murderbot does that, too, though it’s significantly more endearing when it does it (totally not biased here). 

The last thing I’d like to gush about, naturally, would be the fight scenes. I’ve always found the action in this series to be pulse-poundingly good, and this is no exception. I read the major fight scenes once, rapidly, and then again, more slowly, as there are so many additional details to pick up and process during intense scenes. There was one scene that pushed us forward in realizing just what Murderbot is and isn’t capable of. 

Long (very long) story short – I loved Exit Strategy. This world (universe) is a delight, and I personally hope that we’ll get many more stories from MurderBot.

Highlights:

• Cyberpunk meets Solarpunk
• Rogue Android/SecUnit
• Sarcastic Characters
• Space Adventures
• Artificial Intelligence

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