Imperial Command

Royce Ree #5

by Aldous Mercer

This is Part 5 of "The Emperor's New Clothes", a Royce Ree interstellar heist. This installment is approximately 12,000 words long (Part 1 and 2 are free, Part 3 and 4 are available for 99 cents. An omnibus (#1 - #5) edition is available as well for users that would prefer to get their reading done in one go).

MEANWHILE...

It's all over but the screaming. And the stealing. And the killing. Okay, so it's not over at all....

“I’m sorry, sir, your payment didn't go through.”
“What! Why?”
“There is a hold on your accounts, pending a Deadbeat Investigation by Novawings.”
“I’m the Procurement Officer for the entire Kovan Fleet, woman!”
“Yes, sir, I recognized your uniform. But I’m afraid your job description has nothing to do with this conversation.”
“The hell it doesn't! What are my soldiers going to do if you don’t sell to us?”
“Respectfully, sir, that’s not my problem.”
“We’re in the middle of an invasion!”
“I’m very sorry to hear that. Perhaps your soldiers could target a facility that manufactures the toilet paper you need?”
--Transcript, Kovan “Comms exchange between Fleet Procurement and Gaste Cartel Customer Service.”

74 pages, ebook

Published December 5, 2013

About the author

A native of Toronto, Aldous Mercer enjoys martinis and relaxing on the beac-ha! No.

Aldous Mercer is a workaholic with a penchant for numerical mind games and caffeinated beverages. He uses his degree in Engineering to ensure that none of the spaceships in his books have cubic pressure-vessels. In real life he always annotates Engineering Drawings in Iambic Tetrameter.

Reviews

[Julio Genao · Rating 4 out of 5]

well, goddamn.

in a series of flashbacks that recede further back into time, serving as a final, triumphant montage (just like with the end of classic caper films—where you're told exactly how the clever-as-fuck hero outwitted, you know, everyone) this final volume of chapters concludes the first royce ree space opera in what i can only describe as motherfuckin' style.

i have goosebumps; my nipples are hard; what is this life even about, really—

—and why didn't i think to write this story first?

*is pelted by rotten produce hurled from the cheap seats*

okay! okay! fine. because i'm not aldous mercer.

or whatever.

*sulks*

(highly recommended.)

[k reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super. Really super.

This is an exciting, humorous and highly entertaining tale.

And so fucking clever.

The whole series has the feel of those old serials shown before the main movie without it ever feeling old fashioned. The pacing is excellent and the first four installments end on an exciting to be continued.

This – the latest installment – wraps things up in ways I didn’t see coming and am still not sure I completely grasp.
I get the basic picture and even the first couple of levels... and a few levels after that but I’m not sure I am smart enough (despite what mommy has told me), to grasp all the minute details that make up this intricate caper. Because this one goes deep.

I am glad that I didn’t start the series until all five installments had been published. Waiting would have been excruciating.

Royce and Les were wonderfully matched and had great chemistry.
The supporting characters were nicely drawn and distinct.
The story was a rollicking, heart racing, smart ride and absolutely thrilling.

So now I’m going to get super nitpicky. Because I really enjoyed this and I think it deserves to be held to high standards.

Though I wish there had been a sex scene between the MCs. I don’t necessarily think the story needed it - in fact, it probably doesn’t and would have only gotten in the way. I just really, really wanted one. ☺
But I do think there should have been a coda or epilogue or something with Royce and Les. I don’t want to spoil anything but I will say that the majority of Imperial Command is made up of flashbacks that show you how the mission was really pulled off and turning what you thought happened on its ear. Since Royce’s primary motivation is to reunite with Les, I felt that there should have been another scene with them near the end of the book as opposed to finishing the “present” part of the story on page 18.
In the most general sense, the structure of this book reminds me of Ocean’s 11. (the Clooney one, please.) After we see how Danny Ocean pulled off his caper, the film returns to the present and we get a short wrap up with the characters. It’s the cherry on the top. I wanted a cherry for Les and Royce.

Also, the whole series needs better editing. There are some typos and on occasion, missing words. In this final volume, there is a small section that is in a completely different font and size from the rest of the book. IME, these type of things are common with ebooks, even those published by “professional” publishing houses. Still, it interrupts the flow of the story and can make it more difficult to read.

The first three installments are free and can be found over at Smashwords. Books 4 & 5 are also available, current price $1.49 each.

Strongly recommended.

[Lady*M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh, that was very, very clever. If you found holes in the narrative of the previous stories, this one will clear everything and blow your mind.

I also like how small excerpts (from reports, conversations, etc.) give us the picture of wider world throughout the series.

I was smart enough to wait until the series has ended to pick it up, because the individual stories are short and would drive me insane. I will do the same for the next one if the author doesn't give us something longer. Hopefully, he will. Space opera, FTW.

[LenaRibka · Rating 5 out of 5]

4,5 stars!

I have read it as Omnibus Edition collects Parts #1 - #5 in one volume.

My review to

[M'rella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, damn, just as it was starting to get really really good … I find out that there is. no. more.
There was a tease about Les at the very end. I want to read that book, too! But - no.
Nothing.
:(
Hence rounding my 4.5 stars down.