A Fistful of Credits: Stories from the Four Horsemen Universe

Craig Good’s narration is the secret sauce that makes this audiobook feel like a premium cut of meat in a sea of mystery meat. His voice is the kind of gravelly, lived-in drawl that instantly sells the mercenary ethos of Kennedy’s universe—think a cross between a seasoned trucker and a guy who’s definitely cheated death at least once. The pacing is tight, with Good switching between characters so seamlessly that you’ll forget you’re listening instead of reading. My favorite part? The way he handles the dialogue in stories like *“The Vindication of Hexis”*—the sardonic back-and-forth between the crew feels like overhearing a crew in a dive bar, minus the smell of spilled beer. That said, a handful of stories in the middle of the collection drag a bit, losing momentum in favor of exposition. And while the humor lands most of the time, a few jokes felt a little too on-the-nose, like the author winking at the audience mid-monologue. Still, these are minor quibbles in a collection that delivers on what it promises: a punchier, more unpredictable take on military sci-fi than you’ll find in most anthologies. If you’re in the mood for space opera with attitude, hit play.