Ambush

I’ll admit, I rolled my eyes at the ‘lost human colony’ premise at first—until *Ambush* flipped it into something far more interesting. This isn’t about wide-eyed wonder or noble savages; it’s about humans as a *liability* to a species that’s spent millennia playing 4D chess with their rivals. Cole’s aliens aren’t mustache-twirling villains but bureaucratic predators, and the tension comes from watching Earth’s scrappy, underprepared leaders try to outmaneuver them with duct tape and desperation. The mid-book ambush sequence (no spoilers) is one of the best audiobook set pieces I’ve heard this year—Bray’s pacing turns a 20-minute firefight into a white-knuckle endurance test. That said, the diplomatic subplots occasionally stall under the weight of their own jargon. Cole’s love for acronyms and fictional treaties can feel like homework, and Bray’s delivery—while superb—can’t always mask the occasional info-dump. The female characters, while competent, sometimes read like they’ve been airlifted from a 90s techno-thriller (all ice-cold competence, zero interiority). But when the story leans into its strengths—tactical improvisation, moral gray zones, and Bray’s ability to make ‘We’re screwed’ sound like a battle cry—it’s *electric*. If you like your sci-fi with more *The Expanse*’s geopolitical grit than *Star Trek*’s optimism, this is your next listen. Just keep a notepad handy for the alien ranks and ship classes.