Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. If you are familiar with the series, how did System Collapse feel compared to earlier books like All Systems Red? Did the deep dive into Murderbot’s recovery from trauma and system failures change your experience of the character?

2. The novel is the seventh installment in The Murderbot Diaries but works to stand on its own. What did you think of the balance between advancing Murderbot’s long-term arc and telling a self-contained story about the colonists?

3. What was the most memorable scene for you, and why? Did a high-action sequence like the hangar fight stand out, or was it a quieter moment like the team’s collaboration on the documentary?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Murderbot constantly watches The Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moon to understand human behavior and cope with anxiety. Do you have a favorite show, book, or movie that you turn to for comfort or to help make sense of the world?

2. The Preservation crew and ART form a “found family” that offers Murderbot unconditional support. What qualities do you think are most important for building a community where people feel safe enough to be vulnerable?

3. Tarik’s past as a corporate enforcer gives him a unique and valuable perspective. Have you ever had a challenging personal experience that became a source of strength or a tool for connecting with others?

4. The separatist colonists’ long isolation makes them susceptible to Leonide’s propaganda. When have you found that a lack of context made it difficult to judge a person or situation accurately?

5. Why do you think it’s so difficult for Murderbot to show vulnerability or accept help, even from the people it trusts most? Is this a struggle you can relate to?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. The corporate practice of claiming colonists as “salvage” echoes historical systems of indentured servitude. The novel’s critique of this hyper-capitalism feels reminiscent of dystopian works like Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World. How does Barish-Estranza’s strategy of using legal contracts and propaganda compare to other forms of societal control you’ve encountered in the real world?

2. Supervisor Leonide masterfully uses performance and disinformation to manipulate the isolated colonists. In what ways does this plotline reflect contemporary concerns about media manipulation, propaganda, and “fake news”?

3. What does the novel suggest about the nature of consciousness by exploring PTSD-like symptoms in a part-organic, part-machine construct? How does this portrayal contribute to conversation about the experience of trauma and recovery?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. Wells opens the novel with a nonlinear narrative, immediately jumping back in time after introducing a crisis. How did this structural choice shape your initial understanding of Murderbot’s psychological state?

2. The recurring symbol of the “redacted” memory is central to the story. How does Murderbot’s self-censorship make it an unreliable narrator, and what does this reveal about the relationship between memory and identity?

3. Murderbot’s decision to plant the freedom code in the B-E SecUnits’ archives, rather than forcibly hacking them, is a key ethical moment. How does this act serve as the climax of the novel’s exploration of agency and control?

4. Discuss the powerful AIs in the novel, ART and AdaCol2. How do their distinct personalities and functions provide different perspectives on the role of artificial intelligence in this universe?

5. The documentary project marks a major turning point. How does this plot device transform the novel’s representation of media creation and consumption?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. You’re tasked with creating an orientation program for newly freed SecUnits like Three. What would be the three most important principles of your program, and what’s one activity you would include to help them navigate their new autonomy?

2. The documentary succeeded by blending data with an emotional, personal story. What kind of creative project would you design to communicate a complex but important truth to a skeptical group in your own community? What would you focus on to build empathy?

3. Your team has been assigned to make first contact with another isolated colony. Based on the successes and failures in System Collapse, what would be your three-step plan to establish trust and offer assistance without repeating the team’s initial mistakes?