Science Fiction Books

Reviews and sales of science fiction books and series.

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

Book Review, Science Fiction Books / /

 

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

book review Exiles at the Well of Souls

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 / /

 

 

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.

Connie Willis Take a Look at the five and Dime

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 / /

 

 

sCIENCE FICTION SERIES SPACE SQUAD 51 SPACE WORMS FREE BOOK

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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Massive Year-End Ebook Sale!

Sale, Science Fiction Books / /

 

The Smashwords Year-End Sale is here again, and that means it’s time to fill your e-readers! Nearly my entire catalog is discounted — sci-fi, space adventure, steampunk, humor, cosmic disasters, and more. If you’ve been wanting to catch up on the Backworlds, dip into Squad 51, or start a new series like The Rifters, this is the perfect chance.

End of Year Smashwords Sale

What’s on sale:

The Backworlds Series
  • The Backworlds – FREE – BUY
  • Stopover at the Backworlds’ Edge – 50% OFF – BUY
  • Boomtown Craze – 50% OFF – BUY
  • Beyond the Edge – 50% OFF – BUY
  • Worlds on Edge – 50% OFF – BUY
  • Precipice – 50% OFF – BUY
  • FreeFall – 25% OFF – BUY
  • Endpoint – 25% OFF – BUY
  • Box Collection Books 1, 2, and 3 – ON SALE – BUY
  • Box Collection Books 4, 5, and 6 – ON SALE – BUY
  • Box Collection Books 7, 8, 9 -PREORDER ON SALE- BUY
The Rifter Series
  • The Rifters – FREE – BUY
  • The Initiate – 50% OFF – BUY
  • The Reader – 50% OFF – BUY
  • Box Collection Books 1, 2, and 3 – ON SALE – BUY
Space Squad 51 Series
  • Spaceberg – 50% OFF – BUY
  • Space Trash – ON PREORDER – BUY
  • Space Weed – ON PREORDER – BUY
Other Novels and Stories
  • The Renaissance of Hetty Locklear – 50% OFF – BUY
  • Small Graces – FREE – BUY

Sale Dates: December 8 – January 1

Browse the sale, grab the books you’ve been meaning to read, or gift them to a friend who could use a fun escape into strange worlds. Thank you for your support this year. It means everything!

HERE’S WHERE YOU’LL FIND ALL OF MY BOOK ON SMASHWORDS

MPAX BOOKS

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December Box Set Sale: Backworlds & Rifters

Sale, Science Fiction Books / /

 

December Box Set Sale: Backworlds & Rifters

The holiday season is here, and I’m celebrating with special box set pricing for the Backworlds and Rifters series. Whether you’re a longtime reader or looking to dive into a new universe, these collections make it easy and affordable to get started.

Backworlds Box Sets

best-selling science fiction seriesBox Collection Books 1–3: $ 4.99 $0.99 
Includes:

  • The Backworlds (free to read individually too!)
  • Stopover at the Backworlds’ Edge
  • Boomtown Craze

Grab this set here: Books 1, 2, 3

*

best-selling science fiction seriesBox Collection Books 4–6: $8.99 $4.99
Includes:

  • Beyond the Edge
  • Worlds on Edge
  • Precipice

Buy directly from my store and use the coupon to get $1 off: Direct
Or: Books 4, 5, 6

Rifters Box Set

popular steampunk sereiesBooks 1–3: $4.99 $0.99
Includes:

  • The Rifters
  • The Initiate
  • The Reader

Grab it here: Rifters 1-3

*

These sets are perfect for binge-reading or gifting to a friend who loves sci-fi and adventure. They’re an affordable way to escape with stories full of twists, exploration, and characters who will stick with you long after the last page.

Don’t miss your chance to grab these box sets at their lowest prices of the year. Start your adventure today. The Backworlds and Rifters are waiting!

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Incoming Galactic Report December 2026

Science Fiction Books / /
Here’s the scoop on what I’ve been up to!

M. Pax upcoming releases

🚀 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.

  • The Generals (Rifters Book 5): At 30% 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 30% plotted My aim? Another 70-80,000 words of world-saving, dimension-bending awesomeness.

🌙 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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