Voodoo Warfare

Strange Company #2

by Nick Cole

The Strange Company is back and on the defense as the massive invasion of a major Monarch world gets underway and the weird warrant officers of Voodoo Platoon move into their roles as combat multipliers at the front lines of an incredible no-holds barred brawl for battlefield domination. Facing Legions of Ultramarines, a weaponized population, and re-engineered combat veterans augmented by cybernetics, the stone-cold killers and ready-to-rumble rogues of Strange must hold a gateway landing zone against overwhelming odds alongside a newly christened private military contractor Mech Combat Team. But the Ultras aren’t the premier elite fighting unit of the crumbling Monarch Empire for nothing. Outcomes of Victory or Defeat aren’t even on the table for this military death cult of galactic warriors the Strange Faces across a charred and dangerous battlefield… to the legendary Ultramarines, this is the last battle,the final conflict, and nothing less than their honor and a place in history are at stake for the finest warriors in the galaxy. Reaper, Dog, and Voodoo platoons must play every dirty trick in the book of war in a desperate high-cycle ride-the-lighting defense of a bad LZ where both sides know what they do… will echo in eternity . And determine the future of human-controlled space. The tragedy of the Strange Company continues on LZ Heartbreak. And… Just because it’s a bad idea, doesn’t mean it won’t be fun.

Genres: Science Fiction, Audiobook, War

560 pages, Paperback

First published July 12, 2022

About the author

Nick Cole is a working actor living in Southern California. When he is not auditioning for commercials, going out for sitcoms or being shot, kicked, stabbed or beaten by the students of various film schools for their projects, he can often be found as a guard for King Phillip the Second of Spain in the Opera Don Carlo at Los Angeles Opera or some similar role. Nick Cole has been writing for most of his life and acting in Hollywood after serving in the U.S. Army.

Reviews

[Arnis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Starp visu, kas gan sērijā nenotiks, Orionam jāvada sava komanda un viņam nevar būt citas dzīves filozofijas, kā vien uz pirmās grāmatas vāka un konkrētāk uz grānatas uzrakstītā teksta, ja ir vēlēšanās ar veselu saprātu izdzīvot no viena algota uzdevuma uz otru.

https://poseidons99.wordpress.com/202...

[Gabriel · Rating 3 out of 5]

A hard read

There is a lot of intellectual discussion by the narrator and not so much action. It comes in waves, but honestly I found myself skimming the last few chapters, and I don't know that I'll be picking up the third book. I really liked the first, but a simple interaction here can go on for pages without adding any real value to the story regardless of how good the writing is.

[Ralph Wark · Rating 5 out of 5]

A ruck hobo tale

I really enjoy this series, galactic mercenaries sent to do a bidder’s dirty work in a war. The main character, Sgt. Orion, is a decent man, a good reseller of facts , and has some fascinating comments abt his men, including a cyborg, a former enemy elite shock trooper, and a psychopath, who happens to be the medic. Did I forget the war wizard?

Anyway, great fun watching them take down the Monarch’s, the big bad of the time, and somehow live through fantastic situations, although not entirely intact. There are perhaps too many references to being a ruck hobo, but as they say, still, that’s where we are.

[Troy · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's best to be honest about these things...

This follow up to Strange Company is a fast paced pager turner. Pure action adventure told in the style of a first person narrative. That person being Sergeant Orion. He keeps the Logs of the Strange Company and they're tragic, funny and, dare I say it, strange.

I have read Nick for some years now and his work never disappoints, never fails to entertain.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this one even better than the 1st book. I just did. Found the jokes made me laugh more. Both books relate lots of brutal action and truth, and often manage to be inappropriately funny in the telling of both. I like the narrator's quirky, self-deprecating, simultaneously people-hating and people-loving style of tale-telling. People with dark senses of humor should find this series cathartic. But beyond dark humor, the narrator also shares some profound thinking throughout -- unexpected for a series so full of graphic novel-esque combat action. So there's that.

I'd love for this series to get picked up by Netflix (actually scratch that... By any other major streaming service that's NOT Netflix, since Netflix seems committed to killing all sci-fi shows it produces after 2 seasons).

[Timothy Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book 2 in the series proves again Nicole’s imaginative and unique take on every genre. Thankfully, I was in the mood for a far future universe, with mysteries about earths fate, and a monarchy similar to the one currently holding office if it had been able to expand beyond earth Mars and into the solar system.
Cole’s storytelling is awesome, poignant and full of action. This is a different kind of Mil-SF but also has all the stuff you want. Cole’s insight into the military mind is top-notch and often wise words are paired with jokes and personalities that you really grow to love the ending was great and I look forward to how this series is continuing on. the narration is also top notch.

[sean luehmann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nick Cole please keep this series going!!!

Sequels are generally ..... Well lack luster abd just piggy back on what made the first book good . I would venture to say this second book in the Voodoo series is way better than the first !
Strangers to the Universe. Brothers to the End

[Jeremyf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anguish, sorrow, and hope

Three words I relate to this story. The story is being told by the future’s version of Talker so it must have happened. It’s so brutal and pragmatic the whole time, because the truth has to be told. It’s also awesome and terrifying for the reader to get a fictitious glimpse of hell. I’ll keep reading though.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Black Company in Space

If you enjoyed the Black Company series by Glen Cook, then you will love this book. This book seems to be a "sci-fi adaptation" of the Black Company books.

In the book, the mercenaries are NOT the "good guys"...but you will end up cheering for them anyways.

I love the interaction between the characters.

[Howard Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Little Strange

I read the last two books of the series and it’s a little hard to get into sometimes but it was enjoyable read. I like perspective of the sergeant character narrating the action in the book.

[Enzo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great story telling from the Strange Company and its Bishops and weirdos. I love the stories and how it works out and I want to read more.

[Alan Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nick Cole

I love this man's writing. Strange Company is great mil-sci fi stuff and you're really going to enjoy all his works.

[Erin Lounsbury · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too much…

…just too much repetitive verbiage. It’s a great story collection, but this felt like the Editor wanted it padded to make the book thicker/longer.

[Ken Sapp · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's been twenty five years since Strange Company managed to escape Crash half a step ahead of humanity's ultimate warriors the Ultramarines. While they've slept the years between stars away the simian invaders have joined with the human insurrectionists to put down the Monarch order that controlled human space. This is the story of the last battle of the Ultramarines and while Strange Company holds the line through the night.

Somewhat improved over the first book in the series but I still find the authors constant need to break the flow in order to explain slang and acronyms distracting.