Audible Book Review: Galaxy's Edge by Jason Anspach and Nick Cole

I enjoyed the military action in these books.

Galaxy's Edge
By: Jason Anspach, Nick Cole
Narrated by: R.C. Bray

Length: 17 hrs and 22 mins
Release date: 02-20-18
Publisher: Podium Audio
Genre: Military Science Fiction
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.5; Narration 4.5.

Publisher's Summary
Galaxy's Edge contains Legionnaire through to the end of Galactic Outlaws.
On the edge of the galaxy, a diplomatic mission to an alien planet takes a turn when the Legionnaires, an elite special fighting force, find themselves ambushed and stranded behind enemy lines. They struggle to survive under siege, waiting on a rescue that might never come.
In the seedy starport of Ackabar, a young girl searches the crime-ridden gutters to avenge her father's murder; not far away, a double-dealing legionniare-turned-smuggler hunts an epic payday; and somewhere along the outer galaxy, a mysterious bounty hunter lies in wait.
Galaxy's Edge combines sleek starfighters, exotic aliens, loyal bots, blasters, scoundrels, heroes, and powerful enemies in a thrilling adventure that will take you back to that magic place from a long time ago.
©2017 Nick Cole; 2018 Podium Publishing; 2017 Jason Anspach (P)2018 Podium Publishing.

Review:
This audiobook included two full books in the Galaxy’s Edge series: Legionnaire and Galactic Outlaws. In the first book the reader/listener meets a troop of the most elite forces – The Legionnaires. These are the best prepared group with training and resources, including defensive uniforms with connective tech. They are supported by the regular troops of the Republic who usually look up to the elites, except for the rivalry that is sometimes fed by the superior officers. The story is told by Sergeant Chuun, a weary, veteran protagonist who has seen more than his share of conflict. When the troops fall under an ambush attack, Chuun, quickly accesses the situation and wants to take his team straight into the enemy to remove the danger. But his more politician than soldier commander says “No”. Then the commander’s transport is hit and believed to be down. Chuun and his direct superior Lieutenant Ford, known as Wraith, take to the ground to proceed with his suggestion.

Once they defeat the threat and secure the area, they learn that the commander is alive. Tension is clear and intensifies after a wounded general promotes Wraith and Chuun. The commander isn’t willing to give up control and claims that he was put in charge, but there was not witness to this and more personal conflict erupts. Finally, a division of command is agreed upon, but the troops face another ambush and betrayal before the end of the story.

The story addresses the issues with the politically appointed leadership within the Legion, and difficulties this produces in operations on the ground. I enjoyed the unique characters and hoped to meet them again in further stories. I also liked the intense action that kept me awake extra hours. I wasn’t positive I wanted to go right on for another 8 or 9 hours of the same. I was pleased that the second book shifted from primary military to bounty hunter type action.

Galactic Outlaws takes place seven years later and features two bounty hunters and young girl intent on revenging the death of her father. Aeson Keel is closely associated with the rebel outlaw Wraith who is one of the top outlaws of the Republic. The number one outlaw is an old warrior, Tyrus Rex whose goal is to remove criminals from the Galaxy’s Edge while he waits for something he can’t quite remember.

Prisma Maydoon is a young girl who watched a force of black glad soldiers, who look a lot like Legionnaires, kill the people in her community including her father. Apparently, her father had stolen some crucial government tech and wasn’t the best of men…but he was her “daddy”. Prisma is accompanied by an old warbot that has been reprogrammed to be her personal bodyguard.

The characters work their way along missions that eventually intersect. Along the way Aeson and his holographic sidekick pick up a brilliant computer whiz who can hack and reprogram almost any tech. He plays an important role in helping to keep them all safe. Tyrus and his nearly sentient spaceship pick up an alien pilot who is very reminiscent of Chewbacca, including unintelligible speech.

The enemy they head out to capture turns out to be a real twisted megalomaniac. His initial goals may once have been to prevent evil in the Republic but now he has become the primary evil.

This story took a little bit more concentration as the three-character lines emerged and met. I liked the complexity and enjoyed the interaction of the characters, including the AIs and warbot. There was good deep in the heart of the rough bounty hunter and warrior even though money and revenge were big motivators too. There was sadness at the end, but I am wondering if, and hoping, some of these characters will reappear in other volumes. I will be listening to more and recommend this to fans of Star Wars and similar trope.

Audio Notes: R.C. Bray does a wonderful job with the narration. It is always a pleasure to listen to him bring the characters alive.

Source: 3/8/2020 Two For One Credit Sale at Audible. This qualifies for 2021TBR, 2021Audiobook and 2021Alphabet goals.

Audible Book Review: Tin Man: A Galaxy's Edge Prequel by Jason Anspac and Nick Cole

Oh, I liked this! Now I want to listen to the first full book.

Tin Man: A Galaxy's Edge Prequel
By: Jason Anspach, Nick Cole
Narrated by: R.C. Bray

Series: Galaxy's Edge Series, Book 0.5
Length: 52 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 01-28-20
Language: English
Publisher: Podium Audio
Genre: Military Space, Science Fiction, Short Stories
My Rating: 5.0 of 5.0 Overall; Story 5.0; Narration 5.0.

Publisher's Summary
The heart of a hero.
In the wilds of a jungle planet, the Legion fights in brutal combat as Republic marines fly their SLICS from one tragedy to the next.
H292, a repurposed warbot, shows the heart of a hero as he wades into the battle not to destroy - but to save.
©2018 Jason Anspach and Nick Cole (P)2020 Podium Publishing

Review:
The Legion is under siege and getting their backsides kicked (and worse) in fierce combat trying to hold their territory against s vicious alien in the wild jungles of a distant planet. The Republic marine pilots are on constant mission to try to retrieve the troops, mostly injured or decimated. After the loss of another human co-pilot, experienced medical pilot, Captain Reese, is assigned an ancient warbot named H292. Reese is a Marine who cares for his men and struggles to save those who survive the nighttime fighting. When he relaxes, Reese listens to ancient music from the 1990s. Folk rock songs like “A Horse with No Name” and “Tin Man” by America.

Reese doesn’t expect much from a robotic warbot. H292 hopes to be of service even as Reese dubs him “Tin Man”. Tin Man apparently watches his Captain and learns how a true Marine serves in the field.

This novella is an introduction to the struggles of the elite Legionnaire troops and a view of a heroic warbot. It tells a complete story within itself, even if it is short and just a taste of the series. I liked Reese as a leader but also adored Tin Man and his actions. I won’t say this is ‘fun’ as that seems a bit crass considering the wartime deaths and maiming. I am sure the references to the America songs added to my enjoyment. However, I totally enjoyed this and will soon be listening to book 1. This is a quick, engaging listen.

Audio Notes: I love listening to books narrated by R.C. Bray. In my opinion, his narration adds to the story. His voice contributes to the characters and action for me. I recommend this quick, inexpensive Audible.

Source: 3/28/2020 Audible Purchase $1.99. This qualifies for my 2020Audiobook goal.