Martha Wells’ Murderbot Diaries & Fantasy Collection: An Overview

If you`ve enjoyed the “Murderbot” series on Apple TV+ and haven`t delved into the critically acclaimed books it`s based on, the latest Humble Book Bundle is an opportunity not to be missed. The “Martha Wells` Murderbot & More” bundle offers a vast collection of ebooks, encompassing every novella, novel, and short story from “The Murderbot Diaries,” along with several of Wells` celebrated fantasy novels. For a total of $18, this comprehensive package includes nine novels, five novellas, and two short stories set in the Murderbot universe.

All ebooks in this Humble Bundle are provided in EPUB format, the widely accepted standard for electronic books, ensuring compatibility with any reading device and preferred app. Furthermore, consistent with all Humble Bundles, your purchase supports a charitable cause. A portion of your payment contributes to World Central Kitchen (WCK), a non-profit organization dedicated to combating global food insecurity. WCK develops sustainable programs and offers crucial assistance during humanitarian crises and after natural disasters. Proceeds from your purchase are shared among WCK, Humble, and Macmillan Publishers, with an option to adjust the percentage distribution manually.

While the complete bundle offers the best value, individual tiers are available. You can sample “The Murderbot Diaries” with the first book for just $1. The mid-tier at $10 includes the initial three books. However, for an additional $8, upgrading to the full bundle grants you the remaining four Murderbot books plus seven distinct fantasy novels.

The Murderbot Diaries Series

“The Murderbot Diaries” stands as one of the most decorated science fiction series of this century, boasting four Hugo Awards, two Nebula Awards, and three Locus Awards. The series might have accumulated even more accolades, but Wells has notably declined multiple nominations.

• 1. All Systems Red: A Novella (2017)
• 2. Artificial Condition: A Novella (2018)
• 3. Rogue Protocol: A Novella (2018)
• 4. Exit Strategy: A Novella (2018)
• 5. Network Effect: A Novel (2020)
• 6. Fugitive Telemetry: A Novella (2021)
• 7. System Collapse: A Novel (2023)
• Home: A Short Story (2020)
• Rapport: A Short Story (2025)

Also Included in the Bundle: Martha Wells` Fantasy Novels

• Witch King: A Novel (2023)
• City of Bones: A Novel (1995)
• Wheel of the Infinite: A Novel (2000)
• The Book of Ile-Rien: 2 Novels
  • The Element of Fire (1993)
  • The Death of the Necromancer (1998)
• The Emilie Adventures: 2 YA Novels
  • Emilie and the Hollow World (2013)
  • Emilie and the Sky World (2014)

On the fantasy front, the bundle features standalone novels, historical fantasy, and “Witch King,” the inaugural title in Wells` latest fantasy series. “Witch King,” published in 2023, earned the Locus Award for Best Novel and was a finalist for both the Hugo and Nebula Awards. With the second novel in “The Rising World” series slated for an October 7 release, now is an opportune moment to catch up.

“City of Bones” and “Wheel of the Infinite” are standalone fantasy works penned by the author in the 1990s. Wells` debut historical fantasy novel, “The Element of Fire,” is compiled within “The Book of Ile-Rien.” Meanwhile, “The Emilie Adventures” comprises a duology of steampunk novels tailored for young adult readers.

About the Murderbot Character

Mirroring the critically acclaimed Apple TV+ series, the central figure in “The Murderbot Diaries” is a SecUnit—a humanoid security construct composed of cloned organic tissue and advanced mechanical components. Upon successfully hacking and disabling its control module, SecUnit achieves autonomy. It adopts the moniker “Murderbot,” a concise descriptor of its primary role as a private security entity. To evade destruction for its newfound freedom, Murderbot continues its existence as a planet-hopping bodyguard, protecting and eliminating threats for humans who perceive it as mere property. Murderbot copes with its desolate existence by obsessively binge-watching a sci-fi soap opera in its mind, often to the detriment of its assigned missions.

Books vs. Adaptation

The Apple TV+ adaptation of “Murderbot,” starring Alexander Skarsgard, boasts an impressive 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. However, as is often the case, the source material offers an even richer experience. The books are narrated from Murderbot`s perspective, providing an intimate view of events through the eyes of a being recently liberated into self-awareness. While its perspective includes moments of wit and levity, the character`s profound strength lies in its personal journey to reconcile with an uncontrollable past and to seek purpose and connection within a harsh universe.

Physical Editions: Paperback Collections

Earlier this year, Tor introduced a trio of affordable paperback collections. Volume 1 compiles “All Systems Red” and “Artificial Condition,” the initial two novellas in the series. “The Murderbot Diaries Volume 1” is available for approximately $14.35 ($20). These first two Murderbot books consecutively won the Hugo Award for Best Novella. Volume 2 features the third and fourth novellas for $20, and Volume 3 includes the standalone novella “Fugitive Telemetry” and the novel “System Collapse” for $17 ($23). The slightly higher MSRP for Volume 3 reflects “System Collapse” being a full-length novel.

A potentially confusing aspect of these paperback collections is the exclusion of Book 5, “Network Effect.” As the first full-length Murderbot novel, “Network Effect” (352 pages) is substantially longer than two novellas combined. If opting for these paperbacks, you`ll need to purchase “Network Effect” separately, as “System Collapse” directly follows it. The paperback edition of “Network Effect” is priced at about $13.89 ($20). Wells garnered the Hugo, Nebula, and Locus Awards for Best Novel for “Network Effect.”

To acquire Paperback Volumes 1-3 along with “Network Effect” would currently total approximately $65.

• Books 1-2: All Systems Red & Artificial Condition — ~$14.35 ($20)
• Books 3-4: Rogue Protocol & Exit Strategy — ~$20
• Book 5: Network Effect — ~$13.89 ($20)
• Books 6-7: Fugitive Telemetry & System Collapse — ~$17 ($23)

Physical Editions: Hardcover Editions

All five Murderbot novellas and the two novels remain in print as individual hardcover books. Apart from “All Systems Red” and “Network Effect,” Tor has not released standalone paperback editions for “The Murderbot Diaries.” Thus, if you desire individual, matching copies, hardcover is the sole option. Considering most are currently discounted by 50% or more, this presents a compelling alternative. Based on current prices, Books 1-7 would cost roughly $92 in total—approximately $27 more than the paperback collections discussed previously.

1. All Systems Red — ~$14 ($25)
2. Artificial Condition — ~$11.74 ($20)
3. Rogue Protocol — ~$10.35 ($25)
4. Exit Strategy — ~$12.31 ($24)
5. Network Effect — ~$16 ($29)
6. Fugitive Telemetry — ~$11.87 ($25)
7. System Collapse — ~$16.20 ($25)
8. Platform Decay — ~$25 | Releases May 5, 2026

The initial four novellas were compiled into a hardcover box set in 2020. While currently 20% off, its price of $79.59 is considerably higher than purchasing Books 1-4 individually.