Mutineer

Kris Longknife, Book 1

By: Mike Shepherd

Narrated by: Dina Pearlman

Length: 14 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's summary

Kris Longknife is a daughter of privilege, born to money and power. Her father is the prime minister of her home planet, her mother the consummate politician's wife. She's been raised only to be beautiful and marry well. But the heritage of the military Longknifes courses through Kris' blood - and, against her parents' objections, she enlists in the Marines.

She has a lot to live up to and a lot to prove in the long-running struggle among her powerful family, a highly defensive - and offensive - Earth, and the hundreds of warring colonies. Then an ill-conceived attack brings the war close to home, putting Kris' life on the line. Now she has only one choice: certain death on the front lines of rim space - or mutiny.

©2004 Mike Moscoe (P)2009 Audible, Inc.

Strictly average sci-fi

I wanted very much for this to be better than it was. But while it was not bad, neither was it particularly good. It's a Big Mac of a space opera, a perfectly average, standard, processed serving delivering a pleasant if unexceptional taste but no nutritional value. Mike Shepherd seems to be trying to imitate David Weber or Lois McMaster Bujold, and since I am not particularly a fan of either of them (I know, sacrilege), this story did little for me. It was entertaining enough for the time I spent listening to it, but I don't really care about Kris Longknife and her future military career and whatever political shenanigans will continue through the next few books, nor was I even lured by the promise of the aliens repeatedly mentioned in this book but never seen.

Kris Longknife is a daughter of privilege in this far future where Earth is a corrupt, decadent old world at the center of a union spanning hundreds of colony worlds. Her father is the Prime Minister of Wardhaven, and he's been a cold, political creature since Kris's little brother was killed following a botched kidnapping when she was ten. Kris, following years of guilt and a bit of teenage alcoholism, was inspired by her war-hero grandfather to join the Navy, much to her parents' horror.

In the first part of the book, we are introduced to Kris as a boot Ensign in charge of a bunch of space marines who are on a rescue mission to save a little girl who's been kidnapped by terrorists. Of course this dredges up all of Kris's issues, and already she was trying me, because the whole time it was "OH, the angst! I'm coming, Tommy! I won't let this little girl die like you did! Oh, how can I focus on the job when I keep remembering my dead little brother angst!angst!angst!"

I'm sure something like that will haunt you for your entire life, but it happened when she was a kid, and now she's an adult and a naval officer. One would think she'd have developed some coping skills by now. But saving the little girl was clearly meant to be the point where she finally is able to put her brother to rest.

Then we get more family background, Kris takes a lot of flak from fellow officers because of course she's one of "those Longknives" and everyone knows she's a rich girl who decided to join the military for whatever reason. She is assigned to a humanitarian mission on a nearly-abandoned colony world where people are starving and facing floods and plagues, and since she's so exceptional, she manages to whip the green, bottom-of-the-barrel unit she's assigned to into kick-ass troops who beat off bandits and save the starving farmers, etc.

In the meantime, there's some kind of plot where political enemies of her family are trying to set her up to be killed, which introduces the main bad guys and a dubious romantic interest for future books.

The "mutiny" of the book's title does not take place until nearly the end of the book, and like all the things Kris does, it's an act that requires a certain amount of bravery and competence, but no hard moral choices — throughout the book, the reader is never left in doubt that Kris is absolutely doing the right thing and anyone who opposes her is wrong.

If you really like military SF and female protagonists, this may be worth checking out, but I'm unlikely to pick up the rest of the series unless I'm starved for something better.

I also cannot recommned this narrator: Dina Pearlman put far too much "sneer" into the sneers; whenever a character spoke with sarcasm, or worse, an accent (there is a Scottish Highlander regiment in the book), it became a bit painful to listen to her, and honestly, I have listened to many audiobooks and found men can do women's voices well and women can do men's voices well, but in Pearlman's case, I could never forget that it was a woman trying to voice a man's lines, and it kept throwing me out of the story.

It's so, so...

This book reminds me of Moon's Vada series. It's okay to listen to but nothing remarkable. I found myself really not interested in any of the characters and beyond apathetic to the whole family rivalry plot line...

Slow Story Line

Is there anything you would change about this book?

The story was very slow to develop for a book about a solider there is far to much politics for a low level officer.

If you’ve listened to books by Mike Shepherd before, how does this one compare?

First Shepard book

What about Dina Pearlman’s performance did you like?

Good inflection

Was Mutineer worth the listening time?

Once the story developed yes but it takes 3-4 hours for that to take place

Fun Space Opera

This is book one in a new military Sci-Fi series. This series will have a female protagonist, Kristine “Kris” Longknife. She is the prime minister’s daughter, the granddaughter of generals and industry tycoons, and as the story opens an Ensign in the Navy. She is about to be send on a mission to rescue a high-ranking politicians daughter who was kidnapped. Then she is sent to a starving colony where the local government has collapsed and has a large refugee population. There is a major war brewing, lots of political fighting going on as well as military action.

The book has some good characters, good action, neat technology, muddled politics, dysfunctional family and lots of action. The protagonist is young but has innate leadership skills. There is a fairly good plot and the background story is well developed. The book is highly entertaining, easy to read, full of implausible situations with dare devil do or die action.

I enjoy the military Sci-Fi genre with a strong female protagonist. Needless to say I am a big fan of the “Honor Harrington” series. This fist book in the series does not live up to the “Honor Series” quality but is fun to read. I have never read any books by Mike Shepherd before but I will continue with the series for awhile. Dina Pearlman narrated the story.

Fun Space Fantasy

I do service work and do a LOT of driving. I enjoyed the first two of these audiobooks so much that I wound up listening to the whole series!

Light and fun, yet with some suspense. Author Shepherd manages to find situations different enough to keep the action interesting throughout the whole series.

Get a life it's fiction enjoy it as such . . .

For those that slag the narrator and the series i have just one sentence . . .get a life . .

This book is NOT as bad as some would have you believe and I personally found no issues with the narrator who some seem to have a issue with because of her accent . . . KK anyone . .

The story is long winded yes but still keeps you reading for more and except for a few mishaps eg the main leads computer suddenly becomes dumber than dumb eg can't read code because it has not been run yest . .DUH (no comment . . if I did it would fill this review and more re AI and programming & computers . .). . etc it is is still a good read along the lines of the Vada series . . .

Enjoy this for what it is a FICTIONAL ACCOUNT OF WHAT MAYBE , , , not a factually account based on what is . . .

somethings you have to take with a pinch of salt and move on and enjoy . . not dissect and feel superior about because you have found flaws . . . loose yourself in fiction people because it is not FACT . . . it's why it's called fiction LOL

Nuff said

Enjoy live long and prosper

Kelvin

I liked this one

What did you love best about Mutineer?

Love is a strong word, so lets just stay with I liked this book.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Kris and the Sergent

What does Dina Pearlman bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Very good narration

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

It's not Serenity, but then nothing is.

Any additional comments?

I liked the book

Good story

Engaging, well written story.
The plot works for me, some scientific short cuts, but who cares.
The reader gives a good performance.

Good book

good stuff contained within 5 word 7 word 9 word 11 word 13 word 15

Good Fun - Narrator Needs Work

While I enjoyed the story, I found the narrator's disregard for timing and emphasis distracting.