The Ninth Circle

Tour of the Merrimack #5

by R.M. Meluch

Fifth in the hard-hitting military science-fiction series. On the distant world of Zoe, an expedition finds DNA-based life. When alien invaders are also discovered, Glenn Hamilton calls on the U.S.S. Merrimack for help. But the Ninth Circle and the Palatine Empire have also found Zoe. Soon everyone will be on a collision course to determine the fate of this planet.

Genres: Science Fiction, Space Opera, Military Science Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy, Fiction, Military Fiction

437 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2011

Reviews

[Phil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Meluch takes the series on a very different direction here; while never formulaic, the previous four volumes featured the Hive aliens as central players and this does not. The Romans have a new Caesar, Numa, the former captain of the famed Roman battleship Gladiator who has been featured in other volumes. The Merrimack is now in Calli's hands as Farragut is now an Earth based admiral. Another old hand if you will, Hamster, is with her 'xeno' husband heading out to the distant planet Zoe, where he hopes to break the language of the mammoth like beings that seem intelligent. So much for the basic sitrep...

Meluch introduces some new characters here right from the get go; a group of 8 Romans in the equivalent of basic training on the planet Phoenix. You know they will play a role in the story as it unfolds, but Meluch keeps us hanging for some time regarding this. They are introduced during a hazing incident that goes terribly wrong, leading to the death of the newest member (falling off a cliff no less; the automatic net did not deploy...). Turns out, one of the 8 was born on Earth and is John Farragut's younger brother Nox; one of them anyway, as he has 17 siblings. The debacle was caught via satellite and the remaining 7 were drummed out of the Roman army, and indeed, deprived of Roman citizenship for leaving their squadmate dead off the cliff. With nowhere to go, the 7 steal a spaceship and become pirates-- "The Ninth Circle"-- and head off to go steal some shit...

The indigenous life on Zoe is pretty amazing and almost Earth like; even more amazing is that it is DNA based. This discovery rocks human civilization of all stripes! Further, another alien race is found on Zoe that is not DNA based and seems very hostile. All roads lead to Zoe in this one!!

I liked the intrigue in this one, and even missing (more the most part) John Farragut and Augustus, the remaining characters are enough to pull the story along. It was nice to see Hamster in a feature role, and Calli as well. This keeps a good balance between snark and seriousness like the other volumes in the series, although the whimsical 'foxes' of Zoe are a bit much. You can tell the author really has a thing for dogs! 3.5 stars, rounding up!!

[Lightreads · Rating 1 out of 5]

Right, it's been a while, so as a refresher, this is the military scifi series where the Roman Empire went underground for a few thousand years, only to re-emerge in the space age and set up a whole new empire in opposition to the U.S. in space, and then a lot of homoerotic things happened. Got that? Good.

I stress-read the first few books in this series and enjoyed the hell out of them. You know, where you make a Cartesian plane with good/bad on one axis and enjoyable/not enjoyable on the other – this series was waaaay deep in the bad/enjoyed quadrant. But we've been through a few twists and turns, killed off some major characters, sent others off to get married to a random, and it turns out the enjoyable was coming from a very specific scenario, and when you erase that, well.

What you're left with is Meluch's politics (pro-military to the point of jingoism), her series-long disdain for civilian peacekeeping forces turned up to eleven, and this really awful moment where I realized she's genuinely interested in a bunch of teenaged boys who deliberately set out to become spree killers because daddy didn't love one of them enough (no, for real, that's his actual reason). There's also a lot of frankly weird back-and-forth about how the right-thinking people can recognize a hostile species on sight (it's . . . genetic? Apparently? Evil aliens just look . . . wrong?) but those stupid scientists, they want to talk to the ugly aliens before starting a shooting war and don't recognize the superiority of the cute aliens, what bullshit.

Blech. Someone let me know if she resurrects the bio-engineered vicious Roman genius. Otherwise, I'm out.

[Janny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wry wit, intelligent satire, a fast moving space opera with laugh out loud enjoyment of the foibles of human nature and deeper underlying issues. The entire series is wonderfully fast moving and unpredictable. Start with Book 1, The Myriad.

[Wealhtheow · Rating 2 out of 5]

In the not-so-distant future, a hidden conspiracy stretching thousands of years reveals itself. Romans have been hiding in sleeper cells, and when they awaken they nearly take over the Earth. They lose the war and retreat to form their own galaxy-spanning empire. The new Roman Empire and the US are in the midst of a cold war at the beginning of the series. Sometimes they team up against alien invasions, and other times their cold war gets particularly hot. It's all rather exciting, like a hoo-rah version of Star Trek. Since the last book, Captain John Alexander Farragut has been promoted to Admiral, and Calista Carmel has become captain of the Merrimack. I like Carmel a lot, but I do miss Captain Farragut--he and Augustus were the characters I read the books for, and now they're both out of the series. When an old shipmate (Glenn "Hamster" Hamilton) finds evidence of a new alien race, Farragut sends the Merrimack to investigate. Meanwhile, a band of Roman men is cast out of the empire and become pirates on a collision course with the Merrimack.

On the one hand, once I started this book I didn't stop reading till I was done. On the other hand, my main impetus for finishing was in hopes of reading what hideous & ignominious end the incredibly annoying Knox came to, because holy shit balls I hate that character. He's the Haulden Caulfield of serial killers.

Even if I didn't think Knox was the stupidest, most blindingly self-absorbed twit to ever stain a page (and making it all the worse, he's clearly a favorite of Meluch's), I still couldn't quite stomach this book. It's just too clearly biased: the UN-analogues are foolish and ridiculously naive, continually creating obstacles for Our Heroes and being unfairly vituperative about the Noble Sacrifices Our Heroes have made throughout the series. The scientists are absurdly, unbelievably unworldly. Meluch also has a lot of affection for the new Roman Empire, for no reason I can determine. The new Romans are basically fascist Spartans, so there is nothing I admire about their society, while Meluch seems to think there are so many things to admire that she needn't provide any reasons to the reader. I don't get her priorities or her values--I don't like any of her fave characters (Steel, Kerry Blue, Knox) and I love all the side characters she's bored by. Plus, Meluch's writing style has gotten almost unreadably terse, and her long spiels of pseudo-science infodumping are less charming than ever.

I'll probably keep reading this series, because I love ship battles, but I'm no longer enthralled by it.

[Sophia · Rating 3 out of 5]

And here I have arrived at the fifth book in the Tour of the Merrimack series. Book four, Strength and Honor, felt like the grandest of grand finales, but apparently there were more adventures in store.

In the beginning, I wasn't sure, but I was eager. I wasn't sure because it really did seem like all important threads were tied up in neat little bows and I couldn't imagine what could follow up that slam dunk finish. But, I've loved aka been addicted to the series since book one, The Myriad, so there was no holding me back when I discovered there was more.

I wasn't long into this book which turned the spotlight to minor characters and a new building series of conflicts before I realized that I had been right to hesitate. The writing is still great, the worldbuilding, the flow of action, and the colorful cast of characters were fantastic.
But... three things. First, there was always the sense of something missing. And, this is an easy one- the characters who had driven me forward through the series- John Farragut and Augustus. Secondly, though I thought it was a fascinating study from a caseworker perspective, I really didn't like reading about Farragut's younger brother Knox as one of the main protagonists. I had the urge to Gibs smack him back two books ago and that urge has become a compulsive need in this book. His meely-mouthed jealousy and envy of his brother created a monster and became Knox the deadly and annoying to the umpteenth power. I was so saddened by what this guy did to his life and others because he couldn't get over himself.
And finally, the idiocy in which the League of Earth Nations and the scientists was cartoonish. I get that the LEN could be annoying. The cliched naive 'we come in peace' happy peace lover into the jaws of a dangerous threat is annoying. But surely, there is at least one or two in the bunch who have done their homework and can think intelligibly? It was beyond annoying.

Lest you think it all bad, I will say that I loved the world of Zoe with the fox race and the others. And it was good to see Glenn and Patrick Hamilton and Calli Carmell and the Don. The bits with Farragut felt like mean teasers just out of reach, but I'll take them, too.

John Glouchevitch's narration was bang on the mark and I can't imagine experiencing this series without his voice bringing the world and words to life.

So, this was not a favorite outing of mine with the series. I got through it and I look toward the final book with curiosity and dread for the way things were building in the background of this one. Even though, I couldn't really like this particular installment, I definitely recommend the series as a whole to space opera and military sci-fi fans.

My thanks to Brilliance Audio for the opportunity to listen to this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Rich · Rating 4 out of 5]

The great thing about all of the Merrimack books is the dialog between the characters--especially amongst the Marines with the glibness in the face of danger, the boasting and the swaggering, cocky manner with which they treat everything. She does tend to make them seem a little dumber than they really ought to be if they're being entrusted with flying expensive, high performance spaceships. The members of the crew are all likeable, and where I dread scenes centering on some characters and can't wait to get back to the ones I'm really interested in, that doesn't happen here--I like them all.

Another thing I love about RM Meluch is that she doesn't burden me with a truckload of technical nonsense. She doesn't explain FTL space travel, they just do it. She doesn't waste my time to write about how fast and explosive missles are, or how powerful the spaceships are, or how many rounds per minute the weapons can fire, or any of that technological nonsense that guys like Webber and Ringo use to bore me to death. She concentrates on the story, and I appreciate it.

The political backstory nonsense is minimal too--it's there, with the Earth government getting in the way of the ship's captain, but instead of page after page of ranting about liberals and such, the captain gets angry, drinks scotch and go plays some racquetball. What could be more fun that that?

The scientists on the planet seemed more eggheaded and oblivious than was absolutely necessary. All scientists are not bureaucrats, and the end result of the part where one of them does the "I come in peace" bit with the aliens was completely predictable. The identity of the possible Romulai spy also seemed blatantly obvious at the end. I suppose I'll find out if I was right when I read the next book.

All that aside, this book, like the others in the series, was very fun to read. It kept me entertained, and the pages burned by quickly, and that's really the reason why I'm picking the books up in the first place.

[Alan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The thing about reading Meluch space opera, especially those set in the Merrimack universe is this, they are 1) usually fun 2) not exactly literature (i.e. not Ian Banks etc.) 3) humorous 4) you'll probably find a villain or anti-hero that you'll end up liking.

The war with Rome has been over for two years, Farragut has elected to move his career forward, given command of the 'Mack to Calli Carmel and taken an admiral's slot. Much of the crew is dispersed, and the reader spends most of the first part of the book following two groups. The former night shift commander Glenn Hamilton and her scientist husband Patrick as they help study a new planet and its native lifeforms. The second group are a band of Roman legionaires who have been banished from Rome and decided to become pirates.

Some things aren't what they appear to be on the surface. and truthfully they are easy to figure out before they are revealed. The 'Mack, and its reassembled crew, is sent to the Hamilton's aid and Numa puts in an appearance to hint at something bigger going on in the Roman Empire.

Sit back have fun, and don't expect the science to be very accurate. There are hints of more books to come in the series, but no release dates as of yet.

[L.E. Doggett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maybe 3 and a half here. Good action, plot and descriptions, but the writing could be better

[Zozo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite a weak addition to the series. And one important thing: Merrimack without Farragut?? What’s the fugging point??

[Des · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nah, it didn't jump the shark. It just moved on to a new premise. What, you just want the same thing over and over?

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This took a very interesting turn! I miss Augustus though.

[Bob · Rating 1 out of 5]

ah bummer. Farragut and TR were who I was reading this series for. I wish there was a clear delineation in the series listings to show when a new era was started with different characters. dnf

[Veronica · Rating 1 out of 5]

This one jumped the shark.

[Daniel Shellenbarger · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Ninth Circle is the fifth in the Merrimack series of space opera books set in a universe in which a new Roman Empire has risen from the ashes and become America's chief rival in a pan-galactic Cold (and sometimes hot) War. The previous book had things getting very hot, as a mad Emperor took power and tried to retake Earth only to get done in, Shakespeare style, by one of his own. This book picks things up two years later, the peace between the U.S. and Rome has held and the all-consuming alien horror known as the Hive appears to have stayed dead this time and (for the first time in the series) plays no part in this book. Instead, the book goes back to what Meluch did so well in the Myriad: creating an interesting and vibrant alien world and having her characters encounter weird aliens (good, bad, and ugly). The character focus shifts dramatically in this book as some of Meluch's mainstay characters (especially Admiral Farragut, who isn't in command of the Merrimack this time around) take the sidelines and a handful of new (and, sadly, annoying) characters are introduced, most notably (and annoyingly) Farragut's kid brother (called Nox), who acted out his teenage rebellion by going to Rome and signing up with his brother's mortal enemies. Unfortunately for him, he found himself guilty of murder and cowardice and got drummed out of his new life and decided to go pirate (because he's such an upstanding citizen...) and murders innocents with shocking eagerness. At the same time, one of the Merrimack's watch officers, Lt. Hamilton, goes on leave with her xenolinguist husband to a remote world named Zoe where (shockingly) the resident life appears to be DNA-based, the first such encountered outside of Earth but sinister things are afoot on that world as sponge-like alien invaders (called Clokes for reasons that shall not be enumerated) appear to have taken an interest in the system with no concern for the affable and intelligent indigenous life (the dog-people-like Foxes). First off, this book is a major improvement over the previous volume, as the plot hangs together fairly well and the chapters don't feel disjointed. That said, I have to make a strict demarcation of my enjoyment. Frankly, I loved the parts of this book that dealt with Zoe, the Foxes, and the Clokes and I HATED the parts with Nox and his band of allegedly-unwilling bloodthirsty monsters. By the second or third chapter I would've been happy to see them get blasted to astral dust but the author gave them ridiculous advantages that seemed rather out of proportion to their actual abilities. I just didn't buy them as being the scale of threat that the plot demanded that they be, which becomes problematic as the story focuses more and more on their actions in the final act. Other than that, it felt at times like Meluch was writing circles around the gaps in the story where normally she would've inserted her usual protagonist, Admiral Farragut, but since he was firmly out of the spotlight, she adapted what she had left and never quite filled his shoes. All in all, I enjoyed reading the Ninth Circle more than not and it was a major improvement over Strength and Honor, but still has too many problems with flat cartoonish characterizations of both people and politics, even if the alien encounters are top-notch.

[Ove · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sentient Mammoths, Foxes and Other Aliens

The Ninth Circle continues R. M. Meluch’s Tour of the U.S.S. Merrimack series. This is the fifth installment and the first in what looks like a new major arc into the origin of DNA based life.

Many of my favorite characters return with some well-deserved development but we also get to follow John Farragut’s younger brother with the same name in his new life as a Roman recruit, double exile and space pirate. He and his friend’s life in the ninth circle of hell as they see it is what gives this story its title.

Lieutenant Glenn Hamilton and Dr. Patrick Hamilton are on the planet Zoe on a research holiday when it becomes the focal point for the known galaxy. Life there is based on DNA just like we are. How that came to be is not answered in this book but there is enough resolution anyway.

There are some great scenes when Glenn and Patrick jump the fence and go native among the local sentients. Exploration and learning to know the world is something I enjoy reading about and here R.M. pull out all the stops. When the mammoths were attacked and the fox princess storyline are some of my highlights.

But there wouldn’t be a military science fiction unless there was some strife and battle. It so happens Zoe is under siege by some mysterious space traveling invaders which gets both U.S.S. Merrimack and others to the scene.

The Ninth Circle can probably be read alone but there are references and characters you will enjoy more if you start from the beginning. This is military space opera with a roman empire in conflict with the US of A. Pirates, first contact, ancient mysteries and assorted banter is an enjoyable mix I do recommend.

We can probably expect the next novel in 2012 although it has not been announced yet.

[Jamie Collins · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the weakest entry in this flawed, but entertaining, military sci-fi series. The writing is quite good, but the story and characterizations can be pretty hokey sometimes. This one has less action than the others, the focus has shifted to less interesting characters, and the very cool scary aliens have already been defeated.

The book has two converging storylines. The first concerns a group of young Roman outcasts who feel compelled to become pirates. I strongly disliked this plot, especially since the reader is tempted to dredge up sympathy for deliberate, vicious murderers. There’s an interesting twist on the identity of their leader, but it only serves to make his choices seem even more unreasonable.

The second story has officer Glenn Hamilton taking a vacation on an Earth-like planet with her husband the “zenolinguist”. They’re trying to shore up their crumbling marriage while frolicking with friendly alien foxes. The other scientists on the planet are caricatures of stubborn, belligerent intellectuals who are hostile towards the brave military forces who have come to protect them against a threat they’re too foolish to recognize.

Callista Carmel is now the captain of the Merrimack, and she’s still in fierce competition with Numa, the new Roman emperor. Admiral Farragut is back home on Earth being fruitful and multiplying, but he has a few scenes, and I was touched to find that he’s named his daughter after Augustus.

The scenes with Kerry Blue and Colonel Steele are as cringe-inducing as ever. The sexism is relatively toned down, although there are some zingers: “Like John Farragut - like any man - Steele could get real protective around a woman.” I’m real tired of Steele obsessing over being unable to protect her.

[Carl Schierhorn · Rating 3 out of 5]

The review averages I've seen have put this book between 3.5 and 4.. That's about right. I read it because I enjoyed the Merrimack series so much. Though the Merrimack plays a role, the key character of those books makes a cameo appearance; another surprising member of the captain's family has turned pirate and is central to the story. The real central character is Glenn Hamilton, ("nicknamed Hamster" as a lieutenant" in the original series. She has her own command now (albeit a civilian ship). She's grown; she has a better though, still-strained relationship with her husband.

The plot centers on a first contact with two races on a planet that is scientifically too Earthlike. (Parts of the book get bogged down in the science of that.) The multiple plot lines don't blend well, even at the end when the author tries to bring them together. I had to read the last four pages three or four times and still am not sure what exactly they mean.

Glenn is the only character I'd like to have dinner with, though her husband and one of the pirates (!) are OK if not terribly likable. The most fun characters are an alliance species called "foxes," which are somewhat like an intelligent fox-kangeroo-chimp blend.

The book is OK but unless you're a big Merrimack fan, I'd move on to the next on your "to read" list.

[Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Science Fiction/Space Opera

The Ninth Circle is science fiction written the way I love. There is action, adventure, great characters and a wonderful plot. Once I started reading I did not want to put it down.

There is peace between the Terran and Palatine Empires but that peace is very fragile. There are problems on the planet Zoe. Glenn Hamilton is traveling with her husband Patrick, a xenolinguist, where they discover DNA based life and another alien race on the planet. The expedition leader refuses to take any action so Glenn reports the aliens to Admiral John Farragut. He sends the Merrimack under Captain Calli Carmel to see what is going on. Zoe attracts more than the Merrimack. There is a pirate group made up of exiled Romans, an alien Mother ship, and a Roman ship carrying the Emperor all arriving in Zoe space.

There is a lot going on in The Ninth Circle. The U.S.S. Merrimack was featured in four previous books. While The Ninth Circle has some of the same characters it is an entirely new story. It appears to be the start to a new series featuring the Merrimack.

[Sherwood Smith]

Though I found myself disappointed with the ending of the fourth book, it was mild enough that when I found out a new one had appeared, I had to get it.

My two favorite characters are pretty much gone (one dead, one retired) but all my secondary faves are here--Numa, now Emperor of the Romans, Callista, now a ship captain, the Hamster, who spends most of this one grounded and then a hostage, and the Don, and the Merrimack.

This one rips right along, switching largely between a planet with some scientific surprises (the foxes alone could have sustained an entire novel) and we see how a bunch of gung ho nineteen-year-olds could become really nasty pirates. One of whom belongs to a family we recognize.

Action, humans being human, surprises . . . Meluch proved in The Myriad that anything can happen, so I was on the edge of my seat all the way to the last page. And it left me wanting to read the series all over again.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Remote planet of Zoe turns becomes intensely interesting to all sides when the native life turns out to be based on Earthly DNA--except for some spidery and hostile aliens. Though the story has typically wild battles and hilarious banter I didn't like it as much as previous episodes; the dark ops "pirates" of the title just aren't as compelling as characters to me as the original cast (not that the latter aren't here in all their glory, but I get the impression that the author is getting bored with Farragut and the others and will be changing the focal characters in future volumes), and the plot was even more slapped together than usual.

Also, setting Farragut up with a dark brother comes off as a LOT like what Bujold has done with her Vorkosigan brothers. Not that Bujold has a monopoly on the idea, but the way it's handled here practically begs for readers to make the comparison---and Bujold is not the one who's ever going to come off second best in that kind of contest.

[Darnell · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wow. Disappointing. The lead of the series rides a desk for the entire book. Then he shows up at the end and cries. Calli and Hamster Hamilton run the show. And Hamster's sadsack cuckold of a husband gets more time. The threat is dull. The pirates have no personalities. The series felt to be creatively sucked dry after Sagittarius Command. All in all, it felt like the seasons of Supernatural after the Winchesters defeated the devil. Where do you go from there? As with that series, I'm done with this one.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although is shows that I am reading the hardback version I am actually reading the paperback version. For some unknown reason there wasn't a paperback version to choose from. The Ninth Circle continues R. M. Meluch’s Tour of the U.S.S. Merrimack series. This is the fifth installment in the series. I didn't like this book as well as the previous books in the series but I still recommend fans of the series to read it.

[Gail · Rating 2 out of 5]

Man. The "Tour of the Merrimack" series started with a truly wonderful space opera: "The Myriad." The second and third installments disappointed me, the fourth made it look like things might be turning around, but this fifth one is the nail in the coffin. The author benches the main protagonist, abruptly ends a series-long point of romantic intrigue, and tries to breathe new life into the story with a host of unappealing new characters (spoiler alert: she fails).

[Per Gunnar · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this one was better than the previous ones. I could have done without these utterly stupid LEN which remainds me way too much about the useless bullshitters in the United Nations.

My main issue is the bloody stupid ending which is totally spoiled by the stupid politicians inteferring. I just hate such nonsens.

[**** · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was great, but it went in a different direction than the previous books, I just keep thinking that there should be another time paradox, so that everything goes back to the way it went in the first book, but with this one they have clearly moved on from all of that, and any new books will be about new trials and enemies.

[Gaby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not what I was expecting. While still enjoyable and action packed it didn't have enough Farragut in it for me. He's my favorite character. This book is not a Merrimack novel to me but don't get me wrong, whatever Meluch puts out in this series I will read but the bar was set high with first 3.

[Doug Piero]

I'm looking forward to this! It just came out November 1 (2011). This whole series has been exciting.

[Ralph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not as fast paced and exciting as the previous books but it appears to be a solid first step towards the next story line in the series.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

LOVED IT! can't wait for the next one!

[Elliot · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good story, although just slightly less gripping than her other books of the series (but I think that might be a personal thing). Nonetheless, well worth a read!