M. Pax's Blog

 

Sci-Fi Worth Reading!

Natasha Pulley is one of my favorite authors, so I was thrilled to see her take her distinctive storytelling into space. The Mars House is classic Pulley. It is richly layered, quietly emotional, and deeply human, but is set on Mars.

The novel centers on the relationship between January Stirling and Aubrey Gale, two men whose connection unfolds in a way that often feels like a romance, particularly in how they think of and reflect on each other. That emotional focus gives the story a softness, even as it moves through political tension, class divides, and cultural upheaval.

This is a quieter kind of sci-fi, more introspective than action-driven, but the worldbuilding is textured and immersive. Pulley has a way of crafting societies and characters that feel lived-in, and the plot, while subtle, still delivers unexpected turns. Her writing remains thoroughly engaging, pulling me deeper into her characters’ lives with every page.

If you’re looking for thought-provoking speculative fiction with heart, nuance, and a unique voice, The Mars House delivers. It’s elegant, enjoyable, and full of the quiet intensity Pulley fans have come to love.

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Worldbuilding from the Space Squad 51 Universe…

CHOPs, the Council of Human Occupied Planets, is the governing body of the entire Sol system. It is made up of representatives from every planet and colony. Some are elected, some appointed. That depends on the local governance of each colony.

The main headquarters is located on Ganymede, which often ruffles moods in the Outer Sol due to its conspicuous location in the Inner Sol. To ease this tension, CHOPs has established a secondary headquarters on Charon, ensuring a balance between the Inner and Outer Sol territories.

CHOPs’ responsibilities are wide-ranging and essential for the stability of human civilization across the solar system. They oversee trade, resource distribution, and disputes between colonies, while promoting scientific research and innovation. The council ensures colonies thrive, sets guidelines for organizations like Orbital Rescue Services (ORS) and the Disaster Aversion Team (DAT).

It also handles law, trials, and sentencing. With a goal of rehabilitation over punishment, CHOPs maintains a small network of prisons while often turning a blind eye to smuggling and the less aggressive ventures of Space Barons. Patrolling and dealing with space pirates is  left to the Outer Sol unless they threaten Inner Sol territories.

CHOPs also governs Earth’s recovery, approving which citizens may return and ensuring they provide essential services to maintain or improve the planet’s state. Beyond Earth, CHOPs supports dome and shield infrastructure on the colonies, offering a sense of stability and long-term sustainability to all human-occupied worlds.

From legal oversight to scientific advancement, CHOPs is the backbone of human society in the Sol system—an intricate organization that came into existence shortly after the colonies overthrew the corporations. It continues to keep a sprawling interplanetary civilization running.

The post Worldbuilding Spotlight: CHOPs, Governing the Sol appeared first on M. Pax.

 

Time to Party!

The wait is over. Today, the full Space Squad 51 series is live on Kickstarter, and it’s bigger, funnier, and more chaotic than ever.

All four adventures are ready for you:

Spaceberg: Kick off the Space Squad 51 journey with the crew’s first absurd adventure in space. Organic plastic just might save the Sol.Space Trash: Green balls are at it again. This time they bring about a different alien disaster that jumps the shark.Space Hitched: Nikili Echols must fix a shattered wedding on live TV and prove her love before the credits roll.Space Weed: Humanity launches the Earhart, the first ship to leave the solar system. No one expected to find what they did.

Why you don’t want to miss this:

Digitally signed ebooks with bonus content at the end of each chapter.Full-color print editions exclusive to the Kickstarter.Original artwork, maps, and extras that won’t be available anywhere else.A truly limited release—once these collector’s editions are gone, they’re gone.

The Squad 51 universe is ready for you. Jump in today, claim your collector’s editions, and be part of the launch excitement!

Party favors will be sent out to backers every Friday. Don’t miss out!

SQUAD 51 LAUNCHES!

 

 

 

 

The post Space Squad 51 Enters the Galaxy! appeared first on M. Pax.

 

Section 31 is a fun romp through the grittier side of Star Trek, led by the always-splendid Michelle Yeoh. I enjoy seeing a rougher edge to the usually polished Trek universe, and this movie scratches that itch.

There’s an interesting team of misfits working together to stop a dangerous weapon, which gave it a Guardians of the Galaxy vibe—minus the edgy soundtrack. The opening offered some insight into Georgiou’s character, but the plot missed the mark with the arc involving San, the boy from her past. After all the damage she inflicted, his burning hatred felt right. His change of heart later on seemed far too fast and not quite earned. I also would have liked more about why Georgiou started to change in the mirror universe. I know she changed some upon encountering Discovery, but I still think more insight into Georgiou is needed for this change.

While there’s a lot to like about the plot and the twist on the usual Trek story, the movie still ultimately fell back into familiar territory: once again, the fate of the galaxy was at stake. I wish they’d raise different stakes now and then instead of always going so big.

Spoilers Ahead!
If you don’t want spoilers, stop reading now.

First, the arc with San: the beginning showed Georgiou as cold-hearted and ruthless, and San’s hate rang true. His sudden turnaround and rekindled love with her felt forced and unearned.

Second, the Hunger Games-style contest among children? It felt too familiar, like borrowed territory rather than a fresh idea. I honestly expected young Georgiou to laugh it off as a tall tale she’d heard. It didn’t quite fit.

The mole intrigue was fun, but the plot kept distracting itself . I rolled with it because, in my opinion, a movie’s first job is to be fun—but still, when they somehow survived after the explosion and came back into focus… I definitely rolled my eyes.

As for the ending: while sappy and hokey, it was fine. But after such an edgy beginning, I wished the tone had matched better from start to finish. I think Georgiou sacrificing herself for one universe—or finding a way to repair the mirror universe—would have made for a stronger, more satisfying redemption arc.

Still, if you want a gritty, action-filled Star Trek adventure with plenty of Michelle Yeoh badassery, Section 31 delivers. I’d say one beer is enough to have fun with this one.

The post Sci-Fi Worth Watching: Star Trek’s Section 31 Movie review appeared first on M. Pax.

 

The countdown is in full swing. Space Squad 51, my humorous sci-fi series, launches on September 30!

Everybody could use a laugh, right? The official Space Squad 51 trailer is live! Expect fireballs, ridiculous rescues, and all the space opera chaos you could want. If you love funny sci-fi books with disasters, heroes, and plenty of mayhem, you won’t want to miss this.

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The squad is gearing up for interstellar disasters and over-the-top rescues—perfect for fans of sci-fi comedy and space adventure with a twist.

LAUNCH

The post The Space Squad 51 Trailer Has Landed! appeared first on M. Pax.

 

A story from the Space Squad 51 Universe…

 

On a rickety bunk inside a dimly lit room, Roedet Baneer took a deep breath before daring to meet her reflection in the polished bit of wall serving as a mirror. Her prosthetic hand moved in jerky motions over her scarred head, scarred so badly, she only had a few scraggly tufts of hair. Her dark eyes pooled with an abyss of sorrow. The rebellion had changed nothing.

“What was this for? We still starve, we still fight to breathe, we still live in barely habitable colonies.” Her thick lips quirked into a frown. “We can’t give up. I can’t give up. Happiness is a decision.” She sat up straighter, and with her flesh hand to steady her mechanical one, she placed the soft wig over the deep scars made by fire, fearlessness, and sacrifice.

Before donning the soft blue tunic and pants, she made adjustments to her prosthetic arm and leg. If she didn’t reset them at least five times a day, they would spaz out at inappropriate times and start moving of their own accord. It was embarrassing when she started jumping across a room or waving madly without any control, but she wouldn’t take an upgrade. None of the other veterans would be getting upgrades. She wanted them to see it was possible to go on, to be happy and productive, to keep forging a better life.

She checked the electronic crutch that helped her keep her balance. The battery was full but only lasted two hours. Carefully, she rolled up the charging cord and stuck it in her pack. Her tunic and pants were a dull shade of blue that blended in with the dingy scenery, but she placed her tongue on the roof of her mouth, forcing a smile into her dark eyes. The jaunty scarf was a cheerful blue, and she wound it around her neck, altering her sad outfit into something more joyful. She opened her hinged boots and snapped them on. Her hours of buffing didn’t take out the scuffs or their extremely worn state. These boots had taken her from grunt to fighter to leader, and she would take her remaining steps in this life in them with pride.

She attached her pack to a belt around her waist, picked up her crutch, and staggered onto her feet. “Let’s do this, Roedet. The worlds are counting on you.” She nodded firmly at her reflection and left the room.

The rebels on Io had given her their best accommodation, and she felt guilty about it. She didn’t deserve better than anyone else in the colonies. Everyone toiled relentlessly, and everyone had fought tirelessly. Finding it hard to meet the eye of those she passed, she knew she had to get over these feelings. Acknowledging her emotions would help her navigate the rough times humanity faced, but she couldn’t dwell in them. Citizens needed faith competent people had taken charge and would take care of them.

“Some sad, guilt-ridden, damaged woman isn’t what anyone wants at the helm,” she mumbled as she struggled down the stairs and out onto the streets. No matter the state of the colonies, most people wore big smiles and proudly sported bright blue scarves, tasting victory, feeling the rush of freedom for the first time. The mood was infectious, and Roedet was thankful for it, thankful for them.

At the edge of the dome, she easily found the observatory where Thijin Ocklan had sent out those first messages of hope decades ago. Thijin hadn’t lived to see her dreams come to fruition, but she wouldn’t be forgotten. Roedet tugged at her blue scarf in a silent promise.

Inside the old observatory, tables had been pushed together into one large table with chairs set around it. Representatives from major and minor colonies filled the room: Venus, Ganymede, Europa, Callisto, Titan, Rhea, Dionne, Ceres, Miranda, Tethys, Iapetus, Mimas, Enceladus, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania, Oberon, Triton, Vesta, Pallas, and Haumea representing colonies farther out than Neptune. Roedet was here on behalf of Mars. She took an empty seat and nodded at her fellow rebels. She wasn’t the only one deeply scarred and mangled. Worse, she knew her body and theirs were the least of the Sol’s problems.

After the seats filled, the room fell quiet. The representative from Venus cleared his throat. “How do we want to start?” Dahl asked in a hushed tone, his words falling with as little confidence as Roedet felt.

“We’re in the huckamucka deep,” Helie from Io responded. Her voice boomed with more fire. She inspired Roedet to speak up.

“Getting rid of the corporate rule was step one, now the hard work starts,” she said. “We inherited all of the problems they managed and worse. Half of the colony on Mars is no longer habitable.”

“We’re running out of power on Rhea,” another said.

“There’s a virus we can’t contain on Miranda.”

“To survive the beyond the year, we need to generate power and gather resources,” Dahl stated.

“Obviously,” Roedet replied. “Without ordering everyone back to work, how do we do that?” The twenty-two of them stared at each other, then ducked their heads.

“We have to become more like them,” Helie whispered. “The corporate assholes we hated and marched out of our domes.”

“We’re hypocrites,” Roedet said in a deadened tone. The shiver of realization shook her sense of righteousness. “To get the colonies in order so that we can have better lives in the future, we have to carry on as we were. I hate this answer.”

“Me, too.” Dahl shook his head in disgust.

“Maybe we can manage the Sol in a kinder and gentler way,” Roedet offered.

“What?” Helie inquired, her eyes narrowing.

“Rule the colonies.”

“We didn’t fight to become our enemies.” Dahl smacked the top of the table.

“Everyone sacrificed,” Roedet replied softly, her arm skipping across the table. Rolling up her sleeve, she programmed in a reset. “We sacrifice our dream short term in order to realize it in the long term. There is no winning if the colonies can’t survive.”

“We can manage the Sol with more heart,” Helie suggested.

“Of course we can.” Roedet couldn’t live with a different outcome.

“Unless someone wants to appoint a different representative,” Helie said,” I recommend this group become the ruling body of the Sol.”

“Us? Appoint ourselves?” Roedet raised a brow as much as she could and rubbed at the sudden knot of pain. Her face didn’t move as freely anymore, and she often forgot.

“There should be elections.” Dahl toyed with a scratch on the table, then looked up. “There has to be fairness.”

“Each colony should elect a governor and a council,” Roedet agreed. “I think this body should be by appointment. At least, for now.”

“This body, smody,” Dahl sneered. “I hate this.”

“I feel no better about it.”

“What do we call ourselves?” Helie asked. “Council of…, of what?”

“Human occupied planets,” the representative from Miranda offered. “CHOPs for short.”

Roedet shrugged, which made her shoulder with the missing arm ache. “I’m okay with that, and let’s make the appointments to the council for a limited time. Elections after.”

“I can handle that compromise,” Dahl agreed. “We have to get the colonies viable, which means we need the workers back at their jobs as soon as possible.”

Roedet winced but nodded in agreement. “We can manage the work in a more humane way.”

“Each colony should decide how to handle their population,” the representative from Tethys said.

“With certain basic rules,” Roedet cautioned. “Otherwise, this revolution has no meaning, no purpose. It has to mean something.” She glanced down at her missing limbs, then around the table at the other representatives. “I won’t accept less.”

“I’m with you,” Dahl said. “What do you propose?”

“Free time, kinder hours, and the workers share in the profits and rewards of the work. Sick time. Just being more human. Those were things I fought for. What did you want when you joined the fight?”

Answers rang out from around the table. “Regular food.” “Health care.” “The time to spend with my sick child.” “To avoid the heartbreak of seeing my child go off to the mines.” “The freedom to chose my purpose.” “Enough air to breathe.” “Food without bugs.”

The wants had been basic. “We can at least offer those things, can’t we?” Roedet asked the council. “If the workers feel more invested in the work, we won’t have to force people to pitch in.”

“No one tells you about this side of revolution,” Dahl frowned.

No one had. Roedet shifted in her chair to get more comfortable, glancing out the window at the marvels of Jupiter. Winning was more disappointing than she had anticipated. The Sol would have to dig deeper to make sure the dreams of the rebellion never lay fallow.

 

 

 

The post The First Council appeared first on M. Pax.

 

Sci-Fi Worth Reading!

My husband gifted me this book for Valentine’s Day, saying my stories always remind him of Chalker. So he made sure I read some Chalker.

This story is a wild ride from start to finish. Imaginative, creative, and well put together, Well of Souls is interesting, fun, and a page-turner. The stuff Chalker comes up with sometimes is mind-blowing. It’s also well plotted and had me emotionally invested in many of the characters.

I don’t think there was such a thing as a boring scene or chapter in this novel. There were twists and turns everywhere. Definitely my kind of story.

I liked this book so much, I ordered book 2 in the series. And a signed copy! I’m excited.

Plus, I find myself thinking of Chalker when writing. If a scene is boring or too predictable, I pause and wonder, What would Jack L. Chalker do?

If you don’t like the same old, run-of-the-mill story, read Chalker.

The post Midnight at the Well of Souls by Jack L. Chalker appeared first on M. Pax.

The Countdown is on! Only 14 days until launch!

Launch is so close, and I have something truly special for you.

Space Hitched (Squad 51, Book 2.5) is a limited release available only through my Kickstarter campaign.

Here’s what makes it special:

Digitally signed ebook with bonus content at the end of every chapter.

Full-color print editions exclusive to Kickstarter, packed with extras and featuring an original solar system map created by an artist.

A true collector’s edition—once they’re gone, they’re gone.

What’s it about?

Nikili Echols broke everything—her wedding, her family, her friendships—and now she has to fix it.

To win it all back, she must:

Survive a humiliating game show on live TV.

Follow the outrageous wisdom of Rhea’s most glamorous queens.

Face last-minute wedding chaos and her own broken heart.

This isn’t a cosmic disaster. It’s personal. And Nikili has to put it all on the line before the credits roll.

Exclusive. Limited. Collector’s edition. That’s Space Hitched.

The Kickstarter launches September 30th—don’t miss your chance to grab this one-of-a-kind release.

SPACE HITCHED

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If you’re a fan of heartwarming, short films with a sprinkle of sci-fi, Ro and the Stardust is a must-watch. The film, set on a distant planet in the future, follows Ro as she helps her terminally ill grandmother build a rocket in a scrap yard. Her grandmother’s dream? To launch into space and die among the stardust—her final wish before passing.

The story is simple, yet deeply touching. It’s a beautiful exploration of family, dreams, and the emotional bond between Ro and her grandmother. Though it’s a short film, it’s the kind of story that sticks with you long after the credits roll. There’s something about the gentle, yet profound narrative that makes it hard not to fall in love with the characters.

The aesthetic, which immediately reminded me of Bagdad Cafe—one of my all-time favorites—adds to the charm of the film. It has that unique, quiet energy.

If you’re looking for a quick, emotional ride that leaves you with a warm feeling, Ro and the Stardust is definitely worth your time. It’s short enough that you won’t have time to get bored but impactful enough to make you reflect on the beauty of life and letting go. Highly recommended for anyone who appreciates a sweet, emotional tale with a dash of futuristic charm.

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Worldbuilding from the Space Squad 51 Universe…

After the chaos of Spaceberg, Nikili Echols was offered a promotion within the Orbital Rescue Services (ORS). Instead of climbing the ranks, she chose a different path—devoting herself to preventing another disaster of that scale from ever happening again. Her reward was the privilege of naming and shaping a brand-new organization: the Disaster Aversion Team (DAT).

ORS vs. DAT

The ORS operates much like traditional firehouses—localized, community-based, and only loosely connected. While they can coordinate across districts, communication isn’t instantaneous and usually only happens in extreme emergencies.

By contrast, DAT is designed to keep an eye on the solar system as a whole. Its purpose is to anticipate trouble before it strikes and reallocate resources where they’re needed most. If ORS is about immediate response, DAT is about foresight and prevention.

Structure & Style

DAT borrows heavily from ORS, keeping the familiar hierarchy of chief, captain, lieutenant, responders, and cadets. The ships are the same iconic design—patterned after a Huey helicopter and painted in vivid red for instant recognition. The uniforms echo those of ORS as well. These similarities exist because Nikili never stopped loving ORS; she wanted DAT to honor its roots while broadening its reach.

A Strategic Base on Rhea

Nikili chose to base DAT on Rhea, one of Saturn’s moons. From this vantage point, DAT can reach both the Inner and Outer Sol efficiently. Rhea also houses the top university in the solar system, giving DAT direct access to cutting-edge research and some of the brightest minds humanity has to offer.

The Sinclair Storm & Growing Pains

DAT is still young, and its systems are untested. With the looming threat of the Sinclair Storm, the team is scrambling to deploy GravoNets—experimental technology designed to shield colonies from catastrophic harm. Whether the nets will be ready in time is still uncertain.

For now, DAT is in its infancy, but Nikili dreams big. Her vision is clear: a system-wide safety net ensuring that every citizen of Sol can live without fear of another Spaceberg.

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