Columbus Day

Expeditionary Force, Book 1

By: Craig Alanson

Narrated by: R.C. Bray

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 Audio

Well...THAT was Certainly a Lot of Fun !!

At 16 hours, this is actually like reading two separate books -- the first is a pretty well done military "grunts in space" story. It is a notch above the usual because of the narration which is just great. But at about the halfway point, it transforms to a space opera-type of tongue-in-cheek story that is somewhere between Redshirts and Ready Player One -- inside jokes, clever asides and a much more self-aware story....and did I mention the narrator???? I'm not going to give away the story -- which is not really rocket science (sorry) -- but I think you will very much enjoy.

Alanson and Bray ROCK!!!

This audible book is the perfect union between author and narrator, really, it doesn’t get better! I loved this book, sci-fi with humor, you can’t go wrong! R.C. Bray is freaking awesome, I don’t think anyone could have done a better job, he’s totally a gifted narrator! I’m already through to book 4 and waiting on book 5 if that tells you how much I like this series so jump on this train, it’s a great ride!

MOAR

loved it, the humor is edgy and on point and action kept me into the story till the very end.

RC Brey did a wonderful job as usual.

Military Sci-Fi with comedy added 1/3 into story

This military sci-fi seems to be the standard soldier-in-space story, but takes a turn to humor about 1/3rd of the way in. The humor isn't deep or sophisticated or witty and clever or often laugh-out-loud as in the Cabin Pressure series, but is more the Guy Humor stuff where people say rude but funny things to each other.

The book is entertaining, the narrator is excellent, and is an escape-from-reality with some smiles.

At the end of the audiobook there is a preview of the next book, but there is some type of glitch as the "Introduction" repeated itself, then the first chapter started off, with a generous preview of book 2.

One of the Best Audio books

Where does Columbus Day rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This book provides an awesome adventure. It is inventive and funny.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Columbus Day?

I was skeptical when I read other reviews that mentioned a talking beer can. Don't let it scare you off. The level of sarcasm and one liners is unparalleled.

What does R.C. Bray bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

R.C. Bray is one of the best. One of his best performances.