Science Fiction Books Archives

Squad 51’s First Mission Lands This Week: Space Worms

Okay, space fans, buckle up. Squad 51 is heading your way, and things are about to get… wormy.

Nikili Echols thought life on the docks was boring. Enter: Red Dorry freighter. Missing crew. Blood. Screams. Monstrous livestock. And, of course, Squad 51 shows up to help (sort of).

Space Worms is the very first Squad 51 adventure, and it’s packed with:

Black-light chaos
Boy band beats (yes, really)
Space creatures you’ll probably regret meeting

Preorder now for your front-row seat to the galaxy’s most ridiculous rescue team. Humor, thrills, and chaos guaranteed.

Launch Date: January 13, 2026. Don’t miss it! Your future self will thank you.

GET SPACE WORMS

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Book Review: Finder by Suzanne Palmer

Science Fiction Worth Reading

What a fantastic read! Finder immediately pulled me in with its unique setting. Instead of a planet or a traditional spaceship, much of the story unfolds at Cernee, a settlement of habs strung together by cable. Each hab has its own distinct personality, making it fun to explore as the characters move between them.

The main character, Fergus Ferguson, is a former thief who now makes a living finding things for others. His latest mission? Retrieve a stolen spaceship from Cernee. But the thief isn’t just any small-time crook — he’s dangerous, ambitious, and has delusions of grandeur that threaten everyone around him.

What I loved most was how gritty and raw the story felt. It gave me strong Firefly vibes — wild action, lovable misfits, humor, and a setting that feels lived-in and rough around the edges. Add in some mysterious (and seriously creepy) aliens, unpredictable twists, and a cast of memorable characters, and this book had me hooked from start to finish.

I enjoyed Finder so much that I didn’t hesitate — I already have book two queued up on my Kindle. If you’re a fan of space adventure with heart, grit, and a dash of chaos, this is a series to dive into.

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2026 Brings 4 New Releases! Happy New Year Sci-fi Lovers!

Science Fiction Books / M Pax / January 1, 2026

Here’s the scoop on what I’ve been up to!

🚀 Project One: Completing the Space Squad 51 Series

Status: KS completed. Regular launch at retailers

Spaceberg: The new version is out in the universe. Get it HERE
Space Trash: Completed. Will release 3/10/2026. PREORDER
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. PREORDER
Space Worms: Completed. Will release 1/13/2026. PREORDER
Space Rock: In final edits. Will be available to newsletter members by February 2026. SIGN UP

🌟 Project Two: Shroomtopia

Status: Steady as she goes!

Writing the rough draft live on Discord. A new episode is uploaded every month. Come join me at Paxport!

🌌 Project Three: Completing the Rifters Series

Status: Charting new dimensions! The Rifters series has new covers! I’m currently rereading the series to refresh my memory before starting on The Generals. The plan for these new books is to launch via a party on Kickstarter in the fall of 2026.

I’m still rereading the Rifters series and while I’m doing that, I’m getting the Kickstarter campaign ready to get it in prelaunch. I’m also working on formatting the older books for the special editions – new chapter headers, changing chapter numbers to chapter titles, and creating bonus extras to make the books extra special.

A lot goes on behind the scenes that’s hard to report as tangible progress. But I am making progress.

The Generals (Rifters Book 5): At 50% plotted, this novel is laying the foundation for epic twists and turns. My target is 70-80,000 words, and it’s going to be worth the wait!
The Warder (Rifters Book 6): The final installment is 50% plotted My aim? Another 70-80,000 words of world-saving, dimension-bending awesomeness.
Kickstarter exclusive stories planned.

🌙 Project Four: Hetty Locklear Series Now The Hybrids Series

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

I’ll be giving The Renaissance of Hetty Locklear a new title and a new cover, but it will be the same content. 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.

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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Science Fiction Worth Reading: Exile at the Well of Souls by Jack L. Chalker Book Review

Book Review, Science Fiction Books / M Pax / December 29, 2025

Jack L. Chalker’s wild imagination keeps Well World spinning in book two.

I just finished reading Exile at the Well of Souls, the second book in Jack L. Chalker’s Well World series, and it was another brilliantly imaginative adventure. While a few characters from the first book—Vardia and Ortega —make appearances, this story isn’t a continuation of book one. There’s a mention of Nathan Brazil, but the plot centers on Mavra Chang, who’s hired to put a damper on Antor Trelig’s plans. Their actions lead them to Well World where a war breaks out because of their arrival.

As with Midnight at the Well of Souls, the writing is engaging, the pacing is excellent, and the world-building is incredible. Chalker’s imagination is on full display, and the characters are fascinating, each with their own quirks and depth.

That said, I have to admit that the reasoning behind the war didn’t fully click for me. The logic and motivation were thin and could have used more development. But honestly, it’s a minor flaw in a story that is otherwise so entertaining and inventive that it’s easy to forgive.

I’m eager to see what happens next, especially with Mavra Chang and the Zinders. So I’ll be hunting down book three soon. Chalker’s Well World is a delight to explore, and I’m thrilled to continue the journey.

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Book Review: Take a Look at the Five and Dime by Connie Willis

Book Review, Science Fiction Books / M Pax / December 19, 2025

Connie Willis delivers a charming, cozy holiday story with Take a Look at the Five and Dime. Technically, it’s a light sci-fi tale where the flashbulb memory experiment adds a subtle speculative twist. But the real heart of the story is in the characters and their relationships.

Grandma Elving steals the show with her obsessive retelling of a Christmas she spent working at Woolworths. Her family finds it exasperating, but Lassiter, the new boyfriend of Ori’s kind-of-maybe-step-sister, suspects there’s more beneath the surface, perhaps a hidden trauma linked to the memory. This thread of mystery, combined with family quirks and a touch of romance, makes the story warm, funny, and endearingly relatable.

I especially enjoyed how Willis captures the small tensions, joys, and eccentricities of a big family during the holidays. The pacing is gentle, the tone light, and the story is the perfect length to read in one cozy sitting. While the sci-fi is minimal, it doesn’t feel out of place; it just adds a little extra flavor to an otherwise human-centered, festive story.

Take a Look at the Five and Dime is an ideal holiday read if you want something heartwarming, charming, and lightly mysterious. It’s the kind of story that makes you smile at family antics while appreciating the small threads that hold people together, and it’s perfect with a cup of cocoa by the fire.

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Space Worms, the First in the Space Squad 51 Series Now on Preorder!

New Release, Science Fiction Books / M Pax / December 12, 2025

Coming 1/13/2026. Now on preorder!

An Extra Space Squad 51 Adventure!

The galaxy just got ridiculous. Squad 51 is on the job.

Nikili Echols works the docks, living a quiet, predictable life until the freighter Red Dorry is late. When the ship opens, the crew is gone. Orbital Rescue Services Squad 51 arrives, assuring Nikili everything will be all right. But when they go in, screams and roars erupt from inside, and a smear of blood is left at the hatch.

Nikili knows the team and crew need help before more ORS teams can arrive. Stepping into the unknown, she faces a threat she never imagined involving black lights, boy band beats, and monstrous livestock.

Meeting Squad 51 ignites a spark in Nikili: the hope that one day, she can be like them.

Space Worms is a thrilling, humorous space opera adventure about courage, discovery, and embracing a future you never thought possible.

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