Home World

Undying Mercenaries, Book 6

By: B. V. Larson

Narrated by: Mark Boyett

Length: 12 hrs and 55 mins

Publisher's summary

The Galactics arrived with their Battle Fleet in 2052. Rather than being exterminated under a barrage of hell-burners, Earth joined a vast empire that spanned the Milky Way.

When the Earth is invaded by a rival empire, James McGill's legion must defend the Home World. The top brass has complex plans, but none of that matters much to McGill, who chooses his own unique path. Traveling to star systems no human has ever visited, he searches for a technological edge to beat the enemy before it's too late. Along the way he unleashes new terrors, triggering the biggest battles in human history.

Home World is the sixth book of the Undying Mercenaries Series, a novel of military science fiction by best-selling author B. V. Larson.

©2016 B. V. Larson (P)2016 Audible, Inc.

Great story! Action, invasion, and introspection!

This is a wonderful series! The tech is awesome, the battles are exciting, and the plots are thick and twisting. The universe is interesting and believable. The people are real. Few other authors can juggle all these aspects as well as Larson does here.

I read (listen) a lot. I have been a reader all my life (well since about 4). I read and write academic analyses and criticisms. In my book (yuk yuk), Larson has created a perfect set of characters in this series. They are distinct and well-rounded, with their flaws as well as their strengths. And they fill necessary roles. There are no superfluous characters. Harris, Graves and Carlos are real and vital. Kivi, Natasha, and Della are different from each other. Even the ones we love to hate-- Winslow, Claver, and Turov-- have their important places. These are people we wish we knew, even if we want to perm them sometimes.

And McGill, ah McGill. Irreverent, insubordinate, lying, conniving, loyal, philandering, seat-of-the-pants McGill, ya gotta love him even when you slap his face. He'll quote his mama's rules as he disobeys them, explain the universe with hog farm philosophy, and scheme and plot on a dime to save his friends or all humanity. He is so real, you will miss him when the story ends.

Despite McGill's seeming superficial flirtation and rutting, he does get himself into some practical self-evaluation and realistic, honorable contemplation of the future. Deep down he has a good sense of right and wrong, fairness, and commitment. This saves him from just being a total jerk. This book could be the end of the series, but we sure don't want it to be.

Mark Boyett's performance is superb. He has the voice range an opera singer would envy, so is able to create anything from a gravelly gunnery sergeant to a wisp of a girl. He keeps all his characterizations in order. But the best is his ability to inflect correctly. We know that these performances are not rehearsed as in theater, but he gets it right all the time. McGill is southern po' boy, and Boyett is smack on with his delivery of the accent, the phrasing and pausing, and tone. He delivers lines that will crack you up. For example: "She rolled her eyes. Women do that all the time around me." Or:

McGill: I was wondering what exactly our mission is, when we get aboard [the enemy ship]?
Graves: I would think that would be obvious. You're to eliminate the crew and take control of the ship.
McGill: Is that all? You don't want us to... repaint it or nuthin?

Best line in the book, perfectly delivered!!! And each book has at least one like it.

Keep 'em coming.

Boyett, you're a dream weaver.

I have enjoyed this series, but the reader has been consistently excellent. By his rendering of the characters' voices, faces have formed in my mind's eye, and by the combined efforts of the reader and the author, I have become invested in their lives. Thank you both for the welcome diversion.

another great addition to the series. Larson rules

Larson keeps the series interesting by branching off into new scenarios with the same beloved McGill

What happens next?

Captivating fast paced story of a possible future earth. Some of the things that James McGill did without permission and got away with it in a military organization is extremely hard to grasp.

However, the story line and character development is so good, The story could spin off several other series. I hope the BV Larson decides to continue this story.

Great start but drifts toward the end.

As with the previous book this one starts out incredibly good. the characters were vibrant their activities believable and highly entertaining. toward the end of the book the plot line dramatically diverged into multiple non cohesive tangents that leaves one wondering how the author will ever pull it all back together. many unresolved and unexplained tangents make for an awkward and what felt like a very rushed ending to this book. I really like the series and will probably finish it, but the author needs to take the time to finish these books in a more cohesive manner.

McGill is a Mary Sue

That's the whole series I guess, but kinda over the top here, in my opinion.

He keeps fun

Though lacking some of the depth of the characters. It's still a very fun read.

Dr. A

Another great book.

So now I have to sit here and wait for the next book to come out in the series.....

A roller coaster of a read.

You would think with all the rule breaking that there would be a few other outcomes. But ol' Magill brings it again. I hope to see him again in a future book. A fitting end to a fantastic series.

Fun story, chapters need correction

Great book but last chapter is duplicated somewhere about half way through the book. Despite the glitch I highly recommend it.