I have been reticent about discussing Marc Miller’s work Agent of the Imperium due to Marc’s position in the pantheon of RPG game designers. That said, recently, I found myself in a discussion with another long-time gamer, and the book’s subject came up with some trepidation; I flatly stated it was a disappointment using a six-letter word. The book is a collection of short stories regarding an Agent of the Imperium, a god-like Imperial authority downloaded from a wafer chip. The book became this consistent re-telling of a narcissistic personality that overlays its bearer to solve the epic events in the early history of the 3rd Imperium, which is the constructed backdrop for the Traveller Roleplaying Game.

While as a Traveller fan, I found myself forcing myself to read it to gain further comprehension of the Official Traveller Universe. What was found was two-dimensional dialog, which, most of the time, was relatively flat. The book jumps all over the place and bends the credibility of the ridiculous idea an imperial agent has more authority than an Imperial Admiral. It reflects arrogance and ego that is hard to digest or relate to. Like I said, I had to force myself to read it.

I keep the signed book for my own records. But if you are not a Traveller fan, I suggest you spend your money elsewhere.

(2 out of 5 stars)