Jennifer Jackson – Literary Agent

Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells

“It’s been almost one long year since Network Effect dropped, and let’s face it: the world is ready for more Murderbot. Dry wit, misanthropy, and space adventures are promises delivered in full in this month’s 6th installment of Martha Wells’ Murderbot Diaries…

Murderbot, though, isn’t a stand-in for any other oppressed group, as much as some of us might see ourselves in its outsider-status, hatred of ally condescension, and “not applicable” gender. The prejudice it faces isn’t because it is socially-coded as a weapon, but because it is a weapon, and so the shape those redemption stories take is fundamentally different. Murderbot isn’t a story about simply learning to love yourself as you are, but of reckoning with the decision to not be the thing you were born to be. It’s about learning to trust even in the midst of justifiable fear. It’s also—for all its death and mayhem—a soothing escape from reality, the likes of which Murderbot itself would approve.” — Tor.com

Star Eater by Kerstin Hall

“El works as part of the Order, a sisterhood and core central body that rules Aytrium and keeps it running. Her magic, or “lace,” is powered by consuming the flesh of her ancestors. This power comes at a harsh price, and it’s one that El is willing to escape at any cost, which is why she agrees when a resistance group asks her to spy on the sisterhood’s top officials. Hall’s world is intricately woven, with a complex web of side characters, suspenseful pacing, and slowly unraveling revelations. The Order and the world of Aytrium is exceedingly dark, and sexual assault and body horror are major parts of the plot….All of that said, Star Eater is an exciting horror-fantasy about power, violence, and control, and El’s complicated quest to be free of the violent magic system at the sisterhood’s core will keep readers compelled from the first page.” — Booklist

Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells

“…a great noir-ish, Agatha Christie-ish murder mystery typical of the series, with far less shoot-’em-up than the series name suggests, plenty of deduction and the navigation of awkward relationships. Like all the Murderbot books, the plot is fast and the dialogue punchy, a snappy vehicle to carry the bigger narrative arc of Murderbot as it emerges from its defensive psychological cocoon.” — New Scientist

The 2020 Hugo Award Finalists include Tamsyn Muir and Martha Wells! Congratulations to all!

Best Novel
Harrow the Ninth, Tamsyn Muir (Tor.com)
Network Effect, Martha Wells (Tor.com)

Best Series
The Murderbot Diaries, Martha Wells (Tor.com)

Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells

“Preservation Station was supposed to be a low threat-assessment, but the SecUnit named Murderbot finds itself standing in front of a dead body, facing a mysterious murder. Mensah asks Murderbot to help investigate the death and find out if GrayCris was involved, even though both sides have little trust for each other. Murderbot attempts to work with Senior Officer Indah and her agents, but identifying the dead is the least of their problems. Deceptions and more deaths lead them to smuggling secrets that could expose Preservation to more problems, so of course Murderbot will have to help the humans deal with it. Except this murderer may be as smart as Murderbot, or—Murderbot would never admit—even smarter. Wells’s (Network Effect) flair for balancing Murderbot’s at-length internal monologues with its external voice and decisive actions creates a main character who is addictive. VERDICT Back in novella form for a sixth outing, Murderbot continues to bring intelligence and acerbic commentary on humanity to the forefront.” — Library Journal