The Gauntlet Audiobook By J.N. Chaney, Nicholas Sansbury Smith cover art

The Gauntlet

An Old Guns Prequel

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The Gauntlet

By: J.N. Chaney, Nicholas Sansbury Smith
Narrated by: R.C. Bray
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Before they were Old Guns, they made first contact…

After humanity's deep space probe Squanto goes missing in the Gauntlet, Staff Sergeant Martin Kelvin and Sergeant Frank Cage are pulled from leave to search for the vessel. Three teams have already vanished in the quantum corridor where time fractures and physics breaks down. But Squanto didn't just find a path through; they found something waiting in the darkness.

The blood-marked wreckage holds humanity's first contact with a new alien race—one that phases through solid hull and can't be killed by conventional weapons. Martin, Frank, and their squad will pay the price for finding passage through the Gauntlet. Some doors were never meant to be opened.

Listen to the prequel novella to Old Guns, the new high-octane military sci-fi saga by USA Today-bestselling author J.N. Chaney and New York Times-bestselling author Nicholas Sansbury Smith.

©2026 Variant Publications (P)2026 Podium Audio Fantasy Humorous Military Science Fiction Space Opera
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Chilling Scenes • Rich Backstory • Excellent Narration • Realistic Interactions • Immersive Descriptions

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Great story. Great prequel, nice to have more character development. As usual the descriptions and the story make you feel like you’re right there. Fantastic narrator as well.

Great story.

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The Gauntlet is an excellent follow-up, I mean prequel, to Old Guns, the premier book in the series by writer Nicholas Sansbury Smith. In this story we are treated (or exposed) to a realistic interaction of two crusty old space marines in their downtime. When called back to active duty, that all ends as things gets very serious. The banter in replaced by a life and death struggle as their team is sent to investgate the disappearance of one of the fleets ships. They soon encounter a previously unknown entity. The chilling meeting, no pun intended, has deadly consequences. This 'thing' is unlike anything they had ever seen and could wipe out the entire squad. The audible story is performed by one of the best narrator, RC Bray. I am very excited to read the next release in the Old Guns series. -Mr.Bill

RC Bray is excellent in The Gauntlet

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Great backstory to Old Guns. Good story and well written. If you like aliens and scifi you'll love this series!

Loved the story

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This novella delivered everything Smith is known for. Action, suspense, and great characters. We get to learn about Frank and Martin back in the early days of their career as Colonial Marines. Lots of laughs and some horror, too. Chaney and Smith make an excellent team. Add in Bray, and this is an all-star collaboration. I absolutely loved it! Can't wait for more in this series. Old Guns was my favorite read of the year. Counting the days for book 2, Young Guns!

Short but packed full of so much!

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Awesome back story to open the series. Can’t wait for more for the old men.

Awesome back story A++++++

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