Craig Alanson excels at launching readers into chaotic, high-stakes space adventures where humanity’s edge isn’t superior technology so much as nerve, ingenuity, and a sense of humor. His popular Expeditionary Force series, beginning with Columbus Day, combines military sci-fi, fast-moving action, and plenty of banter in a way that keeps the pages flying.
If you enjoy reading books by Craig Alanson then you might also like the following authors:
Dennis E. Taylor is a strong pick for sci-fi readers who enjoy Craig Alanson’s mix of humor, big ideas, and highly entertaining storytelling.
Taylor’s novel We Are Legion (We Are Bob) follows Bob Johansson, a software engineer whose mind is uploaded into an AI probe after his unexpected death. From there, Bob heads into deep space, exploring strange systems, colonizing new worlds, and dealing with challenges that are often as funny as they are dangerous.
The book balances clever scientific concepts with a light touch, making it both thought-provoking and fun. If you like witty protagonists, imaginative space exploration, and stories that never feel heavy-handed, Dennis E. Taylor is well worth trying.
John Scalzi writes science fiction that is brisk, funny, and full of memorable characters thrown into extraordinary circumstances. Fans of Craig Alanson’s Expeditionary Force series will likely enjoy Scalzi’s Old Man’s War.
The novel centers on John Perry, a 75-year-old who joins humanity’s colonial military with the promise of getting his youth back, though the reality of that bargain proves far more complicated than expected.
Scalzi’s trademark dialogue, grounded humor, and inventive military concepts make Old Man’s War an easy recommendation for readers who like action-driven sci-fi with personality and wit.
Readers who liked Craig Alanson’s blend of spacefaring adventure, humor, and approachable characters may find Nathan Lowell especially appealing.
In Quarter Share Lowell introduces Ishmael Wang, a young man who signs onto an interstellar freighter after his mother’s death leaves him with few choices. Starting at the lowest rank, Ishmael learns how trade, work, and survival function among the stars.
Rather than focusing only on war and large-scale conflict, Lowell builds a character-centered story around the rhythms of everyday life aboard a working spaceship. The result is immersive, warm, and grounded in believable camaraderie.
His clear prose and natural dialogue make Ishmael’s journey feel vivid from the start, offering a satisfying alternative for readers who enjoy science fiction with a more personal, lived-in feel.
Christopher G. Nuttall delivers action-heavy military sci-fi that should appeal to Craig Alanson fans. If you enjoy desperate missions, underdog crews, and tense battles, Ark Royal is a good place to start.
In this opening installment, humanity is pushed into war with an alien enemy that quickly dismantles Earth’s modern defenses. With few alternatives left, leaders turn to the aging carrier Ark Royal and the crew others have written off.
Captain Ted Smith must lead a battered, outdated ship into a fight it should not be able to win, relying on improvisation, grit, and tactical nerve.
Nuttall’s strength lies in creating high-pressure scenarios where resourceful people have to do more with less, making this a rewarding choice for readers who love military strategy and hard-fought victories.
Marko Kloos writes military science fiction with strong momentum and characters who feel grounded even in extreme situations.
His novel Terms of Enlistment introduces Andrew Grayson, a young man from an overcrowded future slum who joins the military in hopes of escaping poverty and building a better life.
As Andrew trains and fights in Earth’s interplanetary conflicts, he comes face to face with the brutal realities of war, state control, and a growing alien threat.
Like Craig Alanson, Kloos combines action with humor and accessible storytelling, giving Terms of Enlistment the kind of energy that makes military sci-fi especially hard to put down.
Readers who enjoy Craig Alanson’s combination of military action, interstellar conflict, and irreverent humor will likely have a great time with B.V. Larson. His books tend to move fast and deliver plenty of combat, alien intrigue, and entertaining surprises.
In Swarm, the first book in the Star Force series, Kyle Riggs is abducted by aliens and drafted into a war he never asked to join. Forced to adapt quickly, he must learn the rules of a much larger conflict while trying to survive it.
The novel offers brisk pacing, imaginative alien encounters, and enough humor to keep the story from ever feeling overly grim. If you like your military sci-fi energetic and addictive, Larson is a natural next step.
Ryk Brown writes space opera with a military backbone, blending fleet action, leadership challenges, and interstellar danger in a very readable style. His novel Aurora: CV-01 follows Captain Nathan Scott, a young officer who unexpectedly ends up commanding an aging, barely operational ship.
Thrown into responsibility long before he is ready, Scott must guide an inexperienced crew through combat, uncertain alliances, and encounters far from Earth.
Brown mixes tension, momentum, and a sense of scale that should resonate with fans of Craig Alanson’s Expeditionary Force series, especially readers who enjoy watching crews grow into their roles under pressure.
Hugh Howey is best known for immersive speculative fiction built around compelling mysteries and resilient characters. His novel Wool takes place inside a vast underground silo where the remnants of humanity live under strict rules after a global catastrophe.
As residents begin to question what they’ve been told about the outside world and the system governing their lives, long-buried secrets begin to surface.
While Howey’s work leans more toward dystopian suspense than military space adventure, readers who appreciate high stakes, accessible writing, and characters pushed to their limits may find him a rewarding change of pace.
Richard Fox is a good match for readers who love Craig Alanson’s fast-moving military sci-fi and large-scale conflict. Fox’s series, The Ember War, opens with humanity on the verge of annihilation by a powerful alien enemy.
Hope rests on the decisions of one brilliant scientist and the arrival of a mysterious probe carrying its own mission. From there, the story accelerates into invasions, combat, and the kind of escalating danger that keeps tension high.
Fox also does a nice job with character interactions, giving the action enough personality and emotional investment to land. If you want another series built around urgency, teamwork, and interstellar warfare, this is a promising choice.
Andy Weir combines hard science, survival tension, and humor in a way that makes him easy to recommend to Craig Alanson fans. His novel The Martian follows Mark Watney, an astronaut stranded on Mars after the rest of his crew believes he has died.
With limited supplies and no easy rescue in sight, Watney has to think his way through one disaster after another using engineering skill, stubborn optimism, and a very sharp sense of humor.
Like Alanson’s best characters, Watney faces impossible circumstances without giving in to despair. That blend of competence, wit, and momentum makes Weir an excellent fit for readers who want science fiction that is both smart and entertaining.
If you enjoy Craig Alanson’s military elements and lively pacing, Michael Mammay is another author worth exploring. His novel Planetside introduces Colonel Carl Butler, a veteran officer drawn out of retirement to investigate the disappearance of a powerful general’s son.
What begins as a missing-person mission on a distant world gradually opens into conspiracy, political tension, and escalating danger.
Mammay leans more into military mystery and intrigue than large-scale space warfare, but his crisp dialogue and strong sense of suspense make Planetside a compelling option for readers who enjoy capable protagonists navigating dangerous situations.
Daniel Arenson writes dramatic military sci-fi with plenty of action and an emotional core, making him a solid recommendation for readers who enjoy Craig Alanson’s high-stakes storytelling.
In Earth Alone, Arenson follows Marco Emery and other young recruits as humanity struggles to survive a devastating alien invasion.
As training gives way to brutal combat, Marco and his fellow soldiers must face fear, loss, and the enormous pressure of defending what remains of their world.
Arenson’s stories often emphasize both battlefield intensity and the cost of war, which gives his novels weight without sacrificing excitement.
Readers drawn to Craig Alanson’s adventurous plots and crew-focused storytelling may also enjoy Nick Webb. In Constitution, Webb introduces Captain Timothy Granger, a veteran officer assigned to an aging ship that seems destined for retirement rather than glory.
That changes abruptly when a sudden alien assault destroys any illusion of lasting peace. As humanity reels and allies go silent, Granger and his outdated vessel become an unlikely line of defense.
Constitution offers strong momentum, solid shipboard dynamics, and the kind of last-stand energy that works especially well for fans of military space opera.
Jack Campbell is known for military science fiction built around credible tactics, tense command decisions, and large-scale fleet warfare.
If Craig Alanson’s battle planning and quick banter are part of the appeal for you, Campbell’s Dauntless, the first novel in The Lost Fleet series, is worth a look.
In the story, Captain John Black Jack Geary wakes from a century in suspended survival to discover he has become a legendary hero. He is then forced to take command of a damaged fleet trapped deep in hostile space.
Campbell excels at making strategy feel clear and exciting, while also showing the strain leadership places on the people carrying the burden. That combination gives his books lasting appeal for military sci-fi readers.
Evan Currie writes energetic science fiction that blends military action with exploration and first-contact tension. Fans of Craig Alanson’s Expeditionary Force may want to try Currie’s Into the Black, the opening book in his Odyssey One series.
In the novel, Earth launches its first true interstellar ship, Odyssey, on a mission beyond the solar system. Captain Eric Weston and his crew soon discover that venturing into deep space brings dangers humanity is far from prepared to handle.
With alien mysteries, large-scale confrontations, and a likable crew at the center, the story delivers the kind of accessible, page-turning adventure that makes this corner of science fiction so much fun.
