Books Like Martha Wells

2 recommendations for Martha Wells fans who loved All Systems Red, Platform Decay.

Author Focus 2 picks

After Platform Decay

Cover of Sea of Rust

Sea of Rust by C. Robert Cargill

If SecUnit's exhausted snark while dismantling corporate overlords felt like reading your own internal monologue, Brittle—a scavenger AI navigating robot civil war—delivers that same weary brilliance with zero patience for sentimentality. Sea of Rust strips away romance and redemption arcs entirely, preserving the unapologetic social exhaustion and media-savvy cynicism that made Platform Decay feel like survival gear for introverts. This is burnout therapy in robot form, served at doomscroll velocity.

After All Systems Red

Cover of Autonomous

Autonomous by Annalee Newitz

If Murderbot's sardonic internal monologue felt like finding your people, Autonomous delivers that same defiant wit through dual narrators who'd rather hack their freedom than play hero. Annalee Newitz trades corporate missions for biotech rebellion, keeping the razor-sharp commentary on exploitation, introverted AI charm, and action that pauses for existential dread. This is biopunk with bite: patent monopolies as villains, gender fluidity, and humor that undercuts dystopian weight without softening its edges.