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  • Steel World

  • Undying Mercenaries, Book 1
  • By: B. V. Larson
  • Narrated by: Mark Boyett
  • Length: 12 hrs and 7 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (271 ratings)

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Steel World cover art

Steel World

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

In the 20th century Earth sent probes, transmissions, and welcoming messages to the stars. Unfortunately, someone noticed. The Galactics arrived with their battle fleet in 2052. Rather than being exterminated under a barrage of hell-burners, Earth joined their vast Empire. Swearing allegiance to our distant alien overlords wasn't the only requirement for survival. We also had to have something of value to trade, something that neighboring planets would pay their hard-earned credits to buy. As most of the local worlds were too civilized to have a proper army, the only valuable service Earth could provide came in the form of soldiers…someone had to do their dirty work for them, their fighting and dying.

I, James McGill, was born in 2099 on the fringe of the galaxy. When Hegemony Financial denied my loan applications, I was kicked out of the university and I turned to the stars. My first campaign involved the invasion of a mineral-rich planet called Cancri-9, better known as Steel World. The attack didn't go well, and now Earth has entered a grim struggle for survival. Humanity's mercenary legions go to war in Steel World, best-selling author B. V. Larson's latest science fiction novel.

©2013 B. V. Larson (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

What listeners say about Steel World

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Macho Space Shoot 'em Up

It was good. No better than that. Kind of imagine this is the type of book for guys standing around the barbecue holding a beer telling their war stories.
Lots of shooting at lizard-like aliens. A lot. Gets a bit repetitive.
Some of the main characters remind me of red neck soldiers in Starship Troopers and Avatar.
Obviously some people love this book going by the reviews. Nothing terrible about it but I prefer something with a little more substance.
I appreciate that this book ends and so I don't feel obliged to read the next one in the series unless I want to.

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6 people found this helpful

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

gripping story great hero

I don't always appreciate the way Mark Boyett characterises women's voices but other than that his laconic tone makes for easy listening. really good story by BV Larson that made me think of starship troopers. interesting play on concepts like Empire, and death.

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1 person found this helpful

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

A great read

The concepts and story line in this book had me in from the get go. This is one of the first books from Audible after The Martian that I could not wait to fire up and listen to each day. Can not wait for the next story in the series.

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1 person found this helpful

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

A well thought out Adventure.

I really enjoyed this creative version of a futuristic world. The imagination of this author is quite amazing and the performance was brilliant.

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1 person found this helpful

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

Absolutely the Greatest Listen!

If you just want a book to take you away and throw you directly into the action....this is it. I normally go medieval action but this was absolutely brilliant. The narrator was a pure 10/10.
I am glad there are 20 books in the series... I am going to listen to them all!!!

Do yourself a favour.... buy and listen. It will be the best $15 you spent this year.

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

Absolutely Worth a listen

I am glad i took the chance on a new series. Definitely going to finish the series now.

An excellent and enjoyable story

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

Great story!!!

this is awesome. took a chance at a new book. going to read the series

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

This series is not great scifi but is entertaining

Don't expect brilliant sci-fi like "The Algebraist" or "The left hand of darkness" , but expect an easy to read funny book. Heck, it is so shallow you can jump a chapter here and there and have no problem picking up what little plot there is.
This series is not that great as sci-fi goes. My observation of the whole series ( not just this book ) can be summarized as
1) Almost all the aliens encounter are not that bright and very belligerent, even the Galactic's.
2) Most of the high ranks of McGills legion are both dumb and self serving, but entertaining characters.
3) The sci-fi gadgets are not that believable but sometimes kind of funny.
4) Our [anti]hero, McGill, has the emotional maturity of a 15 year old, and can talk his way out of most situations. The Narrator gets full marks for bringing him to life.
However, I get each book in the series as they come out. Why? well it is funny. It pokes fin at sci-fi in general, and has fun playing with the darker side of human nature.

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

Tentative review

Does anyone find it strange that some NEET gamer leaves his bedroom for the first time ever and immediately becomes an aggressive, tough soldier?

Very strange writing. It’s super direct, very little deeper thought. I can’t rate it too badly though because this is about my level of writing skill.

It’s tough to go from a premium series like expeditionary force to something average like this but I’ll give it a good try.

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

Total space opera! Lots of aliens and fighting

Totally enjoyed this book. Follows the same old space opera line but I found it interesting and finished it in 6 days. A pile of characters that are starting to develop so it is easy to go onto the next book. The storyline has some quirky aliens and big lizards.
The narration is low key but I never found it boring.

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