Author : Richard Avery THIS SERIES IS ONLY 4 BOOKS I KNOW OF BUT OH SO GOOD.FUTURISTIC EXPLORATION OF PLANETS FOR COLONIZATION USING WASHED OUT MILITARY AND CONS . ALL 4 BOOKS FROM THIS SERIES WOULD MAKE GREAT MOVIE SCREENPLAYS.LOTS OF HUMOR,GORE,ACTION,INTRIGUE AND JUST PLAIN EXCITEMENT .CONRAD THE LEADER IS A LOVABLE BASTARD.HARD BUT IT'S PART OF THE JOB.MY FAVE IS KURT KWANGO A NIGERIAN/GERMAN MIX . HE'S IN MY TOP 10 OF ALL TIME FICTIONAL CHARACTERS.QUIRKY,SUPER SMART,ATHLETIC AND A LOOSE PISTOL HE'S THE MAN.LOTS OF STUFF IN THE SERIES I THINK IS AHEAD OF IT'S TIME LIKE VERNE.FOR EXAMPLE THE EXO-SKELETONS THEY USE (WHICH KWANGO EXCELS AT).THE MOVIE ALIENS USES A SMALLER MODIFIED VERSION OF THE SAME IDEA. I ALSO LOVE THE ROBOTS THAT SUPPLEMENT THE TEAM MATTHEW,MARK,LUKE...YOU GET THE IDEA.THEIR INTERACTION WITH CONRAD ESPECIALLY IS CLASSIC.I THANK MY MOM EVERY DAY FOR GIVING ME THIS BOOK BACK WHEN I WAS A TEEN.