Columbus Day

Expeditionary Force, Book 1

De: Craig Alanson

Narrado por: 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

Dr. Who meets Starship Troopers

Highly entertaining and well written but you have to be in the mood for campy, clever, sci-fi. This is not going to enlighten you, teach you about science, or make you think - it's just pure entertainment, but it's fun, and as long as you're not looking for anything deeper, the idiocy and ineptitude of the main character isn't too bad and the plot holes are forgivable. (A hyper intelligent being that can directly manipulate space-time can't access a computer in another room...really?) but it adds levity and its clever so, like I said, the plot holes are forgivable. If you've ever wondered what would happen if Dr. Who was stuck in the Starship Troopers universe this book is for you. If you haven't, then you'll probably find the maddeningly stupid main character a bit too much to bear and the campy all powerful time lord a bit too much to believe.

Make it through the first 1/4 of the story and you'll love it.

Don't read what this book is about ahead of time. Go into it blind and you'll enjoy it so much more. Frankly, I initially thought it was a pretty ho-hum story through the first 1/4-1/3 of this book, but ended up LOVING IT! There are two more books in this series that are not on audible? Why not? It is an imaginative story in many ways and still pretty pedestrian in others, but in all, it makes for a great listen. I'll avoid any spoilers, but the character who makes his entrance into this story about 1/4-1/3 of the way into this story is really who makes this so enjoyable! He is affable, lovable and brilliant. As much as you will come to embrace this character, knowing how deeply complex he is, makes one wonder how much we really know about him and if we will see multiple personalities or if you see is what you get. I can't wait to listen to more.

Helluva ride for a normal Joe

What a fantastic yarn!! Great settings, fabulous characters, and a pageturning pace... I really appreciate Joe is your basic run o the mill normal guy thrust into unforseen and inexplicable situations... The first contact and the military details are pulled off fluidly, and generally believable... How everyone reacts and the consequences turns into a thrilling and extraordinarily humorous space adventure... Reminds me of how the movie Full Metal Jacket felt like two movies, only this story doesn't nosedive in the second half. On the contrary, it takes off and is even better than a very good first half... Throw in the fight the good fight against all odds, then liberally douse w/ Skippy, and you've got a delightful SF romp... The narration is superb and adds to the reading experience, and beautifully balances the bi-play between Joe and Skippy w/ like the best of comedy routines at times, and makes all the characters separable... You'll love it, trust me... Can't wait for the further adventures of Beer Can and Meat Sack;)

Great performance, lazy writing

The spine of the story is great, there are some very interesting concepts and power structures. The narrator is spot on, the story is told from the point of view of the main character with knowledge of the events as they unfold. I say the writing is lazy because the info dumps are common, the connections made by the main character are somewhat lacking. The introduction of Skippy is really cool, but I can't help but feel like it's constantly a Deus ex machina all the time. I'll recommend this book simply because the narrator, plot point and pacing make the time fly by. Worth the read, but don't expect Sanderson.

Hes a moron

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

Having the main character having a shred of intelligence or wisdom beyond a a corn bread redneck. I grew up on a farm and joined the military. I'm not so simplistic. Hes annoying..

Has Columbus Day turned you off from other books in this genre?

No

What three words best describe R.C. Bray’s voice?

Country military bumkin

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

annoyance

First audio book ever!

What made the experience of listening to Columbus Day the most enjoyable?

This is the first audio book I listened to all the way through. It's an interesting, clever and fast moving story with some great twists along the way. The narration was exceptional! I hope my future listening experiences with audio books are similarly on par.

hours and hours of great entertainment

I loved this story. The Joe/Skippy dynamic is all that all the other reviewers say - so well done and entertaining. Can't wait for more.

CAUTION:Don't Drink Soda, while Listening!

I hate to admit that I initially held off on listening to this book. The first chapter wasn't overly exciting & I moved on to another book. Month's later, after exhausting most of my 850 book Audible Library, I gave it a second chance. After the slow opening (Which I had unknowingly completed in my first round with the book), things picked up and it became a fairly enjoyable Sci-Fi novel. Then, about 60% of the way into the book, something happens that completely changes the character of the novel (I won't provide any spoilers). From that point on, the Sci-Fi is intermixed with snarky humor that could put Douglas Adams to shame. I found myself laughing so hard, that I was glad I had been listening in the privacy of my car, or around the house.

Regarding the title of my review - yeah, I often listen to audiobooks at home; while grabbing a quick meal. Drinking a Coke; while listening to this book, turned out to be a bit messy and painful. While my dogs didn't mind cleaning up the mess that ended up spewing out of my nose; carbonated beverages are not my first choice in sinus rinse solutions. Afterwards, there were countless other points where this experience might have repeated itself, had I not learned to pause the book, while consuming beverages.

Over the years, I have read or listened to most works by Douglas Adams, Terry Pratchett, John Scalzi, Kevin Hearne, Scott Meyer and Connie Willis, just to name a few. Craig Alanson's Expeditionary Force Series rates among the best in this group; when it comes to truly enjoyable, hilarious Sci-Fi / Fantasy Novels.

I started listening to Book one, four days ago. I'm now 1/3 of the way into book 3 and dreading the fact that I have to wait a month or more (per Craig Alanson's web site); before book 4 becomes available in Audio. While I hate to wait, I can look on the bright side and be thankful that Alanson appears to produce completed novels at a far greater pace than George R.R. Martin or Patrick Rothfuss! (Lazy Monkeys!)

Lot Of Fun!

This became one.of my favorite performances. Good story, characters, and Bray brought it all to life. I laughed out loud many times. This monkey is looking forward to Book Two

Great Book and Performance

At first I wasn't sure that I liked the narrator's voice but as the book developed it became evident that Mr. Bray was the perfect choice. This is a fantastic book read by a fantastic narrator.