Metal Swarm

The Saga of Seven Suns, Book 6

By: Kevin J. Anderson

Narrated by: David Colacci

Length: 19 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's summary

For years, the alien Klikiss robots have pretended to be humanity's friends, but their seeming "help" allowed them to plant an insidious Trojan Horse throughout the Earth Defense Forces. Now, in the aftermath of a devastating war, swarms of ancient black robots built by the lost insectoid Klikiss race continue their depredations on helpless worlds with stolen and heavily armed Earth battleships.

Among the humans, the Hansas' brutal Chairman struggles to crush any resistance, even as King Peter breaks away to form his own new Confederation among the colonies who have declared their independence.

And meanwhile, the original, voracious Klikiss race, long thought to be extinct, has returned, intent on conquering their former worlds and willing to annihilate anyone in the way.

The saga continues: listen to more of Kevin J. Anderson's Seven Suns series.

©2007 Word Fire, Inc. (P)2007 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved. Published by arrangement with Orbit/Little, Brown and Company, a division of Hachette Book Group USA.

Critic reviews

"Rapid-fire action and panoramic plotting make this a first-class space opera." ( Library Journal)

Worst in the series

In the attempt to build up to the final book this one goes completely out of control just like the chairman. Some chapters do not add to the story arc at all other than to try and build to a crescendo and that was not needed at all.

somewhat absorbing story, otherwise not good

Any additional comments?

Sadly, I have to admit that I got hooked on the story and have cursed myself for listening to more of the series. I had thought there were only two. I am in no way suggesting that I only read well written books: to me space operas are a guilty pleasure - like a candy bar. But this is like bad candy. Lots of sugar and barely recognizable flavors.

The characters are extraordinarily thinly written, even the so-called smart ones are not particularly smart and they are all pretty much one-dimensional. The "dialogue" is poor and the narrator in the first two exacerbated the problem. The story is involving, even though there isn't much science, or even pseudo scientific, basis for the world created, although that is easier to forgive than the poor writing. It is like the writer had the characters do dumb things to propel the story because he wasn't skilled enough to move it along in other ways. It is hard to believe this came from a writer with his credits. I have "read" more sophisticated fare from tweens.

Completely Unnecessary

This particular chapter in the saga was sadly filler. It didn't resolve much and, frankly, was many hours that could have been used to further the story. Many of the characters actions are quite literally insane. I've enjoyed the series in general, but given the direction of the last couple of books I'm very glad to be coming to the end. This series could have most certainly been four books instead of seven.