Freefall

Expeditionary Force Mavericks, Book 2

By: Craig Alanson

Narrated by: R.C. Bray

Length: 19 hrs and 19 mins

Publisher's Summary

The Alien Legion has a new mission, and this time, they are working for the enemy. Also against the enemy. Like every operation that Emily Perkins plans, it’s complicated. But plans require good intel, and when the plan falls apart, the Mavericks are in freefall....

©2020 Craig Alanson (P)2020 Podium Audio

PLEASE MORE of these and less of the others!!

Don't get me wrong I really enjoy the Expeditionary Force series but I just feel like those are just going too far. Everytime they are about to solve a problem BOOM another one comes up. It just feels like Craig is dragging that series along. This new series on the other hand is fresh and so much more fun. I love the new characters and also how the Mavericks are working with the other species rather than against them. If you have not started this series I would highly recomend it!!!

these books are getting repetitive.

These books are getting repetitive, this book is basically the same as Mavricks book 1, with different banter. I'm a fan of the skippyverse but the next book better get on with the story with something new, the wash, rinse, & repeat is getting old.

2-3 Chapters Stretched Into a Book

While I've enjoyed the books from Expeditionary Force, the stories have been getting less and less substance with each new book and this latest by Alanson was by far the worst offender yet. I actually grew bored partway through and had to take a break from the monotony. This whole story could've been condensed into a couple of chapters without any significant loss of plot, character growth, or quality. Instead, the reader/listener must ensure extraneous conversations, unnecessary drama, and a barrage of side action that do nothing more than pad the length of the novel. Just overall disappointed with this one.

As always, R.C. Bray does a fantastic job with his performance.

disappointed!

no real movement on the spin-off! all fluff and very little story! one loooong battle for the entire book! I love the characters, but I think he is at a loss at what to do with them that won't impact the real story and the Mbop!

Finished in autopilot

Not the same without Skippy. This is not the parallel story we're looking for

The worst so far in the Expeditionary Force

Maybe I don’t find these characters as relatable. But I especially don’t like Emily Perkins and her machinations. Plus this story seems completely meaningless. Lots of blood and battle for nothing. Just a waste of time listening.

It is just a war story.

It is just a war story cashing in on the fact that you might buy in because you liked the skippy, bishop story. This is terrible. It is just a war/battle story with aliens.

Outstanding!

I have been entertained by the "Mavericks" offshoot of Expeditionary Force. Pretty ok story with some great characters but a sidebar to the main story line. This book changed that for me. Great listen and great story. Colonel Emily Perkins monkey brain would pop Skippy's top. I can't wait to see her plans unfold further.

Will do Sketchy things for food! Cracked me up!

I love these books! Craig Alanson’s humor coupled with R.C. Bray’s narrative delivery is Great!

The imagination involved is astounding.

Love this shit

Any ex-for book is great, one that deals with the beetles often is even better. Those fuckers are entertaining

Dissapointing

Too much time was taken up by the military manoeuvres and the details. The story was thin and felt dragged out for the sake of it. While there was some interesting character development in this off shoot series it really didn’t get me excited and I found it hard to pay attention to it all. Disappointing

Brilliant series, brilliant narrator

Love Expeditionary Force series and this the Mavericks spin-off. I can’t wait for the two to collide.

Worst if the series

Meandering story that doesn't really go anywhere unfortunately. R. C. Bray is great as always though.

The first book in this universe I haven't finished

I think I'll stick with the Joe and Skippy books, at least there the long descriptive chapters are balanced out by a couple of strong characters and some good humour.

Not so with Mavericks, the characters just don't have enough depth for me to care about them enough to wade through the more tedious parts of the writing.

There's always been a feeling the author is going for quantity rather than quality but the enjoyable characters and engaging adventures of the merry band of pirates made it worth tolerating the hard going bits in a way Maverick doesn't quite manage.

Loving this series......

Great story great reading and performance loads of action and plot twists.... Can't for for the next one but also can't wait to find out what's happened to the barrel of 🙊 and skippy the magnificent

How does he do it?

Craig Alanson has done it again! I can’t say he’s knocked it out the park as you can’t even see the park...

Space X has just dropped a couple of chaps off at the ISS, Craig could do that by lunchtime such is his talent. (Just don’t ask him to clean his garage though)

Epic writing and equally epic performance by Mr Bray.

A bit of a stumble

This one was a bit of a letdown for me. Like going through the motions - a lot of the action felt like a rehash of older events and some of it especially at the beginning was in excruciating and unnecessary detail. I honestly zoned out from time to time and didn't lose much.

I know this is a spin-off and I can't expect the Skippy level insanity, but it really feels like a run of the mill military story. The first book was definitely way better.

It sure is another one.

(no spoilers)
The story is fine. The legion has a new client, and their job is cut out for them. It's a big military operation with a lot of challenges to overcome.

My problem with this book is the human characters..at least the main cast. Why? because they are bland and way to similar. It's like having all the main characters playing the straight man. They lack flavour. The alien characters are great, loads of flavor! Hell, even most of the smaller AIs in this book has more colourful personalities than the main cast.

So you get a decent story, with a fair bit of action and excitement, some fun interactions with aliens...and boring humans. So IF I am going to read the next one(,because there will be one) I can only hope they do something to spice up the humans, or bring in more of the aliens.

hoping next book is better

excellently performed by R C bray

the story however leaves much to be desired. its mostly a battle scene playing out for several character groups. overall story didn't progress in this book.

definitely hoping next book moves the mavericks story forward.

Bit like marmite for me

I love the Expeditionary Force books. This was a little bit meh, started off really well, got my interest, then spent 2/3 of the book on the 'action' on landing on a planet. I am sure some people love this stuff, but I found myself skipping through the book. The last section was ok setting up the next book. Some sharp funny stuff, but too much filler.