Book review by Corey
Platform Decay
Platform Decay is the eighth book in the Murderbot series and sends Murderbot on a rescue mission that forces it to spend way more time with unfamiliar humans than it would ever choose on its own. That includes children, awkward social interaction, and a situation that quickly turns dangerous enough to give Murderbot something much easier to deal with: violence.
The book keeps the same mix of sarcasm, action, and reluctant emotional attachment that makes the series work so well. There is plenty of humour in Murderbot being deeply uncomfortable with people, but the story also shows how much more connected it has become, even when it is still doing everything possible to pretend otherwise.
The Goods
- Murderbot is still hilarious
- Good mix of action and character moments
- The rescue mission keeps the pace moving
- More emotional growth without changing the character
- Strong continuation of the series
The Bads
- Works best if you know the earlier books
- Some side characters get limited development
- A few tech details can be dense
- The story can feel short
- Not as much mystery as some earlier entries
My Recommendation
This is a strong continuation for readers who already love the Murderbot series and want more of the same dry humour, awkward relationships, and fast science-fiction action. Platform Decay is especially fun because Murderbot is forced into even more human interaction than usual, which gives the emotional side of the character a lot of room to come through. If you enjoy AI characters, found family, reluctant heroics, and a main character who would rather be watching media than dealing with anyone’s feelings, this one fits the series extremely well.