Breakaway

Expeditionary Force, Book 12

By: Craig Alanson

Narrated by: R.C. Bray

Length: 19 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's Summary

The Expeditionary Force saga continues with Breakaway, the eagerly awaited sequel to number-one Audible-ranked and New York Times best-selling Brushfire, from an epic sci-fi writer at the top of his game. Join the millions of listeners who have enjoyed R.C. Bray’s hilarious portrayal of Joe, Skippy, The Merry Band of Pirates, and so many other unforgettable characters.

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.

©2021 Craig Alanson (P)2021 Podium Audio

Disappointed

I had anticipated this installment so much I listened to all previous books again. I am disappointed in this continuation of the story. The creativity...gone...the inventiveness... minimal. The dragging out into useless filler... abundant. I listen to audiobooks to take some time away from current events and relax, not to have those current events inserted into an up till now great story set in the future. This book feels like it was created for a paycheck and nothing else. I know authors have bills and great work is rewarded with income. This just wasn't great work, even RC Bray seemed to not be on top of his narration, it was a one take and done. I don't appreciate hearing doors close in the recording along with other background noises just left in the final product delivered to us. It just makes me feel nobody put effort into the book and audiobook at all.

15 hours of useless fluff, 5 hours of story

Most of this book's 19hrs is fluff. If the unnecessary fluff was cut out, the book would be about 5 hrs tops. This has been getting worse since about book 4. Feel like this series is running in place. now I truly understand why my dad used to call some authors "nickle a word" guys. I gave it 3 stars overall because RC Bray is the GOAT. He even seemed bored with this one.

Too many words! Glacial pace.

Never in my experience has a story used so many words to say so little. On and on and on useless words that stop the story in its tracks for minutes at a time over and over. There's a good story under all those pointless descriptions of people’s workout schedules and useless backstories but I don’t have the patience to wade through. Tell the story without all the padding, please.

nothing happens

zero progression in the main storyline. you can skip this one and won't miss anything

When does book 13 come out???!!!

The General and Skippy do a little litter box training for the Kitties... I confess, I woke up at 3 AM to download this book and it is better than my very high expectations! The plotline is fabulous and the banter is better than ever. Oh, R.C. Bray continues to be magic! Enjoy all you Skippers out there!

LMAO

So far I've only listened to the opening exchange between the captain of the Ethics and Compliance ship's captain of the Geraptha's Will Do Sketchy Things and and a representative of the Rindaloo in which they discuss the Maxalt raid on and subsequent destruction of the fleet of cargo ships the Geraptha were selling to the humans... despite being told not to do so. Considering that the Geraptha zre a 'Second Tier' client species of the Rindaloo the exchange really doesn't go that well for the Rindaloo. Perfect example of why this series is cruising into book 12. The party never ends... Finished the book and it is not as feared, the last one. No spoilers. Gotta say though this series is even starting to get oblique references in other books. Kudos.

worst book in series

this is the first book I struggled listening to. I am at the point where they could kill off Joe bishop and improve the story. I was impressed that major Frye could be on two ships at the same time

I miss the feel of the earlier books in the series

spoilers for previous books... These books have gotten worse ever since Skippy's betrayal with the humans followed by his immediate redemption. I'm into the universe enough I want to know what happens next and this ne was pretty good overall. If you liked the previous books, go ahead and listen to this one as it's a continuation and your probably used to the style.

Back on Target

Well Craig. Definitely a well written book. I really like that you got the book moving rapidly through the multiple engagements rather than focusing on one, ok two, plots in the book. This book went fast from beginning to end versus some of the last ones and was a joy to listen to with Skippy bringing “The Awesomeness “.

Read Again

I read/listened to Breakaway again and have changed my mind on my review. This installment seems on a par with Landon's earlier ExForce books.

There was a lot of not so much needed sections

Okay I have been listening to this series of books for years now and some books are good but others are hit and miss. This one was a mix. It is a good continuation to the stories but filled in with not so much needed details. There was some really good parts that would make me rate this book even higher than 5 stars but other that made me even think about stopping following this series. The big picture story is amazing there is so much to cover about it. There are so many pathways to follow and keep readers entertained. So please enough with random story about Emily perkins and other useless details. One last thing the part where we (readers) ask and Jo answer that was bad, please do not do it again, just let Jo explain the traditional way.

wow, omg, awesomeness

the headline says it all. This is another fantastic book in the series, and as ways we are left with a cliff hanger. I'm counting down to the next book in six months already!

killer read

absolutely amazing, jam packed with action, already waiting for the next book to be released.

Much ado about nothing

It's book 12? 15? So we're pot commited.

This one had little danger to the pirates; where there were losses, they seem to be brushed aside and have little consequence.

It's a bit disappointing that the antagonists are so black and white baddies, with little to no redeeming features. It's difficult to figure out why their clients would die for them. It was more menacing for the enemy to be more mysterious.

The story has always been technobabble, but the problems are mostly solved by making up something that has no previous references, so it felt cheap and unearned. I remember quite clearly the capers and exploits in the first five books, but the last few have blurred together.

Adding in bobiverse references jerks you out of the story. I get there are many overlapping fans, but it was a low point in the narrative and very conspicuous and clumsy.

Last book made some story progress, this one's a filler. *spoilers ahead*
Skippy uses magic to hold the galaxy hostage. Baddies are bad. The jeraptha are aloof. The B team is under attack. Cliffhanger

Pretty much saved you a credit and 15 hours there.

Not what I expected..

The story in this book was way more flat and dull compared to the last books.. There is not enough excitement in the Pirates engagements and they may have become too powerful, and have just a bit too much confidence. I was personally hoping for more excitement now when the humans in the galaxy not is a secret any more. Also I was hoping to hear about the threat from outside the galaxy..

Overall not bad, but I expected more! Still the best series on audible

Possibly the best book in the series!

immensely entertaining, this could be my favourite book in the series so far - at least until the next one comes out.

Craig writes fluently, with great humour and imagination. RC Bray brings it to life in his peerless way. What a a pairing they are.

Thank you both.

Great listen

R. C. Bray nails the voice acting yet again but credit where credit is due Craig has outdone himself. Again. This series just gets better and better and need it in your life.
Have fun you filthy monkeys!

Not what I was expected. Very disappointed

I’ve been listening this story line for years now there were good books and some average but this one is completely garbage. Story is very flat
Humans become a pirates who attack civil ships at will and no body in a galaxy can’t stop them, with a single ship they destroyed 2 senior speeches fleets by one shot…. Seriously why not just use magical wand and fairy’s

Stretched a story over an extended book deal

The story was entertaining, but with less stress on the characters than before, it gave the feeling of 'treading water' in places. Also, unlike previous books that ended on a cliff hanger, everything was just bit boringly ok in this one? One new idea is Skippy and Bishop being the narrators, this gives the story a 1st person, 'Disney' feel that was particularly annoying, with lots of you to me stuff (like the chuckle brothers).

awesome

just awesome fun and great listening. the random chats between bish and Skippy are so good