Steel World - Undying Mercenaries - Book 1
                                               

Author B. V. Larson
Narrator Mark Boyett  MP3 Bitrate 63kbps
Illustrator Tom Edwards
                             

                                           Steel World is the first book of the Undying Mercenaries series.
           
                                                                                        Official summary

I, James McGill, was born in 2099 on the arsehole of the  galaxy. When Hegemony Financial denied my loan applications, I was kicked out of the university and I turned to the stars. My first campaign involved the invasion of a mineral-rich planet called Cancri-9, better known as Steel World. The attack didn’t go well, and now Earth has entered a grim struggle for survival.

Humanity’s mercenary legions go to war in STEEL WORLD, bestselling author B. V. Larson’s latest science fiction novel.

                                                                                                Synopsis

The story takes place on Earth in the early 2100's set against a history in which a powerful collective of ancient alien races, the Galactics, from the center of the galaxy have annexed Earth into their Empire. Each planet in the Empire is required to provide a service, often referred to as a "trade good" or face extermination. In order meet that requirement Earth provides the only valuable thing they have to sell, their soldiers. Earth's Mercenary legions have been sold to local star systems for almost a century.

As the book opens James McGill, a mediocre college student and frequent gamer is living with his parent. When he is financially unable to complete his education he joins Legion Varus, one the least respected of the Legions.

While at the mustering hall he meets Carlos Ortiz. Despite the tension and frequent fighting between them they both end up in the same Legion and Carlos ends up being McGill's closest friend in the legion.

Legion Varus ships out to their next contract - Cancri-9 - a planet rich in minerals, earning it the name Steel World. Steel World is inhabited and controlled by several varieties on saurian lifeforms; the most common of these being raptors and juggers. Varus has been hired to put down a local miner strike.

Several engagements between the two sides leading to McGill's first death. Varus possesses advanced alien technology that allows it to grow fresh copies of it's soldiers when they die. As the number of battles increases and death count rises Varus discovers the legion has been tricked into accepting their contract in order prove the saurians are the superior soldiers.

Chief Inspector Xlur, a Galactic, is secretly observing the contests. The army that wins in the end will be declared the winner and allowed to keep providing mercenary services in the local region of the Empire. If Varus loses the saurians will be allowed to take over that service leaving Earth without a trade good.

At the end of the final battle at the planet's spaceport McGill is the sole survivor. He fails to convince the Nairbs - the impartial judges of the "contest" - that Varus won the battle but points out that the saurians have been using unlicensed revival machines, meaning Varus wins on a technicality.

                                                                                         Main Characters

James McGill
Carlos Ortiz
Galina Turov
Claver


                                                                                    Secondary Characters



Natasha Elkin
Kivi
Cooper
Chief Inspector Xlur (deceased)
Grand Admiral Sateekas
Winslade
Adjunct Harris
Adjunct Barton
Adjunct Leeson
Drusus
Tribune Armel
Etta McGill
Della
GRAVES
ANNE GRANT
Specialist Sargon
Jennie Mills
VICE ADMIRAL SATIKAS
RAJ the Raptor

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