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Humanity’s greatest export – Justice. 

Space is a dangerous place, even for the wary, especially for the unprepared. The aliens have no idea. Here comes the Bad Company. 

On Earth, parents told stories about the devil to frighten children. But devils exist and from time to time, they find their way here. 

Terry and Char, take the Bad Company’s Direct Action Branch into combat to rid a world beyond the borders of a new incursion. All it will cost is the inhabitants’ most advanced technology, a miniaturized power supply that will revolutionize the Etheric Federation.  

Nathan wants it, badly enough that he’s made the mission non-negotiable. Terry’s hands are tied as he takes the team into the hot zone. 

Join Terry and Char as the War Axe delivers the team to a planet well outside of Federation space where they have to convince the local aliens that the Bad Company is from the government and they’re there to help.

Join the Bad Company as they fight an enemy from their worst nightmares.

--- PLEASE NOTE ---
*NOTE: If cursing is a problem, then this might not be for you.


280 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 18, 2018

302 people are currently reading
134 people want to read

About the author

Craig Martelle

329 books7,888 followers
Visit Craig's web page, craigmartelle.com for the latest posts and updates or find him on Facebook, Author Craig Martelle. Send an email to craig@craigmartelle.com to join his mailing list for the latest on new releases, information on old releases, and anything related to his books.

I see my other lives, a career in the Marines, those damn hand-written tests in law school, a business consultant, as if they're stories from a book. I see my books as if I lived there, as if I were friends with the characters. All things we remember are behind us, only those we imagine lie before.

I'm not sure which place I prefer, but I don't have to choose. They live together in my mind. My books have some award nominations, they have bestseller tags across multiple countries. I write about justice, honor, and loyalty because that's what I care about. My stories are mostly set within worlds that haven't been, but could be. We have to be ready for when those times come.

No matter where I went, I always had a book with me. Thanks to 21st Century technology, I now have hundreds of books loaded on my phone and always with me. This breakthrough allows me to binge read my favorites. How many books would I have read on deployments had I not had to have a physical book with me? I paced myself so I wouldn't finish too quickly.

We aren't encumbered like that now. I love the works of Robert Heinlein, Anne McCaffrey, JRR Tolkien, Robert E. Howard, and so many more. I have been compared to Andre Norton and that is humbling - she was an incredible author with a huge list of novels to her credit. With every new book, I aspire to live up to those that you, the readers, have compared me to.

Through a bizarre series of events, I ended up in Fairbanks, Alaska. I never expected to retire to a place where golf courses are only open for four months out of the year. But that's the way it is. It is off the beaten path. My wife and I get to watch the northern lights from our driveway. Our dog has lots of room to run. And temperatures reach fifty below zero. We have from three and a half hours of daylight in the winter to twenty-four hours in the summer.

It's all part of the give and take of life. If we didn't have those extremes, then everyone would live in the sub-arctic.

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5 stars
383 (64%)
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161 (27%)
3 stars
42 (7%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
Profile Image for 〰️Beth〰️.
816 reviews62 followers
July 9, 2021
Rounding up

Three and a half…. A little sluggish but solid. TH and team actually go to fight devils…. Yes red with horns,lol
Profile Image for Drew Doll.
319 reviews10 followers
February 24, 2018
Oh goodness, the feels! The feels!

Wow, what a ride. I loved this book. A rock and roll ride with some real loss for the Bad Company. Really hurt my heart, because I have come to love these characters.
Profile Image for Rosemary.
3,903 reviews71 followers
August 2, 2018
Price of Freedom: (The Band Company Book 3) - a review by Rosemary Kenny

Master of Military Sci-fi, Craig Martelle does it again, in this 5-star winner, Book 3 in the Terry Henry Walton/Kurtherian Gambit Series, Price of Freedom.
Walton's team of warriors, the eponymous Bad Company are embroiled in the Etheric Federation's latest space saga episode, that involves the War Axe going into space to fight the demonic Skrima invaders, on a planet far beyond the Federation's boundaries.
To ensure success the Company must ally themselves with aliens that have a miniaturised power source that the Federation's other forces can utilise - if they can be persuaded to allow Terry and Charumuti to use it against the Skrima.

The book contains the usual strong language, that might be off-putting to sensitive readers, but is only to be be expected from ex-Marines in the height of battle etc.
The characters are well-rounded and mostly interact believably with each other. engaging the reader's emotions. If you like Starship Troopers, you'll love the Bad Company series, of which this is Book 3.

Book 4 in the series is Liberation and it continues the story further and, like the previous three develops the storyline in a great and unusual way. Get your copy today - maybe even splash out a little more for the other books to read the series in order and enhance your pleasure to the max!
73 reviews1 follower
April 4, 2018
Good

This series is the best I have ever read. I have never followed an author, let alone a group of authors like I have all the books written in the Kutherian gambit . I am at the point where I am just keeping up with the books as they come out. I expect that something really good will come out in the future that will offset the sad event that happened in this book. (Don't want to giveit away.)
Profile Image for Ann Zdunczyk.
1,162 reviews4 followers
February 24, 2018
Crying my eyes out

It is always had to loose a character that you are fond of and that has been around for a while. Bad company are thrown into a real mess pretty much blind. They don’t really know much about the enemy but they go in anyway and kiss ass but they do loose one a major one!!
383 reviews
April 23, 2020
Man, this book was frustrating. Nathan suddenly sucked a ton in this book. He was temperamental and refused TH's reasonable request to become familiar with the equipment and technology his team is supposed to be using while also allowing some needed equipment to make it to his team. He said that the team did a good job without that stuff, so basically, who cares if they could be better and avoid losses if they can accomplish their mission as they are. Nathan is supposed to be smart, but that is stupid logic. He also got really upset when TH called to ask a question. That is ridiculously dumb. Nathan suddenly sucked hard! Maybe Michael Anderle shouldn't have given Nathan to Craig Martelle to write for. Craig Martelle is making Nathan a way worse character. Ted's shananigans were also pissing me off in this book. He hacked multiple AIs or EIs, it wasn't clear if they had all made the transition to AI yet. He made it so they would be less emotional or understanding of emotion, along with figures of speech. They also now would be insubordinate or unresponsive at times for TH, actually threaten people other than Ted, and constantly say "All hail Ted!". Ted totally made them dumber with the emotional and figures of speech stuff. That was just plain illogical. Ted should know that an ability to better communicate or at least understand what was being said would lessen the amount of time needed for communication and allow more time for projects. That means, his actions went against what should be his logic. It was just a stupid bit put into the story for laughs that weren't actually funny but annoying instead. I was also pissed that nobody seemed to actually contact someone in the Etheric Federation to look at the AI/EIs to erase Ted's stupid changes. The crew did at least notice the line about hailing Ted. Other books in the Kurtherian Gambit Universe, specifically the Ascension Myth books, talked about altering the personality of an AI after it has formed, especially to make it perform certain goals in the matter, and it was found that it was basically destroying who the person was and making a new person entirely or instead doing something more akin to enslaving the entity. That is seriously bad stuff. There should be laws in the Etheric Federation against that sort of behavior, and it should be taken seriously. Instead, Craig Martelle decided that Ted's actions toward the AI/EIs are not considered serious by anyone and really just a joking matter. It is not. It just pissed me off. The demonic looking creatures also didn't feature in the story enough, especially with them on the cover right next to TH and Char. Those aliens were one dimensional characters that I found no pleasure in reading about. The book did have enough little things in it to keep me entertained for the most part though. I just hope Craig Martelle doesn't ruin the Kurtherian Universe in the future. The Terry Henry Walton Chronicles had inconsistencies with how things worked in the Kurtherian Universe, and I am afraid Craig Martelle will not notice tons of inconsistencies and cause the universe to be full of contradictions and things that make no sense along with stuff that just sucks. Michael Anderle is great though!
Profile Image for Pat Patterson.
353 reviews7 followers
September 3, 2018
Finalist for 2018 Dragon Award, and #3 in The Bad Company series

I obtained this book through the Kindle Unlimited program.
I made this selection because this was one of the finalists in the 'Best Military Science Fiction' category for the Dragon Award. That award was won by "A Call to Vengeance."

You can get a slightly expanded treatment of this book at my blog, Papa Pat Rambles.

Most of the books I reviewed in preparation for the Dragon Award were part of a series. This was the only book that gave me problems with continuity.

The authors took pains to keep that from happening, with an exhaustive cast of characters listed in the front of the book. Alas, that wasn't enough for me. Your mileage may vary.

What was contained between the covers was very well done. Incidents are described clearly, dialogue is usually informative and snarky, with pleasing references to ever-popular cult movies such as Monty Python's Quest For the Holy Grail, and I understood the significance SOMEWHAT of the main battle, but I really didn't know how it all fit together. So:
A dimensional rift exists on a planet far out on the frontier of known space (that's NOT the Niven Known Space!), and monsters are coming in. The Bad Company goes in to wipe out the monsters, rescue to inhabitants, and gain access to a portable power plant technology that will revolutionize warfare, communications, and pretty much everything else.
Meanwhile, one of the sentient computers is going to night school to become more advanced. The resident Mad Genius is a bit miffed at being told what to do, and hundreds of liberated prisoners housed nearby go nuts when they see a woman.

And, unfortunately, that's really the best review I can give. I just don't have the understanding of the total story arc to have a better perspective. Now, IF this was a book I had picked up on my own, the solution would be clear: just grab the preceding volumes, and read them first. HOWEVER, in this case, I was reading this particular book as a finalist for the award, and I didn't feel I could take that approach.
I ENJOYED reading the book. The humor and pathos of duct-taping a sentient German Shepherd face-to-muzzle with a team leader was not lost on me, nor were the other japes and jams; I just never knew, when a particular person/event entered the picture, if that was unusual, or something everyone expected to happen.

I can absolutely see picking up the rest of the series and reading it for enjoyment. If my schedule permits, that's what I am going to do.
Profile Image for Katy.
1,506 reviews10 followers
April 30, 2022
As is usual, Craig Martelle has written another awesome THW book - along with Michael Anderle, of course! This duo are unbeatable, where putting the written word together in a heap of ways, is concerned.

This always results in books that are unputdownable, and touch the reader (me), in so many ways, that I feel a real part of their worlds.

This book, in particular, caught me off guard, even knowing that the title of the book indicated something like this happening. I know that, in real life, when war happens, death follows closely, but I didn't dream that they would choose such a close member of the family as the target! I was devastated!

But I guess that's why I love these books - because, within the plot line, there is always an aspect of reality, which is why we get to know, and love, these characters so much - and it wouldn't be real, if all of those who are fighting for honour, and justice, and for the good of everyone, didn't lose one of their own at times, even if they ARE enhanced!

When I come across this in a favourite series, I always find it so bittersweet, but it keeps me wanting to know what's going to happen next - and so I go on to the next book in the series, eager to learn more!

But, as I'm reading the Kurtherian Universe in chronological order, I know that I'll be hopping over to a different series for my next book and, looking at my reading list, it seems I'm going over to book seven, of the Vigilante Chronicles: Protector - and isn't that title apt?
3,198 reviews26 followers
July 30, 2019
A CM/MA SYFY Novel (POF) (AMSOA) (TBCB - 3)

CM/MA have penned the third novel in the Bad Company series. This novl has them crossing the deepest regions of space to thwart another dimension character from invading our dimension. The creatures have been identified as Satan looking characters. One crew member states, "They may have been to Earth long ago because the people of Earth have always believed in God and the Devil. THW knows this will be a bad mission. This is an excellent read for the genre.....DEHS
288 reviews2 followers
August 19, 2020
Nothing like ending on a sad note

So cliff hangers and sad notes I hate them both and this has happened with every book in this series so far horrible hell monsters that appear and disappear special small power source that can do amazing things and weird nanotechnology illnesses but atleast the all knowing Ted can figure everything out but all hail Ted? What’s up with that? Something is brewing somewhere is Ten really imbedded in the tech or is Ted really becoming a religious type figure can not wait to find out so happy there are more books waiting to be read!
Profile Image for Debra Stubbins.
335 reviews
February 12, 2022
Riveting Emotional Read

Anderle and Martelle continue their collaboration success… Terry Henry Walton is once again facing the unknown and with his usual aplomb, sets about delivering a set down on the enemy. I love how all the emotions were brought out in this book, the anger at Ted and Smedley for the crap they gave TH (I felt sorry for TH as he is only doing what he had to do and was blamed for shit not in his control), elation that the Grays came to an agreement and sadness for Cory and Ramses. You can guarantee that you will walk away from this book feeling wrung out!!
Profile Image for Paul.
115 reviews
June 28, 2018
Wow

Ok. This one was heavy. Comedic and action galore, but still...
I won't spoil anything but I'm looking forward to how a certain character moves on.
Is it a bad thing when the singular scene that adds an extra star to the rating is heart rending or are we just THAT connected to these characters that we can feel what they are supposed to be feeling? Maybe it's just a testament to the talent of the author?
Sigh. Breathe. Continue on to the next book.
1,026 reviews4 followers
October 14, 2023
Bad Company has the most challenging mission yet. Not only do they once again (is this a pattern?) have inadequate data on their latest “problem children” that need spanking, they are also faced with a populace that is resistant towards being “rescued” to the point of outright hostility.

The latest bad guys have capabilities that add to the challenge. Can Bad Company once again rise to the level necessary to overcome this threat?
Profile Image for Kris.
47 reviews
November 24, 2025
Excellent

As usual for books within the universe of The Kurtherian Gambit, this one is excellent.

This is not eligible for a bonus star as it only has chapter numbers, without titles.

As is my practice when reviewing fiction, I note without affecting my rating if the book's average chapter length meets my preferred length of taking me about 10-15 minutes to read. This does meet that.
Profile Image for dawn lynn cline.
81 reviews
March 16, 2018
This one touched me the most.

Instead of just a new assignment, this becomes a journey of humanities tenacity. Export justice? Check! Following the team as they face sudden illness or death? Having to Fight a war against much stronger and faster beings with no Nano? Losing one of their own? It's a human drama as much as a Universal Justice League....
577 reviews
March 18, 2018
Continues to grow on you

The whole Kurtherian Gambit grows on you as a reader. This series along with the original grabs hold of you on so many levels it is pure enjoyment. As retired military this worldwide adventure is some thing I can relate to. Your fellow comrades become a second family more than the individuals that started out.
Profile Image for Linda T Waldron-Inman.
152 reviews
March 19, 2018
A fast read

Nonstop action. You can read this book out of sequence, but I recommend reading them in order. I feel you'll enjoy them more and understand the characters and timeline better. If you don't want to go back to the beginning, jump in when Terry and crew make the move to space and Bad Company.
42 reviews
April 9, 2018
Very interesting series

This is an interesting spinoff of the main series, A Kurtherian Gambit. With the rise of Bad Company as the direct action branch whose mission is to export justice to the universe, it's good military scifi. I recommend this series, but you have to read from the first book and it makes more sense if you've read the main series to see how they came to be.
718 reviews6 followers
November 28, 2019
A good story!!

1. The narrative kept moving well. 2.I did not like the death in the last battle. It was too easy to stop the devils or I did not follow the tech well. The gray gave in too easy, they should have fussed more. 3. Reasonable age teens that are mature up to older folk that will still have flexible minds.
278 reviews
July 4, 2022
Gripping story

Once again Craig and Michael weave a story that sucks you in. Terry's team beats the bad guys for now but at a cost no one could imagine when Cory's husband Ramses is killed. This event triggers a lot of interesting twists. Continue reading this great series and don't forget the author's notes. Enjoy!
Profile Image for Lois Alston.
1,864 reviews3 followers
February 21, 2018
Outstanding

Loved it and hated it. Hate part first: why did he have to die? You actually got me to shed a lot of tears. Love part: the writing is superb. Look how Red is growing and TH is trying to be more sensitive. Felicity is doing what she does best.
165 reviews
February 21, 2018
The devil you say?!

I absolutely was not expecting this book to have such an interesting ending. It seems as though everyone is adapting to their new home and and kicking ass like they did back on earth. Ted...enough said. Can't wait for your next tale.
26 reviews1 follower
February 25, 2018
WOW

Couldn't put it down. Lots of action and feeling. They just keep getting better. This series is a great addition to the Kurtherian Gambit Universe and superb continuation of Terry Henry Walton's story.
633 reviews7 followers
February 26, 2018
True fan

Loved it. I was shocked and still is with Chor lost of her husband. I didn’t see it coming and wish I didn’t. I truly cried while reading as she tired to save and bring him back. I’m touched....
Profile Image for Pam Gardner.
14 reviews1 follower
April 14, 2018
This book maintains the storyline and opens up many more possibilities for further books with the characters being expanded into who and what they are .

This is a book for those who actually like to sit and relax and read further into all the characters in the series.
245 reviews1 follower
May 28, 2018
Another excellent book

Another excellent book in an excellent series! As usual with Terry Henry Walton there is comedy and tragedy. Ted gets a little uppity but pulls it together in the end.
Profile Image for John DeBlanc.
337 reviews2 followers
July 5, 2018
The streak continues!

Another winner! These two are flat out dangerous if you don't have time to read these, because you are going to MAKE time to read them regardless of little things like sleep and work. And speaking of that, off to the next book!!!
Profile Image for jane wisniewski.
60 reviews1 follower
November 25, 2018
Price of Freedom

Even though I was unhappy with the lack of story and character development in book two, I decided to go ahead and try book 3. I thought that this book did a better job in both of those areas. I'm hoping that will improve even more in book 4 so I will read on.
105 reviews
March 25, 2019
All Hail Ted!👑

I really liked this book as I am most fond of the Ted character. There are tense moments and sad moments. There are also moments of great accomplishments (Keeg Station).
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews

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