Schythium

By: W.S. Wilcox

Narrated by: Blaze Dragon

Length: 10 hrs and 14 mins

Publisher's summary

The Federation has found a resource capable of delivering the necessary advantage to finally win the long war against the Bugs. The only problem is the Bugs have found it first. Desperate to end the war, the Federation mobilizes its legions from across the galaxy to launch the largest invasion in human history. Millions of soldiers will be thrown into the fray on a hostile planet where the brutal geography makes conventional warfare impossible.

Sargent Braddock of the Federation Cavalry is a combat-hardened veteran and an expert at fighting Bugs. He knows that when it comes to the Bug War, no two deployments are the same. But what he doesn’t know is how drastically different this one will be. In order to snatch victory from the jaws of chaos, he will have to rethink everything he knows about combat, Bugs, and himself. Weighed down by the increasing pressures of leadership, Braddock struggles to find a balance between following obscene orders and being responsible for the lives of his soldiers.

Despite Braddock’s reservation, the Federation mandates that the planet must be taken at all costs. What they fail to realize is that taking this planet could cost them everything.

©2022 William Scott Wilcox (P)2022 William Scott Wilcox

Just wow!

From the moment I hit play on the audiobook of Schythium, I was thrust into a heart-pounding, adrenaline-pumping world of epic galactic warfare and intense human drama. While the book's well-woven narrative and creative plot offer a thrilling experience, it's the unforgettable performance by the exceptionally talented Blaze Dragon that truly elevates this audiobook into the realm of the extraordinary.

The narrative's energy and suspense are seamlessly amplified by Blaze Dragon's masterful narration, his vocal variations breathing life into a vast cast of characters. His particular representation of Sargent Braddock, the story's protagonist and undeniably one of the most badass characters I've encountered in recent times, was outstanding. Blaze captured the essence of Braddock - the hardened combat veteran and fearless leader - with such gusto and veracity that I could almost feel the weight of the armor on my own shoulders.

Throughout the course of the book, we experience the endless churning of the Bug War, the grueling battles, and the intense geopolitical intrigues, all seen through the eyes of Braddock. And Blaze's narration ensured that we were right there with him, sharing his victories, losses, and the toll they take. The scenes where the riders connect with their mounts, in particular, showcased Blaze's capacity to infuse emotion and depth into his performance, fostering an incredible bond between listener, character, and story.

Blaze Dragon's range of voices, tones, and inflections made the characters and the alien world of Schythium come alive, effortlessly carrying the listener on a rollicking adventure across galaxies. His skillful narration drew out the intricacies of the narrative, layering tension, fear, joy, and hope into a stunning auditory landscape.

In the end, Blaze Dragon's narration transformed Schythium from a compelling read into a must-experience journey. He infused every word, every scene with a vividness that commanded attention and deepened our investment in the story. A symphony of voice and emotion, his performance is a testament to the power of storytelling and is undoubtedly what makes this book a standout in the sea of sci-fi literature.

If you're a fan of riveting galactic adventures, complex characters, and exceptional audiobook narration, then buckle up for a ride with Sargent Braddock and his riders in Schythium, narrated by the incomparable Blaze Dragon. It's a journey you won't soon forget.

good narration, decent book

You can really see some influences from Starship Troopers and Starcraft in here. There's a lot of interesting moments that I honestly couldn't step away from.

I have a few gripes about it, mostly that there are a ton of history references dating back THOUSANDS of years. It feels like we are constantly going from future to distant past comparisons, there is literally no in-between. Also the MC drifts off on wild tangents and even other characters tend to do it fairly often.

I think that Blaze did a great job narrating, his voices were easy to differentiate and fit the story well.

Tl:Dr
Wilcox through together a decent story with some minor plot issues and some drawn out scenes. The audio quality is great and makes for an easy listen, Blaze keeps the voices distinct and entertaining. I will give another Wilcox novel a shot, I think there's some potential here and it really shows the further you get into the book.

Thanks for an entertaining listen!

Great sci-fi action adventure!

Wow, really surprised at how much I enjoyed this. Reminds of a combination of starcraft video games mixed with starship troopers movie. Where to begin.

The narration: First few chapters felt like they were read a bit fast, but after about 7 or so pacing was good. Love all the character voices, really brought the story to life. A few places sounded a bit off when it was really loud with shouting but on a whole enjoyable performance to listen too. You can feel the emotion in the voices when characters talk.

The story: Interesting world and enjoyable characters. The way the author jumps around between characters in chapters feels natural and leaves you at cliff hangers wanting more. Even though the world feels likes things I've read and seen before the story still feels fresh and pulls you in. You care about the characters and feel like you are going through their trials with them. The author is not afraid to kill off characters which is refreshing and hits hard when you lose people. The story took a lot of twists and turns with an ending I did not expect. You want to cheer along with the federation calvary.