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SpecOps
- Expeditionary Force, Book 2
- Narrated by: R.C. Bray
- Series: Expeditionary Force, Book 2
- Length: 15 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Categories: Science Fiction & Fantasy, Science Fiction
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Paradise
- Expeditionary Force, Book 3
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While the crew of the starship Flying Dutchman have been trying to assure that hostile aliens do not have access to Earth, the UN Expeditionary Force has been stranded on the planet they nicknamed "Paradise". The Flying Dutchman is headed back out on another mission, and the UN wants the ship to find out the status of the humans on Paradise. But Colonel Joe Bishop warns that they might not like what they find, and they can't do anything about it without endangering Earth.
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More repetitive than anything I’ve ever read or listened to
- By Andrew on 2019-04-15
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Black Ops
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The elite crew of the pirate ship UNS Flying Dutchman had a simple mission: determining whether the Thuranin are sending another starship to Earth. Along the way, they became sidetracked by securing a future for the UNEF troops on the planet Paradise. When asked whether Earth was now safe, their ancient alien AI responded "Not so much"...now they have to deal with the consequences.
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Hail the adventures of Skippy the Magnificent!!!
- By Kaisersoser on 2017-11-17
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Zero Hour
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United Nations Special Operations Command sent an elite expeditionary force of soldiers and pilots out on a simple recon mission, and somehow along the way they sparked an alien civil war. Now the not-at-all-merry band of pirates is in desperate trouble, again. Their stolen alien starship is falling apart, thousands of light years from home. The ancient alien AI they nicknamed Skippy is apparently dead, and even if they can by some miracle revive him, he might never be the same.
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once again a great listen
- By Kevin on 2018-02-14
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Mavericks
- Expeditionary Force, Book 6
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The remnants of the Expeditionary Force stranded on the alien-controlled planet "Paradise" get a chance to prove themselves, in a simple off-world training mission with a ship full of teenage alien cadets. When the mission goes horribly wrong and the survival of everyone on Paradise is at risk, the Merry Band of Pirates may have to come to the rescue. Unless they get killed first....
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Good, but heavy lack of the Merry Band of Pirates
- By Scott on 2018-10-22
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Renegades
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The battle-scarred star carrier Flying Dutchman is finally on her way back to Earth, after an exceptionally successful series of missions that have once again saved the world. The ship needs a serious refit, and her exhausted crew just wants a break from constant clandestine warfare against a vicious and superior enemy. Wishes come true, right? Not for the Merry Band of Pirates.
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Love the series but...
- By ChrisCW on 2019-06-19
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Columbus Day
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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.
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Easily one of the better books I've read..
- By jesse cornelious on 2018-10-31
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Paradise
- Expeditionary Force, Book 3
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While the crew of the starship Flying Dutchman have been trying to assure that hostile aliens do not have access to Earth, the UN Expeditionary Force has been stranded on the planet they nicknamed "Paradise". The Flying Dutchman is headed back out on another mission, and the UN wants the ship to find out the status of the humans on Paradise. But Colonel Joe Bishop warns that they might not like what they find, and they can't do anything about it without endangering Earth.
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More repetitive than anything I’ve ever read or listened to
- By Andrew on 2019-04-15
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Black Ops
- Expeditionary Force, Book 4
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The elite crew of the pirate ship UNS Flying Dutchman had a simple mission: determining whether the Thuranin are sending another starship to Earth. Along the way, they became sidetracked by securing a future for the UNEF troops on the planet Paradise. When asked whether Earth was now safe, their ancient alien AI responded "Not so much"...now they have to deal with the consequences.
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Hail the adventures of Skippy the Magnificent!!!
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Zero Hour
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United Nations Special Operations Command sent an elite expeditionary force of soldiers and pilots out on a simple recon mission, and somehow along the way they sparked an alien civil war. Now the not-at-all-merry band of pirates is in desperate trouble, again. Their stolen alien starship is falling apart, thousands of light years from home. The ancient alien AI they nicknamed Skippy is apparently dead, and even if they can by some miracle revive him, he might never be the same.
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once again a great listen
- By Kevin on 2018-02-14
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Mavericks
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The remnants of the Expeditionary Force stranded on the alien-controlled planet "Paradise" get a chance to prove themselves, in a simple off-world training mission with a ship full of teenage alien cadets. When the mission goes horribly wrong and the survival of everyone on Paradise is at risk, the Merry Band of Pirates may have to come to the rescue. Unless they get killed first....
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Good, but heavy lack of the Merry Band of Pirates
- By Scott on 2018-10-22
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Renegades
- Expeditionary Force, Book 7
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The battle-scarred star carrier Flying Dutchman is finally on her way back to Earth, after an exceptionally successful series of missions that have once again saved the world. The ship needs a serious refit, and her exhausted crew just wants a break from constant clandestine warfare against a vicious and superior enemy. Wishes come true, right? Not for the Merry Band of Pirates.
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Love the series but...
- By ChrisCW on 2019-06-19
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Columbus Day
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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.
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Easily one of the better books I've read..
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Trouble on Paradise
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While the crew of the UN Expeditionary Force's pirate starship Flying Dutchman are enjoying a luxury vacation cruise (not!), UNEF troops are still stranded on an alien-controlled planet. Major Emily Perkins and her team are busy picking up the pieces, and it's not easy, because there is trouble on Paradise...
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Terrific
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Armageddon
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After the Renegade mission by the crew of the starship Flying Dutchman, the UN Expeditionary Force thought Earth was safe for hundreds of years, at least. After there was trouble on the home front and the president had to authorize a nuclear strike on an American city, UNEF decided they did need the Merry Band of Pirates again. So, the Flying Dutchman is sent out on a simple recon mission. But for the pirates, nothing is ever simple, and their mission will become Armageddon.
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NOT ALL CANADIANS TALK LIKE THAT!!
- By Anonymous User on 2019-11-28
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Valkyrie
- Expeditionary Force, Book 9
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- Length: 19 hrs and 45 mins
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After saving the world many times, the Merry Band of Pirates have accepted the inevitable: Earth is doomed. All they can do is try to bring a few thousand people to safety, before vicious aliens arrive to destroy humanity's home world. No. There is one other thing they can do: hit the enemy so hard that the aliens will regret they ever heard of humans.
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Canadians do not say or use "EH like that.
- By liam on 2020-02-10
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Critical Mass
- Expeditionary Force, Book 10
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The Merry Band of Pirates are in desperate trouble after the end of their last mission, and the real danger to humanity is just getting started. Hostile aliens have discovered there is something odd going on with wormholes in the galaxy, and their investigations could lead to finding a shortcut to Earth....
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[SPOILERS AHEAD] Craig, please take a break.....
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Brushfire
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Peacetime can be a rough adjustment for the battle-hardened Merry Band of Pirates.
Especially when aliens don’t get the memo that the shooting is over.
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fantastic as usual with a hiccup
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Homefront: An Expeditionary Force Audio Drama Special
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After the latest mission of the starship Flying Dutchman, Earth is safe not just for a year, but for hundreds of years. The ship’s weary crew wonders what they will do with their lives in peacetime, but the enemy has other plans, and there is danger on the Homefront. Starring Zachary Quinto, R.C. Bray, Kate Mulgrew, Robert Picardo, and everyone's favorite AI, Skippy the Magnificent, alongside a full cast. Includes plenty of pew-pew-pew, original sound composition, and maybe some singing by R.C. Bray.
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Solid Shmaybe!
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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.
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as always amazing except for that preview.
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The problem with lying about having a super weapon is that the bad guys might believe they have nothing to lose by doing something stupid that both sides will regret. Or, they might just call your bluff. Either way, the Merry Band of Pirates need a plan to deal with the Fallout.
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Obscure pop/sci-fi culture references kill me
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Deathtrap
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The human soldiers stranded on the planet Paradise have been recruited into an alien legion to do the dirty jobs that the high-tech species won't do. Their first mission is to kick the enemy off a backwater planet no one cares about. It's a simple assignment, except everyone has a hidden agenda, and the planet could become a deathtrap.
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Simply great.
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Overall
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Performance
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The Alien Legion has a new mission, and this time, they are working for the enemy. Also against the enemy. Like every operation that Emily Perkins plans, it’s complicated. But plans require good intel, and when the plan falls apart, the Mavericks are in freefall....
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Wish I could give 9 stars!
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Match Game
- Expeditionary Force, Book 14
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For years, the ancient alien AI known as Skippy (the Magnificent, don’t forget that part) has been able to do one impossible thing after another. What is his secret? It’s simple: 100 percent Grade-A extreme awesomeness. And also because he had never been faced with an opponent of equal power. Until now. This time, he might need a little help from a band of filthy monkeys.
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It's magnificent.
- By Locke Steinbach on 2022-06-07
Written by: Craig Alanson
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Heaven's River
- Bobiverse, Book 4
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Civil war looms in the Bobiverse in this brand-new, epic-length adventure by Audible number one best seller Dennis E. Taylor. More than a hundred years ago, Bender set out for the stars and was never heard from again. There has been no trace of him despite numerous searches by his clone-mates. Now Bob is determined to organize an expedition to learn Bender’s fate - whatever the cost. But nothing is ever simple in the Bobiverse. Bob’s descendants are out to the 24th generation now, and replicative drift has produced individuals who can barely be considered Bobs anymore.
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I hope this story never ends
- By André on 2020-09-25
Written by: Dennis E. Taylor
Publisher's Summary
Colonel Joe Bishop made a promise and he's going to keep it; taking the captured alien starship Flying Dutchman back out.
He doesn't agree when the UN decides to send almost 70 elite Special Operations troops, hotshot pilots, and scientists with him; the mission is a fool's errand he doesn't expect to ever return from. At least, this time, the Earth is safe, right?
Not so much.
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What listeners say about SpecOps
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Andrew
- 2019-03-25
Repetitive and dull
Compared to the first book, this one almost lost me. I’ll give the third one a shot, but if it doesn’t improve I’ll abandon the series. I’ve never read a novel where so many interactions and scenarios repeat themselves without irony or purpose. The same conflict, solution, banter and resolution repeat verbatim like they were written by a far less advanced AI than Skippy. And while there are still moments of excitement or interest, like the backstory of Newark and the Elders, there is almost no plot. The stakes are low and the writing is just bad. Where the first book started off poor and improved by giving us an interesting, high stakes scenario, this one feels like it accomplished nothing and ends right where it started. Just... bad.
6 people found this helpful
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- Drew
- 2019-03-09
a good book
I loved it, great second book! am starting the third book now! can't wait to see what's next
3 people found this helpful
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- malcolm
- 2019-03-20
If your memory is bad it might not drive you crazy
generally love the story of the book.. -when- it actually storyed. Insted, there is constant bickering between the two main characters. Then you're reminded every 2 chapters about big main concepts over and over and over almost the same words every time! I sadly found myself skipping forward 30 seconds at a time multiple times throughout the book! Next book better rein that in or I'll have to trade it for something else.
2 people found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 2017-10-28
love the narrator and the story
the narrator is really good. inflection if voice and timing are excellent. the story is also well written and humorous.
2 people found this helpful
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- Robert Claypool
- 2021-10-13
Awesome!
Great blend of military sci-fi and humor! as always RC Bray is excellent and really makes the story engaging!
1 person found this helpful
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- Eirnin Emrys
- 2021-09-09
SKIPPY THE MAGNIFICENT
I am loving this character. The interplay between the characters is well done and sounds natural. The story has been put together in a well balanced mix of action and down time. Its like listening to a well made movie. The level of detail is excellent. It gives a great picture of what's going on without bogging down the story. I'm loving this series and can't wait for more.
1 person found this helpful
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- Duane Morgan
- 2021-07-29
Loved it
Just like the first book, this one continues the story like you'd expect. solid.
1 person found this helpful
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- Philippe Parent
- 2021-06-22
addictive
I'm hooked ,i find it really hard to stop ,leaves me with no choice but to buy the next ones
1 person found this helpful
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- Darryl Vogler
- 2021-04-13
Narrator absolutely knocks it out of the park
Really loving this series. Skippy and Joe's banter is generally top notch, and RC Bray's delivery brings it home every single time.
Really enjoyable story and I'm downloading the next book once I post this review.
My only problem with the series, is there is an awful lot of vague sci fi techno babble deus ex solutions in the plot. I don't ever really feel like anyone is in real danger because there usually seems to be a science-y 'a-ha!' moment that perfectly gets the characters out of trouble. Perhaps I'm just used to reading series where more characters get killed off.
Again, really enjoyable book and RC is an absolute dream to listen to.
1 person found this helpful
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- kyle k.
- 2020-12-20
enthralling,
my first audio book series, its addicting and captivating. definitely recommended to any sci fi fans
1 person found this helpful
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- Trex
- 2017-04-02
Plot hasn't progressed
The chemistry between Skippy & Joe has become monotonous. I'd estimate Skippy calls Joe a stupid monkey no less that 100 times in this book. The plot is no further along than at the end of the first book. Disappointing.
30 people found this helpful
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- J G
- 2018-11-27
I have an idea
*In a tight spot*
Human: I have an idea
AI: hahaha monkey thinks he is clever
Human: *explains idea"
AI:........Holy Shit.
This happens word for word 4-5 times.
22 people found this helpful
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- Scott F.
- 2018-02-03
Repetitive
The same plot from the first book is repeated time and again. I liked the first book, but like so many series the second book brings nothing novel to the story line.
10 people found this helpful
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- Jenna Keefe
- 2017-04-12
Rinse and repeat
This book takes the same joke from the first book and repeats it over and over and over and over and over...get the picture? I'm not sure why people think it's funny because there is nothing clever about this book. While book one was somewhat original and fun this book is just boring. The characters are flat and the main character is made into a god-like perfect human who can do no wrong and is infinitely humble even when he didn't do anything wrong. Skippy gets really old really fast. certainly won't continue with this series.
21 people found this helpful
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- Lloyd
- 2018-02-19
excellent world/universe... terrible writing
What did you like best about SpecOps? What did you like least?
I really liked the first book despite instances of poor dialog. The universe Alanson has built and the plot itself is engaging.
I picked up the second book thinking that these issues would be resolved after the first, but I was wrong. They only became worse.
a) So much repetitive language. The author seems reticent to use pronouns instead of repeating the same noun within a 1-3 sentence span.
b) All conversations with Skippy just get more and more annoying. The same jokes are used on repeat and they were only marginally funny the first time.
c) besides the main plot line and the universe the characters inhabit, this reads like a sub-par fan fiction. the protagonist is self-indulgent; it sounds like the internal dialog of someone in middle school.
d) the jokes are awful. a lot of 3-stooges physical comedy and repetitive interplay with Skippy about humans being monkeys.
Alanson's world has a lot of potential, but this material is in need of a good editor. This novel and the last should be re-written into a single volume with at least half of the dialogue removed.
I will probably finish this one out as i'm already 5 hours in, but much of it is painful and don't think I can handle another one.
Which character – as performed by R.C. Bray – was your favorite?
The narrator did the best that could be expected with the material he had to work with.
27 people found this helpful
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- Daniel
- 2017-04-26
Repetitive and watered-down
The story seemed forced and less important then book 1. What really started to bother me was the same 2 or 3 scenerios kept playing out over and over. Skippy has no plan, Joe comes up with plan, Skippy cant believe a monkey came up with a plan. Tbat happend about 5 times i swear. Even phrases and information was repeateded. The performance was top notch, the writing was lazy.
112 people found this helpful
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- Noon At Midnight
- 2018-02-15
Repetitive. Hesitant to Buy the Third Book
I love the fact that it's 15 hours and it's something to keep my mind from going numb when I am on the treadmill, but just barely. The reader has a dynamic voice, which makes up for what the writing lacks. Characters don't develop so who they are on page 10 is who they are on page 1000 --- basically which part of the galaxy they replay the same skit over and over again changes but the book ends where it begins with character and plot development a good author could have accomplished in 3 paragraphs. I am heading to the gym, so I guess I use another credit and get the 3rd....oh well....here's to hoping.
19 people found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 2017-03-28
Sadly repetitive
What disappointed you about SpecOps?
Book 2 takes a few elements that worked fairly well in Book 1 and repeats them ad naseum to fill the pages. Did the publisher require a specific page count from the author? The plot is basically a loose collection of randomly appearing, insurmountable problems that end up being resolved by (1) Skippy, using another one of his god-like, deus ex machina powers that aren't mentioned until he explains the solution or (2) Joe's "brilliant" idea that Skippy for some reason could not foresee despite his superpowers, followed by Skippy's grudging acknowledgement of monkeys being smarter than he thought and "I hate my life and monkeys" screams.... Rinse and repeat N times to fill the book.
The rest is filler without much character or plot development. We don't get much in terms of world building, interactions with various aliens or Elders, but we get a ton of pages about Newark. The constant banter between Joe and Skippy worked well in the first book, but eventually became really repetitive and formulaic. Also, Joe's constant inner monologue is cringe-worthy - we get it, you have a strong sense of duty to save everyone and also don't feel like you deserve the promotion to colonel, but how many times does it need to be mentioned???
Would you ever listen to anything by Craig Alanson again?
No, if Book 3 in this series is like Book 2. I liked the first book, but this is just lazy.
What about R.C. Bray’s performance did you like?
Excellent narration.
52 people found this helpful
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- Aaron M. Benzing
- 2017-11-15
Welcome to an outer space version of Groundhog Day, but boring.
After the twists and turns of the first book, this sequel was a huge disappointment. I kept listening hoping that it would get better, it did not. Here, I will save you 8 hours... Skippy is really smart, Joe is a dumb monkey but comes up with a good plan, Skippy is mad that Joe had a better idea than him, the plan works, bananas for everyone, repeat. Your Welcome!
15 people found this helpful
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- Jim "The Impatient"
- 2017-03-18
WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY by NO PATIENCE MAN
BREAKING IT DOWN BARNEY STYLE
I wanted to BLUFF IT, but it is your money. I liked this book and will continue the series, but I did not love it. The book is very funny and that is what saves it. It does have some SCIENCY STUFF to the point of over my head. We are talking lots of physics with wormholes and flat universes. I like the main character Joe. I like the fact that he shows humility, but yet is in charge. It is entertaining 90% of the time. I liked the planet of the week, which this week is an Ice Planet.
BONUS OR BONE US
Keep in mind, I said I like the book and I am going to continue the series. When I listen to book 3, I will wear my lucky underwear. YEA, LUCKY UNDERWEAR IS A REAL THING. For the first hour or two, the sarcastic SKIPPY almost becomes too much. Almost every line is a sarcastic remark by him. I love this type of humor, but the first hour was annoying. The jokes are repeated so many times, that I found myself giving the sarcastic remark before Joe or Skippy did. You always know that Joe is going to think up something Skippy does not think up. You know that Skippy will get upset over that fact. You know that the solution will almost always involve Skippy listening in on the enemy's communications and often manipulating them to make the enemy see or hear something different than the truth. When it is not that, it will have something to do with Skippy making a small worm hole. After a while it became SEMPER TEDIUM. With all that, there is still some LOL moments towards the end and of course the love that is growing between Skippy and Joe.
THAT'S ARE STORY AND WE'RE STICKING TO IT
I am also very interested in the mystery of the Elders, along with a new mystery, involving an unknown race that is using Elder technology for evil uses.
IT IS BETTER TO BE SILENT AND BE THOUGHT AN IDIOT, THAN TO SPEAK AND REMOVE ALL DOUBT
R.C. Bray is no idiot and I will always listen to him speak.
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