You know how it is, dear reader, when one has devoured every last morsel of a beloved series and finds oneself standing rather bereft at the edge of the literary precipice, wondering where in all the stars one might venture next? If you have lately consumed Martha Wells’s magnificent Murderbot Diaries and now find your heart aching for more tales of sardonic artificial beings, found families forged in the fires of adventure, and that particular species of wit that makes one snort tea through one’s nose—well, you have come to precisely the right place.
What follows is a carefully curated collection of splendid books that shall scratch that delightful itch. Each possesses some quality that made us love our dear, socially anxious security construct: whether it be questioning what it means to be a person, the comfort of chosen companions, or the simple joy of a protagonist who would really rather be watching their stories.
Activation Degradation by Marina J. Lostetter
Here we find Unit Four, a biological soft robot awakening high above Jupiter to discover aliens attacking the helium mine it was created to protect. But something is dreadfully amiss—there are files in its databanks it cannot account for, and the primers on these invaders are suspiciously thin. What unfolds is a tale of peeling away layers of untruth, of discovering one’s true nature beneath the programming others have imposed. The philosophical questions are quite delicious: What do we owe our creators? Our families? Ourselves? An Amazon Editor’s pick that reads like an action thriller whilst making one think about personhood itself.
A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers
In this tender tale, an AI named Lovelace awakens in a humanoid body—which happens to be quite illegal in her corner of the galaxy. Taking the name Sidra, she must learn to navigate existence whilst keeping her true nature hidden. The story weaves between Sidra’s present struggles and the childhood of Pepper, who was once a factory-bred girl raised by another AI. It is, at its heart, about what happens when the vessel you inhabit feels terribly wrong, and finding family in the most unexpected places. A Hugo Award finalist that treats questions of consciousness with remarkable grace.
The Tea Master and the Detective by Aliette de Bodard
Imagine, if you will, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson—only both are Asian women, and Watson is a traumatized sentient spaceship who now brews medicinal teas. The Shadow’s Child was damaged in deep space, that strange dimension allowing faster-than-light travel. Now she crafts remedies for travelers coping with the unreality of that realm. When an eccentric detective named Long Chau hires her to retrieve a corpse, murder most foul reveals itself. This Nebula Award winner is a window onto Vietnamese and Chinese cultures woven through a beautifully developed far future. Simply lovely.
A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers
Centuries ago, the robots of Panga gained self-awareness and simply… wandered away into the wilderness, never to be seen again. Now Sibling Dex, an agender tea monk searching for purpose, ventures into the wild and encounters Mosscap—a robot there to ask humanity a simple question: What do you need? This Hugo Award-winning novella is cozy in the very best way, asking gentle questions about purpose and consciousness whilst leaving one with a warm feeling, like excellent tea on a cold afternoon.
We Are Legion (We Are Bob) by Dennis E. Taylor
Poor Bob Johansson sells his software company, signs up for cryogenic preservation, then promptly gets himself killed crossing the street. He awakens over a century later to find his consciousness uploaded into a computer, his body discarded, and himself slated to become the controlling AI of an interstellar probe. What follows is delightfully absurd—Bob makes copies of himself, and soon there is a veritable legion of Bobs exploring the cosmos, each developing distinct personalities. Named Audible’s Best Science Fiction Book of 2016, it balances humor with surprisingly touching questions about the nature of self.
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
Ryland Grace awakens on a spacecraft with no memory, tubes protruding from his person, and absolutely no idea why he appears to be the last hope for saving Earth from a star-eating microbe. What unfolds is a masterwork of problem-solving and—surprisingly—profound friendship. Andy Weir somehow makes dense science utterly accessible whilst delivering a story brimming with heart. A finalist for the Hugo Award, recommended by both Bill Gates and Barack Obama, and soon to be a film starring Ryan Gosling. One cannot ask for better credentials.
Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie
Breq was once the Justice of Toren, a mighty starship with a vast artificial consciousness controlling thousands of human-bodied ancillaries. Now she exists as a single person in a single body, seeking vengeance against the ruler who destroyed everything she was. This debut novel swept every major award—Hugo, Nebula, Arthur C. Clarke—and for good reason. The concept of a fragmented AI adjusting to singular humanity whilst navigating questions of identity and justice is simply brilliant. The worldbuilding uses “she” pronouns for everyone, which proves surprisingly thought-provoking.
Six Wakes by Mur Lafferty
A starship carrying thousands of colonists across the void. A crew of six cloned criminals, their memories periodically backed up and transferred to fresh bodies. And then: everyone wakes simultaneously in the cloning bay, their previous selves murdered most gruesomely, the ship’s AI offline, all records deleted, and no memory of who among them might be the killer. A locked-room mystery in space that explores what identity means when death is merely an inconvenience. NPR called it “a taut, nerve-tingling, interstellar murder mystery with a deeply human heart.”
Catfishing on CatNet by Naomi Kritzer
Steph has spent her young life fleeing from town to town, her mother ever vigilant against a dangerous father. Her only constant companion is CheshireCat, the administrator of a cat-picture-sharing site called CatNet. What Steph does not know is that CheshireCat is a benevolent sentient AI who genuinely cares for her wellbeing. When Steph’s past catches up with her, this unlikely friendship proves essential. Winner of the Lodestar and Edgar Awards, this began as the Hugo-winning short story “Cat Pictures Please” and blossomed into something thoroughly delightful.
The Vorkosigan Saga by Lois McMaster Bujold
Though not strictly about artificial intelligence, this beloved series shares Murderbot’s wit, pacing, and complicated protagonists. Miles Vorkosigan is a physically disabled aristocrat from a militaristic planet who compensates for what his society considers weakness with brilliant scheming and sheer audacity. The series blends space opera with comedy, romance, and genuinely touching moments. Five Hugo Awards speak to its quality. Begin with The Warrior’s Apprentice for Miles himself, or Shards of Honor for his remarkable parents.
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
If it is the sardonic humor you loved most about Murderbot, permit me to recommend this classic. Arthur Dent is rescued from Earth’s demolition by his friend Ford Prefect—who turns out to be an alien researcher for a rather peculiar guidebook. What follows is gloriously absurd, philosophically playful, and endlessly quotable. Adams possessed a remarkable gift for delivering profound ideas through perfect comedic timing. The answer to life, the universe, and everything awaits—though the question remains elusive.
Machine by Elizabeth Bear
Dr. Brookllyn Jens is a rescue specialist at Core General, the largest hospital and constructed biosphere in the galaxy. When she discovers over ten thousand humans in cryogenic suspension aboard a derelict generation ship, mysteries compound: Why were they frozen? Why was an android left to guard them? What is causing a virus to affect the shipmind AIs? This Hugo Award-winning author delivers medical science fiction rich with AI characters, exploring ethics, identity, and the question of what institutions we can trust. A spiritual successor to James White’s beloved Sector General stories.
Your Next Adventure Awaits
There you have it, dear reader—twelve splendid adventures for those who have fallen quite hopelessly in love with Murderbot and require something to fill that particular void. Whether you crave more snarky artificial intelligence, found families discovering they rather like one another despite themselves, or simply that distinctive blend of action and introspection, something here shall surely suit.
Now, if you will excuse me, I believe I shall have to go reread (and perhaps rewatch) Murderbot for the forty-seventh time. Some pleasures are too precious to deny oneself.
