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Expeditionary Force #17
Task Force Hammer
The Merry Band of Pirates stopped the enemy from stealing a Sentinel, and destroyed its Elder starship, so why weren’t the Pirates planning a victory party?
The enemy was not what they thought it was.
It was much, much worse.
They had not a single clue how to defeat that enemy, or how to fight it, or whether fighting it was even possible. Only one thing was the Pirates couldn’t handle this fight alone.
The enemy was not what they thought it was.
It was much, much worse.
They had not a single clue how to defeat that enemy, or how to fight it, or whether fighting it was even possible. Only one thing was the Pirates couldn’t handle this fight alone.
469 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 10, 2024
612 people are currently reading
541 people want to read
About the author
Craig Alanson
37books3,948followersIf you want to stay up to date on releases, receive promotion alerts and speak to me directly, please join my Facebook Page:
My Bio:
Craig Alanson used to create financial reports for a large IT services company. Writing fiction at nights and on weekends, he finally independently published three novels on Amazon. Within 6 months of his first ebook release, he was able to quit his day job and pursue a full-time writing career.
The breakout success of Columbus Day (Expeditionary Force, Book 1) reached new heights when Podium Audio released it in audio format, narrated by Audie Award Winner R.C. Bray. The Columbus Day audiobook was a huge hit, and a finalist for an Audie Award as Audiobook of the Year.
The ExForce series, as it is known to fans, has gone on to 10 books/audiobooks, many of which have hit the NYT best-seller list, with a 11th book releasing June 2021 and 14 books planned.
Craig has also published a spin-off series, ExForce: Mavericks; an ExForce audio drama, Homefront; a fantasy trilogy, Ascendent; and a young adult space opera, Aces. Craig lives in Virginia with his wife, who loves him even though he perpetually refuses to clean the garage.
My Bio:
Craig Alanson used to create financial reports for a large IT services company. Writing fiction at nights and on weekends, he finally independently published three novels on Amazon. Within 6 months of his first ebook release, he was able to quit his day job and pursue a full-time writing career.
The breakout success of Columbus Day (Expeditionary Force, Book 1) reached new heights when Podium Audio released it in audio format, narrated by Audie Award Winner R.C. Bray. The Columbus Day audiobook was a huge hit, and a finalist for an Audie Award as Audiobook of the Year.
The ExForce series, as it is known to fans, has gone on to 10 books/audiobooks, many of which have hit the NYT best-seller list, with a 11th book releasing June 2021 and 14 books planned.
Craig has also published a spin-off series, ExForce: Mavericks; an ExForce audio drama, Homefront; a fantasy trilogy, Ascendent; and a young adult space opera, Aces. Craig lives in Virginia with his wife, who loves him even though he perpetually refuses to clean the garage.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 123 reviews
September 13, 2024
Lost 2 stars for NOT writing a Recap for a book fucking 17. I think every reader needs to start doing this to force writers to write a quick Recap chapter, which readers can skip if they remember, and those who don't won't stop reading the series.
Damn annoying banter with Skippy was fun, but by 17th Book, it starts grating on the Damm nerves.
Damn annoying banter with Skippy was fun, but by 17th Book, it starts grating on the Damm nerves.
September 23, 2024
EXPEDITIONARY FORCE just keeps going and going like the Energizer Bunny and I don't have a problem with that. In this case, Skippy and Joe Bishop have managed to discover that the enemy they're fighting isn't an Elder AI at all but one of the mysterious Outsiders. I miss Joe's wife and wish that she'd be brought back despite her children being a primary concern. Otherwise, I continue to love these books and hope they go on forever.
November 9, 2024
Oh man. It was a good cliff hanger ending with a lot of filler. I'm always torn on how I want to write my reviews for this series. I will be finishing it until it's done but it's reminding me of Grey's Anatomy at this point....it's just going on and on.
With that being said, I love Skippy, and Joe, and the Merry Band, but please stop just doing quantity of books and not quality writing.
With that being said, I love Skippy, and Joe, and the Merry Band, but please stop just doing quantity of books and not quality writing.
September 24, 2024
Normally I fly thru a book like this in about a day and a half. This one took 2 weeks because I wanted to drag it out. And I'm glad I did.
There's a lot to digest here with regard to the (junk) science and strategy. Best to take it slow. And taking it slow - what a pleasure! I love that Alanson has included all the characters, not just the primary ones. The plot has advanced with a whopper of an ending, although if you're a fan of the series you're not worried at all. I kept waiting for someone significant to die, but was saved from the abject tragedy of that. I couldn't decide who I wished it would be anyway. They're all significant.
Scarandon and Kinsta. They are an absolute comedy show. And thank goodness we still have Surjun Jates making comments like "I'd like to report a murder." He's always been the top of the list of my favorite characters.
We got to see another more poignant side of Margaret this time. A bittersweet mesh of the soldier and the mom. And fortunately we got to see her slap some sense into another Skippy sub mind. It always makes me laugh when the women officers will not take any nonsense from Skippy and he cowers in fear.
It was a nice surprise to see this book coming out earlier than expected. I hope the same happens with the next one, because we've got saving the universe to do! What many people see as silly side arcs of the plot, I see as pure entertainment. It's all important. And this time although I'm curious, I'm not devastated. They'll figure it out.
There's a lot to digest here with regard to the (junk) science and strategy. Best to take it slow. And taking it slow - what a pleasure! I love that Alanson has included all the characters, not just the primary ones. The plot has advanced with a whopper of an ending, although if you're a fan of the series you're not worried at all. I kept waiting for someone significant to die, but was saved from the abject tragedy of that. I couldn't decide who I wished it would be anyway. They're all significant.
Scarandon and Kinsta. They are an absolute comedy show. And thank goodness we still have Surjun Jates making comments like "I'd like to report a murder." He's always been the top of the list of my favorite characters.
We got to see another more poignant side of Margaret this time. A bittersweet mesh of the soldier and the mom. And fortunately we got to see her slap some sense into another Skippy sub mind. It always makes me laugh when the women officers will not take any nonsense from Skippy and he cowers in fear.
It was a nice surprise to see this book coming out earlier than expected. I hope the same happens with the next one, because we've got saving the universe to do! What many people see as silly side arcs of the plot, I see as pure entertainment. It's all important. And this time although I'm curious, I'm not devastated. They'll figure it out.
January 6, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This is my personal 5 star rating system because I’m too lazy to write a review for every book.
5 stars -> OMFG. I couldn’t stop listening. I was engaged from beginning to end. The story & narrator was amazing. I 100% recommend this book & author. I was able to clearly follow each and every character.
4 stars -> It was pretty good. I would’ve rated 5 stars, But either the ending was lacking, I struggled to keep up with characters, or the story didn’t keep me fully engaged. The narrator was pretty good as well. I’m on the fence about recommending this book, It could go either way.
3 Stars -> It was boring at times & I missed chunks of the story. I most likely struggled to keep up with character developments. The only way I would recommend this book is if it was part of a series. The narrator was most likely average or just couldn’t fix a mediocre book.
2 Stars -> It was pretty horrible. I used it as background noise because I hadn’t had a chance to search for another book. The book either had a bad narrator, The character development was non existent, or the story was hot garbage. I would not recommend this book.
1 Star -> The absolute only reason I listened to this book was because i had no time to search for another one & I needed background noise. It was 1 step up from listening to the radio. I wouldn’t recommend this book to my worst enemy. Everything about this book was terrible. This is only recommended for people on death row and have absolutely nothing else to read.
5 stars -> OMFG. I couldn’t stop listening. I was engaged from beginning to end. The story & narrator was amazing. I 100% recommend this book & author. I was able to clearly follow each and every character.
4 stars -> It was pretty good. I would’ve rated 5 stars, But either the ending was lacking, I struggled to keep up with characters, or the story didn’t keep me fully engaged. The narrator was pretty good as well. I’m on the fence about recommending this book, It could go either way.
3 Stars -> It was boring at times & I missed chunks of the story. I most likely struggled to keep up with character developments. The only way I would recommend this book is if it was part of a series. The narrator was most likely average or just couldn’t fix a mediocre book.
2 Stars -> It was pretty horrible. I used it as background noise because I hadn’t had a chance to search for another book. The book either had a bad narrator, The character development was non existent, or the story was hot garbage. I would not recommend this book.
1 Star -> The absolute only reason I listened to this book was because i had no time to search for another one & I needed background noise. It was 1 step up from listening to the radio. I wouldn’t recommend this book to my worst enemy. Everything about this book was terrible. This is only recommended for people on death row and have absolutely nothing else to read.
December 22, 2024
17 books in and THAT happens at the end. I’m not ok.
September 18, 2024
Still entertaining but after 17 full length novels as well as several novellas, you can tell that Alanson is starting to get to the end game and also is running out of new impossible missions for the Merry Band of Pirates to overcome. You cannot enjoy these books is deus ex machina drives you wild. The entire saga - to include literally every entry in the series - is rife with it, both to the benefit of the protagonists and as equally to their detriment. The series is great because Alanson has created compelling characters and alien races. He has also skillfully crafted the release of information - in a creative and convincing way - which ultimately leads us to the real big bad and ugly ills facing our galaxy.
Without question, the two best characters in this series are Surjet Jates and Uhtavio Scorandum. Unfortunately, they received few pages in this installment. That said, when they appeared, they stole the show. The former, a tough as nails alien soldier with a chip on his shoulder and dead pan delivery of hilarious lines, while the later is in the Ethics and Compliance office of the Jeraptha, who makes US spooks look cute in comparison to the shady things he gets up to. Although they encompass perhaps 20-30 pages total, they continued to shine.
This was another enjoyable entrant but I have gotten to the point where I think Alanson needs to start to reign it in. I'm all for more books by authors I enjoy and with characters who I enjoy, but I think this narrative needs to start to wrap up. I am not sure where Alanson plans to end things and whether it is one or more books, but there are only so many times that we can grapple with the same thing over and over.
Without question, the two best characters in this series are Surjet Jates and Uhtavio Scorandum. Unfortunately, they received few pages in this installment. That said, when they appeared, they stole the show. The former, a tough as nails alien soldier with a chip on his shoulder and dead pan delivery of hilarious lines, while the later is in the Ethics and Compliance office of the Jeraptha, who makes US spooks look cute in comparison to the shady things he gets up to. Although they encompass perhaps 20-30 pages total, they continued to shine.
This was another enjoyable entrant but I have gotten to the point where I think Alanson needs to start to reign it in. I'm all for more books by authors I enjoy and with characters who I enjoy, but I think this narrative needs to start to wrap up. I am not sure where Alanson plans to end things and whether it is one or more books, but there are only so many times that we can grapple with the same thing over and over.
November 27, 2024
all reviews in one place: ;
My Opinion: This was refreshingly entertaining to read. Got a bit darker than any previous books, with Joe hardening to tasks at hand, that required way more sacrifices, and far greater risks than ever before. Not too many fillers, and a lot of very new events. Solid writing with not much more there to add. It’s good. If you made it this far, you’re probably a fan of the series as is, and I don’t need to convince you to give it a go.
A 5 out of 5, superb if absolutely asshole move of a cliffhanger.
My Opinion: This was refreshingly entertaining to read. Got a bit darker than any previous books, with Joe hardening to tasks at hand, that required way more sacrifices, and far greater risks than ever before. Not too many fillers, and a lot of very new events. Solid writing with not much more there to add. It’s good. If you made it this far, you’re probably a fan of the series as is, and I don’t need to convince you to give it a go.
A 5 out of 5, superb if absolutely asshole move of a cliffhanger.
October 13, 2024
Why? Why? Why, how could you do that to us, us faithful readers, to us faithful readers who pre-order your books? Why?
Sigh. He threw us a curveball, a huge flaming curveball, at the end of the book. A cliff-hanger ending like no other. I mean, I know he likes to put his characters in impossible situations and then somehow, magically (not literally--this is science fiction after all) everything works out, but this...this...this is insane! And now I gotta wait a year to find out what happens next. Grrrr. Someone get out the pitchforks and torches. It's time to storm the castle!
Sigh. He threw us a curveball, a huge flaming curveball, at the end of the book. A cliff-hanger ending like no other. I mean, I know he likes to put his characters in impossible situations and then somehow, magically (not literally--this is science fiction after all) everything works out, but this...this...this is insane! And now I gotta wait a year to find out what happens next. Grrrr. Someone get out the pitchforks and torches. It's time to storm the castle!
September 30, 2024
Yeah I still love it.
September 22, 2024
THIS is more like it!! Task Force Hammer starts like nearly all of the other Expeditionary Force books in that Skippy talks a lot about being upset that stupid monkeys go "Duuuuuuhhhh" and think of things that he can't and things look like we're going to get another stereotypical story where Skippy screws something up then Joe has to think up a crazy way to fix it involving Skippy doing the impossible and everyone comes out safe and sound in the end. Then the improbable happens...that's NOT where the story goes! Characters start doing things that are, not so much out of character, but they show character growth and make decisions they'd never make previously. The story actually evolved! Honestly, and I say this with the UTMOST respect...Mr. Alanson seems to have grown a pair and TRULY allowed bad things to start to happen. I know there was Desai and Smythe, two blips across 17 books, but there's a LOT of potential for disaster for many important characters now. As harsh as it sounds, I hope bad things happen to many, maybe even most, of them. The story needs the loss to gain/maintain any emotion. It needs this conflict and consequences that it's not seen at this level. This is what will take the series to the next level and I'm here for it!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 3, 2024
Enough is enough
There are many five book a year, one trick pony authors desperately pushing out whatever they can as fast as they can, I assume because Amazon's business model prioritises quantity over quality. Craig Alanson has a great universe with lovable characters, but when every chapter of each successive release becomes an increasingly dull rehash of the same conversations again and again, with multiple typos per page and glaring syntax errors, it stops feeling like supporting a grammatically challenged author and starts to feel like deluding myself into a sunk cost fallacy.
Alanson is clearly capable of building a world and cooking up an engaging plot, but rather than a carefully, lovingly crafted meal he just throws the ingredients in the microwave, pours the resulting slop, melted Tupperware container and all, onto your plate and sprinkles on a lazy garnish of pop culture. I would love to believe that with popularity comes the resources to give his books more time and care, but the reality is he's over twenty books deep into his career and the quality is still declining.
In a morbid attempt to salvage my hopes for this series I visited his websites FAQ to find out if he would ever get an editor. On the contrary, "all authors should ignore bad reviews" and anyone who cares what an editor thinks should see a therapist. You can tell that he's passionate about it, because unlike his books he went a whole paragraph without a spelling error.
The first few books in the series had a genuine sense that they were the beginning of something big, but this dead horse of a saga has been truly beaten to the point Craig Alanson could sue Craig Alanson for plaigerism when Expeditionary Force 73: More Monkey Jokes doesn't sell enough copies to satisfy his god complex. Like an abusive relationship I kept hoping for something better, but at some point you have to have to accept that if the author doesn't respect his readers enough to even proof read his own work, why the hell should we pay for the privilege?
There are many five book a year, one trick pony authors desperately pushing out whatever they can as fast as they can, I assume because Amazon's business model prioritises quantity over quality. Craig Alanson has a great universe with lovable characters, but when every chapter of each successive release becomes an increasingly dull rehash of the same conversations again and again, with multiple typos per page and glaring syntax errors, it stops feeling like supporting a grammatically challenged author and starts to feel like deluding myself into a sunk cost fallacy.
Alanson is clearly capable of building a world and cooking up an engaging plot, but rather than a carefully, lovingly crafted meal he just throws the ingredients in the microwave, pours the resulting slop, melted Tupperware container and all, onto your plate and sprinkles on a lazy garnish of pop culture. I would love to believe that with popularity comes the resources to give his books more time and care, but the reality is he's over twenty books deep into his career and the quality is still declining.
In a morbid attempt to salvage my hopes for this series I visited his websites FAQ to find out if he would ever get an editor. On the contrary, "all authors should ignore bad reviews" and anyone who cares what an editor thinks should see a therapist. You can tell that he's passionate about it, because unlike his books he went a whole paragraph without a spelling error.
The first few books in the series had a genuine sense that they were the beginning of something big, but this dead horse of a saga has been truly beaten to the point Craig Alanson could sue Craig Alanson for plaigerism when Expeditionary Force 73: More Monkey Jokes doesn't sell enough copies to satisfy his god complex. Like an abusive relationship I kept hoping for something better, but at some point you have to have to accept that if the author doesn't respect his readers enough to even proof read his own work, why the hell should we pay for the privilege?
November 5, 2024
It's barely OK. It's a retread. The series needs to end, like now. This was the first Expeditionary book I forced myself to finish—normally, I cannot put them down.
Too much of a good thing can be bad. I loved this series, but Task Force Hammer is a retread of the past books. The 'Outsider' is still an unknown problem. This 'entity' is always many steps ahead, yet somehow, they almost destroy it? That makes no sense. Therein lies the problem. We know nothing of the Outsider - just that it is bad, it is smart, and it wants something - something we don't know. This plot is not gripping like Craig's other books. Those were fresh and new. TFH is a retread of the same people and stories. It's like today's Disney/Marvel movies - nothing original, just a slight twist.
The ending was also unsatisfying. It was a cliffhanger, which Craig does not do. His other books have a beginning, middle, and ending. Yes, there are significant issues that bleed over, but those books concluded. There is NO conclusion in TFH.
Craig, is still a fantastic author - just read his Convergent Series - WOW! The Convergent Series is why authors must end a popular series. Staying too long in the same world becomes less and less. A good example is Harry Potter - once Voldemort was killed, the other books were mere whispers of those first books. It's time to end Expeditionary Force and for Craig to focus his vast talents on new worlds, new characters, and new stories. Craig, please end this quickly.
Too much of a good thing can be bad. I loved this series, but Task Force Hammer is a retread of the past books. The 'Outsider' is still an unknown problem. This 'entity' is always many steps ahead, yet somehow, they almost destroy it? That makes no sense. Therein lies the problem. We know nothing of the Outsider - just that it is bad, it is smart, and it wants something - something we don't know. This plot is not gripping like Craig's other books. Those were fresh and new. TFH is a retread of the same people and stories. It's like today's Disney/Marvel movies - nothing original, just a slight twist.
The ending was also unsatisfying. It was a cliffhanger, which Craig does not do. His other books have a beginning, middle, and ending. Yes, there are significant issues that bleed over, but those books concluded. There is NO conclusion in TFH.
Craig, is still a fantastic author - just read his Convergent Series - WOW! The Convergent Series is why authors must end a popular series. Staying too long in the same world becomes less and less. A good example is Harry Potter - once Voldemort was killed, the other books were mere whispers of those first books. It's time to end Expeditionary Force and for Craig to focus his vast talents on new worlds, new characters, and new stories. Craig, please end this quickly.
September 19, 2024
Wowzah! Book Seventeen! I say I'm still pleased to have stuck with this ever expanding story.
This latest has a our goofy Barney Joe transforming his character under the mantle of responsibility. protecting his loved ones by extension the Galaxy. At this rate book 20 he'll be saving the universe from collapsing or disintegrating or whatever. Humanity will seemingly never see the end.
Plenty happens in this interstellar arena where constant wartime strife is the backdrop of our universe. As usual I enjoy how our characters navigate it. Honestly some great hot warzone content in this title. The outsider proving to be a cunning adversary. 17 books got us here to the point normal antics didn't seem to work out.
I just wish the writing had better pros, the author typically recycling much banter. Like I appreciate the thought and care the author has for the predicaments our characters are in. But if I had to come down on anything, the author's writing seems to have capped. It would be nice to have some varying literary flourishment but it is okay. I don't need to have my plate garnished when I'm having a tasty fluffernutter.
I'm overall very pleased with this series and looking forward to the next installments.
This latest has a our goofy Barney Joe transforming his character under the mantle of responsibility. protecting his loved ones by extension the Galaxy. At this rate book 20 he'll be saving the universe from collapsing or disintegrating or whatever. Humanity will seemingly never see the end.
Plenty happens in this interstellar arena where constant wartime strife is the backdrop of our universe. As usual I enjoy how our characters navigate it. Honestly some great hot warzone content in this title. The outsider proving to be a cunning adversary. 17 books got us here to the point normal antics didn't seem to work out.
I just wish the writing had better pros, the author typically recycling much banter. Like I appreciate the thought and care the author has for the predicaments our characters are in. But if I had to come down on anything, the author's writing seems to have capped. It would be nice to have some varying literary flourishment but it is okay. I don't need to have my plate garnished when I'm having a tasty fluffernutter.
I'm overall very pleased with this series and looking forward to the next installments.
September 24, 2024
I enjoyed Task Force Hammer. It's a clear improvement over book 16, which had me worried, especially since Alanson originally ended the series with book 15. The dynamic between Joe and Skippy is still engaging, but after 17 books, their banter feels a bit repetitive.
Honestly, reading this felt like reconnecting with a high school friend you haven’t talked to in forever. You still love them, but you’ve drifted apart and have a lot less to talk about.
Some side plots, like the porcine planet, feel like filler, and trimming them would have kept the story more focused. With 21 books promised, I’m concerned there may not be enough fresh content to justify that many.
It’s not all bad, though—I certainly enjoyed the book! The cliffhanger ending was particularly strong, ramping up the tension for the rest of the series. I’ll be reading the next entry and eagerly await the conclusion to this arc (series?). Alanson should take his time, though. I’m all for early releases, but Task Force Hammer could have benefited from a final editorial pass.
If you’re this far in, definitely read Task Force Hammer. It’s an entertaining, if somewhat stretched, adventure, but still worth your time.
3.75/5
Honestly, reading this felt like reconnecting with a high school friend you haven’t talked to in forever. You still love them, but you’ve drifted apart and have a lot less to talk about.
Some side plots, like the porcine planet, feel like filler, and trimming them would have kept the story more focused. With 21 books promised, I’m concerned there may not be enough fresh content to justify that many.
It’s not all bad, though—I certainly enjoyed the book! The cliffhanger ending was particularly strong, ramping up the tension for the rest of the series. I’ll be reading the next entry and eagerly await the conclusion to this arc (series?). Alanson should take his time, though. I’m all for early releases, but Task Force Hammer could have benefited from a final editorial pass.
If you’re this far in, definitely read Task Force Hammer. It’s an entertaining, if somewhat stretched, adventure, but still worth your time.
3.75/5
October 10, 2024
Longest ExFor novel, compelling plot, usual awful writing &editing
I continue to buy every new Joe Bishop/Skippy novel by Craig Alanson. He’s gotten better at building compelling plots that keep me turning the pages to find out what happens. The element of humor remains. I do a mental chuckle every time Bishop says “rotten kitties.�
And I remain unhappy that Alanson uses commas almost at random, often to string together two or three ungrammatical run-on sentences.
I’m equally unhappy that Alanson, despite at this point being a bestselling author, also refuses to employ a copy editor. There’s an impossible-to-comprehend sentence error every chapter or two, and an obvious misspelling every third page.
To me, part of making a living as a writer is having enough respect for the craft of writing to provide your readers with a high-quality project. Alanson’s bad grammar and refusal to edit his books, to me, is like a contractor who leaves your new kitchen full of badly taped drywall seams, nail pops, miswired lighting, and cabinet doors that close crookedly.
I wish he’s do better. And I’ll never start another Alanson series, because the writing’s just as bad when I’ve sampled two of them.
I continue to buy every new Joe Bishop/Skippy novel by Craig Alanson. He’s gotten better at building compelling plots that keep me turning the pages to find out what happens. The element of humor remains. I do a mental chuckle every time Bishop says “rotten kitties.�
And I remain unhappy that Alanson uses commas almost at random, often to string together two or three ungrammatical run-on sentences.
I’m equally unhappy that Alanson, despite at this point being a bestselling author, also refuses to employ a copy editor. There’s an impossible-to-comprehend sentence error every chapter or two, and an obvious misspelling every third page.
To me, part of making a living as a writer is having enough respect for the craft of writing to provide your readers with a high-quality project. Alanson’s bad grammar and refusal to edit his books, to me, is like a contractor who leaves your new kitchen full of badly taped drywall seams, nail pops, miswired lighting, and cabinet doors that close crookedly.
I wish he’s do better. And I’ll never start another Alanson series, because the writing’s just as bad when I’ve sampled two of them.
February 5, 2025
Same formula, idk why I keep buying these. Boredom I guess.
Here’s the format of every book in this series. The merry band finds themselves in an insurmountable situation. Doom is looming and inevitable. Characters discuss this both internally and verbally ad nauseam, then suddenly one character has an idea, then that is discussed both internally and verbally ad nauseam, then for roughly 10% of the book there is actually progression.
Some books actually are worse and have the climax off page. It’s almost as if the author is just messing with his readers. This particular book is the original formula however, about 10% being action or plot progression, the rest being circuitous or irrelevant filler conversations.
What this book does well are its likable protagonists and the usual payoff of them winning over unlikable antagonists. But that isn’t assured.
Thus is pulp fiction, don’t read too much into it. A lot of it doesn’t make sense, but it’s just supposed to be a formulaic, good-guys-win story.
Here’s the format of every book in this series. The merry band finds themselves in an insurmountable situation. Doom is looming and inevitable. Characters discuss this both internally and verbally ad nauseam, then suddenly one character has an idea, then that is discussed both internally and verbally ad nauseam, then for roughly 10% of the book there is actually progression.
Some books actually are worse and have the climax off page. It’s almost as if the author is just messing with his readers. This particular book is the original formula however, about 10% being action or plot progression, the rest being circuitous or irrelevant filler conversations.
What this book does well are its likable protagonists and the usual payoff of them winning over unlikable antagonists. But that isn’t assured.
Thus is pulp fiction, don’t read too much into it. A lot of it doesn’t make sense, but it’s just supposed to be a formulaic, good-guys-win story.
September 25, 2024
Stupendous!
Crescendo! The lights come on, not a sound, the audience sits there stunned…gasps, whimpering, disbelief and shuffling as the curtain comes down and the lights come on. This is the magnum opus in a galactic scale. Craig Alanson, has written seventeen clever, witty novels following the endeavors of Everyman Joe Bishop and his superior intelligence being, Skippy the Magnificent. Joe and Skippy have brought their combined intellect to bear in order to toy with the top tier species of the galaxy. This time it looks like their luck has run out.
This wildly entertaining series is worth starting at the beginning and getting to this page turning thriller.
I don’t know how you top this one Craig Alanson , but I’m waiting for book number eighteen to see how you unravel this holy convoluted mess humanity is in!!
Crescendo! The lights come on, not a sound, the audience sits there stunned…gasps, whimpering, disbelief and shuffling as the curtain comes down and the lights come on. This is the magnum opus in a galactic scale. Craig Alanson, has written seventeen clever, witty novels following the endeavors of Everyman Joe Bishop and his superior intelligence being, Skippy the Magnificent. Joe and Skippy have brought their combined intellect to bear in order to toy with the top tier species of the galaxy. This time it looks like their luck has run out.
This wildly entertaining series is worth starting at the beginning and getting to this page turning thriller.
I don’t know how you top this one Craig Alanson , but I’m waiting for book number eighteen to see how you unravel this holy convoluted mess humanity is in!!
September 20, 2024
Contnues as best SciFy Ever
I’m seventeen books in and I still count the months until the next book. You care about Craig’s characters as well as watch them grow as they learn from their mistakes or not�. The plots and subplots and how it all fits together make the books page-turners. The science is close enough you realize it’s not totally off the cuff. Someday, if we make it as a species into space, I fully expect Craig’s characters there. From the special forces to the ground pounders, on earth or space, he has captured what it is to be part of a military team that puts service before self.
I’m seventeen books in and I still count the months until the next book. You care about Craig’s characters as well as watch them grow as they learn from their mistakes or not�. The plots and subplots and how it all fits together make the books page-turners. The science is close enough you realize it’s not totally off the cuff. Someday, if we make it as a species into space, I fully expect Craig’s characters there. From the special forces to the ground pounders, on earth or space, he has captured what it is to be part of a military team that puts service before self.
October 28, 2024
Another Expeditionary force book. I was so happy when I found out that it was going to drop and pre-ordered it. The author has woven such a wonderful universe in the series and if he stopped the series I would really miss new adventures of Skippy, General Bishop and the Merry Band Of Pirates. After 'Match Game' it was obvious that the story couldn't end there. The matter of who or what lives outside of our galaxy was not settled and that part of the story needed to be told. When Alanson concludes that part of the story line, it would be wonderful if he has Skippy communicate to the Elders that the menace has been squashed Skippy and Merry Band of Pirates Style!
December 2, 2024
These are like a guilty pleasure read to me. Not particularly deep or High Art, but unfailingly entertaining and with an unrelenting "Go Humanity!" optimism (despite the generally incredibly high stakes involved and jerks of every species). Read it as a palate cleanser to the deeper-but-bleaker and don't regret that one bit.
Damn. When will the next of these drop?!? The wait is going to be intense.
Damn. When will the next of these drop?!? The wait is going to be intense.
February 10, 2025
Entertaining series, but this book featured more plot manipulation than normal.
Without going into spoilers, I'll say that the Rindhalu's level of assistance near the end of the book did not match the level of seriousness with which the Rindhalu acknowledged they were viewing the challenge. And that's what facilitated the series of events that led to the cliffhanger ending.
I've enjoyed this series purely for the pulp of it. The characters never actually grow. They more or less stay static even though the timeline from book 1 to book 17 is something like 17-20 years. They never explicitly say what the timeline is but we can guess based on a few references they make.
Without going into spoilers, I'll say that the Rindhalu's level of assistance near the end of the book did not match the level of seriousness with which the Rindhalu acknowledged they were viewing the challenge. And that's what facilitated the series of events that led to the cliffhanger ending.
I've enjoyed this series purely for the pulp of it. The characters never actually grow. They more or less stay static even though the timeline from book 1 to book 17 is something like 17-20 years. They never explicitly say what the timeline is but we can guess based on a few references they make.
October 10, 2024
800 pages too long
Too much time and detail wasted on peripheral stories.
The denouement was contrived and gimmicky.
The Outsider has no personality and is too nearly omnipotent, which makes it impossible for it to be an engaging villain. Good villains, like good heroes, have flaws that make them interesting. This one doesn't.
Skippy and Joe's juvenile back and forth is getting old. Joe's character has evolved some; Skippy's hasn't. Their relationship is stale.
The battle scenes are still the most exciting part of Alanson's writing.
Too much time and detail wasted on peripheral stories.
The denouement was contrived and gimmicky.
The Outsider has no personality and is too nearly omnipotent, which makes it impossible for it to be an engaging villain. Good villains, like good heroes, have flaws that make them interesting. This one doesn't.
Skippy and Joe's juvenile back and forth is getting old. Joe's character has evolved some; Skippy's hasn't. Their relationship is stale.
The battle scenes are still the most exciting part of Alanson's writing.
October 14, 2024
Skippy rides Again
This is book 17 so you know what to expect. The story is solid with the usual blah blah bul-lah. So much blah. BUT, what is almost inexcusable is the fact this book was released with no one proof reading it! There are so many mistakes as well as syntax errors. At times you will have to just assume what was meant to be written as what exists is carp! I liked the story and will anxiously await book 18, but please have at least your lawn guy give it a read before asking people to spend money on it!
This is book 17 so you know what to expect. The story is solid with the usual blah blah bul-lah. So much blah. BUT, what is almost inexcusable is the fact this book was released with no one proof reading it! There are so many mistakes as well as syntax errors. At times you will have to just assume what was meant to be written as what exists is carp! I liked the story and will anxiously await book 18, but please have at least your lawn guy give it a read before asking people to spend money on it!
October 14, 2024
Great Story, but INCREDIBLY BAD Proofreading
Does anyone care about the technical quality of their writing anymore? It was always possible to understand the likely intent, but the book is RIDDLED with errors.
I'm not a frustrated English teacher with a negligible tolerance for mistakes. The constant errors made it less enjoyable to read. Had this been a first effort instead of the 17th installment, Expeditionary Force might never have been published.
Alanson should be embarrassed.
Does anyone care about the technical quality of their writing anymore? It was always possible to understand the likely intent, but the book is RIDDLED with errors.
I'm not a frustrated English teacher with a negligible tolerance for mistakes. The constant errors made it less enjoyable to read. Had this been a first effort instead of the 17th installment, Expeditionary Force might never have been published.
Alanson should be embarrassed.
October 24, 2024
Hmmm. First of all, I always love a Skippy story and I am so happy Craig Alanson decided to give us more stories.
This time I had a real problem following the story. I had to go back and reread chapters. It might be on me and not on the story but I can only write about my experience whilst reading. I find a whole concept of the outsider hard to follow. What is it? Why is it here? How long has it been here?
Still I can't wait for the story to continue because I need this little a**hole to brighten my days with his awesomeness.
And by the way, I hate cliffhangers!
This time I had a real problem following the story. I had to go back and reread chapters. It might be on me and not on the story but I can only write about my experience whilst reading. I find a whole concept of the outsider hard to follow. What is it? Why is it here? How long has it been here?
Still I can't wait for the story to continue because I need this little a**hole to brighten my days with his awesomeness.
And by the way, I hate cliffhangers!
November 21, 2024
I started listening to this series when the first book came out. And I have listened ever since as a loyal fan. The series has completely consumed me.
To be brutally honest, I was a little fatigued with the series when this latest book came out. Was I going to be able to take another 20 hours of Joe and Skippy??
Well, let me tell you that by the time I reached the end of the book, I was insanely disappointed that it was over. I was fully expecting more of the story and then suddenly, I hear the closing credits. My heart was crushed. I cannot wait for the next book.
To be brutally honest, I was a little fatigued with the series when this latest book came out. Was I going to be able to take another 20 hours of Joe and Skippy??
Well, let me tell you that by the time I reached the end of the book, I was insanely disappointed that it was over. I was fully expecting more of the story and then suddenly, I hear the closing credits. My heart was crushed. I cannot wait for the next book.
March 10, 2025
Probably closer to 3.5 stars.
This book and series continue to be a somewhat care-free comfort read/listen. It keeps the same general tone, and (for me) improved on some of the more annoying aspects from previous books.
However, this iteration fell short in the plot department. It took quite a while to get to the point, and once there was generally somewhat disconnected for my taste.
Ultimately, I get the line that this book is setting up for, but I'm not sure that it's as interesting as previously, or if it has enough to continue this series forward. But will have to see with the next one!
This book and series continue to be a somewhat care-free comfort read/listen. It keeps the same general tone, and (for me) improved on some of the more annoying aspects from previous books.
However, this iteration fell short in the plot department. It took quite a while to get to the point, and once there was generally somewhat disconnected for my taste.
Ultimately, I get the line that this book is setting up for, but I'm not sure that it's as interesting as previously, or if it has enough to continue this series forward. But will have to see with the next one!
March 13, 2025
I'm very attached to this series but after a certain point, maybe book 7 or 8, I've become impatient with so many pages of text with no real reason to be included. They might make the universe feel a little bigger but do nothing to advance the plot in the story or the arc of the series. Nothing happens until you're 95% finished with each book! This one was no different and was over 22 hours long on Audible.
They could benefit from an experienced editor. These books have no business being as long as they are.
They could benefit from an experienced editor. These books have no business being as long as they are.
September 18, 2024
Oh Wow!!!!!!
Book 17 does not disappoint and Alanson is not losing any steam. The stakes are higher, Joe and Skippy still have their sharp dialogue, insults, and deep friendship. Oh, and Skippy is still up to his neck in sketchy borderline illegal activities. As is our favorite Jeraptha Scorandum. Strangely, with Emily Perkins as a major general, she stopped being sleazy and creative staff officer. Hmmmm...
Book 17 does not disappoint and Alanson is not losing any steam. The stakes are higher, Joe and Skippy still have their sharp dialogue, insults, and deep friendship. Oh, and Skippy is still up to his neck in sketchy borderline illegal activities. As is our favorite Jeraptha Scorandum. Strangely, with Emily Perkins as a major general, she stopped being sleazy and creative staff officer. Hmmmm...
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