The Myriad (Tour of the Merrimack) [Mass Market Paperback]

I picked this book up not knowing quite what to expect, but it was one of those whimiscal purchases that really paid off.

The story follows the USS Merrimack and her crew on the trail of a ravenous aliens species. The ship's mission is to find and exterminate the alien home world.

The alien threat has forced the US and its greatest enemy, the Roman Empire, to put aside their rivalry and join forces. An experience that is not without tension. I liked the idea of the Roman Empire in hiding and then suddenly reappearing and making off with many of the best and brightest to set up a new interstellar empire.

There are great actions sequences and the book is extremely well written, with a very snappy, concise style that conveys a lot of the underlying emotions as well as driving the plot on.

But the real success of the book lies in its characters. They may be over the top, almost comic book-like (in a good way), but they are so engaging and likeable.

Captain Farragut is the commander of the Merrimack. He is wildly heroic and inspiring, upright and all round good guy. He is optimism and action personified. He should be intensely annoying, but you can't help love him just like his crew.

His Roman counterpart (and thorough contrast) is Augustus. He's a 'patterner', which means that he's been augmented so that he can interface with a computer and carry out miraculous analytical feats by spotting patterns. He is decidedly unhappy to be on the Merrimack and having to put up with its Captain. His thoroughly cynical attitude is a fantastic contrast to Farraguts shining positivity.

Their evolving relationship is great fun to watch.

There are a host of other lovely characters. My favourite was Lt Colonel Steele, the commander of the Marines on the Merrimack, a good man - if rather straightforward, who's not great at dealing with the 'enemy' or at hiding his emotions. He also gets to be part of a rather sweet love story.

During their mission the ship has a first contact experience with a new humanoid planet and the interaction with the residents is interesting and the horrified disapproval of the League of Earth Nations diplomats is highly amusing. The book is generally very funny - partly its the sheer exuberance of the oversized characters, but there are some killer lines and very silly situations.

I'd highly recommend the book but be warned if you like a nice straightforward plot arc you may find the closing chapters throw a bit of a curve ball. I thoroughly enjoyed it though...

The US Merrimack is on a mission to find and destroy the homeworld of the Hive, a terrifying insectoid species that drifts dormant through space, awakening only to devour any life in its path. Such is the threat of the Hive that it has united two former enemy human powers in uneasy alliance, both of which are represented aboard the Merrimack as it follows the trail of destruction back to its source...

I've always enjoyed RM Meluch's books, although it has to be said her earlier works were psychologically very intense - sometimes to the point of melodrama. In this, her first book in ten years, she has lightened the mood considerably to produce an entertaining military adventure, packed full of battles (with both the Hive and the diplomatic corp!) a first-contact scenario, and a dash of speculative science and temporal paradox.

As always, her characterisation is excellent, with two wonderfully contrasting main characters - the cheerfully gung-ho American captain of the Merrimack and his enigmatic Intelligence Officer, a product of the Palatine enhancement programme, whose abilities and past are a deep mystery.

It's a highly entertaining mixture, which may appeal to fans of Star Trek and to anyone who enjoys Lois McMaster Bujold or Tanya Huff's military sci-fi.