Imminent Failure

Ruins of the Galaxy, Book 6

By: Christopher Hopper, J.N. Chaney

Narrated by: Christopher Ryan Grant

Length: 12 hrs and 13 mins

Publisher's summary

Three fleets aim to wipe out a planet.

One team must raise the alarm...and time is running out.

As Moldark turns his attention to Capriana Prime, Magnus and his gladias attempt to convince the Republic’s leadership to raise the planetary defense shield. But this seemingly simple task turns out to be more difficult than anyone expected, placing the planet’s population in grave jeopardy.

Desperate to save the capital, Magnus and the Gladio Umbra fight to save the seat of galactic rule at all costs.

Azelon isn’t without her tricks, however, and provides new hardware for Magnus—the BATRIG mechanized battle armament system.

But as time runs out, Magnus is faced with the hardest choices of his life...and gambles will be made.

All for the greater good.

Includes a special note from the authors.

The Ruins of the Galaxy series is now performed by Christopher Ryan Grant, narrator of the bestselling sci-fi series Strange Company.

©2020 Variant Publications, Hopper Creative Group (P)2023 Podium Audio

New narrator

I just couldn’t get through the first hour with the new narrator. It’s just not the same without RC Bray.

Took me a while… but I accept Grant now

He took me on a journey and it took a while to get used to the characters, but finally I accept him and he did a fantastic job. Screw the Haters, I’m just glad we got more splick to listen to!

Much love,

Dusty

don't like but understand the changes

I get why they moved from RC Bray, they can get the books out faster. Chris is good, but he's not RC. I dont think it takes away from the book, but the performance is different and to me had less energy.

Grant did well

I am glad that Bray did the Intro for the voice actor change. it made the change easier to adapt to.

JCW50

I’m sad that RC Bray is no longer doing these books, however, Chris is ok, I’m sure I will get use to him, looking forward to the next one

Gladio desperately try to save Capriana Prime!

Book 6 in the series sees the Gladio Umbra race to the seat of galactic rule – Capriana Prime – having learnt from Piper that Moldark has decided that he is going to level the planet with the full force of Paragon Fleet. The only hope for the planet is if Magnus and his team can get to Capriana and raise the planetary defence shield in time.
However, the Gladio are also faced with another problem, having learned that Awen’s parents have been kidnapped and taken hostage by the former Ambassador Bosworth, who is now working for Moldark.
The Gladio Umbra set out with two objectives, save Awen’s parents, and at all costs, even their own lives, raise the planetary shield.
Along with those story lines, we also follow Moldark as he moves his forces into play, and we get to see his continuing fall into darkness as he seeks to destroy every living thing in this Universe. One of the surprising parts of this story though, is the return of Commodore David Seaman and his Sekmit Captain DiAntora. The two of them are appalled at the orders issued by Moldark, finding that their morale compass does not allow them to decimate the population of a defenceless planet for no good reason. As such, Seaman mutinies not only turning his super dreadnaught, but nearly the entire 1st Fleet against Moldark and his 3rd Fleet.
This book unfolds into several streams, there is initially, before the fleets arrive, the desperate battle as Magnus and Awen fight to raise the Defence Shield. They have a simple plan, but of course, plan A doesn’t work. I won’t spoil it by telling you how far into the alphabet they get with plans. Needless to say, the battle on the surface for the defence shield is one that is utterly fascinating as the team are constantly fighting to DEFEND the planet, but meeting constant roadblocks as no one wants to believe them, or worse. This is just a constant, running battle, it is brutal, gritty, vicious, and when Azelon delivers the new BATRIG, it becomes epic, as members of the team unleash a new form of fury with Novia style Mechs that are like nothing anyone has ever faced before.
There are powerful moments during this story, like when Magnus runs up against his former Recon unit. It is one of the outstanding battles of the series and one that you won’t soon forget.
Along with this is the secondary objective of rescuing Awen’s parents, which of course does not go as planned either, and unfolds with not quite as much excitement, but certainly gives the main battle a run for it. This is a really interesting side story as we learn the fate of Awen’s parents, but it also has several major characters in the team. It is another epic running battle you won’t forget.
Not long after the battles on the ground start, the fleets arrive above the planet, and soon, the battle for Capriana unfolds (think of the battle above Coruscant in Episode 3 of Star Wars for the chaos that ensues, but add ships firing on the planet as well). This is a desperate and compelling battle as Seaman uses all of his own influence and charisma, every contact he has to get as much of the fleet to join with him in taking down Moldark. He has some unexpected help along the way.
The character work continues to be brilliant, from Magnus, Awen to Rohoar, Piper and Willowood. Perhaps my favourite character recently though has been Caldwell, who continues to produce some of the best one-liners I have read in a book for a LONG time – and has left me laughing hysterically (Not a good look when listening to the audio version in the middle of supermarket…). The portrayal of these characters, the in-depth insight into these people who are fighting for something, knowing they might die, and the relationships they forge along the way is masterful.
As with the other books, the descriptive work is exceptional, but the Authors have taken it to a new level in this episode of the series, with detailed, gritty, at times graphic and realistic, portrayals of the multiple conflicts on land, in the air, and in space, as the Gladio Umbra and renegade Navy take on Moldark’s forces to try and save Capriana Prime.
This continues to be one of the best Mil Sci-Fi series that is available today, and Book 6 is an epic, gritty, action-packed fight across multiple sites of Capriana Prime to save billions of lives. Absolute Must Read!!
This book saw the change from R.C. Bray to Christopher Ryan Grant due to Mr Bray having some ongoing health issues, and the Author’s wanting to get the series completed on audio for the fans. Christopher Ryan Grant is an exceptional Narrator, I have listened to numerous previous books he has done, and he is a brilliant choice as someone to continue the legacy of Bob Bray. Bray does an awesome intro to the audiobook, before we get to hear Grant’s outstanding narration, he has a wonderful voice, and does a fantastic set of both male and female voices. Each of his voices are clear and concise, easy to understand, and distinctive, so you can clearly identify characters. Grant has done a remarkable job of creating characters similar to those created by Bray, so there is not a major change in the flow (I have just finished listening to the series books 1- 6 and this was an easy transition to Grant). Grant provides his characters with that emotional content to really bring them to life, so that he is creating a full audio-story, not just reading the book, letting us know how each of the characters is feeling (happy, sad, angry, confused!), and he does a stunning job with this. Overall, this is an extraordinary bit of Narration given the pressure Grant was under, he has more than delivered an audiobook that is a MUST listen to – so much better than just reading it!!

New narrator

I’m sorry to say this will be my last book in the series. Nothing against Christopher, the FNG, I just couldn’t get into the story without RC Bray’s narrationI of the characters. I will continue the Ruins of the Earth as long as RC continues to narrate.
The story was fine but just didn’t seem up to you’re usual standards. Maybe it’s just me, but I hate change.
Be well, Chris L.

Miss Original Narrator

Loved the original Narrator, the new guy makes the characters sound too similar. It makes it harder to tell them apart so I found myself getting pulled out of the story trying to figure out who was speaking from context alone. The story itself was still great just not the experience.

Good story once you get over the narrator swap

Is what it is. Miss RC Bray but Christopher does a good job too. Story is solid still too. #firstworldproblems

No Bray? No Problem

With the story machinations we’ll in place, the Ruins of the Galaxy series continues to thrill and invigorate the need to follow Magnus, Awen, and company through their toughest and most emotionally demanding book yet.

Another Masterpiece, with a new sound.