• Metal Swarm

  • The Saga of Seven Suns, Book 6
  • By: Kevin J. Anderson
  • Narrated by: David Colacci
  • Length: 19 hrs and 17 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (1,335 ratings)

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Metal Swarm  By  cover art

Metal Swarm

By: Kevin J. Anderson
Narrated by: David Colacci
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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)

What listeners say about Metal Swarm

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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  • 3 Stars
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  • 2 Stars
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  • 1 Stars
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Martian Pyramids?

If you like Sci-Fi and you like it coming at you fast and furious and you like as much diversity as possible, then this is the series for you. Anderson is not Dean Koontz, but his style is similar to Dean's latest books of throwing everything but the kitchen sink in. You do want to start at the beginning though or you will be totally lost. I have read several Anderson books and I find that the 2nd and third book of this series to be his best, but still you must start with book one, which is good. I have not read the prequel, yet. That also sounds like a good place to start. Anderson is always bringing new stuff, such as chapter 100 of this sixth book, where he mentions Martian Pyramids.

For those that are already into the series, get ready for the Klikiss. Not the Klikiss Robots, but the insects themselves. They are a big part of this episode. I enjoyed them a lot and there is lots of explanation as to what they are and where they have been and where they are going. Chairman Basil (Bazel?) really goes off the deep end in this and it looks like they are setting him up for an overthrow. Admiral Willis comes through in this episode, I really enjoyed her. All characters are still two-dimensional, but if you have read this far and expecting complex characters out of Anderson, well your a bigger optimist then me. Even though there are 146 chapters which are only 10 to 13 minutes long, I did think there were lots of boring chapters, with more information then I wanted, yet I will get the last book. I still want to know what happens. I am ready for this series to end.

I don't understand the complaints on the narrator. He had to do several voices and his females are obvious male trying to do female, but I thought he was real good overall and that he added to the whole experience.

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10 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Good but could have been better

This book and the series is very interesting and an entertaining story. There are some implausabilities that could have been done better but if you look beyond that and just enjoy it is good stuff.

I much preffered George Guidell's reading in the first 3 books. This narrator is a little over dramatic in the read.

And also why cant new narrators in series ever listen to the way the first ones were read so the names are at least consistent?

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

never ending story

When I began this series with book one, I thought it was imaginative and grand in scope. Now, however at the end of book six, I am tired of destruction and resurrection, it goes on and on and has become somewhat predictable. I doubt if I will invest and future credits or money listening to this never ending story. Mr. Anderson, a fine writer, needs to bring it to a succinct ending.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

A good Yarn, but Steven J. Baxter he is not.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the series quite a bit but, as I've stated before, if you're the type who likes Hard Sci-Fi then you will find parts of these books highly annoying. More Fiction than Science. It's easy enough to overlook, given the overall fun of the story, but it can be eye rolling when Anderson completely ignores some of the fundamental laws of the universe without so much as a Star Trekian technobabble to make it seem even slightly plausabe.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A painful joy

As the book moved to its conclusion, I thoughts story was over. hero's had overcome, skies had joined forces and defeated their enemies. I was sad for it to end, and now there is a new new key who had taken hold, and we get more story.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Good story weakened by inexplicable actions.

One example, heroine refuseses to commit war atrocity. Mutinies and captures general and troops who committed war crime then sends home instead of turning over to representitives of victims. She goes over to opponents, but let's criminals go free to commit more criminal acts. Huh! Also many sub plots and doesn't spend much time on any one plot so by the time author gets back it's hard to pick up what happened previously. it's a good story overall, but marred by weak mechanics. Needs a book editor to make first rate.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

so happy.

These books get better and better. More complex and SOOOO MUCH MORE FRUSTRATING!!!! gahh I can't even.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

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.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

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.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Just when you think it can't get worse!

My god! I just finished the book and I can wait for the next in the series. It is such an engrossing story! I've become seriously involved with the characters. I cheer and get worried about their fate. Just when you think everything is gonna work out... BAM! epic disaster. And you wonder "how will the spiral arm ever recover?" How in the world is Anderson going to make things ok? Or is he?!?! There are just so many new and amazing things that happen in this book.

As for the narration. It is different, but you get used to it as with book 4. I do find it weird that the roamers have a southern accent, I always imagined them as Japanese and Italian/European.

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1 person found this helpful