• Blood World

  • Undying Mercenaries, Book 8
  • By: B. V. Larson
  • Narrated by: Mark Boyett
  • Length: 12 hrs and 31 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (6,316 ratings)

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Blood World  By  cover art

Blood World

By: B. V. Larson
Narrated by: Mark Boyett
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Publisher's summary

A dirty deal was struck. Humanity was allowed to keep 300 rebellious worlds. In return, we declared war on a powerful enemy from beyond the frontier.

A frantic build-up of forces has begun, but the task is hopeless. Seeking allies, Earth's legions are sent to Blood World. A planet on the fringe of known space, where the people only respect masters of combat. Earth's Legions must impress them, but other alien powers have been invited to join the contest. The prize consists of billions of loyal troops - Earth must win.

Fighting and dying and fighting again, the struggle is half-mad - but so is James McGill.

Blood World is the eighth book in the Undying Mercenaries Series.

©2017 Iron Tower Press, Inc. (P)2018 Audible, Inc.

What listeners say about Blood World

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

The last one of these I'll listen to

Yeah, ol' James McGill was always a teenage brained idiot, who ceases to function at the sight of a woman's behind, almost any woman's behind. After decades in service it appears he has virtually no meaningful relationships except his mum, dad and kid. I reckon that anyone lead almost exclusively by their nethers would have been permed long before.

I get it, I'm not the target market for this but the stories themselves held my interest long enough to forgive a lot. But I've had enough of one dimensional characters, every woman undoing their suits as soon as he turns his attention on them. It may be what some blokes may think women are like, or even wish that they were, but this total lack of respect, consideration. selfishness and sheer mysogeny is beyond forgiveness. I don't need romance, that's not why I read these kinds of books, but the "Me Tarzan, you Jane" thing is lazy and dated.

This tale also had plotlines large enough to drive a battleship through. It's a shame really, but enough is enough!



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26 people found this helpful

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

“McGill’s World”

BV Larson can call the worlds in the “Undying Mercenaries,” series anything he wants, “Steel world,” “Dust world,” “Rogue world,” “Tech World,” etc. but they are all “McGill’s World;” and everyone else just lives in them. If you’re looking for logic or a sense of world order than this series isn’t for you, James McGill sets the terms and everyone else just falls in place; but it’s the way he goes about things with his country charm and bravado that makes these stories entertaining.
“Blood World,” is typical of every other James McGill tale; he annoys superiors, dies a few times, chases women, and becomes the hero while thwarting any divisive plot that he doesn’t agree with. There is subject matter from previous books that tie into this story giving fluidity to the series, and, of course Mark Boyett gives another spot on performance as the voice of James McGill. Can’t wait for the next one

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23 people found this helpful

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

Great Performance, Filler Plot

The story was enjoyable but in the grand scheme of the McGill world, one of the more pointless adventures. James's motivation throughout the story made very little sense, and the book kind of resets itself at the end so that nothing that the characters worked on really seems to matter. Instead of developing anything new, Larson continues to recycle the same old cast complete with lots of scheming from Claver who of course is in this book too. Larson does introduce "new" aliens so that James can sleep with them and then run off to the next conquest, its all stuff you have read seven other times and frankly now that James is a 40 year old man it just seems kind of pointless and depressing. I think that this series is like a TV show, its a cash cow for the writer and so he can't afford to actually do anything interesting with the franchise, he can't take risks or commit to any changes in the series dynamics because that might jeopardize its financial viability. Each book is like an episode, none of the characters can die, the plot can't really move forward, and we reset every time. Ultimately its just cheap scifi, and its enjoyable but if you want to read anything that commits to telling a sincere story you are going to have to find a different author.

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21 people found this helpful

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

Performance was good as always, but...

I actually stopped listening towards the end. James just hasn't grown as a character and when he did something that took me out of the book, again, and made me stop suspending belief in a work of fiction, I couldn't take it anymore.

I have listened to all of the undying mercenary books and this started to become a problem several back. Something has kept the author from allowing the main character to develop personally and professionally to such an extent it has become too hard to relate and thus too difficult to cheer for. It's sad for me because I had hoped to come back to these books and find something other than the exact same story retold with a slightly different twist.

So, if you loved previous stories and just want the exact same, just with the anti-hero/protagonist acting even more stupidly, getting unrealistically bailed out by women he exploits, and displaying zero growth as a character, then this book will make you blissfully happy.

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19 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

James McGill is my hero

What can I say, just when I thought it was over, # 8 comes out. This series is by far my favorite sci-fi guilty pleasure listen when I have the time to immerse myself in McGill's life & death & life & death....

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17 people found this helpful

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

As the author says, "The end".

I think the author either ran out of time, words, or story. Very poor ending.

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9 people found this helpful

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

this series gets progressively worse

first 3 books in this series were solid by this point there are obvious and direct plot holes that are completely ignored and the "dumb country boy" persona gets old after 8 books. McGill sees no meaningful progression and the system of governance is about as consistent as.. well clouds. there no point in investing this far into a series if the content doesnt build. I highly suggest the Columbus day series by alanson if this content is right for you but you find the story a little.. repetitive. i made it 8 books in tho so obviously that says something but... 8 books in to have the concept of revival machines re-explained got old thats all.

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8 people found this helpful

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

no progress

I like the series. it's fun light fluff, but this one didn't go anywhere. it's a dud.

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8 people found this helpful

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

Tired of main characters manipulative relationship

What was most disappointing about B. V. Larson’s story?

James McGill has become a manipulative sociopath when it comes to relationships. Lying to every woman he sees. He can't even tell his own daughter the truth anymore. This sort of emotional abusive actively pulls you away from the plot and ruins the series for me.

I will not read another book in this series. I enjoyed the first few, but this issue has progressively gotten worse.

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

The Narrator was fine. I really enjoy Mark Boyett and everything he does.

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

No, maybe if the entire series was a television show, but not a movie.

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8 people found this helpful

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

An Idiotic Premise

Any additional comments?

So, an entire slave race of genetically enhanced super-soldiers has recently been freed from their evil masters, and what do they do with their new feedom? They hold open tryouts to find new masters.

I've loved all of the previous Undying Mercenaries books, but this one was just plain dumb.

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7 people found this helpful