Review of Task Force Hammer: Expeditionary Force, Book 17 by Craig Alanson

Task Force Hammer is the 17th book in the series of the military science fiction novels called the Expeditionary Force written by Craig Alanson. When you get to Book 17, you already know that you are in a roller coaster of non-stop battles, politics, and artificial intelligence twists, so how does Task Force Hammer maintain this momentum? It is high time to look closer to the novel and discuss its advantages and disadvantages in this new and promising milestone of the series.

Setting the Stage

Right from the onset, Task Force Hammer transports the readers back into the all too dangerous world that Alanson has been building for the last sixteen books. The plot yet again revolves around the human forces which are in the middle of a war that spans galaxies. The risks are the same, as are the rewards, and the potential of it all is still awe-inspiring. Alanson does not disappoint with his world building as the intricacies of intergalactic politics, alien races and futuristic technology keeps the reader engrossed in this well crafted world.

It’s always been one of the strong sides of the Expeditionary Force series and Task Force Hammer is not an exception to this rule. It is easy to get lost between describing futuristic technology and then applying it in terms of warfare and strategy without confusing the reader with too much technicality. Once again, Alanson manages to weave in exposition in the course of the story to keep the action going without interruption, even when the details are needed.

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Joe Bishop’s Leadership

Joe Bishop, the main character throughout the series, also remains the leader who has numerous and diverse aspects. His development throughout the books has been impressive and Task Force Hammer presents him in the best light — a skilled and experienced officer who is capable of making the right calls on the field and in the political arena of space combat. However, Alanson never forgets that Bishop is a human and a flawed one at that with a good share of humor and a sense of responsibility.

Another interesting thing to note in Task Force Hammer is the transformation of Bishop as a leader. He is not the character readers have met in previous books and his actions are more strategic bearing in mind the experiences that he has been through. The conversations between Bishop and his team are rather intense and the author does not spare his hero occasional weakness or self-doubt which adds to the appeal of the character. Thus, the emotional aspect of the novel appears to be more serious than in the previous episodes, which is interwoven with Bishop’s humor typical for the series.

Skippy the AI: Comic Relief and Plot Catalyst

Of course, no review of an Expeditionary Force novel would be complete without mentioning Skippy the AI, the sarcastic and incredibly powerful A. I that is the main character of the series. Task Force Hammer is once again saved by Skippy and in fact he is both the comic relief and the key plot moving element. His relationship with Bishop, which has been portrayed as rather playful, with the two characters constantly teasing each other, is definitely one of the story's highlights.

In this installment, Skippy’s function appears to be more significant to the story line. At times the story makes the AI seem unstoppable with a hint of arrogance and there are times when he gets it wrong by a hair’s breadth which helps to humanize him. Alanson does a great job in portraying Skippy as arrogant yet has friends and people who care for him and vice versa. Task Force Hammer also touches upon some more profound philosophical issues regarding artificial intelligence and takes Skippy’s character development to a more profound level.

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Action and Strategy

One can also notice that Task Force Hammer is a military strategy and space warfare which is quite typical for the series. It is important to state that the novel is filled with various action scenes which are not only spectacular but also well thought out. Regardless of whether it is the large scale naval engagements or the close quarter fighting, Alanson makes sure the reader never gets a moments rest. The strategies that Bishop employs and his team are informed by military strategies making the action scenes very realistic.

The obvious thing that makes the action in Task Force Hammer stand out is how much attention was paid to detail. Alanson does not rely on the big explosion or the fast movement of the fight as the means of maintaining the tension. However, he uses tactics, maneuvers, and twists that are smart and unexpected, which always escalate the pressure. Every battle has a meaning and it is very obvious that all the actions of the characters are not random but are in a certain scheme. The fans of the military science fiction will like the fact that the author has thought through the actions during the battle scenes.

Tension and Stakes

The actions of the characters in Task Force Hammer seem more important than in the previous books, at least in part due to the amount of time spent developing the characters and their relationships. By the time the audience gets to this point in the series, they have developed so much attachment to the characters that every mission is important. It’s always a looming possibility that things could turn very, very bad at any given time and Alanson is not afraid to place his characters in real peril. This makes the reader interested in the outcome of the story since it is always a doubt which of the two will survive.

The emotional conflict is further heightened by the fact that the characters in the story are related in one way or the other by the various interpersonal relationships. It has scenes of genuine brotherhood and friendship, but it also has conflicts and strife that seem well deserved after so many books. Alanson manages these effectively, so that the character’s personal issues are not side-stories to the plot, but rather an important part of the character growth and the story as a whole.

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Expanding the Universe

As with every new book in the Expeditionary Force series, Task Force Hammer offers some major expansions to the universe. New forms of aliens, technologies, and political parties are added to the series which makes it far from being repetitive. It is noteworthy that Alanson does not overload the reader with new elements, but still manages to constantly introduce new ones. He incorporates these new details into the fabric of the story perfectly, thus making the universe seem like it is constantly developing.

The politics in Task Force Hammer are also more involved than in previous books. As the war escalates, the relations between different groups get more and more ambiguous and the story shows Bishop struggling with the question of whom he can trust. Alanson’s handling of these political dimensions brings realism into the narration of the war since it is rarely clear-cut and straightforward.

Humor and Heart

As with most other books in the Expeditionary Force series, Task Force Hammer is very humorous, although this particular book is a bit more serious than some of the others. The dialogues between the characters especially between Bishop and Skippy are still as witty as before and the comedy is needed as most of the scenes involve action and suspense. Alanson has talent to incorporate humor into the story without losing the focus on the serious issues in the story.

However, there are some dramatic scenes which can be seen in Task Force Hammer. The characters have become much more developed by the end of the series and their interactions with each other have become much more profound. Alanson facilitates some degree of character development and self-reflection with the focus on Bishop who struggles with the effects of his command and war. These scenes do not present loud and grand action sequences but they do bring an even deeper sense of personal investment to the story.

Pacing and Structure

A common problem of getting into a 17th book in a series is how to write and structure and pace it so that the readers will stay interested but not bored. Alanson does this commendably in Task Force Hammer. The pacing of the novel is good and the author provides a correct proportion of actions, characters’ descriptions and the creation of the new world. There are some scenes which are not very fast but they are used to create tension or to work on the characters and not to slow the pace.

The plot of the novel is also good and even though there are several plot lines interwoven into the novel, the plot does not come out messy at all. Alanson deals with multiple story arcs which are quite complex and have their own conflicts but the author ties all the arcs neatly in the end. The changes of the focus and the places are fluid and the speed does not interfere with the flow of the story.

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Consistency vs. Innovation

One of the questions that may come to the readers’ mind after 17 books is whether there is something new in Task Force Hammer or it is just the same as the previous novels of the series. In some ways, the novel does stick to the tried-and-true formula that has made the Expeditionary Force series so successful: comedy, movement, suspense and war tactics. Still, Alanson does bring enough new changes — especially where political machinations and characters are concerned — to make the story seem somewhat different.

However, there may be a time when one will feel that the series follows a formulaic approach. Even though Alanson’s writing is always entertaining, fans of the series might see some narrative or characters’ relationships’ cliches. However, this consistency will probably be good for the fans who are used to the beats of the series and the feeling of the story's predictability.

Conclusion

Task Force Hammer: Expeditionary Force, Book 17 is another fast-paced, full of staking and shooting novel in Craig Alanson’s series. It brings well developed characters, complex setting and masterfully written action sequences which only cement the fact that it remains to be everything that the fans of Expeditionary Force novels love. It does not reinvent the wheel, but it does it with just enough new spin and heart that it will keep the readers hooked from beginning to end.

Pros:

1. Strong Character Development: Joe Bishop and the other characters have evolved a lot in the course of the series and their progression is well managed in this part.
2. Humor and Wit: The comedy aspect of the story is evident through jokes between characters, especially between Bishop and Skippy without losing the seriousness of the situation.
3. Well-Crafted Action: The military strategy and space combat scenes are very engaging with a lot of twists and nice strategies.
4. Intricate World-Building: Alanson does add to the universe in fascinating and significant manners, presenting new factions, technologies, politics.
5. Emotional Depth: This is not to say that there are not genuine dramatic moments that tug at the heartstrings, especially in how the characters deal with the effects of war.

Cons:

1. Predictability: It is necessary to mention that after 17 books some of the plot beats and characters’ relationships can be quite predictable.
2. Pacing: On the whole, it is full of excitement, but there are some scenes which seem to be little monotonous for those who are keen on action.
3. Complexity: There’s a lot of political machinations and the scope of the universe is getting bigger, which may be confusing to people who are not invested in the series.

All in all, Task Force Hammer is a must for the readers of the Expeditionary Force series and a great addition to the story. Alanson gives another well-executed, fast-paced story that should leave readers panting for more in the next volume.

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