Columbus Day
Expeditionary Force, Book 1
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Columbus Day
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Narrated by:
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R.C. Bray
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Written by:
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Craig Alanson
About this listen
Nominee, Audie Awards - Audiobook of the Year, 2018
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 come ships of a technologically advanced, aggressive culture, and BAM! There go the good old days, when humans only got killed 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.
©2016 Craig Alanson (P)2016 Podium AudioYou may also enjoy...
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What listeners say about Columbus Day
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- ChrisCW
- 2018-10-23
Great Entertainment!
The story doesn't really move sci-fi genre forward much and borrows heavily from a lot of other sources, but this is a prime example of why it pays to have a really good narrator perform these books. Yes, most of the female characters sound like hairy gruff men but at least you can tell the difference between ALL characters and the narrator switches easily between various American accents, British and other foreign accents, and then throws in some computer generated and alien vocalizations in the mix.
Story was good at first but then Skippy comes along and made it great.
Good humor and superb vocal performance has made this one of my favorite Audibles yet and looking forward to the whole series.
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5 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- mike leakey
- 2020-09-06
Do it
Columbus Day almost lost me but the last third hooked me for another 12 or 13 novels. It seems too simple at first but then the universe just blows right up and the simple style it's written in becomes it's greatest attribute.
Cons:
-The short stories between novels are necessary to the storyline but not worth a credit.
-Ties in with the Mavericks storyline and you really need to read those as well. Theyre almost as good so no worries there.
-Maybe a little predicatable at times and deus ex machina used too often.
-Humor is repetitive.
-Characters are static. Development is minimal but theyre great so whatever.
Pros:
-After book 1 I was kept fully engaged with the main storyline and curious about the big picture subplot that comes as a trickle throughout the series.
-A very BIG story made simple with lots of memorable characters and great ideas.
-As a usual reader of harder scifi such as Alastair Reynolds I was satisfied with the science/theories behind the technology as simplified as it was.
-The different levels of technology throughout the galaxies' species was a great concept and made this universe original.
Also Read:
-Bobiverse (Id read this first)
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Tamar
- 2023-10-07
I was not expecting this
This book was not something I would have picked on my own. I was tempted after seeing all the good reviews and God I’m happy I listened to it. I’m so invested and will be buying book 2!
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Drew
- 2019-03-05
I enjoyed it
was a really good book of you like sci-fi, I like how much I feel like I can relate to the characters. I am continuing the series.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 2018-09-14
Good transformed into great by Skippy
Great listen and then just when you think there's a slump in the story skippy is introduced with many lulz. I was hooked to the series after this book and couldn't wait for the next one to be released! #Audible1
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Arthur
- 2019-10-05
Immersive and Witty
Enjoyed it all through, found it immersive and witty to boot. Can't wait to begin the next installment.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Christopher
- 2021-02-27
Damn good.
Seemed like just another space pewpew soldier sci-fi book but then came "Skippy" and suddenly the character of this book changed radically for the better. Extremely entertaining banter as the relationship between Joe and Skippy develops. Love this book and going to really dig into this series now!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 2021-03-05
Jo and Skippy!
Loved every minute of this book. I have a rule to listen to a book twice and it the second time was just as great as the first time. The story is brilliant and narrator does an incredible job bring this to life. Just bought book 2 in this series. Can't wait to see what these 2 are up to in space!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- GirlShaun
- 2020-12-21
Favorite Audio Book Ever
Omg loved this audio book immensely. The storyline was wicked and narrator amazing. Skippy cracked me up and hope this series gets turned into a movie. I will definitely purchase book 2.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Kent
- 2021-03-03
Amazing and Refreshing
Amazing fresh look at SciFi and incredibly bright beginning to a highly entertaining and scientifically astute series.
The beer can is hilarious and Barney....errrr..Joe is disastrously competent at blundering into brilliant solutions at awkward moments of need....
Skippy the sort of shot in the arm SciFi has needed for years!
A brilliant start for a series that is changing the seriously too enthralled with itself genre!
...and if you don't believe me? Skippy will convince when he sticks his tongue out at you, you blathering monkey!
Nagatha...cue the operatic sequence!
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