Failure Mode by Craig Alanson

 

Failure Mode by Craig Alanson
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Failure Mode is the final novel in the Expeditionary Force series which started so long ago with the awesome Columbus Day which for me begin my enjoyment of Skippy and the Merry Band of Pirates.
Alas we know from all forms of media closing a long running series is always difficult, you have an informed fanbase with so many expectations and opinions and rarely do you satisfy everyone.
For my sins I can not give this novel a respectable rating, it didn't fulfill my expectations but overall the series has been magnificent and this final installment has not significantly affected my willingness to recommend the Expeditionary Force novels to anyone looking for science fiction set in our current timeframe with humour and plenty of the fantastic.
Let's be honest though, if you've invested in Craig's story for so long you are going to read this book and may many indeed come away happy but more than anything I am grateful for a very enjoyable experience over the years and look forward to the spin off which will focus on the Ethics & Compliance Office and specifically Uhtavio Scorandum.


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Fallout by Craig Alanson

 

Fallout by Craig Alanson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Always a delight to get a new novel in the Expeditionary Force series, there is no such thing as too much Joe and Skippy although times have changed and as the narrative has grown and become more complex the "fun" of the earlier novels has been tempered with consequences and issues for the characters. That is not to say I didn't totally enjoy this addition to the series as the Earth and the Merry Band of Pirates realise far too late that the Senior Species have thousands of years of experience in manipulating "lesser" races and a deal that even allows humanity to survive may simply not be on the table. Things get even more complex for Joe and Skippy when pressure from all sides has resulted in counting the costs of what at the time seemed sensible risks to take but when faced with a force that seems to be wiping out Maxohlx and Rindhalu fleets all bets are off and no risk is too great not only to save humanity but perhaps the entire galactic population.
As always love Craig's take on AI weaponry and the Jeraptha are an inspired race so looking forward to the next novel in the series due later in the year.

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Breakaway by Craig Alanson

Breakaway by Craig Alanson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The 12th novel in the Expeditionary Force series by Craig Alanson is titled "Breakaway" and humanity despite having galactic scale weapons of mass destruction have been easily maneuvered into a very bad position by the senior species of the galaxy, races that have had millenia to perfect their craft. The Maxolhx having engineered the approaching global ice age that is currently affecting the Earth and by extension vastly increasing the threat of humanity turning on itself are maybe a little too complacent as Joe Bishop, Skippy and the rest of the Pirates do their best work when forced into a corner and once again we see imaginative and intelligent scifi story telling which allows our heroes not to be swept aside. Not only that the Mavericks and Colonel Emily Perkins having been fully absorbed into the main narrative and are working their own military magic to strengthen the position of Earth and weaken the two main coalitions that control the galaxy. This novel really hit the ground running and never let up, good scifi story telling with strong characters both new and old and alien races which have purpose and add greatly the whole. Personally I loved the Jeraptha and their Ethics and Compliance Office but we also get more of the apex species interaction with humanity and other races which was very satisfying. Breakaway was an excellent read, loved it, love the series and well up for the next novel.








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Valkyrie by Craig Alanson

Valkyrie by Craig Alanson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

WTF and You've got to be kidding me!
Those were my initial responses to reading the last line in the 9th novel of the excellent Expeditionary Force series written by Craig Alanson. Many a time a TV show has left you with a season finale cliffhanger that has you cursing the writers and producers but it's rare in a novel but Craig has managed to do so with Valkyrie. Naturally I am intensely interested in how our favoured characters are going to get out of this situation but it really did put a damper on the immediate joy of christmas after putting the kindle down. On the upside I needed a stiff drink so swings and roundabouts.
As for the novel itself, well after the terrible toll taken by Armageddon the Merry Band of Pirates have risen to the challenge and addressed the cold fact that Earth may indeed burn but any small victory is a victory when you consider the incredible obstacles a whole galaxy can throw up against them. I've got to admit the beginning of the novel had me laughing like an idiot which is no small feat given the low point (plot wise) we were in but it all kinda makes sense and that's something Craig proves himself capable of time and time again when creating situations and solutions to entertain us. Naturally Joe and the rest of the pirates face the dilemma of using their battlecruiser to maximum effect when faced with a senior species who begin to ask the right questions as to who is striking their ships but when intelligence indicates a few hundred human prisoners are being sold for bioweapon research there was never any doubt no matter what they risk they would find a way to help.
Valkyrie is without a doubt a valuable addition to the series and draws a line in the narrative, where is goes from now only Craig knows and while I have some trepidation I'm along for the ride.


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Armageddon by Craig Alanson

Armageddon by Craig Alanson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The eighth novel in the Expeditionary Force series exceeded my expectations to a level then even Skippy would have trouble calculating. Any long running series has to deal with the need to keep things interesting without falling foul of repeating plot points or making things too stupid to retain the narrative which captured the reader in the first place, Armageddon achieved this.
I will admit I was a little lost with all the talk about their previous mission (convinced myself I had skipped a novel) but once I had that figured out I fell right back into the swing of things with the merry band of pirates. I am not going to go into any plot points because well nothing I can say would be a surprise to a regular reader and if you are not yet been lured into the adventures of Joe and Skippy then by all means grab a copy of Columbus Day and welcome to the family.
So my review, this novel was exceptional in that it delivered everything you would want from this series but presented it with icing and a bow, maybe even balloons. That said the knife got twisted good a proper but again you can't realistically have this sort of long running tale without the fact that there are consequences to actions and even inactions.
There are not many novels that really make me want to keep reading be it late a night or during a break at work but every time I put the kindle down I was desperate to delve right back into the story. I'm not sure how the consequences of the events in this novel will pan out, maybe in a manner which reflects the changing status of the galaxy but I know I am going to enjoy it.
My hat is tipped to Craig for this well written and immensely enjoyable novel.

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Deathtrap by Craig Alanson

Deathtrap by Craig Alanson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Mavericks get their own series and well if you have been enjoying the Expeditionary Force series then you know what to expect and you will not be disappointed. We've been introduced to these characters in previous novels (in fact followed their adventures as central protagonists) but now we branch out and get to see the galactic conflict in two dedicated novel series which expands upon humanities role (not a lot) and the major players in the game that is galactic warfare.
Entertaining in both action and characterisation and as soon as the next novel is offered I will be there, great stuff.

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Paradise by Craig Alanson

Paradise by Craig Alanson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The third novel in the Expeditionary Force series by Craig Alanson is called "Paradise" and if you've read the series so far then you know that is the world the human military force assigned to the Kristang were deployed too. Cut off from the Earth, unarmed and now reliant on the goodwill of the Ruhar the men and women of Earth are having to learn how to farm and fend for themselves, it's not going well and it is going to get a lot worse.
Meanwhile in orbit around Earth the Flying Dutchman's merry band of pirates are being debriefed and despite saving the planet Joe Bishop is having a hard time, decisions and actions made are being questioned by people who were not out in the void or had the weight of the world and her people on their shoulders. Eventually a new mission is given the green light with some conditions and the Dutchman returns to a contested galaxy to gain intel on the threat to Earth and if possible the condition of the expeditionary force.
As you would expect fun and hijinks abound as Skippy the eons old Elder AI has new monkeys to play around with along with a few of the old crew who may or may not have made it on to his "list". The search continues for a com node for Skippy and an explanation of the events on the planet Newark but they also learn that the Ruhar are looking to trade Paradise for other territory and that would result in every human on the world being executed for treason by the Kristang for not fighting to the death. Joe and his crew have to devise a way to help his comrades without anyone anywhere knowing the Dutchman exists while tensions among the expeditionary force rise as food becomes scarce as Kristang raids on the planet target human settlements.
Skippy the magnificent and Joe "Barney" Bishop along with the merry band of pirates are the only hope thousands of courageous military personnel from nations of the Earth have, oh dear.
Paradise was a very entertaining addition to the series although it took me a little while to really enjoy the Paradise narrative. I'm now invested in both the Dutchman and Paradise which gives the series two fronts to play with, no doubt they will overlap again although it may be tricky to make that storyline work a second time. The upside is that for now Craig as a whole galaxy to play around with and some strings to pull to bring other/new storylines into prominence, it's only going to get better.

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SpecOps by Craig Alanson

SpecOps by Craig Alanson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

SpecOps is the second novel in the Expeditionary Force series which deals with the aftermath of an alien invasion of Earth and the consequences of some poor decision making by humanity although to be fair it seemed like a good idea at the time.
Of course as we know Joe Bishop now a Colonel and commanding a captured alien starship also thought attacking an alien patrol while driving a battered Barney emblazoned ice cream van was a good idea, it certainly shows that the results of such acts are often unexpected.
After Skippy the eons old AI of the long gone Elder race closes the wormhole which allowed easy access to Earth and after an eventful stay on Earth the intrepid band of space pirates once again set out on the Flying Dutchman to hold up their end of the bargain with the AI. Once Skippy gets himself a communications device the bargain will be complete but as the search fails to bare fruit more unorthodox ideas have to be considered, then things start to go seriously wrong even by as Skippy would say the standard monkey level of incompetence.
SpecOps is a very worthy successor to Columbus Day, the central character of Bishop continues to be a favoured focal point of the story and his interaction with Skippy and his shipmates both humorous and when required tense and suspenseful. The bigger galactic wide picture is being created at a steady pace, a mystery is revealed which I am sure will be expanded upon in later novels. I've no doubt I will be continuing the series on a regular basis, it's entertaining and well written with a good blend of action and character elements.


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Columbus Day by Craig Alanson

Columbus Day by Craig Alanson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Earth was alone until that day flashes in the sky herald the arrival of an alien species that we later learn were known as the Ruhar, they struck our industry and infrastructure but left the cities mostly intact and then their soldiers arrived. Jo Bishop (former US Army) was back home looking forward to celebrating Columbus Day but finds himself and a few friends engaging in a cat and mouse maneuver with the alien occupants of a damaged troop ship but when it looks like the end is nigh the sky erupts again as second alien fleet arrives and engages the first.
The Earth is saved and in gratitude the world governments commit ground forces to aid the second alien species (Kristang) in their ongoing galaxy wide conflict but the men and women who journey to the stars are in for a rude awakening, not everything is as advertised and the Earth and her people are little more than pawns in a greater game.
Columbus Day was a purchase based purely on reading the blurb when the Amazon algorithm decided I would like it and you know this time it got it right. The central character of Joe Bishop was written well and with enough flaws to make him the everyday former soldier drawn back into what he's really best at and to exercise his ethics in a theatre that has little time for compassion and justice. The novel takes its time to create the world the series is based in and of course that always pays off so when the scope of the narrative expands greatly it all fits together well and doesn't stretch the bounds of credibility. I'll certainly be reading the rest of the series but not right away, there is a lot on my to read list but when I'm ready they are on the kindle good to go.

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