Murderbot on the Move

I just finished Exit Strategy, the fourth book in the Murderbot Diaries, and it was a pretty good ride, even if it didn't quite hit the same highs as some of the others. Murderbot is still a fantastic character, and I loved getting to hear more of its grumpy thoughts and secret caring for people.

As usual, I listened to it as an audiobook, and Kevin R. Free's narration is still spot on. He just gets Murderbot's voice and attitude perfectly, which makes even the slower parts enjoyable.

This time, Murderbot is trying to help some old friends and get more answers about its past. It's cool to see it dealing with different groups of humans and trying to figure out where it fits in, or if it even wants to. The story had some interesting twists and a few good action scenes that kept things moving along.

Spoiler alert: Some plot details ahead.

I liked how Murderbot was forced to work with different humans and how that pushed its character a bit. Seeing it interact with Mensah again was cool, bringing back some of the feelings from the first book. The big reveal about Dr. Gurathin and the larger corporate schemes was also a neat part of the plot, tying things together more broadly.

For me, it felt a little bit like a setup book for the bigger stories to come, not quite as standalone and focused as Rogue Protocol was. The tension wasn't always as high, and while it was entertaining, it didn't grab me as intensely as some of the earlier books or my five star reads.

Still, Exit Strategy is a solid part of the Murderbot story. If you're following the series, you'll definitely want to read (or listen) to this one to see what happens next for our favorite security unit. It's an important step in Murderbot's journey, even if it's not the absolute best of the bunch.