Hearts of Darkness

Strange Company, Book 3

By: Nick Cole

Narrated by: Christopher Ryan Grant

Caps to pop and bodies to drop.

As intergalactic civilization collapses and descends into chaos, the Strange Company must journey to the edge of human-controlled space to board and destroy the last ship of the corrupt Monarch Empire—in order to both satisfy a debt and salvage what remains of their reputation as hard-bitten and dangerous private military contractors.

But things are never easy for mercenaries. Eccentric warrant officers running amok—when they can be found, plots to kill one of them abound, and a bad case of serious PTSD about what lies ahead for Sergeant Orion plagues his waking nightmares as the Cult of Hot Soup grows. The company must "get gud" or die trying as they master boarding operations and prepare for the worst kind of combat a space marine can get their kill on in: compartment-to-compartment fighting on a ship so advanced in technology, it's almost… alien.

Stinkeye, Hauser, Chief Cook, Sergeant Orion, and new and old Strange Company brothers are here for the violence with a ticket to ride the lightning and settle accounts with the fallen tyrants as they get their stack on and get paid. If they can make it back to their ship and a safe world beyond the limits of the known, then perhaps the company can avoid the tragedy they've been sucked into.

The only way out lies beyond a praetorian guard of heavily armed commandos, emplaced guns, and enigmatic psy-powered operators. The Heart of Darkness waits at the Oblivion Gate, for the Strange Company to make one wrong move and disappear forever.

Live. Laugh. Launch.

©2025 Nick Cole (P)2025 Podium Audio

Strangers to the universe, brothers to the end

I went in expecting the same, brutal horrors of war the previous two were, and for certain characters to die. In my heart of hearts I hoped the best of them would live. I was half disappointed, but, I did get it right. I love this book. it's 25 hours of gripping sci-fi action and clearly a veteran working through his experience fighting a war in the desert with no end in sight. It is raw and it is real and it feels like you are there, and the voice production makes it better. I felt moved and I felt things and the ending made me mad it wasn't as final as I'd hoped. I adored Orion's idiosyncracies as a person. I will probably read this book again, from Crash, Astrolon, call it what it is.

Such a unique and engaging story

I’m not sure why but I love Chief cook! These books are some of the few stories I can listen to over and over.

An Excellent wrap up to great series

10 Stars, would absolutely recommend to those seeking ye olde ruck-hobo wisdom. We have to be honest about these things.

Very good!

Love this series and the author the narration is great and I hope there is more to come

Last for now

Funny how you seem to become a part of those imaginary men and MOM. I wish them all luck and hope a new story about the Strange comes soon.