Galaxy Outlaws: The Complete Black Ocean Mobius Missions, 1-16.5

De: J. S. Morin

Narrado por: Mikael Naramore

Meet the galaxy's unluckiest outlaws.

Carl Ramsey is an ex-Earth Navy fighter pilot turned con man. His ship, the Mobius, is home to a ragtag crew of misfits and refugees looking to score a big payday but more often just scratching to pay for fuel. The crew consists of his ex-wife (and pilot), a drunkard, four-handed mechanic, a xeno-predator with the disposition of a 120kg housecat, and the galaxy's most-wanted wizard.

Along the way, the Mobius crew crosses paths with the Black Ocean's vilest scum, from pirate fleets to criminal syndicates, and most law-abiding scum, including Earth Interstellar Enhanced Investigative Organization, ARGO high command, and the Convocation of Wizards.

Time and again, riches lie just out of reach, because for all the talents Carl Ramsey and his crew possess, they've also got an outlaw's greatest weakness: a conscience.

Galaxy Outlaws is a collection of all 16 Black Ocean missions chronicling the adventures of the starship Mobius and her crew, along with six short stories. This series is the perfect cure for the Firefly Season 2 blues. It's what you'd get if The Orville took place on Serenity, or if Star Wars had wizards instead of Jedi.

©2017 J. S. Morin (P)2018 J. S. Morin

An example of things that could have been.

What do you get when you combine a talented voice actor, an excellent premise, and a Firefly-esque atmosphere?

A book that should have been a lot better.

Don't get me wrong, it's not bad. There are parts that are genuinely good. Some amusing, some touching, some entertaining... but not as many as you'd expect. Of the 85-odd hours this book (series?) spans you're going to genuinely enjoy about a dozen of them. There are some likeable characters, there are some interesting characters, and there are some silly characters. Some of them grow and progress, others simply exist to fill out roles in the story. The characters all have that well-worn feel of familiarity however, and that isn't necessarily a good thing.

The pacing is odd, some parts get glossed over with little regard to events. Others draw out endlessly for no real reason. If you watched Star Trek: The Next Generation and thought the plot was complex and well thought out, you'll find this just to your liking. If you thought the plot was thin in spots with plot holes you can get lost for a fortnight in and as predictable as a Japanese train... well you'll find more of the same here.

All this may sound harsh, but the point is there was such a possibility here. The universe and concepts in it are excellent (if you ignore the giant holes and accept things as they are) but the big issue is that there wasn't more done with it. It's like entering a cooking show where the goal is to make the best macaroni and cheese and you make the box stuff and throw it on a plate in front of the judges. It's not bad, and will certainly do in a pinch... but it could have been much better with just a bit of effort and originality.

Epic episodic adventure, over 80 hrs of fun

Although inspired by the TV show Firefly, this space opera isn't a knock-off or fan fiction, it's an odyssey in space, full of characters to love and loathe, annoy and entertain through scores of adventures. It's the most value in hours of entertainment that I have ever gotten out of a single credit. My only advice would be not to binge listen too heavily, although the story as a whole progresses throughout all 83+ hours, it is a slow progression and if you listen to too many missions in a row it may seem a little repetitive in themes and character reactions. That aside I enjoyed the ride immensely and the only reason I noticed the repetition is because I didn't want to stop listening until I reached the end. So spend that credit, it's worth it (and no one is paying me to say that or anything) and then strap in and get ready to embark on an epic journey across the galaxy.

Galaxy Outlaws is fantastic!

I picked this up because I am a fan of the narrator Mikael Naramore. So glad I did since I fell in love with this group of misfits and their crazy escapades. Also was really intrigued by the host of sentient species in this galaxy. Usually like hard science fiction but the existence of magic seemed to fit here. Highly recommend this compilation of all the Black Ocean Mobius Missions. Great bang for the buck.

A Browncoat's Dream Realized

Within the unfathomable depth of the Black Ocean, J.S. Morin has created a universe akin to a masterpiece watch. From the outside, we see beautiful simplicity that functions only as a result of the impossibly precise internal mechanics that lie hidden just beneath the surface. Every piece functions towards the common goal of driving a story that leaves the reader/listener entranced. The characters will become a part of your world, their personalities crafted meticulously as though helped along by a bit of magic. The worlds, ships, and workings of magic and technology blend seamlessly into the story. No loose ends exist to untidy plot lines. In this collection, J.S. Morin grants us a remarkable gift, creating our very own "Mobiustania" in which to share the adventures of friends and family, to thwart the machinations of adversaries and obstacles. I challenge anyone who has yet to read this anthology to look a strange wizard in the eye, and lose themselves in a world they will never want to leave. Throughout the entirety of this collection, I asked myself repeatedly how it was that I became so completely enthralled in the stories. Upon hearing the message from the author at the end of the final tale, I had my answer. Mr. Morin, on behalf of Browncoat's everywhere, thank you for keeping the spirit of adventure alive. Thank you for creating a new world for us to explore. Most of all, thank you for doing it right. You've taken readers out into the black, and managed to give a world of fans their sky back.

85 hours for one credit can’t go wrong

Big Bang for the credit. I broke it bown by 20 hours and listen to other books instead of the hole 85 hours.

Highly recommended spiritual successor to Firefly

The crew of the Mobius is brought to life through the work of Michael Naramore, whose voice work is easily one of the best features of these audio books. I would say that this book series is easily one of the best uses of a single credit on Audible, followed closely by Mercy for Hire, and Astral Prime. The Black Ocean universe feels like it has a lot more to offer, and I look forward to seeing it grow in the future.

This series is the first of three in the Black Ocean so far. The other two happen effectively concurrently, though neither of the latter two really spoils anything for the other. The journey from the first time we encounter the crew of the Mobius, to their final moments in this book, reflect numerous character arcs and the culmination of what may arguably be the most interesting times in the lives of the ship's crew. There are a number of aspects raised in this series that are settled in the Mercy for Hire series, and to a lesser extent the Astral Prime series.

I've referred to this book series, when recommending it to friends, as being a cross between Firefly and The Dresden Files. Admittedly it leans far more toward Firefly (and an author's note at the end indicates this is very much intentional), the Dresden Files similarity starts and ends with magic negatively affecting technology. This has a lot more consequences to that in space than there are on Earth. Here if you knock out power you can still breathe, and aren't likely to turn into a fireball, falling at terminal velocity toward impact with a celestial body.

If you enjoy Firefly, you’ll enjoy this series.

It’s not exactly the most epic series of my life, but it is a fun journey with a great cast who can equally annoy each other as much as myself. Unfortunately, it was hard to remove the image of Nathan Fillion as the lead, but if you’re a fan of space travel and crazy antics, and need something to offer a comfort and a few laughs, I’d say it’s absolutely worth checking out. The problem with reading/listening to stories about criminals and especially con artists, is they’re pretty annoying in general, but that’s part of the appeal. Mordecai (Mort) was the perfect wizard, and the narrator really brings this story to life. It was nice to hear him speak and to give him the podium at the end of the series, and reflect on his own experience becoming the characters, thank you for doing that. I look forward to checking out your other books!

grew to really enjoy this fun series

I wasn't sure at first whether I should get this or not. I'm glad did. This series was fun and unpredictable. The characters were diverse and each one had depth, you could literally write a book on each of their histories and ot would be a series in and of itself. The world, or worlds I should say, were well created and unique. This was a great series focusing on a group of antiheroes you grow to love.

If you liked Firefly, you'll absolutely love this!

So you're bummed out because Firefly came and went too fast, and it was so much fun you just wanted more. Well, your prayers are answered. This is NOT Serenity and her crew, but this IS a similar bunch of edge-of-the-law misfits roaming the edge of civilization trying to make an easy buck whenever and wherever they can. J.S. Morin has created a colorful, likable crew and his storytelling style is easy to read and fun to boot in the style of a serial TV series.

It's not just the same characters slogging through a dilemma-of-the-week though, throughout the 16 1/2 stories some characters actually die, some new ones are added, old ones evolve, allegiances change, Kudos to Morin for evolving the series, and double kudos to Mikael Naramore for his excellent narration. After you have finished this, Morin has also written some continuing stories in this universe where one or another characters have gone off on their own, so the fun continues! And hey, 85 hours of great storytelling for one credit, what's not to like?

Loved this series

The narrator was great with the various characters - it seemed as if there were several people narrating. I also really liked the characters and the different episodes. I will definately listen or read more by Mr. Morin and Mr. Naramore.