Author name: M Pax

Encounter (starring Luke Hemsworth): Movie Review

Movie Review, Science Fiction Movie / /

 

Is this sci-fi worth watching? Here’s what I thought…

movie review encounterA solid sci-fi yarn, the film centers on a mysterious object crashing to Earth and the ripple effects it has on the people who encounter it. It’s well shot, well acted, and feels bigger than its budget. It’s the kind of indie sci-fi you’d gladly see in a theater.

This isn’t an action-heavy spectacle. Instead, it leans into atmosphere and character as everyone tries to understand what the alien presence means and whether its hostile or not.

No singing. No dancing. Possibly a man-eating alien. No spoilers. But a good, decent movie. So I give it a one beer rating.

That said, the ending veers into uncomfortable territory. Not in a sensational way, nothing inappropriate happens, but a creative choice involving a child character felt jarring . I understand what the filmmakers were going for, but in today’s climate it lands awkwardly.

Still, overall? A good, decent sci-fi film. Worth your time if you’re browsing YouTube for something entertaining and extraterrestrial.

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Happy Release Day, Backworlds Box Collection Books 7, 8, and 9!

New Release, Science Fiction Books, Space Opera / /

The Conclusion of the Backworlds Saga

Backworlds SEt 3 promoThe Final Backworlds Boxed Set Has Arrived

In the ruins of war, legends are forged.

Craze’s story reaches its explosive conclusion in this boxed set collecting:

  • FreeFall
  • Endpoint
  • The Afterworlds

From desperate alliances and impossible choices… to the final stand that determines the fate of entire worlds—this is the end of the road.

And I can’t quite believe we’re here.

💥 Now Available Everywhere

You can grab the boxed set at all major retailers.

BWs BOX 7, 8, and 9

If you shop direct from me, you can save a $1 by using coupon J79AY8ZAXA

BUY DIRECT

🌌 About the Story

As the war for the Backworlds reaches its peak, Craze is forced into impossible choices.

In FreeFall, alliances shift and betrayals cut deep as everything he’s built starts to crack. In Endpoint, time runs out and victory demands a cost no one is ready to pay. In The Afterworlds, the fight isn’t over. With the future still uncertain, Craze must face what remains of his past and decide what kind of world can be rebuilt from the ashes.

This is the conclusion of the Backworlds saga where sacrifice, courage, and survival collide on a galactic scale.

Thank you for reading, supporting, and being part of this journey. 💫

Happy Release Day, Backworlds Box Collection Books 7, 8, and 9! Read More »

Book Review: Oona Out of Order by Margarita Montimore

Book Review, Science Fiction Books / /

 

This one has whimsy and ambition

 

Oona Out of Order book review

Oona Out of Order by Margarita Montimore has a clever and ambitious premise, and the writing is engaging. The idea of living your life out of chronological order is inventive, and the intersecting storylines at the end are satisfying. The book has a quirky, whimsical feel, and if you enjoy women’s fiction with a twist, it delivers on that.

That said, the story didn’t fully work for me. I struggled with the logic. How can Oona leave notes for herself in years she hasn’t lived, and why is her 19-year-old mind in a 50-year-old body? More than that, I never really understood what Oona wanted or what the story was trying to be. At first, it felt like random, disconnected snapshots of different lives, and some sections dragged or felt a bit boring.

Plus, my library had it under sci-fi. The time traveling is the only sci-fi bit about it.

I do admire and respect Montimore’s skill as a writer. The premise is ambitious, and she pulls off some clever narrative techniques and emotional moments. There’s nothing inherently wrong with the novel. It packs some emotional payoff at the end, but it just wasn’t my jam. It might be yours.

 

 

 

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How a Rifter Mission Works

World Building Spotlight / /

 

Worldbuilding from the Rifters Universe…

Rifters in front of the rift

The Rifter season runs from the summer solstice to the fall equinox. During this time, the rift opens only at night, and only in one place: between two obsidian pillars deep in the forest. That means there is always a watch.

Every night of the season, a pair of Rifters is assigned to guard the rift. These assignments are made by the current Rifter leader, who also serves as the Envoy between Earth and the Governors, the entities that control the rift on the other side.

Most nights are quiet. But not all.

The rift does not connect to just one place. It links Earth to forty-one other universes. Anything from those places can sometimes slip through.

Detection

Some visitors are easy to see with human senses. Others are not.

Rifters use specialized equipment to detect what normal senses miss, including optilyzers, enhanced vision goggles, and enerlyzers, which detect abnormal energy signatures around the rift.

Containment

When something crosses through, the goal is not always destruction. Whenever possible, Rifters attempt to contain the entity and send it back through the rift. Not everything cooperates. In more dangerous cases, neutralization is required. Rifters carry neutrolyzers, which can stun or, if necessary, eliminate a threat. A neutrolyzer is no guarantee, howeer.

Sometimes situations escalate beyond a single watch pair, and additional Rifters are called in. All Rifters are effectively on call throughout the season.

What Makes a Rifter

Rifters are augmented. Tattoos along their wrists enhance strength, speed, stamina, and healing, allowing them to survive encounters that would otherwise overwhelm. Technology and augmentation only go so far.

The most important skill a Rifter has is adaptability. Every breach is different. Every visitor behaves differently. Improvisation is often what decides whether a situation is contained or becomes a crisis.

Routine and Failure States

Most nights during rift season are uneventful. Routine watches are cold, long, and quiet. The rift does not open. Nothing crosses. The pair stands guard until relief arrives, then returns home. That is the best outcome.

A bad night begins when the rift opens and something comes through.

If containment fails or response is too slow, a breach can reach the nearby town of Settler, Oregon, before the Rifters are able to stop it. At that point, the situation escalates beyond a rift incident and becomes a full threat. Once dealt with, stories and explanations to those unaware or the rift must be inventive and plausible.

If a watch fails entirely, the consequences are worse.

How a Rifter Mission Works Read More »

Treading Water with the Rifters

Dimensions Report / /
Rifters: In the Editing Lobby…

M. Pax upcoming releases

🌌 Project One: Completing the Rifters Series

Status: Editing is underway on The Generals, Rifters Book 5. Still in the second edit, which is just as demanding as the first. A life disruption has slowed me down, but this is still in progress. Once this pass is complete, the remaining edits will move faster. After that, I’ll be repeating the process for The Warder, Rifters Book 6.

I’ll be releasing these new books through Kickstarter first. After the campaign ends, the books will be available at retailers, but there will be a 3–6 month delay. If you want early access, you can sign up for the Kickstarter pre-launch so you’re notified the moment it goes live. Signup to be notified the second it goes live! PRELAUNCH

  • The Generals (Rifters Book 5): First edit has started
  • The Warder (Rifters Book 6): First draft is done!
  • Kickstarter exclusive story, The Legacy, outlined.

🚀 Project Two: Completed the Space Squad 51 Series

Status: KS completed. Regular launch at retailers: completed 

  • Spaceberg: The new version is out in the universe.  Get it HERE
  • Space Trash: Completed. Will release 3/10/2026. SPACE TRASH NOW OUT!
  • Space Hitched: Completed. This was a Kickstarter exclusive. Will be available as an add-on during future Kickstarter campaigns.
  • Space Weed: Completed. Will release 5/12/2026. NOW OUT!
  • Space Worms: Completed. Will release 1/13/2026. NOW OUT!
  • Space Rock: Completed. Will be available to newsletter members by February 2026. SIGN UP

🌟 Project Three: New!! Ravenwind

Status: Outlining in progress!

This is an unexpected new series based on my love of The Witcher, Legends & Lattes, The Khthonia LitRPG series (so good!) by Christine Rains, T. Kingfisher, Lois MacMaster Bujold, Murderbot, and Morrowind, which I maybe did play at least 100 times.

Currently, I’m getting to know my main cast better. There are more details about this brewing series on Discord. If you want to come hang out, you can also help shape cover design and other story decisions. Come join me at Paxport!

🌙 Project Four: Hetty Locklear Series Now The Hybrids Series

Status: In the line up after the Ravenwind series is complete

I’ll be giving The Renaissance of Hetty Locklear a partial rewrite, new title, and a new cover, but it will be the same content. Currently, I unpublished the first book until I get the rest of it written and ready to go. I have the new covers! Hate that I have to wait to show them off.  Have made more notes on what to do with the new stories. The titles will be: Cloaks, Powers, and Masks. Planned a permafree story with a working title of Invisible, an extra story for fans called Lairs, and a Kickstarter exclusive comic. Have rough ideas as to what each book will be about.

 

The final box set of the Backworlds series is on PREORDER as well. It will release 7/14/2025.

Keep your comm channels open for more updates. If you haven’t joined the M. Pax Dimension yet, come join me! MPAX DIMENSION

Stay tuned and peace out,
M. Pax

 

 

 

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A Holiday in July: M. Pax Dimension Event Sale!

Not of this Earth Bookshop, Sale, Science Fiction Books / /

 

Enter the Portal!

MPax Event July 2026

 

A Holiday in July has arrived, and the portal to the M. Pax Dimension is open! Shop my exclusive book shop, The Not of This Earth Bookshop and stock up on deals!

For a limited time, step into worlds of space opera, steampunk adventure, magical realism, and strange discoveries with exclusive store-only deals.

✨ Grab a FREE magical realism story bundle USE COUPON CODE PT08FANB4I
✨ Save 30% on complete series bundles and boxed sets USE COUPON CODE JGPZ4LIE21

✨ Get 50% off select continuation books USE COUPON CODE Y4Q0ZKIK73

✨ ALWAYS FREE

Whether you’re new to my worlds or ready to complete your collection, now’s the perfect time to explore.

The portal won’t stay open forever. Step through while the Dimension is active!

 

 

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