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The Deep Man
A relic of humanity’s violent past, this old weapon stands ready for the Emperor to wield.
The Galactic Imperium of the Myriad Worlds slumps into centuries of decadent peace enabled by a flood of advanced technology from the mysterious nonhuman “Shapers.” Among the great Families, only the once-mighty clan of Sinclair-Maru remembers the maxims of the warrior Emperor, Yung I, ready to defend the Imperium from any threat.
Stubbornly clinging to the Honor Code, Family prodigy Saef Sinclair-Maru finds himself in command of an outmoded, under-equipped frigate of the Imperial Fleet. With spies and assassins on every side, trusting only in his considerable skill and the bizarre competence of his companion, Inga, Saef must complete his mission, restore the greatness of his Family, and uncover the chilling plot meant to extinguish humanity’s light from the galaxy.
At the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management).
Although born in the northwestern United States, Michael Mersault spent his formative years in a series of magical locales, including expat communities in the Middle East, a secretive air base in the Arizona desert, and an Alaskan fishing village.These endless hours of travel prompted an enduring love for books that continues unabated.
At times in his adult years, he has dabbled in kickboxing, competitive marksmanship, and international business ventures. He now lives as a semi-recluse back in the northwest, where he fluctuates between the paths of a confirmed technophile and a neo-Luddite.
The Galactic Imperium of the Myriad Worlds slumps into centuries of decadent peace enabled by a flood of advanced technology from the mysterious nonhuman “Shapers.” Among the great Families, only the once-mighty clan of Sinclair-Maru remembers the maxims of the warrior Emperor, Yung I, ready to defend the Imperium from any threat.
Stubbornly clinging to the Honor Code, Family prodigy Saef Sinclair-Maru finds himself in command of an outmoded, under-equipped frigate of the Imperial Fleet. With spies and assassins on every side, trusting only in his considerable skill and the bizarre competence of his companion, Inga, Saef must complete his mission, restore the greatness of his Family, and uncover the chilling plot meant to extinguish humanity’s light from the galaxy.
At the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management).
Although born in the northwestern United States, Michael Mersault spent his formative years in a series of magical locales, including expat communities in the Middle East, a secretive air base in the Arizona desert, and an Alaskan fishing village.These endless hours of travel prompted an enduring love for books that continues unabated.
At times in his adult years, he has dabbled in kickboxing, competitive marksmanship, and international business ventures. He now lives as a semi-recluse back in the northwest, where he fluctuates between the paths of a confirmed technophile and a neo-Luddite.
395 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 4, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
March 10, 2022
I knew literally nothing about this book until a couple weeks ago when it showed up on the library's new books cart and out of curiosity, I browsed some reviews and decided to give it a whirl. I'm very happy I did, as Michael Mersault has written a real gem of a sci fi story here. Concept-wise, the plot is familiar enough, the plot largely follows Saef Sinclair-Maru, a member of an old and venerable noble house which has gradually fallen out of favor, mostly because the Empire has been at peace for centuries and the House is too honor-bound to play the petty political games that are the norm in the Empire, and as such, its power and prestige have been reduced to practically nothing, so much so that the House can't even afford to get life-prolonging treatment for its leaders. However, as the book begins, the Empire is wracked by a sudden rebellion shortly after the assassination of the Emperor. At the same time there are rumors that some of the Heavyworlders, who have a preponderant position within the Empire's fleet, are acting less for the Empire's benefit and more for their own. With all this going on, the Imperial House sees the need to put an agent within the fleet to better determine loyalties and unmask any evidence of treachery, and they see the honorable Sinclair-Maru House as the perfect agents given their unswerving loyalty (even after centuries of Imperial neglect). However, in doing so, the Empire has also painted a target on Saef and the rest of the House. So Saef finds himself in command of an old decrepit frigate with possible assassins among the crew and facing an enemy who may not be what they seem.
There's a lot I liked about this book. Foremost, the setting is interesting. Far-future interstellar empire has been done more times than I know, but Mersault has put an interesting twist on it as humanity's Empire's economy is built around trade with an alien species known as the Shapers, a mysterious and insanely advanced group whose nomadic fleets arrive every now and then in human space and trade vast amounts of raw material in exchange for extremely advanced technology. Foreknowledge of what the Shapers' have asked for on their "list" is enough to seal the future of a House as the technology acquired in the process can be sold for vast fortunes. Likewise, because the Imperial fleet hasn't been in real battle for centuries, the organization has a slavish obsession with efficiency and an obsession with prize money (particularly as captains are expected to pay to fit out their own warships), which obviously doesn't make them great at fighting in a real war. Another idea Mersault introduces is his Empire's citizenship system. The idea is that if you want to be a citizen of the Empire, then you are allowed to make all your own choices, do whatever you want, but if you screw up, the Empire won't do anything for you, whereas if you're a non-citizen, you do what the Empire tells you to do and you never have to worry about food or clothing or health or where to live, but you don't have any real say in your future. Oh, and if you're a citizen any other citizen can challenge you to a duel for sleights upon their honor. Really interesting stuff. The characters were also a great mix and while Saef is the clear protagonist, unlike a lot of books in this vein, he doesn't do everything, and other characters get plenty of time to shine while he's doing his part, and Mersault does a wonderful job of giving depth to characters who aren't even on page for that long. Frankly, I loved Mersault's writing: he's funny when he wants to be funny, his action is exciting (whether in space or on the ground), his talk-y sections are intriguing, and his horror is disturbing.
My only criticism of the Deep Man is that I didn't want it to end as I really wanted to learn more about the world and characters and see what happens next. Hopefully a sequel won't be long in coming!
There's a lot I liked about this book. Foremost, the setting is interesting. Far-future interstellar empire has been done more times than I know, but Mersault has put an interesting twist on it as humanity's Empire's economy is built around trade with an alien species known as the Shapers, a mysterious and insanely advanced group whose nomadic fleets arrive every now and then in human space and trade vast amounts of raw material in exchange for extremely advanced technology. Foreknowledge of what the Shapers' have asked for on their "list" is enough to seal the future of a House as the technology acquired in the process can be sold for vast fortunes. Likewise, because the Imperial fleet hasn't been in real battle for centuries, the organization has a slavish obsession with efficiency and an obsession with prize money (particularly as captains are expected to pay to fit out their own warships), which obviously doesn't make them great at fighting in a real war. Another idea Mersault introduces is his Empire's citizenship system. The idea is that if you want to be a citizen of the Empire, then you are allowed to make all your own choices, do whatever you want, but if you screw up, the Empire won't do anything for you, whereas if you're a non-citizen, you do what the Empire tells you to do and you never have to worry about food or clothing or health or where to live, but you don't have any real say in your future. Oh, and if you're a citizen any other citizen can challenge you to a duel for sleights upon their honor. Really interesting stuff. The characters were also a great mix and while Saef is the clear protagonist, unlike a lot of books in this vein, he doesn't do everything, and other characters get plenty of time to shine while he's doing his part, and Mersault does a wonderful job of giving depth to characters who aren't even on page for that long. Frankly, I loved Mersault's writing: he's funny when he wants to be funny, his action is exciting (whether in space or on the ground), his talk-y sections are intriguing, and his horror is disturbing.
My only criticism of the Deep Man is that I didn't want it to end as I really wanted to learn more about the world and characters and see what happens next. Hopefully a sequel won't be long in coming!
January 9, 2022
This was a pleasant new read from, what appears to be, a relatively new author. From what I can see on Amazon, Goodreads and the authors personal page this is but the first or second book that the author has written and I have to say that it is a damned good debut.
As the book blurb states Saef Sinclair-Maru, member of the Sinclair-Maru clan is a young warrior that adheres to old values, not only when it comes to codes of honor but also when it comes to everything else that is needed to be a true warrior. Obviously he is not only competent but kicks ass both in the imperial navy’s training scenarios and in real life.
As this is the first book in what I hope will become a series there’s some world building going on and the author has done a rather good job of creating a interesting and unique world and background story. It is a mixture of future technology and old values. Disputes, at least when honor is involved, are resolved by duels for instance which is not something you’ll find in your average science fiction novel.
Unfortunately corruption and political machinations seems to run rampant in this universe which is a bit of a downer for me. Obviously this means that Saef, as well as most other competent, naval commanders have to fight their share of utterly incompetent admirals who’s only priority are their political agenda as well as their bigoted opinions. This is the part of the book that I am not too keen on but I have to say that the author makes it work relatively well for me.
Obviously Saef’s first command is a mix between fighting real external enemies and the despicable schemers, spies and saboteurs. Obviously the real combat is the part I like best but Saef deals with the despicable elements in an equally satisfactory way.
The science and the fleet action is quite good. It is closer to hard science fiction than the fantasy style one which is present in many books. I really liked these parts of the book.
There are plenty of surprises and twists in the book. I especially liked Saef’s appointed “companion” who is a lot more than it seems. The ship’s AI, which also is a lot more than it seems, was also a pleasant surprise. Then of course there is the external enemy to the Empire which actually was not what I expected until that little surprise was sprung.
Overall this was a really nice surprise and I am happy to have found another author that writes books that are very much to my liking. The ending of the book makes it clear that the author expects a continuation and I really hope that this book takes off well enough that he will be able to continue this into a series.
This book would have gotten five out of five stars from me if it wasn’t for the heavy reliance of political machinations and incompetent Admiral’s in the story.
As the book blurb states Saef Sinclair-Maru, member of the Sinclair-Maru clan is a young warrior that adheres to old values, not only when it comes to codes of honor but also when it comes to everything else that is needed to be a true warrior. Obviously he is not only competent but kicks ass both in the imperial navy’s training scenarios and in real life.
As this is the first book in what I hope will become a series there’s some world building going on and the author has done a rather good job of creating a interesting and unique world and background story. It is a mixture of future technology and old values. Disputes, at least when honor is involved, are resolved by duels for instance which is not something you’ll find in your average science fiction novel.
Unfortunately corruption and political machinations seems to run rampant in this universe which is a bit of a downer for me. Obviously this means that Saef, as well as most other competent, naval commanders have to fight their share of utterly incompetent admirals who’s only priority are their political agenda as well as their bigoted opinions. This is the part of the book that I am not too keen on but I have to say that the author makes it work relatively well for me.
Obviously Saef’s first command is a mix between fighting real external enemies and the despicable schemers, spies and saboteurs. Obviously the real combat is the part I like best but Saef deals with the despicable elements in an equally satisfactory way.
The science and the fleet action is quite good. It is closer to hard science fiction than the fantasy style one which is present in many books. I really liked these parts of the book.
There are plenty of surprises and twists in the book. I especially liked Saef’s appointed “companion” who is a lot more than it seems. The ship’s AI, which also is a lot more than it seems, was also a pleasant surprise. Then of course there is the external enemy to the Empire which actually was not what I expected until that little surprise was sprung.
Overall this was a really nice surprise and I am happy to have found another author that writes books that are very much to my liking. The ending of the book makes it clear that the author expects a continuation and I really hope that this book takes off well enough that he will be able to continue this into a series.
This book would have gotten five out of five stars from me if it wasn’t for the heavy reliance of political machinations and incompetent Admiral’s in the story.
May 1, 2022
This is a fun space opera/ military science fiction - fast-paced, multiple factions, complicated plots gathering steam across the book, and several likable heroes. At least a couple of the heroes hold themselves to an ethic of honor pioneered centuries previously by their ancestor, and the chapter headings are adorned with epigraphs taken from the ancestor's writings. The ethic embodies some of the worst traits of toxic masculinity - but broadened to be available to both women and men - and the quotes are mostly gibberish, but if you can ignore that, the story works fine. The ethic isn't really worse or less coherent that the Force that animates Star Wars' moral universe, although it is ridiculously stoic. It's also not clear that the author is himself sold on the ethic - practicing it certainly sustains the heroes, but at least three key ally characters seem not to take it seriously at all, and one of them pans it as a made-up fraud intended to reinforce Imperial authority. That ambiguity is a nice touch.
This is clearly the first book of a series - the central plot threads reach a pause but aren't tied up by the end - but there's enough short-term resolution that it doesn't feel entirely like a cliffhanger.
This is clearly the first book of a series - the central plot threads reach a pause but aren't tied up by the end - but there's enough short-term resolution that it doesn't feel entirely like a cliffhanger.
January 28, 2022
It was a little slow starting, but once it takes off you had better hang on! The book ended all too soon and I have had the most difficult time finding a satisfying book to move on to.
The concepts are, to me, unique. Loki is a gem! And Inga is fascinating. Claude is a character and a half and it will be interesting to see if he is what he seems to be. You will love this book if you like space based sci-fi similar to books by Orson Scott Card or Timothy Zahn.
The story is well written, the characters are uniquely distinctive and believable. Thankfully, a sequel is already in the works.
I would rate this book PG-13. It has battles and blood, allusions to sexual activities but nothing explicit or overt. There may have been language but it didn't hit me in the face if there was.
I highly recommend this book!
The paperback and ebook are available on Amazon.
The concepts are, to me, unique. Loki is a gem! And Inga is fascinating. Claude is a character and a half and it will be interesting to see if he is what he seems to be. You will love this book if you like space based sci-fi similar to books by Orson Scott Card or Timothy Zahn.
The story is well written, the characters are uniquely distinctive and believable. Thankfully, a sequel is already in the works.
I would rate this book PG-13. It has battles and blood, allusions to sexual activities but nothing explicit or overt. There may have been language but it didn't hit me in the face if there was.
I highly recommend this book!
The paperback and ebook are available on Amazon.
November 11, 2021
The Deep Man by M Mersault is a debut coming from Baen in January 2022 and it is a variation on the far future Human imperium with advanced technology and many Houses; here humanity is depending on alien technology that comes in trading waves (with only the Emperor knowing by Quantum Entanglement what the benevolent aliens want to trade for) every seven years or so, hence the Houses depend on the Emperor's goodwill for knowing what goods they need to stock up.
Another quirk of this universe is the separation of the population in Vested citizens who enjoy all the rights, privileges but also responsibilities (including making a living, being ready at any time to duel for their lives if another Vested citizen takes offence at them, being able to ingest mood-altering drugs etc so the higher classes and the gutter of the empire consists of such), and demicit people - the majority - who are housed, fed, given free healthcare and education, as well as money stipends - but whose lives are extremely regulated in many ways - eg they cannot manually fly aircars, serve in the military or on spaceships, take drugs etc; as per reforms some centuries back under the current Yung dynasty, every demicit has one opportunity per lifetime to apply for vested citizenship after taking some (free) classes and passing a citizenship exam; this way they give up their assured but constricted lifestyle for the possibility of advancement, quick death if they unwittingly insult another citizen in the mood for a quick dueling kill, or decay to homelessness and the gutter.
All seemed to hum along nicely until the emperor is assassinated, a cluster is in rebellion with some serious starships at hand, and rumors of discontent from the Heavyworlds citizens (making up 2% of the Imperium population but 50% of its Marines and 20% of its warships personnel and who have been looked upon as almost "subhuman" for their appearance and mores for centuries) who are far more dangerous than few planets rebelling.
The main heroes, young (30's - as usual there is rejuv and people can live from 100+ to 400+ depending on their wealth) starship captain, Commander Saef Sinclair-Maru of a house that was crucial in putting the Yung dynasty on the throne but then failed to excel at the politics of centuries of peace, so slowly hemorrhaging assets and lands, and Inga Maru, his cousin from an impoverished family (half) branch who has quite unusual traits have to untangle what happens, discover the conspirators (if there are such), defeat the rebels and restore the House Sinclair-Maru to its due place,
A fanatical follower of the House creeds (including achieving the Deep Man state) and of the Dynasty maxims (one being that dueling to the death is necessary to prune the aristocracy from incompetents and jerks), Raef has already 7 aristocratic dueling kills to his name and is one of a few names explicitly appearing as "not to offend at any cost" in the courses for new citizens, so he is miffed at first that Inga, a collateral of the family knows and follows them too, but of course that starts coming in handy when assassination attempts start piling up and that was even before he got his ship and selected his crew...
Fun and fast, ending at a great stopping point which promises more to come in the next installment.
Highly recommended and a top book for 2022, while the author is one to watch
Another quirk of this universe is the separation of the population in Vested citizens who enjoy all the rights, privileges but also responsibilities (including making a living, being ready at any time to duel for their lives if another Vested citizen takes offence at them, being able to ingest mood-altering drugs etc so the higher classes and the gutter of the empire consists of such), and demicit people - the majority - who are housed, fed, given free healthcare and education, as well as money stipends - but whose lives are extremely regulated in many ways - eg they cannot manually fly aircars, serve in the military or on spaceships, take drugs etc; as per reforms some centuries back under the current Yung dynasty, every demicit has one opportunity per lifetime to apply for vested citizenship after taking some (free) classes and passing a citizenship exam; this way they give up their assured but constricted lifestyle for the possibility of advancement, quick death if they unwittingly insult another citizen in the mood for a quick dueling kill, or decay to homelessness and the gutter.
All seemed to hum along nicely until the emperor is assassinated, a cluster is in rebellion with some serious starships at hand, and rumors of discontent from the Heavyworlds citizens (making up 2% of the Imperium population but 50% of its Marines and 20% of its warships personnel and who have been looked upon as almost "subhuman" for their appearance and mores for centuries) who are far more dangerous than few planets rebelling.
The main heroes, young (30's - as usual there is rejuv and people can live from 100+ to 400+ depending on their wealth) starship captain, Commander Saef Sinclair-Maru of a house that was crucial in putting the Yung dynasty on the throne but then failed to excel at the politics of centuries of peace, so slowly hemorrhaging assets and lands, and Inga Maru, his cousin from an impoverished family (half) branch who has quite unusual traits have to untangle what happens, discover the conspirators (if there are such), defeat the rebels and restore the House Sinclair-Maru to its due place,
A fanatical follower of the House creeds (including achieving the Deep Man state) and of the Dynasty maxims (one being that dueling to the death is necessary to prune the aristocracy from incompetents and jerks), Raef has already 7 aristocratic dueling kills to his name and is one of a few names explicitly appearing as "not to offend at any cost" in the courses for new citizens, so he is miffed at first that Inga, a collateral of the family knows and follows them too, but of course that starts coming in handy when assassination attempts start piling up and that was even before he got his ship and selected his crew...
Fun and fast, ending at a great stopping point which promises more to come in the next installment.
Highly recommended and a top book for 2022, while the author is one to watch
May 6, 2025
There is a type of sci-fi that I will probably never hate, even if it's corny as hell, and that's space opera. Spaceships, interesting yet cliché characters, military honor, strong men, sexy women, that kind of stuff. Yet, having just read another underwhelming military space opera, I was not happy to start reading The Deep Man, as I thought it would be more of the same. Maybe less. I mean, it started with a human space empire, nobility families bound by honor, space navies and so on, but focused so much on the various aristocratic rituals in the beginning that I thought it's going to be just as average, only more boring.
But as I was reading the book I started to warm up to the it and the writing also improved, becoming more focused on action, story and character development. I enjoyed it enough that I immediately started looking for the sequel - which is not easy, because apparently no one heard of this. Let's face it, it's a fun book, nothing great, but it reminded me of David Feintuch and a little of Herbert by some of the ideas inside.
What I didn't like was the title. It refers to a sort of psychic conditioning of nobles to find "the real man" inside them, kind of like the Gom Jabbar trial in Dune. So when I saw that, I was really looking forward to some form of exploration of the strength of will and identity. Only most of the book is not about that at all, so the title felt misleading. Also it started slowly enough that I almost didn't want to continue reading.
Some interesting ideas in the book, though, barely touched upon yet. Already mentioned the Deep Man, but also the system of government divides the population into full citizens and demi-citizens. The full citizens have to pass some tests and fulfil some conditions to demonstrate they can take responsibility for their actions and shoulder the risks of true freedom. The demi-citizens are not slaves or anything, they are just protected by the state from themselves and others. For example two citizens can declare a duel and fight to the death for some perceived honor slight, yet a citizen cannot harm a demi-citizen. Same for drugs or anything that might be perceived as dangerous or risky.
I found the idea fascinating. Basically what we now do with minors, only just passing a certain age is not the (only) requirement. Conversely, it is taken for granted that a citizen is fully responsible for their actions, but also more free to take them because of it. And it's not just empty elitism I am taking about, because the book also explores the abuses and decadent aristocratic corruption that comes from it. If you think about it, isn't the same with society now? Adults being complacent, corrupt and uncaring while holding all the power and kids ineffectual protesters against a world they don't yet fully understand?
Michael Mersault is a competent writer and I felt I knew where his influences for this book came from - and I approve. This is one of those books that you read for fun, but it hides some unexpected depth from place to place and I enjoyed that.
But as I was reading the book I started to warm up to the it and the writing also improved, becoming more focused on action, story and character development. I enjoyed it enough that I immediately started looking for the sequel - which is not easy, because apparently no one heard of this. Let's face it, it's a fun book, nothing great, but it reminded me of David Feintuch and a little of Herbert by some of the ideas inside.
What I didn't like was the title. It refers to a sort of psychic conditioning of nobles to find "the real man" inside them, kind of like the Gom Jabbar trial in Dune. So when I saw that, I was really looking forward to some form of exploration of the strength of will and identity. Only most of the book is not about that at all, so the title felt misleading. Also it started slowly enough that I almost didn't want to continue reading.
Some interesting ideas in the book, though, barely touched upon yet. Already mentioned the Deep Man, but also the system of government divides the population into full citizens and demi-citizens. The full citizens have to pass some tests and fulfil some conditions to demonstrate they can take responsibility for their actions and shoulder the risks of true freedom. The demi-citizens are not slaves or anything, they are just protected by the state from themselves and others. For example two citizens can declare a duel and fight to the death for some perceived honor slight, yet a citizen cannot harm a demi-citizen. Same for drugs or anything that might be perceived as dangerous or risky.
I found the idea fascinating. Basically what we now do with minors, only just passing a certain age is not the (only) requirement. Conversely, it is taken for granted that a citizen is fully responsible for their actions, but also more free to take them because of it. And it's not just empty elitism I am taking about, because the book also explores the abuses and decadent aristocratic corruption that comes from it. If you think about it, isn't the same with society now? Adults being complacent, corrupt and uncaring while holding all the power and kids ineffectual protesters against a world they don't yet fully understand?
Michael Mersault is a competent writer and I felt I knew where his influences for this book came from - and I approve. This is one of those books that you read for fun, but it hides some unexpected depth from place to place and I enjoyed that.
June 1, 2022
This author's debut novel is like Miles Vorkosigan (only taller) meets Honor Harrington with no treecats but with an adolescent AI on a spaceship in the beginning of a war of conquest, or maybe a rebellion. I really liked the characters and the setting, although sometimes the infodumps came at odd places. This also looks like the start to a series so I'm excited to see where it goes as we are just getting to the interesting aliens at the end of this book.
The main protagonist is Saef Sinclair-Maru, prodigal test-taker and duelist who never loses. His partner/bodyguard/coxswain is Inga Maru, a cousin trained just like family - you'll know what that means after you get past the first 50 pages - who is the 'cloak and dagger' part of their partnership. He gets a ship but its not the one he wanted so he makes do, but Inga interfaces with the adolescent AI to do some wonderful things to save the day. There is some politics and political stupidity, but it is part of the plot, so just go with it.
I liked the characters and that Inga is fully developed and has an equal but different part to play in the plot. I liked the bits of history that get thrown in here and there and can't wait to learn more about the Shapers whose tech is so interwoven in the life of the people in this setting. Are they the invading force or is it a different alien - we won't find out until the next book. I loved the twist towards the end, but it does take Saef out of the action for the most exciting battle, but that's ok, because he leaves it to a well-qualified female (not Inga) to save the day.
So while you're waiting for the new Bujold or Weber, try this. it's a pretty quick read and has some fun parts and lots of action and a couple good space battles. The tech is fun and not too over-the-top but does contribute to the story without having the details get you bogged down in milspec.
On the whole, this author is going into my list of favorites, so I hope the next one lives up to the setup of this one.
The main protagonist is Saef Sinclair-Maru, prodigal test-taker and duelist who never loses. His partner/bodyguard/coxswain is Inga Maru, a cousin trained just like family - you'll know what that means after you get past the first 50 pages - who is the 'cloak and dagger' part of their partnership. He gets a ship but its not the one he wanted so he makes do, but Inga interfaces with the adolescent AI to do some wonderful things to save the day. There is some politics and political stupidity, but it is part of the plot, so just go with it.
I liked the characters and that Inga is fully developed and has an equal but different part to play in the plot. I liked the bits of history that get thrown in here and there and can't wait to learn more about the Shapers whose tech is so interwoven in the life of the people in this setting. Are they the invading force or is it a different alien - we won't find out until the next book. I loved the twist towards the end, but it does take Saef out of the action for the most exciting battle, but that's ok, because he leaves it to a well-qualified female (not Inga) to save the day.
So while you're waiting for the new Bujold or Weber, try this. it's a pretty quick read and has some fun parts and lots of action and a couple good space battles. The tech is fun and not too over-the-top but does contribute to the story without having the details get you bogged down in milspec.
On the whole, this author is going into my list of favorites, so I hope the next one lives up to the setup of this one.
April 28, 2023
This was an incredible book.
The story takes place in a far-future empire long accustomed to peace. Saef Sinclair-Maru is a newly-minted captain in the Imperial Fleet. He is a prodigy of a famous but now downtrodden Family (think of them as factions) that emphasizes honor and preparation for war in a time in which those qualities are not needed.
The social structure of the empire was rather interesting, in that it divided its population into two categories: the demi-cits, which have no political power or freedom but have their needs completely taken care of, or the vested citizen, which have a say in the government and the freedom to choose their path in life, but no safety net if they fail. And people in the empire may freely choose to change their status from demi-cit to vested and vice versa. It was a twist I hadn't quite seen before, and while this isn't a major plot point (at least in this book), it makes an interesting dynamic.
The characters were uniformly compelling. There's lots of them, which in many stories tends to lead to bland character arcs, but not here. Even the side characters, from Saef's bumbling fop friend to a newly minted vested citizen on his first cruise, are given time to shine. Mersault did a masterful job making me care for each character. Inga, Saef's protector (via overt and covert methods), would be a compelling main character in her own right*. And the ship's AI steals every scene it's in - to say any more would ruin your enjoyment.
The Deep Man somehow fits all this meaty world-building and character development into a tale of breakneck action. There's ship battles, space marines, spy skullduggery, military politics, and other shocking events. My only regret about The Deep Man is that there isn't another book in this series to pick up!
*Inga's background is explored in a free short story on the Baen website (Free Stories 2022) titled "Flops". It is also highly recommended.
The story takes place in a far-future empire long accustomed to peace. Saef Sinclair-Maru is a newly-minted captain in the Imperial Fleet. He is a prodigy of a famous but now downtrodden Family (think of them as factions) that emphasizes honor and preparation for war in a time in which those qualities are not needed.
The social structure of the empire was rather interesting, in that it divided its population into two categories: the demi-cits, which have no political power or freedom but have their needs completely taken care of, or the vested citizen, which have a say in the government and the freedom to choose their path in life, but no safety net if they fail. And people in the empire may freely choose to change their status from demi-cit to vested and vice versa. It was a twist I hadn't quite seen before, and while this isn't a major plot point (at least in this book), it makes an interesting dynamic.
The characters were uniformly compelling. There's lots of them, which in many stories tends to lead to bland character arcs, but not here. Even the side characters, from Saef's bumbling fop friend to a newly minted vested citizen on his first cruise, are given time to shine. Mersault did a masterful job making me care for each character. Inga, Saef's protector (via overt and covert methods), would be a compelling main character in her own right*. And the ship's AI steals every scene it's in - to say any more would ruin your enjoyment.
The Deep Man somehow fits all this meaty world-building and character development into a tale of breakneck action. There's ship battles, space marines, spy skullduggery, military politics, and other shocking events. My only regret about The Deep Man is that there isn't another book in this series to pick up!
*Inga's background is explored in a free short story on the Baen website (Free Stories 2022) titled "Flops". It is also highly recommended.
April 13, 2022
Michael Mersault tells of a corrupt human star empire. Technology from the alien Shapers, who visit every few years, have advanced human technology and made some families very rich. A small rebellion has started, and it is a perfect place to introduce The Deep Man (trade from Baen). Saef Sinclair-Maaru is a military genius and assigned theTanager, a century old frigate jwith an unusual AI named Loki. Rumors of a Rebel attack on two possible systems has the Tanager assigned to the least likely system to be attacked. Of course it isn’t. There are assassins every where, even aboard the Tanager and Saef has to weave a treacherous path. There’s a deadly surprise waiting him at Delta three, and nothing is as it seems. This is an exciting beginning to a promising series.
March 9, 2026
reading it again .. a change from Wodehouse and Terry Pratchett
I read it a year ago for the second time; there are three books in the series so far (this is the first) , and the third one ends in a to-be-continued môde
By the way there is a short story in which we are introduced to the two lead characters (on the cover):
In it Inga is ten years old, and Saef Sinclair-Maru is 16. It is ten years later in the novel.
It is a free download from Baen Books somewhere.
I read it a year ago for the second time; there are three books in the series so far (this is the first) , and the third one ends in a to-be-continued môde
By the way there is a short story in which we are introduced to the two lead characters (on the cover):
In it Inga is ten years old, and Saef Sinclair-Maru is 16. It is ten years later in the novel.
It is a free download from Baen Books somewhere.
January 8, 2022
If you like military science fiction, this is an unexpected joy.
The beginning was solid and smooth, and then the characters grabbed me and the story took off like a rocket.
This book has the strongest characters I've seen from an unfamiliar author in years.
I can only hope the rest of the series arrives soon.
The beginning was solid and smooth, and then the characters grabbed me and the story took off like a rocket.
This book has the strongest characters I've seen from an unfamiliar author in years.
I can only hope the rest of the series arrives soon.
August 9, 2023
Well, that was a pleasant surprise. One of the best military science fiction books I've read in recent years, a debut novel by an unknown author. The writer created a new, coherent and interesting world. The main characters are well built and the plot is fascinating, even if a little predictable. Eagerly waiting to the next book in the series.
September 17, 2022
In many ways a classical sci fi story. A small group fighting against all odds, lots of danger and an unknown enemy. Still the characters are interesting and the lore fairly original. Also its fast paced so it gets a recommendation from me.
Cheers.
Cheers.
October 19, 2023
This book was a pleasant surprise as a very particular sci fi fan who has a hard time getting into new books. Politics, action, violence, mystery, humor, and an interesting variety of characters. Highly recommend. Excited to get started on the 2nd book in the series.
August 16, 2024
I found this at the local library's used book sale. It may be the best 10 cents I ever spent. I went in with zero expectations and liked the story, the universe, the enemy and the characters. I am hoping that Mr. Mersault isn't a two book Baen wonder.
July 27, 2022
The more I read, the better it got. Sequels needed, soon!!
March 27, 2023
Liked the book a lot. I am very grateful to find a good sci fi book that is complete. Not a trilogy with future books not yet written.
July 17, 2025
4 stars. Interesting story with many unique aspects. It's decent as a space navy tale with additional features of a corrupt empire and looming alien threat.
August 23, 2025
Dune-lite. Good action sequences; tech-bro politics...
February 4, 2025
Full disclosure: Received at the 2024 ConGregate Baen Book Roadshow for free. No review required.
Vibes: Libertarian-style military sci-fi with swordfights, gunfights, spaceship battles, ground action, mechs, aliens, intelligent ships, Dune-like quotes - wonderful goodness. Some of Baen at its best.
The Reality: I know I said "Libertarian" and initially it does seem to be that superman-styled story which assumes everyone and anyone is capable of reaching the pinnacle of society and if they don't it is their own fault. Our hero, Saef, won the genetic lottery and is a child prodigy for what his Family values. And here is where that goes off the political embrace of perfection from individuals create a perfect society. The world-building is for military action with specialization; Saef does not and cannot act alone. He is not capable of everything. He depends on Inga, and a long list of shipmates, specialists from Ops to Micro-Engineering. He depends on his Family for financial and emotional support, and supports them as well. So while the vibe of Libertarian is strong, the end result, when you peel back the presentation falls short of the extreme. The world-building is about everyone is necessarily, whatever their specialty - cook to corporate, for society to survive.
Overall, I would give the book a 4.5 stars. The manuscript seems to fall just shy of the best of science fiction. I could use a bit more humor; one character was inserted for humor purposes but, at the moment, seems to have no other reason for being. Claude isn't integral to the first story of the trilogy.
But even beyond that, something just doesn't sit right. A vibe humming just a breath off tune. It took some time to figure out. Science Fiction, the ones I like the best, are about hope, a study of potential. The Deep Man skirts the edge. An amazing society allowing people to push themselves to nearly unimaginable levels through leveraging alien tech; but at the same time has devastating poverty. Every single success at the same time also has a painful cost.
With great power comes great responsibility.
That dancing on the edge between hope and despair, between power and payment, is extremely well-done. Maybe the best hugging of that razor-honed edge I've ever seen. I'm going to round up to a full five stars.
Vibes: Libertarian-style military sci-fi with swordfights, gunfights, spaceship battles, ground action, mechs, aliens, intelligent ships, Dune-like quotes - wonderful goodness. Some of Baen at its best.
The Reality: I know I said "Libertarian" and initially it does seem to be that superman-styled story which assumes everyone and anyone is capable of reaching the pinnacle of society and if they don't it is their own fault. Our hero, Saef, won the genetic lottery and is a child prodigy for what his Family values. And here is where that goes off the political embrace of perfection from individuals create a perfect society. The world-building is for military action with specialization; Saef does not and cannot act alone. He is not capable of everything. He depends on Inga, and a long list of shipmates, specialists from Ops to Micro-Engineering. He depends on his Family for financial and emotional support, and supports them as well. So while the vibe of Libertarian is strong, the end result, when you peel back the presentation falls short of the extreme. The world-building is about everyone is necessarily, whatever their specialty - cook to corporate, for society to survive.
Overall, I would give the book a 4.5 stars. The manuscript seems to fall just shy of the best of science fiction. I could use a bit more humor; one character was inserted for humor purposes but, at the moment, seems to have no other reason for being. Claude isn't integral to the first story of the trilogy.
But even beyond that, something just doesn't sit right. A vibe humming just a breath off tune. It took some time to figure out. Science Fiction, the ones I like the best, are about hope, a study of potential. The Deep Man skirts the edge. An amazing society allowing people to push themselves to nearly unimaginable levels through leveraging alien tech; but at the same time has devastating poverty. Every single success at the same time also has a painful cost.
With great power comes great responsibility.
That dancing on the edge between hope and despair, between power and payment, is extremely well-done. Maybe the best hugging of that razor-honed edge I've ever seen. I'm going to round up to a full five stars.
June 5, 2024
Fantastic book
Excellent and different take on a galactic empire, aliens & war. Tech, character and culture development all draw you in. Looking forward to the next book!
Excellent and different take on a galactic empire, aliens & war. Tech, character and culture development all draw you in. Looking forward to the next book!
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