The Myriad Audiobook by R.M. Meluch (REVIEW)

Posted by on May 27, 2017 in Reviews | 10 comments

Review of: The Myriad Audiobook
Audiobook:
R.M. Meluch

Reviewed by:
Rating:
4
On May 27, 2017
Last modified:August 24, 2022

Summary:

The Myriad Audiobook

By: R.M. Meluch

Narrated by: John Glouchevitch

Published by Brilliance Audio 3/29/2017

The Myriad Audiobook

4 Hearts rating image Hot Listens

12 hrs and 4 mins

Tour of The Merrimack #1

The Myrad Audiobook Sample

Where There’s Smoke Audiobook

4 Hearts

Well, that was quite the experience. I don’t read/listen to straight up sci-fi/space opera that often. Not sure why because I’ve enjoyed it each time I tried. This one with its classic-style cover caught my eye so I read the blurb and it lives up to its cover. To get you in the picture, it has a military age of sail navy in space feel to it. And, the Roman Empire is restored and conquering away in space with the US as their foe, how cool is that?

The Myriad is space opera and the beginning of a series so there was a large cast of characters, multiple points of view and quite the world building for me to get up to speed on. This can be tricky when I’m experiencing it in audio, but I managed.

For one, the main body of characters are colorful and easily distinguished. Yes, I suppose they fall into certain caricatures or type. I would even go so far as to think a crew like what you got on the Original Star Trek (it has that classic style to it). Captain Farragut is at the center of things. He’s larger than life and a ‘seat of the pantser’ who has the loyalty and love of his crew because he gives his all for and to them. Behind him are his tough, intelligent female second in command, Callie Carmel and his third, the often underestimated, Gwen the Hamster Hamilton. The enigmatic Roman patterner, Colonel Augustus, who is his intelligence officer and who has most of the crew suspicious of him. Tough gritty Marine sergeant, TR Steel, secretly crushing on one of his Marines, Kerry Blue, who has a reputation for liking lots of sex and for being a hard-fighting Marine of the top squad. Mo the Doctor and Don Jose Maria the scientist and philosopher round out the main cast.

There are a few scientific or engineering discussions that I just decided to let that race right on by. They were necessary to explain the whys and the hows of what the folks were doing, I suppose, but I’m one who is good without all that explanation when it comes to my sci-fi. When you start debating the science of space-time continuum and creating a time paradox, I’m just going to sit that one out. Until it happens and I can do the ‘oh, that’s why that was bad/good’.

This is an action adventure mostly because the ship and its crew is out there to protect the human worlds from a devouring alien hoard who only live to eat. Period, no higher intelligence going on there. There are military-style battles of all sorts that get intense and drastic as the humans are backed into a corner many times.
But there are also internal battles within the human race. The humans are not a cohesive group even in the future here as there are a bureaucratic League of Earth Nations separate from the Geo-political divisions that exist and govern with the LEN and the Merrimack on two separate and diverse missions out there that clash.
A silent battle of sorts is the postponed war for conquest that the Americans and Romans were locked in right up until they had to join forces against the alien eaters. There is also a fun new adventure for the ship when they encounter a new race in a hidden planet cluster.

It really was old-style swashbuckling entertainment and doesn’t try to be more though Holy Moly, that twist near the end was quite the corker. That was one time I was glad I paid attention to the scientific discussion prior or I’d have been lost as to what happened. I had a good time and definitely look forward to more adventures with the crew of the Merrimack

The Myrad Narration

5 Hearts

The book narrator, John Glouchevitch, was a first for me, but I thought he did a fab job with that huge cast: gender, accent, class, race, pacing, emotions, and tone. He had me riveted during the exciting parts, laughing at the humor and sad at the right moments. His droll, cynical Augustus voice paired with Farragut’s excitable Kentucky twang was a hoot. Overall, I was totally into his storytelling.

R. M. Meluch AuthorR. M. Meluch is an American SF writer, and published the first of her Tour of the Merrimack series of military SF/space opera novels in 2005. She can be found at rmmeluch.com

goodreads

John GlouchevitchJohn Gloucevitch- Narrator
Country of Origin: us
John began honing his craft as a voice over artist at age three, when to the dismay of his parents, he began to imitate the accents of their British family friends. Over the ensuing years he studied as an actor, improviser and writer, eventually graduating with a BA in Theater and English from Middlebury College. Recent audiobook credits include Witch and Wizard: The Lost by James Patterson, The Map to Everywhere by Carrie Ryan and John Parke Davis and Bravo (Jad Bell) by Greg Rucka. When John is not narrating, you can find him crooning soulful country ballads at hogbucket.com.

My thanks to Brilliance Audio for the opportunity to listen to this book in exchange for an honest review.

Reviewed by

Sophia Rose Signature

  • 4
    editor rating
Sophia Rose
Sophia is a quiet though curious gal who dabbles in cooking, book reviewing, and gardening. Encouraged and supported by an incredible man and loving family. A Northern Californian transplant to the Great Lakes Region of the US. Lover of Jane Austen, Baseball, Cats, Scooby Doo, and Chocolate.