The Myriad: Tour of the Merrimack #1

by R.M. Meluch

Book Overview

The U.S.S. Merrimack is the finest battleship class spaceship in Earth's fleet. But nothing can prepare its captain and crew for what they are about to face: three colonized worlds in the midst of a... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0756403200
• Release Date: January 2006
• Publisher: DAW
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 6.7" x 1.0" x 4.3"

Customer Reviews

Meluch is back without missing a step!

Since the other reviews blow the plot surprises for you, I won't bother repeating them. Ms. Meluch has finally returned after a too-long hiatus from science fiction, and her writing is as sharp as ever. I snapped this book up without question the moment I saw it on the shelf. There is nobody who can breathe life into characters the way she can; they lodge in your chest like a heartache and leave you thinking about the books long after you have finished them. Her stories move, they are imaginative, and they carry a thread of dry / wry humor through them that makes them a very human and thoroughly enjoyable read. Other than the two Wind books, Meluch's previous stories have been stand-alone tales. I was expencting a more straightforward series of adventures for the Merrimack, and I confess the the surprise ending and subsequent changes in the personnel and their interactions was a wee bit of a bummer, because one hates to lose the relationships and plots that have evolved. However, staying put would have probably meant having to jettison some characters, and I like the crew of the Merrimack well enough to spend more time with them and see where the series goes. If you're new to Meluch's writing, this is a good introduction to her style. If you're wondering which of her past books to try and get a copy of, I'd recommend starting with Chicago Red, and for a more fantastic, less military setting, Wind Dancers and Wind Child.

R.M. MELUCH NEVER DISAPPOINTS AND ALWAYS SURPASSES HERSELF.

The Myriad appeared on my birthday and for that reason I count that b'day to be one of the best. Meluch has created a universe I want to explore, populated with characters of depth and texture whom I look forward to seeing again...and again. Her story is rich and satisfying on all levels qualifying this book as character driven AND plot driven, the elements expertly woven together into whole cloth. How many writers can do that? I was thrown by the ending and delighted by it. "What if" is always a human lament. Perhaps we will get to see the concept in action down the line. As far as multi-layered science fiction goes, no one does it better than Meluch. I can't wait for WOLF STAR to arrive in bookstores, also scheduled for my b'day--WOOHOO!--and will gladly pay the hardcover price. I want my Meluch keepers to hold up for many readings to come.

Not the ending you want, but excellent.

One of the better books I've read in a while, with some good sci-fi mystery flavor, and plenty of action. While some of the characters seem rather shallow, I'd say they're pretty accurate reflections of some of the people I've met in the real world (is EVERYONE you know deep and interesting?) I couldn't put it down, and despite not being the made-for-TV-happily-ever-after you hope for, the ending leaves lots of very interesting potential for the next book, which I will have to read.

Excellent Story

This is one of the best science fictions books I've read. I really enjoyed it! The story line was well written and the best way to describe it was that it had depth. It has great actions and the author does an excellent job is describing it and most of all it's believable. It also had a mystery aspect that the USS Merrimack was trying to solve. It was this mystery that kept me reading as each chapter ended you slowly came closer to knowing the secret. Another reason I enjoyed this book was the character development. The store wasn't about one or two lead characters. It was about a whole ship of characters and how they interact with each other, the Hive, the Aliens, Earth and others. I understood what the characters felt and thought. As I read the story I felt that I was there, that I was part of the story.... One of the characters that lived of course. The characters were so well developed even down the bickering and taunting that some of them had between them. To me the story was more then just a science fiction book that I read. It was more like a window into the lives and adventures of the USS Merrimack. I can't wait to look into the window of book two and see how their lives have changed, what new mysteries unfold, and what new adventures await!

Great Characters are aboard the Merrimack

The Myriad: Tour of the Merrimack #1 is a new sci-fi book that I have recently read and highly recommend. Well-developed characters and an interesting story are what I primarily look for and hope for in any book that I read. What else does one need when it comes to a good book? I am happy to share that The Myriad has some of the best, most colorful and interesting characters I have experienced in a long time. Beginning with the first few pages through the entire book the characters continue to be developed in front of you. You begin to relate with them and care for them as the story moves along. You know them and feel a part of their lives. Actually the characters are a large part of this first book of this new series. I think that this sole aspect is what makes this book stand a part from others. But I guess that this should not be surprising since the author has a reputation for strong and interesting characters in her previous books. The above review has done a great job of explaining the basic story of The Myriad: Tour of the Merrimack #1. So I won't restate the main storyline. But again the amount of detail that this story presents certainly is deeper than many other books I have recently read. Granted this is a book set to introduce you to the story and series, but the author seems to take the time to really set the stage and plot for you. The life on the ship is believable, the dialog seems like it was taken from some of the people I have either worked with or served with over the years. The locations visited and battles fought are rich with detail. I am hooked and really looking forward to the next book in the series. Again this is a book that I highly recommend.