Books like 'Mission: Critical'
Readers who enjoyed Mission: Critical by Jonathan Strahan, John Barnes, Aliette de Bodard, Tobias S. Buckell, Greg Egan, Gregory Feeley, Jason Fischer, Carolyn Ives Gilman, Peter F. Hamilton, Yoon Ha Lee, John Meaney, Linda Nagata, Dominica Phetteplace, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Allen M. Steele, Peter Watts & Sean Williams also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
sc-fi military, war & conflict space military space-opera space-travel exploration
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Into the Serpent's Lair by Ryk Brown
12 ratingsEmpires at the brink of war…A galactic alliance on the horizon…Worlds on the verge of destruction…Comrades taking up arms against one another…Nathan Scott must use all his cunning to save not only his own world, but the worlds of his friends and his enemies. But to do so, he must make a deal with the devil, and risk everything on a fight no one believes he can win... -
![Return of the Corinari by Ryk Brown]()
Return of the Corinari by Ryk Brown
12 ratingsPart 2: Episode 13 A host of new allies… A plethora of advanced technologies… A daring gamble to advance their forces… A chance to retake lost worlds once and for all… The Dusahn have been backed into a corner, barely able to hold the worlds of the Pentaurus cluster, let alone the entire sector. Forced to dig in, they may have to resort to drastic measures to save their fledgling empire... -
![A Price Too High by Ryk Brown]()
A Price Too High by Ryk Brown
12 ratingsPart 2: Episode 12 …An enemy in retreat …A new world to protect …A new potential ally on the horizon …A new chance to go on the offensive The Dusahn have taken a massive blow, and with the Aurora’s improved jump range, Captain Scott and the Karuzari Alliance can finally keep them at arms length... -
![Who Takes No Risk by Ryk Brown]()
Who Takes No Risk by Ryk Brown
12 ratingsPart 2: Episode 7 Old allies go dark… New worlds join the fight… A rescue from an enemy held world… A lone operative with a dangerous plan… The Karuzari finally have the support of an industrialized system, but they need time to build their forces. Unfortunately, time is the one thing they may not have... -
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![A Rock and a Hard Place by Ryk Brown, Jeffrey Kafer]()
A Rock and a Hard Place by Ryk Brown, Jeffrey Kafer
12 ratingsTwo worlds preparing their defenses . . . A ship struggling to get back in the fight . . . An enemy continuing its relentless attack . . . A former enemy that could hold the answer . . . With the fate of billions in his hands, Captain Scott is offered a way to save them all and end the bloodshed, but if it backfires, he could lose everything. Sometimes, there is no good choice... -
![Resurrection by Ryk Brown]()
Resurrection by Ryk Brown
14 ratingsPart 2: Episode 3 The enemy tightens its grip... Friends suffer a terrible blow... Difficult decisions must be made... Old comrades find a way to come together... Captain Tuplo must finally make the decision that has been haunting him since he learned the truth about his origins only a week ago. The fact that billions of lives may hang in the balance isn't making it any easier... -
![That Which Other Men Cannot Do by Ryk Brown]()
That Which Other Men Cannot Do by Ryk Brown
16 ratingsEpisode 15 New forces grow… Old friends are lost… New alliances are forged… Old weapons are made new… With political unrest growing, the Alliance must rush to rebuild their fleet and expand their 'sphere of influence' before their support runs out. But when the Jung up the ante, the Alliance must turn up the heat... -
![I Am Justice by Ryk Brown]()
I Am Justice by Ryk Brown
12 ratingsPart 2: Episode 9 A chance to gain resources… A need to prepare a defense… A trap about to be sprung… An opportunity for justice… As his sister faces a critical moment, Captain Scott must chase his friends to regions he has yet to travel. Sometimes, you just have to take risks for those you care about. Sometimes, quite often... -
![Junkyard Veterans by Jamie McFarlane]()
Junkyard Veterans by Jamie McFarlane
12 ratingsWith a price on their heads, grumpy old vets will risk everything to bring alien assassins to justice.Someone is killing off the old team of vets who repelled Earth’s first Korgul invasion. With the end of a war precious few even knew was happening, life’s been peaceful... -
![Sanctuary by Ryk Brown]()
Sanctuary by Ryk Brown
12 ratingsPart 2: Episode 8 A family nearly destroyed… A loved one in need of help… A fleet in need of a home port… An Alliance struggling to be reborn… Captain Scott has lost his entire family, save his sister, who needs better medical care than the Aurora can provide... -
![A Line in the Sand by Ryk Brown]()
A Line in the Sand by Ryk Brown
12 ratingsPart 2: Episode 14An enemy lashing out in desperation…An alliance poised to expand…A new fleet of ships to help them…A covert mission to get answers…The Dusahn Empire has been contained for the moment. But there is much work to be done in order to keep them from reasserting their dominance over the Pentaurus sector... -
![Retaliation by Ryk Brown]()
Retaliation by Ryk Brown
12 ratingsPart 2: Episode 10 A ship unable to defend itself… A captain determined to revive her… Worlds dependent on them both to survive… An enemy bent on their destruction… With the Aurora unable to fight, the Karuzari Alliance must find a way to not only repair their flagship, but to make the enemy pay dearly. Sometimes, you just have to make do with what you've got... -
![Balance by Ryk Brown]()
Balance by Ryk Brown
14 ratingsPart 2: Episode 5 An entire sector in turmoil... Neighbors who appear unconcerned... A favor asked of an old friend... Sacrifices made for the good of humanity... Before they can challenge the Dusahn and prevent them from expanding their empire further, the Karuzari must first gather much needed resources. But doing so could be more difficult than anticipated...Categorized as:
exploration military space-opera space-travel action-adventure adult aliens audiobook -
![Liberation by Ryk Brown]()
Liberation by Ryk Brown
16 ratingsEpisode 10 Heartfelt reunions with friends… Desperate plans to gain advantage… Opportunities that cannot be ignored… Discovery of family once thought lost… The time has come for Captain Scott to fight for that which was taken… the very freedom of the world he was sworn to protect. “Liberation” is a 108,000 word novel, and is the 10th episode in The Frontiers Saga... -
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![Gravity Flux by Toby Neighbors]()
Gravity Flux by Toby Neighbors
10 ratingsThe Modulus Echo is the most wanted ship in the galaxy. When Ben rebuilt the Echo from salvaged parts on the junk world of Torrent Four, he never imagined that he would become a wanted man, or that he would ever return to his home planet. Yet somehow, that is exactly what happened... -
![Spoils of War by Terry Mixon]()
Spoils of War by Terry Mixon
10 ratingsThey thought they could force her to conform. They were wrong.Inside a dystopian school in the Singularity, the twelve-year-old girl known as One Twenty-Four struggles to survive. Failure to conform means death at the hands of her teacher.Assuming her clone sisters don't kill her first... -
![Fires of Oblivion by Anthony James]()
Fires of Oblivion by Anthony James
10 ratingsCaptain John Duggan rots in his cell, facing execution at the hands of his captors. Having discovered the secret which the Ghasts wished to remain hidden, he is left powerless to find answers to the questions which will determine the future of the Confederation. Elsewhere in the Garon sector, the Dreamers have been putting their own terrible plans into action... -
![The Price of Liberty by D.J. Holmes]()
The Price of Liberty by D.J. Holmes
10 ratingsWar has been declared. The Indian Star Republic has landed ground troops on the newly discovered colony of Haven as they seek to seize access to the alien worlds of Vestar and Kulthar. The British Star Kingdom has reacted. A battle fleet has been formed with orders to drive off the Indians and retake Haven...Categorized as:
exploration military space-opera space-travel action-adventure adult book colonization -
![Secrets in the Stars by Mackey Chandler]()
Secrets in the Stars by Mackey Chandler
10 ratingsWhen Lee Anderson and her parents discovered a new world teeming with life, it was the dream of every explorer: they were rich beyond their imaginations. But tragedy struck when a herd of creatures overran their camp and killed her parents. The only other adult in her life had been their partner Gordon, who adopted her as parent. Which didn’t turn out to be easy, because he wasn’t human... -
![Junkyard Spaceship by Jamie McFarlane]()
Junkyard Spaceship by Jamie McFarlane
12 ratingsWhen aliens threaten his country, one grumpy old vet will take the fight to the stars.Albert Jenkins would like nothing more than to putter around his junkyard, selling parts and working on old cars. When an alien spacecraft is shot down by US Air Defense and crash lands on his newly rebuilt home, he’s dragged back into the fight of his life...Categorized as:
exploration military space-opera space-travel action-adventure adult aliens audiobook -
![Nua'll by S.H. Jucha]()
Nua'll by S.H. Jucha
12 ratingsThe Omnian expeditionary fleet sails for the faraway place they call “the wall.” The worlds of humankind have consolidated their resources to create a powerful armada to confront the alien federation.During the Omnians’ previous encounter with an alien fleet at the wall, the Nua’ll comm sphere spoke to them in multiple languages...Categorized as:
exploration military space-opera space-travel action-adventure adult aliens audiobook -
![Delphi Diversion by Bob Blanton]()
Delphi Diversion by Bob Blanton
12 ratingsCatie is on her way back to Earth after having settled the Fazulan slaves when the wormhole her ship is traveling in collapses. They are diverted to another system where big chunks are flying around. They rescue a ship and find themselves in the middle of a series of mysteries...Categorized as:
exploration military space-opera space-travel action-adventure aliens audiobook book -
![Artifice by S.H. Jucha]()
Artifice by S.H. Jucha
12 ratingsThe great spheres and probes of Artifice, humankind’s enemy, haunt every inhabited world near and far. The Omnians’ long and arduous search for Artifice has ended. They’ve located Artifice’s lair in the Talus system. The sentient digital entity rules a vast swath of worlds, known as the federacy, through ruthless intimidation... -
![Empire's Gambit by D.J. Holmes]()
Empire's Gambit by D.J. Holmes
6 ratingsThe Karacknid assault on Earth has been turned back at great cost to both sides. Only the intervention of the Kulreans saved Humanity’s homeworld from certain destruction. Yet the Kulrean worldships cannot be used for offensive operations. This means Humanity and her allies have only a few months of respite before the Karacknids can make good their losses... -
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![Nemesis of Mars by Glynn Stewart]()
Nemesis of Mars by Glynn Stewart
6 ratingsA failed attempt on the Mage-QueenAn old friend from the gutterAn enemy that should be dead...When a kidnapping attempt on the Mage-Queen of Mars is thwarted by luck, leaving thousands dead in its wake, Prince-Chancellor Damien Montgomery returns to field operations one more time. The evidence leads to one place: Tau Ceti... -
![The Weak and the Innocent by Ryk Brown]()
The Weak and the Innocent by Ryk Brown
16 ratingsEpisode 14 A ship in the hands of their enemy… A liberation gone wrong… A chance to double their ranks… A bold and daring plan… Their support from the Pentaurus cluster dwindling fast, the Alliance faces new and unpleasant realities in the Sol sector. But untoward changes also bring unexpected opportunities… The 'trick' is in how you use them... -
![Born of the Ashes by Ryk Brown]()
Born of the Ashes by Ryk Brown
16 ratingsEpisode 11 A world in chaos… An eager new ally… A newly acquired ship… An even greater threat on its way… Captain Nathan Scott must decide whether to stand and fight to the end, or live to fight another day… even if it means the end of his world. “Born of the Ashes” is a 122,000 word novel, and is the 11th episode in The Frontiers Saga... -
![Resistance by Ryk Brown]()
Resistance by Ryk Brown
16 ratingsEpisode nine of The Frontiers Saga...A chance to gain much needed resources… A group of highly trained, merciless soldiers… A half-completed ship on a trajectory to nowhere… A lone operative on familiar yet dangerous ground… Captain Scott and the crew of the Aurora have a chance to get everything they need to liberate their home world, but they may have to fight someone else's war first... -
![Rise of the Alliance by Ryk Brown]()
Rise of the Alliance by Ryk Brown
16 ratingsEpisode 12A new ally providing aid…An old ally joining the fight…Their resources growing with each passing day…Their homeworld finally on the road to recovery…Things finally seem to be coming together for Captain Scott and the Alliance, as he takes his forces on the offensive. However, the Jung may in turn give him more trouble than he bargained for... -
![Head of the Dragon by Ryk Brown]()
Head of the Dragon by Ryk Brown
16 ratingsTime is running out…An ally has all but fallen…Resources are running low…The time for attack has come...The Alliance must strike deep into the heart of the empire.This time, the Aurora will be going home, or going to her grave.“Head of the Dragon” is a 133,000 word novel, and is the 6th episode in The Frontiers Saga... -
![A Show of Force by Ryk Brown]()
A Show of Force by Ryk Brown
16 ratingsEpisode 13 The liberation old worlds… The addition of new allies… The fall of a regime… The death of a trusted friend… The Aurora begins clearing a 20 light year sphere of safety around Earth, taking out Jung forces as they liberate the core systems. However, Captain Scott and the Alliance quickly discover that not every world wants to be liberated, and the Jung have a few surprises of their own... -
![Raven's Flag by Glynn Stewart]()
Raven's Flag by Glynn Stewart
7 ratingsIn times of peace, alliances wither and are forgotten.In times of war, honor must reforge them in fire and steel!The United Planets Alliance fought the Kenmiri Empire with a hundred allies at their side. Bound in common cause until genocide broke the Kenmiri—and Kenmiri schemes broke the alliance in turn—those one-time allies still left deep debts of blood and friendship behind... -
![Imperial Recruit by Terry Mixon]()
Imperial Recruit by Terry Mixon
8 ratingsAndrea Tolliver—a genetically designed human from the Singularity—has finally earned a spot in the Imperial Marines. If she makes it through training, she’ll earn citizenship.If not—well, best not to think about that.With ruthless enemies willing to do anything to stop her, she’ll need all the help she can get to survive... -
![Guns of the Valpian by Anthony James]()
Guns of the Valpian by Anthony James
8 ratingsCaptain John Duggan and his crew are stranded deep in hostile terrritory. Their spaceship, the ESS Crimson is damaged beyond repair. Enemy warships hunt them, eager to locate the vessel which has caused so much damage to their military. All seems lost. Duggan is not a man to go down without a fight... -
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![Star Force: Origin Series by Aer-ki Jyr]()
Star Force: Origin Series by Aer-ki Jyr
8 ratingsThe Origin Series is empire building at its finest, with 100 episodes and over 2.5 million words in the military science fiction serial detailing the rise of Star Force from corporate entity into an interstellar empire over the course of more than a millennium...Categorized as:
exploration military space-opera space-travel action-adventure adult book colonization -
![All in Good Time by Mackey Chandler]()
All in Good Time by Mackey Chandler
8 ratingsLiving by bad neighbors is hard. Especially when there is a whole mob of them. Needing to do business with them makes it harder. Imagine nine billion noisy disrespectful neighbors who can’t keep their word and would be just as happy to see you dead... -
![Forgotten Colony: The Complete Series by M.R. Forbes]()
Forgotten Colony: The Complete Series by M.R. Forbes
10 ratingsGET ALL FIVE BOOKS IN THIS EPIC MILITARY SCI-FI ADVENTURE BY MILLION-COPY+ BESTSELLER M.R. FORBES!The war is over. Earth is lost. Running is the only option.It may already be too late.Caleb is a former Marine Raider and commander of the Vultures, a search and rescue team that's spent the last two years pulling high-value targets out of alien-ravaged cities and shipping them off-world... -
![Renegade Rising by J.N. Chaney]()
Renegade Rising by J.N. Chaney
10 ratingsThe Great Celestial War isn't coming. It's already here.After taking over the artificial metal planet from the enemy, Jace must focus his energies on locating Athena, the missing Cognitive and one of the greatest intelligence assets to ever exist.But Athena's whereabouts are entirely unknown... -
![Bane of Worlds by Anthony James]()
Bane of Worlds by Anthony James
10 ratingsFollowing his successful mission to recover the missing warship ESS Crimson, Captain John Duggan finds himself unredeemed in the eyes of his superiors. His duties resume and this time he’s given something easy - escort a cargo ship to a distant planet and bring it home safely. But war is never so predictable and a straightforward mission becomes something much more important... -
![Renegade Descent by J.N. Chaney]()
Renegade Descent by J.N. Chaney
10 ratingsThe Celestial War has arrived. Captain Hughes and his team of rebels have created a shaky alliance with the same government that sought to end them, but even that might not be enough. In order to combat the Celestial threat, Jace will need to convince the Sarkonian Emperor to not only join his cause but lend him the resources he needs to overpower the enemy... -
![Galactar by Anthony James]()
Galactar by Anthony James
10 ratingsFollowing decades of war and the recent catastrophic loss of an entire planet, the Human Planetary Alliance is riven by internal disputes and rivalries. The military’s old guard fights for power against those who see a chance to turn things around.After a series of hard-fought victories, Captain Carl Recker is becoming recognized as a man who gets results - a man who knows how to beat the Daklan... -
![Star Force: Origin Series by Aer-ki Jyr]()
Star Force: Origin Series by Aer-ki Jyr
10 ratingsThe Origin Series is empire building at its finest, with 100 episodes and over 2.5 million words in the military science fiction serial detailing the rise of Star Force from corporate entity into an interstellar empire over the course of more than a millennium...Categorized as:
exploration military space-opera space-travel action-adventure adult book colonization -
![Fulcrum Gun by Anthony James]()
Fulcrum Gun by Anthony James
10 ratingsLost in hostile space and pursued by the most powerful warship in the known universe, Captain Carl Recker is losing hope and running out of options. His battleship Fulcrum is no match for this enemy and the Meklon aliens who might have helped him are dead, killed by the Galactar’s murderous weaponry.Somehow, Recker must find a way to succeed where the might of an alien empire already failed... -
![Laws of Ancidium by Anthony James]()
Laws of Ancidium by Anthony James
10 ratingsHaving fought his hardest battle, Captain Carl Recker returns to planet Lustre, bringing the alien battleship Fulcrum with him.Recker is under no illusions that he’ll be offered backdated shore leave, but his feet don’t even touch the ground before trouble shows up. A heavily armed fifty-thousand-metre Meklon interstellar drops out of lightspeed near the planet... -
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![Return to Haven by D.J. Holmes]()
Return to Haven by D.J. Holmes
10 ratingsThe revelation that the human race is not alone has sent shockwaves throughout Earth’s naval powers. Suddenly all eyes have turned to Haven and the trade routes to the Vestarian and Kulrean homeworlds. Thinking he has nothing to lose, Haven’s First Councilor puts into motion a plan that threatens to turn star empire against star empire... -
![The Long Voyage of the Little Fleet by Mackey Chandler]()
The Long Voyage of the Little Fleet by Mackey Chandler
10 ratingsIn the first book of this series "Family Law", Lee's parents and their business partner Gordon found a class A habitable planet. They thought their quest as explorers was over and they'd live a life of ease. But before they could return and register their claim Lee's parents died doing a survey of the surface... -
![Omnia by S.H. Jucha]()
Omnia by S.H. Jucha
12 ratingsAlex Racine, who led an elite group of humans and SADEs (self-ware digital entities), left the newly discovered planet of Celus-5 under difficult circumstances. Few of the Harakens with Alex thought there was little he could do to bring peace to the embroiled planet...Categorized as:
exploration military space-opera space-travel action-adventure adult aliens audiobook -
![Celus-5 by S.H. Jucha]()
Celus-5 by S.H. Jucha
12 ratingsFor the Sojourn’s initial mission, the Haraken explorer ship undertakes the investigation of Celus-5, a world identified by Willem, a SADE (self-aware digital entity), and his team of scientists, as the best prospect for a new colony.What should be a routine survey mission becomes a disaster. To the Harakens’ surprise, they discover, not one, but two alien species engaged in conflict...Categorized as:
exploration military space-opera space-travel action-adventure adult aliens audiobook -
![Spinward Fringe Broadcast 8: Renegades by Randolph Lalonde]()
Spinward Fringe Broadcast 8: Renegades by Randolph Lalonde
12 ratingsIt has been months since the Siege of Port Rush. The Warlord, under the command of Jacob Valent, has been travelling to ports across the sector to gather intelligence, capturing ships and cargo as they go. Manpower and funds are still in short supply, but the Captain is winning the support of the British Alliance, and his crew suspects he has a long term plan that will lead to bigger prizes... -
![Exile by Glynn Stewart]()
Exile by Glynn Stewart
13 ratingsA shackled Earth, ruled by an unstoppable tyrantAn exiled son, and a one-way trip across the galaxyA perfect world, their last hope for survivalVice Admiral Isaac Gallant is the heir apparent to the First Admiral, the dictator of the Confederacy of Humanity. Unwilling to let his mother's tyranny stand, he joins the rebellion and leads his ships into war against the might of his own nation...Categorized as:
exploration military space-opera space-travel action-adventure adult aliens audiobook
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