The Wanted

Galaxy's Edge Season 3, Book 1

By: Jason Anspach, Nick Cole

Narrated by: Mark Boyett

Length: 13 hrs and 1 min

Publisher's summary

Looking back, they called those turbulent times simply The Troubles.

A period of chaotic upheaval and destruction that sent the Republic reeling through successive crises, each growing more desperate as the galaxy spun out of control.

Exactly when The Troubles started…that was open to interpretation. After the Savage Wars were thought to have ended, said some. Others claimed the period of death and war began with the Republic's action on Psydon. Still, others pointed to the Republic's forced migration of the zhee or even the arrival of the Mid-Core Rebellion, culminating in victories against the Legion at Kublar and the genocidal atrocities extending as far as Rhysis Whan.

But no matter when they began, the galaxy-shaking events of The Troubles were well remembered by those who suffered through them, and the scars of those upheavals would leave their indelible mark for years, and perhaps lifetimes, to come.

The brazen and open government corruption infesting the former capital planet of Utopion.

The arrival of the tyrant Goth Sullus, who briefly united opposition to the Republic before falling prey to the vanity of the title…The Emperor.

The Legion's invocation of Article Nineteen of the Republic Constitution, which brought an all-consuming flame to a simmering cold war that had long been stewing between the rulers and those forced to fight their needless wars.

The sudden unexpected attack by an alien race known as the Cybar. Relentless. Cruel. Inhuman in the extreme.

And finally, the long-planned return of a tribe of lost Savages, led by their messiah…the Golden King.

The Troubles. A quaint name for a horrific period in the galaxy's history. A period whose atrocities were superseded only by the terror of the Savage Wars that had come before. Almost no corner of the galaxy was spared a taste of terrible war, cutthroat intrigue…and remorseless death.

In the aftermath, this battered galaxy now longs for peace and stability. The Republic, now reformed, seeks to govern by the rule of law. But no matter how sincere the reform, how earnest and well-meaning the ruler, some worlds refuse to place their destiny in the hands of others. Ever again.

Been there. Done that. Got burned along the way.

Because some things never change. Power summons would-be tyrants eager to seize it. Ancient vendettas cry out to be settled. Corruption worms its way through the souls of men too weak to resist it or too wicked to try. And dead-eyed killers gather in all the usual starports, awaiting the opportunity to do what they do best for the promise of a quick credit.

Through it all, the silent Legion waits for its cue to once more tread upon the stage and break its enemies through nothing more and nothing less than total violence of action capably applied. As though this time… things will be different.

Out on the edge, they say…

Everyone's got a plan until the Legion shows up.

©2024 Galaxy’s Edge, LLC (P)2024 Podium Audio

RC Bray's voice was missed

The story os excellent. Filling in some backstory on Wraith/Keel that is referenced in S2. The filling in of after the downfall of the Golden King is excellent as well.

The narration was not bad. I just wish that voice actors would try to keep continuity of voices rather than recreate characters that we have heard for 15 books already.

Not RCB, but...

Several years ago I participated in an online discussion with Jason Anspach, during Season 1's release to audio. I commented on how much I enjoyed Lao Pak and Skrizz and asked whether the characters would have bigger parts in the story to come.

JA replied they'd reappear in the main GE storyline, but wouldn't have large parts. But they did have plans to release a Wraith trilogy that went into Ford's undercover days as a pirate. Lao Pak and several Wobanki would have much bigger parts in that storyline.

I've been looking forward to the Wraith trilogy's release ever since.

I'm only a few hours in, but I'm pretty sure The Wanted is that storyline. Woot!

And for all you GE fans there's a terrible tease at the start of The Wanted. It opens with RC Bray narrating. My heart sped up in excitement, then RCB's voice fades and it transitions to Mark Boyett's voice taking over the narrative.

It's smooth and beautifully done and analytically I knew The Wanted stated Mark Boyett was the story's narrator, but emotionally? I found myself intensely disappointed I was no longer listening to RCB. I have to surmise RCB had started working on The Wanted, but due to his health issues, this story (and a number of others) had to be transferred to another narrator, in order to reduce the stress on his vocal chords so he can continue to perform. *sigh* Such a bummer. I wish The Wanted had made RCB's keeper list.

As far as Mark Boyett's narration is concerned, there's a part of me that feels for him. He's stepping into some seriously big shoes, never mind dealing with GE's rabid RCB fan base. Fortunately he's no slouch when it comes to narration. I did find myself being totally unfair, irritated and displeased during the Chunn section. It seemed a little flat, without a lot of differentiation between the character's voices, making me tempted to quit listening. I realized I was sulking because I wasn't listening to RCB. But as soon as the story shifts to Ford? MB versatility and range becomes much more apparent. The story really takes off, making for very entertaining listening.

But honestly? MB's narration is a paler version of RCB's vivid performance. It's good, but not phenomenal. Fortunately MB stays faithful to previously established GE pronunciations (yay!) and the character's personalities and their accents. It's an enjoyable listen and if RCB's abilities weren't lurking in the back of your brain making comparisons, some would say it's a great performance with ever character distinct and stepping off the page.

So, bottom line? It's a story about Wraith!! How awesome it that? Pretty awesome as far as I'm concerned.

RC Bray gone :(

While I enjoyed this book, the loss of RC Bray and his impact on this series kinda sucked. If his schedule was the issue I honestly wouldn’t have cared to wait another year for him to be the narrator.

Good story. Didn't like the performance.

Good addition to the story, as always. Although the jump in the time line made me feel like I missed a book.

I don't think Mark Boyett is a good replacement for R. C. Bray. Boyett is an excellent voice actor, but I feel that his voice just doesn't work for this storytelling of hard/rough characters that are almost all military, bounty hunters, and space pirates.

One thing I did like about his performance is his ability to keep females from sounding weak and whiney, and thats about it for this performance.