Pros
- More interesting expansion of the overall plot to something beyond the Galactics and previously introduced enemies
- New enemies pose more of a danger than Galactics and are intriguing
- Some answers to plot questions introduced in previous books
Cons
- Not as much information about new villains
Jungle World Review
Jungle World by B. V. Larson injects some much needed new elements into a story that was becoming a little stagnant with the antagonists who plagued Earth.
It can be a challenge to keep the plot fresh for a series like Undying Mercenaries. The plot element that allows the protagonists to return again and again via the revival machine can sometimes make death and the potential loss of characters less frightening. Indeed, death is only a temporary setback for the characters in this series.
But having the same characters return book after book can make the story feel a little stale. So short of introducing and developing new recurring characters—an uphill battle—to a cast of already mature characters, there are few options.
One of those options is to introduce new villains. And the new crystalline villains in Jungle World promise to upset the hierarchy of power in the galaxy that has the Galactics sitting on top.
While the story takes awhile to develop with Earth, particularly Legion Varus, returning to fight an old enemy, Rigel, it takes a dramatic turn when Legion Varus arrives on Jungle World.
There, old friends and enemies meet to do battle once again. However, toward the end of the story, the battles shift as McGill and Varus encounter a more frightening threat that has old enemies reconsidering their relationship.
This new threat promises to make the subsequent books a more interesting. And for fans of the series, McGill returns to his old self—perhaps half of his energies are focused on women, including a new one who attracts his attention.
Mysteries introduced in previous books are expanded upon a bit toward the conclusion of the book. The story regarding Graves and the insurrectionists is developed with the brain in the jar making an appearance. It should be no surprise to longtime fans as to the gender. And the brain’s name foreshadows a period of domestic conflict for Earth that promises an interesting direction for the series.
Jungle World by B. V. Larson greatly expands upon the universe that is Undying Mercenaries and promises that subsequent books will be more intriguing as these plot elements develop further.
Read reviews of other books by B. V. Larson and others below.
