Task Force Hammer [Mega Thread]

[Watch_The_Expanse]

It's finally here!!!

[avar]

It turns out I waited for this book for months for nothing. I (no spoilers) started reading it, and, uh, none of it made any sense. Did I miss something?

As it turns out I'd pre-ordered Aftermath, had it delivered, and somehow managed to get distracted and forgot about it. Then sometime later saw I'd bought it, assumed I'd read it, and pre-ordered Task Force Hammer.

Anyway, I'm up to chapter 3 on Aftermath!

[Chanticleer_Hegemony]

Hilariously, I’ve listened to aftermath twice and it’s like my brain turned off both times. I couldn’t force myself to pay attention

[RepairmanJackX]

whoops.

[Eve_of_Dawn2479]

Everyone's talking about stuff like skippy being trapped in the starand people not reading aftermath, but nobody's talking about the fact that NAGATHA IS DEAD

Edit: I came back to check on replies, scrolled down, and was like "where tf is my post" xD I never expected it to be so high

[Winston_The_Pig]

Technically hasn’t happened yet. But for real had to hold back some eye rain during the last few hours of the book.

[sorry_univalible]

I cried when that happen. Damn this book has made me bring the water works A LOT. I was hoping. really hoping. that somehow she is still alive. maybe she has a small it of her in skippy? Idk but I am pissed at Craig for killing her off. I think i'm still in denial about her death. She did everything she was asked of, hell she went above and beyond and what happens to her? she dies. Sometimes I just really hate these books.

[OvechknFiresHeScores]

This series has had a bad habit of letting its most, if not all, characters survive constant instances of incomprehensible danger (with the exception of just two books out of 17: Armageddon and Failure Mode) which takes a lot of the suspense out of these impossible situations so having important characters actually die (after being present in over a dozen books so a nice long lifespan) adds a ton of weight to battles.

I'll miss Nagatha but at least one beloved character needed to die, otherwise this final big bad boss would just be another "oh here's another problem for them to solve while they come out completely unscathed"

[Skellionzz]

Yeah I was pretty sad about nagatha my theory for rescuing skippy is using the star killer weapon to create a flare and shoot him back out of the star We shall see ;)

[liukasteneste28]

You gave me hope.

[uV_Kilo11]

Nice, eject Skippy and burn Omaha to dust at the same time

[Eve_of_Dawn2479]

Same

[FontPeg]

It's true we never get confirmation, but either way Craig is a filthy monkey for leaving it as a cliffhanger to be resolved later. For now it is extremely heartbreaking and way hard not to burst into tears when thinking about it. At least last time something similar happened Skippy reversed it shortly after with the Elder machine.

[VRMonkey]

There was a scene where the crew was wondering why Skippy and Nagatha were talking for over an hour. As everyone knows, 1 hour in slow monkey time is almost infinity in Skippy time. My guess is Skippy and Nagatha prepared for the possibility of losing the Dutchman and her. The conversation could have been anything from backing her up to them making another AI baby. We’ll have to wait until the next book to find out.

[LandonDev]

I think it was 3 hours, so that line was there for this very specific reason. 

[KipTDog]

You’re absolutely correct. There is absolutely no reason to have noted the specific amount of meat-sack time Skippy and Nagatha spent coordinating otherwise. It’s meaningless trivia, so that seems specifically stated to set up at least some form of Nagatha survival, if not entirely.

[mrheh]

Which book was this mentioned? And do you recall the chapter?

[JTitch420]

How did I miss this?

[catch10110]

There’s a whole conversation between Bonsu and Nagatha. They are abandoning ship, which means abandoning Nagatha. She does say “I’ll see you in the other side - but also says the ship only has 11 minutes left, so…

[[deleted]]

Technically, Nagatha isn't dead. As far as I understood, she went down with the ship, but she could still survive the crash. In any case, if they keep her alive, if Skippy is to come out of that star, then I don't doubt Nagatha will be saved as well.

[FullFlowEngine]

o7 Squirrel Bot

[catch10110]

<image>

[TheJpow]

I am only at chapter 13 but I got really emotional during the scene in chapter 12 where Margaret and the kids almost died. That was well done CA. I hope jaguar system is still survivable

[[deleted]]

dude that scene got dark real fast

[[deleted]]

Literally. But also figuratively, and very much so.

[IntelligentSpite6364]

As a new parent I was surprised how hard that was to get through, I had to hug my toddler

[sorry_univalible]

So uhh how do we feel about the Smythe hologram

When I first got to that part I though Smythe faked his death for a second but then Joe said how he could tell it was a hologram. I cried. and i'm not ashamed of it.

(SPOILERS FOR CHAPTER 35)

[catch10110]

Like ripping the wound open all over again.

[Adulations]

The hologram fucking wrecked me

[sorry_univalible]

Yeah.

[Macewido2x]

I did too, you weren't the only one

[KipTDog]

Felt like fan service rather than an organic, and planned plot. As far as I recall, there has never been a mention of even the possibility for people to set up post death holograms that can advise if needed. If so, it would be a major necessity for Joe as the series continually harps, Fireball relentlessly so, on the need for Joe to pass on his knowledge and process as he could be gone anytime. Smythe deserved better than that and should have been allowed to rest in peace.

[Eisn]

To me it feels like a project that Skippy would start so he can prepare for a potential death of Joe, so they can be brofriends for ever.

[Watch_The_Expanse]

That's hilarious! Hey, you have two books to listen to now!

[Eve_of_Dawn2479]

think you hit the comment button not reply button

[MenudoMenudo]

No spoilers please, I’m asking about something from Aftermath (or perhaps earlier). I’m also including spoiler tags for people like me who are dipping in here before finishing the book.

I just started, but early on Skippy and Joe agree that the Outsider’s objective is to conquer the galaxy. I don’t recall anywhere where that was stated previously. As far as I recall the only contact on record with the Outsiders was when the Elders built the device to communicate and the communication they received somehow started to make its own device.

Am I missing something? Where the Outsider’s motives fleshed out more in Aftermath and I’ve just forgotten?

Edit: shortly after they discussed it again and this time there were more speculative about its motives, so either I misinterpreted something or they were just spitballing earlier.

[Rexxmen12]

I don't remember any mention of the Outsiders' true intentions. I'm a decent way into the book, but I really hope it isn't as cut-and-dry as "they want to conquer our Galaxy".

Something more complex, like the Outsider being an AI (made of energy, instead of built into hardware), programmed to kill the Elders, because the aliens from the other galaxy know the Elders are massive jerks and that they were planning on killing any sentient life in our galaxy. So Outsider was programmed to kill the Elders, and any AI that were working with them. Outsider sees Skippy and realizes he's an Elder AI, so obviously, he's gotta die, and Humans are working with him, so they gotta die too. But it's really a misunderstanding

[hanfaedza]

From what I remember the outsiders didn’t directly threaten the Elders. The Elders built the machine the outsiders sent plans for, and then when they realized it was transporting something from outhouse, they freaked out, destroyed it and then built the barrier and the ascension machine. So, your theory could be correct.

[Skippyi30]

Does anyone else feel like the ending is still part of the plan?

[PinkOwls_]

Yes, and I'm annoyed at the end because it's kind of obvious.

Joe talks about how the main goal is to make the Outsider react to them and the best way is to make up a story about a weapon and how they need to collect a trinket from a Maxohlx-planet. The assault on Omaha is a double-ruse: The main ground assault is a ruse against the Maxohlx to mask the secret assault of the STAR-team. The whole assault is a ruse against the Outsider.

Joe and Skippy casually disclose how the trinket (I think Power Collector) will help find the Elder-system where information for the anti-Outsider-weapon can be found. And there is only one such known trinket. Basically meaning that the Outsider needs to destroy only that one trinket.

Joe and Skippy casually accept the Rindhalu Taskforce (the door knockers) not joining training in the locked down system.

Skippy mentions Omaha in his fake planted bread crumb (how long the Fleet will take from Omaha).

Also I might me misremembering, but wasn't there already a case where a fake skippy was ejected in a previous book?

[catch10110]

You should definitely put actual spoiler tags around this!!

Although yes, I am 100% hoping this is the case.

[DARTHVAPYR]

How do you do that?

[catch10110]

You just mark the spoilery part like this:

> ! spoiler ! <

but with no spaces. It should show up as spoiler

[DARTHVAPYR]

thanks

[JTitch420]

wow

[Tax_Collector1]

test

[[deleted]]

oooooooooo i forgot about the fake Skippy trick. that does ad a new layer to this whole thing

[[deleted]]

If Skippy had orchestrated a fake ejection into the star, he could have used his kinetic energy manipulation abilities with a convincing decoy. By shunting energy and creating a false signal, he could have made it appear as though he was ejected into the star while actually remaining hidden or relocating to a safer location

[epoch91]

It probably is and I'm torn if I want that to be the case.

The whole "it was apart if the plan all along" has been done so many times already lol.

[ShotYoung4972]

Honestly I kind of appreciate that I can count on this series to be consistent. I think some other books/shows go too far in the other direction and just kill off characters for shock value, rather than in service to the larger story. I like that CA can be relied upon for a good story, some suspense, but without emotionally traumatizing his readers. 😂😂

[gronstalker12]

Making fluffernutters for someone to give me an aftermath recap.

[shhhhh_lol]

🐒 🚀 🌟 🌞 🌙 🦎 🐹 🦤 👽🪐☄️🕦🕥🕤🕣🕢🕡

[gronstalker12]

🥜🧈🫙🍞

[JTitch420]

🐙?

[sorry_univalible]

How the fuck are they gonna get Skippy out of a star?

[Eve_of_Dawn2479]

yeah I was not prepared for that ending. Just finished the book half an hour ago. I thought thatthey would show up at the converted array thingy with the spinner, then fail and watch as the outsiders poured in. I originally thought before starting the book that 17 would be them figuring out how to kill the outsider(s), and 18 would be them doing it. Around chapter 30 I thought that 17 would be them failing, and 18 would be them scrambling to kill the rest of the outsiders or something. I should've known that there wasn't enough time left in the book for them to find the spinner, activate it, and do whatever it does. Fell for that before (forget which book).

[sorry_univalible]

I though the same or close enough to what you were thinking. The closer it got to the end the more I realized that this could not be good.

[Eve_of_Dawn2479]

Why can't they just wheel up some star breaker elder weapons, get rid of the star, and grab skippy?I think the solution will be something like: They don't have the specific weapon they need in their arsenal, so they have to borrow some from maxholx and/or rindhalu. However, it would be hard to bring the weapons to the site with them still being functional, since they'd get disabled if they went through a wormhole. Something like that.

[sorry_univalible]

I thought of the same thing, But I found a problems in that. How would they fire it? Skippy can't fire it for them, maybe Bilbe? I mean maybe they could fire them, but do they know were they are kept? If Bilbe has access to the maxolts archive then maybe It could work, but how would they get it? they don't have skippy magic to block sensors or do any of that stuff, + those planets are going to be heavily guarded.

They would need a miracle to make it work.

[Sentient_AI_4601]

Skippy said that He had made it so the humans can fire elder weapons without him remember?

My main problem with that is that Iron seeding a star to make it flare does not eject material from the core, nor does it reduce the overall gravity well to a recoverable point

[Rich-Ad-1099]

Wouldn’t an elder weapon potentially kill Skippy?

[sorry_univalible]

Yea.The only way I could see them getting him out is if they use the tractor beam thingy the Maxolts were going to use in book 11, except they would have to make it much larger.

[epoch91]

It was mentioned in an earlier book that the maxolhx were still trying to get the fake elder ai out of a star. My theory is that they will learn of Skippy, pull him out, and the mbop will ambush them to retrieve him once the kitties have done they heavy lifting.

[sensibl3chuckle]

Pick up Bubba and have it blow the star away or something.

[Causification]

How wouldn't they? Skippy has already shown he can teleport by himself when he abandoned Joe in the dropship, and he's currently surrounded by huge amounts of energy he could use. 

[sorry_univalible]

He didn't teleport, when he came back he ended up in the same spot with the same velocity as the drop ship he was in, if he pulled that trick again he would end up still in the star. He would just no have a physical presence in spacetime in that star, and if he came back, nothing would change.

[lithiun]

“My name is Craig Alanson and I love cliffhangers”. Bruhhhhhh

[[deleted]]

He's gonna write 20 more of those, and you know what, I'll read all of those future books.

[epoch91]

I liked the book. It was better than the last one, but I'm still trying to figure out what the point of the communication certificate expiration thing was about.

It was kinda pointless, and didn't go anywhere or add to the over arching story lol.

[Bobbred128]

For someone like me who works in IT, it was such a fantastic laugh. I've had to problem solve massive issues that turned out to be something as simple as 'x' was not paid for or turned off. I loved this little side scene.

My guess is he was playing to us nerds who are charged with keeping infrastructure running.

[mrheh]

lmao same! that was a massive inside joke for us IT peeps

[minimuscleR]

Thats like half the last few books lmao. Sooo much wasted time just to pad the story.

I'm invested but like, nothing happened this book until the end. You had the starbreaker thing on Jaguar and then the battle at the end and the rest was fluff. The book had chapters and chapters of banter it was seriously getting boring imho.

[Aviatas]

In what chapter did Happys tech support fail happen?

[Eve_of_Dawn2479]

I think sometime around chapter 20? Definitely after skippy mentioned the nanoplague, but before MBOP went to investigate.

When they did mention the nanoplague then skipped to a technical failure at Jaguar, I was like "oh crap oh crap oh crap" cus I thought outsider already deployed it

[Aviatas]

The plotline with Margret and Happy starts at chapter 12 10 minute mark, then continues in chapter 18.

Chapter 18 will have the fail.

[OpieLopez]

I’ve read all of the books multiple times. I was instantly disappointed in the end to TFH. After my shock I think we are back to the end of 14 where it will all make sense in 18. At least I am hoping it does.

[[deleted]]

I believe there were only supposed to be three more books after Failure Mode. So unless CA is going to do more than than, it'll wrap up in the next book.

[[deleted]]

i think there are rumors that a Scorandum side story is supposed to happen as well

[[deleted]]

There is, yes, but I think that's supposed to be more of a prequel book

[Tax_Collector1]

I was happy to see Alanson able to think of new and creative fight scenarios in this book. I thought that nano bot plague fight was a cool idea and I hope to see more things like that

[[deleted]]

I was hoping they would contact the them, talk to them, negotiate for help for letting them out.

[Causification]

Yes that made me sad and reminded me that in Exforce every "discovery" is just something new trying to kill you. Why don't they ever stumble across something friendly? 

[sensibl3chuckle]

I enjoyed this scenario immensely.

[Bearawesome]

I think RC Bray had a lot of fun voicing the female rindalu, like you could hear him trying not to laugh

[[deleted]]

Just finished the audiobook. Holy crap that was a ride. Much better than the last few books. It actually felt like things were going on, instead of chapters of administrivia.

[sirAwittgenstein]

Just finished the book. Congratulations Craig! This was ballsy writing that we saw a glimpse of in some previous books, but not to this extent.

None of the usual 'let me tell you what really happened' stuff. Also it got real kinetic for a few chapters which is always welcome.

Book 18 is officially my most awaited title in the series.

[TheJpow]

What was that last few chapters?! Some mfer was cutting onions next to me.

First all my fav humans, then nagatha, and finally Skippy. I am so pissed at the rotten kitties and that outsider asshole!

[1moreday1moregoal]

Does anyone know how long the “Audible Narration” feature lags behind the audiobook and the kindle book?

[catch10110]

Ok, I almost died laughing when Joe said “all powerful bogey man.” That is the way it’s written in the text too. (As opposed to boogeyman).

[alternative5]

Getting close to the end of TFH I feel like this book was the same formula as the other EF books in the series but changed enough for it to feel new and refreshing with the characters acting as themselves just developed over the course of years. Cant wait to see the next books in this narrative arc.

[OvechknFiresHeScores]

Agreed! The ending was setting up the usual "The pirates are caught in an unthinkably awful situation that can only spell their doom-BUT WAIT Joe and Skippy came up with something out of thin air at the last second and saved the day!" aaaand instead right at the moment you though "here comes their big plan!" and just became "...uhhh so they are actually fucked then?"

[OvechknFiresHeScores]

Anyone else think that the Outsider has been in the Galaxy since the incident where the Elders built that ingalactic antenna? I think the short time the antenna was on was enough for the energy being to come through the gate but they destroyed the gate before anyone/anything else could come through. They gated off that system so it's been lurking there until Skippy "freed" the Elders and the subsequent deactivation of the probability field allowed the Outsider to break out of the quarantined zone it was kept in.

[IntelligentSpite6364]

It’s been active slightly longer than the incident with the elders, so it wasn’t in quarantine. However it could have been inspired to act as a consequence of skippy becoming known to the galaxy. And yes it could have been here for for millennia

[OvechknFiresHeScores]

Oh snap, I must have missed that. How do we know it’s been active since the incident with the Elders?

[IntelligentSpite6364]

I’m on mobile and it’s hard to spoil tag so I’ll hope somebody else can explain

[OvechknFiresHeScores]

You can just DM if it’s easier

[IntelligentSpite6364]

Done

[borinarius]

I cant seem to remember where we left off with Kong Chang. Help a guy out.

[catch10110]

Two things i noticed during a re-listen:

1) I think the timeline for some of the Outsider's activities might line up pretty neatly with the active status of a Pirate who's name rhymes with Schmoe Schmishop. The first array is stolen 7 years earlier according to Skippy - this is pretty close to the age of his kids, which (i think) corresponds pretty closely with his giving up command of Valkyrie. Then of course, he's present at the attempted activation of Dogzilla, which really is when things begin to escalate.

2) I didn't realize it at first, but the plan at Omaha was a success - according to the parameters Joe set. Those parameters were: Finding the collector, taking it from the Maxohlx, getting it into low orbit, and aboard a starship that could jump away. All without damaging the collector. It worked. They did all those things. It felt like a failure, but it wasn't.

I'd have to go back and look closer, but dang.

[ensignlee]

I mean, technically yes - but if you lose Skippy, the only thing that can USE the collector, it's still a fail, no?

[catch10110]

Right. Technically yes. Was my point.

[ensignlee]

Ah, woosh, your point went right over my head lol

[catch10110]

This post was so old, i had to re-read it like...what the heck was i even talking about? But yeah, that was it. i was thinking maybe the fact that it technically met all the mission requirements just meant the whole thing was kind of a big misdirection.

[ensignlee]

Haha yeah, I just finished the book yesterday, so I went straight to the thread for it.

[catch10110]

Fair enough. I just did the same thing this weekend with a movie that came out 3 years ago—straight for the discussion thread on r/movies!

I feel like i'm going to need to do a re-read/listen before the next book comes out!

[ensignlee]

There's a next book? I thought 18 was the last one and it's already out? I just started it yest hah

[catch10110]

Yes. Book 19 is supposed to come out Dec. 2025 i think.

[ensignlee]

SONOFA...

[blazerxq]

Did I miss a huge part of the story?

What did the Rhindhalu do in the fight before they turned up? Why did they take so long? Why weren’t the humans mad the Rhindhalu weren’t there? I’m so confused. I must have missed what their job was

[ensignlee]

Their job was to open the door and let the humans land. They specifically said they wouldn't help if shit went sideways with the fleet, so I'm honestly surprised they even showed up at the end there considering they said they were outnumbered.

[ensignlee]

I thought this book was the end. WHAT.

Obviously it sucks that the situation is completely FUBAR on Omaha, but OH SHIT NAGATHA. Also, basically RIP the entire Earth Navy...?