Military Science Fiction, Space Opera
In a previous post I talked about the Tour of the Merrimack series. I just finished Strength and Honor, A Novel of the U.S.S. Merrimack by R.M. Meluch. Like the other books in the series this was published by Daw. The copyright is November 2008. The fact that I have already finished this book helps explain my large “to be read” pile. The third book in the series, The Sagittarius Command, could have been the last but it left some large unresolved issues. Strength and Honor, the fourth novel, brings the story to a conclusion. The military and personal themes are woven skillfully into the novel. There were some places where I would have liked a slightly different resolution, but all in all by the end of the book I was a satisfied reader. If you like Science Fiction and Space Opera, read this series. R.M Meluch has written a series with great characters, and a plot filled with unexpected twists and turns. I highly recommend the U.S.S. Merrimack series.
1 comment:
I enjoyed the Merrimack series but couldn't help but wonder why everything was so compressed and events were so rushed (I know that's hard to say about a plot that lasted for 4 books isn't it?). These 4 books lacked the continuity that a great writer might have imparted to them. I'd have prefered the author to have taken the roal less travelled and gone with a 6 book series that would have allowed for deeper plot development, more chance for character growth and a few twists and turns to surprise us. Certainly as published they are an enjoyable read but why do I feel that they are like an appetizer when compared with the great meals that a Heinlein or Asimov would have created for us? Enough laments, while still a notch below my "A" List writers: Weber, Laumer, McDevitt, Anthony and Ringo et. al. Meluch is the on the top of my "B" list and has the potential to make it big (where are the great editors when you need them?).
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