Murderbot Diaries Series In Order

 

Your Guide to The Murderbot Diaries Series: Reading All the Books in Order

    Okay, but seriously—if you’ve never heard of a robot who just wants to chill out and binge-watch crappy soap operas, then man, you’re missing out on Murderbot. Martha Wells’ "The Murderbot Diaries" is basically peak sci-fi comfort food: action, snark, drama, and a robot protagonist who’s about a thousand times more relatable than half the humans I know. 

    Here’s the deal: Murderbot’s this badass security android (we’re talking full-on robot limbs, a splash of human tissue, and a serious attitude problem) who busts open its own programming just so it can STOP being a mindless bodyguard and START catching up on, I don’t know, decades of trashy TV. No joke, all Murderbot really wants is some alone time with its media library—but fate (and, let’s be honest, a parade of helpless humans) keeps screwing that up.

    To its annoyance, Murderbot keeps ending up saving people. Like…constantly. Whether it likes it or not (spoiler: it doesn’t).

    Anyway, if you’re thinking of diving into these books or you’re just a nerd about reading things in “correct” order, stick around. We’ll break down Murderbot’s wild world, one book at a time. Popcorn not required, but honestly, why not?

Why Reading in Order Matters for Murderbot

    You ever dive into a series thinking you can just bounce around, read book four here, jump back to book one later? Yeah, don’t do that with “The Murderbot Diaries.” Seriously, if you try to start in the middle, you’re just gonna be lost—like, good luck figuring out Murderbot’s weird attachment issues (which, by the way, it straight-up hates acknowledging). These novellas stack on each other. One builds off the last, and everything Murderbot feels? All those awkward “not-relationships”? That weird stuff only clicks if you’ve been there since page one.

    Right now, you’ve got seven main books to chew through. There are a couple bite-sized side stories floating around too, but honestly, let’s not get sidetracked. The real meat is in the big ones; you wanna start there if you actually care about the overall story.

The Murderbot Diaries Main Series in Release Order

    Honestly, just go with the release order for the Murderbot Diaries. Trust me, that’s how Martha Wells wanted you to experience all the twists, weird feels, and mayhem. You get all the character upgrades right when you’re supposed to, not before. Don’t overthink it—just follow the chaos as it dropped.

1. All Systems Red (2017)

    Alright, here’s where the whole shebang kicks off. Murderbot—yeah, our beloved grumpy SecUnit—basically jailbreaks its own programming so it can do whatever the hell it wants. Instead of, I don’t know, taking up knitting or binge-watching bad soap operas, it gets stuck babysitting a bunch of clueless scientists on some random, dangerous planet. Things, as you’d guess, seriously go south. Suddenly, it’s gotta figure out whether saving these irritating humans is worth interrupting its media marathon. Classic.

    So, what’s in store? You’re gonna meet a robot with more sass and social anxiety than most people you know. Murderbot’s obsessed with TV dramas, totally allergic to small talk, and definitely did not sign up for any heroics. It’s equal parts hilarious and high-stakes, packed with action, sarcasm, and awkward robot feelings. Honestly, it makes sense this novella snagged a pile of awards. If you don’t vibe with Murderbot, you’re probably not alive

2. Artificial Condition (2018)

    So here’s where Murderbot lands after the first book—flying solo, which is pretty much how it likes things... mostly. It’s digging into its sketchy origin story (hello, mysterious bloody past) because, yeah, that “Murderbot” label wasn’t something it asked for. Anyway, it sneaks onto some rickety cargo ship, thinking it can just chill and do its own weird robot therapy. Nope. Problems start piling up, obviously.

    So, brace for more chaotic space road trips, a whole ton of hacking shenanigans, and, of course, Murderbot tripping into heroism even though it’d rather not talk to anyone, ever. Most of the ‘character development’ is just Murderbot aggressively avoiding social interaction. Classic. Oh, and there’s this other AI on board, way too perky for anyone’s good. It’s helpful—like, frustratingly helpful—but wow, does it know how to push buttons. Buckle up.

3. Rogue Protocol (2018)

    So, in this one, Murderbot’s still on a mission from hell—digging for dirt about the stuff that went down before and hunting for some solid proof to nail GrayCris (those corporate ghouls) to the wall. Naturally, does anything go smooth? Please. The universe loves throwing wrenches. Murderbot ends up knee-deep in trouble, again, poking around some ghost-town research station.

    What’s in store? Buckle up: detective shenanigans, brawls (because apparently danger is this bot’s love language), and an absolute flood of Murderbot’s snarky commentary about how jaw-droppingly idiotic humans can be. It’s whip-smart, sharp as a tack, and honestly, just plain fun—if your idea of fun involves a heavy splash of sarcasm and explosions.

4. Exit Strategy (2018)

    Alright, here’s the truth: this book? It’s where everything blows up (in a good way). The first big arc’s wrapping up, and our favorite cranky cyborg, Murderbot, is on a mission—yep, actually heading back to lend a hand to Dr. Mensah. That’s saying something, considering it barely tolerates most humans, but Mensah? There’s at least a sliver of respect crammed in there somewhere.

    The plan? Take down the sketchiest of sketchy companies—GrayCris. Of course, nothing’s ever easy; Murderbot’s up against a buffet of chaos, betrayal, and all the general “oh crap” moments you’d expect from this series.

    What you’re in for: An ending that actually lands. No loose threads, no half-baked resolutions. The whole gang of plotlines finally crash together, and guess what? It’s satisfying as hell. And listen, Murderbot may act like it’s still just as awkward and antisocial, but you’ll totally spot the growth—don’t let it fool you.

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5. Network Effect (2020)

    Alright, here’s the deal: This one’s the first actual "novel" in the series, so buckle up—it’s way chunkier than those bite-sized earlier stories. You’ve got Murderbot chilling with its favorite humans (the PreservationAux crew), and, surprise surprise, everything goes sideways real fast. Old pals show up, so do nemeses, and, honestly, the drama’s all over the place.

    Stuff gets tangled. The plot’s got more layers, the characters get all sorts of fleshed out, and suddenly the stakes? Sky-high, my friend. Murderbot’s trademark snark and that weirdly endearing “ugh I guess I’ll save these meatbags again” vibe really hits its stride here. It keeps trying to act all grumpy about protecting folks, but you know deep down it cares. Even when the timing sucks.

    People went nuts for this book—seriously, it cleaned up at the award shows. No joke, this one’s a must if you want Murderbot at full throttle.

6. Fugitive Telemetry (2021)

    Okay so, this little book actually slots in before "Network Effect," even though it came out later—which, yeah, publishing orders can be madness. Anyway, Murderbot’s playing detective this time, poking around a murder on Preservation Station. Absolute gold if you love the “robot reluctantly solves crime (and gripes intensely about it)” vibe.

    So what’s inside? Pretty much a classic murder mystery with our favorite cranky SecUnit. Watching Murderbot reluctantly unravel clues using its hacking wizardry (and snark) is way more fun than it has any right to be. The human characters? Still aggravating, obviously, and Murderbot doesn’t let us forget it.

    If you're after chronological order, pop this one in after "Exit Strategy," before "Network Effect." That said, if you want to stick with release order—read it after "Network Effect," no harm done. It works as a standalone. Honestly, for newbies, sticking to release order keeps stuff simple and you won’t miss out.

7. System Collapse (2023)

    Alright, let’s be real—this is the latest book in the series, hot off the press. Murderbot’s a total wreck after "Network Effect" (which, honestly, same), and it’s not exactly on top of its game. But guess what? The humans still need saving because, obviously, they can’t go five minutes without some mega-corp hunting them for profit. So, Murderbot’s gotta slap itself together—again—and jump right into the mess.

    What you’re signing up for: Major feels. Seriously, Murderbot’s not just dodging lasers, it’s tripping over its own messy brain, spiraling about its non-existent mental health—all while still being that snarky, overly competent antihero we love. The book digs into what actually goes on in that head (module? whatever), showing Murderbot cares way more than it wants anyone to know. Even if all it does is grumble about it.

Short Stories and Extras

    Honestly, the main Murderbot books are where it’s at, but if you want extra tidbits, Martha Wells tossed a couple of mini-stories into the mix:

    First up, there’s “Compulsory” (2019). It technically happens before “All Systems Red,” but blink and you might miss it—it’s that short. Honestly, wait to read it until you’ve actually gotten to know Murderbot’s signature dry wit. It’ll hit different.

    Then there’s “Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory” (2020)—mouthful of a title, right? This one sits just before “Fugitive Telemetry” on the timeline. Same deal here: probably makes way more sense after you’ve sunk your teeth into the main series.

    Both are basically little Easter eggs for fans—cool extras, but not required reading for the main storyline. Think of them as bonus tracks on your favorite album. Not essential, but still fun to have around.

Why You'll Love Murderbot (Even If You Don't Love Robots)

    Alright, where do I even start with "The Murderbot Diaries"? This series is just a wild ride from the jump. 

    First off, Murderbot’s narrative voice? Absolute gold. Just this perfect blend of snark, dry humor, and that deadpan “ugh, humans” vibe. It spends half its time roasting people in its head, but you can tell it actually kinda cares—like, against its own will. Honestly, it’s painfully relatable if you’ve ever had to deal with people before coffee.

    The action isn’t just there for show, either. Stuff actually happens. Wells throws in wild shootouts, sneaky plans, mysteries that make you flip pages way past your bedtime—no filler, all killer (sorry, had to).

    But here’s the kicker: for a machine, Murderbot’s got more soul than half the humans in the story. The whole “finding itself” arc is actually kinda moving. Yeah, it’s a bot, but the stuff it deals with—social awkwardness, anxiety, figuring out who it is? That’s real, man. I mean, how many books about killer robots make you tear up just a little?

    And don’t even get me started on the writing style. You don’t need a PhD in sci-fi to get what’s going on. Wells keeps it zippy and simple—not dumbed down, just no-nonsense. Perfect if you’re new to the whole spaceships-and-cyborgs scene.

    Oh, and the mental health stuff… yeah, that hits home for a lot of folks. Murderbot fighting with social anxiety, feeling out of place, just wanting to vibe with its TV shows instead of getting thrown into chaos by humans—same, honestly.

So yeah, that’s why this series absolutely slaps.

The Future of Murderbot

    Man, Murderbot fans can never get enough, huh? And honestly, can you blame them? Martha Wells has hinted she’s not done yet—more books are probably coming. Love that for us. The Murderbot universe is downright massive: sketchy megacorps lurking everywhere, awkwardly endearing humans needing last-minute rescues, and, let’s not forget, endless entertainment feeds for Murderbot to binge. Priorities, right?

    So yeah, if you’re after a sci-fi ride that’s clever, way funnier than you’d expect, and catches you off guard with all the feels, just grab "All Systems Red." Trust me on this. But, uh, don’t try for a face-to-face heart-to-heart with Murderbot or anything—it’s way too busy streaming its dramas and kinda wishes you'd stop making things awkward.