Audible Book Review: Paradise, Expeditionary Force, Book 3 by Craig Alanson

This is a space military adventure series that I really enjoy.
Paradise
Expeditionary Force, Book 3
By: Craig Alanson
Narrated by: R.C. Bray

Length: 15 hrs and 53 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 05-23-17
Language: English
Publisher: Podium Audio
Genre: Adventure, Military Space Sci-fi
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.5; Narration 4.75.

Publisher's Summary
While the crew of the starship Flying Dutchman have been trying to assure people 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.
©2016 Craig Alanson (P)2017 Podium Publishing

Review:
UN Expeditionary Force (UNEF) took forces to the planet they named “Paradise” supposedly to help an allied force to free the planet from the grasp of an enemy alien force. When the allied force turned out to be the real enemy, the UNEF forces ended up stranded on the planet to fend for themselves, including the necessity to grow their own food.

Joe Bishop and a small group of UNEF soldiers escaped from Paradise by capturing an alien spaceship they renamed The Flying Dutchman. Joe and his crew are merely human without the capability to understand, much less operate, alien technology. But Joe discovered an ancient alien AI, a small cylinder nicknamed “Skippy”, who has become the oddest friend. The Flying Dutchman and crew returned home to Earth and, again with the help of Skippy, saved the homeworld by closing a wormhole in use by threatening aliens.

Now Joe and his crew have been sent back out into space to gather intel about potentially imminent threats. The most important thing for the ship is to remain secret. They cannot allow the alien forces - not even their own people on Paradise – know that the humans have an AI helping them to control the alien technology.

While carrying out their primary mission the crew learn that Paradise is about to be surrendered to the enemy who will kill the humans either by slow deprivation or outright massacre. The crew has to puzzle out a way to help while still staying secret from all the groups around them. Will Joe and Skippy be able to pull another rabbit out of the ‘magic’ cylinder?

I totally enjoy this crew and the irreverent snark and teasing, particularly between Joe and Skippy. As brilliant as the AI is, it drives him crazy when he misses possible solutions that only humans thinking out of the box can suggest. This installment is a little slower perhaps but still has plenty of interest that kept it moving quickly for me. I appreciate that there is minimal foul language in this series. If I didn’t try to spread my reading between solid series I enjoy and new series on my TBR, I would be willing to move on with the next book! I recommend the series to readers who enjoy space military adventure.

Audio Notes: Once again, R.C. Bray delivers wonderful narration that enhanced the listening experience for me. I could probably pick books by choosing this narrator if I needed to add to my large audio TBR.

Source: March 2019 Audible Credit. This qualifies for 2020TBR and 2020Audiobook goals.

Columbus Day (Expeditionary Force, #1) 4.75
SpecOps, Expeditionary Force, Book 2 4.5