Grunt Life

Task Force Ombra Series, Book 1

By: Weston Ochse

Narrated by: Todd McLaren

Length: 12 hrs and 2 mins

Publisher's summary

Benjamin Carter Mason died last night. Maybe he threw himself off a bridge into Los Angeles Harbor, or maybe he burned to death in a house fire in San Pedro; it doesn't really matter. Today, Mason's starting a new life. He's back in boot camp, training for the only war left that matters a damn.

For years their spies have been coming to Earth, learning our weaknesses. Our governments knew, but they did nothing - the prospect was too awful, the costs too high - and now the horrifying and utterly inhuman Cray are laying waste to our cities. The human race is a heartbeat away from extinction. That is unless Mason and the other men and women of Task Force OMBRA can do anything about it.

This is a time for heroes. For killers. For Grunts.

©2014 Weston Ochse (P)2017 Tantor

Good, bad, and ugly but never great.

The book was all over the place but every time I was starting to get into it the author would add a twist that was unnecessary and would take away from the story.

Ochse is awesome

Enjoyed listening to this on Audible. Going to get the next one today and listen on a drive.

Pass on this series

At points, the story was entertaining, but as a former Infantryman, so many things were just wrong. The story also needed an editor.. too much repetition, too many contradictions, terrible pontificating speeches, and all sorts of nonsense. The whole series was subpar, and not worth paying for.

DULL BLAND BORING DREARY STUPID & RIDICULOUS

What a dumb book! The character names and the attempt at blending a bunch of nationalities into a single cohesive fighting force is so poorly thought out and crappily delivered that it throws the entire plot into stupid and ignorant territory! This is what happens when you let bad authors write above their station and you have horrible narrators thinking they actually know what they are doing! If you put crap in, you get crap coming out!! This book is total crap, garbage, trash! Ive read better stories written on public restroom walls!!

Boring

started out interesting then just stop making any sense. For example, 80+ shells from horitser gun cause no damage, yet all hopes on 747 flying at regular speed going to destroy alien tower? I pretty sure the KE from 80+shells would be more energetic. as such I would not recommend this title.

First 3.5 hrs all about suicide

It might be more, I just can’t do it anymore. And when I say “all about” I mean it: thinking about it, how they do it, are going to do it, that they want to, WHY they want to (lots of that)—memories of blown up friends, descriptions of what it was like, war crimes, etc. Multiple characters. In fact, all but one character in the first 3.5 hrs are thwarted suicides and you hear the cliff notes version of their stories too. It is 70% journal entry, 20% support group, and now starting to include 10% plot/sci-fi.
I don’t see how the focus on suicide furthers the story. Maybe the author was trying to use this opportunity to shine a light on this issue?
I just can’t do it anymore. I’m exhausted w the emotional angst and turmoil. I am sympathetic to the issue but it’s not what I want in this type of book in which I’m seeking entertainment.