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Steel World (Undying Mercenaries) Paperback – November 4, 2013

4.3 out of 5 stars 6,775 ratings

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In the twentieth century Earth sent probes, transmissions and welcoming messages to the stars. Unfortunately, someone noticed.The Galactics arrived with their battle fleet in 2052. Rather than being exterminated under a barrage of hell-burners, Earth joined their vast Empire. Swearing allegiance to our distant alien overlords wasn’t the only requirement for survival. We also had to have something of value to trade, something that neighboring planets would pay their hard-earned credits to buy. As most of the local worlds were too civilized to have a proper army, the only valuable service Earth could provide came in the form of soldiers…someone had to do their dirty work for them, their fighting and dying.I, James McGill, was born in 2099 on the fringe of the galaxy. When Hegemony Financial denied my loan applications, I was kicked out of the university and I turned to the stars. My first campaign involved the invasion of a mineral-rich planet called Cancri-9, better known as Steel World. The attack didn’t go well, and now Earth has entered a grim struggle for survival.Humanity’s mercenary legions go to war in STEEL WORLD, bestselling author B. V. Larson’s latest science fiction novel.
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; 1st edition (November 4, 2013)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 345 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1493680552
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1493680559
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.3 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.78 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 out of 5 stars 6,775 ratings

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B. V. Larson
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Check out the author's Homepage: BVLarson.com

USA Today Bestselling author B. V. Larson has written more than seventy books with over four million copies sold. He writes in several genres, but most of his work is Science Fiction. Many of his titles have been professionally produced as audiobooks and print as well as ebook form. Thirty-nine of them have been translated into other languages and distributed by major publishers in foreign countries. He writes college textbooks in addition to fiction, and his three-book series on computer science is currently in its seventh edition.

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
6,775 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this science fiction book engaging with well-developed characters and humor that makes them laugh out loud. Moreover, the writing is fast-paced and easy to read, with one customer noting it reads like a game. Additionally, they appreciate the book's originality and consider it a good start to a series.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

889 customers mention "Readability"867 positive22 negative

Customers find the book highly readable, with the story being well thought out and entertaining to read.

"...All these books are original stories with good plots, entertaining action scenes and memorable characters...." Read more

"Interesting read, why were weapons for recruits so basic against a known foe, why the reluctance to use heavy weapons." Read more

"I was very happy with the book. The characters are funny, the military culture is believable and the setting is interesting. Overall very impressed." Read more

"...I loved loved the entire ride. It's totally UNIQUE with lots of great characters and the all of human life at stake but for different reasons...." Read more

619 customers mention "Action content"558 positive61 negative

Customers enjoy the compelling action and engaging plot of the book, describing it as a space Western with plenty of excitement.

"...The good news is most soldiers survive to fight another day, even if killed in battle, unless you get “permed” by accident or some other unfortunate..." Read more

"...The characters are funny, the military culture is believable and the setting is interesting. Overall very impressed." Read more

"...Doesn't take itself too seriously, with all the expected components- politics, romance, battle, and a bit of suspense for how it will all turn out." Read more

"...1. Playability and repeatability: To be able to mow down enemies in a satisfying way, in a way that is just familiar enough to feel comfortable, and..." Read more

317 customers mention "Character development"265 positive52 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, noting how the author brings life to story entities and shows growth within the group, with one customer specifically praising the portrayal of young twenty-something characters.

"...book five stars because it is original and imaginative, with memorable characters, extremely well written dialog and numerous battle scenes full of..." Read more

"I was very happy with the book. The characters are funny, the military culture is believable and the setting is interesting. Overall very impressed." Read more

"...2. The ability to disengage from the character - play in their bodies, but not their heads. Kill 10,000, turn off computer, kill more tomorrow...." Read more

"...I loved loved the entire ride. It's totally UNIQUE with lots of great characters and the all of human life at stake but for different reasons...." Read more

236 customers mention "Writing quality"197 positive39 negative

Customers find the book well-written and easy to read, with a fast-paced style, and one customer notes it is very well edited.

"...it is original and imaginative, with memorable characters, extremely well written dialog and numerous battle scenes full of surprises...." Read more

"...In this book, there's a few good things. Firstly, it's well written - the author had a clear, consistent and strong voice...." Read more

"...The novel is well written, fleshed out nicely, and the characters are given enough background and info so we can get interested while also not..." Read more

"...The books are also very, very funny. Darkly, richly, profoundly (and did I remember to say darkly?) funny...." Read more

185 customers mention "Pacing"148 positive37 negative

Customers enjoy the pacing of the book, describing it as a fast-paced read that can be completed in one sitting, with one customer noting it reads like a game.

"...The dialog is humorous, blunt, irreverent, witty, descriptive and fast paced...." Read more

"...1. Playability and repeatability: To be able to mow down enemies in a satisfying way, in a way that is just familiar enough to feel comfortable, and..." Read more

"...James McGill is too good. He’s immediately the best at everything that he does...." Read more

"Fast paced, fun, with an actual story. I hope the author can keep this up for the 22(?) books that are currently out." Read more

144 customers mention "Series start"144 positive0 negative

Customers find this book to be a very good start to a series, with one customer specifically praising the first 10 chapters, and another noting it as the beginning of the Undying Mercenaries series.

"...the series right away if this book isn't your favorite, the series gets rapidly better, and its clear that the author had a lot of fun writing this..." Read more

"...And I can tell you that the series just gets better and better! I am a huge fan of the Flashman historical fiction series...." Read more

"...Over all a good book and start of the series. If they keep go this level of writing, will continue to enjoy them...." Read more

"...Good set-up for the subsequent books." Read more

76 customers mention "Humor"67 positive9 negative

Customers enjoy the book's humor, finding it smartly funny with dialogue that makes them laugh out loud.

"...The dialog is humorous, blunt, irreverent, witty, descriptive and fast paced...." Read more

"Military space opera at it's best. Doesn't take itself too seriously, with all the expected components- politics, romance, battle, and a bit of..." Read more

"...is great at creating alien races with lots of personality and disdain for humans, which makes for funny situations...." Read more

"...while BV Larson has changed the canon in some ways, its not world breaking or annoying (Looking at you Disney Star Wars)...." Read more

57 customers mention "Originality"57 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's originality, noting its unique look and well-conceived themes.

"...I give this book five stars because it is original and imaginative, with memorable characters, extremely well written dialog and numerous battle..." Read more

"...Mercs, and the endless death-revival of said soldiers - are refreshingly original...." Read more

"...I loved loved the entire ride. It's totally UNIQUE with lots of great characters and the all of human life at stake but for different reasons...." Read more

"...The book was well laid out and well plotted. It was structurally pretty good...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on October 20, 2016
    From My Goodreads Review Number 54:

    This review is on Steel World by B.V. Larson. This is the first book I have read by this writer. It won’t be the last.

    To say the least, I was not expecting this type of Military Science Fiction. For starters, who would think that human mercenary soldiers fighting saurian reptiles, which included raptor-looking dinosaurs called “Dinos” for short and huge T-Rex looking theropods called “Juggers” on a hot, dry planet called Cancri-9, would be so entertaining and memorable. Cancri-9 is called a “steel world” because it is a mineral rich carbide planet made of iron and carbon and other rare metals in high demand by the alien rulers.

    In the story, James McGill is an underachieving, online video gaming, third year college student who is forced to drop out of college when his family runs out of money. He decides it is time to leave home and get a job. In his case, James thought it would be a snap to join one of the space-going legions and become a mercenary that fights wars on contract for the Hegemony and Galactic Governments. You see, humans are only allowed to exist if Earth sends human legions to fight other aliens on contract as needed. The Galactics run the show and humans provide the muscle under strict conditions. The good news is most soldiers survive to fight another day, even if killed in battle, unless you get “permed” by accident or some other unfortunate circumstance. You will understand the situation a lot better when you read the book.

    Unfortunately, it is a lot tougher than James thought to join one of the most popular legions. It seems they only want people to do what they are told, follow the rules and not be independent thinkers who can cause trouble. James ends up signing with Legion Varus, a bottom of the barrel, loser outfit many people think. It seems the legion gets “wiped” a lot. So begins James six-year military experience.

    This book reminds me of several other great stories I read with similar themes such as The Forever War by Joe Haldeman, Old Man’s War by John Scalzi and Armor by John Steakley. All these books are original stories with good plots, entertaining action scenes and memorable characters.

    What makes this story so entertaining is the style of writing. B.V. Larson writes the story in the first person, which makes James seem so realistic, unpredictable and human. The dialog is humorous, blunt, irreverent, witty, descriptive and fast paced. I laughed out loud several times as James examined his dire situation and cursed the outcome.

    I give this book five stars because it is original and imaginative, with memorable characters, extremely well written dialog and numerous battle scenes full of surprises. This book will end up as a classic military science fiction story. I hope B.V Larson writes a sequel. Enjoy.
    23 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2025
    Interesting read, why were weapons for recruits so basic against a known foe, why the reluctance to use heavy weapons.
  • Reviewed in the United States on April 14, 2025
    I was very happy with the book. The characters are funny, the military culture is believable and the setting is interesting. Overall very impressed.
  • Reviewed in the United States on July 12, 2024
    Military space opera at it's best. Doesn't take itself too seriously, with all the expected components- politics, romance, battle, and a bit of suspense for how it will all turn out.
  • Reviewed in the United States on January 8, 2014
    TL;DR version: Better than average world-building concepts, reads like well-written Mass Effect fanfiction, Dinosaurs In Space! (+1.5 stars just for this), MC is not a convincing soldier, MURIKA!

    Longer version:
    Of many, there are three things that, I believe, characterize good science fiction stories:

    1. The Concept(s): good concepts are about technology, about looking at the Universe a different way, about something new born out of the minds of men (or aliens). And ultimately, the concept must be expressed in human terms, must shape and warp and define the narrative in a deeply meaningful way. This book delivers on the concepts it promised. +1.5 stars.

    2. The Character(s): 3D. Familiar-and-yet-unfamiliar. Heroic, whatever the author defines that word to be. Convictions, moral or immoral, chaotic or otherwise, but *convincing* convictions.

    3. The Arc(s): Growth or decay. Change. Not just in the story, but in the *reader*.

    I have never encountered a truly *good* science fiction story from which I didn't walk away a changed person, in a small or a large way. Because we - our hopes, our fears, our technologies, our worlds - are mirrored in the story and the character.

    Conversely, of the many things that characterize first-person-shooter/shooter-rpg games, there are two that are pertinent to this book:

    1. Playability and repeatability: To be able to mow down enemies in a satisfying way, in a way that is just familiar enough to feel comfortable, and in a way that's changed just enough that we keep coming back to mow down said enemies on new terrain.

    2. The ability to disengage from the character - play in their bodies, but not their heads. Kill 10,000, turn off computer, kill more tomorrow. Headshot! Awesome! Laggy. Damn. I mean, if you grant violent FPS games the ability to truly *change* or *affect* the player, you have to grant that kids are being brainwashed into mass-school-shooting perpetrators because of video games, which is hogwash.

    Both games and novels are awesome things in their own right, but when your gameplay is nothing but cut-scenes with a dude reading to you, it sucks. And when your novel reads like a dramatized version of UT....

    In this book, there's a few good things. Firstly, it's well written - the author had a clear, consistent and strong voice. Secondly, the plot moves along at a fair enough clip (despite there being, in parts, too much shot-for-shot narration, enough that Clancy would get bored). Thirdly, two of the concepts developed - Earth's only export being Mercs, and the endless death-revival of said soldiers - are refreshingly original.

    Caveat: they're refreshingly original *if* you look at the book as a book, and not video-game fanfiction. The author gives it away a bit too, at the beginning.

    This book is a gamer's fantasy. The plot can be boiled down to this: entitled gamer-kid realizes family doesn't have money to send him to school, enrolls in a mercenary outfit, battles ensue, he finishes all his missions, dies and gets revived a couple of times, a couple of cut-scenes explain the larger universe. At the end, we find out there's Politics. And Bureaucracy. The Earth is at risk, and low-level grunt will somehow save the day, eventually, buy the expansion pack and find out how.

    My biggest gripe isn't even the lack of *other* world-building concepts, I mean, FTL is somehow there and isn't even hand-waved, it's unlikely you're going to get lizards with blood similar to humans on a silica-poor world, blah blah blah. Whatever, I've read and admired worse world-building in books.

    My biggest gripe is the Main Character - already forgotten his name, Jarvis McCain?

    Firstly, he's a dick. A caricature of what people think teenage gamer guys are - unsympathetic to their families' plights, unmotivated about carriers and schools, arrogant and self-entitled. Okay sure, let's wait and see how this guy grows and changes...and wait...and wait...The End.

    He's not a convincing solider, or a convincing Merc. After much training and supposedly life-and-death bonding experiences, his concept of camaraderie begins and ends with off-hand insults traded with a lacky. His unit-cohesion with his squad is nonexistent. He obeys orders when he feels like it, rebels when it suits his surly, arrogant self. He's *exactly* what an entitled-dick-gamer-caricature-19-year-old *thinks* a soldier is.

    A real marine would pop this kid one in the teeth.

    And he's the hero.

    This could have played very well - real opportunity for meaningful character growth right there. I suspect, however, that the author is *not* aware of how very un-soldier like his "solider" is.

    At least there's women fighting alongside men, equality in the forces and all that jazz, right? Well, there's 4 major female side characters. Kiwi, squadmate (sexed by MC). Natasha, squadmate (clumsily romanced, rescued and then sexed by MC). Anne, biomedical officer (shown to be incompetent under fire, unfairly blaming MC, then rescued by MC, now friendly. To be leered at in 3 separate scenes out of a total of 7 encounters). Thompson, another biomed. CRAZY BITCH out to kill MC. The 2nd in Command of the entire mercanary fleet. CRAZY BITCH - Hillary Clinton in Space, out to KILL MC but leered at by MC the moment he sees her. Petty jealousies, because they're all fighting, one way or another, over MC's ass.

    Oh, and he's the most popular guy around, got a mouthy sidekick that's more comic relief than friend.

    If this was a real person - or even if the author was doing a character interview, I'd like to ask him a couple of questions:

    1. Solider, did you ever miss your mother, she of the shaking-hands who tried to keep you in elite-gaming-rigs and university with the last of her money? Did you ever write home? Send back some of your pay? MENTION family even once? What about all the guys you played basketball with (we're led to assume he has excellent physique because he plays tons of basketball)...your gaming clan (he's clan/guild leader. Because of course)...anybody at all? Do you realize mercenaries are people too?

    2. Soldier, why didn't you react AT ALL when you killed someone for the first time? Yeah, they're aliens. But they bleed like humans, they are an intelligent starfaring species. The most stoic hunter *reacts* when he shoots even a dumb animal for the first time. I'll buy adrenelin and heat-of-combat as an excuse. What about after? And what about your mouthy sidekick? His first time out, he's convinced he's getting kill-shots, and he's bragging, calmly. You're too manly to react, what about him?

    The characters didn't think about this because the author didn't. This is a video game.

    And my biggest issue? It's the MC bitching about the raw deal he's getting, rebelling against the "system" - his superior, the galactic laws, what-have you - then going back to eating chow and extolling some virtue of the same game that keeps getting him killed. Like the rifles - that struck me - they're mass-produced for an "average" humanoid, don't have friend-or-foe ID. Weaponeer mentions that if Earth made it, friendlies *would* be identified, dammit, so they don't keep killing their own guys. MC agrees, has a 2 paragraph internal monologue about the system that keeps earth from manufacturing their own, superior, weapons that wouldn't kill his troop-mates. Then he says (paraphrased) "but these guns are a damn fine weapon". WTF?

    All this *could* have worked, you know, if we'd been shown MC as an unreliable narrator. But he's in deadly earnest. We're *supposed* to accept his reality as the Right One.

    This is the first book I'd read by this author. Tempted by the concepts offered in the blurb (and, to be fair, the conceptual promise was delivered as advertised), but I won't be reading any more.

    A counter-recommendation: if you're looking for something that tastes like this - space-marine flick - read Elliot Kay's "Poor Man's Fight"
    25 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Jopske
    5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing
    Reviewed in the Netherlands on August 9, 2017
    Amazing new concepts brought in a humorous light atmosphere. A touch too much emphasys on heroic american (of course american) miltary culture.
    Report
  • Moepi
    5.0 out of 5 stars Like every series I ever read(except one)it gets better volume by volume
    Reviewed in Germany on December 29, 2017
    I bought this book for my kindle on the 7th of december. After volume three I stopped reading my other books and binged the series and am currently reading, sadly and to my utmost regret, volume 8 which is currently the last(thats why, the regret). I will most certainly feel utterly depressed, similar to a bad death followed by a bad grow n' consequently a recycle(the bios in my unit suck) when I have finished. If you like military action with lots of unsuspected twists and turns melding with terrific(especially in later volumes) universe building and a james bond like character getting away with ridiculous antics, please, push through volumes 1 and 2 because you may probably be hooked for the rest of the series afterward. It is worth it in my opinion. Dear author, quickly bring out the next volume. But not too quickly, there are some inconcistencies(two story flaws) I noticed throughout reading though they do not impact the story.

    [SPOILER ALERT] For example when McGill revives his parents in the battle suit and says "When grown we all have no hair it has to form naturally" although there are multiple instances where people are revived and the author states the state of hair(plastered/wet).
    [SPOILER END]

    All in all, I recommend and give the first book a five, since for me this is recommending the series and not a single Volume!
  • Jon Smith
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book, great writer
    Reviewed in Australia on September 30, 2018
    Absolutely loved this book - some very creative ideas.
    Amazon.com.au doesn't do reviewing justice because of the small population here, and the differing culture. If you want to see what a lot of people thought of this - check out the reviews on Amazon America, which currently has (at time of writing this review) 1423 reviews as opposed to Amazon Australia's minute 16 reviews.

    I am now hooked on this series, and am reading the second book - dust world, which I am enjoying just as much.

    Keep up the good work BV Larson!
  • Francisco de Borja
    4.0 out of 5 stars Ciencia Ficción Militar al más puro estilo de Robert A. Heinlein.
    Reviewed in Mexico on February 9, 2020
    Hacía tiempo que había puesto en mi lista de espera el primer libro de la saga de “Los Mercenarios Inmortales” (si lo se… suena mejor en inglés: Undying Mercenaries Series). A su vez cabe mencionar que ya había oído hablar del Señor Larson, pero no me había dado el tiempo de leer algo del autor. Siendo un fan de años de los géneros de ciencia ficción y fantasía, muy particularmente del subgénero de Ciencia Ficción Militar, me complace encontrar autores como B.V. Larson que saben su oficio y ofrecen un producto entretenido, dinámico y a la vez con una historia bastante sólida. Claro con sus detalles -razón por la que no le doy las cinco estrellas-, va:
    De entrada el primer tomo de “Undying Mercenaries Series”, nos muestra un futuro donde habiendo sido la humanidad “contactada” por parte de una entidad galáctica conocida simplemente como “el Imperio Galáctico”, se nos presentan dos opciones, o bien aplicamos para ser parte del Imperio, ofreciendo algún bien o servicio que nadie más en nuestro sector pueda proporcionar o simplemente nos negamos y somos entonces programados para ser borrados del planeta dejándolo vacante para una posterior urbanización. Resulta que el único bien o servicio que podemos sin ningún asomo de duda ofrecer a nuestros vecinos son “Legiones” de mercenarios, dado que la humanidad se encuentra mejor equipada que la mayoría de las especies para ayudar en la mediación de los conflictos políticos donde “La guerra es la continuación política por otros medios”, en otras palabras, para esto de la violencia física y los conflictos militares.
    La historia toma lugar cerca de 50 años después del contacto inicial con los “Galácticos”, en una sociedad donde (retomando ciertos elementos que son considerados “motivos” o “cliché” de este subgénero) si bien no tenemos una distopía total o una sociedad militarizada, lo cierto es que las desigualdades son tales que los jóvenes sin recursos para continuar sus estudios encuentran como una opción el servir durante un periodo de al menos cinco años como legionarios en una compañía de mercenarios, peleando conflictos en otros planetas y aportando con eso muy necesitados “créditos galácticos” que poyen la economía del planeta ahora firmemente vinculada a la del resto de la comunidad galáctica. Uno de los puntos atractivos de dicha ocupación es la posibilidad de ser “revivido” una y otra vez en caso de ser muerto en el cumplimento del deber. Sin embargo siempre se tiene la posibilidad de ser “permed” es decir permitentemente muerto por razones técnicas o incluso -por increíble que parezca- políticas.
    Mencionaba más arriba que no le doy las cinco estrellas, por algunas razones de aspecto argumental. Esto no es en realidad en cuanto a la narrativa perse, pues esta es bastante ágil y entretenida desde un inicio. Sino en relación a la lógica empleada respecto a la forma en que supuestamente funcionan las maquinas que “reviven” a los soldados muertos en batalla. Voy de acuerdo en que con la posible excepción de “La Guerra Interminable” Joe Haldeman de este subgénero no se presta a trabajar con la “Ciencia ficción dura”, pero lo ideal por parte de cualquier autor de tratar de explicar de forma relativamente lógica la forma en que trabaja aquella pieza de tecnología que es importante para el desarrollo de la historia.
    De ahí en más, la realidad es que disfruté mucho esta primera novela de la serie y al momento de escribir estas líneas ya me encuentro leyendo la siguiente entrega: “Dust World”.
  • Leather DeBoeuf
    5.0 out of 5 stars Un monde de voleurs
    Reviewed in France on August 12, 2014
    Dépité de ne plus trouver le Space Opéra que j'aime dans les catalogues des éditeurs Français, et après avoir lu récemment un très bon thriller SF en version originale (The Martian) j'ai finalement décidé d'aller chercher ma came là où elle se trouve : de l'autre côté de l'Atlantique.
    Et je ne suis pas du tout déçu par mon choix. Ce petit voyage avec la recrue James McGill, gamer / étudiant obligé de s'engager dans la légion hégémonique pour raisons économiques m'a beaucoup diverti.

    Certes, ce n'est peut être pas très original (l'incorporation de la recrue dans un régiment, les aliens / dinosaures à dégommer), pas toujours très crédible (intrigue basée sur de mystérieux transferts de mémoire dans un nouveau corps une fois le précédent inutilisable...), c'est un peu (beaucoup) régressif, mais ce condensé d'action non-stop m'a maintenu éveillé une bonne partie de la nuit. Il y a là dedans un vrai suspens, une vraie intrigue, de vrais enjeux, et une grande justesse de ton.
    C'est exactement ce que je recherche dans un livre de Science Fiction : un background correct, quelques bonnes idées, des personnages qui tiennent la route (ici le personnage principal est très réussi), une histoire à rebondissements avec beaucoup de scènes d'actions, un seul point de vue narratif, de l'humour et de l'autodérision. Et il y a tout de même du fond, ce n'est pas complètement débile.
    BV Larson n'est ni David Brin, ni Joe Haldeman, ni CJ Cherryh, mais il s'inspire clairement de tous ces glorieux anciens.
    Si ce genre de livre n'est pas traduit en Français, c'est certainement parce qu'on estime qu'il n'y a pas de marché pour. C'est tout de même bien dommage, je reste persuadé qu'il reste chez nous des lecteurs à la recherche de livres de SF simples, divertissants et de moins de 750 pages.

    Last but not least, le gain collatéral à la lecture de livres en version originale : vous pouvez constater dans ma traduction du titre que ma maîtrise de l'anglais est désormais parfaite.