Audiobook Review: The Expeditionary Force Series

Expeditionary Force Books 1-3, Columbus Day, Spec. Ops and Paradise

Written by Craig Alanson and narrated by R. C. Bray.

 

Columbus Day

Publisher’s Summary

We were fighting on the wrong side of a war we couldn’t win. And that was the good news.

The Ruhar hit us on Columbus Day. There we were, innocently drifting along the cosmos on our little blue marble, like the Native Americans in 1492. Over the horizon came ships of a technologically advanced, aggressive culture, and BAM! There went the good old days, when humans got killed only by each other. So, Columbus Day. It fits.

When the morning sky twinkled again, this time with Kristang starships jumping in to hammer the Ruhar, we thought we were saved. The UN Expeditionary Force hitched a ride on Kristang ships to fight the Ruhar wherever our new allies thought we could be useful. So, I went from fighting with the US Army in Nigeria to fighting in space. It was lies, all of it. We shouldn’t even be fighting the Ruhar; they aren’t our enemy. Our allies are.

I’d better start at the beginning.

My Take:

I enjoyed the hell out of Joe Bishops antics and Skippy the inconceivably ancient and powerful…beer can.  Also converting a “Barney” themed ice cream truck into an improvised tactical vehicle is sheer genius.  The excellent story crafting and R. C. Brays delivery had me laughing out loud at stop lights and driving to and from work.  Five out of five enjoyment factor points are hereby awarded!!

 

Spec. Ops

 Publisher’s Summary

Colonel Joe Bishop made a promise, and he’s going to keep it: taking the captured alien starship Flying Dutchman back out. He doesn’t agree when the UN decides to send almost 70 elite Special Operations troops, hotshot pilots, and scientists with him; the mission is a fool’s errand he doesn’t expect to ever return from. At least this time, the Earth is safe, right?

Not so much.

My Take:

It’s hilarious how the picture of future Earth, post contact, still has us at each other’s throats and ripe for domination.  Joe is going to go back out on the Dutchman to fulfill his promise to Skippy but Earth thinks it is sending a team to figure out how to get the ship for Earth.  Skippy isn’t having any of that and I think this was the volume where I heard something immensely profound “Hold my beer, watch this!”

Excellent sequel to Columbus Day, five out of five again!

Paradise

Publisher’s Summary

While the crew of the starship Flying Dutchman have been trying to assure people that hostile aliens do not have access to Earth, the UN Expeditionary Force has been stranded on the planet they nicknamed “Paradise”. The Flying Dutchman is headed back out on another mission, and the UN wants the ship to find out the status of the humans on Paradise. But Colonel Joe Bishop warns that they might not like what they find, and they can’t do anything about it without endangering Earth.

My Take:

This third time Bishop, Skippy and the Dutchman go out with an Austrian Overseer appointed by the UN to try and keep Impulsive actions under control.  Oh he so doesn’t know what he’s in for in dealing with the Magnificent Skippy.  Also in this one is the flawless deployment of a joke related to suspense…  Three times enjoyed this series at a five out of five level, excellent work Mr.s Alanson and Bray.

http://www.audible.com/series?ref_=a_lib_l__vsml_1_1&asin=B01N9CUGHG

Audiobook Review: von Neumann probes with Snark!

We Are Legion (We Are Bob)

Written by Dennis E. Taylor.

Performed by Ray Porter.

Publisher’s Summary:

Bob Johansson has just sold his software company and is looking forward to a life of leisure. There are places to go, books to read, and movies to watch. So it’s a little unfair when he gets himself killed crossing the street.

Bob wakes up a century later to find that corpsicles have been declared to be without rights, and he is now the property of the state. He has been uploaded into computer hardware and is slated to be the controlling AI in an interstellar probe looking for habitable planets. The stakes are high: no less than the first claim to entire worlds. If he declines the honor, he’ll be switched off, and they’ll try again with someone else. If he accepts, he becomes a prime target. There are at least three other countries trying to get their own probes launched first, and they play dirty.

The safest place for Bob is in space, heading away from Earth at top speed. Or so he thinks. Because the universe is full of nasties, and trespassers make them mad – very mad.

My Take:

Bob is a likeable guy who made money instead of doing what he really wanted to do…theoretical and practical physics.  Well now his head has been thawed, his brain scanned and he is the software property of the Theocracy America turned into.  Apparently not all of the Theocracy agrees that these von Neumann probes should be sent out into the Universe to procreate (or replicate) but all the kids are doing it so it’s GO TIME!

 

There are lots of places this story goes and most of the time it is snarky and humorous in it’s telling of horrendous things.  I love this kind of story and the presenter is on the top of his game.  Four out of five enjoyment points for both story and presentation.

 

 

 

http://www.audible.com/pd/Sci-Fi-Fantasy/We-Are-Legion-We-Are-Bob-Audiobook/B01L082HJ2

Audiobook review: Out of the Void and into the Fire!

A Night Without Stars

Written by Peter F. Hamilton.

Narrated by John Lee

Bienvenido was a world that the Brandt Colony ships had crash landed on after they entered the Void and all their tech had stopped working.  3,000 years of dictatorship by the Captains led to a revolution after Nigel set off a Quantum Buster in the Faller Forest and got them expelled from the Void to…a deeper Void.  At least their tech started working again in time for them to fight with the Prime and Faller invasions.  Krysandra, the warrior Angel, can’t keep up with the idiocy of the planetary government.

Now Nigel’s backup plan of a cloned Paula Maio has engaged to rescue Bienvenido and the Fallers have accelerated their Apocalyptic time table.  Maybe they’ll find some unexpected allies?  As usual I thorough enjoy works by Peter Hamilton.  The character voice ranges in this work may have stretched the ability of John Lee but I still enjoyed its telling.  Overall five out of five entertainment units.

 

 

http://www.audible.com/pd/Sci-Fi-Fantasy/A-Night-Without-Stars-A-Novel-of-the-Commonwealth-Audiobook/B01LXHIHIB

 

Deadtree then Audiobook Review: Breaking down the barrier to the Beyond

The Reality Dysfunction.

Written by Peter F. Hamilton.  Narrated by John Lee.

Absolutely immersing literature never mind that the deadtree version is thick as a Washington DC phone book.  The characters are developed and you feel what they feel.  The first breaking into the Beyond occurs because an Involuntary Transport (IVET) named Quinn Dexter conducts a Satanic ritual on a stage 1 colony planet called Lalonde.  The ritual doesn’t cause it so much as something else, something curious, something alien with enough energy to hold the door open to the insane souls scrambling through to possess living humans.

Read this then listened to it on audible.  Out standing.  Five by Five for storytelling, and delivery.

 

Audible  http://www.audible.com/pd/Sci-Fi-Fantasy/The-Reality-Dysfunction-Audiobook/B01DAU1F00

Other Versions   https://www.amazon.com/Reality-Dysfunction-Nights-Dawn-Book-ebook/dp/B004VO4J0I/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1485108071&sr=1-1&keywords=the+reality+dysfunction

 

Deadtree Book Review: What if the government wanted to force us to be better by implantation?

Dominant Species

Written by Ben L. Hughes

Humans, in our current state are frail, prone to diseases and for the most part free-thinking. Dr. Stone and his ego planned to improve on all that with the blessing of DARPA and the Joint Chiefs. Excellent setup for the down fall.

The story is a tale of survival in an environment where an active biological agent is seeking to enslave the human race. It is well told as characters develop, some get killed off, and the internal workings of clan leadership are explored. Every bit of this story is scientifically feasible.

I’m very happy with the quality of this book. Four out of five enjoyment units are thus awarded.

https://www.amazon.com/Dominant-Species-Ben-L-Hughes/dp/1511791721/ref=sr_1_10?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1483913459&sr=1-10&keywords=Dominant+Species

Audio Book Review: A Rolling Stone gathers no moss…especially in Space.

The Rolling Stones

Written by Robert A. Heinlein.

Narrated by Tom Weiner.

This is a relatively delightful piece from the author of Stranger in a Strange Land, Girl Friday and Starship Troopers. The Rolling Stones, sans Mick and Keith, is a story about the family Stone living in the Lunar Colony. Sporting a family of six plus Grandma they purchase a small cargo cruiser to tour the solar system and have adventures while discovering things.

Comes across like Father Knows Best meets Lost in Space with real science fiction-fact. The rockets are all NERVAs using Hydrogen as the propellant of choice. They use Hohmann Transfer Orbits to maximize fuel efficiency and experience real zero gravity issues.

A fun work and though dated still reads true. Three out of five entertainment units.

http://www.audible.com/pd/Sci-Fi-Fantasy/The-Rolling-Stones-Audiobook/B00K55F8E8

Audio Book Review: Groundbreaking SciFi thriller.

Influx

Written by Daniel Suarez.

Narrated by Jeff Gurner.

Jon Grady has some issues that cause him to think differently than the herd. A Professor Alcott from Columbia University recognized this and took him under his wing to build a gravity mirror. Everyone thought by now we would have Mr. Fusion and Hover-boards well maybe we do and some douche bags in the BTC, Bureau of Technology Control, have them locked away for a day when we can be considered mature enough to have them. They sure didn’t like what Jon Grady made being loose.

The BTC snatches Grady and Alcott up and offer each of them a choice. Work willingly with the BTC or go to a civilized prison they have called Hibernity. This prison is where Influx really breaks some new ground using a concept I first read in a short story ‘I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream’. I don’t want to drop any more spoilers.

Influx is a ground breaking, well written and narrated work of art. This one gets a five out of five. Great job Mr. Suarez.

http://www.audible.com/pd/Sci-Fi-Fantasy/Influx-Audiobook/B00I9JZB3U

Audio Book Review: Top Game Story Crafting and Delivery!

Proxima: Book 1

Written by Stephen Baxter.

Narrated by Kyle McCarley.

Uri Eden, the name he choose to go by to retain some defense against abuse, wakes up for the second time in his short twenty years from Cryo Sleep. His existence has spanned nearly a hundred and sixty years from what the Solar System has dubbed the Heroic Era, derisively. He wakes up on a kernel driven starship during the first half of the ship’s trek to Proxima Centauri, Nearest star to Sol. He is one of near two hundred undesirables swept up by Peace Keepers to form the first Sydney like colony on a world in another star system.

This is so little of what is contained in this work you can be assured you have not had it spoiled. Some other ingredients range from AI’s, tri-pod alien life, Earth as a two power entity and much more. Baxter is an excellent world builder who hits all the important details including how people handle change. Narration was outstanding in vocal range appropriate to each of the characters giving you more than just the words to form a mind picture of each. Great job.

I’m hooked. Already listening to the sequel, Ultima. Awarding the rare five out of five entertainment units some call stars. Enjoy!

http://www.audible.com/pd/Sci-Fi-Fantasy/Proxima-Book-1-Audiobook/B00OYFULF6/ref=a_search_c4_1_1_srTtl?qid=1453500327&sr=1-1

Book Review: LEO Space Opera with an Unfortunate Ground Story.

SpaceCorp: Book 1 of the Galactican Series

Written by Ejner Fulsang.

Monica and Logan are the perfect couple to lead the charge. Monica is a self taught micro-biologist astronaut who has mad gene stealing skills. Logan redesigned the heavy lift shuttle system before he finished graduate school. Together they advance the toroidal space station design from aluminum to nano-cellulose construction making them resilient against impacts from both stupid and smart debris. In their off hours they enjoy motorcycles and each other. Monica also gets some therapeutic MMA in from time to time.

Meanwhile, on the ground the remnants of the US government and Iran are continuing the losing game of shitty diplomacy. China and India seem to be content to do their own thing and Europe is not even mentioned. Yeah, this part of the story seems a bit myopic portraying the President and all of Congress as prairie dogs afraid to come out of their holes for fear of being shot.

I really liked the space born part of the story, it made quite a bit of sense to innovate using NTRs (Nuclear Thermo Rockets) rather than continue to toil away with chemical. The same goes for the proposal to craft radiation resilient algae to produce nano-cellulose. The ground based drama kind of needed some reworking. The entire book is in definite need of copy editing. I’m giving it a two star out of five due to the Earth based part of the story and the editing. I may still read more in the series because I sense it may take another inspiring techno-turn but if the quality of the next one is not improved then I’m out.

http://www.amazon.com/SpaceCorp-The-Galactican-Series-Volume/dp/099132434X

Audio Book Review: Dated but still good Alien Invasion

Footfall

Written by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle

Narrated by Macleod Andrews

Damn it, no damn is safe!

The Centauran circus has come to town and they are serious about their take.

Apparently…so are we

I’m not sure who was imitating who but Footfall is a 1985 SciFi novel not unlike the Colonization series by Turtledove.  Now these guys do not need praise or criticism from somebody three decades later but it is astounding how this work has stood the test of time…written as it was, a near term work.

 

Pachyderm-like aliens invade our solar system to try and take Earth from us.  They bombard us with kinetic weapons, lasers and other crap they inherited from their predecessors.  We on the other hand, are stimulated into innovations for fighting back.  Can you hear the jingoistic species martial music in the background?

 

By the way, where else can a borderline alcoholic biker guy become a hero and then a space combatant ship do it all engineer?  I liked this book back when I read the dead-tree version and I still like it in audio.  Four stars for some hard SciFi.

 

 

 

http://www.audible.com/pd/Sci-Fi-Fantasy/Footfall-Audiobook/B003NTPCJE/ref=a_search_c4_1_7_srTtl?qid=1443549762&sr=1-7