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The Merchant Princes #5-6
The Revolution Trade
Miriam Beckstein has said goodbye to her comfort zone. The transistion from journalist to captive in an alternative timeline was challenging to say the least. As was discovering her long-lost family, the Clan, were world-skipping assassins. Now civil war rages in her adopted home, she's pregnant with the heir to their throne and a splinter-group want her on thier side of a desperate power struggle. But as a leader or figurehead?
Meanwhile, unknown to the Clan, the US government is on to them and preparing to exploit this knowledge. But it hadn't foreseen a dissident Clan faction carrying nuclear devices between worlds--with the US president in thier sights. The War on Terror is about to go transdimensional. But Mike Fleming, CIA agent, knows the most terrifying secret of all. His government's true intentions.
At the publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management software (DRM) applied.
Meanwhile, unknown to the Clan, the US government is on to them and preparing to exploit this knowledge. But it hadn't foreseen a dissident Clan faction carrying nuclear devices between worlds--with the US president in thier sights. The War on Terror is about to go transdimensional. But Mike Fleming, CIA agent, knows the most terrifying secret of all. His government's true intentions.
At the publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management software (DRM) applied.
569 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 2013
47 people are currently reading
369 people want to read
About the author
Charles Stross
158 books5,832 followersCharles David George "Charlie" Stross is a writer based in Edinburgh, Scotland. His works range from science fiction and Lovecraftian horror to fantasy.
Stross is sometimes regarded as being part of a new generation of British science fiction writers who specialise in hard science fiction and space opera. His contemporaries include Alastair Reynolds, Ken MacLeod, Liz Williams and Richard Morgan.
SF Encyclopedia: http://www.sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/...
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_...
Tor: http://us.macmillan.com/author/charle...
Stross is sometimes regarded as being part of a new generation of British science fiction writers who specialise in hard science fiction and space opera. His contemporaries include Alastair Reynolds, Ken MacLeod, Liz Williams and Richard Morgan.
SF Encyclopedia: http://www.sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/...
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_...
Tor: http://us.macmillan.com/author/charle...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
July 29, 2015
3.5/5
Mon avis en Français
My English review
After discovering Miriam through the previous volumes, we conclude her adventures with this latest volume featuring the volumes 5 and 6 of the series. I admit that I was curious to see how our heroine was going to cope with all the problems that have fallen on her earlier.
Thus we rediscover this young woman who was placed at the head of an empire that is much more difficult to manage than expected. It must be said that her plan was quickly forgotten with the accumulation of the problems and our heroine has to deal with events totally beyond her. Oh yes, from the fact that she now carries the potential heir to the Clans, she must manage her interests in each of the worlds but also to deal with the war looming more and more and that will not fail to burst soon, so yes Miriam has a lot to manage.
I will not go into too many details away because the end approaches, we find a lot of events here, but it was very interesting to see what Charles Stross has in store for us. I didn’t have the the impression of a true end , or the way I wanted it and I think that I had a little more trouble managing my attention over some of the characters. Yes, I admit that I was more absorbed by Miriam than the other characters and I was still waiting to return to her to see her next actions. In any case, her character has evolved over time and her decisions are now very important every time.
A good series to discover.
Mon avis en Français
My English review
After discovering Miriam through the previous volumes, we conclude her adventures with this latest volume featuring the volumes 5 and 6 of the series. I admit that I was curious to see how our heroine was going to cope with all the problems that have fallen on her earlier.
Thus we rediscover this young woman who was placed at the head of an empire that is much more difficult to manage than expected. It must be said that her plan was quickly forgotten with the accumulation of the problems and our heroine has to deal with events totally beyond her. Oh yes, from the fact that she now carries the potential heir to the Clans, she must manage her interests in each of the worlds but also to deal with the war looming more and more and that will not fail to burst soon, so yes Miriam has a lot to manage.
I will not go into too many details away because the end approaches, we find a lot of events here, but it was very interesting to see what Charles Stross has in store for us. I didn’t have the the impression of a true end , or the way I wanted it and I think that I had a little more trouble managing my attention over some of the characters. Yes, I admit that I was more absorbed by Miriam than the other characters and I was still waiting to return to her to see her next actions. In any case, her character has evolved over time and her decisions are now very important every time.
A good series to discover.
October 28, 2017
Mmm, nearly 600 pages of comfort food.
Going to make a few assumptions here, namely, that you have read the first two books in this omnibus series, and so you’ll be fine with me spoiling those books (but not this one). If that isn’t true, you might want to stop reading now.
Similarly, since you have read the first two books, I’m not going to spend any time explaining or justifying why this series is something you should read. If you have stuck with Charles Stross this far, then you’re probably in this for the long haul. If you read book 2 and were like, “I’m done,” then book 3 is not going to change your mind.
The Traders’ War was notable in that, as the title implies, it’s about conflicts within the Clan itself. Miriam finds herself on the knife’s edge of a schism between conservative and liberal factions, with her uncle Angbard trying to sort out the mess and avoid all-out war. With all the unfortunate events that happen, as a kind of series, if you will, Miriam’s status now as the expectant mother of the heir to the Gruinmarkt throne, with Angbard suffering a stroke and the Clan under attack from all sides, leaves her in a tricky position. But it’s also a position she can exploit. The Revolution Trade is all about the old Ferengi Rule of Acquisition: the riskier the road, the greater the profit.
This book, more than the other two, reminds me of the what-if political extrapolation games Stross used to play back on his blog, back in the days before the Singularities of Brexit and Trump. Economics still has a role in this story, insofar as it is a motivation for regime changes. However, we are in full-on alternative history mode now. Whereas the earlier stories made references to 2003-era Bush and Cheney, Stross goes one further here. Cheney actually shows up on page, and certain things happen that irrevocably sever this timeline from the one we inhabit. Go big or go home.
Stross’ willingness to take these risks, and to keep having everything go pear-shaped for his characters, shattering their Plans C through H, is what makes The Revolution Trade so enjoyable for me. It’s entirely possible to tell this story in a more straightforward, more predictable, more linear route. That would result in an enjoyable, entertaining story with a lot of good science-fictional thinking to it. But Stross isn’t going to settle for that, oh no—he’s risking it all. He’s gambling on the fact that we can tolerate his trademark tangents and infodumps because they add so much more depth and richness to this experience. And I totally can. (If you can’t, refer to my third paragraph, where I kindly show you the door.)
I didn’t always agree with parts of Stross’ scenarios. At one point he describes how Congress unanimously does something, just because of a terrorist 9/11-style event that scares them into not wanting to look weak on security. I get where he’s going, and maybe that’s really what could have happened in 2003. It’s just hard, these days, to imagine Congress doing much unanimously. I’d put money on there being at least one person, if not several, refusing to vote in favour of something on “principles” even if it really were the best thing for the country (which these measures, in the story, were not). Yet these differences of opinion between Stross and myself are minor.
More important than the political backdrop, though, is what happens to all our favourite characters!
Miriam is a hard one in this book. I feel like we see less of her, as we follow a few other characters too. And while she certainly has agency, she doesn’t necessarily do as much in this book as she did previously. She is a co-conspirator rather than a solo or free agent, if you will.
Brill and the related cadre of Clan characters return too. I really enjoy her, and she’s in fine form in this book. The same goes for characters like Huw or Olga, each of whom adds something special to the story. If you actually sit down and count them, Stross’ named cast must number in the hundreds by now, so it’s nice how he deploys certain characters in very predictable ways to help us keep track of the story.
Mike and related American characters are back. Of all the characters in this instalment, Mike might be the one who experiences the most dramatic growth. I’ll confess I was never a huge fan of Mike from the beginning. I recognize his importance in the story, and it’s not that he’s a bad guy or anything—but he just feels a little bland, you know? Stross does his best to differentiate his characters; he’s really good at their diction, at laying on accents, etc. But at the end of the day, the moment he shoves exposition into their mouths, they all start sounding the same. Mike is a little too generic-goody-guy for me.
As the title implies, The Revolution Trade introduces even more game-changing elements. Stross further explores the idea that there are more than just the three worlds. He alters the balance of power in all three worlds in multiple ways. Virtually every chapter introduces a new twist or a new development, and it’s a gloriously energetic experience. Despite the length and density of this intricately-plotted story, Stross ultimately makes sure that we aren’t ever bored, that our eyes don’t glaze over as a result of all the economical, political, or historical speculating he runs past us.
Stross wraps up this story in the sense that he has exhausted the best avenues for storytelling. By this I mean, he has brought the series to a climax, and everywhere from here just leads towards more and more tying-up of loose ends. I’m very excited that the sequel series, Empire Games, starts in 2020, seventeen years on. I think the time jump will be enough to inject some new life into the story, let Stross distance himself from some of these details, and add whole new dimensions to the plots he leaves fallow here. The Revolution Trade isn’t necessarily what I call a satisfying conclusion, but it’s definitely a fun and exciting third book in a trilogy that is the beginning of something much larger, and, knowing Stross, even weirder.
My reviews of The Merchant Princes omnibus:
← The Traders’ War
Going to make a few assumptions here, namely, that you have read the first two books in this omnibus series, and so you’ll be fine with me spoiling those books (but not this one). If that isn’t true, you might want to stop reading now.
Similarly, since you have read the first two books, I’m not going to spend any time explaining or justifying why this series is something you should read. If you have stuck with Charles Stross this far, then you’re probably in this for the long haul. If you read book 2 and were like, “I’m done,” then book 3 is not going to change your mind.
The Traders’ War was notable in that, as the title implies, it’s about conflicts within the Clan itself. Miriam finds herself on the knife’s edge of a schism between conservative and liberal factions, with her uncle Angbard trying to sort out the mess and avoid all-out war. With all the unfortunate events that happen, as a kind of series, if you will, Miriam’s status now as the expectant mother of the heir to the Gruinmarkt throne, with Angbard suffering a stroke and the Clan under attack from all sides, leaves her in a tricky position. But it’s also a position she can exploit. The Revolution Trade is all about the old Ferengi Rule of Acquisition: the riskier the road, the greater the profit.
This book, more than the other two, reminds me of the what-if political extrapolation games Stross used to play back on his blog, back in the days before the Singularities of Brexit and Trump. Economics still has a role in this story, insofar as it is a motivation for regime changes. However, we are in full-on alternative history mode now. Whereas the earlier stories made references to 2003-era Bush and Cheney, Stross goes one further here. Cheney actually shows up on page, and certain things happen that irrevocably sever this timeline from the one we inhabit. Go big or go home.
Stross’ willingness to take these risks, and to keep having everything go pear-shaped for his characters, shattering their Plans C through H, is what makes The Revolution Trade so enjoyable for me. It’s entirely possible to tell this story in a more straightforward, more predictable, more linear route. That would result in an enjoyable, entertaining story with a lot of good science-fictional thinking to it. But Stross isn’t going to settle for that, oh no—he’s risking it all. He’s gambling on the fact that we can tolerate his trademark tangents and infodumps because they add so much more depth and richness to this experience. And I totally can. (If you can’t, refer to my third paragraph, where I kindly show you the door.)
I didn’t always agree with parts of Stross’ scenarios. At one point he describes how Congress unanimously does something, just because of a terrorist 9/11-style event that scares them into not wanting to look weak on security. I get where he’s going, and maybe that’s really what could have happened in 2003. It’s just hard, these days, to imagine Congress doing much unanimously. I’d put money on there being at least one person, if not several, refusing to vote in favour of something on “principles” even if it really were the best thing for the country (which these measures, in the story, were not). Yet these differences of opinion between Stross and myself are minor.
More important than the political backdrop, though, is what happens to all our favourite characters!
Miriam is a hard one in this book. I feel like we see less of her, as we follow a few other characters too. And while she certainly has agency, she doesn’t necessarily do as much in this book as she did previously. She is a co-conspirator rather than a solo or free agent, if you will.
Brill and the related cadre of Clan characters return too. I really enjoy her, and she’s in fine form in this book. The same goes for characters like Huw or Olga, each of whom adds something special to the story. If you actually sit down and count them, Stross’ named cast must number in the hundreds by now, so it’s nice how he deploys certain characters in very predictable ways to help us keep track of the story.
Mike and related American characters are back. Of all the characters in this instalment, Mike might be the one who experiences the most dramatic growth. I’ll confess I was never a huge fan of Mike from the beginning. I recognize his importance in the story, and it’s not that he’s a bad guy or anything—but he just feels a little bland, you know? Stross does his best to differentiate his characters; he’s really good at their diction, at laying on accents, etc. But at the end of the day, the moment he shoves exposition into their mouths, they all start sounding the same. Mike is a little too generic-goody-guy for me.
As the title implies, The Revolution Trade introduces even more game-changing elements. Stross further explores the idea that there are more than just the three worlds. He alters the balance of power in all three worlds in multiple ways. Virtually every chapter introduces a new twist or a new development, and it’s a gloriously energetic experience. Despite the length and density of this intricately-plotted story, Stross ultimately makes sure that we aren’t ever bored, that our eyes don’t glaze over as a result of all the economical, political, or historical speculating he runs past us.
Stross wraps up this story in the sense that he has exhausted the best avenues for storytelling. By this I mean, he has brought the series to a climax, and everywhere from here just leads towards more and more tying-up of loose ends. I’m very excited that the sequel series, Empire Games, starts in 2020, seventeen years on. I think the time jump will be enough to inject some new life into the story, let Stross distance himself from some of these details, and add whole new dimensions to the plots he leaves fallow here. The Revolution Trade isn’t necessarily what I call a satisfying conclusion, but it’s definitely a fun and exciting third book in a trilogy that is the beginning of something much larger, and, knowing Stross, even weirder.
My reviews of The Merchant Princes omnibus:
← The Traders’ War
May 12, 2015
Well, THAT got dark FAST. By the end of this book I'd gotten used to the fact that Stross was actually writing something that was less about Miriam's journey than it was a combination thought experiment and condemnation of Bush-era politics, but there were a sufficient number of interesting ideas and approaches that I was willing to forgive.
The writing itself was also superb. I read this book over the course of one day, and spent several hours thereafter speaking like a thesaurus.
The writing itself was also superb. I read this book over the course of one day, and spent several hours thereafter speaking like a thesaurus.
November 27, 2018
I really like this series, the Stross does a good job of dealing with the multi-verse and his characters are both believable and fun.
February 14, 2017
The Revolution Trade brings the first series of the Merchant Princes to a cataclysmic, horrifying finish. This is a strange book, hampered by a structure that doesn't quite work and having not as much a plot as a domino set of consequences from things that have happened in previous volumes. Stross is typically very thorough in exploring a detalied (if not always 'realistic') results of outlandish premises, and one cannot help but feel that in Merchant Princes this approach is at odds with a gripping plot. Revolution Trade reads more like a roleplaying campaign or a wargame that's gone off the rails than a tightly plotted novel. Possible and actual editorial errors pop up here and there to annoy the alert reader.
Even so, this is powerful, provcative stuff that I can't help but recommend, despite its un-evenness. Ultimately Stross gives us a full-on nuclear holocaust, and our main characters cannot but turn tail and run away, abandoning thousands of their vassals to a horrible death. Self-sacrificing heroes they are not, and the noblesse oblige of the Clan turns out to be just so much window dressing when they face an enemy that can absolutely devastate them and their tiny medieval kingdom.
Even so, this is powerful, provcative stuff that I can't help but recommend, despite its un-evenness. Ultimately Stross gives us a full-on nuclear holocaust, and our main characters cannot but turn tail and run away, abandoning thousands of their vassals to a horrible death. Self-sacrificing heroes they are not, and the noblesse oblige of the Clan turns out to be just so much window dressing when they face an enemy that can absolutely devastate them and their tiny medieval kingdom.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 20, 2015
Just finished this book and feeling a bit disconnected. It is fantasy but in a contemporary setting. Take a post 9/11 USA, add worldwalkers and the war on terror (for oil) just got a whole new meaning. It's brilliant. I gave the previous 2 books 4 stars, but that should have been 4+ and this one a 4-. There were times when the quality dropped to 3, when I got the impression that the author had to rush to cram all the story lines to a finale, but it was still a page turner. I was completely absorbed at times. And now I feel abandoned and lost. What I am going to read next? How can the author end this story after a mere 1732 pages?
June 3, 2015
The whole premise was intriguing, and then story abruptly ended. I felt like there were a lot of more engaging story lines that were introduced, but then largely ignored.
Almost as frustrating as the end of "LOST".
Almost as frustrating as the end of "LOST".
August 25, 2017
When Miriam Beckstein discovered she was a lost daughter of a family of universe-jumping medieval merchants who were making tons of money in illegal and semi-legal operations in the US, she was an outsider... but their situation was pretty secure, in both of the worlds they operated in. Now, she's well-regarded with at least one faction of the family, but everything else is going to hell... in one world, the royal family has turned against them, and meanwhile, in the world she grew up in, the United States is starting to develop their own universe-jumping technology... and they're prepared to strike back at their perceived enemy. She has to deal with mounting crises, including a faction of the family trying to seize power and strike the United States directly and a third world that's undergoing a revolution of its own, to save who she can and, ideally, herself.
This is the fifth and sixth book of an ongoing series, and in a sense a conclusion (although there is another book, it takes place many years later). When you get this far in a series, it usually's taken as pretty obvious that you enjoy it. However, my journey through this particular series has always been mixed, and this volume isn't an exception to that. There's stuff I really enjoy, and and there are things I'm not as into, and all the scheming and concurrent plotlines do make it a complicated book to follow. Sometimes I feel that complication comes at the expense of character development... things just move so quickly that the interactions feel lighter and a lot of characters are already too similar in how they interact. I know and liked most of the main cast (though it doesn't help that some of them have multiple names depending on who they're interacting with), but many of the side characters blur together.
What I do really like is the plot itself, though, complications and all. Sure, some of the scheming and counter-scheming sometimes wears on me (or loses me), but when you break down the events at a simpler level, things keep happening where I really want to see what happens next. In particular, although most of this series is the type of story where you can pretend it's actually happening in "our world", and just most people don't know what's "really" going on... this book gets to do something I love and rarely get to see, showing it actually diverging significantly. Too many books and TV shows of this model keep having it be a secret (even when it starts getting to be ridiculous) and matching our world in all the politics I just love to see, for example, a decidedly different president coming to power. It doesn't give me enough of that to completely satisfy, but that just means I probably will dip into the next book in the series.
Speaking of, as a conclusion... it only kind of works, which I suppose is fair because it's only kind of a conclusion. As I said, another book is out. Still, the book jumps ahead in time, and I feel like if you treat this as an ending, you get subplots and characters that just feel like they get no wrap-up at all, and others that resolve too quickly, and if you don't treat it as an ending then you get subplots and characters that will inevitably have to be wrapped up off-page between books, with, at best, a summary after the fact.
I loved the hints at the scientific exploration of the universe-crossing ability, and again wasn't too into the medieval scheming and reproductive politics (though even that became interesting at times), but on the whole I liked the book and want to continue in the world.
This is the fifth and sixth book of an ongoing series, and in a sense a conclusion (although there is another book, it takes place many years later). When you get this far in a series, it usually's taken as pretty obvious that you enjoy it. However, my journey through this particular series has always been mixed, and this volume isn't an exception to that. There's stuff I really enjoy, and and there are things I'm not as into, and all the scheming and concurrent plotlines do make it a complicated book to follow. Sometimes I feel that complication comes at the expense of character development... things just move so quickly that the interactions feel lighter and a lot of characters are already too similar in how they interact. I know and liked most of the main cast (though it doesn't help that some of them have multiple names depending on who they're interacting with), but many of the side characters blur together.
What I do really like is the plot itself, though, complications and all. Sure, some of the scheming and counter-scheming sometimes wears on me (or loses me), but when you break down the events at a simpler level, things keep happening where I really want to see what happens next. In particular, although most of this series is the type of story where you can pretend it's actually happening in "our world", and just most people don't know what's "really" going on... this book gets to do something I love and rarely get to see, showing it actually diverging significantly. Too many books and TV shows of this model keep having it be a secret (even when it starts getting to be ridiculous) and matching our world in all the politics I just love to see, for example, a decidedly different president coming to power. It doesn't give me enough of that to completely satisfy, but that just means I probably will dip into the next book in the series.
Speaking of, as a conclusion... it only kind of works, which I suppose is fair because it's only kind of a conclusion. As I said, another book is out. Still, the book jumps ahead in time, and I feel like if you treat this as an ending, you get subplots and characters that just feel like they get no wrap-up at all, and others that resolve too quickly, and if you don't treat it as an ending then you get subplots and characters that will inevitably have to be wrapped up off-page between books, with, at best, a summary after the fact.
I loved the hints at the scientific exploration of the universe-crossing ability, and again wasn't too into the medieval scheming and reproductive politics (though even that became interesting at times), but on the whole I liked the book and want to continue in the world.
September 15, 2019
This book is the last in The Merchant Princes series, originally 6 books later republished as three larger books encompassing pairs of the originals. This one combines The Revolution Business and The Trade of Queens.
I generally hate series where the individual books have no real endings – or worse still cliffhanger endings. However, I would be prepared to make an exception for this series because for me it was a terrific story that was hard to put down. The story had many threads, but it all revolved around a group of people who had the ability to “world-walk” – switch between parallel worlds that were at different stages of development. I found the concept made a great series, and although I’ve seen negative comments about it, for me it was a terrific read.
BUT – a long series of 6 original books has got to have a great ending, tying up all the threads. As I got to the latter stages of this final book I could see that this was not happening. Instead it finished with many threads unresolved. Moreover – spoiler alert - since it is very relevant to my big complaint, I need to explain that the book ended with a very long and tedious description of the US sending a mass of planes to carry out a carpet bombing with hydrogen bombs of the alternate world. It was a pointless, massive overkill of a mainly peasant population, carried out it seemed – with no real explanation of the rationale – as a fit of pique by an arrogant (recently promoted) US president. And there, in the main, the story just stopped, with no exploration of the consequences, or effect on the protagonists, who were the unfair targets of the bombing but who escaped it, though with negative consequences.
So for me at least, this great series was ruined by lack of a proper ending and a hugely over-the-top climax that almost seemed to be intended mainly to make some political point rather than finish the story. It’s two stars rather than one because of the high quality of the first five books, but don’t read the series unless you don’t mind it having an awful finish.
I generally hate series where the individual books have no real endings – or worse still cliffhanger endings. However, I would be prepared to make an exception for this series because for me it was a terrific story that was hard to put down. The story had many threads, but it all revolved around a group of people who had the ability to “world-walk” – switch between parallel worlds that were at different stages of development. I found the concept made a great series, and although I’ve seen negative comments about it, for me it was a terrific read.
BUT – a long series of 6 original books has got to have a great ending, tying up all the threads. As I got to the latter stages of this final book I could see that this was not happening. Instead it finished with many threads unresolved. Moreover – spoiler alert - since it is very relevant to my big complaint, I need to explain that the book ended with a very long and tedious description of the US sending a mass of planes to carry out a carpet bombing with hydrogen bombs of the alternate world. It was a pointless, massive overkill of a mainly peasant population, carried out it seemed – with no real explanation of the rationale – as a fit of pique by an arrogant (recently promoted) US president. And there, in the main, the story just stopped, with no exploration of the consequences, or effect on the protagonists, who were the unfair targets of the bombing but who escaped it, though with negative consequences.
So for me at least, this great series was ruined by lack of a proper ending and a hugely over-the-top climax that almost seemed to be intended mainly to make some political point rather than finish the story. It’s two stars rather than one because of the high quality of the first five books, but don’t read the series unless you don’t mind it having an awful finish.
April 1, 2018
Not that I disagree, but I get the message. proportional response is bs and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are bad. And some people in our government are heartless and creepy.
That said, I'd had high hopes for Huw's explorations. Perhaps I missed something along the way, but I found Iris's storyline confusing. Would have also like to see more of Kara, since she'd been re-introduced. Not that an anti-war story is going to give you a fairy tale ending, but it would have been nice to see a little more hope.
That said, I'd had high hopes for Huw's explorations. Perhaps I missed something along the way, but I found Iris's storyline confusing. Would have also like to see more of Kara, since she'd been re-introduced. Not that an anti-war story is going to give you a fairy tale ending, but it would have been nice to see a little more hope.
September 13, 2021
A poor addition to the series
Loved the first couple of books in the series but this was a real slog to finish and I won't be reading any more. The story and premise was great but it became less story and more throwing the kitchen sink of conspiracy theories and political warnings of democracy being subverted, frankly the emphasis on this rather than just telling a good yarn made it a struggle to get to the mind numbingly boring and predictable end.
Loved the first couple of books in the series but this was a real slog to finish and I won't be reading any more. The story and premise was great but it became less story and more throwing the kitchen sink of conspiracy theories and political warnings of democracy being subverted, frankly the emphasis on this rather than just telling a good yarn made it a struggle to get to the mind numbingly boring and predictable end.
October 14, 2016
The Revolution Trade: A Merchant Princes Omnibus (Paperback) by Charles Stross
Hokay... I finally finished this series. And it was a slog, make no mistake about it. I'm not going to get into plot, and subplot twists and turns. But I will say that the author stumbles to a mostly unhappy ending here. Charles Stross doesn't pull any punches, instead he assaults you with full on body blows, kidney punches and jabs you in the throat.
He also makes known his opinion of the US government, and it's actions during the Bush-Cheney administration. Yes, really. I think that is a large part of why the ratings, and reviews are all over the spectrum. The author mixed his SciFi, and Fantasy, with a bit too much of a projected reality. Or, maybe, (and this is again, just my own personal opinion) I prefer my SciFi and Fantasy to not be an "Alternate History" of this world.
At any rate, the entire series lurches thru three different worlds, and none of them have much to commend. Instead the sins of ourselves seem to be ever present, in any world, and therefore all we have are some very gloomy prospects, wherever we go.
Hokay... I finally finished this series. And it was a slog, make no mistake about it. I'm not going to get into plot, and subplot twists and turns. But I will say that the author stumbles to a mostly unhappy ending here. Charles Stross doesn't pull any punches, instead he assaults you with full on body blows, kidney punches and jabs you in the throat.
He also makes known his opinion of the US government, and it's actions during the Bush-Cheney administration. Yes, really. I think that is a large part of why the ratings, and reviews are all over the spectrum. The author mixed his SciFi, and Fantasy, with a bit too much of a projected reality. Or, maybe, (and this is again, just my own personal opinion) I prefer my SciFi and Fantasy to not be an "Alternate History" of this world.
At any rate, the entire series lurches thru three different worlds, and none of them have much to commend. Instead the sins of ourselves seem to be ever present, in any world, and therefore all we have are some very gloomy prospects, wherever we go.
May 7, 2020
Because this is on ongoing series (there are two more books with a third in the works), there's not as much plot resolution as I would've liked. Several threads are wrapped up but several others are left tantalizingly unresolved. The American villians (early-2000's members of the Bush Administration) are pretty comical in their motivations. Otherwise it's a good read.
July 5, 2017
Probably doesn't work as a standalone though.
And Stross doesn't quite stick the landing for me. Mostly because the viewpoint characters I was most invested in weren't really present for the climax.
And Stross doesn't quite stick the landing for me. Mostly because the viewpoint characters I was most invested in weren't really present for the climax.
December 31, 2017
Gripping right until the end.
Desperate times, desperate measures & even more desperate people. Not to mention more than a few despicable antagonists, only some of whom are overcome. Much like life.
Desperate times, desperate measures & even more desperate people. Not to mention more than a few despicable antagonists, only some of whom are overcome. Much like life.
November 16, 2021
As fun on rereading as it was the first time around. What an ending! Pulled out all of the stops. I wish the editors could have removed some the seams between books 5 and 6, where there was a lot of unnecessary recapping that really stood out.
September 12, 2023
Flew through this one. 4.5 stars.
Enjoyed it but kept wondering if some vital scenes had been cut. I think at this stage in the story there was some tiredness on the author's side and a few things slipped. But good to get it all tied up.
Enjoyed it but kept wondering if some vital scenes had been cut. I think at this stage in the story there was some tiredness on the author's side and a few things slipped. But good to get it all tied up.
December 20, 2017
Põnev lõpp kogu sarjale. Kuid jäi ka lahtisi otsi, et on ehk lootust samas maailmas edasi lugeda kunag.
November 30, 2017
As per the previous 2 omnibus, I love the ideas contained within more than the characters and the story itself. Still enjoyed myself.
July 5, 2019
The author created a believable and intriguing world which drew me in and kept me turning each page. Very enjoyable.
August 4, 2021
I love this series. Kind of started slow in book 1-2, but really finished strong.
May 18, 2022
Series gets 4.5, it is SF like H. Beam Piper's Paratime series.
See review for The Family Trade.
See review for The Family Trade.
July 26, 2022
Well in books 5 and 6 the plot really got rolling. A very entertaining read. Well worth the time, though I'll probably not read this one again.
August 5, 2022
Loved the series. Alternate/future history.
April 1, 2024
A very satisfactory conclusion to the saga.
June 13, 2024
i think (?) i read this? can remember even less than from books 3-4 tbh, though likely it was still a good time. would eventually want to reread books 1-6 and then finish the series i think
July 15, 2025
Not worth your time.
December 9, 2025
I’ve reviewed this series as one story, see The Bloodline Feud.
March 9, 2017
Like the preceding books in the series, this kept me reading. Really enjoyed it.
February 5, 2022
My impressions of the last two books in the original series have completely changed after the publication of the latter trilogy. Without them, these two books end on a weird downer note with very few loose ends truly tied up in a satisfactory way. With them, the books are an excellent closer to one era of the Merchant Princes saga, while preserving ample space for what comes next.
That said, the editing of the omnibus edition leaves something to be desired - expositional passages are retained when they could have been edited out to keep the omnibus tight. It's something I've noticed in all three books; considering Stross did make extensive revisions, I think some further expositional streamlining might have been a good thing.
But minor quibble - it's not often that I get the opportunity to revise my opinion of a book based on new context.
I give this: 4 out of 5 bunker nukes
That said, the editing of the omnibus edition leaves something to be desired - expositional passages are retained when they could have been edited out to keep the omnibus tight. It's something I've noticed in all three books; considering Stross did make extensive revisions, I think some further expositional streamlining might have been a good thing.
But minor quibble - it's not often that I get the opportunity to revise my opinion of a book based on new context.
I give this: 4 out of 5 bunker nukes
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