Rogue World

Undying Mercenaries, Book 7

By: B. V. Larson

Narrated by: Mark Boyett

Length: 12 hrs and 38 mins

Publisher's Summary

The Galactics arrived with their Battle Fleet in 2052. Rather than being exterminated under a barrage of hell-burners, Earth joined a vast Empire that spanned the Milky Way. Today, Battle Fleet 921 is returning to Earth. It hasn't been seen by human eyes since our blissful day of Annexation. But what should be a joyful occasion, a chance to grovel at the feet of superior lifeforms, is rapidly becoming a nightmare. Over the last century, humanity has engaged in many activities that our overlords find...questionable. A panic ensues, and Legion Varus is deployed to erase certain "mistakes" our government has made. Projects must be purged to stop Imperial military action. Among the thousands marching to war is one man no politician has ever enjoyed dealing with. One man who's destined to follow his own unique path through galactic law, morality and the stars themselves.

James McGill is about to make history.

Rogue World is the seventh book of Undying Mercenaries series, a novel of military science fiction by best-selling author B. V. Larson.

©2017 B. V. Larson (P)2017 Audible, Inc.

I kept thinking about his Toes

I thought this was a good James McGill story; another promotion which brought its own set of interesting interactions with some of the characters familiar in this series, another world for McGill to do his thing and take matters into his own hands as he usually does, and of course more Galactics to piss-off, but less than halfway through the story all I could think about was his toes. McGill goes through a bad re-growth and his toes didn’t form properly, the description is very graphic, but for reasons that are made clear in the story it’s not corrected. I kept wondering if he was going to die again and just be re-cycled but, until the very end, never happened. I know this must seem a trivial point and the characters don’t ever appear bothered by such things but toes do help in balance and walking; It was just something I kept thinking about while he went through his typical heroics.. In the end, bad toes and all, McGill saves the day as usual.
About the narrator; I would not listen to this series if Mark Boyett ever stopped being the voice, he is James McGill.

Same as the last 6 books

What did you like best about Rogue World? What did you like least?

I really like the concept of this universe. Unfortunately, the author is clearly following a formula he established earlier in the series. This book is exactly like the previous books in the series. James McGill gets in some trouble before shipping out with the legion, he gets promoted, ships out, sleeps with several women, gets in trouble for not following orders, and somehow miraculously saves the day, and even though everyone in his chain of command hates him, he's still the hero. I just saved you the cost of buying this audiobook. Read/listen to the first four books, then stop. While the first four are also following a formula, the locations and situations change just enough to keep from getting too old, but 5, 6, and 7 are just too much of the same. It's a shame, because B.V. Larson has a great concept, but I think he's too afraid to deviate from his established formula, and he's killing the series.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

Most interesting, the alien revival tech and the concept of humans being subjects of a galactic empire instead of being at the top of the hierarchy. Least interesting, if you've listened to the first couple of books in this series, then you already know pretty much everything that will happen in this book, the only differences are a few minor details.

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

The narration is great, no complaints here.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

Assuming they'd made the previous books into movies, no. This would be exactly the same.

Any additional comments?

Mr. Larson, please please please mix things up a bit. I really like the core concepts of this series, but you've gotten too predictable. You're clearly following a formula, and that's fine up to a point, but it's as if you've got a story template, and you just fill in a few blanks and create a new title.

Felt really stretched.

There wasnt a whole lot going on in this book. A couple of problems that took a long, long time to resolve. I found it hard for me to pay attention to the various smaller complications and stuff that delayed the resolution because they were not very interesting. When the book got around to the final rising actions of the main problems it got interesting. And the ending was by far the most satisfying in the series so far. And I might have giving it 4 stars if not for two things.

First in the earlier books the main characters constant sexing was annoying and tiresome filler. But it had a soap opera vibe helping it feel not unbearably sleazy. In this book. Conquest is the word. Just a series of footnote sexual encounters that justified the word 'conquests'. And it made me feel rather uncomfortable.

Second. Needlers are earth made. This little factoid mentioned to justify a short lived threat blew a major hole in the series justification for the legions being so poorly equipped. There is no way there wouldnt be patents at least similar to needlers, which are just tiny laser guns. If they can get away with needlers, then they should be able to get away with creating varients to fill in the countless equupment gaps the legions possess. Honestly, its almost like they are based on some computer strategy game instead of any kind if imagined hyperadvanced warfare fighter. With each unit type doing one single thing amd being respawned back at base.

Big Disappointment!

I've been enjoying this series.. up to now..a.. but really...if you're done... it's a total disaster... absolute garbage ending 💀☠️👻

James McGill & BV do it again

I admit I was beginning to wonder if the author can keep this up and the short version is "Yes, he can!" No spoilers here but if you like the series this could be one of the best.

That said, like all series jumping in at this book may make it hard to appreciate all the players as they show up with limited introduction (Claver)

Do yourself a favor and start at the beginning-it is worth the ride.

Generally good with some inconsistencies

In Chapter 65, B.V. Larson attempts to reestablish an already established fact. In one of the early books in this series, when James is tasked with operating a revival machine, he births Carlos and is disgusted to see him pop out already hairy all over. Yet, in this chapter, B.V. rewrites that fact and claims revivals are born without body hair. So which is it B.V.? You can't have it both ways. Granted, the revival machine is different from the "flesh printer". However, there was no qualification in this body hair statement being specific to the flesh printer vs a revival machine. James says it so matter-of-factly as if it applies to all such body regrow units, which would include both this flesh printer AND the revival machine.

Overall, the story has been fair up to this point. The above is actually the only major contradictory point I've noticed in this series thus far (and the most egregious of the series), but at the same time, McGill's reluctance to stand up for himself is becoming tired in these stories. A ship blows up, it's McGill's fault. A bad military strategy was devised, McGill must have had a hand in it. All of this conclusion jumping about McGill's involvement in bad command decisions is wearing thin. Granted, McGill does make extreme plays, many times against authority. But, being an officer, he should have at least some level of autonomy and decision over his underlings and their actions. Yes, orders matter, but how those orders are carried out are at McGill's discretion when not explicitly specified... and they almost never are.

I also find Claver's constant "you are so dumb" rhetoric getting extremely old. How is McGill supposed to know anything when he's not informed? This is particularly true when Claver disappears for long stretches only to meet up and have a less than 5 minute conversation. There have been far too many times when McGill is left way, way out of the loop, then Claver pops up and berates McGill for not knowing the intimate details of Claver's convoluted schemes... then, worse, berates McGill for it.

B.V.'s stories also make grand leaps in logic without sufficient setup. McGill is always at fault even when it's clear that Turov, Winslade and even Claver had their hands deep in said pie. How is it that McGill always ends up on the blame and punishment receiving end even when there's no clear evidence of his involvement?

A good example is when Graves confronts McGill on the bridge of the Nairb ship and begins accusing him of all manner of unsavory acts when he absolutely has no clear evidence and is faced with only circumstantial evidence. To be honest, Drusus, Graves, Harris and Toro are nearly interchangeable characters. They act and behave in almost identical ways (other than by their titles). For this reason, it makes keeping up with these carbon copy characters difficult. Graves, in fact, comes seriously close to outright accusing McGill of dreaming up and orchestrating the entire Rouge World action from the point at which the fleet is dispatched to the Rogue World to the point at which the Galactics target Humans because of this Rogue World action. If this book hadn't treated this point so seriously, I might actually begin to believe B.V. was intentionally writing comedy.

What about Tribune Deech? She had no hand in directing the fleet to Rogue World? What about the "secrets" being kept from the troops regarding the actual reason they were sent to Rogue World? Did McGill plan these too? Did McGill single handledly build all of the ships? Did McGill draw up the plans to head out to Rogue World? What did Earth think would happen if Tribune Deech's campaign on Rogue World failed? Did McGill contact the Nairb and have them drop by for a little visit? Did McGill also call the Galactics and ask for a quicky visit from the Galactic fleet? It's entirely laughable when, near the end of the book, Graves asks Drusus to lay ALL of Rogue World's failed actions single-handedly on McGill's shoulders... as if he had somehow magically dreamed it all up. Deech certainly wasn't there to say anything, but still. Worse, McGill STILL doesn't defend himself against Graves silly comments. Even Drusus should have recognized just how silly these statements were and summarily shushed up Graves. Some of these character's statements defy logic.

McGill actually saved the day. When Deech's campaign fell apart, McGill saved it. When the Galactics came and threatened humanity, McGill saved it again. This man is definitely one lucky hero, but at the same time, the brass treat him as a pariah. I get what B.V. is attempting to set up in this story, it's just that because the characters lack solid subtext to back up their actions and seem to treat everything at face value, the story becomes laughable. That's why I've only given this book 3 stars. If anything, the dysfunctioning of Legion Varus is extremely apparent, from Drusus to Turov to Winslade to Graves to Harris. The whole legion's upper ranks are chock full of inept incompetents.

Go into these stories with an open mind. Don't get bogged down in the details or, like me, you'll end up trudging off into logic la-la land making these stories, particularly Rogue World, fall apart.

Well that's it for me.

Goodbye James McGill. This series has started to take its schlock way too seriously. Mark Boyett is excellent as usual.

Live Die Repeat

Like many people have already said, it's too similar to the other books in the series, but still a fun listen. I will listen to the next one too. I just hope it's storyline broadens a bit.

Bad

Ridiculous story. The behavior of the characters, especially the main character, is utterly absurd. The plot is recycled and has many holes and internal inconsistencies. My willing suspension of disbelief was broken so many times I actually got pissed off.

Why do I continue to do this to myself

So right off the bat, it's pretty late in this series for my judgement however, I keep moving onto the next book even though it's the same junk over and over, I myself am truly confused why I am still moving onto the next book, the author says the has James say the same thing about every woman he meets pretty much, (something along the line on a nice butt) and then eventually he sleeps with them and moves onto another woman. The author uses this to fill in his books, and usually James sleeps with 3 girls a book, mostly the same 3 girls that say never again and yet again do it. The Torov comes along and threatens James with Perma death every chance she gets and does kill him several times and he constantly let's her get her way.. oh and how many times the Galactic Key gets passed around...there is an obvious lack of imagination. oh and how the Squids got beat, while the main guy is dead in the last book. There's also times I have seen parts of one book not matching the next. I think the only reason I am still into it is the Galactic Empire teaser that is still a huge Unknown. Also he gives everything away when James thinks about different outcomes before hand. I get it McGill needs to have insight and sharp wits, however the way he delivers that leaves no cliffhanger. I just want to learn about the Galactic empire and wish the humans would stop abiding by the policies that at actually slaving them

Filler World?

Rogue World was a book I'd been waiting for a long time. I really like the Undying Mercenaries series of books and have, thus far, found them to be probably the best long running saga just ahead marginally of Larson's other excellent 12 odd Star Force series However, Rogue World, although a decent story, isn't quite up to the level of other stories in this excellent series. Perhaps, as one reviewer said, it's somewhat formulaic format means that it's more or less the same fare with a slightly different setting. Having said that, I did enjoy the book so I wouldn't say it's a "bad" book, not at all. It's just I believe Larson could have done better and I get the impression that this story was a bit of a filler before he gets back into the meat and potatoes of what makes the Undying Mercenaries an entertaining and gritty set of stories.

The main problem I see with Larson is of his own making which is that he is such a prolific writer that he has his finger in several pies as it were. This inevitably means that he is not able to fully devote his time and focus on penning a complete series and instead dives in and out of multiple series he has while seemingly also starting new ones!. Although I don't know for sure, it does appear to me that what made the Star Force series so consistent was perhaps that he concentrated on that series most of the time, if not all of it. In the course of the Undying Mercenaries series, Larson has also written two books in his new "Rebel Fleet!" collection and has recently released book 1 of the Galactic Liberation series. In addition, I believe Larson also branched into a 3 book "Lost Colonies" series as well. All this jumping about leads to delays in currently running saga's being delivered and in the case of Rogue World, also below par and with errors in both plot and continuity. I think I've seen Larson do this before and it does tend to make one think what ever happened to proof reading by the publishing house. Such errors, I can only surmise, must be largely due to not focusing on one book at a time or rushing to finish one book while another is being started.

There are two errors I spotted, both relatively subtle I suppose but nevertheless unacceptable at this level of writing. The first silly error occurs near the start of the story at chapter 2, I think, where the protagonist, James McGill, is having a heated conversation over the phone about having his ill mother treated. he is told that nothing can happen until next year as it is "early July" now. Hours later as he heads into town he remarks upon the fire flies all around as it is "early June". The second error is a plot one I noticed that saw McGill's love interest accompanying the boarding party with McGill to assault a Nerb ship. No escape from this ship is possible in the interim and we face various battles as the crew party penetrates further into the Nerb ship helped by McGill's love interest in the early stages. Then, we hear nothing of this character as McGill and co. fight for their lives until, all of a sudden, she is somehow back aboard the Nostrum, McGill's own ship? This sort of mistake is far less forgivable than the first as it undermines plot continuity. I'd go so far as to say that this is a clumsy error likely caused by poor editing or that Larson was rushing this out while he was tied up on other projects. So, as I'm looking for work, if anyone wants to offer me a proof "listening" role then I'm available :)

All that aside, what we're left with is the potential platform from which the series can return to its visceral roots. If so, then I look forward to the next instalment.

Rogue World is not the best in the series but it isn't a disaster either. Worth a read and especially so if you've been with the series to date as I have.

Really enjoyed

While this was a slow start , setting up a family start to the book .. once it started going it was very enjoyable. We come across the usual characters but not over crowding a new story. The end came too quickly and I wanted more ... and there were more than a few twists left yet to be explored

Overall good but sort not so great

Don't get me wrong overall I enjoyed this book but they are getting a little bit old, not so bad as I would not buy the next one though!

Excellent

Great book liked the direction the story took. Its very easy to listen to and a fantastic performance from narrator

More please

Great story, great narration. More please. a b c d e f g h i

Addictive

Fairly basic story premise , but amazingly addictive series- performance is good and it’s sucking away my credits :)

Funny, gripping and awesome!

It's jaw-dropping to follow the antics of James McGill as he is constantly put from one precarious situation to the other. This has to be one of the best series I've ever read and Rogue world is definitely up to scratch.

Another hit!

Another hit story from this gripping sci fi epic series. I find myself truly hooked to find out where the exploits of our hero, and he’s troops, will lead us next.

Awesome!

I thought this was a fantastic story and well written book - thoroughly enjoyed it. Narration excellent

another great performed by mark boyett

great listen in a book series that has no end in sight well worth a listen to from book 1