Spaceside

By: Michael Mammay

Narrated by: R.C. Bray

Length: 7 hrs and 58 mins

Publisher's Summary

From the author of Planetside, a Best Book of 2018 (Library Journal) 

A military legend is caught in the web between alien intrigue and human subterfuge....

Following his mission on Cappa, Colonel Carl Butler returns to a mixed reception. To some, he is a do-or-die war hero. To the other half of the galaxy, he’s a pariah. Forced into retirement, he has resettled on Talca Four where he’s now Deputy VP of Corporate Security, protecting a high-tech military company on the corporate battlefield - at least, that’s what the job description says. Really, he’s just there to impress clients and investors. It’s all relatively low risk - until he’s entrusted with new orders. A breach of a competitor’s computer network has Butler’s superiors feeling every bit as vulnerable. They need Butler to find who did it, how, and why no one’s taken credit for the ingenious attack.

As accustomed as Butler is to the reality of wargames - virtual and otherwise - this one screams something louder than a simple hack. Because no sooner does he start digging when his first contact is murdered, the death somehow kept secret from the media. As a prime suspect, he can’t shake the sensation he’s being watched...or finally succumbing to the stress of his past. Paranoid delusion or dangerous reality, Butler might be onto something much deeper than anyone imagined. But that’s where Butler thrives.

If he hasn’t signed his own death warrant.

©2019 Michael Mammay (P)2019 HarperAudio

Great Story, Great Performance, Easy but Captivating Listen!

In Spaceside, Michael Mammay manages to craft a sequel that equals the original novel in enjoyment and quality writing. The pace is fast and the plot feels correct for the world built in the first novel.

I also enjoyed the author’s decision to forgo the constant re-telling of the first book so many authors feel is required. “Spaceside” can stand on its own as a novel. There is enough backstory to provide context. However, those that have read “Planetside” will get a much richer and emotional journey.

I also applaud the authors ability to write a novel that seems to ignore genre in the best possible way. Fans of mysteries and Clive Cussler style pseudo military thrillers will find “Spaceside” a great ride that just happens to occur in a sci-fi setting. While Sci-Fi fans will discover a classic sci-fi adventure that harkens back to the character driven masterpieces of the Heinlein era.

R.C. Bray is stellar as usual and brings a layer of emotion to the dialogue that enhances the experience of listening to this novel.

7 of 7 people found this review helpful

Even better than the first one

Great story and awesome narration. This story was even better than the first one which is tough because Planetside was also great. Really hope there are more stories coming from the author!

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Mike Mammay has my vote for best author.

Spaceside is the continuation of Carl Butler's life after the events of Planetside. It's a brilliant adventure where the tenacious investigator is dropped into another snake pit situation without a clue what's really going on. He peels back the layers and subterfuge and inserts his wildcard into the events in play.

Really, really enjoyable listen. It's elegant, cerebral writing that's so polished you'd never know this is only the second book from Mike Mammay. Butler and the supporting characters are easy to relate to and their thought processes, dialog and actions are completely believable. Whether it's in an office or on the battlefield, you're emotionally invested in the outcome.

And if that isn't enough to recommend Spaceside, there's also the _phenomenal_ narration. Bravo, RC Bray! (standing and clapping) BRAVO! Audible needs to make more stars available to reflect his performances. He effortlessly sweeps you into the story for total immersion yet again.

So if you like smart, fast paced Sci Fi mysteries that could easily double as military espionage, where you don't know where to turn or who to trust, with catastrophic consequences for all involved if you make a wrong move, this is the story for you.

8 of 9 people found this review helpful

Just as Riviting as the 1st Book

Michael Mammay is a new "always buy" author for me. "Planetside" was really good and the sequel might be better. My only problem is knowing that I will have to wait too long for book #3.

6 of 7 people found this review helpful

amazing

looking at sequels I couldn't have asked for more. this book leaves you with what if's!

5 of 6 people found this review helpful

great listening

I really enjoy this series, in hoping there will be another book. the story telling is great

5 of 6 people found this review helpful

Excellent

Mike and RC Bray have once again captured my attention on an interplanetary journey through intrigue, deception and combat. The characters are great and the story flows in such a way that you'll be annoyed to hit the pause button. I can hardly wait for book 3.

7 of 9 people found this review helpful

Just as exciting as the first book!

If you enjoyed Butler at his Butler-est in Planetside, you're going to love Spaceside! Now retired from the army, and trying to come to terms with what he did on Cappa, Butler is thrown into a world of corporate espionage. With some really nice twists and turns, and Butler's fantastic voice, Spaceside is just as exciting as Planetside, with an added chunk of retrospection that makes it a refreshing sequel instead of just another copy/paste adventure. And my favorites, Plazz and Ganos, return for fun and banter, too!

Like Planetside, RC Bray is the absolute perfect narrator to bring Butler's voice alive <3

4 of 5 people found this review helpful

A fantastic sequel to Planetside!

Great performance by RC Bray! This is part of the best military sci-fi that RC Bray could narrate! Loved it! Great job Michael!

4 of 5 people found this review helpful

Just fantastic!

I was hooked from the opening minutes and there wasn't a single moment that the book didn't entertain!

I enjoyed the first book in this series, Planetside, so i figured I'd take a chance on the sequel. I'm glad I did! This was even better than the first book. The writing is crisper and the story tighter. The plot moves along and there is never a lag or part that you have to slog through. I really liked that the author didn't spend time trying to rehash the events of the first book to catch you up. You either read the first book and knew what was going on or you didn;t and just had to take this book on it's own merits. There is no reason why you couldn't enjoy this book as a stand alone without knowing the first book, but you wouldn't understand the main character's motivations at a deeper level. The superficial level would be enough though to enjoy the book and as the story unfolds you'd pick up on what happened previously.

As always, RC Bray was incredible. I love his voice and he is one of the best narrators out there for these types of books.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

great story, great plot

enjoyed all of it well narrated, and a great plot with well crafted characters

A Worthy Sequel

Spaceside was a sequel I had hoped for after enjoying Planetside, but had sort of given up on after quite a bit of time had elapsed. Sometimes it goes that way, you read a book with a sequel clearly in the offing and nothing comes of it, I have just such a book in my library.

For some reason, Audible failed to notify me of the release of Spaceside. This seems to happen quite a bit and the notifications I do receive that tell me of new books from authors I like often seem to be ad hoc and random. So, when I stumbled across Spaceside from Michael Mame, I immediately added it to my wish list pending the arrival of my next credit. What makes a good book great, is the addition of probably the best narrator on Audible, R.C. Bray. He narrated the first in this series and so I was very pleased and relieved to find him reading this sequel, too. Hats off to Audible or the publishers to retain narrators across books in a series. Bray has such a great voice, is so fluid, natural and dynamic in his delivery, he could make a shopping list sound cool! That's not to say that mame's sequel is a shopping list, no, not at all I am pleased to say.

Although this second book in Mame's Planetside series seemed to be a long time coming, it was worth the wait in my opinion. I really like Mame's writing, it's fluid, natural and the plot doesn't lack pace. Compliment that with the aforementioned narration from R.C. Bray and you have another winner from Michael Mame and a worthy sequel to Planetside. If anything, now the scene has been setup in the first book, I felt like the story was tighter this time around. Mame has crafted a detective/soldier action story and all I can say is that it works well and brought to life by Mame's excellent writing and Bray's narration.

The only minor aspect that caused some confusion on my part, were references made to the first book, which I had basically forgotten what the key plot points were. A little further into the story and more exposition relating to the first book allowed me to reconnect with the relevant elements.

Only one aspect to this story left me a little disappointed, although only very briefly. I can understand why Mame did what he did, but it felt a little jarring to me as the story came to a sudden end. I started to hear the end credit music and blinked in surprise, not expecting this at all at the point in the story. It felt like the book had another 25% yet to go, but I guess Mame is saving that next part for book 3 in the series, so I can forgive that.

Spaceside is slick, competent and well paced. I look forward to the next in the series , but hope it's not going to take quite so long.

another cracking listen

once again a good book well written and arc bray is as good as always

amazing, spectacular

This is a wonderful addition to the series and really hope the story continues, a real sense of understanding for Carl and how events keep happening for him. I love the way the story unfolds making you want more.

not too bad

it mostly felt like a slow detective story but it picked up slightly towards the end

like the first almost 5 stars

RC Bray as good as always
story almost 5 stars. definitely worth a listen give it a try

Sweet Sci-Fi

Well paced novel sometimes a bit OTT trying to get the broken hero across however writer is forgiven entirely due to the compelling and well written novel. Would recommend.

Awesome

A great listen and second instalment, now hurry up and get the next out as I want to know what happens next

Outstanding!

I was so impressed with Planetside audio book, narrated by the great RC Bray, that I actually did something I never do and brought the book on Kindle, because it is one of those books I will read again and again. I waited with baited breath for Michael Mammay to write a second book praying it is as good as the first. What can I say? IT DOES NOT DISSAPPOINT! Now I have to wait GOD knows how long for what I may pray is a third book in the series. Please put me out of my misery and tell me you have all ready started writing it?

Without doubt the best Military Sci-Fi

It’s almost a shame to label this as sci-fi as it stands a military tale on its own merits and the inherent dangers that come from the industrial entities that surround it, it was a joy to return to the world that Michael Mammay has so successfully developed, recommended without reservation