Description
Where it all began — the prequel that shows you exactly who Murderbot is. Before Preservation, before Dr. Mensah, before anyone knew what Murderbot really was, there was a mining contract, a pointless argument between miners, and a choice no security unit was ever supposed to make. Compulsory is the short prequel story that opens the door to The Murderbot Diaries.
In just a few pages, Martha Wells distills everything that makes the series extraordinary: a SecUnit counting the seconds until it can return to its entertainment feeds, a trivial dispute spiraling toward violence, and a decision — act or walk away — that reveals the grumpy, secretly big-hearted construct millions of readers would come to love.
Read Compulsory before All Systems Red for the full origin experience, or after falling for the series as a rewarding look back. Either way, it is the shortest, sharpest proof of why Murderbot endures: even at its most reluctant, it chooses to care.
Where Murderbot’s Story Begins
Before Preservation, before Dr. Mensah, before anyone knew what Murderbot really was — there was a mining contract, a pointless argument, and a choice no security unit was ever supposed to make. Compulsory is the short prequel story that opens the door to the Murderbot Diaries.
On a remote mining outpost, Murderbot is doing what it always does: watching the humans it is supposed to protect and counting the seconds until it can get back to its entertainment feeds. Then a trivial disagreement between miners spirals out of control. The risk-assessment module says the odds are bad. Duty says act. Self-preservation says walk away. In just a few pages, you will see exactly who Murderbot is — and why millions of readers fell for this grumpy, secretly big-hearted SecUnit.
Martha Wells is the award-winning author of the Murderbot Diaries, a series honored with multiple Hugo, Nebula, and Locus awards.
The perfect starting point for new readers — and a must-read gem for longtime fans.
Order now from Tell eBook and receive your files immediately after checkout. This eBook is delivered in EPUB format, readable on phones, tablets, e-readers, and computers.
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