What do you think?
Rate this book
Galaxy's Edge #1-2
Galaxy's Edge, Part I
Galaxy's Edge contains Legionnaire through to the end of Galactic Outlaws.
On the edge of the galaxy, a diplomatic mission to an alien planet takes a turn when the Legionnaires, an elite special fighting force, find themselves ambushed and stranded behind enemy lines. They struggle to survive under siege, waiting on a rescue that might never come.
In the seedy starport of Ackabar, a young girl searches the crime-ridden gutters to avenge her father's murder; not far away, a double-dealing legionniare-turned-smuggler hunts an epic payday; and somewhere along the outer galaxy, a mysterious bounty hunter lies in wait.
Galaxy's Edge combines sleek starfighters, exotic aliens, loyal bots, blasters, scoundrels, heroes, and powerful enemies in a thrilling adventure that will take you back to that magic place from a long time ago.
On the edge of the galaxy, a diplomatic mission to an alien planet takes a turn when the Legionnaires, an elite special fighting force, find themselves ambushed and stranded behind enemy lines. They struggle to survive under siege, waiting on a rescue that might never come.
In the seedy starport of Ackabar, a young girl searches the crime-ridden gutters to avenge her father's murder; not far away, a double-dealing legionniare-turned-smuggler hunts an epic payday; and somewhere along the outer galaxy, a mysterious bounty hunter lies in wait.
Galaxy's Edge combines sleek starfighters, exotic aliens, loyal bots, blasters, scoundrels, heroes, and powerful enemies in a thrilling adventure that will take you back to that magic place from a long time ago.
Audible Audio
Published February 20, 2018
11 people are currently reading
151 people want to read
About the author
Jason Anspach
187 books846 followersJASON ANSPACH is the author of Galaxy's Edge, Wayward Galaxy, Forgotten Ruin. and more.
He lives in Puyallup, WA with his wife and their seven (not a typo) children.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
April 28, 2020
Galaxy's Edge
By: Jason Anspach, Nick Cole
Narrated by: R.C. Bray
Series: Galaxy's Edge Series, Book 1-2
Looking for a space adventure with real heroes, great fights, aliens, unpredictable situations, great characters, a bit of humor, world class military jerks, battle brothers, and a terrific plot and world building? These are books 1 and 2 of the series together for you with the great R. C. Bray to narrate! Things don't get much better!
By: Jason Anspach, Nick Cole
Narrated by: R.C. Bray
Series: Galaxy's Edge Series, Book 1-2
Looking for a space adventure with real heroes, great fights, aliens, unpredictable situations, great characters, a bit of humor, world class military jerks, battle brothers, and a terrific plot and world building? These are books 1 and 2 of the series together for you with the great R. C. Bray to narrate! Things don't get much better!
May 2, 2022
It was a great idea by Audible to combined the first to volumes of Galaxy's Edge. I enjoyed Legionnaire as a pulp scifi shoot'em up story. My one criticism is that the author really didn't develop much of the character's backstories. Well that all changes in volume 2, Galactic Outlaws. We are entering into a full on space opera with this combo and I'm very much looking forward to the following volumes of Galaxy's Edge.
May 26, 2019
Legionnaire - Galaxy's Edge #1:
This is the first in an ongoing series that follows the Legionnaires, an elite fighting force that are used to support the Republic in their fight against a multitude of different enemies.
In this particular instance, a unit of Legionnaires is on the planet Kublar, escorting one faction to meet another so that they can discuss a peace treaty, hopefully allowing the Republic access to the planet in a fair and reasonable manner. The Natives of Kublar, colloquially known as ‘Koobs’, are seen as a frog like species, with a large diaphragm under their throats that they use to speak with and make other sounds. Although they have some level of technology, the planet is a mixed culture of partially rich and wealthy with the best of everything, down to the mostly poor and impoverished, living in shanti towns and having to scavenge for a living. Of course, they all have one thing in common, a dislike for humans.
The story is told from the point of view of Sergeant Cohen Chhun, a Sergeant in Victory Company.
The Legionnaires are given a specialised helmet, their armour apparently isn't that special, and apart from the sniper who can pick a tic off a flea buried on the back of a shaggy dog at 3000metres, their weapons are nothing special given it is so far in the future. (Although at least it is better than 40K where they still use bullets and haven’t developed range finders…) The Helmet though, is every Clone and Storm troopers dream, although our story teller loses his pretty early, and it quickly becomes apparent that this book is not about the tech, this is about the characters and the war they are in.
This did remind me a lot of the Clone Troopers TV series, in which you had Republic Clone Troopers in the Clone wars that could actually shoot things with basic guns and armour, but a decent bucket on their heads for information, you know, before they turned into brain dead Stormtroopers who couldn’t hit the side of a barn with a rocket launcher from 3 feet away – no wonder they lost to Ewoks….
But the Legionnaires are much like the Clones if you have seen, or read any of the Star Wars material. Superior fighting men, but amazingly enough, they have emotions, souls, and at times, they wonder why they are doing what it is they are doing?
The characters in this book are brilliant. As stated, the story is told from Sergeant Chhun’s point of view, a veteran who tells us true emotions, not heroic dribble about how he can survive everything and has no fear. Chhun covers all of the emotional spectrum as he battles along, from anger, fear, horror, happiness, sadness, gut wrenching sorrow, to just plain exhaustion, where you reach a point that you are so numb you don’t feel anymore. The Authors have done a brilliant job of detailing what it is like to be in the thick of things, to be under fire, the stress of the situation, and the reflexes and muscle memory you grow as a soldier to survive.
The story starts with the group leading our diplomats along nicely, until they are ambushed, and then it turns into total mayhem and chaos, and this is where the book just accelerates, and doesn’t slow down. It becomes a cross between a Clone Wars episode and Black Hawk Down (without the helicopter), as the Legionnaires are suddenly facing 1000s of Koob’s intent on killing them and their charges at all costs, regardless of the lives lost.
Even though the Legionnaires have superior weaponry, they are vastly outnumbered, for every 10 they kill, there are 20 or 30 to replace them. And thus the ‘Black Hawk Down’ running gun battle starts through the cities of Kublar.
This is a brutal, full-on Military action story, you are with the Sergeant (who gets a field promotion after the ambush to Lieutenant) all the way, and you live the fight with him, feel his anxiety, fear and stress, as he is pounded from pillar to post trying to keep his men and the diplomats alive and reach the objective. Command has been eliminated, and he is left with a field promoted Captain who has the experience to do the job, and a bureaucrat who is at the same level, who looks after the support teams, and is trying to get the all killed with his stupidity.
As a first book, this is the introduction you want to the Galaxy’s Edge, great story, exceptional characters, not bogged down in the tech, doesn’t get lost in the action or the characters either, with a good balance between all of it to leave you flipping pages so fast if you are holding a paperback, it will act as a fan for you.
If you love Military Sci-Fi, or just good Military Action stories, get into this – it is brilliant.
Galactic Outlaws - Galaxy's Edge #2:
The first book of the series was about the Legionnaires and their conflict on the planet Kublar. It was epic, and gave us a brilliant back ground into the soldiers and their lives, how they fit into the Republic, and the stupidity of some aspects such as the bureaucrats that infiltrate the ranks to try and make a name for themselves to get quicker promotions.
Galactic Outlaws is set 7 years after this battle, and whilst they still have Legionnaires, they are not of the same quality as the old school. The older generation (most who have left and gone off to be Mercs or Bounty Hunters), look at the newbies and see them as target practice, with armour that is nothing compared to what they used to have, poorer training, and lack of decent equipment overall.
The story focuses on two of the older Legionnaires, one known as Tyrus Rechs, and the other is Aeson Keel.
They both served at Kublar, and although Rechs is older, Keel has certainly been around. Rechs is now a bounty hunter, a grizzled old warrior who has seen it all, had more lives than a cat, seen more bodies than a morgue attendant, and has left more destruction in his wake than the reaper himself.
Keel is a quasi-bounty hunter, part courier who works with a holographic side-kick Ravi, who also works as his conscience a lot of the time, helping him keep on the straight and narrow, and probably stopping him turning into a Rechs. When he does his seedier work, he changes his helmet, and becomes ‘Wraith’, a figure that terrifies the underworld, and spreads a fear amongst others like a wildfire through a sugar cane field.
Through these two lives we see what has become of the Legionnaires that once fought as proud, honourable soldiers for the Republic, both now full of bitter resentment, anger, sorrow, regret, with little of their own souls to give to anyone else anymore. Through a twist of fate, they both find themselves helping out young girls, Rechs is approached by a young girl looking to hire a bounty hunter to avenge her father, and he can’t help but try touched as he is by her story. Keels on the other hand is moving slaves, two of them he believes are a prince and princess.
And so the adventure begins, with both our ‘Reluctant Heroes’ trying to help their respective young women in trouble.
It should be noted though, this isn't about a damsel in distress. These young women, one only in her early teens, the other not much older. Both though show early on that they are full of steel, and capable of holding their own.
This is a totally different story to the first book, looking at the impact that the battle on Kublar and the subsequent fallout has had on the Legionnaires (as well as the multitude of other battles that they have had to endure with insufficient support from leadership). It has left a lot of the older and original Leej’s damaged.
This is a really clever story, well written, and in a lot of ways, probably too close to the truth to be comfortable. Not that there are Sci-Fi Legionnaire’s running around, but that we expect our soldiers and special forces to do things that no human being should ever have to, and then assimilate back into society. A lot can’t, and this leads to sociopathic behaviour, in some instances, it leads to the soldiers actually taking on jobs as Mercenaries or guns for hire in countries they should not be in, taking jobs that are too dangerous for Western forces.
This book looks at the darker side of warfare, and does a brilliant job of it. It also allows us to get a bit of a feel for how someone like Boba Fett might have made a living. There are a lot of similarities between this series and Star Wars, except for in this series, the highly trained soldiers can actually hit a Bantha two feet away with a thermal detonator, unlike a Storm Trooper.
Galaxy’s Edge is like the Star Wars Clone Wars – the cartoon they made for kids, but this one is not in the Star Wars universe, and it definitely is NOT for kids. It is a must read though!!
This is the first in an ongoing series that follows the Legionnaires, an elite fighting force that are used to support the Republic in their fight against a multitude of different enemies.
In this particular instance, a unit of Legionnaires is on the planet Kublar, escorting one faction to meet another so that they can discuss a peace treaty, hopefully allowing the Republic access to the planet in a fair and reasonable manner. The Natives of Kublar, colloquially known as ‘Koobs’, are seen as a frog like species, with a large diaphragm under their throats that they use to speak with and make other sounds. Although they have some level of technology, the planet is a mixed culture of partially rich and wealthy with the best of everything, down to the mostly poor and impoverished, living in shanti towns and having to scavenge for a living. Of course, they all have one thing in common, a dislike for humans.
The story is told from the point of view of Sergeant Cohen Chhun, a Sergeant in Victory Company.
The Legionnaires are given a specialised helmet, their armour apparently isn't that special, and apart from the sniper who can pick a tic off a flea buried on the back of a shaggy dog at 3000metres, their weapons are nothing special given it is so far in the future. (Although at least it is better than 40K where they still use bullets and haven’t developed range finders…) The Helmet though, is every Clone and Storm troopers dream, although our story teller loses his pretty early, and it quickly becomes apparent that this book is not about the tech, this is about the characters and the war they are in.
This did remind me a lot of the Clone Troopers TV series, in which you had Republic Clone Troopers in the Clone wars that could actually shoot things with basic guns and armour, but a decent bucket on their heads for information, you know, before they turned into brain dead Stormtroopers who couldn’t hit the side of a barn with a rocket launcher from 3 feet away – no wonder they lost to Ewoks….
But the Legionnaires are much like the Clones if you have seen, or read any of the Star Wars material. Superior fighting men, but amazingly enough, they have emotions, souls, and at times, they wonder why they are doing what it is they are doing?
The characters in this book are brilliant. As stated, the story is told from Sergeant Chhun’s point of view, a veteran who tells us true emotions, not heroic dribble about how he can survive everything and has no fear. Chhun covers all of the emotional spectrum as he battles along, from anger, fear, horror, happiness, sadness, gut wrenching sorrow, to just plain exhaustion, where you reach a point that you are so numb you don’t feel anymore. The Authors have done a brilliant job of detailing what it is like to be in the thick of things, to be under fire, the stress of the situation, and the reflexes and muscle memory you grow as a soldier to survive.
The story starts with the group leading our diplomats along nicely, until they are ambushed, and then it turns into total mayhem and chaos, and this is where the book just accelerates, and doesn’t slow down. It becomes a cross between a Clone Wars episode and Black Hawk Down (without the helicopter), as the Legionnaires are suddenly facing 1000s of Koob’s intent on killing them and their charges at all costs, regardless of the lives lost.
Even though the Legionnaires have superior weaponry, they are vastly outnumbered, for every 10 they kill, there are 20 or 30 to replace them. And thus the ‘Black Hawk Down’ running gun battle starts through the cities of Kublar.
This is a brutal, full-on Military action story, you are with the Sergeant (who gets a field promotion after the ambush to Lieutenant) all the way, and you live the fight with him, feel his anxiety, fear and stress, as he is pounded from pillar to post trying to keep his men and the diplomats alive and reach the objective. Command has been eliminated, and he is left with a field promoted Captain who has the experience to do the job, and a bureaucrat who is at the same level, who looks after the support teams, and is trying to get the all killed with his stupidity.
As a first book, this is the introduction you want to the Galaxy’s Edge, great story, exceptional characters, not bogged down in the tech, doesn’t get lost in the action or the characters either, with a good balance between all of it to leave you flipping pages so fast if you are holding a paperback, it will act as a fan for you.
If you love Military Sci-Fi, or just good Military Action stories, get into this – it is brilliant.
Galactic Outlaws - Galaxy's Edge #2:
The first book of the series was about the Legionnaires and their conflict on the planet Kublar. It was epic, and gave us a brilliant back ground into the soldiers and their lives, how they fit into the Republic, and the stupidity of some aspects such as the bureaucrats that infiltrate the ranks to try and make a name for themselves to get quicker promotions.
Galactic Outlaws is set 7 years after this battle, and whilst they still have Legionnaires, they are not of the same quality as the old school. The older generation (most who have left and gone off to be Mercs or Bounty Hunters), look at the newbies and see them as target practice, with armour that is nothing compared to what they used to have, poorer training, and lack of decent equipment overall.
The story focuses on two of the older Legionnaires, one known as Tyrus Rechs, and the other is Aeson Keel.
They both served at Kublar, and although Rechs is older, Keel has certainly been around. Rechs is now a bounty hunter, a grizzled old warrior who has seen it all, had more lives than a cat, seen more bodies than a morgue attendant, and has left more destruction in his wake than the reaper himself.
Keel is a quasi-bounty hunter, part courier who works with a holographic side-kick Ravi, who also works as his conscience a lot of the time, helping him keep on the straight and narrow, and probably stopping him turning into a Rechs. When he does his seedier work, he changes his helmet, and becomes ‘Wraith’, a figure that terrifies the underworld, and spreads a fear amongst others like a wildfire through a sugar cane field.
Through these two lives we see what has become of the Legionnaires that once fought as proud, honourable soldiers for the Republic, both now full of bitter resentment, anger, sorrow, regret, with little of their own souls to give to anyone else anymore. Through a twist of fate, they both find themselves helping out young girls, Rechs is approached by a young girl looking to hire a bounty hunter to avenge her father, and he can’t help but try touched as he is by her story. Keels on the other hand is moving slaves, two of them he believes are a prince and princess.
And so the adventure begins, with both our ‘Reluctant Heroes’ trying to help their respective young women in trouble.
It should be noted though, this isn't about a damsel in distress. These young women, one only in her early teens, the other not much older. Both though show early on that they are full of steel, and capable of holding their own.
This is a totally different story to the first book, looking at the impact that the battle on Kublar and the subsequent fallout has had on the Legionnaires (as well as the multitude of other battles that they have had to endure with insufficient support from leadership). It has left a lot of the older and original Leej’s damaged.
This is a really clever story, well written, and in a lot of ways, probably too close to the truth to be comfortable. Not that there are Sci-Fi Legionnaire’s running around, but that we expect our soldiers and special forces to do things that no human being should ever have to, and then assimilate back into society. A lot can’t, and this leads to sociopathic behaviour, in some instances, it leads to the soldiers actually taking on jobs as Mercenaries or guns for hire in countries they should not be in, taking jobs that are too dangerous for Western forces.
This book looks at the darker side of warfare, and does a brilliant job of it. It also allows us to get a bit of a feel for how someone like Boba Fett might have made a living. There are a lot of similarities between this series and Star Wars, except for in this series, the highly trained soldiers can actually hit a Bantha two feet away with a thermal detonator, unlike a Storm Trooper.
Galaxy’s Edge is like the Star Wars Clone Wars – the cartoon they made for kids, but this one is not in the Star Wars universe, and it definitely is NOT for kids. It is a must read though!!
May 28, 2018
Summary:
First, let me say that none of what I’ll say in this section couldn’t be found on the back copy of the novel. Heck, I cribbed this summary from the back, and then I add my own twist! And not even much of one, since most of the books I read have kick butt descriptions (aka blurbs). If the blurb doesn’t catch my eye, then I tend to skip the book unless a friend recommends it. Generally speaking, my goal is to provide a spoiler free review, so here goes nothing!
On the edge of the galaxy, a diplomatic mission to an alien planet takes a turn when the Legionnaires, an elite special fighting force, find themselves ambushed and stranded behind enemy lines. They struggle to survive under siege, waiting on a rescue that might never come.
In the seedy starport of Ackabar, a young girl searches the crime-ridden gutters to avenge her father’s murder; not far away, a double-dealing legionnaire-turned-smuggler hunts an epic payday; and somewhere along the outer galaxy, a mysterious bounty hunter lies in wait.
Galaxy’s Edge combines sleek starfighters, exotic aliens, loyal bots, blasters, scoundrels, heroes, and powerful enemies in a thrilling adventure that will take you back to that magic place from a long time ago.
If you like epic space opera, with a side of military science fiction, you should read this series. Plenty of explosions, with authentically gritty combat. If this sounds like your flavor of badassery, then you’ve come to the right place! This novel is a brilliant introduction to the Galaxy’s Edge Universe, where they fix everything George Lucas broke in this Star-Wars-Not-Star-Wars adventure. I wish I could give you an easy comparison, if you enjoyed Book X, buy this book but I really feel like Nick and Jason broke new ground here. They’ve revived that sense of newness and fun that we loved as children, that brought most of us to the science fiction genre! There are other military sci-fi books out there, but none quite like this!
Narration Quality:
This is my first exposure to narrator R.C. Bray and I was impressed. This audiobook was excellently executed, and he was the perfect person for this novel. He didn’t bore you, or make you zone out because of his monotone. His performance didn’t feel robotic, like a machine was reading the novel too me. Instead, it felt visceral, and for a second I was back on the Route Irish, dodging IEDs, just trying to live another day. I give Bray a 5 out of 5 grenades for his performance.
Fan Reactions:
“Got 10 min into this and felt like I was back with the boys in Anbar! Awesome!” ~ Logan Scott
“I’ve been waiting for this book for MONTHS. The story sucks you in with the first line and never lets up even if you try to tap out. Great story, great performance, and I’m ready to pre-order the next one. You get 2 books for the price of 1 credit, so stop standing around reading this review and buy it already.” ~ Kevin G. Summers
“The wonder of the Star Wars universe has been resplendently recaptured for me in the form of this novel. Surprises, adventure, excitement, spectacle, and thrills are all woven together here. This is all the elements of Star Wars mixed together in a brand new and refreshing way to bring you a scintillating tale of a galaxy in turmoil and those who are trying to make their way through it, trying to survive another day. I look forward to the sequel and to more stories set in this universe. Pew pew!” ~ Chris Fried
“Loves hearing the story again! Wow, reading the book was (of course) amazing. I am really glad that the authors snagged a professional audiobook outfit to bring the first two books to audio life. You’re gonna love it. RC Bray does fantastic work!” by Ecualegacy
Overall:
I really loved this audiobook, it was a lot of fun to listen too. It brought back the epic space romps I read and loved as a kid. This audiobook contained [Legionnaire] and [Galactic Outlaw] which I’ve previously reviewed. My thoughts on Legionnaire are here and my thoughts on Galactic Outlaw can be found here. This double pack of audio awesomeness was a lot of fun to listen too, and I couldn’t recommend it more! There were no deep messages, or political themes, just good clean fun. The story was compelling and reminded me why I wanted to join the Legion in the first place. Let’s be real, my fighting days are over, but I could forget that while I read this book. That’s a dual edge sword though, I had to stop some because it brought on flashbacks of my time in the deserts of Iraq. The narrator painted a visceral emotional picture in ways that the plain text hadn’t. But for a second I could be young and spry again, capable of chewing lead, spitting out bullets and walking through fire. Definitely gave me a case of the feels, and I found myself wanting to be a part of it all. I was reminded of why I started the Galaxy’s Edge Facebook Fanclub, of what I loved about this Star Wars-esq universe. I don’t want to come on too strong, but I love this series and this audiobook. It’s right up there with Terry Mixon’s The Empire of Bones series for me. Maybe there’s just something about a few old Army guys telling stories that I love?
The first thing that caught my eye was the fantastic cover, it was amazingly compelling. It was different from the two books that are contained in this audiobook. Seriously, if I weren’t color blind and art dumb, I’d add a section to these review template on the covers because so many of them are kicking butt these days! I know I said this about Scott Bartlett’s cover too, but the caliber of covers is certainly improving, and this book just kicks Awesome up a notch! They reminded me of the fun comic images I loved, or movie posters from the action adventures I read when I was supposed to be studying. When I finally have a dedicated office or man cave, I’m decorating it with these covers! And whenever they sell swag, that too!
Seriously, I realize I’ve gone full fanboy, but the authors have definitely raised the bar for military science fiction authors everywhere. And RC Bray, wow! Totally Bro-Crush on this cat, I’ll be listening to any of the other science fiction he narrates. Basically, Bray had me hooked from the beginning and kept it going throughout the whole novel. This is a book I would happily recommend, and an author I will definitely read again. Buy the novel! But hey, it’s easy to spend someone else’s money! I give this novel a 5 out of 5 grenades! If it weren’t cheating, I’d give it 6 grenades!
If this audiobook sounds like it’s right up your alley, check it out, you won’t regret it! Well, unless it inspired you to serve the Legion. And you enlist, get kitted up, only to realize that your armor is made of wax paper. Then you’re put on the front lines, getting to be on the tip of the spear. In your first fire fight, you’ll realize that the pretty uniforms won’t save you. And then the other shoe drops, you figure out that the weapons aren’t calibrated, and you can’t hit the broad side of a barn. But, alas, every rebel scum is a crack shot. Well yeah, I guess this could be bad for you. Or maybe you’ll be okay? I mean, you could be the first trooper to make it out alive? On second thought, be warned, fanboy/fangirl syndrome just MIGHT kill you. Be wary, you were warned and if you have to go out like that at least enjoy the view from the end times!
First, let me say that none of what I’ll say in this section couldn’t be found on the back copy of the novel. Heck, I cribbed this summary from the back, and then I add my own twist! And not even much of one, since most of the books I read have kick butt descriptions (aka blurbs). If the blurb doesn’t catch my eye, then I tend to skip the book unless a friend recommends it. Generally speaking, my goal is to provide a spoiler free review, so here goes nothing!
On the edge of the galaxy, a diplomatic mission to an alien planet takes a turn when the Legionnaires, an elite special fighting force, find themselves ambushed and stranded behind enemy lines. They struggle to survive under siege, waiting on a rescue that might never come.
In the seedy starport of Ackabar, a young girl searches the crime-ridden gutters to avenge her father’s murder; not far away, a double-dealing legionnaire-turned-smuggler hunts an epic payday; and somewhere along the outer galaxy, a mysterious bounty hunter lies in wait.
Galaxy’s Edge combines sleek starfighters, exotic aliens, loyal bots, blasters, scoundrels, heroes, and powerful enemies in a thrilling adventure that will take you back to that magic place from a long time ago.
If you like epic space opera, with a side of military science fiction, you should read this series. Plenty of explosions, with authentically gritty combat. If this sounds like your flavor of badassery, then you’ve come to the right place! This novel is a brilliant introduction to the Galaxy’s Edge Universe, where they fix everything George Lucas broke in this Star-Wars-Not-Star-Wars adventure. I wish I could give you an easy comparison, if you enjoyed Book X, buy this book but I really feel like Nick and Jason broke new ground here. They’ve revived that sense of newness and fun that we loved as children, that brought most of us to the science fiction genre! There are other military sci-fi books out there, but none quite like this!
Narration Quality:
This is my first exposure to narrator R.C. Bray and I was impressed. This audiobook was excellently executed, and he was the perfect person for this novel. He didn’t bore you, or make you zone out because of his monotone. His performance didn’t feel robotic, like a machine was reading the novel too me. Instead, it felt visceral, and for a second I was back on the Route Irish, dodging IEDs, just trying to live another day. I give Bray a 5 out of 5 grenades for his performance.
Fan Reactions:
“Got 10 min into this and felt like I was back with the boys in Anbar! Awesome!” ~ Logan Scott
“I’ve been waiting for this book for MONTHS. The story sucks you in with the first line and never lets up even if you try to tap out. Great story, great performance, and I’m ready to pre-order the next one. You get 2 books for the price of 1 credit, so stop standing around reading this review and buy it already.” ~ Kevin G. Summers
“The wonder of the Star Wars universe has been resplendently recaptured for me in the form of this novel. Surprises, adventure, excitement, spectacle, and thrills are all woven together here. This is all the elements of Star Wars mixed together in a brand new and refreshing way to bring you a scintillating tale of a galaxy in turmoil and those who are trying to make their way through it, trying to survive another day. I look forward to the sequel and to more stories set in this universe. Pew pew!” ~ Chris Fried
“Loves hearing the story again! Wow, reading the book was (of course) amazing. I am really glad that the authors snagged a professional audiobook outfit to bring the first two books to audio life. You’re gonna love it. RC Bray does fantastic work!” by Ecualegacy
Overall:
I really loved this audiobook, it was a lot of fun to listen too. It brought back the epic space romps I read and loved as a kid. This audiobook contained [Legionnaire] and [Galactic Outlaw] which I’ve previously reviewed. My thoughts on Legionnaire are here and my thoughts on Galactic Outlaw can be found here. This double pack of audio awesomeness was a lot of fun to listen too, and I couldn’t recommend it more! There were no deep messages, or political themes, just good clean fun. The story was compelling and reminded me why I wanted to join the Legion in the first place. Let’s be real, my fighting days are over, but I could forget that while I read this book. That’s a dual edge sword though, I had to stop some because it brought on flashbacks of my time in the deserts of Iraq. The narrator painted a visceral emotional picture in ways that the plain text hadn’t. But for a second I could be young and spry again, capable of chewing lead, spitting out bullets and walking through fire. Definitely gave me a case of the feels, and I found myself wanting to be a part of it all. I was reminded of why I started the Galaxy’s Edge Facebook Fanclub, of what I loved about this Star Wars-esq universe. I don’t want to come on too strong, but I love this series and this audiobook. It’s right up there with Terry Mixon’s The Empire of Bones series for me. Maybe there’s just something about a few old Army guys telling stories that I love?
The first thing that caught my eye was the fantastic cover, it was amazingly compelling. It was different from the two books that are contained in this audiobook. Seriously, if I weren’t color blind and art dumb, I’d add a section to these review template on the covers because so many of them are kicking butt these days! I know I said this about Scott Bartlett’s cover too, but the caliber of covers is certainly improving, and this book just kicks Awesome up a notch! They reminded me of the fun comic images I loved, or movie posters from the action adventures I read when I was supposed to be studying. When I finally have a dedicated office or man cave, I’m decorating it with these covers! And whenever they sell swag, that too!
Seriously, I realize I’ve gone full fanboy, but the authors have definitely raised the bar for military science fiction authors everywhere. And RC Bray, wow! Totally Bro-Crush on this cat, I’ll be listening to any of the other science fiction he narrates. Basically, Bray had me hooked from the beginning and kept it going throughout the whole novel. This is a book I would happily recommend, and an author I will definitely read again. Buy the novel! But hey, it’s easy to spend someone else’s money! I give this novel a 5 out of 5 grenades! If it weren’t cheating, I’d give it 6 grenades!
If this audiobook sounds like it’s right up your alley, check it out, you won’t regret it! Well, unless it inspired you to serve the Legion. And you enlist, get kitted up, only to realize that your armor is made of wax paper. Then you’re put on the front lines, getting to be on the tip of the spear. In your first fire fight, you’ll realize that the pretty uniforms won’t save you. And then the other shoe drops, you figure out that the weapons aren’t calibrated, and you can’t hit the broad side of a barn. But, alas, every rebel scum is a crack shot. Well yeah, I guess this could be bad for you. Or maybe you’ll be okay? I mean, you could be the first trooper to make it out alive? On second thought, be warned, fanboy/fangirl syndrome just MIGHT kill you. Be wary, you were warned and if you have to go out like that at least enjoy the view from the end times!
October 16, 2022
Book 1 - Legionnaire
If you want a good look into the politics of the military - any military - look no further than the plot here. It'll make you mad.
Book 2 -
This is a bit of a jarring change from the first book - if you're looking for continuity here, then give up now. There are fantastic characters here and they're really entertaining, but this bears no connection to the first book other than the mention of the battle of Kublar. Still, Keel is pretty fun.
And RC Bray is fantastic.
If you want a good look into the politics of the military - any military - look no further than the plot here. It'll make you mad.
Book 2 -
This is a bit of a jarring change from the first book - if you're looking for continuity here, then give up now. There are fantastic characters here and they're really entertaining, but this bears no connection to the first book other than the mention of the battle of Kublar. Still, Keel is pretty fun.
And RC Bray is fantastic.
September 11, 2020
This the audible version for the first two books. First book is OK. Second book is incredible especially towards the end.
June 11, 2018
( Format : Audiobook )
"K.T.F. Kill. Them. First."
Two complete novels from the Edge of the Galaxy, The Legionnaire, and, Galactic Outlaws. Both are complete in themselves, the second set decades after the first, but there are links between them.
From the very first moment of the first book, the reader is thrown into the middle of the action and it just keeps on going to the end. But emerging from the fast, furious and deadly are the personalities of one closely knit unit of leggionaires from Victory company, so alive, so three dimensional, they quickly become people to care about, just as they care for, and protect, each other as they try to defend the interests of the Republic who's bad judgement sent them there in the first place.
Book two has moved forward in time and the new leggionaires are not what they used to be. Instead we follow the activities of bounty hunters, one very old loner with a terrifying reputation, the second a charasmatic space pirate, his hologram navigator and several unsavoury, if amusing friends. And one little girl who wants vengeance on the man who murdered her daddy. More stunning and original action as different strands come together to culminate in a climactic ending. And lots of humour woven into the mahem from these technicolour characters.
The whole double helping of S.F. delight is masterfully performed by R.C.Bray, whose reading (first person in book one, varying in the second) is consistently clear, with perfectly balanced intonation and involvement without ever distracting from the story with over indulgent excitement. Instead, he allows the story to tell itself, the individual characters always clearly distinguishable, one from another, with voices which perfectly matched their personalities. Voice acting at it's best and which makes an already superb story even better.
If you enjoy science fiction, you've got to get this.
Highly recommended.
"K.T.F. Kill. Them. First."
Two complete novels from the Edge of the Galaxy, The Legionnaire, and, Galactic Outlaws. Both are complete in themselves, the second set decades after the first, but there are links between them.
From the very first moment of the first book, the reader is thrown into the middle of the action and it just keeps on going to the end. But emerging from the fast, furious and deadly are the personalities of one closely knit unit of leggionaires from Victory company, so alive, so three dimensional, they quickly become people to care about, just as they care for, and protect, each other as they try to defend the interests of the Republic who's bad judgement sent them there in the first place.
Book two has moved forward in time and the new leggionaires are not what they used to be. Instead we follow the activities of bounty hunters, one very old loner with a terrifying reputation, the second a charasmatic space pirate, his hologram navigator and several unsavoury, if amusing friends. And one little girl who wants vengeance on the man who murdered her daddy. More stunning and original action as different strands come together to culminate in a climactic ending. And lots of humour woven into the mahem from these technicolour characters.
The whole double helping of S.F. delight is masterfully performed by R.C.Bray, whose reading (first person in book one, varying in the second) is consistently clear, with perfectly balanced intonation and involvement without ever distracting from the story with over indulgent excitement. Instead, he allows the story to tell itself, the individual characters always clearly distinguishable, one from another, with voices which perfectly matched their personalities. Voice acting at it's best and which makes an already superb story even better.
If you enjoy science fiction, you've got to get this.
Highly recommended.
July 27, 2021
Good. Fine. Decent. Not sure if I'll continue with the series or not. By the end of these 2 parts I was getting a little tired of the Star Wars parallels. I don't know if it's intentional or not, but I felt like I was reading (listening) to Star Wars set in an alternate universe. How so? Let me count the ways:
Someone please tell me Part II isn't about the empire building a giant star capable of killing a planet... what to call it... what. to. call. it. hmm... GOT IT! STAR OF DEATH. :)
Someone please tell me Part II isn't about the empire building a giant star capable of killing a planet... what to call it... what. to. call. it. hmm... GOT IT! STAR OF DEATH. :)
October 10, 2021
Finally, something worth my five stars again. It's been a while, but this two-title audiobook makes up for the time lost listening to all of the mediocre stuff I've had to wade through to find something awesome.
These are two action-packed novels, with very likeable main characters: Legionnaire and Galactic Outlaws. The stories hooked me, I could hardly stop listening. I will most definitely continue on with part 3, and if the quality stays like this, with all of the rest of the series.
The narrator is perfect for this type of story, I loved listening to him as he voiced all of the characters. What I appreciate is that he does not try to 'do' women's voices. I hate it when men do that. This narrator simply changed his intonation a little bit, and left the grit out of his voice. Thank you, that was enough to convey it was no longer a male character speaking.
I'm a new reader to Galaxy's Edge novels and I found it very helpful that these are two novels in one audiobook. It gave me more oppurtunity to get my barings and get a taste of the writing style. I also now know that not every story will necessarily involve the same group of characters. I'm feeling ready to take on the entire saga with abandon.
You can read/listen to both as standalone novels; the second is not a true sequel, although it helps if you start with number one since both are placed in the same story universe.
Since I'm finding this a very addictive story universe, I can heartily recommend this.
These are two action-packed novels, with very likeable main characters: Legionnaire and Galactic Outlaws. The stories hooked me, I could hardly stop listening. I will most definitely continue on with part 3, and if the quality stays like this, with all of the rest of the series.
The narrator is perfect for this type of story, I loved listening to him as he voiced all of the characters. What I appreciate is that he does not try to 'do' women's voices. I hate it when men do that. This narrator simply changed his intonation a little bit, and left the grit out of his voice. Thank you, that was enough to convey it was no longer a male character speaking.
I'm a new reader to Galaxy's Edge novels and I found it very helpful that these are two novels in one audiobook. It gave me more oppurtunity to get my barings and get a taste of the writing style. I also now know that not every story will necessarily involve the same group of characters. I'm feeling ready to take on the entire saga with abandon.
You can read/listen to both as standalone novels; the second is not a true sequel, although it helps if you start with number one since both are placed in the same story universe.
Since I'm finding this a very addictive story universe, I can heartily recommend this.
May 5, 2023
Two books in one package. The first book, Legionnaire, is the better of the two books even though it is told in the first person. I didn’t mind as much as I usually do because it was action packed and from the point of view from, what seemed, a real soldier. It was both gritty and interesting and a little frustrating as well, just as it would be. The plot flowed fast and while predictable it didn’t really spoil the story. If I’d only read/heard this story I probably would’ve given it 4 stars. The voice acting was very good and really fitted well with the character.
The second book, Galactic Outlaws, really lowered my score for the package. It simply has nothing to do with the first book except to be in the same universe. There is also one name held over from the first book, Wraith except that it’s not Lieutenant Ford. The writer does make mention of a couple of other things from the first book but they are so insignificant that you wonder why they bothered to mention them. I get that they wanted to expand their universe and bring it to a different story but I don’t think that it feels that it belongs to the first book. At best you can say you don’t have to worry if you haven’t read the first book but when you sell them as a package it really does matter. I’m just glad that I didn’t have to buy it, another freebie from the Audible Plus Catalog.
Together as the package is, 3 stars.
The second book, Galactic Outlaws, really lowered my score for the package. It simply has nothing to do with the first book except to be in the same universe. There is also one name held over from the first book, Wraith except that it’s not Lieutenant Ford. The writer does make mention of a couple of other things from the first book but they are so insignificant that you wonder why they bothered to mention them. I get that they wanted to expand their universe and bring it to a different story but I don’t think that it feels that it belongs to the first book. At best you can say you don’t have to worry if you haven’t read the first book but when you sell them as a package it really does matter. I’m just glad that I didn’t have to buy it, another freebie from the Audible Plus Catalog.
Together as the package is, 3 stars.
December 18, 2024
A thrilling sci-fi space adventure and A bold and action-packed sequel.
I picked up Legionnaire while waiting for the next Expeditionary Force book to release, and I’m glad I did. While some reviews compare it to a military story with a sci-fi twist, I think it stands out as a pure sci-fi space adventure filled with intense action and a gripping narrative.
The first couple of chapters are slower-paced, but once the story gets moving, it truly shines. The book blends vivid world-building with compelling characters, and the tension builds as the stakes grow higher. The audiobook performance adds an extra layer of immersion, pulling you into the chaos and danger of the Galaxy’s Edge universe.
Galactic Outlaws takes the Galaxy’s Edge series in an exciting new direction, expanding the scope beyond the Legion’s military exploits into a sprawling space adventure. The pacing picks up as the story introduces a diverse cast of characters and thrilling new conflicts.
While it carries over the action-packed energy of Legionnaire, this sequel leans more into exploring the vast, chaotic universe, making it feel fresh and dynamic. The audiobook narration keeps the energy high, making it easy to stay engaged even as the story takes its time to build momentum in the early chapters.
Listened to as an audiobook on Audible.
I picked up Legionnaire while waiting for the next Expeditionary Force book to release, and I’m glad I did. While some reviews compare it to a military story with a sci-fi twist, I think it stands out as a pure sci-fi space adventure filled with intense action and a gripping narrative.
The first couple of chapters are slower-paced, but once the story gets moving, it truly shines. The book blends vivid world-building with compelling characters, and the tension builds as the stakes grow higher. The audiobook performance adds an extra layer of immersion, pulling you into the chaos and danger of the Galaxy’s Edge universe.
Galactic Outlaws takes the Galaxy’s Edge series in an exciting new direction, expanding the scope beyond the Legion’s military exploits into a sprawling space adventure. The pacing picks up as the story introduces a diverse cast of characters and thrilling new conflicts.
While it carries over the action-packed energy of Legionnaire, this sequel leans more into exploring the vast, chaotic universe, making it feel fresh and dynamic. The audiobook narration keeps the energy high, making it easy to stay engaged even as the story takes its time to build momentum in the early chapters.
Listened to as an audiobook on Audible.
April 27, 2020
Really enjoyed both books in the small omnibus collection. The first book was superior in my opinion.
Legionnaire: Easy 5 stars. Introduces you to the world and the military force of the time. Also shows you the dynamics between old school military (Legionnaires) and the newer regime (Point). Great story, great characters.
Galactic Outlaws: 4 stars. A bit confusing the the earlier half of the book, as you are not sure exactly who Captain Keel is. But still a great story, and a good setup for an ongoing series in the world/universe that the first book setup.
Overall, I enjoyed the books, and will continue in the series.
Legionnaire: Easy 5 stars. Introduces you to the world and the military force of the time. Also shows you the dynamics between old school military (Legionnaires) and the newer regime (Point). Great story, great characters.
Galactic Outlaws: 4 stars. A bit confusing the the earlier half of the book, as you are not sure exactly who Captain Keel is. But still a great story, and a good setup for an ongoing series in the world/universe that the first book setup.
Overall, I enjoyed the books, and will continue in the series.
February 9, 2024
High class military sci-fi action. This is an interesting set, Legionnaire book one is a basic marines vs aliens shoot 'Em up, not a huge amount of character development but a action packed read. Book 2 is set a few years later and has lots of character backstory and development and less but still high class action sequences, and wow what an ending, leading right into the next one. A little bit of a Star Wars clone with a lovable rogue pilot, a ancient warrior, a rescued princess, alien co-pilot and special powers but it still works, and all narrated by R C Bray what more needs to be said. Brilliant.
May 5, 2023
I really enjoyed these books, and R.C. Bray's narration is fantastic and adds so much to the characters. My only complaint is the two books are so different in tone, it was jarring to go from one to the other. Legionnaire is beautifully constructed military sci-fi, while Galactic Outlaws is more of an ensemble cast sci-fi adventure story. Both good, just different. (If I could rate them separate, I'd give Legionnaire 4 stars and Galactic Outlaws 3 stars.) Anyway, would recommend, especially the audio version, and looking for to more of the series.
December 28, 2024
My favorite hardcore military SciFi! The universe this series is in (several other novels and series connected to it) is imo awesome. And I just want more, as I can see several storyarcs with great potential. I have only rated this. I think all books or atleast the series as a whole atleast earn 5 stars. I do start to get a shiver as when I read this it starts to be awhile since Legacy was released..((1 bok season 3) you can end the serie after each season btw)
July 2, 2024
I'm not sure where this series is going yet. While the lead character do converge in the end, it left a lot of questions and doesn't seem to tie back to all of the prequels yet. I think it's heading in a good direction though and I want to see what the big baddie is. (I do get some major Star Wars vibes from parts of it)
December 11, 2024
Story and tonal whiplash between the two books. Book 1 takes place from the POV of some Legion warriors. Book 2 follows bounty hunters facing off against the Legion. Book 1 plays it pretty straight and narrow, while book 2 felt more like a sci-fi-western.
Overall, a good combination and introduction to the universe!
Overall, a good combination and introduction to the universe!
March 8, 2020
First half of the book was alright, but the second part was waayyyy too close to Star Wars to be any kind of enjoyable for me (complete with Han Solo minus his name, a cat version of Chewbacca, a protocol droid, blaster rifles, and even a Sith lord).
June 19, 2021
The first book is a 4.5 and pinnacle military fiction. The second book is an almost line-for-line copy of Star Wars and just generally bland, so I'd give it a 2.5. Overall a 3.5 from me. Hopefully just necessary character building.
July 24, 2021
My first Galaxy of the edge and it’s not disappointing only that sometimes after reading so many books from the series in times you get lost because so many different authors continued the series or added books which belong in between others but after all it’s a cool series and enjoyable.
January 23, 2025
This book was non-stop action from page one! The first part is the story of just one long battle, and it was awesome. I enjoyed the ways the second part tied into the first, but I still have so many unanswered questions!
December 10, 2019
Star wars feel, rebels against the republic. There are fancy suits and even a princess.
January 2, 2020
The books were entertaining enough. I am definitely interested to see where it goes and what happens between the events of the first and second books in this part.
March 6, 2020
Simply put superb sci-fi pick this book up if you like military sci-fi haven't found anything better.
March 8, 2020
Part one was good and part two was good. The confusing party was how do the for together. Liked it enough to buy next set but still confused with timelines.
March 22, 2020
All the stars that I can click. I loved this first installment.
April 30, 2020
4.5 stars
I mean... if you like Star Wars, you’ll like this. 🤷🏻♀️
I mean... if you like Star Wars, you’ll like this. 🤷🏻♀️
August 31, 2020
3 ½ stars
This is very much a diet coke version of Star Wars and, quite frankly, that's alright by me for the most part. It scratches a particular itch.
One of my main complaints is that this series plays a bit too fast and loose with the Star Wars inspiration.
This series is a decent guilty pleasure read and I will probably read the other stories in the series eventually.
This is very much a diet coke version of Star Wars and, quite frankly, that's alright by me for the most part. It scratches a particular itch.
One of my main complaints is that this series plays a bit too fast and loose with the Star Wars inspiration.
This series is a decent guilty pleasure read and I will probably read the other stories in the series eventually.
April 2, 2021
Well the book is full of battles, but we do not get much of the scify at all, we learn very little about the alien or the technologies. Not really my type as it is too battle heavy
April 15, 2021
Two good stories, and great narration.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews