Pilot Alexander Outland (Nap), as famous for his exploits with the ladies as for his flying skills, decides to not disembark on the planet of Thurge when receiving a less-than-warm welcome from the ladies of mission control, all of whom remember him much too well. After coming out of hyper-drive, Nap and his crew discover a number of ships pursuing them. Putting everyone’s skills to use, the ship evades capture and ends up on the planet Herion, a place where they all must be on their best behavior due to its militaristic government and attitude.

Nap and his crew, Slinkie (weapons and security), Randolph (chief engineer), Audrey (ship’s computer who becomes something more) and the Governor (an old man deposed on his own planet, who is not what he appears) receive a basically friendly greeting. While being debriefed, the visitors learn that, as suspected, the ships chasing them are part of a pirate armada that has been wreaking havoc throughout the galaxy. Later that evening, Nap and company get approached by men from a crime syndicate, who offer Nap a lot of money to evade the pirates on their behalf. Very quickly events snowball that result in Nap and his crew on the run in sticky and stinky situations.

An utterly enjoyable romp through space, Alexander Outland, Space Pirate proves a highly-entertaining page-turner that will have the reader laughing out loud. Nap and his ragtag team, which grows as the story progresses, find themselves in crazy predicaments that they face with aplomb, endearing them to us in such a way that they seem like friends by the end of the tale. Despite his well-deserved reputation, Nap truly cares for Slinkie, and his relentless pursuit of her actually provides a bit of insight into his personality, as does his willingness to do right by people in spite of what appear to be insurmountable odds. Koch’s applies her dead-on humor with just the right touch, preventing it from veering into slapstick. Those looking for a diverting and amusing read reminiscent of a Star Wars that does not take it itself too seriously should very much enjoy this engaging, delightful novel.

Book Stats:

• Paperback: 300 pages
• Publisher: Night Shade Books (May 29, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1597804231
• ISBN-13: 978-1597804233

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