'All Systems Red, The Murderbot Diaries' by Martha Wells

All Systems Red, The Murderbot Diaries, Martha Wells (4.0)

The new streaming series follows the first Murderbot book rather closely, though as a YA novel, it is short and a bit simpler. If you like the series, you will smile at the narrator’s inner monologue throughout the book. That narrator is the security robot (aka Sec-unit) self-named, ‘Murderbot’. He has been assigned to a hippy-like group of scientists who are on a research mission to a new planet. When several inconsistencies and accidents happen, their leader and Murderbot start wondering if they are in trouble. The author has done a nice job of introducing new technology and mixing it with corporate overtones and complications. 

 

'Upgrade' by Blake Crouch

Upgrade, Blake Crouch (4.0)

While sticking with a couple of themes (family man separated by technology set in the near future), once again Mr. Crouch has come up with a unique plot that pushes technology to a point where the reader must consider the ethics and philosophy of what we may expect in our future. The main character in this story goes through genetic manipulation. This is particularly relevant given the recent CRISPR advances, cloning of animals and revival of the dire wolf. We have the technology to do this, but should we? I won’t say more as, with most Crouch books, the joy is in discovery, but I enjoyed the journey and appreciated his conclusion.