Audible Book Review: Zero Hour, Expeditionary Force, Book 5, by Craig Alanson

I enjoyed this episode - more snark, off -key singing, and action.
Zero Hour
Expeditionary Force, Book 5
By: Craig Alanson
Narrated by: R. C. Bray

Length: 17 hrs and 20 mins
Release date: 02-06-18
Publisher: Podium Audio
Genre: Adventure, Military, Space Opera
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.5; Narration 4.75.

Publisher's Summary
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.
©2017 Craig Alanson; 2018 Podium Publishing

Review:
The super awesome AI “Skippy” has disappeared into a canister leaving Captain Joe Bishop and the ‘merry band of pirates’ without the ability to fix the failing, pieced together alien starship, much less face any potential enemies. And the likelihood they can get home safely is pretty much nonexistent.

Small Spoiler Alert:
Skippy does return from the canister but only as a small portion of himself with the main part of his systems trapped and hidden from the enemy worm in the can. Unless the crew and Skippy can find elder technology to allow Skippy a back door to spring a surprise attack on the worm, Skippy’s existence is counting down to a “Zero Hour”.

The banter between Skippy and Joe continues as they struggle to come up with ‘miracles’, even if they are ‘monkey-brained ideas’, to get out of each trouble spot that Skippy helps get them into. I love the banter and I laughed out loud at Skippy’s musical entertainments.

The pattern does repeat: the crew faces catastrophe, brilliant AI Skippy’s solution fails, the monkey-brain humans (particularly Joe) comes up with an off the wall, last minute plan that works (to Skippy’s dismay), there is a short celebration before the next catastrophe appears. Still, the process is entertaining.

This series is an easy listen which means I can drive while listening because I don’t have to have a strong focus on tracking new characters or complex plot lines. There is plenty of danger, action and some plot twists to keep it interesting. The author provides a plot twist that will clearly lead to a new problem, not planned for by the crew, in the next episode. I will be picking up the next book in the near future. I recommend this series to fans of military space opera and I suggest starting from the beginning to get to know the characters and enjoy the ride of danger and fun.

Audio Notes: R. C. Bray as the narrator is a big plus to the story for me. He presents voices to fit the characters, including various aliens. His off-key singing is great fun! The narration definitely adds to my enjoyment of the series.

Source: 3/14/2020 Two For One Credit Sale at Audible. This qualifies for 2021TBR, 2021Audiobook, and 2021Alphabet goals.

Prior book reviews:
Columbus Day (Expeditionary Force, #1) by Craig Alanson, Rating 4.5
Audible Book Review: Spec Ops, Expeditionary Force, Book 2 by Craig Alanson, Rating 4.5
Audible Book Review: Paradise, Expeditionary Force, Book 3 by Craig Alanson, Rating 4.5
Audible Book Review: Black Ops, Expeditionary Force, Book 4, by Craig Alanson, Rating 4.5

Audible Book Review: Black Ops, Expeditionary Force, Book 4, by Craig Alanson

I enjoyed this episode in this fav series.
Black Ops Expeditionary Force, Book 4
By: Craig Alanson
Narrated by: R. C. Bray

Series: Expeditionary Force, Book 4
Length: 16 hrs and 44 mins
Release date: 09-26-17
Publisher: Podium Audio
Genre: Military Science Fiction, Space Opera
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.5; Narration 5.0.

Publisher's Summary
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.
©2017 Craig Alanson (P)2017 Podium Publishing.

Review:
Colonel Joe Bishop and the crew of the stolen, therefore pirate, ship UNS Flying Dutchman are hiding out in space, where the human species is supposed to have no presence unless under the control of one of the alien species. The Dutchman has been tasked to spy out whether there are any imminent threats to their home planet, Earth. Skippy, the alien AI shaped like a beer can who was rescued by Joe, has intercepted messages indicating that one of the alien enemy forces is negotiating to send another alien force to Earth. Now the less technically minded humans (‘monkeys’ as Skippy calls them) have to find a way to prevent the negotiations from going any further.

This mission, like all of their missions, needs some improbable but remarkably doable human planning, a bit of luck, and – mostly – the awesomeness of Skippy the alien AI. Things get dicey when Skippy investigates a dead Elder cylinder like his own and goes silent. The humans don’t have the knowledge to even maintain the ship they are on, much less use the worm holes properly to navigate stealthily in space. Skippy ‘created’ another AI to help monitor events, but he failed to program Nagatha (named for Agatha Christi and a particularly annoying trait of the new AI) on maintaining the ship so her help is limited.

As with the previous books, a big part of the fun of this series is the sarcastic banter between Skippy and Joe. The new character of Nagatha adds another element of amusement. This episode develops a few crew members more deeply while also continuing with several previously highlighted characters.

I totally love the action and the fun dialog. There is always suspense with each mission and I enjoy the creative and sometimes rather zany solutions that the lowly humans come up with to complete each step of the mission. There are expected and sad losses but the tension really increases when Skippy isn’t available to work his awesome ‘magic’. I am glad I have the book 5 in my library so I can pull it forward in a month or so to continue the adventures.

There is a strong friendship, love/hate relationship between Joe and Skippy. Any reader who is offended by belittling banter may not enjoy their barbs. However, there is a particularly moving sequence where Skippy acknowledges the creative illogic of the human species. I recommend this fun series to fans of military space opera (sans any romance).

Audio Notes: This series as narrated by R. C. Bray is a delight to listen to. He conveys the snarky Skippy personality, complete with arrogance, eye rolls, and head slaps. He provides a fun female voice for Nagatha, and delivers the human and alien characters with distinct voices. I plan to continue to listen for the best enjoyment of this series.

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

Prior book reviews:
Columbus Day (Expeditionary Force, #1) by Craig Alanson
Audible Book Review: Spec Ops, Expeditionary Force, Book 2 by Craig Alanson
Audible Book Review: Paradise, Expeditionary Force, Book 3 by Craig Alanson

Audible Book Review: The Heavens May Fall by Allen Eskens

I really like the legal procedural parts of this criminal mystery.

The Heavens May Fall
Written by: Allen Eskens
Narrated by: R. C. Bray , David Colacci , Amy McFadden

Length: 9 hrs and 32 mins
Release date 10-04-2016
Publisher: Tantor Audio
Genre: Legal Thriller, Mystery, Police Procedure
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.25.

Publisher's Summary
Detective Max Rupert's and attorney Boady Sanden's friendship is being pushed to the breaking point. Max is convinced that Jennavieve Pruitt was killed by her husband, Ben. Boady is equally convinced that Ben, his client, is innocent. As the case unfolds, the two are forced to confront their own personal demons.
Max is still struggling with the death of his wife four years earlier, and the Pruitt case stirs up old memories. Boady hasn't taken on a defense case since the death of an innocent client, a man Boady believes he could have saved but didn't. Now he is back in court, with student Lila Nash at his side, and he's determined to redeem himself for having failed in the past.
Vividly told from two opposing perspectives, the truth about the stunning death of Jennavieve Pruitt remains a mystery until the very end.
©2016 Allen Eskens (P)2016 Tantor

Review:
Detective Max Rupert lost his wife, Jenni, to a hit and run car accident four years ago. He has struggled with the fact that they never found the culprit, the case took no priority for the department and was set aside with other “cold” cases. Others in his life, including retired attorney Boady Sanden, have helped pull Max from his annual drunken visits to his wife’s grave.

This year, on the anniversary date, Max is called out to investigate the death of a woman abandoned naked in a parking lot. The woman is Jennavieve Pruitt the wife of prominent attorney criminal defense attorney Ben Pruitt. As details unravel, Max becomes convinced that the husband is guilty even though the evidence is circumstantial. His gathering of facts may be slightly muddled by reason of getting an anonymous note that his wife’s death was not an accident. Did he become too distracted and obsessed by pursuing the new leads on his wife’s case to properly evaluate all the details of the Pruitt death?

Meanwhile, Max’s friend, Boady, agrees to take on the defense of Pruitt who is the attorney who took over Boady’s law practice when he retired due to stress. Boady doesn’t want to see another innocent man go to prison and he doesn’t think Pruitt could have killed his wife. There may have been motive, but others had just as much motive. And Pruitt’s alibi is weak but not unproven. All Boady has to do is establish “reasonable doubt”. The problem is, part of winning the case for Pruitt means shredding Max’s testimony during the trial. But Boady is a believer of the old Latin legal axiom: “Fiat justitia ruat cælum”, meaning "Let justice be done though the heavens fall.”

A surprise during trial testimony makes it clear that the case is more complicated than either side realized. Will the final result be truth or twisted justice?

The story is told from the two perspectives: Max as the police investigator and Boady as the defense lawyer. The reader/listener gets to follow the side-tracking thoughts for each character as they contribute to the current factual situation. I am a civil attorney who does not practice criminal law, nor handle jury trials (only civil bench trials). Still, I find the factual presentation and legal tactical skills fascinating. I did not realize that The Life We Bury was a related, earlier book which I am glad I also have on audio. I recommend The Heavens May Fall to readers who enjoy a solid criminal mystery with legal procedure.

Audio Notes: I have to admit that hearing R. C. Bray’s voice begin the story pulled me right in. David Colacci and Amy McFadden also added to the production making it an easy, quick listen. I will be glad to listen to more from these narrators.

Source: April 2017 Audible Daily Deal $3.95. This qualifies for 2020TBR, 2020Audiobook and 2020 Fall Season goals.

Audible Book Review: Hell Divers, The Hell DIvers Series, Book 1, by Nicholas Sansbury Smith

This is a dark, action-packed sci fi thriller.
Hell Divers
The Hell Divers Series, Book 1
By: Nicholas Sansbury Smith
Narrated by: R. C. Bray

Series: The Hell Divers Series, Book 1
Length: 10 hrs and 11 mins
Unabridged
Release date: 07-19-16
Language: English
Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Genre: Dark Fantasy Sci Fi, Technothriller
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary
An Audible Editor's Pick of 2016 and An Audible Best of 2016 Science Fiction.
More than two centuries after World War III poisoned the planet, the final bastion of humanity lives on massive airships circling the globe in search of a habitable area to call home. Aging and outdated, most of the ships plummeted back to Earth long ago. The only thing keeping the two surviving lifeboats in the sky are Hell Divers - men and women who risk their lives by diving to the surface to scavenge for parts the ships desperately need.
When one of the remaining airships is damaged in an electrical storm, a Hell Diver team is deployed to a hostile zone called Hades. But there's something down there that's far worse than the mutated creatures discovered on dives in the past - something that threatens the fragile future of humanity.
Narrator Interview: vimeo.com/188195570/ad4a958906
©2016 Nicholas Sansbury Smith (P)2016 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Review:
Mankind managed to poison their world through nuclear war and waste. There are only two airships remaining with the last human survivors. The captains of the ships continue to look for a safe place to land and recolonize their own world. First, they have to survive in space to find that safe place.

A fierce electrical storm has endangered one of the ships by damaging it and leaving it stranded above one of the most dangerous places on earth, a city known as Hades. Xavier Rodriguez, 'X’, is a Hell Diver on the second ship. Hell Divers are the men and women who accept the challenge of diving to the earth’s surface to scavenge for supplies needed to keep the ships operating. ‘They dive so humanity survives”. But no sky diver has ever returned from Hades. Yet the divers must try as the necessary fuel and repair parts are located in this hostile area.

Hell divers have shortened life expectancy as many perish after less than 20 dives. X is the longest surviving diver with over 90 dives! He leads a team to the edges of Hades hoping to find supplies on the outskirts. Instead of supplies they find a horrendous monster of great strength and agility, with the ability to climb walls and even fly. These mutant monsters, dubbed ‘sirens’, are vicious killers who eat the prey they catch.

X has been an almost careless diver since he lost his wife a few years back. But a new death leaves him in charge of his best friend’s young son, a child prodigy. X faces the most dangerous dive of his life as he and the other team members agree to dive into Hades to seek the needed supplies.

X was initially presented as a cold, uncaring character but the author did develop his traumas and his depths. I think my favorite character is the boy, Tin. I also liked the captain who fights personal health issues as she desperately tries to save her ship and humanity There is plenty of action in this story, but I wasn’t fully enthralled. It may be because it borders on a horror story but that shouldn’t bother me too much. I felt the beginning was a bit disjointed and maybe I never got back on track. Still, I enjoyed the intense entertainment and I will probably continue with the next book at some point.

Audio Notes: R. C. Bray does a fine job with the narration. He provides depth to the tense scenes and gives the characters unique voices. The narration follows the story with precise timing and pacing. The narration enhanced this reading experience for me.

Source: Audible Daily Deal 2017. This qualifies for 2018TBR, Take Control, Audiobook and Alphabet Challenges.

Audible Book Review: The Martian by Andy Weir

This is a gripping tale and great listening entertainment.
The Martian
Written by: Andy Weir
Narrated by: R. C. Bray

Length: 10 hrs and 53 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:03-22-13
Publisher: Podium Publishing
Genre: Sci Fi
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0

Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars. Now, he's sure he'll be the first person to die there. After a dust storm nearly kills him and forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded and completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive—and even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive. Chances are, though, he won't have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment, or plain old "human error" are much more likely to kill him first. But Mark isn't ready to give up yet. Drawing on his ingenuity, his engineering skills—and a relentless, dogged refusal to quit—he steadfastly confronts one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next. Will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him?"

Review:
Mark Watney is stranded on Mars when his crewmates, believing he is dead, make an emergency evacuation. Mark is in a hostile environment with damaged equipment. He has no means of communication and limited provisions. But Mark isn’t one to give in and die easily. He gathers what supplies he can find and begins to implement plans for survival.

Mark’s skills as a botanist and engineer come in handy as he uses every creative means he can think of to provide a supply of water and food for an extended period. He doesn’t know if he can survive until the next mission arrives but first things first – he has to survive long enough to find a way to let mission control on earth know that he is still alive and kicking.

Once the mission specialists at home realize he is alive they go to work trying to figure out a way to rescue him. It was encouraging to think the NASA family, superiors and drones of all divisions, would be willing to pitch in hours of overtime and ignore the phenomenal costs to bring Mark home alive.

I was continually impressed by Mark’s ability to find solutions to problems he faced. He has a brilliant mind that works out “jury-rigged” solutions. Most of the fixes I found fascinating but there did come a spot further in where one of the explanations lost me. I enjoyed the mission control personalities, particularly Venkat Kaporr, as they argued their way to difficult decisions.

The story is filled with humor, courage, determination and ingenuity in face of overwhelming obstacles.  It shows the underlying heart of man to cling to hope and strive to survive. I was a little disappointed as I thought the ending was a bit abrupt. Then again— after a whole book of tension, any ending might seem a bit of a let down. As I was a little more than half way through I remarked to my husband: “I really think you would love listening to this story.” His usual reply is “I’ll wait for the movie.” I realized I was happy that he could wait for the movie which I anticipate sharing with him.

I recommend this story to those who love to see man succeed in the face of adversity. Those who enjoy tinkering and figuring out how to make things work would enjoy this too.

A cautionary note: there is some bad language, especially noticeable at the beginning but it is worth persevering beyond that.

Audio Notes: R.. C. Bray does a fine job of capturing the emotional highs and lows of this story. His voices for different characters worked well and his narration made the characters more alive for me, adding to my enjoyment of the story.

This audio is from my own Audible library. It adds to my Audiobook Challenge.

Audible Book Review: Yesterday's Gone:Season 1- Episode 1 by Sean Platt and David Wright

This is interesting but do note the warning especially regarding language.
FREE Yesterday's Gone: Season 1 - Episode 1
Written by: Sean Platt, David Wright
Narrated by: Ray Chase, R. C. Bray, Brian Holsopple, Chris Patton, Maxwell Glick, Tamara Marston

Length: 2 hrs and 55 mins
Series: Yesterday's Gone, Book 1
Original Audiobook
Release Date:04-15-14
Publisher: Podium Publishing
Genre: Sci Fi, Horror
My Rating: 3.75 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary
Start the First Season of the Groundbreaking Post-Apocalyptic Serial! Yesterday's Gone: Season One: Episode 1.
WARNING: This is a post-apocalyptic horror audiobook where bad people do evil things, and as such, this series features disturbing scenes and foul language. While it is all within the context of the story, some listeners may find this content offensive.
Can humanity survive what it never saw coming?
On October 15 at 2:15 a.m. Earth vanished. A scattered few woke alone in a world with no rules, other than survival at any cost.
A journalist wanders the wretched reality of an empty New York, searching for his wife and son. A serial killer must hunt in a land where prey is now an endangered species. A mother shields her young daughter from danger through every terror-filled breath.
A bullied teen is thrilled to find the world gone missing, until the knock on his door. A fugitive survives a fiery plane crash. Will he be redeemed, or return to the killing he's best at? An eight-year-old boy sets out on a journey to find his missing family, only to find something that will change him forever. These survivors aren't truly alone...
Someone or something is watching them. And waiting...
Strangers unite. Sides are chosen. Can humanity survive what it never saw coming?
©2011 Sean Platt, David Wright (P)2014 Podium Publishing

Review:
I failed to heed the warning and the language is explicitly rough making this less pleasant for me than it might have been otherwise.

The story follows six or so characters who wake up to discover their family, friends, neighbors and strangers in the surrounding areas gone. There are no traces and no explanations. The chapters bounce between the characters which makes it a little hard to follow. There is a journalist in the city who seeks his wife and son; an awkward teenager at home is sort of glad to be alone; a young boy follows rainbows looking for his parents; and a sociopath is glad when he finds other survivors to kill. There is also a mother trying to protect her daughter and a fugitive who views his plane crash as a means to a second chance.

There is something strange about the cats and dogs that have survived and most of the survivors sense they are not alone. This episode ends with a horrific discovery but it does not reveal the cause of the disappearances.

I found some of the characters interesting and their stories were engaging with a sense of fear and some of horror. This might be well suited to those who like horror mystery and don’t mind horrendous foul language. I don't think I'll be pulling up other episodes right away.

Audio Notes: I enjoyed the narration from all of the readers. I really didn’t focus on the narrators so it seemed natural and unobtrusive to the story. This is a story I would like better in audio mode than reading.

I downloaded this as a free Audible library.