Best Craig Alanson Books

Fallout

Expeditionary Force • Book 13

by Craig Alanson

Joe Bishop and the Merry Band of Pirates face new cosmic threats in this continuation of humanity's unlikely partnership with ancient alien technology.

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Joe Bishop and the Merry Band of Pirates face new cosmic threats in this continuation of humanity's unlikely partnership with ancient alien technology.

Match Game

Expeditionary Force • Book 14

by Craig Alanson

Alanson's arrogant AI finally meets his match in another ancient artificial intelligence, forcing Skippy to admit he might need human assistance for once.

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Alanson's arrogant AI finally meets his match in another ancient artificial intelligence, forcing Skippy to admit he might need human assistance for once.

Failure Mode

Expeditionary Force • Book 15

by Craig Alanson

Total mission failure forces humanity's last hope into salvage mode as the galaxy crumbles around them. Alanson strips away hope to explore what happens when clever monkeys face impossible odds.

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Total mission failure forces humanity's last hope into salvage mode as the galaxy crumbles around them. Alanson strips away hope to explore what happens when clever monkeys face impossible odds.

Task Force Hammer

Expeditionary Force • Book 17

by Craig Alanson

Stopping the enemy from stealing a Sentinel was just the beginning — the Merry Band of Pirates now faces a threat they don't understand and may not be able to defeat.

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Stopping the enemy from stealing a Sentinel was just the beginning — the Merry Band of Pirates now faces a threat they don't understand and may not be able to defeat.

Zero Hour

Expeditionary Force • Book 5

by Craig Alanson

Alanson puts his space-faring humans in seemingly impossible straits: ship failing, AI companion apparently dead, and an alien civil war raging around them with no way home.

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Alanson puts his space-faring humans in seemingly impossible straits: ship failing, AI companion apparently dead, and an alien civil war raging around them with no way home.

Black Ops

Expeditionary Force • Book 4

by Craig Alanson

Joe Bishop's crew thought they'd secured Earth's safety, but their ancient AI's ominous 'Not so much' response launches them into their most dangerous mission yet.

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Joe Bishop's crew thought they'd secured Earth's safety, but their ancient AI's ominous 'Not so much' response launches them into their most dangerous mission yet.

Ground State

Expeditionary Force • Book 19

by Craig Alanson

Gateway

Expeditionary Force • Book 18

by Craig Alanson

The Merry Band of Pirates faces their greatest defeat when Operation Olympic collapses spectacularly, forcing them to attempt a miracle rescue without their AI companion.

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The Merry Band of Pirates faces their greatest defeat when Operation Olympic collapses spectacularly, forcing them to attempt a miracle rescue without their AI companion.

Aftermath

Expeditionary Force • Book 16

by Craig Alanson

Victory achieved, the galaxy saved, politicians making speeches — but Joe Bishop and his Merry Band of Pirates discover that winning creates its own problems.

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Victory achieved, the galaxy saved, politicians making speeches — but Joe Bishop and his Merry Band of Pirates discover that winning creates its own problems.

Columbus Day

Expeditionary Force • Book 1

by Craig Alanson

Earth becomes a battlefield when advanced aliens recruit humans to fight their war, but we're fighting for the wrong side against impossible odds. Alanson combines military science fiction with humor and mystery about humanity's true role in galactic politics.

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Earth becomes a battlefield when advanced aliens recruit humans to fight their war, but we're fighting for the wrong side against impossible odds. Alanson combines military science fiction with humor and mystery about humanity's true role in galactic politics.

Paradise

Expeditionary Force • Book 3

by Craig Alanson

Alanson deepens his military sci-fi universe as the Flying Dutchman returns to Paradise to discover whether the stranded UN forces survived, while Earth faces new alien threats that could end humanity's brief cosmic involvement.

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Alanson deepens his military sci-fi universe as the Flying Dutchman returns to Paradise to discover whether the stranded UN forces survived, while Earth faces new alien threats that could end humanity's brief cosmic involvement.

SpecOps

Expeditionary Force • Book 2

by Craig Alanson

Joe Bishop promised to return the stolen starship Flying Dutchman, but the UN decides to send seventy specialists along for the ride. Alanson balances military competence with bureaucratic absurdity in this space opera sequel.

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Joe Bishop promised to return the stolen starship Flying Dutchman, but the UN decides to send seventy specialists along for the ride. Alanson balances military competence with bureaucratic absurdity in this space opera sequel.

Desperate Measures (Convergence Book 5)

Convergence • Book 5

by Craig Alanson

With their leader captured and secrets exposed, Kaz faces an enemy offering such terrible terms it seems like mockery—but sometimes bad deals are all you get.

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With their leader captured and secrets exposed, Kaz faces an enemy offering such terrible terms it seems like mockery—but sometimes bad deals are all you get.

First Strike

Convergence • Book 3

by Craig Alanson

Defense isn't working against the Order's plans to unleash ancient gods, so Kaz Wolfe shifts to offense in this escalating supernatural conflict. Alanson raises the stakes as reactive heroism becomes proactive warfare against cosmic threats.

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Defense isn't working against the Order's plans to unleash ancient gods, so Kaz Wolfe shifts to offense in this escalating supernatural conflict. Alanson raises the stakes as reactive heroism becomes proactive warfare against cosmic threats.

Deathtrap

Mavericks • Book 1

by Craig Alanson

Stranded human soldiers join an Alien Legion for dirty jobs the high-tech species won't touch, but their simple first mission becomes deadly when hidden agendas emerge.

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Stranded human soldiers join an Alien Legion for dirty jobs the high-tech species won't touch, but their simple first mission becomes deadly when hidden agendas emerge.

Recon

Convergence • Book 4

by Craig Alanson

Alanson's urban fantasy finds Kaz Wolfe holding all the pieces to prevent interdimensional invasion, but missing the crucial knowledge of how they fit together. Humor balances high stakes.

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Alanson's urban fantasy finds Kaz Wolfe holding all the pieces to prevent interdimensional invasion, but missing the crucial knowledge of how they fit together. Humor balances high stakes.

Dragonslayer

Convergence • Book 2

by Craig Alanson

Something big escaped through an interdimensional portal—a dragon—and wizard Kaz Wolfe must find it before smartphone videos expose magic to the modern world.

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Something big escaped through an interdimensional portal—a dragon—and wizard Kaz Wolfe must find it before smartphone videos expose magic to the modern world.

Trouble on Paradise

Expeditionary Force #3.5 • Book 3

by Craig Alanson

Military humor meets alien chaos as stranded UNEF troops navigate post-invasion cleanup on a hostile world. Alanson balances action with character moments beautifully.

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Military humor meets alien chaos as stranded UNEF troops navigate post-invasion cleanup on a hostile world. Alanson balances action with character moments beautifully.

Transcendent

Ascendant • Book 2

by Craig Alanson

Koren's magical destiny was hidden by lying wizards while Princess Ariana must claim her crown before sixteen—Alanson weaves personal and political stakes together.

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Koren's magical destiny was hidden by lying wizards while Princess Ariana must claim her crown before sixteen—Alanson weaves personal and political stakes together.

Ascendant

Ascendant • Book 1

by Craig Alanson

Koren Bladewell is shunned as a dangerous jinx, but he's actually an untrained wizard whose uncontrolled power causes the disasters around him. Alanson builds a magic system where lack of training creates genuine consequences for both the wizard and everyone nearby.

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Koren Bladewell is shunned as a dangerous jinx, but he's actually an untrained wizard whose uncontrolled power causes the disasters around him. Alanson builds a magic system where lack of training creates genuine consequences for both the wizard and everyone nearby.

Deceptions

Ascendant • Book 3

by Craig Alanson

Powerless and stranded, newly awakened wizard Koren races against time while an overwhelming enemy force threatens the border and those who deceived him face their own reckoning.

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Powerless and stranded, newly awakened wizard Koren races against time while an overwhelming enemy force threatens the border and those who deceived him face their own reckoning.

Convergence

Convergence • Book 1

by Craig Alanson

Kazimir Wolfe stays on the run from both law enforcement and his aunt's real killers, never using his real name or letting anyone close.

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Kazimir Wolfe stays on the run from both law enforcement and his aunt's real killers, never using his real name or letting anyone close.