• Steel Walls and Dirt Drops

  • By: Alan Black
  • Narrated by: Patrick Freeman
  • Length: 12 hrs and 48 mins
  • 4.0 out of 5 stars (57 ratings)

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Steel Walls and Dirt Drops  By  cover art

Steel Walls and Dirt Drops

By: Alan Black
Narrated by: Patrick Freeman
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Publisher's summary

The new commander of the 1392nd Allied Protective Expeditionary Services is Hamisha Ann McPherson, and this is her first command of anything larger than a squad. She is a larger-than-life combat veteran and a bonafide war hero. She knows combat. She also knows that combat is one thing, and that command is a warthog of a different and dubious color. Misha wonders if she has the necessary skills to turn this group of slackers, petty criminals, and losers into an effective fighting unit in the short time she has left before being tossed out the back end of a spacecraft to fight in ground-chewing warfare.

APES are supposed to be an armored infantry fighting force. However, this unit's last commander retired in the saddle, leaving his unit to unravel and fend for themselves. Their assigned space forces transport captain is less than no help at all. The war with the Binders is heating up and there are secrets swirling around mixed with gossip about the last big battle against the aliens. Some secrets could mean life or death for the ground pounders who wear metal armor in dirt side warfare.

Combat is on the horizon, and even the veteran APES doubt they will be ready for what is coming. All Misha can do is crack a few heads, kick some backsides, and see what happens. Her APES might live through the next battle if she is successful. If not....

©2014 Alan Black (P)2016 Alan Black

What listeners say about Steel Walls and Dirt Drops

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Well worth relistening to, (My 4th time).<br />

First of all I love reading stories by Alan Black.
the dialects used by Patrick Freeman leave no doubt as to which characters are speaking. I really enjoy his work.
This story is complex and entertaining with great characters and the development of same. I own all but one e of Mr. Blacks Kindle and Audible books.
For all of the above reasons.
in his Audible works Alan picks narrators that that catch the essence.of his stories.
Doug Tisdale Jr. for the Metal Boxes series and Larry Larry Goes To Space.
Patricia Santomasso Chewing Rocks.
Patrick Freeman Steel Walls & Dirt Drops, Titanium Texicans, and Quest for the White Wind.
Again yes I purchased these stories in both Audible and Kindle formats.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Different.

This is a listen of a different type of space story. The politics and their results introduce the listener to the backside of military life. It is told by Patrick Freeman in a way that makes it lifelike and very believable. It's a nice change from the normal galactic hero and his merry band of misfits battling the villainous aliens. Even though it's fiction I think Alan Black has shown the foibles and strengths of the military whether today or in the future as in Steel Walls and Dirt Drops.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Fun story, interesting characters and plot line

Alan Black writes an interesting and engaging story with truly decent characters from an ethical stand point. Black then places these main characters in challenging circumstances where there strong sense of ethics can shine through. Along the way this succeeds in a being light-hearted and fun action-adventure tale.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Left wanting

Though I have bought most of his books, because I keep running out of books to listen to, I find them left wanting. He seems to take a great deal of time building a story with too much of the mundane, then just as the book begins to get interesting-i t abruptly ends. It almost feels like he gets bored with or tired of the project and just wants to hurry up and end it. It always feels like there should be a sequel to finish the story but one does not come.

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