Planetside by Michael Mammay
Colonel Carl Butler is in the middle of his last, quiet assignment before retirement when his old friend, General Serata, calls him in for a favor. Butler is to investigate the disappearance of the son of a High Councilor. Lieutenant Mallot has disappeared in the middle of a war zone on the planet Cappa where human mining operations have upset some of the native Cappans. Butler realizes that this is the type of assignment that no one with any hope of further career advancement would want to touch.
When Butler gets to Cappa, he finds the situation even thornier than he expected. The base commander may have his own agenda, the hospital administrator is openly hostile, and the enigmatic special forces commander is planetside and not very accommodating. The military being like any other bureaucracy, none of the various commanders are very good at cooperating with one another. Butler cannot be initially assured of the loyalties of those assigned to assist him in his investigation, further complicating his efforts.
Butler uncovers suspicious actions and a possible conspiracy. The attempts made on his life confirm the seriousness of the situation, but Butler is operating far from home and without much of a safety net. It is up to him to figure out and remedy the situation and to take the fall if he gets it wrong.
Mammay tells an outstanding story. His own military background shines through in the authentic depiction of military life, even if it is set in space. Planetside is as much a mystery, almost noir, as it is a science fiction story. Mammay is particularly skilled at blending the two elements. This is not a mystery with a sci-fi setting tacked on, nor is it sci-fi with a mystery added as filler. The science fiction elements are integral to the complicated and compelling mystery. The Special Forces commander and the planetside elements of the story have an Apocalypse Now feel to them. (My point of reference as I haven’t read Heart of Darkness.)
The action is first-rate and has an up-close and authentic feel to it. The mystery is layered with each discovery by Butler leading to another clue until he arrives at its heart. The revelations feel earned. Butler is an engaging character written with great wit and a generous amount of humor. Mammay skillfully surrounds him with strong supporting characters who must earn the readers’ trust just as they must earn Butler’s.
R.C. Bray does an impeccable job as narrator of the audio version. No stranger to science fiction, Bray captures the gruff Colonel’s intelligence and humor. Butler’s wariness, humor, anger, and resignation are all displayed vocally as well as by the context of the story. The combination of Mammay’s writing and Bray’s narration are captivating from beginning to end. The story is good enough on its own, but I recommend listening to the audiobook if you can simply because Bray’s narration adds so much to the experience.
This is an impressive bit of storytelling that should appeal to both science fiction and mystery fans. If Mammay is this good in his debut, you can count me in for whatever he writes next. Highly recommended.
I was provided a copy of this audiobook by the publisher.
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