Rogue Protocol

Whoa.

When I started reading Rogue Protocol, I was a bit bummed out because ART wasn't in it.  Murderbot and ART went their separate ways at the end of Artificial Condition.  Murderbot decided to travel further out, looking for evidence to give Mensah against GrayCris (the company who almost killed them in All Systems Red).  That brings Murderbot to a derelict terraforming platform GrayCris has abandoned; Murderbot believes the platform may not have been intended for terraforming as reported.

Unfortunately, as a derelict station, not many people go there.  Luckily though, another company, GoodNightLander Independent, is interested in purchasing the derelict platform and has sent a team to investigate it.  Murderbot decides to secretly accompany the team in order to conduct their own investigation as to the platform's true purpose.  Which is easier said than done when the team's "pet robot" (Murderbot's words) discovers their presence...

When I first started reading Rogue Protocol, I was a bit bummed out that ART wasn't there (which I knew going in, but still, bummed out).  I was even more bummed out by Miki, the robot member of the exploration team.  Miki is super naive, which was a bit grating at first.  But as the book wore on, I really warmed to them (and their relationship with Don Abene, the woman in charge of the team).

I also really liked how, despite not wanting to care, Murderbot continually finds themself drawn into protecting humans (and actually liking and respecting the humans, even if they're still super uncomfortable interacting with humans up close and personal).  And as Rogue Protocol's story unfolded, I seriously didn't want to put it down; I was totally blown away by the ending.  I've never read a series that continuously got better as it went; I hope this continues in Exit Strategy, the fourth (and at this point final book that's out).