The Myriad (Tour of the Merrimack Series #1) Book

The review I was mentally writing as I read the book:

The Myriad: Tour of the Merrimack #1 falls into the class of Military SF that borrows heavily from Age of Sail novels. I don't by and large enjoy Age of Sail novels, unless they're exceptional, and I don't much enjoy the Military SF that echoes it. I read David Feintuch's Midshipman's Hope, and enjoyed it, but I would not read it again. That said, I quite enjoyed this book. The action is mostly military, but with some very appealing character dynamics between the captain, and the intelligence officer assigned to him; given the fact that the intelligence officer is from another galactic empire, one until recently at war with Earth, and you get an appealing tangle of resentment, distrust, and mutual respect that I found very compelling. The enemy which has united the two warring factions is horrific and well imagined, the world and its characters more original than I expect from the genre, and the physics are almost a character on their own. It's action packed, and neither the military action nor the periods between ever seem to drag. The book is never predictable and holy mother of unnamed squamous gods what the sweet zombies on Mars is--

The review I wrote after finishing the book:

The Myriad: Tour of the Merrimack #1 by R. M. Meluch is a seducer and a betrayer. I have had my heart ripped out and torn to shreds before my very eyes. I feel alone, abandoned, disconsolate, ruined. Is there really any true and beautiful thing left in the universe? Will I ever find true love? Will anyone ever love me? I'm gong to go play Killing Me Softly and eat cookie-dough ice-cream now.