What do you think?
Rate this book
Forgotten Ruin #5
The Book of Joe
A Ranger is Forged.
The next chapter in the war against Sût the Undying and the Nether Sorcerer unfolds against the backdrop of what it takes to become a U.S. Army Ranger.
The Rangers' next objective takes them on an odyssey of desperate survival and relentless combat through the Desert of Sleep, a savage and strange land... and a gateway to hell. Here the forces of Darkness fester, here the elements of the Rangers must go on the ultimate patrol, and here is where...
...the End War begins.
The next chapter in the war against Sût the Undying and the Nether Sorcerer unfolds against the backdrop of what it takes to become a U.S. Army Ranger.
The Rangers' next objective takes them on an odyssey of desperate survival and relentless combat through the Desert of Sleep, a savage and strange land... and a gateway to hell. Here the forces of Darkness fester, here the elements of the Rangers must go on the ultimate patrol, and here is where...
...the End War begins.
253 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 1, 2021
147 people are currently reading
124 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 61 reviews
June 24, 2022
Still reading but Talker needs to get on with the story or just be killed already. Go ahead and skip two paragraphs every time the word coffee is mentioned, you won't miss anything. Fantastic premise and adventure narrated as badly as possible, at this point the actual author should find a way to move on rather than meander incessantly.
December 23, 2025
This adventure is a bit more intimate, focusing on two characters, Talker and Joe, as they work their way back to the main force. It still has all the rip roarin' military action and drama, but it is all more personal. I enjoyed it quite a bit, and the fact that we got to meet some cool new allies along the way was a nice plus.
January 27, 2022
I have to admit this book was kind of a struggle to get through. It's not a bad book by any means so I do encourage you to read it, especially if you gotten through the other four books. This one is still about the exploits of a young linguist turned Army Ranger and then flung ten thousand years into our future. Nothing radical, right! Well, it is, but that's the way the story goes.
Young Private Walker a.k.a. Private Talker is definitely lost starting off in this book. And it's his own fault. He's taken to the Ranger Creed like he's supposed to so when he see Sergeant Joe fall into the Mouth of Madness and that violent river, he knew he had to do something. That something was to jump in voluntarily because Rangers don't go alone. And that was it. He wasn't about to let Sergeant Joe head out on his own even if it had been an accident for him to fall into the river and now Private Talker jumped in on his own. Yet, he finds himself separated from Sergeant Joe and his mysterious ruck sack that they both had been holding onto during those first few minutes in the river. But, somewhere along the second or third rapids or waterfall, he let go of the ruck and it and Sergeant Joe went elsewhere. Now Private Talker is in the dark somewhere down deep.
Now this is where the story gets kind of tedious. Private Talker is also a writer or so the thinks. He's taken to record the Ranger's exploits on this never ending mission that is ten thousand years in our future and one that looks like something J. R. Tolkien. Yeah, this place he's at is weird. It's Earth, no doubt about that, but Earth has turned into one huge monster pit. Private Talker thinks he's just about at the bottom of that pit and he knows there are monsters in the dark somewhere around him. He doesn't have his weapon with him either! What he's got is the basic survival stuff that any Ranger better have with them; a lighter (flame), a knife, and a Sharpie. Fortunately, he finds a shield down in the deep dark. He's using it to do what he does, he's writing down what's going on so when the other Rangers find his bones they'll be able to read his story. Not much good that will do him now, but it keeps his mind busy and that's a good thing right now.
So, eventually he has to move on and start figuring how to get back to his unit. He needs to find Sergeant Joe, if that's possible, and then make a plan on how to go from there. That's what most of the book is about. Him teaming up with Sergeant Joe and following a plan on getting back to his Ranger unit. It won't be easy, but along the way he finds that Sergeant Joe is one hell of a Ranger and that he, Private Talker is keeping up with him! That's startling because Private Talker doesn't really think of himself as a Ranger. He's a linguist, master of many languages and that's what he does for this Ranger detachment. He talks to all the weird things the Ranger detachment meets in this weird world. So, he knows he has a purpose, he's just not sure he's a Ranger. And that's something Sergeant Joe is going to change. Plus get them back to their Ranger unit.
The first part of the story was interesting after I remembered what had happened to both guys. I knew they had fallen into some river that was leading underground, but only at the start of this book do we find out where the landed. Private Talkers story about getting himself moving to go find Sergeant Joe, well, that part is pretty boring. There's not much fighting going on, just Private Talker running from stuff since he ain't got no weapon. Oh, he does use his shield on occasion, but that's also because he's got no other weapon and he's written on every square inch of it. The story doesn't get really interesting until he does team up with Sergeant Joe. From there on they are Rangerin' like they should. Lots of bad guys to kill and they got Sgt Joe's ruck that's filled with all sorts of wonderful items, until it's empty and they are out of ammo!
Looks like there's a book six, "Lead the Way" coming out sometime around 1 April 2022. I'm putting it on my list. I suggest you do to unless the middle part of this book just bores you to much. It could do that if you let it! Sorry, just writing what I think.
Young Private Walker a.k.a. Private Talker is definitely lost starting off in this book. And it's his own fault. He's taken to the Ranger Creed like he's supposed to so when he see Sergeant Joe fall into the Mouth of Madness and that violent river, he knew he had to do something. That something was to jump in voluntarily because Rangers don't go alone. And that was it. He wasn't about to let Sergeant Joe head out on his own even if it had been an accident for him to fall into the river and now Private Talker jumped in on his own. Yet, he finds himself separated from Sergeant Joe and his mysterious ruck sack that they both had been holding onto during those first few minutes in the river. But, somewhere along the second or third rapids or waterfall, he let go of the ruck and it and Sergeant Joe went elsewhere. Now Private Talker is in the dark somewhere down deep.
Now this is where the story gets kind of tedious. Private Talker is also a writer or so the thinks. He's taken to record the Ranger's exploits on this never ending mission that is ten thousand years in our future and one that looks like something J. R. Tolkien. Yeah, this place he's at is weird. It's Earth, no doubt about that, but Earth has turned into one huge monster pit. Private Talker thinks he's just about at the bottom of that pit and he knows there are monsters in the dark somewhere around him. He doesn't have his weapon with him either! What he's got is the basic survival stuff that any Ranger better have with them; a lighter (flame), a knife, and a Sharpie. Fortunately, he finds a shield down in the deep dark. He's using it to do what he does, he's writing down what's going on so when the other Rangers find his bones they'll be able to read his story. Not much good that will do him now, but it keeps his mind busy and that's a good thing right now.
So, eventually he has to move on and start figuring how to get back to his unit. He needs to find Sergeant Joe, if that's possible, and then make a plan on how to go from there. That's what most of the book is about. Him teaming up with Sergeant Joe and following a plan on getting back to his Ranger unit. It won't be easy, but along the way he finds that Sergeant Joe is one hell of a Ranger and that he, Private Talker is keeping up with him! That's startling because Private Talker doesn't really think of himself as a Ranger. He's a linguist, master of many languages and that's what he does for this Ranger detachment. He talks to all the weird things the Ranger detachment meets in this weird world. So, he knows he has a purpose, he's just not sure he's a Ranger. And that's something Sergeant Joe is going to change. Plus get them back to their Ranger unit.
The first part of the story was interesting after I remembered what had happened to both guys. I knew they had fallen into some river that was leading underground, but only at the start of this book do we find out where the landed. Private Talkers story about getting himself moving to go find Sergeant Joe, well, that part is pretty boring. There's not much fighting going on, just Private Talker running from stuff since he ain't got no weapon. Oh, he does use his shield on occasion, but that's also because he's got no other weapon and he's written on every square inch of it. The story doesn't get really interesting until he does team up with Sergeant Joe. From there on they are Rangerin' like they should. Lots of bad guys to kill and they got Sgt Joe's ruck that's filled with all sorts of wonderful items, until it's empty and they are out of ammo!
Looks like there's a book six, "Lead the Way" coming out sometime around 1 April 2022. I'm putting it on my list. I suggest you do to unless the middle part of this book just bores you to much. It could do that if you let it! Sorry, just writing what I think.
December 20, 2021
The Book of Joe, the fifth entry in the Forgotten Ruin series, offers us a trip through a mythic underworld, some serious Rangering how-to, and giggling legionnaires. You’ve got to check this out.
When we left off in Lay the Hate, Talker had jumped into the swirling maelstrom of water known as the Mouth of Madness to save Sergeant Joe. And in the Ruin, nothing is really named metaphorically. Now, we get to see the consequences of that decision work themselves out. Talker didn’t exactly cover himself in glory in book 4, but I admit his poor decisions were in a sense a rite of passage. Talker even going so far as to run off with a stripper, instead of just marrying a couple like his buddy Tanner. Maybe that smooth talking Rakshasa that tried to sell him a bill of goods about the djinn guarding the tower of the medusa was his equivalent of buying that Camaro at 23% interest.
Now that Talker has been initiated into the mysteries, so to speak, he must begin his journey in earnest. And like so many before him, he will need to delve into the underworld to do it. I think it is fair to say that the Hero’s Journey most often associated with Joseph Campbell is a bit overdone in fiction, but in this D&D inspired book this concept has a venerable weight of history behind it.
If you want to know more about the topic, I recommend Mr. Wargaming’s video on Dungeon Design and You, which is about the mythic resonance of the dungeons part of Dungeons and Dragons.
There was a period of time, perhaps most prominently in the 1980s, when a serious attempt was made to make dungeons realistic. People wrote detailed ecologies of their dungeons, and wanted setting supplements to be founts of sociology and anthropology. I think people even put kitchens and bathrooms in their dungeons in sufficient numbers.
All of this is a mistake, as explained so well by Philotomy’s Musings. The dungeon is a mythic underworld. As you leave the surface and delve deeper into the dungeon, you leave the realm of humanity and law, and approach that of monsters and chaos. Especially as you go further in, natural laws are less and less applicable to what goes on. To even ask “where’s the bathroom?” is to show a fundamental understanding of what this place is, and what it represents.
To brave the depths of the underworld and to return alive, is to embody the triumph of good over evil, law over chaos, and humanity over monsters. The special genius of the Forgotten Ruin series is to blend this ancient mode of storytelling with the science of killing and mayhem that was developed in the last quarter of the twentieth century.
In my review of the Galaxy’s Edge side story Dark Operator, I noted that book is something like a how-to for being a Green Beret. I wouldn’t suggest that a work of fiction could possibly substitute for the kind of training that Special Forces undergo, but it does give a flavor of what it is like. In a similar way, The Book of Joe is like a manual of Rangering, rendered into a sequence of marvelous adventures.
After reading The Book of Joe, I felt like I wanted to take a group of Scouts and teach them land nav with a compass, like I learned in the last millennium. If you were trying to create the world’s best commercial for recruiting the quietly competent servants of empire, it would look a lot like this.
However, this is also just a fun book, and I have to imagine that if you gave a lost detachment of Roman Legionnaires the tools of MACV-SOG, they probably would giggle, no matter how many times you told them not to. There are also some bits that link up to the Book of Skelos, the lost history of the Ruin that we saw in the epilogue of book 3, and some hints of exciting things to come in the Land of Black Sleep.
I can’t wait to see what comes next, which is the whole point of this kind of a book.
I received a review copy from the authors.
When we left off in Lay the Hate, Talker had jumped into the swirling maelstrom of water known as the Mouth of Madness to save Sergeant Joe. And in the Ruin, nothing is really named metaphorically. Now, we get to see the consequences of that decision work themselves out. Talker didn’t exactly cover himself in glory in book 4, but I admit his poor decisions were in a sense a rite of passage. Talker even going so far as to run off with a stripper, instead of just marrying a couple like his buddy Tanner. Maybe that smooth talking Rakshasa that tried to sell him a bill of goods about the djinn guarding the tower of the medusa was his equivalent of buying that Camaro at 23% interest.
Now that Talker has been initiated into the mysteries, so to speak, he must begin his journey in earnest. And like so many before him, he will need to delve into the underworld to do it. I think it is fair to say that the Hero’s Journey most often associated with Joseph Campbell is a bit overdone in fiction, but in this D&D inspired book this concept has a venerable weight of history behind it.
If you want to know more about the topic, I recommend Mr. Wargaming’s video on Dungeon Design and You, which is about the mythic resonance of the dungeons part of Dungeons and Dragons.
There was a period of time, perhaps most prominently in the 1980s, when a serious attempt was made to make dungeons realistic. People wrote detailed ecologies of their dungeons, and wanted setting supplements to be founts of sociology and anthropology. I think people even put kitchens and bathrooms in their dungeons in sufficient numbers.
All of this is a mistake, as explained so well by Philotomy’s Musings. The dungeon is a mythic underworld. As you leave the surface and delve deeper into the dungeon, you leave the realm of humanity and law, and approach that of monsters and chaos. Especially as you go further in, natural laws are less and less applicable to what goes on. To even ask “where’s the bathroom?” is to show a fundamental understanding of what this place is, and what it represents.
To brave the depths of the underworld and to return alive, is to embody the triumph of good over evil, law over chaos, and humanity over monsters. The special genius of the Forgotten Ruin series is to blend this ancient mode of storytelling with the science of killing and mayhem that was developed in the last quarter of the twentieth century.
In my review of the Galaxy’s Edge side story Dark Operator, I noted that book is something like a how-to for being a Green Beret. I wouldn’t suggest that a work of fiction could possibly substitute for the kind of training that Special Forces undergo, but it does give a flavor of what it is like. In a similar way, The Book of Joe is like a manual of Rangering, rendered into a sequence of marvelous adventures.
After reading The Book of Joe, I felt like I wanted to take a group of Scouts and teach them land nav with a compass, like I learned in the last millennium. If you were trying to create the world’s best commercial for recruiting the quietly competent servants of empire, it would look a lot like this.
However, this is also just a fun book, and I have to imagine that if you gave a lost detachment of Roman Legionnaires the tools of MACV-SOG, they probably would giggle, no matter how many times you told them not to. There are also some bits that link up to the Book of Skelos, the lost history of the Ruin that we saw in the epilogue of book 3, and some hints of exciting things to come in the Land of Black Sleep.
I can’t wait to see what comes next, which is the whole point of this kind of a book.
I received a review copy from the authors.
August 20, 2025
These novels are fun. They're like candy, or Zyn pouches, or Rip-Its. They fire you up, taste good, but are a bit repetitive. I enjoy reading them.
That said, there's not much to them. The Book Of Joe is a solo adventure, mostly, a side quest if you will. It's fun, it changes the pace up a bit, and it feels different than the previous several entries. Which is a good thing.
The bad? You're stuck listening almost exclusively to Talker...talking...about himself, his coffee, his self-loathing, etc. So more of the same, in greater density. Honestly, it gets old. As an old soldier myself, I have those same thoughts, and at first it's nice to see a realistic character. But at the same time, when it takes up more than 20% of the writing of a book, it's a bit much. I don't read fantasy books to hold a mirror up to myself.
Overall, it's fine. Worth reading to continue the plot and see where this wacky adventure will take the Rangers.
That said, there's not much to them. The Book Of Joe is a solo adventure, mostly, a side quest if you will. It's fun, it changes the pace up a bit, and it feels different than the previous several entries. Which is a good thing.
The bad? You're stuck listening almost exclusively to Talker...talking...about himself, his coffee, his self-loathing, etc. So more of the same, in greater density. Honestly, it gets old. As an old soldier myself, I have those same thoughts, and at first it's nice to see a realistic character. But at the same time, when it takes up more than 20% of the writing of a book, it's a bit much. I don't read fantasy books to hold a mirror up to myself.
Overall, it's fine. Worth reading to continue the plot and see where this wacky adventure will take the Rangers.
August 19, 2025
Another great book in the Ruin series. Joe and Talker strangers in a strange land and having to fight for every second of it. Fast paced and action packed, probably my favorite so far. Talker learns some solid Ranger truths from Joe as they fight their way clear of the demon elves. They run into a group of legionnaires and learn how to fight old school shield and spear against hordes of elves. They find the hidden Oasis the Legionnaires have been searching for in another realm where they find weapons from an old, crashed Chinook, Old Vietnam era SOG type weapons. They are able to kit up and go attack the Elves stronghold at the edge of the desert. The rest you need to read to find out.
December 9, 2021
Love this series!!
Love this series! Can't wait for the next installment! The characters are vivid and true to form, capturing what makes Rangers unique. Love the character development of the MC and some of the supporting characters are worthy of their own books. The interweaving of fantasy and hardcore military fiction flat out works. The author's writing style can be A bit of an acquired taste, especially his tendency to go off on tangents in the middle of major action, still really fun read. A few plot holes are easy overlooked and probably not noticed by those who never served. Eagerly waking for the next book! RLTW!!
Love this series! Can't wait for the next installment! The characters are vivid and true to form, capturing what makes Rangers unique. Love the character development of the MC and some of the supporting characters are worthy of their own books. The interweaving of fantasy and hardcore military fiction flat out works. The author's writing style can be A bit of an acquired taste, especially his tendency to go off on tangents in the middle of major action, still really fun read. A few plot holes are easy overlooked and probably not noticed by those who never served. Eagerly waking for the next book! RLTW!!
December 9, 2021
This is the fifth book of the Forgotten Ruin adventure, and it is one that is so easy to sit down with and read from cover to cover in one sitting. It has fast-paced, page-turning action that draws you and won't let go. You can feel the danger and excitement as you follow the main characters through the savage world of the Ruin and right up till the last page you aren't sure what is going to happen. Jason and Nick once more offer up their best and give you everything they can to not only entertain but immerse the reader right into the story.
June 3, 2022
Exciting
Exciting but the authors again use excessive dialog with the character Talker back from the semi cliffhanger from the last book. Talker and Joe have many adventures explained by Talker with his usual whining and complaining about being addicted to coffee. However the last fifteen minutes takes the book from an average of slightly better than average to making it extraordinary !! HOwever if you have the time to muddle through the minutia you'll want to read this instalment of The Forgotten Ruin series.
Exciting but the authors again use excessive dialog with the character Talker back from the semi cliffhanger from the last book. Talker and Joe have many adventures explained by Talker with his usual whining and complaining about being addicted to coffee. However the last fifteen minutes takes the book from an average of slightly better than average to making it extraordinary !! HOwever if you have the time to muddle through the minutia you'll want to read this instalment of The Forgotten Ruin series.
July 3, 2022
Just Joe and Talker and somme Legion Aires. Really.
Kind of a side mission when Joe and Talker get swept down aa malevolent river ((do they have any normal stuff in the ruin?) and end up miles away and besieged by dark elves really. Oh and there are some mummies, a djinn, beautiful women whose touch curses you to 10000 years of damnation. But you still consider it.
Much fun in this great series, what happens when you drop Rangers into the future 10,000 years from now and everything is like a Dungeons and Dragons game? The possibilities are endless, and fun....
Kind of a side mission when Joe and Talker get swept down aa malevolent river ((do they have any normal stuff in the ruin?) and end up miles away and besieged by dark elves really. Oh and there are some mummies, a djinn, beautiful women whose touch curses you to 10000 years of damnation. But you still consider it.
Much fun in this great series, what happens when you drop Rangers into the future 10,000 years from now and everything is like a Dungeons and Dragons game? The possibilities are endless, and fun....
December 12, 2021
He doesn't like coffee enough
While I did not giggle all the way through the book, it has plenty of humor. And a little character introspection. Besides the sea stories by the fire pit, what makes this series so good is the imagination behind the setting. They may be reading the monster manual for inspiration, but they create a rich world full of interesting critters and amazing descriptions of of exotic locations.
While I did not giggle all the way through the book, it has plenty of humor. And a little character introspection. Besides the sea stories by the fire pit, what makes this series so good is the imagination behind the setting. They may be reading the monster manual for inspiration, but they create a rich world full of interesting critters and amazing descriptions of of exotic locations.
February 8, 2022
Rangers rangers we love it
The story was bit meh the last too books but book 4 just redeemed it completely has we thrown into a crazy 1001 nights in Arabia meet Blackhawk Down has the story becomes a few against an army of psycho Elfes that just want to kill and a lot of sexy women to tempt the warriors from there quest but till the end the story stays to its journal format has we go back and forth on what Talkie learns and survives in a desert of fantasia monsters.
The story was bit meh the last too books but book 4 just redeemed it completely has we thrown into a crazy 1001 nights in Arabia meet Blackhawk Down has the story becomes a few against an army of psycho Elfes that just want to kill and a lot of sexy women to tempt the warriors from there quest but till the end the story stays to its journal format has we go back and forth on what Talkie learns and survives in a desert of fantasia monsters.
February 14, 2022
Better and Better and Better
These books keep getting better!! Do yourself a favor and click the buy it now button but after you do, go get the first book in the series (and the second and the third) because you’ll be saving yourself the time when you finish the first book and start looking for the next one.
FYI - I read Clancy, Thor, Nealen, Greaney, Fulchs (Arisen Series), etc. if you are a military fiction guy you will love this!
These books keep getting better!! Do yourself a favor and click the buy it now button but after you do, go get the first book in the series (and the second and the third) because you’ll be saving yourself the time when you finish the first book and start looking for the next one.
FYI - I read Clancy, Thor, Nealen, Greaney, Fulchs (Arisen Series), etc. if you are a military fiction guy you will love this!
April 18, 2022
Page Turner Galore
Jason Anspach and Nick Cole have done it again! "The Book of Joe" is an adventure that no man would ever want to repeat! Talker grows as a Ranger even more in this 5th book of the Forgotten Ruin series and the excitement and action never stops! You have to physically shut the book down (computer/tablet style) just to catch your breath! I recommend this series to any fantasy/military fiction readers out there!
Jason Anspach and Nick Cole have done it again! "The Book of Joe" is an adventure that no man would ever want to repeat! Talker grows as a Ranger even more in this 5th book of the Forgotten Ruin series and the excitement and action never stops! You have to physically shut the book down (computer/tablet style) just to catch your breath! I recommend this series to any fantasy/military fiction readers out there!
December 5, 2021
Simply amazing books. In this episode of be meaner than it , Talker and Sgt Joe take on the Lost Elves in their attempt to reunite with the Ranger Detachment.
As I hate spoilers, let me just say you never know where these books lead and I love that about them . Do not hesitate to try out these books, you won’t be disappointed , unless you hate action, unexpected turns and extreme violence.
As I hate spoilers, let me just say you never know where these books lead and I love that about them . Do not hesitate to try out these books, you won’t be disappointed , unless you hate action, unexpected turns and extreme violence.
December 28, 2021
More please!
Started a bit slow, i thought, but picked up greatly and is another good one in this outstanding series. The author owes us in next book though, because this book centered on 2 characters and there are a lot of other cool cats in that regiment, not to mention the indigs.....
Started a bit slow, i thought, but picked up greatly and is another good one in this outstanding series. The author owes us in next book though, because this book centered on 2 characters and there are a lot of other cool cats in that regiment, not to mention the indigs.....
March 3, 2022
The Book of Joe (Forgotten Ruin 5)
You cannot beat this series, unless it's some other series by authors A space & Cole. It may he!p if you are a fan of military action and jargon, surprisingly without the harsh language so often used to pad a poorly written story. Don't skip this book!
You cannot beat this series, unless it's some other series by authors A space & Cole. It may he!p if you are a fan of military action and jargon, surprisingly without the harsh language so often used to pad a poorly written story. Don't skip this book!
June 5, 2022
A new point of View
Totally digging this series. But this book had me reading cover-to-cover to see what was up with Talker. And the Rangers. But mostly Talker & Joe. At the least, we get a better read on Joe. At most..... Sorry, no spoilers. But it's good.
And I enjoyed every minute.
Totally digging this series. But this book had me reading cover-to-cover to see what was up with Talker. And the Rangers. But mostly Talker & Joe. At the least, we get a better read on Joe. At most..... Sorry, no spoilers. But it's good.
And I enjoyed every minute.
June 14, 2022
love the tip of the hat to Ranger Joe’s
Back in my day, Ranger Joes was the place off post in Columbus for the stuff for the Harmony Church and beyond school’in. Elephant rubbers to keep that damned prick 77 dry to the right socks, gloves, and underwear. Cool name guys.
And screw that Dirty Name on the Darby Queen.
Back in my day, Ranger Joes was the place off post in Columbus for the stuff for the Harmony Church and beyond school’in. Elephant rubbers to keep that damned prick 77 dry to the right socks, gloves, and underwear. Cool name guys.
And screw that Dirty Name on the Darby Queen.
August 27, 2022
This is quickly becoming one of my favorite series.
Fast paced, bigger than life characters, amazing action scenes. I love it. I like it more than Expeditionary Force, that’s for certain.
I don’t know why I abandoned it for eight months. I guess I was getting fatigued from reading book after book. Nonetheless, it’s good to be back.
Fast paced, bigger than life characters, amazing action scenes. I love it. I like it more than Expeditionary Force, that’s for certain.
I don’t know why I abandoned it for eight months. I guess I was getting fatigued from reading book after book. Nonetheless, it’s good to be back.
December 3, 2021
4.5; loses a 0.5 due to the narrator spending too many words about stuff that frankly isn't interesting. The coffee thing in particular is more than getting old. Otherwise, story is good and continues to build toward the epic showdown in the Land of Sleep.
December 4, 2021
Book five
Mistakes: I wasn't looking for mistakes in this book. I was here purely for the adventure.
Plot: Talker goes to rescue Joe who fell in a river.
Characters: Talker repeats a lot of things and still talks to much about coffee.
7/10
Mistakes: I wasn't looking for mistakes in this book. I was here purely for the adventure.
Plot: Talker goes to rescue Joe who fell in a river.
Characters: Talker repeats a lot of things and still talks to much about coffee.
7/10
December 4, 2021
Great characters. Full of heart.
Series continues and we grow to love them. Once again the authors did a great job. Would recommend the series. Find myself rereading parts. Don't usually do that. Grateful for these good authors. Thanks.
Series continues and we grow to love them. Once again the authors did a great job. Would recommend the series. Find myself rereading parts. Don't usually do that. Grateful for these good authors. Thanks.
December 7, 2021
They just get better with each book
There is so much innuendo from Spec Ops that alot of casual readers may not appreciate it, but the ending with the war from another age as worth waiting for, getting in old school SOF for us grey beards. RLTW
There is so much innuendo from Spec Ops that alot of casual readers may not appreciate it, but the ending with the war from another age as worth waiting for, getting in old school SOF for us grey beards. RLTW
December 9, 2021
Good story
The story is very good, like all the books so far in this series the story is original and very interesting. The first person narrative is all over the place and sometimes detracts from the story being told.
The story is very good, like all the books so far in this series the story is original and very interesting. The first person narrative is all over the place and sometimes detracts from the story being told.
December 9, 2021
Thoroughly enjoyable
Rangers lead The way, and the Sergeant is definitely a leader. I loved the way he finally has a heart to heart with Talker about what he wants out of his military career. It was a great conversation.
Rangers lead The way, and the Sergeant is definitely a leader. I loved the way he finally has a heart to heart with Talker about what he wants out of his military career. It was a great conversation.
December 12, 2021
Great as usual!
An awesome story of Talker and Sergeant Joe’s experience in the Deserts of No Man’s Land. The story is fantastic, but there’s some continuity issues and some terminology and nomenclature errors. Still. Great story that I thought worthy of five stars.
An awesome story of Talker and Sergeant Joe’s experience in the Deserts of No Man’s Land. The story is fantastic, but there’s some continuity issues and some terminology and nomenclature errors. Still. Great story that I thought worthy of five stars.
December 16, 2021
Best one yet in the series
Talker and Joe adventure on in the Ruins. I thoroughly enjoyed the latest installment in the series. Seems like a new breath invigorated the story. Talker is still talky to the points of incoherence now an then but hey, he’s seen things.
Talker and Joe adventure on in the Ruins. I thoroughly enjoyed the latest installment in the series. Seems like a new breath invigorated the story. Talker is still talky to the points of incoherence now an then but hey, he’s seen things.
December 31, 2021
Tough as nails and gritty as sand, welcome to the Ruin
The story picks up where Talker left off- jumping into the maw of madness to save his battle brother. There is some surprising deep philosophy contained herein- simple, but wise. Make sure to learn from ‘The Book of Joe’
The story picks up where Talker left off- jumping into the maw of madness to save his battle brother. There is some surprising deep philosophy contained herein- simple, but wise. Make sure to learn from ‘The Book of Joe’
January 6, 2022
Getting better as you go!
Only one critique I have is what I've had with all and that the lead is too chatty which is making me skim ahead to the action. It got better in this one but it's still there. Will continue on to see what these two come up with next
Only one critique I have is what I've had with all and that the lead is too chatty which is making me skim ahead to the action. It got better in this one but it's still there. Will continue on to see what these two come up with next
Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews