I definitely think you should try this series. Lots of reviewers call the books “excellent, but repetitive”, with the same scenarios popping up over and over again.

That said, once you’ve gotten a taste, I wonder if the rest of the series is really worth pursuing? From the reviews I’m reading, it sounds like Skippy and Joe’s dialogue are really all there is to carry the series, with no new or interesting backup characters or situations to carry interest. If you haven’t listened to (or read) any part of the Expeditionary Force series, it is absolutely worth reading (listening to) just for Skippy and Joe. Skippy is an all knowing asshole from outerspace with no arms or legs, and Joe is the human who knows how to handle Skippy’s crap. Skippy and Joe’s relationship elevates the book to a five out of five stars. The second half on the other hand, that part is incredible. It’s good enough I wouldn’t return it on Audible, good enough i might even go onto the next book, but not something I’d be crazy about recommending. If I were rating this book’s first half against its second half, I’d give the part before Skippy is introduced an “okay” three and a half stars. The story is really just okay up to the point “Skippy” (the Alien AI) is introduced. Only problem? It definitely isn’t on this world. The REAL story, doesn’t begin until the protagonist, Joe, discovers an ancient alien AI that, among other things, is an asshole, and needs Joe to help him find an alien relic where other ancient AI’s might be congregating. The whole thing reads a bit like “Old Man’s War” but without all the crazy super powered stuff, and a lot more of the “soldier’s dilemma” as Joe begins to question the value of mankind’s new “alliance” with the Lizards. A ride up an orbital elevator, life in alien “bootcamp” (where it turns out we won’t be getting any super fancy new toys), and a world of alien cultures very (very) reminiscent of the “uplift” universe by David Brin. Over its course we’re treated to the standard Space Marine fare. This part of the story covers about the first third of the book.

Turns out, those saviors of ours were the bad guys and we’re not the slaves to a race of Nazi lizards. This is all just how the story starts out. That invasion ends when another alien race appears above the Earth to scare the invaders away, and the next thing you know, mankind is being shipped off to the stars to help our saviors with their war across the galaxy.

On Columbus day in the middle of Maine, a marine’s leave time is interrupted when the world is invaded by aliens.

I really enjoyed this book, but based on what I’m seeing in the reviews I don’t think the rest of the series is for me.

Columbus day expeditionary force