I first came across BV Larson a year ago, and wrote a 4,500 word review of his Undying Mercenaries series. While I enjoyed the books, I had some fairly serious problems with his characters and thought there may some underlying issues with Larson’s worldview.
But I wasn’t sure how much of what I was picking up on was an actual indication of Larson’s thoughts, and how much was just fairly shallow writing about shallow people.
Having read something else of his, I think I may have jumped the gun a bit. I mean, I still think the characters (the main one, at least) in the Undying Mercenaries series is a pretty shit person.
Anyway, in War of the Spheres, the solar system has been surrounded by an impermeable barrier constructed by some unknown alien force, for unknown reasons. Chief Gray is a mysterious not-quite-human operative for an organization called Control. He has been tasked with ensuring that a new kind of engine capable of going through the barrier completes its mission.
Overall, I liked the book more than any of the Undying Mercenaries series. The characters weren’t particularly unique or well developed, but they weren’t as….unlikable, either. And while the world building is less developed, I don’t think these books are as likely to repeat themselves over and over….and over, like the other series. These books seem like they’re actually going somewhere. And it’s an interesting premise.
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With that said….I kind of forgot I read this book. I think I read it two months ago, and just never wrote a review (though, I am pretty bad at writing reviews these days. I may be getting burned out, but I’ve also got a new kid in the house).
But it was a good book. I’d recommend this book over the Undying Mercenaries season as a better introduction to the oeuvre of one of the best selling e-book writers out there.