Steel World

This was a fun and easy-to-read audiobook that I kept on in the background while working.

Normally I get a bit annoyed at overly horny protagonists like McGill, the main character in this book, but in this case he’s a young 20-something and the book is told in first person so you his internal thoughts, and with that it all kind of makes sense. Just be prepared to read a comment about the ass of every single female character that isn’t his mother. Not just once, but nearly every single time McGill encounters these characters after they haven’t been mentioned in a while.

There’s some decent action, and some genuinely funny moments once you get to know the cast a bit better.

Matt Boyett is a good narrator with a wide enough range to give most characters a fair shake.

Please excuse any misspelling since I listened to the audio version of the book.

Steel World is about James McGill, a 22 year old who is forced to join the Legion when his family can no longer afford to send him to college. Overall, I don't mind James that much. He's a headstrong guy that does what he wants if he thinks it's the right thing to do. He's definitely a womanizer, but that doesn't bother me. He appears to have high morals and cares for his fellow recruits, going so far as to risk his own life to save them.

However, there were a few things that did bother me which prevented me from giving this book a higher rating. But first- the pros.

Pros of the Book:
1. Plot was interesting. The story kept me entertained and wanting to listen to more. The battles and action were written well and at a good pace overall. I finished the book in a little over a week (for me that's fast) so it was definitely a fun story.

2. Universe- the majority of the story takes place on an alien planet, and you get a feel of how the universe works with the Galactic Empire in the center of it controlling it's vast empire. There is world-building, but it's not as rich as say Mass Effect or The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet. You don't go too in depth with the aliens or their culture. They come off as vastly superior beings that look down upon humanity. They see humans as barbarians. They basically control us so it makes sense.

3. Weaponeers: these dudes were badass. They get the job done and they're funny. I enjoyed the parts with Sargon and the other weaponeer at the end. They were interesting characters.

4. The concept of living in a world where you can be killed and revived and sent back to battle is intriguing. You can get killed permanently (permed), but as long as they have your data you should be revived. However, I found that the tension decreased because death is no longer really a threat during war. Yeah, the characters don't like dying, but I know they'll be revived later. Still interesting but the tension of war lessens knowing you'll see the characters again.

Cons:
1. Female characters: my biggest complaint of the book is the author's portrayal of women and how he writes them. Yes- women serve and hold high positions in the military, but they mostly stand out for all the wrong reasons. You see a lot of negative qualities portrayed among the women: jealousy, murderous, and vindictive to name a few. The only redeeming character is Specialist Grant (thank goodness). On the other hand, the male officers are cool-headed, collected, and aren't so freakin' vindictive. Yeah- Harris at first was angry with McGill but they get over it. In the end, Grant seemed to be the only female character that stood out the most in a positive way when she helped McGill and overcame her initial misgivings with him. I'm not saying that women aren't flawed- BUT DAMN- it would have been nice to have a stand out female character with high morals at McGills side. Natasha could have potentially filled that role, but instead, she was mostly used to fulfill McGill's sexual desires. I feel that the author missed a good opportunity to use her for more than just sex.

2. Weak supporting characters- Other than McGill, and Natasha I guess, you don't learn the backstories of the other characters at all. We should have at least learned more about Carlos since he was McGill's closest friend, but other than his “gift” to annoy people we don't know anything about him either. It's ALL about McGill and how he miraculously isn't kicked out of Legion Varis for breaking so many Galactic laws.

So yeah, Steel World was a fun, entertaining read but had many flaws to it. Not a favorite of mine, but I don't regret the ride. It was a straight-forward military story of a male hero who defies the odds to save the day and solely focuses on him for the most part.

Steel World held my attention all the way through, but I didn't find it to be particularly outstanding. The writing is decent, the story is fun and there are a few intriguing ideas, notably the way new bodies are grown when a soldier is killed. I may finish the series up since I am slavishly compelled to do so by some unknown internal drive, but it won't be because I'm on the edge of my seat.

Humans kicking alien butt in powered armor. Yeah!

A quick, light read. Great if you're looking for a quick hit of military sci-fi.