I read Platform Decay! Of course! And of course I liked it! Although… it’s a bit different from what I was expecting.
What was I expecting? I think I was expecting more pew-pew space adventures with ART, to be honest. It’s where System Collapse appeared to be leading, after all.
Instead, we get a story that’s focused on very few characters – none of whom we’ve had much, if any, interaction with in the past (Murderbot excepted, obviously) – on a new and potentially hostile space ring. There is a tie back to the previous two stories; there always is, because the Corporates are small-minded, vindictive, petty, bullies who can’t let anyone get away with anything if they can possibly do something to them.
TL;DR there is a good amount of action, there is an excellent amount of banter and snark, we get to experience quite a different space habitat, and Three is still around. I won’t be sad to come back to this one as part of my maybe-it’s-annual re-read of the series.
A few more thoughts:
Murderbot: continues to be an absolute delight to follow. I wouldn’t keep reading if I didn’t find its style immensely enjoyable. I like that we can see real change in the way it thinks about humans, more along the lines of ‘weary acceptance’ but in reality it’s a little bit more… well… emotional than that. Although it wouldn’t appreciate me using the word. I also continue to take great joy in its competence. I am a sucker for competence. Also, it’s actively learning about its organic side and taking steps to look after itself, and following other people’s suggestions (sometimes). How healthy is that??
Slight spoiler:
I love that we meet more of Dr. Mensah’s family! It feels like it’s about time, but also I am very glad that they have never been directly in harm’s way before. And they have Feelings about Murderbot too! And they get explored a bit, although it doesn’t get too squishy-emotional!
Leonide: yeh wow I did not expect her to pop up again. That was brilliant.
Randomly Yours, Alex 
I loved this, of course, but I was also really surprised about the plot. It was hard to know because the blurb was so vague (and I tend to find the blurbs for this series continue to less and less descriptive the more books we get). The exciting thing for me was how many threads there are to pull on for what might be the final book? I still want Murderbot/ART, fully confident and a strong team on a mission together, but I can see how it might be too hard to write. 😅
I’ve given up reading the blurb for Murderbot, since I know I’ll just read it anyway – so yes, when I went back to read the blurb after I was a bit… WTF? I REALLY hope we get a proper Murderbot/ART novel, but ALSO I wonder whether that is kind of not the point? Like maybe references to them going off rescuing miners (and minors), but actually the last book is, like, them setting up a production company or something…
At this point if we don’t get a Murderbot/ART novel, I will be happy with whatever we do get and will rely on the fan writers for endless iterations on them taking down the Corporation Rim one corrupt corporation at a time. 😀
(I also hope we get some throwaway line where production companies DO come to Preservation looking for the team that made the System Collapse doc, because that would be VERY funny.)
Imagine all the SNEAKY ways they could infiltrate.
Imagine all the havoc Three could continue to create…
I am very much not a fiction writer, but the POSSIBILITIES!