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Expeditionary Force #12
Breakaway
The Expeditionary Force saga continues with Breakaway, the eagerly awaited sequel to number-one Audible-ranked and New York Times best-selling Brushfire, from an epic sci-fi writer at the top of his game. Join the millions of listeners who have enjoyed R.C. Bray’s hilarious portrayal of Joe, Skippy, The Merry Band of Pirates and so many other unforgettable characters.
The Merry Band of Pirates offered the bad guys a ceasefire. We won’t mess with them, if they don’t mess with us. Easy, right?
No.
The aliens chose to do things the hard way. So, the Pirates are racing around the galaxy to clean up the threat to Earth. The infant UN Navy has their own mission with the Alien Legion: get humanity some allies in the fight. And the Ethics & Compliance Office might have to do something...ethical. Unless they can find a way around it.
The Merry Band of Pirates offered the bad guys a ceasefire. We won’t mess with them, if they don’t mess with us. Easy, right?
No.
The aliens chose to do things the hard way. So, the Pirates are racing around the galaxy to clean up the threat to Earth. The infant UN Navy has their own mission with the Alien Legion: get humanity some allies in the fight. And the Ethics & Compliance Office might have to do something...ethical. Unless they can find a way around it.
393 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 2021
568 people are currently reading
1211 people want to read
About the author
Craig Alanson
40 books4,127 followersIf you want to stay up to date on releases, receive promotion alerts and speak to me directly, please join my Facebook Page:
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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.
https://www.facebook.com/Craig.Alanso...
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 248 reviews
April 2, 2024
great balance as the story matures
This series is still very strong at a point where others would be running out of gas. Craig pulls this off by adding a few new key characters with alien points of view and walking a near perfect tightrope between the humor and the action. Never too much of one or the other. Yes, some of the Joe & Skippy banter can feel a little proforma and repetitive, but just a little. What helps is that there is less of it all at once. You get smaller helpings of skippy with breaks of action and intrigue between them. Still an enjoyable series that keeps it's sense of fun even as the stakes get higher and higher.
In some ways this is the best writing of the series.
This series is still very strong at a point where others would be running out of gas. Craig pulls this off by adding a few new key characters with alien points of view and walking a near perfect tightrope between the humor and the action. Never too much of one or the other. Yes, some of the Joe & Skippy banter can feel a little proforma and repetitive, but just a little. What helps is that there is less of it all at once. You get smaller helpings of skippy with breaks of action and intrigue between them. Still an enjoyable series that keeps it's sense of fun even as the stakes get higher and higher.
In some ways this is the best writing of the series.
August 13, 2023
August 2023
I still appreciate the inclusion of the Mavericks in this one. It's such a pleasure to see them all treating Margaret like a rock star.
Joe's a general! About time. And having to sit and wait while the burgeoning earth fleet get their space legs is difficult but fascinating to watch. I am reminded again of everyone's visceral reaction to the Spiders in person. They're big and they're, well, spiders. Yikes.
And while the temptation to run off and rescue friends is great, the duty to handle other things is greater. Joe's character is mature enough now to act like a general - but if you know this guy from the previous books, you know it's got to be killing him as Armageddon haunts him.
And in a similar vein I am reminded these are characters and not real people. When you give yourself over to this world over the course of several books one after the other, you really do think of them as people. I don't feel like a human trapped on a freezing earth or anything, but when I'm listening I'm right there on Valkryie with them. That is some good writing.
December 2021
Same all over again - everything now is fresh in my mind for when the next book comes out in the next few days. And we get to start with Dave and Surget Jates!
June 19-24 2021
I couldn't find anything to read that I liked, so I re-read this just a couple of weeks later. There's really more action than I previously noted, a lot of it very satisfying. I have to say, I appreciated Joe's reaction to the biggest bluff in the universe - good to know he's a regular guy and not some kind of superhero. Also that he's a typical boyfriend.
I'll probably re-read this again but for now, it was just what I needed. Can't wait for the next book.
June 4-11 2021
I think I give these books 5 stars now just out of principle. They're all great with amazing characters - I'm really happy we got more Surjet Jates in this one. It's nice that Alanson is combining the Mavericks with the MBOP's.
But there's no real nail-biting action here. It's a lot more planning and strategizing. There's no amazing solution for getting out of a jam. Joe's flying around the galaxy seemingly accomplishing nothing. This book - while totally entertaining - has a bit of middle book syndrome. It's setting things up for the final showdown, I think.
But who cares? It's Joe and Skippy and the crew! That's actually gotten to be enough for me at this point. When this story is completed I'll be revisiting it time and time again. I'm thankful we get at least two more books until it's done. They just can't come fast enough!
And RC Bray, well, there you go. Don't need to say more.
I still appreciate the inclusion of the Mavericks in this one. It's such a pleasure to see them all treating Margaret like a rock star.
Joe's a general! About time. And having to sit and wait while the burgeoning earth fleet get their space legs is difficult but fascinating to watch. I am reminded again of everyone's visceral reaction to the Spiders in person. They're big and they're, well, spiders. Yikes.
And while the temptation to run off and rescue friends is great, the duty to handle other things is greater. Joe's character is mature enough now to act like a general - but if you know this guy from the previous books, you know it's got to be killing him as Armageddon haunts him.
And in a similar vein I am reminded these are characters and not real people. When you give yourself over to this world over the course of several books one after the other, you really do think of them as people. I don't feel like a human trapped on a freezing earth or anything, but when I'm listening I'm right there on Valkryie with them. That is some good writing.
December 2021
Same all over again - everything now is fresh in my mind for when the next book comes out in the next few days. And we get to start with Dave and Surget Jates!
June 19-24 2021
I couldn't find anything to read that I liked, so I re-read this just a couple of weeks later. There's really more action than I previously noted, a lot of it very satisfying. I have to say, I appreciated Joe's reaction to the biggest bluff in the universe - good to know he's a regular guy and not some kind of superhero. Also that he's a typical boyfriend.
I'll probably re-read this again but for now, it was just what I needed. Can't wait for the next book.
June 4-11 2021
I think I give these books 5 stars now just out of principle. They're all great with amazing characters - I'm really happy we got more Surjet Jates in this one. It's nice that Alanson is combining the Mavericks with the MBOP's.
But there's no real nail-biting action here. It's a lot more planning and strategizing. There's no amazing solution for getting out of a jam. Joe's flying around the galaxy seemingly accomplishing nothing. This book - while totally entertaining - has a bit of middle book syndrome. It's setting things up for the final showdown, I think.
But who cares? It's Joe and Skippy and the crew! That's actually gotten to be enough for me at this point. When this story is completed I'll be revisiting it time and time again. I'm thankful we get at least two more books until it's done. They just can't come fast enough!
And RC Bray, well, there you go. Don't need to say more.
April 5, 2024
Things are getting really dicey. Bishop is way out there in this installment.
June 5, 2021
Love this series generally,
RC Bray probably has a lot to do with that,
but this one was a *yawn.*
ANYWAY...
It seems like Alanson was trying to wrap up most of the dozen books so far and hinting at a bigger threat going on in the future.
I love Skippy and all, but dragging this out even further rather than breaking in a new direction seems like a bad idea.
I know Alanson has tried to do so before, but it never worked, and trying to work in those elements that didn't work before in order to push this narrative further seems futile.
Try something else, Mr. Alanson. You have the talent. Break away and start over.
RC Bray probably has a lot to do with that,
but this one was a *yawn.*
ANYWAY...
It seems like Alanson was trying to wrap up most of the dozen books so far and hinting at a bigger threat going on in the future.
I love Skippy and all, but dragging this out even further rather than breaking in a new direction seems like a bad idea.
I know Alanson has tried to do so before, but it never worked, and trying to work in those elements that didn't work before in order to push this narrative further seems futile.
Try something else, Mr. Alanson. You have the talent. Break away and start over.
July 22, 2021
I'm somewhere between..
"Where did I put my beer because I was waiting for something big to happen"
to
"WOAH WHY YOU GOTTA END IT LIKE THAT."
But seriously. This was 15 hours of filler and 5 hours of content. Disappointing with a slight hint of decent ending.
"Where did I put my beer because I was waiting for something big to happen"
to
"WOAH WHY YOU GOTTA END IT LIKE THAT."
But seriously. This was 15 hours of filler and 5 hours of content. Disappointing with a slight hint of decent ending.
July 14, 2022
Awesome as always. The banter is funny, the book is well written, the story is fast paced and exciting, and RC Bray does a brilliant job bringing it to life.
October 9, 2021
Excellent. Great series of books. Definitely a must read series.
July 25, 2021
Really great book. In next books I would really like more Ethics and Compliance Office and Will Do Sketchy Things stuff.
January 9, 2025
When I thought this was getting redundant, it still managed to surprise me
April 11, 2025
Audiobook
February 1, 2022
Meh. Definitely ready for this series to end. It's just getting tedious at this point - for a while really. I keep reading it because I like RC Bray (that would be the narrator) and I like Skippy most of the time (that would be the asshole beer can).
March 24, 2022
This was actually better than the previous 3 books of the series and brings it back to the feel of the first two or three books. The story advances and you feel like there is more at stake now.
June 7, 2022
BREAKAWAY is the follow-up book to the events of Brushfire as our heroes find out that picking a fight with the largest power in the galaxy is not an incredibly good idea. SPOILER > Yes, the Earth humiliated the Maxolhx but all that did was make sure they needed to hit us back harder. After a brutal attack on New York and other cities, they've put a cloud that will freeze us all to death. It's fantastic stuff and Joe Bishop has the idea that the only thing humanity can do is to hit them hard enough that they back down.
I have to give Craig some really mad props for his handling of the Maxolhx. Joe and Skippy keep all these big epic plans expecting them to back down but they can't because, well, they're fascists (space kitty fascists or not). The identity of the dictatorial authoritarian asshole in RL is so tied up in their superiority they can't ever back down even when it is in their best interest. You keep expecting them to get the message but they CAN'T.
Excellent book and I immediately started Fallout afterward.
I have to give Craig some really mad props for his handling of the Maxolhx. Joe and Skippy keep all these big epic plans expecting them to back down but they can't because, well, they're fascists (space kitty fascists or not). The identity of the dictatorial authoritarian asshole in RL is so tied up in their superiority they can't ever back down even when it is in their best interest. You keep expecting them to get the message but they CAN'T.
Excellent book and I immediately started Fallout afterward.
June 22, 2024
Lai arī cik straujš nebūtu bijis cilvēces meteoristiskais leciens zvaigznēs, turklāt puslīdz līdzvērtīgās pozīcijās ar spēcīgākajiem citplanētiešiem maksaultiem un rindalu, pateicoties Skipijam, tad viņu liktie šķēršļi tik un tā var sagādāt būtiskas problēmas. Galvenie vaininieki pie samilzušākās likstas, no Venēras gāzēm radītā ‘’mākoņa’’, kas draud bloķēt pietiekamu Saules gaismas apjomu, lai radītu maklīgu ledus laikmetu.
https://poseidons99.wordpress.com/202...
https://poseidons99.wordpress.com/202...
August 22, 2021
all reviews in one place:
night mode reading ;
skaitom nakties rezimu
About the Book: As Earth is being pushed into an ice age by hostile alien technology, humans scramble to reach warmer places, resulting in chaos and mayhem. Joe Bishop is on a very tight timeline to not only solve this, but make sure no one thinks it’s a good idea to threaten humanity ever again. And, hehe, no one is going to like ANY of those monkey-brain ideas.
My Opinion: I love how somehow Skippy continues to evolve and progress. Joe does too, of course, but I have a weak spot for AI. It’s an entertaining, witty, action packed book full of aliens, explosions, space ships, embarrassing jokes, and lovable characters who are easy to root for.
night mode reading ;
skaitom nakties rezimu
About the Book: As Earth is being pushed into an ice age by hostile alien technology, humans scramble to reach warmer places, resulting in chaos and mayhem. Joe Bishop is on a very tight timeline to not only solve this, but make sure no one thinks it’s a good idea to threaten humanity ever again. And, hehe, no one is going to like ANY of those monkey-brain ideas.
My Opinion: I love how somehow Skippy continues to evolve and progress. Joe does too, of course, but I have a weak spot for AI. It’s an entertaining, witty, action packed book full of aliens, explosions, space ships, embarrassing jokes, and lovable characters who are easy to root for.
September 13, 2022
This was the most intense book in the series. The humor was still there, the great references to Star Wars and Star Trek were there. Skippy the Magnificent was his usual awesomeness. But the stakes were the biggest in the series. I have no clue how he could top this one. I hope the stakes are not somehow upped in the next book, I think it would be too hard on my blood pressure!
#skippythemagnificent
#merrybandofpirates
#shifi
#skippythemagnificent
#merrybandofpirates
#shifi
June 10, 2021
I can't stop!
June 14, 2021
Love where the series is going. Looking forward to the next one.
January 14, 2025
A good book, but my least favorite so far. I wish it had more info about the overarching plot. I did enjoy how they accomplished the impossible yet again though and look forward to the next book!
June 20, 2021
It's still entertaining, but I'm not sure how long this series can carry on and still be entertaining. It almost makes me nervous because I don't want it to go bad. I'd be happy if Craig Alanson wrapped it up in the next book or now.
June 6, 2021
Just keep it rolling :-)
December 29, 2021
Schmoe Bishop and the beer can do it again!
Craig has really done a fantastic job with this series. Each new book always leaves me craving more. Easily one of the best book series I've ever read.
Craig has really done a fantastic job with this series. Each new book always leaves me craving more. Easily one of the best book series I've ever read.
June 11, 2021
Waiting six months for the next book will be torture!
August 7, 2021
This book was twice as good as the last 2 combined, I really enjoyed the change of pace. The different perspectives and plot elements broke the usual Joe-Skippy-Smith-theimpossible-happens cycle.
What bothered me was not really the 1-dimensional portrayal of everything but humans. Nor the deus ex machina plot devices. These are all par for the series. But somehow the "diplomatic" exchanges between Joe and the aliens got really on my nerves. Dude, you want to avoid Earth being frozen and other apocalypses, stop talking like an American idiot from an 80s trash action movie.
This is especially weird since there are lots of places in the series (also this book) where US military discipline and principles are talked about over and over again and everything has to be super professional, no matter how many lightyears from home.
What bothered me was not really the 1-dimensional portrayal of everything but humans. Nor the deus ex machina plot devices. These are all par for the series. But somehow the "diplomatic" exchanges between Joe and the aliens got really on my nerves. Dude, you want to avoid Earth being frozen and other apocalypses, stop talking like an American idiot from an 80s trash action movie.
This is especially weird since there are lots of places in the series (also this book) where US military discipline and principles are talked about over and over again and everything has to be super professional, no matter how many lightyears from home.
August 11, 2022
I’m not a fan of angry Joe. It’s not that he’s angry. He should be angry. It’s how he expresses his anger and how that changes the story telling/narration. There seems to be way more machismo in this book than the others (with a few unexpected snide comments about women), which detracts from some of the really cool things Alanson introduces (like the strong female leaders and the long story arch). I wanted to like this because I like Joe and skippy. I love the pirates and am loving how the legion is developing. I hated the Q&A part where Joe puts words into the reader’s mouth and barks answers at us with unnecessary and inaccurate “you: whiny question. Me: macho answer” round and round. Seriously, that made me want to give it one star but the book isn’t a total loss just because of one section. I will continue reading but if this keeps up, I might lose interest.
September 26, 2021
Blah, ba-blah, ba-blah...
I really wanted to like this book but the rambling thoughts went on an on. Like when someone "pads" a research paper to fulfill some word count requirements. I found it mind numbing so after many paragraphs it would occur to me I had no idea what I just read. And I no longer cared. It's throughout the book. I started skimming a bit to find the here and now and any actual dialogue. Surprisingly, I found spelling errors in the early chapters. Anyway, yes, read the book because its not the end of the story. Hopefully the next book will be better.
I really wanted to like this book but the rambling thoughts went on an on. Like when someone "pads" a research paper to fulfill some word count requirements. I found it mind numbing so after many paragraphs it would occur to me I had no idea what I just read. And I no longer cared. It's throughout the book. I started skimming a bit to find the here and now and any actual dialogue. Surprisingly, I found spelling errors in the early chapters. Anyway, yes, read the book because its not the end of the story. Hopefully the next book will be better.
June 13, 2021
This is more like a 2,5 star book. A lot of the story was much the same with entertaining Skippy and lots of ususl rants. Then the story finally progressed a little as ususl.
I think the series should have wrapped up by now. I can sort og see where the ending is taking now. It might be that the next one is the last. Or who knows?
We still dont know what happened to the Elders. So I guess the beef with the Maxohlx needs to end and then perhaps a whole book with the Elders. So maybe 2 or more books remaining...
Much of the same is getting boring and tedious
I think the series should have wrapped up by now. I can sort og see where the ending is taking now. It might be that the next one is the last. Or who knows?
We still dont know what happened to the Elders. So I guess the beef with the Maxohlx needs to end and then perhaps a whole book with the Elders. So maybe 2 or more books remaining...
Much of the same is getting boring and tedious
February 26, 2023
Definitely a return to form: keeping us on our toes with the crazy shenanigans of the amazing "brosefs" Joe Bishop and Skippy the Magnificent, providing a believable and yet somehow beatable universe-sized threat to humanity, and giving hilarious dialogue and (my favorite addition as the series has progressed) POV for various alien species who all have well defined characteristics that endear me to this whole wild project.
Recommend this as a "phase three" turning point for this series, and cannot wait for the next one (not that that was ever in doubt even on the 1-2 more "meh" entries).
Recommend this as a "phase three" turning point for this series, and cannot wait for the next one (not that that was ever in doubt even on the 1-2 more "meh" entries).
June 11, 2021
It seems like the power scaling is starting to get a bit off. Humans seemed undefeatable and always had the answer to every issue. Also, not a lot is happening to move the story along. The story seems to be humans think of some attack, find out they can't just do it, sleep on it for a bit, look at something that sparks an idea, and have a perfect plan that always works.
June 14, 2021
Well, there is always something going on. It is still fun to hear Skippy and Joe banter about. Now they must save the world again by beating down the bad kitties. The book is too long by 50%, there are sections that kill time but don't move the story or the characters along. The only redeeming thing is that the characters are fun to be around.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 248 reviews