Tour of the Merrimack Series by R.M. Meluch

The Barnes & Noble ReviewR. M. Meluch's first novel in more than a decade, The Myriad, begins a series that is an amalgam of subgenres: military science fiction, space opera, time paradox, and alternate history... moreThe Barnes & Noble ReviewR. M. Meluch's first novel in more than a decade, The Myriad, begins a series that is an amalgam of subgenres: military science fiction, space opera, time paradox, and alternate history.On an Earth where the Roman Empire never fell (but instead existed in secret societies for millennia, finally reestablishing itself on the planet Palatine) and is now embroiled in a war against the League of Earth Nations, a much more deadly foe emerges from the darkness of deep space -- the Hive. The governments of Palatine and Earth enter into an uneasy alliance to fight the alien invaders, nondescript antagonists that exist only to consume. While the unified forces try to keep the Hive from destroying human-populated planets, one U.S. battleship, the Merrimack, sets off on a quest to find the Hive's homeworld and take the battle to its source.During the ship's desperate search, the crew of the Merrimack discovers a strange star cluster with three worlds inhabited by sentient beings. After first contact with the amazingly humanoid populace, Captain John Farragut discovers a series of wormholes that could unlock the secrets that could defeat the Hive -- or destroy humankind forever.Vaguely reminiscent of Robert A. Heinlein's Starship Troopers (specifically, the relentless alien antagonists and the over-the-top, gung-ho characters), Meluch's The Myriad is lighthearted, fast-paced fun. While obviously not as intense or controversial as Heinlein's Hugo Award winning classic, this novel will prove thoroughly enjoyable to fans of military science fiction authors like David Weber and David Drake. Paul Goat Allen less

The U.S. Merrimack was the finest battleship in Earth's fleet, able to withstand the best the Palatine Empire could throw at them. Only her sister ship, the Monitor, was her equal. So when the Palatine forces secretly captured Monitor, Merrimack's security was compromised-and that was just the opening salvo of a whole new stage of war between Palatine and Earth.

The U.S.S. Merrimack was the finest battleship class spaceship in Earth's fleet, able to stand up against the best the Palatine Empire could throw at them. They were even able to survive  an attack by the  deadly swarms of the seemingly unstoppable Hive. Only her sister ship, the Monitor, was her equal. However, with the Palatine forces preparing a massive offensive, and the Hive targeting every living organism in the galaxy for destruction, even these two great battleships may fall... moreThe U.S.S. Merrimack was the finest battleship class spaceship in Earth's fleet, able to stand up against the best the Palatine Empire could throw at them. They were even able to survive  an attack by the  deadly swarms of the seemingly unstoppable Hive. Only her sister ship, the Monitor, was her equal. However, with the Palatine forces preparing a massive offensive, and the Hive targeting every living organism in the galaxy for destruction, even these two great battleships may fall....This omnibus edition includes the first two novels of R.M. Meluch's acclaimed Tour of the Merrimack series, The Myriad and Wolf Star. less

In the third novel of this acclaimed military science fiction series, all of humanity and its alien allies have joined together to battle the Hive-a force of pure destruction sweeping through the galaxy. But when the leader of the Roman world is assassinated, tensions escalate-and Captain John Farragut is forced to lead a mission into the heart of Hive territory in search of a man who's been "dead" for decades...

Captain John Farragut and the crew of the U.S.S. Merrimack face their greatest challenge as Caesar Romulus declares war on the United States of America with a direct attack on Earth. The Merrimack retaliates with an assault on the Roman capital world of Palatine, and in the midst of the chaos, the Hive descends on Earth. With the battle raging, Farragut finds himself in the middle of a final deadly showdown.

Earth's space forces, spearheaded by the United States, have long been at war with the forces of the Palatine Empire, a neo-Roman culture that broke away from Earth's control long ago. The pride of the U.S. space fleet is the battle-class starship, the U.S.S. Merrimack, commanded by Captain John Farragut... moreEarth's space forces, spearheaded by the United States, have long been at war with the forces of the Palatine Empire, a neo-Roman culture that broke away from Earth's control long ago. The pride of the U.S. space fleet is the battle-class starship, the U.S.S. Merrimack, commanded by Captain John Farragut. But when the alien life-form known as the Hive--a biological force whose only imperative is to seek and devour--begins wreaking destrution aross the galaxy, the Romans are forced to turn to Earth for help. But can these two longtime enemies keep from fighting each other long enough to destroy the Hive and save mankind?Tour of the Merrimack: Volume Two contains the third and fourth books, The Sagittarius Command and Strength and Honor, of R.M. Meluch's thrilling and acclaimed Tour of the Merrimack series. less

Fifth in the hard-hitting military science-fiction series. On the distant world of Zoe, an expedition finds DNA-based life. When alien invaders are also discovered, Glenn Hamilton calls on the U.S.S. Merrimack for help. But the Ninth Circle and the Palatine Empire have also found Zoe. Soon everyone will be on a collision course to determine the fate of this planet.

In the year 2448, the interstellar Empire of Rome spans an area almost as wide as the far-flung colonial worlds of the United States of America.   Caesar Numa Pompeii is still rebuilding his shredded empire after the catastrophic war that his predecessor, Caesar Romulus, waged against the United States. War’s end left Romulus in a nanovirus-induced coma, captive of Caesar Numa... moreIn the year 2448, the interstellar Empire of Rome spans an area almost as wide as the far-flung colonial worlds of the United States of America.   Caesar Numa Pompeii is still rebuilding his shredded empire after the catastrophic war that his predecessor, Caesar Romulus, waged against the United States. War’s end left Romulus in a nanovirus-induced coma, captive of Caesar Numa.   Numa has under his command a powerful living weapon—a patterner, an augmented man capable of synthesizing vast amounts of data into actionable intelligence.   Now, Numa has lost his prisoner, and his patterner may have turned on him, while the U.S.S. Merrimack has lost the commander of her Fleet Marines, Colonel T. R. Steele.   Events take a Mobius turn when fanatical devotees of Romulus rescue their fallen leader from his tortured captivity and fashion him into the most capable patterner ever created. Romulus is back, more insanely brilliant than ever. But without his queen, all the power in the universe means nothing. Romulus will move heaven and Earth and space and time to rescue his beloved Claudia.   Admiral John Farragut returns to the space battle­ship Merrimack in an attempt to head off the impend­ing temporal catastrophe. Past and future hinge on a critical moment when time broke once before in the distant star cluster known as the Myriad. less