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Mech Wars #2
Dynamo
The human body is no longer enough. The wars of the future will be fought with mechs.
Chief Roach's victory over the ferocious Quatro won't last long. Strange meteorites have fallen to the surface of Eresos, containing mechs - quadruped mechs, clearly designed for the enemy.
Now, Roach and the surviving members of Oneiri Team must escort these fearsome new weapons through a harsh alien wilderness, while defending against constant attack.
If the quad mechs fall into the enemy's possession before Roach can get them to the space elevator, humanity will lose the advantage granted by their own MIMAS mechs, and they’ll be right back to where they were: outmatched and overpowered by the murderous alien beasts.
Chief Roach's victory over the ferocious Quatro won't last long. Strange meteorites have fallen to the surface of Eresos, containing mechs - quadruped mechs, clearly designed for the enemy.
Now, Roach and the surviving members of Oneiri Team must escort these fearsome new weapons through a harsh alien wilderness, while defending against constant attack.
If the quad mechs fall into the enemy's possession before Roach can get them to the space elevator, humanity will lose the advantage granted by their own MIMAS mechs, and they’ll be right back to where they were: outmatched and overpowered by the murderous alien beasts.
- GenresScience Fiction
6 pages, Audible Audio
First published July 10, 2017
104 people are currently reading
75 people want to read
About the author
Scott Bartlett
114 books301 followersScott Bartlett writes his books from inside a mech, which is inside the hangar bay of a light armored cruiser stationed just past Jupiter.
Certain parts of the last sentence may not be completely true.
Here are some more believable statements:
Scott was born in St. John’s, Newfoundland – the easternmost province of Canada.
During his decade-long journey to become a full-time author, he supported himself by working an assortment of jobs…
...salmon hatchery technician, grocery clerk, youth care worker, ghostwriter, research assistant, pita maker, and freelance editor.
In 2014, he succeeded in becoming a full-time novelist, and he’s been writing science fiction at light speed ever since.
Get 3 FREE military space opera ebooks:
https://www.scottplots.com
Certain parts of the last sentence may not be completely true.
Here are some more believable statements:
Scott was born in St. John’s, Newfoundland – the easternmost province of Canada.
During his decade-long journey to become a full-time author, he supported himself by working an assortment of jobs…
...salmon hatchery technician, grocery clerk, youth care worker, ghostwriter, research assistant, pita maker, and freelance editor.
In 2014, he succeeded in becoming a full-time novelist, and he’s been writing science fiction at light speed ever since.
Get 3 FREE military space opera ebooks:
https://www.scottplots.com
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
September 14, 2017
Dynamo: Mech Wars, Book 2
Written by: Scott Bartlett
Narrated by: Mark Boyett
This is an audible book I requested and the review is voluntary.
I loved the first book and when I was given the chance for book 2, boy did I jump on that! This is a is a great sci-fi series with soldiers using giant suits that are armored and engineered to be top-of-the-line battle ready and tech operated. There are aliens using similar suits too. There are other issues going on like a corrupt government, drug rings, species extermination, and so much more. Very intense series. The characters are very well developed. You hate some and adore others. Some are fooled and other naive. Some are just evil. Wonderful world building also.
The narrator is the same as the last book that really helps and he does just as good and keeps up with the same voices which can't be an easy feat. There are soooo many voices and aliens. He meets the job brilliantly. Wonderful!
Written by: Scott Bartlett
Narrated by: Mark Boyett
This is an audible book I requested and the review is voluntary.
I loved the first book and when I was given the chance for book 2, boy did I jump on that! This is a is a great sci-fi series with soldiers using giant suits that are armored and engineered to be top-of-the-line battle ready and tech operated. There are aliens using similar suits too. There are other issues going on like a corrupt government, drug rings, species extermination, and so much more. Very intense series. The characters are very well developed. You hate some and adore others. Some are fooled and other naive. Some are just evil. Wonderful world building also.
The narrator is the same as the last book that really helps and he does just as good and keeps up with the same voices which can't be an easy feat. There are soooo many voices and aliens. He meets the job brilliantly. Wonderful!
September 9, 2017
Summary:
First, let me say that none of what I’ll say in this section couldn’t be found on the back copy of the novel. Heck, I cribbed this summary from the back, and then I add my own twist! And not even much of one, since his description was so spot on! Further, I wanted to provide a spoiler free review, so here goes nothing!
The human body is no longer enough, not against rampaging alien hordes. The wars of the future will be fought with mechs. One of those mech warriors, Chief Roach, won a hard fought victory over the ferocious Quatro. It won’t last long unless something changes. Strange meteorites have fallen to the surface of Eresos, containing mechs – quadruped mechs, clearly designed for the enemy. Now, Roach and the surviving members of Oneiri Team must escort these fearsome new weapons through a harsh alien wilderness, while defending against constant attack. If the quad mechs fall into the enemy’s possession before Roach can get them to the space elevator, it’ll get ugly. Humanity will lose the advantage granted by their own MIMAS mechs, and they’ll be right back to where they were: outmatched and overpowered by the savage alien beasts.
If you like mechs, explosions and plenty of gritty combat, then you’ve come to the right place! This follow-on novel is a brilliant sequel to the Mech Wars Universe, an epic military science fiction series. To give you an easy comparison, if you enjoyed the Four Horsemen Universe by Mark Wandrey and Chris Kennedy, then you’ll love this novel! There are other mech books out there, but I won’t recommend books I haven’t yet read.
Characters:
In this novel, we get to interact with a smaller cast of characters than the previous novel. It was still a larger cast than many authors can manage, but to be honest, I think it was necessary to cover the scope of the author’s expansive universe. All of the characters were flushed out, and three-dimensional that I thought were a lot of fun to get to know. I felt like the characters continued to grow, and didn’t stagnate after he first introduced them. They’re all so flushed out at this point, maybe we should advance him to four-dimensional! I felt like I could relate to them as people, and I would love to hang out and drink a beer with them. Here’s a summary of the main characters.
Jake Price: He’s the son of a former Darkstream soldier, who follows his father’s footsteps, despite his father’s reluctance to support the decision. He’s consistently scored at the top of the leader board for the lucid dreaming simulations, which brought him to the attention of the Darkstream Corporation. Once he’s recruited, he’s quickly assigned to the mech pilot unit. After the training and real world experience from book one, he begins to shine as a rising star. We learn of his deep love for his ailing sister, who motivates him to fight so he can pay for her medical care. Through this family trauma, we learn that he’s a man of strong moral fiber and the kind of person you’d want on your side in a pinch. Overall, I really loved Jake’s character development throughout the story. I can’t tell you more about this character without spoilers, so I’ll leave it right here!
Gabe Roach: He’s a grizzled veteran of the UAF and a Chief in the Darkstream military forces. He is the stereotypical military badass, with a duffel bag full of regrets. In this book, we learn more about those regrets, but again, no spoilers! He’s the kind of guy you’d want on your side in a firefight, though he’s a bit of an ass to his own subordinates. After losing someone very close to him, he takes the fight to the enemy and begins helping slow the gradual combat losses the company is having against the aliens and the new merc company that appeared out of nowhere. You get to see a lot of character growth from him in this book, and you begin to see where his age and experience becomes a slight draw back. Every war leaves scars, and his run deep. He was a deeply complex man, without sliding into the soldier stereotype realm. Overall, I really liked him.
Lisa Sato: She is a junior enlisted soldier for the Darkstream military, and is a true believer. This religious fervor is shaken by the events of this book, and oh what a ride you have with her. I’d love to hash that out, but I promised a spoiler free review. She’s trained all her life on the lucid dreaming, or just lucid, simulations and has reached the pinnacle of combat training. Unfortunately, she learns the hard way that training on dream simulations does little to prepare her for real life combat. Luckily for her, Tess DID prepare her, and she takes the Darkstream soldiers and mobsters by surprise. In this novel, Dynamo, we see her grow as a soldier and as a person. More importantly, we see her evolution from soldier to combat leader, and it was a fun evolution. I’d give an example, but I promised a spoiler free review!
Tess Notaras: She is a gray haired, retired Darkstream soldier, who is disillusioned and jaded. She’s got nothing nice to say about the company and thinks they train soft soldiers, unlike her training in the UAF military. She righteously takes full advantage of this weakness when she joins forces to combat the corruption within Darkstream. She deepens her friendship with Lisa and seeks to shepherd her into the promised land of competency. Soon, they’re interacting more as equals, and it helps flush her out. I definitely want to know her backstory. She doesn’t have any real growth and serves more like the mentor character role. This doesn’t feel like a cheap trick though, as you never feel like she’s a superfluous addition to the universe. If you want to include a mentor archetype, follow Scott Bartlett’s example because he got it right with Tess.
Quatro: This is the alien species that inhabit the Steel System, and I envision as a cross between a horse and a bear. Humanity still thinks they’re not fully sentient, merely apex predators and that’s all I can say without spoiling bits of the plot. If you didn’t read book one, skip this line! Okay, so we now know these aliens are sentient, and we find out a lot more about them in this book. Let’s leave it at saying you’d feed them your Granny to get away from these hulking monstrosities!
Meddlers: This was the alien species that was never present, but lurked in the backdrop. We still don’t know a lot about them, but you get the idea that they’re not the kind of alien you bring home to mommy. The created the Amblers and the Gathers, robots that seemed to collect resources for some unknown reason. The humans in the system took advantage of this, never wondering about who or what built these machines and whether or not they would come back.
Overall, I will give these characters 5 out of 5 Grenades and can’t wait to see where the author takes these character throughout this new series!
Plot:
Like most of the military fiction, I love to read, this was an action-packed novel. The story is set in a world where humanity is post-Sol System. The premise for this series has humanity having used worm holes to permanently colonize the Steel System, under a purely capitalistic society run by the Darkstream Corporation. It was a good set-up and well-executed premise that held my interest from the first minute of audio. The plot grew and expanded, and never once did you ever feel cheated for not having read Scotts earlier books in this larger world. There were more characters than I normally like, but it was so seamless that I didn’t even notice until I sat down to write this review. The author balanced the action, with the exposition and world building, so the story never felt flat. Everything that was good about book one remained, but he kicked the espionage and intrigue up a notch! I really got into this book, and couldn’t put it down because the plot was that compelling. Even in the audiobook format, the novel was easy to follow. I really loved the premise of this plot, and more importantly, I enjoyed how he executed it. The pacing was excellent, and there was never a slow moment. I couldn’t ask for anything more; a unique premise, perfect execution, and incredible pacing! I again give Scott 5 out of 5 Grenades!
World Building:
This is the second book in the Mech Wars Series, and I absolutely loved it. I liked it even better than the last book, it just kept getting better. Whenever I get some cash, I’ll be buying Scott Bartlett’s entire back catalog! This novel had a very flushed out world that was consistent, made sense and sucked you in. I loved the way he handled inserting new tidbits about the larger universe and history in such a way that you didn’t even notice. He did it so well that I was able to start with this series, even though it’s an offshoot of his earlier Ixan Prophecies Trilogy. You never felt like you were missing anything to understand the world, and made me want to become part of the larger world. I was hooked, and now I want to know it all! Maybe it’s time to start considering Scott Bartlett Worlds Support Groups? Scott described the world with just enough details to let me picture it. However, I still struggled to visualize the Quatro aliens. Since they were so vital to the world, Scott created, it was a bit irksome. Again, maybe it was the audio? On the plus side, you can visualize these aliens when they’re in their space suits or other external garments. Since I didn’t read it too, I will again give him the benefit of the doubt. Another part of the world that Scott Bartlett built that I really loved was the concept of the lucid dreaming. You get to see more of it in this book, and it becomes an even bigger plot device. It’s shown to have consequences, and no longer feels like some sort of handwavium magical trick. It becomes real, and one of those “use at your own risk” type of tools. Basically, lucid was set up like a dream based virtual reality simulator. I think the idea has a lot of merits, and I don’t think I’ve ever read this idea anywhere. As I said above, this amazing concept only gets better as Scott explores it more. Give the man points for creativity! I’ve gotten used to Scott’s decision to use naval ranks for the Darkstream military, but it still feels odd. These troops are serving a dirt side garrison and policing role, which made that choice stand out. It didn’t distract from the plot, so I merely note it here for those who care about such things. Maybe my own Army bias? If you’ve read this series, let me know what you think! Overall, the world building was well done, and I was sold on the way it happened. It felt believable, and the characters fit within the universe Scott created. It was a fun ride that made me wanna suit up…which is the goal of action/adventure authors! Like much of the stories I read, this one didn’t take itself too seriously, which allowed you to focus on the fun which is why I read in the first place. I still give the world building 4.9 out of 5 Grenades. It was a step up from the last book, and if I could’ve pictured the Quatro better, it would’ve been a perfect score.
Description:
I have to give it to the author, this novel was chalk full of visualization, and you could definitely imagine yourself in this world. The only scenes that were confusing and difficult to envision were the alien species known as the Quatro. This is a bit more problematic, as we’re two books in but once they get their super secret outfits I had no problem visualizing them! I wouldn’t mind it one bit if the author shared artists rendering of these creatures! Seriously, it would’ve made reading this book a lot easier. This issue wasn’t so glaring that I couldn’t enjoy the hell out of the book, and those loving books light on description will be in heaven. Another place where Scott went lite on the details was on how everyone looked. I know this is the current trend, so I reluctantly accept it, but I don’t personally like it. I’ll reign in my rant, and move on to the next point of this section. A huge plus for me was Scott’s descriptive use of language, he balanced the explanation of this new world with the need to move a story along. This book didn’t have a single place where I couldn’t picture the scenery and the equipment, which added to the world that felt tangible and I enjoyed it. The author’s description of his universe was so evocative that I began imagining myself in the mech suit fighting with Gabe and Jake. It only got better in this book, when compared to the last one. This is partly because one book in the series builds on the next but even as a stand alone it was good. My wife listened to part of this audiobook with me, having not read the first one, and commented specifically on how descriptive it was. File that under the “for what it’s worth” folder, and let’s move on. The only slight draw back of how descriptive Scott was it could be a little bit distracting. Seriously, it made you wanna take a moment and explore every nook and cranny, but that’s a sign of an amazingly built universe. In summary, I didn’t find any issues with the descriptions, except for the previously mentioned alien species. Like many authors these days, Scott Bartlett was lite on the details of what the various characters looked like. I don’t really like this trend, but the action was so gripping that I just didn’t care. I wanted the action, the adventure, and the PEW PEW! Scott brought it, this was definitely his A game. I give Scott 5 out of 5 grenades in this category.
Narration Quality:
I’m still relatively new to the whole audiobook revolution, so my experience is limited. It’s growing, but I know I’m behind the power curve on this one. I know that I hate accents that seem too cheesy, and despise narrators that sound like robots. With those pesky caveats, I will review the narration quality of this novel. The audiobook was well done, and the accents were consistent. The narrator, Mark Boyett, did a fantastic job narrating this book. I would definitely listen to more books by him, and with Amazon’s recent audiobook price increase, that is saying something. Let’s be honest, the recently increased price of audiobooks has taken them out of the range of impulse buys. Even at the new price, I would listen to more by this narrator! He didn’t bore you, or make you zone out because of his monotone. His performance didn’t feel robotic like a machine was reading the novel to me. You’ll often see that from me because it’ll drag me out of a book so fast that I can’t listen to it anymore. With Mark Boyett, it felt like a friend was sitting with me reading an amazing story that he couldn’t put down. Only he made kind of cool voices, with believable accents that didn’t yank you out of the story. Overall, I give him another 5 out of 5 grenades for his performance.
Overall:
I really loved this book, and it made my morning walks extremely enjoyable. I even found myself hiding in the bathroom so I could listen to this while I was supposed to be editing my own book! Shh, don’t tell Boss Man! This book I “read” entirely via the audio book. I didn’t even buy the eBook, just loaded the audiobook into my Audible account and went to town. The production quality of the audio narration was top notch, and the story was compelling. Gave me a case of the feels, as I found myself getting angry at the injustices perpetrated by the Darkstream Company. Seriously, I wanted to strap into a mech and storm the company headquarters with the foot soldiers! I even mourned the loss of the brave warriors killed in battle, and drank a few shots in their honor! This was my second novel by author Scott Bartlett, and I’m sold on his writing style. When my wife unfreezes my credit card, I’ll probably binge read his entire back catalog! What first caught my eye was the fantastic cover, it was amazingly compelling. Seriously, if I weren’t color blind and art dumb, I’d add a section to the book review template on the covers because so many of them are kicking butt these days! I especially liked how Scott made this cover fit with those for the other two novels in this series, they really work together. The military culture shown in this book was spot on, and unlike the last book in this series, there were no issues with rank confusion or the military culture. In this book, he even stopped to mention the combat reloading of weapons which is often missing. However, I couldn’t find any place where it talks about the mechs themselves reloading. They DO run out of ammo, which is a plus but I was curious about their weapons and didn’t get answers. A minor issue, all things being equal, so I call it a win! Moving right along, the ground combat Scott described was visceral and immersive, just what you want from the military science fiction genre. I said in my review for Powered that “I’ve never considered mech combat in my worlds, so I’ve not had reason to think about what their tactics might be.” Well, after reading these books I’ve begun to consider this concept, and I’m even more impressed with Scott’s work. It’s even more clear that the author has spent A LOT of time reasoning this. The battle scenes were believable, gripping and the machines weren’t portrayed as godlike. I never felt like the author missed a chance to get creative with the tactics. Such a detailed portrayal of the tactics is rare, especially when coming from a civilian. Seriously, the author weaponized the awesome power of the PEW PEW and is now a certified Grand Master in the Church of the PEW! I was hooked from the first page! He wove the action in such a compelling way that you wanted to jump into a mech as well. Basically, Scott had me hooked from the beginning and kept it going throughout the whole novel. This is a book I would happily recommend, and an author I will definitely read again. Buy the book! But hey, it’s easy to spend someone else’s money! I give this novel a 5 out of 5 grenades! If it weren’t cheating, I’d give it 6 grenades!
If this book sounds like it’s right up your alley, check it out, you won’t regret it! Well, unless it inspired you to join Bartlett’s Army. And you enlist, get kitted up, only to realize that your uniform blouse is red. And then you’re put on the away team, getting to be the first one off the orbital elevator. Then the bull like Quatro see you, and well, you end up finding out why China shops are bad places to be. Well yeah, I guess this could be bad for you. Or maybe you’ll be okay? I mean, chicks dig scars right? You could be the first red shirt to live? On second thought, be warned, fanboy/fangirl syndrome just MIGHT kill you. Be wary, you were warned and if you have to go out like that at least enjoy the view from the end times!
First, let me say that none of what I’ll say in this section couldn’t be found on the back copy of the novel. Heck, I cribbed this summary from the back, and then I add my own twist! And not even much of one, since his description was so spot on! Further, I wanted to provide a spoiler free review, so here goes nothing!
The human body is no longer enough, not against rampaging alien hordes. The wars of the future will be fought with mechs. One of those mech warriors, Chief Roach, won a hard fought victory over the ferocious Quatro. It won’t last long unless something changes. Strange meteorites have fallen to the surface of Eresos, containing mechs – quadruped mechs, clearly designed for the enemy. Now, Roach and the surviving members of Oneiri Team must escort these fearsome new weapons through a harsh alien wilderness, while defending against constant attack. If the quad mechs fall into the enemy’s possession before Roach can get them to the space elevator, it’ll get ugly. Humanity will lose the advantage granted by their own MIMAS mechs, and they’ll be right back to where they were: outmatched and overpowered by the savage alien beasts.
If you like mechs, explosions and plenty of gritty combat, then you’ve come to the right place! This follow-on novel is a brilliant sequel to the Mech Wars Universe, an epic military science fiction series. To give you an easy comparison, if you enjoyed the Four Horsemen Universe by Mark Wandrey and Chris Kennedy, then you’ll love this novel! There are other mech books out there, but I won’t recommend books I haven’t yet read.
Characters:
In this novel, we get to interact with a smaller cast of characters than the previous novel. It was still a larger cast than many authors can manage, but to be honest, I think it was necessary to cover the scope of the author’s expansive universe. All of the characters were flushed out, and three-dimensional that I thought were a lot of fun to get to know. I felt like the characters continued to grow, and didn’t stagnate after he first introduced them. They’re all so flushed out at this point, maybe we should advance him to four-dimensional! I felt like I could relate to them as people, and I would love to hang out and drink a beer with them. Here’s a summary of the main characters.
Jake Price: He’s the son of a former Darkstream soldier, who follows his father’s footsteps, despite his father’s reluctance to support the decision. He’s consistently scored at the top of the leader board for the lucid dreaming simulations, which brought him to the attention of the Darkstream Corporation. Once he’s recruited, he’s quickly assigned to the mech pilot unit. After the training and real world experience from book one, he begins to shine as a rising star. We learn of his deep love for his ailing sister, who motivates him to fight so he can pay for her medical care. Through this family trauma, we learn that he’s a man of strong moral fiber and the kind of person you’d want on your side in a pinch. Overall, I really loved Jake’s character development throughout the story. I can’t tell you more about this character without spoilers, so I’ll leave it right here!
Gabe Roach: He’s a grizzled veteran of the UAF and a Chief in the Darkstream military forces. He is the stereotypical military badass, with a duffel bag full of regrets. In this book, we learn more about those regrets, but again, no spoilers! He’s the kind of guy you’d want on your side in a firefight, though he’s a bit of an ass to his own subordinates. After losing someone very close to him, he takes the fight to the enemy and begins helping slow the gradual combat losses the company is having against the aliens and the new merc company that appeared out of nowhere. You get to see a lot of character growth from him in this book, and you begin to see where his age and experience becomes a slight draw back. Every war leaves scars, and his run deep. He was a deeply complex man, without sliding into the soldier stereotype realm. Overall, I really liked him.
Lisa Sato: She is a junior enlisted soldier for the Darkstream military, and is a true believer. This religious fervor is shaken by the events of this book, and oh what a ride you have with her. I’d love to hash that out, but I promised a spoiler free review. She’s trained all her life on the lucid dreaming, or just lucid, simulations and has reached the pinnacle of combat training. Unfortunately, she learns the hard way that training on dream simulations does little to prepare her for real life combat. Luckily for her, Tess DID prepare her, and she takes the Darkstream soldiers and mobsters by surprise. In this novel, Dynamo, we see her grow as a soldier and as a person. More importantly, we see her evolution from soldier to combat leader, and it was a fun evolution. I’d give an example, but I promised a spoiler free review!
Tess Notaras: She is a gray haired, retired Darkstream soldier, who is disillusioned and jaded. She’s got nothing nice to say about the company and thinks they train soft soldiers, unlike her training in the UAF military. She righteously takes full advantage of this weakness when she joins forces to combat the corruption within Darkstream. She deepens her friendship with Lisa and seeks to shepherd her into the promised land of competency. Soon, they’re interacting more as equals, and it helps flush her out. I definitely want to know her backstory. She doesn’t have any real growth and serves more like the mentor character role. This doesn’t feel like a cheap trick though, as you never feel like she’s a superfluous addition to the universe. If you want to include a mentor archetype, follow Scott Bartlett’s example because he got it right with Tess.
Quatro: This is the alien species that inhabit the Steel System, and I envision as a cross between a horse and a bear. Humanity still thinks they’re not fully sentient, merely apex predators and that’s all I can say without spoiling bits of the plot. If you didn’t read book one, skip this line! Okay, so we now know these aliens are sentient, and we find out a lot more about them in this book. Let’s leave it at saying you’d feed them your Granny to get away from these hulking monstrosities!
Meddlers: This was the alien species that was never present, but lurked in the backdrop. We still don’t know a lot about them, but you get the idea that they’re not the kind of alien you bring home to mommy. The created the Amblers and the Gathers, robots that seemed to collect resources for some unknown reason. The humans in the system took advantage of this, never wondering about who or what built these machines and whether or not they would come back.
Overall, I will give these characters 5 out of 5 Grenades and can’t wait to see where the author takes these character throughout this new series!
Plot:
Like most of the military fiction, I love to read, this was an action-packed novel. The story is set in a world where humanity is post-Sol System. The premise for this series has humanity having used worm holes to permanently colonize the Steel System, under a purely capitalistic society run by the Darkstream Corporation. It was a good set-up and well-executed premise that held my interest from the first minute of audio. The plot grew and expanded, and never once did you ever feel cheated for not having read Scotts earlier books in this larger world. There were more characters than I normally like, but it was so seamless that I didn’t even notice until I sat down to write this review. The author balanced the action, with the exposition and world building, so the story never felt flat. Everything that was good about book one remained, but he kicked the espionage and intrigue up a notch! I really got into this book, and couldn’t put it down because the plot was that compelling. Even in the audiobook format, the novel was easy to follow. I really loved the premise of this plot, and more importantly, I enjoyed how he executed it. The pacing was excellent, and there was never a slow moment. I couldn’t ask for anything more; a unique premise, perfect execution, and incredible pacing! I again give Scott 5 out of 5 Grenades!
World Building:
This is the second book in the Mech Wars Series, and I absolutely loved it. I liked it even better than the last book, it just kept getting better. Whenever I get some cash, I’ll be buying Scott Bartlett’s entire back catalog! This novel had a very flushed out world that was consistent, made sense and sucked you in. I loved the way he handled inserting new tidbits about the larger universe and history in such a way that you didn’t even notice. He did it so well that I was able to start with this series, even though it’s an offshoot of his earlier Ixan Prophecies Trilogy. You never felt like you were missing anything to understand the world, and made me want to become part of the larger world. I was hooked, and now I want to know it all! Maybe it’s time to start considering Scott Bartlett Worlds Support Groups? Scott described the world with just enough details to let me picture it. However, I still struggled to visualize the Quatro aliens. Since they were so vital to the world, Scott created, it was a bit irksome. Again, maybe it was the audio? On the plus side, you can visualize these aliens when they’re in their space suits or other external garments. Since I didn’t read it too, I will again give him the benefit of the doubt. Another part of the world that Scott Bartlett built that I really loved was the concept of the lucid dreaming. You get to see more of it in this book, and it becomes an even bigger plot device. It’s shown to have consequences, and no longer feels like some sort of handwavium magical trick. It becomes real, and one of those “use at your own risk” type of tools. Basically, lucid was set up like a dream based virtual reality simulator. I think the idea has a lot of merits, and I don’t think I’ve ever read this idea anywhere. As I said above, this amazing concept only gets better as Scott explores it more. Give the man points for creativity! I’ve gotten used to Scott’s decision to use naval ranks for the Darkstream military, but it still feels odd. These troops are serving a dirt side garrison and policing role, which made that choice stand out. It didn’t distract from the plot, so I merely note it here for those who care about such things. Maybe my own Army bias? If you’ve read this series, let me know what you think! Overall, the world building was well done, and I was sold on the way it happened. It felt believable, and the characters fit within the universe Scott created. It was a fun ride that made me wanna suit up…which is the goal of action/adventure authors! Like much of the stories I read, this one didn’t take itself too seriously, which allowed you to focus on the fun which is why I read in the first place. I still give the world building 4.9 out of 5 Grenades. It was a step up from the last book, and if I could’ve pictured the Quatro better, it would’ve been a perfect score.
Description:
I have to give it to the author, this novel was chalk full of visualization, and you could definitely imagine yourself in this world. The only scenes that were confusing and difficult to envision were the alien species known as the Quatro. This is a bit more problematic, as we’re two books in but once they get their super secret outfits I had no problem visualizing them! I wouldn’t mind it one bit if the author shared artists rendering of these creatures! Seriously, it would’ve made reading this book a lot easier. This issue wasn’t so glaring that I couldn’t enjoy the hell out of the book, and those loving books light on description will be in heaven. Another place where Scott went lite on the details was on how everyone looked. I know this is the current trend, so I reluctantly accept it, but I don’t personally like it. I’ll reign in my rant, and move on to the next point of this section. A huge plus for me was Scott’s descriptive use of language, he balanced the explanation of this new world with the need to move a story along. This book didn’t have a single place where I couldn’t picture the scenery and the equipment, which added to the world that felt tangible and I enjoyed it. The author’s description of his universe was so evocative that I began imagining myself in the mech suit fighting with Gabe and Jake. It only got better in this book, when compared to the last one. This is partly because one book in the series builds on the next but even as a stand alone it was good. My wife listened to part of this audiobook with me, having not read the first one, and commented specifically on how descriptive it was. File that under the “for what it’s worth” folder, and let’s move on. The only slight draw back of how descriptive Scott was it could be a little bit distracting. Seriously, it made you wanna take a moment and explore every nook and cranny, but that’s a sign of an amazingly built universe. In summary, I didn’t find any issues with the descriptions, except for the previously mentioned alien species. Like many authors these days, Scott Bartlett was lite on the details of what the various characters looked like. I don’t really like this trend, but the action was so gripping that I just didn’t care. I wanted the action, the adventure, and the PEW PEW! Scott brought it, this was definitely his A game. I give Scott 5 out of 5 grenades in this category.
Narration Quality:
I’m still relatively new to the whole audiobook revolution, so my experience is limited. It’s growing, but I know I’m behind the power curve on this one. I know that I hate accents that seem too cheesy, and despise narrators that sound like robots. With those pesky caveats, I will review the narration quality of this novel. The audiobook was well done, and the accents were consistent. The narrator, Mark Boyett, did a fantastic job narrating this book. I would definitely listen to more books by him, and with Amazon’s recent audiobook price increase, that is saying something. Let’s be honest, the recently increased price of audiobooks has taken them out of the range of impulse buys. Even at the new price, I would listen to more by this narrator! He didn’t bore you, or make you zone out because of his monotone. His performance didn’t feel robotic like a machine was reading the novel to me. You’ll often see that from me because it’ll drag me out of a book so fast that I can’t listen to it anymore. With Mark Boyett, it felt like a friend was sitting with me reading an amazing story that he couldn’t put down. Only he made kind of cool voices, with believable accents that didn’t yank you out of the story. Overall, I give him another 5 out of 5 grenades for his performance.
Overall:
I really loved this book, and it made my morning walks extremely enjoyable. I even found myself hiding in the bathroom so I could listen to this while I was supposed to be editing my own book! Shh, don’t tell Boss Man! This book I “read” entirely via the audio book. I didn’t even buy the eBook, just loaded the audiobook into my Audible account and went to town. The production quality of the audio narration was top notch, and the story was compelling. Gave me a case of the feels, as I found myself getting angry at the injustices perpetrated by the Darkstream Company. Seriously, I wanted to strap into a mech and storm the company headquarters with the foot soldiers! I even mourned the loss of the brave warriors killed in battle, and drank a few shots in their honor! This was my second novel by author Scott Bartlett, and I’m sold on his writing style. When my wife unfreezes my credit card, I’ll probably binge read his entire back catalog! What first caught my eye was the fantastic cover, it was amazingly compelling. Seriously, if I weren’t color blind and art dumb, I’d add a section to the book review template on the covers because so many of them are kicking butt these days! I especially liked how Scott made this cover fit with those for the other two novels in this series, they really work together. The military culture shown in this book was spot on, and unlike the last book in this series, there were no issues with rank confusion or the military culture. In this book, he even stopped to mention the combat reloading of weapons which is often missing. However, I couldn’t find any place where it talks about the mechs themselves reloading. They DO run out of ammo, which is a plus but I was curious about their weapons and didn’t get answers. A minor issue, all things being equal, so I call it a win! Moving right along, the ground combat Scott described was visceral and immersive, just what you want from the military science fiction genre. I said in my review for Powered that “I’ve never considered mech combat in my worlds, so I’ve not had reason to think about what their tactics might be.” Well, after reading these books I’ve begun to consider this concept, and I’m even more impressed with Scott’s work. It’s even more clear that the author has spent A LOT of time reasoning this. The battle scenes were believable, gripping and the machines weren’t portrayed as godlike. I never felt like the author missed a chance to get creative with the tactics. Such a detailed portrayal of the tactics is rare, especially when coming from a civilian. Seriously, the author weaponized the awesome power of the PEW PEW and is now a certified Grand Master in the Church of the PEW! I was hooked from the first page! He wove the action in such a compelling way that you wanted to jump into a mech as well. Basically, Scott had me hooked from the beginning and kept it going throughout the whole novel. This is a book I would happily recommend, and an author I will definitely read again. Buy the book! But hey, it’s easy to spend someone else’s money! I give this novel a 5 out of 5 grenades! If it weren’t cheating, I’d give it 6 grenades!
If this book sounds like it’s right up your alley, check it out, you won’t regret it! Well, unless it inspired you to join Bartlett’s Army. And you enlist, get kitted up, only to realize that your uniform blouse is red. And then you’re put on the away team, getting to be the first one off the orbital elevator. Then the bull like Quatro see you, and well, you end up finding out why China shops are bad places to be. Well yeah, I guess this could be bad for you. Or maybe you’ll be okay? I mean, chicks dig scars right? You could be the first red shirt to live? On second thought, be warned, fanboy/fangirl syndrome just MIGHT kill you. Be wary, you were warned and if you have to go out like that at least enjoy the view from the end times!
July 31, 2022
Another full on adventure with almost none stop action.
September 6, 2017
This was an incredibly detailed book, with a lot of story lines interweaving throughout the book, leading to some incredible scenes at the end.
The book picks up immediately from the events of Powered, with Gabe and the Oneiri team having gone to the home of the Quatro to try and defeat them. However, whilst there, they have to leave the safety of their Mechs, and things do not go to plan. It is also at this point, that a discovery is made, Darkstream find the ‘Quads’ Mechs that are the same as the one originally found in the asteroid that gave them the technology for their own design. These are specifically designed for the Quatro though.
And this is where the multiple story arcs unfold.
We still have Lisa, Andy and Tessa on ‘Alex’ trying to keep Habitat 2 safe from Daybreak, even with the arrival of Darkstream forces under a very suspicious commander.
Meanwhile, on Eresos, the Quatro gain access to the Quads giving them a huge advantage over the MIMAS Mechs, and on top of this, a new militia force called Red Company has also joined the Quatro against Darkstream – and of course, this is all about money and protection rackets.
In the middle of this poor Jake has realised he might not be doing the right thing, he is fighting for his sister’s life, but is it worth what he is doing?
This is a really fascinating book, in which you start of thinking you know who the bad guys are, who the good guys are, and then you suddenly realise that things aren’t so black and white. There is a lot of grey in both of the opposing sides, and this book makes you question what is right and wrong, especially in certain circumstances.
The political intrigue of Darkstream and the way it is so insidious is also brilliant, totally captivating and very interesting as you try to puzzle out the motivations for some things, work out what is happening in other areas, and slowly put all the pieces together as more is revealed.
There are some very naïve characters in this series, and as you read it, you kind of feel like one of them, slowly getting a better understanding for how malicious various people are, and the companies they work for.
One of the exceptional bits of tech in this story is the concept of ‘lucid’, in which you are able to do things whilst you are in a dream state. You enter a REM sleep state, so you are asleep, but using the implant that each of them have, they are able to access a virtual simulation whilst they sleep. This allows them to enter training simulations, games, or any scenario they want. It is also the interface for the Mech, so whilst in this state, they are actually ‘one’ with the Mech, thinking and feeling for whatever the Mech does. Whilst it is not as restful as normal sleep, you still gain some order of rest still. Bartlett does a brilliant job of describing this, and how users need to adapt to it so as to make sure they are using it realistically, not overpowering their skills and abilities.
This book is definitely Sci-Fi, but it is also part political intrigue and part gripping thriller as you try and puzzle out what is happening on both the surfaces of Alex and Eresos.
This is a fantastic read and a brilliant sequel – make sure you get Powered first, then get into this!
The book picks up immediately from the events of Powered, with Gabe and the Oneiri team having gone to the home of the Quatro to try and defeat them. However, whilst there, they have to leave the safety of their Mechs, and things do not go to plan. It is also at this point, that a discovery is made, Darkstream find the ‘Quads’ Mechs that are the same as the one originally found in the asteroid that gave them the technology for their own design. These are specifically designed for the Quatro though.
And this is where the multiple story arcs unfold.
We still have Lisa, Andy and Tessa on ‘Alex’ trying to keep Habitat 2 safe from Daybreak, even with the arrival of Darkstream forces under a very suspicious commander.
Meanwhile, on Eresos, the Quatro gain access to the Quads giving them a huge advantage over the MIMAS Mechs, and on top of this, a new militia force called Red Company has also joined the Quatro against Darkstream – and of course, this is all about money and protection rackets.
In the middle of this poor Jake has realised he might not be doing the right thing, he is fighting for his sister’s life, but is it worth what he is doing?
This is a really fascinating book, in which you start of thinking you know who the bad guys are, who the good guys are, and then you suddenly realise that things aren’t so black and white. There is a lot of grey in both of the opposing sides, and this book makes you question what is right and wrong, especially in certain circumstances.
The political intrigue of Darkstream and the way it is so insidious is also brilliant, totally captivating and very interesting as you try to puzzle out the motivations for some things, work out what is happening in other areas, and slowly put all the pieces together as more is revealed.
There are some very naïve characters in this series, and as you read it, you kind of feel like one of them, slowly getting a better understanding for how malicious various people are, and the companies they work for.
One of the exceptional bits of tech in this story is the concept of ‘lucid’, in which you are able to do things whilst you are in a dream state. You enter a REM sleep state, so you are asleep, but using the implant that each of them have, they are able to access a virtual simulation whilst they sleep. This allows them to enter training simulations, games, or any scenario they want. It is also the interface for the Mech, so whilst in this state, they are actually ‘one’ with the Mech, thinking and feeling for whatever the Mech does. Whilst it is not as restful as normal sleep, you still gain some order of rest still. Bartlett does a brilliant job of describing this, and how users need to adapt to it so as to make sure they are using it realistically, not overpowering their skills and abilities.
This book is definitely Sci-Fi, but it is also part political intrigue and part gripping thriller as you try and puzzle out what is happening on both the surfaces of Alex and Eresos.
This is a fantastic read and a brilliant sequel – make sure you get Powered first, then get into this!
October 9, 2017
( Format : audiobook ).
Author Scott Bartlett's Mechs must be the biggest, baddest in the galaxy. And they just keep getting more terrifying.
The story continues to take place in two different locations and following separate groups in the Stele System: for this reason, it is advisable to have read part one,, Powered, first or it could prove very confusing. .Plenty of fierce fighting, soul searching and whisperings in the heads of the mech users: it almost feels like something is evolving. And always there to make a profit, the ever more sinister-seeming Dark Stream Corporation, dominating everything in the system.
Mark Boyett continues his narration of the series, his pleasant voice well suited to the subject matter. His narration is both nicely timed ànd well modulated, the characters individually voiced and, overall, his input enhances the enjoyment of the book.
Not, perhaps, as thought provoking as it's predecessor, Dynamo is still worth reading if your passion is for metal monsters powered by Lucid dreaming, beating and at hacking each other Quite good characterisation and a twisty, unexpected plot. I guess I am as I enjoyed it.
My thanks to the rights holder for sending me a complementary copy, at my request, via Audiobook Boom..
Author Scott Bartlett's Mechs must be the biggest, baddest in the galaxy. And they just keep getting more terrifying.
The story continues to take place in two different locations and following separate groups in the Stele System: for this reason, it is advisable to have read part one,, Powered, first or it could prove very confusing. .Plenty of fierce fighting, soul searching and whisperings in the heads of the mech users: it almost feels like something is evolving. And always there to make a profit, the ever more sinister-seeming Dark Stream Corporation, dominating everything in the system.
Mark Boyett continues his narration of the series, his pleasant voice well suited to the subject matter. His narration is both nicely timed ànd well modulated, the characters individually voiced and, overall, his input enhances the enjoyment of the book.
Not, perhaps, as thought provoking as it's predecessor, Dynamo is still worth reading if your passion is for metal monsters powered by Lucid dreaming, beating and at hacking each other Quite good characterisation and a twisty, unexpected plot. I guess I am as I enjoyed it.
My thanks to the rights holder for sending me a complementary copy, at my request, via Audiobook Boom..
July 27, 2017
3.5 stars. Dynamo is the second book in the Mech Wars series. If you are looking for a well written SciFi Military book series, this is a good one to read. You can read this as a standalone book but it does start and end in a cliffhanger. There is a lot of violence.
The book blurb adequately describes the storyline so I'm not going to repeat all of that info here. The author has done a good job of keeping elements of his Ixan Prophecy future universe that was full of aliens, old tech and new tech, people in power who will do anything too continue to remain in power. Yet combined that with new enemies, or maybe allies, as well as new problems to deal with. As usual, everything and everyone are not as they seem. Overall I enjoyed reading this book and want to read more.
The book blurb adequately describes the storyline so I'm not going to repeat all of that info here. The author has done a good job of keeping elements of his Ixan Prophecy future universe that was full of aliens, old tech and new tech, people in power who will do anything too continue to remain in power. Yet combined that with new enemies, or maybe allies, as well as new problems to deal with. As usual, everything and everyone are not as they seem. Overall I enjoyed reading this book and want to read more.
August 7, 2017
If you like intricate storylines, great character development, giant mechanical robots, read this book!
This was a thoroughly enjoyable second book, such twist and turns and machinations it made me so confused about what's going on that I have no idea. This is the kind of book I want to read so I can't figure out what is going on it's very exciting to me. I don't know where the plot is going from here who are the good guys, who are the bad guys, I think anybody who likes Max it's good plots great characters will enjoy this book.
This was a thoroughly enjoyable second book, such twist and turns and machinations it made me so confused about what's going on that I have no idea. This is the kind of book I want to read so I can't figure out what is going on it's very exciting to me. I don't know where the plot is going from here who are the good guys, who are the bad guys, I think anybody who likes Max it's good plots great characters will enjoy this book.
March 24, 2018
Once again I've no words do describe this amazing masterpiece.
Perfect preference.
Writing with such beauty that if it only reached Hollywood it could and would be the next Star Wars.
It took the great science-fiction writers many years and many short stories without the competition of thousands of writers today to get to where they are now and here is a writer which have actually done exactly that.
Perfect creation with all the competition in such a short time.
Recommend to follow this author, everything he writes turns to gold!
Perfect preference.
Writing with such beauty that if it only reached Hollywood it could and would be the next Star Wars.
It took the great science-fiction writers many years and many short stories without the competition of thousands of writers today to get to where they are now and here is a writer which have actually done exactly that.
Perfect creation with all the competition in such a short time.
Recommend to follow this author, everything he writes turns to gold!
May 19, 2019
I'll just quit here.
Great ideas, poorly executed. This felt more like a typical shonen anime, than a sci-fi mech book for adults (which is fine, I was just expecting more.) Lots of: this happened, that happened , then these guys got mechs and they fought, etc. Where are the relationships? Why should I care about these characters? Gabe had the potential to be a very interesting character, with all the inner conflict, but ultimately he was just an ass and I hoped he'd just die.
Won't be continuing.
Great ideas, poorly executed. This felt more like a typical shonen anime, than a sci-fi mech book for adults (which is fine, I was just expecting more.) Lots of: this happened, that happened , then these guys got mechs and they fought, etc. Where are the relationships? Why should I care about these characters? Gabe had the potential to be a very interesting character, with all the inner conflict, but ultimately he was just an ass and I hoped he'd just die.
Won't be continuing.
December 21, 2019
As with most of Scott Bartlett’s work there are usually two or three concurrent plots running through the book.
There is a sinister connection between Darkstream and Daybreak. We are also introduced to another merc faction that is armed in Darkstream Dark Tech.
Continuing the saga our heroes are forced to defend Habitat 2, we begin to see the deceit of Darkstream.
Our MIMAS heroes are forced to battle a number of Quattro in their MIMAS-style mechs.
And we follow Price’s father discover a secret so dark it could cost him his life.
There is a sinister connection between Darkstream and Daybreak. We are also introduced to another merc faction that is armed in Darkstream Dark Tech.
Continuing the saga our heroes are forced to defend Habitat 2, we begin to see the deceit of Darkstream.
Our MIMAS heroes are forced to battle a number of Quattro in their MIMAS-style mechs.
And we follow Price’s father discover a secret so dark it could cost him his life.
July 31, 2017
Second Excellent Colonial Human/Alien Military Space Opera
The second installment of this riveting story is even better than the first, and I enjoyed it more. Bartlett maintains his high-speed approach, as one battle follows the last, without interruption. This book also seems to concentrate on small unit ground tactics, with a s amount of space battles as well.
VERY GOOD, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED AS BOTH THIS NOVEL AND THE SERIES SO FAR.
The second installment of this riveting story is even better than the first, and I enjoyed it more. Bartlett maintains his high-speed approach, as one battle follows the last, without interruption. This book also seems to concentrate on small unit ground tactics, with a s amount of space battles as well.
VERY GOOD, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED AS BOTH THIS NOVEL AND THE SERIES SO FAR.
August 17, 2017
Bartlett seamlessly moves from Powered right into Dynamo in less than a minute. Those defending Darkstream, and those against it, are in a headlong battle that will throw friends against friends, along with the knowledge that what each group sees as solid perception will ultimately come to a head. As fast moving as Powered, Dynamo digs deeper into why there's a mech war to begin with when the truth starts to come out, layer by layer.
November 16, 2023
The question is who would send mechs adapted to the Quatro to fight humans. Especially for one called Wounded.
But for Quatro and the red company to join forces?
The first skirmishes suddenly seemed exactly that... simple skirmishes. Now it is full blown war with human lifes the goal, more so with Darkstream and it's officials committing treachery by their joining forces with the drug gangsters called Daybreak.
On both Eresos and Alex life is suddenly a problem simply to exist.
But for Quatro and the red company to join forces?
The first skirmishes suddenly seemed exactly that... simple skirmishes. Now it is full blown war with human lifes the goal, more so with Darkstream and it's officials committing treachery by their joining forces with the drug gangsters called Daybreak.
On both Eresos and Alex life is suddenly a problem simply to exist.
November 17, 2019
This is the second book in the Mech Wars series, and it was quite enjoyable. The same cast from the first book is back, along with a few new characters. The overall story continues to progress, while we get a good bit of action on both sides. I will continue this series.
Disclaimer: I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
Disclaimer: I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
August 31, 2017
True mechanical warfare
This book certainly set's the large mech battle as if you are there witnessing it. The fact that other aliens helps each side to wage this mech battle, there always remains the question why.
This book certainly set's the large mech battle as if you are there witnessing it. The fact that other aliens helps each side to wage this mech battle, there always remains the question why.
August 20, 2017
Wow
Can't wait for the next one because there will be some pay back I am sure!! People are finding out that Their employer doesn't have there best interest at heart!!
Can't wait for the next one because there will be some pay back I am sure!! People are finding out that Their employer doesn't have there best interest at heart!!
September 3, 2017
Good Read.
This was a great read and it has a great storyline that lets you know what is going on very well. The book was well worth reading.
This was a great read and it has a great storyline that lets you know what is going on very well. The book was well worth reading.
September 13, 2017
Serious fighting and evolution
I wasn't sure this story could get more intense than the last one but I was wrong. Thanks Scott for the excellent entertainment!!
A definite must read
I wasn't sure this story could get more intense than the last one but I was wrong. Thanks Scott for the excellent entertainment!!
A definite must read
March 11, 2018
Twisted
The story Has a unexpected twist at the end. It will be interesting to see how this continues. I can’t wait for the next book
The story Has a unexpected twist at the end. It will be interesting to see how this continues. I can’t wait for the next book
July 23, 2018
Great Story
Full of action and suspense. Who are the bad guys and how did they get here? Well worth reading. I couldn’t put it down once I started it.
Full of action and suspense. Who are the bad guys and how did they get here? Well worth reading. I couldn’t put it down once I started it.
June 3, 2019
3.5-3.8
November 3, 2022
Quick paced, fun read but has a confused take on corporations. The author mixes them up with monopolies. This is probably typical for younger writers.
November 2, 2024
Solid pulpy sci fi with nonstop action
August 18, 2024
This is the second volume of a quadrilogy continuing the saga of a group of mech warriors. There's plenty of combat, aliens, and action but it's pretty hard to keep track of the shifting alliances, the number of characters each with a subplot of their own and how they dovetail into the main plot. Nevertheless, this is only the second book so looking forward to the next episode.
September 28, 2017
Dynamo is the second entry into Bartlett’s Mech Wars series. The story delivers on its name. It truly is a dynamo! Bartlett will be a force to be reckoned with in the Military SF genre in the near future.
Dynamo begins after the events in Powered. Humanity is discovering more about the Mechs and how best to utilize them. Bartlett continues painting the war as Hell theme as Darkstream appears more duplicitous than ever. It leaves the question, if someone built Mechs that humans can use, why not Mechs Quatros can use?
The book is a page-turner! The plot takes some surprising twists and ends on an amazing cliffhanger.
Note: This reviewer received an ARC from the author in exchange for constructive feedback and an honest review.
Dynamo begins after the events in Powered. Humanity is discovering more about the Mechs and how best to utilize them. Bartlett continues painting the war as Hell theme as Darkstream appears more duplicitous than ever. It leaves the question, if someone built Mechs that humans can use, why not Mechs Quatros can use?
The book is a page-turner! The plot takes some surprising twists and ends on an amazing cliffhanger.
Note: This reviewer received an ARC from the author in exchange for constructive feedback and an honest review.
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