The Myriad, Tour of the Merrimack #1 by R.M. Meluch

As you can guess from the title (The Myriad, Tour of the Merrimack #1) this is the first book in a series about the U.S.S. Merrimack. Daw published the first book in this series and the first book in ten years by R.M. Meluch in 2004. I don’t know what the M stands for but the R is Rebecca. The Merrimack is captained by the magnetic, fearless, energetic John Farragut. The ship includes a Marine detachment lead by Lt. Colonel, T.R. Steele. They are on the trail of the Hive, an alien life form that can live in the vacuum and destroys everything in its path. Joining the crew of the Merrimack is Augustus; a Palatine Empire genetically and cybernetically enhanced patterner, on loan to help in the search and destruction of the Hive. The Palatine Empire were former enemies but the Hive has made them reluctant allies. The Merrimack stumbles on a group of three colony worlds that the Hive has overlooked. This group of planets is a paradox that no one can explain. The result of this discovery leads to some unexpected events. There is never a dull moment in this book. There are enough twists and turns to keep anyone’s attention. The interaction between the characters keeps the plot moving at a brisk pace. Start this series for a thrilling story that is hard to put down. I recommend The Myriad to anyone who likes space opera and military science fiction.