The Merry Band of Pirates: Columbus Day Chapter 1: Close Encounters of a Space Hamster Kind - Ep. 2
The Merry Band of Pirates (An Unofficial Expeditionary Force Podcast)
Release Date: 01/25/2026
MBoP: Columbus Day, Chapters 6 & 7: Fort Arrow and Colonel—Breaking It Down Barney-style
The Merry Band of Pirates (An Unofficial Expeditionary Force Podcast)
Welcome back to the Merry Band of Pirates, the unofficially official Expeditionary Force podcast! Join Pirates Andy, Joey, Steve, Mariane, and Charlie as they discuss this two-chapter block of Columbus Day: Chapter 6: Fort Arrow and Chapter 7: Colonel. Episode Breakdown: The chaos, consequences, and career-changing events in Joe Bishop's life. Fort Arrow and the Ruhar Whales: We follow Joe as he transitions to his new post at Fort Arrow on convoy duty, only to have his day off, spent hiking to a crashed Kristang frigate, interrupted by a devastating railgun strike that levels the...
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MBoP: Columbus Day, Chapters 4 & 5: Paradise and Intel—The Schlumpernur Inside You | Ep 8
The Merry Band of Pirates (An Unofficial Expeditionary Force Podcast)
Welcome back to The Mary Bandit Pirates and "Unofficially Official" Expeditionary Force podcast. In this episode, Andy, Joey, Mariane, Steve, and Jake, plus guest pirate Adam, discuss Chapters Four and Five of the first ExForce book, Columbus Day: "Paradise" and "Intel." This is the episode where Sergeant Joe Bishop's worldview gets shattered on the planet Paradise as he learns the true nature of the war and humanity's role in the galaxy. In this episode, we break down: - Lester Cornhut: The introduction of the memorable Ruhar (hamster) farmer and unofficial mayor of the Village of Teskor,...
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The Merry Band of Pirates: Interview with Craig Alanson, Author of Expeditionary Force Series | Ep 7
The Merry Band of Pirates (An Unofficial Expeditionary Force Podcast)
EXCLUSIVE! The Merry Band of Pirates is honored to host the man, the myth, the legend, author Craig Alanson (Expeditionary Force, Ascendant, Convergence)! We discuss his writing process, where he confirms that Joe Bishop’s mundane breakthroughs are based on his own experience, often finding solutions while walking the dogs or even vacuuming the carpet. Craig shares the history of his extraordinary success with self-publishing, revealing that he has generated over $100 million in sales over the last ten years and explaining why he turns down traditional publishers—primarily to maintain...
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The Merry Band of Pirates: Columbus Day Chapter 3: Camp Alpha, Part 2 - Camp A.W.E.S.O.M.E. | Ep 6
The Merry Band of Pirates (An Unofficial Expeditionary Force Podcast)
Welcome to The Merry Band of Pirates, an unofficial Expeditionary Force podcast. In Episode 6, we continue examining Chapter 3 of Columbus Day with UNEF at Camp Alpha, breaking down major plot points from military doctrine to Joe Bishop's personal life. The main discussion focuses on "THE RULES,” the five key military rules of combat engagement that serve as the space equivalent of the Geneva Convention, and how they are constantly broken throughout the series by all major factions. We explore the Kristang's intentions to set humans up for failure, the immediate loss of Joe’s platoon to...
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The Merry Band of Pirates: Columbus Day Chapter 3: Camp Alpha, Part 1: 'There Goes McDougall' | Ep 5
The Merry Band of Pirates (An Unofficial Expeditionary Force Podcast)
Welcome back, Pirates! We're breaking down the first half of Columbus Day Chapter 3, "Camp Alpha," which is so packed with exposition and world-building that we had to split it into two parts. In this episode, we cover the rough landing on Camp Alpha and the immediate, harsh realities of 107% gravity, plus the hilarious 'There Goes McDougall' joke. Joe Bishop and the others struggle with "Hoo-ah bars" and are introduced to their new, and somewhat disappointing, military gear. Key Discussion Points: - Ground State Launch: Initial, non-spoilery reactions to Craig Alanson's 19th Expeditionary...
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Live Reactions to the ExForce 10th Anniversary Live Stream, LIVE | Merry Band of Pirates Episode 4
The Merry Band of Pirates (An Unofficial Expeditionary Force Podcast)
It’s official! We’re all knuckleheads! Welcome to the Merry Band of Pirates, an unofficial Expeditionary Force podcast. This special episode includes our real-time, "Mystery Science Theater 3000-style" commentary of the Columbus Day 10th Anniversary Expeditionary Force Live Stream hosted by Podium Publishing and featuring the one and only creator of the series, author Craig Alanson. Link to Live: Join the crew—Andy, Steve, Mariane, Jake, Charlie, and Joey—for unmuted commentary and all-around shenanigans as we watch the event stream live...
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The Merry Band of Pirates: Columbus Day Chapter 2: Deployment - To Boldly Go... In An Alien Bathroom - Ep. 3
The Merry Band of Pirates (An Unofficial Expeditionary Force Podcast)
Welcome to Episode 3 of the Merry Band of Pirates and Unofficial Expeditionary Force podcast! Join us for a discussion of Chapter 2 of Columbus Day, "Deployment," focusing on Joe Bishop's journey from Earth via the Thuranin space elevator and a Kristang troop transport (via a Thuranin Star Carrier) to Camp Alpha, and a deep exploration into the food, science fiction technology, and characters introduced during that galactic transit. 🚨 SPOILER WARNING: We will be discussing aspects and happenings of this chapter and future books in detail. If you are new to the series and wish to...
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The Merry Band of Pirates: Columbus Day Chapter 1: Close Encounters of a Space Hamster Kind - Ep. 2
The Merry Band of Pirates (An Unofficial Expeditionary Force Podcast)
...Or Why Columbus Day Chapter 1 Matters 18 Books Later Welcome back to the Merry Band of Pirates and Unofficial Expeditionary Force podcast! In Episode 2, we’re talking about the chapter that started it all: Chapter 1 of Columbus Day, the foundational novel of the beloved Expeditionary Force (Exfor/Exforce) series by Craig Alanson. 🚨 SPOILER WARNING: We will be discussing aspects and happenings of this chapter and future books in detail. If you are new to the series and wish to avoid spoilers, please listen to or read Columbus Day first, then come back and join us! ...
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The Merry Band of Pirates: The Official Start of the Unofficial Podcast - Ep. 1
The Merry Band of Pirates (An Unofficial Expeditionary Force Podcast)
Welcome to The Merry Band of Pirates, the unofficial Expeditionary Force fan podcast! Six complete strangers, brought together by our shared love of Joe Bishop, Skippy, and the whole crew. In this inaugural episode, we introduce the motley crew of co-hosts, answer what got us hooked on the series (shout-out to RC Bray!), and debate the most spoiler-free way to sum up the first book, Columbus Day. Get ready for some filthy monkey business as we launch into our new mission to dissect the awesomeness of the Expeditionary Force universe. In This Episode: Latest Intel: News from the The...
info_outline...Or Why Columbus Day Chapter 1 Matters 18 Books Later
Welcome back to the Merry Band of Pirates and Unofficial Expeditionary Force podcast! In Episode 2, we’re talking about the chapter that started it all: Chapter 1 of Columbus Day, the foundational novel of the beloved Expeditionary Force (Exfor/Exforce) series by Craig Alanson.
🚨 SPOILER WARNING: We will be discussing aspects and happenings of this chapter and future books in detail. If you are new to the series and wish to avoid spoilers, please listen to or read Columbus Day first, then come back and join us!
In this episode, we break down:
- The Characters: A full synopsis of the originating cast of characters, including the introduction of Joe Bishop (our accidental protagonist), the six-foot alien Ruhar (nicknamed "Hamsters"), and the arrival of the mysterious Kristang.
- The First Attack: The Ruhar attacked on Columbus Day, the crash landing in rural Maine, and the brilliantly satirical tone set by Craig Alanson from page one.
- The Ice Cream Truck: The unforgettable, rag-tag plan to capture the first Ruhar soldier ("Fuzzy Face"), complete with dynamite and a prominently featured, non-trademark-compliant purple-dinosaur-themed ice cream truck (a series-long running joke).
- Deep Themes: We discuss the subtle, but crucial, world-building elements that foreshadow the entire series, from Joe’s natural capacity for leadership and his empathetic handling of the captive alien, to the establishment of the series’ strong female characters and the complexities of space battle.
- The Nicknames & Humor: Exploring how Craig Alanson's unique cadence and witty nicknames, like "Fuzzy Face" and (wait for it…) "Skippy", hook readers and build the series' distinctive style.
Whether you're a long-time Expeditionary Force veteran or a new listener/reader just starting your journey, join us as we relive the hilarious and insightful origins of one of modern sci-fi's greatest sagas!
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