Jack Chaucer's Blog - Posts Tagged "new"
Whole Nikki series available this week to my blog followers and Goodreads friends
I want to show some holiday love to my Goodreads gang this week leading up to Christmas. Anyone who wants a free e-copy of Streaks of Blue, Nikki Blue and/or the unreleased Nikki White, just message me with your email address and preferred format. I'll be happy to send them your way!!!I'm trying to spread the word about this entire series leading up to the official March 24th release of "Nikki White: Polar Extremes" (Nikki #3), so I'd love for as many people to read and review these books as possible, make it their book(s) of the month, etc.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year,
Jack :)
BOOK RELEASE PARTY!!!
Sharks, 300-degree temperature swings and 180-degree story arcs. NIKKI WHITE: POLAR EXTREMES is out today!!! Read the first chapter (yes, the one with the sharks) in its entirety right now on my author blog ... https://queensarewild.wordpress.com
Special thanks to all my Goodreads friends and reviewers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
New children's book coming out in August
I had a lot of fun collaborating with my 6-year-old twin son and daughter on my latest book, "The Password Is Wishpers," which will be on NetGalley this summer and published in time for the 2017-18 school year. Color illustrations by the amazing Jeanine Henning of Cape Town, South Africa, really bring this story of classroom unity, imagination and treasuring childhood to life!https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
A children's book about school lockdowns? Unfortunate but true
I wrote my new children’s book, “The Password Is Wishpers,” because unfortunately in this world we live in, even our youngest school kids must participate in lockdown drills in case the next Adam Lanza shows up at our schools.It is not lost on me that my 6-year-old twins are now the same age as many of the victims at Sandy Hook. I literally consulted with my son and daughter on the lockdown procedure they have experienced while writing this book. “The Password Is Wishpers” puts a positive spin on that experience with a resourceful and imaginative teacher, who weaves a tale from the whispered wishes of her first-grade students.
The lesson is to protect and treasure childhood innocence, even in a situation as horrible as a school lockdown.
This transitional book for first- through fourth-graders is 34 pages and will be published in paperback on Aug. 4 ($12.99 on Amazon), well in time for school and children’s libraries to order for the 2017-18 school year.
Jeanine Henning of South Africa did the amazing cover art and interior illustrations. She handled every piece of art with incredible sensitivity to the book’s tricky subject matter for such young readers.
And what exactly is a wishper?
A wish made with a whisper = wishper
Check out this Goodreads link for the book blurb and more details:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
My new children's book is now available on NetGalley!
ARCs of my new children's book, THE PASSWORD IS WISHPERS, are now available on NetGalley! The book, featuring beautiful illustrations by fellow Goodreads author/artist Jeanine Henning of South Africa, officially comes out on August 4th!!https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
REVENGE SNEAK PREVIEW: PROLOGUE and CHAPTER 1: BLOOD BOIL
REVENGE TO THE TENNTH POWER (MAMMYTH #1)BY JACK CHAUCER
OFFICIAL RELEASE DATE: AUGUST TENNTH
PROLOGUE
The second time Antero ever laid eyes on Tenn, she appeared far too alone, young and beautiful to sing for the rag-tag regulars of a back-country shit cave like the Tomb of the Living.
For one thing, singing in public was banned for all low-born throughout the kingdom, even in the forgotten, guano-encrusted bowels of Mount Mammyth. King Ryzthar, and the monarchs who preceded him, understood well the power of song and its potential to plant the seeds of rebellion among the rabble.
Most performers here gripped an instrument, like Antero’s friend Zakk, who could unlock any sound he desired with his pilfering fingers and sawing bow thrusts across a fiddle.
Tenn, however, had nothing in her hands, which she balled into fists against the sides of her green-and-silver tunic. Her eyelids slammed shut even tighter, but for some reason, every wayward soul in the Tomb gazed at this tall, slender girl — whose long, brown hair cascaded into glowing whorls of gold in the torch light — with open anticipation and respectful silence.
Antero nearly laughed in disbelief into the void, but then her voice smacked him. It was too low and haunting; shockingly vulgar and treasonous.
“Fux the king …
I will never be queen
Because of what you did to her
And what you did to me
On the day I flowered
I had already been devoured
Heart, body and soul
I have boiled your depraved priests,
leaving them to rot, a feast for Strix,
but my anger remains unquenched
So I will scorch your royal corpse
With my blood-red rage
Until the whole realm is my stage”
Zakk, burly, blonde and bearded, quaffed some ale and flashed Antero a toothy smile as he watched his friend fall for her like a rock into a ravine.
So restrained was her voice in the first chorus that Antero’s jaw dropped for her second — the same exact words, unleashed with the fury of a thousand flaming arrows. Every one hit its mark and burned true.
Her final echo seemed to travel through time itself — “age” after “age” after “age” — rocking the cave with its power.
And when Tenn finally opened her eyes amid the flickering flames, the sea-green flash of allure and pain made Antero realize he had met her once before, much higher up on the mountain.
Somehow she had brought him back to consciousness, only to fear him when he woke; when he had foolishly laughed at her strange response to his simple question.
“All men are evil,” she concluded, before she ran away.
ONE YEAR EARLIER
CHAPTER 1 — BLOOD BOIL
The king had named her Marinde, but her mother preferred to call her Tenn, as in higher than The Nine immortals who overlooked the rugged wilderness of Mammyth, a mountainous kingdom dominated by a 14,000-foot summit that stretched out along eight rocky ridges like the tentacles of an octopus.
She was five years old the last time her mother called her Tenn. No one had used that name for her since.
She could recall that Brinsma was beautiful and sad, but the fine features of her face and the sound of her voice were as obscured to Tenn’s memory now as the cloud-shrouded peak that loomed over the temple.
Protected from the west winds of Aurai by a massive rock wall that seemed to disappear as it rose to meet the 10,000-foot plateau upon which King Ryzthar sat his throne, the Temple of the Seers of The Nine, at about 8,000 feet, had only protected Tenn from the elements. Not from the high cleric. Not from his eight priests and their acolytes. Not even from her own blood, which last night had betrayed her from the very place where they had murdered her innocence so many times before.
Nine years with the Seers of The Nine had been her punishment for being the daughter of a discarded queen. And now that she had flowered at age 14, it was time to die — a human sacrifice to The Nine: all-powerful Mammyth; the hermaphrodite god’s sons, Freyr (life) and Arus (death); Nera, wife of Freyr; Ione, barren wife of Arus; Agan, son of Freyr and Nera; Strix, the chameleon beast begot by the scandalous union of Arus and Nera; Aurai, the four winds; and Aron, scavenger of the dead.
The king had ordered the girl’s future sacrifice on the same wretched night Tenn’s mother met her fate, and now they would finally reunite in the underworld, ruled by Arus.
Eight priests, robed in black, all of whom had taken their turns with Tenn over the years, chanted their twisted prayers as they led the girl toward the stake. Two rings of red-robed acolytes surrounded the proceedings in the foreground while the high cleric, Volz Yth, remained high — staring down from his large, circular window in the temple’s ninth and highest spire. He had never touched her; only burned her with his eyes, leering endlessly and savoring every “purifying” encounter she was forced to endure with his underlings. He usually pleasured himself as well, sickening Tenn to the point where she had yearned for this moment — every second of every day. Death seemed to be her only hope, and now it was here, at twelve bells on a cloudy summer’s day.
Tenn had requested to be left unbound because she wanted to die. She would not run. She had even volunteered to light the pyre herself.
“Please, I beg you, hand me the torch as soon as your prayers are done,” she had told Volz Ein, the lead priest. He simply nodded, almost regretfully, like he would miss her.
“No doubt you will,” she whispered to herself when he had turned to lead the procession.
The three winds of Aurai left unblocked by the cliff above them swirled as the priests covered their heads with their black hoods and encircled Tenn from a safe distance. She was actually at the center of four circles — one ring of tinder and logs, one ring of priests and two rings of acolytes. The ancient order’s green-robed novices, deemed too young and unworthy to witness a human sacrifice to The Nine, remained cloistered inside the temple.
Tenn, wearing her usual dirty gray robe for the occasion, stumbled over some sticks, spun around and then backed up against the hard, thick wooden stake. As the metallic bells began their shrill gong from the temple’s eighth spire, she took a deep breath of thin alpine air and peered around at her executioners. When she exhaled, the winds seemed to still and Volz Ein approached. The torch, already lit by one of his underlings, quickly consumed Tenn’s vision once she gazed at the licking flames. Her heart suddenly raced as the priest passed her the torch and retreated to his circle.
The chanting had long stopped.
The heat of the torch singed her face.
The dry wood surrounding her seemed to hunger for her downward thrust.
The clang of the twelfth and final bell had expired.
“Any last words?”
The unmistakably nasal, mocking voice of her very first rapist, priest Volz Zin, seemed to echo off the rocks behind her. Tenn couldn’t see him, just like that first time, but she could feel where he was.
Tenn hissed. The taste of burnt bile filled her mouth as she slammed the torch into the tinder and shouted, “Tenn is higher than The Nine, you wretched, evil swine!”
Her hysterical shriek that followed drowned out the collective gasps of the eight who encircled her. She watched them lower their hoods, and then she stood firm against the stake in awe as the flames shockingly drew away from her feet, snaking across the dirt in eight sizzling spokes toward the alarmed priests. They each retreated a few steps and the flames died out at their bare feet.
The ensuing eerie silence, quickly knifed by screams of agony in every direction, jarred Tenn to tears. She had braced for a horrible and liberating death, but now she was very much alive and shivering uncontrollably, as she felt the heat leave her body instead of consuming it.
She dropped to one knee and continued to tremble, but she kept her head up enough to see the priests desperately clawing at their necks and ripping at their robes. When they all fell to the ground and writhed like overturned beetles, the two rings of acolytes behind them backed away, but Tenn could still see the terror in their eyes, even through the rippling heat waves.
She struggled to make sense of it all. Perhaps her blood had not betrayed her after all. And perhaps she had just boiled theirs, cooking their disgusting bodies from the inside out.
Though the stench of burning flesh nearly made her wretch, Tenn forced herself to stand up and think about the unthinkable: an opportunity to escape.
She looked back one last time and, no longer sensing the sting of his stare, her eyes flicked upward, to the ninth spire. The massive window was empty. The high cleric must be scrambling down the long, spiral stairs to get to her.
Tenn thought of her mother for one beautiful second, laughed out loud for the first time in her memory and then discovered what it was like to run as fast as she could.
How she’d descend a mountain that would soon drop off rapidly from the current plateau, she didn’t have a clue, but at least it wasn’t time to die yet.
Instead, it was time for this high-born girl to get as low and out of sight as Mammyth would allow.
MARS COLONY AGATHA: NIKKI RED officially lifts off today on Amazon, Kindle and other major online retailers!
T-minus 3-2-1 … BOOK LAUNCH LIFTOFF TODAY! On the heels of the first two-women spacewalk, Nikki Janicek and her crew blast off for Mars today in Elon Musk’s Starship in my new novel, MARS COLONY AGATHA: NIKKI RED.
“This novel is very well-written and fast-paced, taking the reader on an exceptionally exciting journey outside this world and to new beginnings. Highly recommended!” — 5-star review by Stephanie Haddad on Amazon/Goodreads. … “Mr. Chaucer writes a very well-researched space travel book with realistic dialogue. It is so well-written that at times it is hard to remember that it is a work of fiction.” — 4-star review by Susan Alpert on Amazon/Goodreads … “Thank you Jack for this amazing series and taking me along on Nikki's journey. It was an ‘out of this world’ experience!!!” — 5-star review by Christine Cheff on Amazon/Goodreads. … “Yet another amazing book by Jack!! I'm really not a big sci-fi buff, but Jack really stole me with the very first book of the series and has kept me wanting more with every book that he published. #teamnikki” — 5-star review by Natalie Limardo Wilburn on Amazon/Goodreads … “Mars Colony Agatha is a fascinating story about six astronauts who leave Earth to colonize Mars, knowing they will likely never return. I would love to be on a team like this and be one of the first people on a distant planet. Some great moments in this story force you to keep reading.” — 4-star review by Ed Malaker on Amazon/Goodreads …
Here’s the link to the Amazon/Kindle page so you can grab your paperback ($13.99) or e-book ($2.99) today!
https://www.amazon.com/Mars-Colony-Ag...
Though the book can easily be read as a standalone, it’s also the fourth and final book of the Nikki Janicek series. Based on reviews from readers who have experienced Nikki’s entire journey, the four-book set is the best way to go. The Amazon/Kindle links for the first three books are here:
STREAKS OF BLUE
https://www.amazon.com/Streaks-Blue-A...
NIKKI BLUE: SOURCE OF TROUBLE
https://www.amazon.com/Nikki-Blue-Sou...
NIKKI WHITE: POLAR EXTREMES
https://www.amazon.com/Nikki-White-Po...
CHECK OUT THESE AWESOME FULL REVIEWS FOR MARS COLONY AGATHA: NIKKI RED by Jack Chaucer, which is now available on Amazon paperback ($13.99), Kindle ($2.99) and other major online retailers:
“A futuristic, but a very realistic journey that I think one nowadays can identify with having just heard about the spacewalks that took place at the space station. This novel is very well written and fast paced, taking the reader on an exceptionally exciting journey outside this world and to new beginnings. Highly recommended!”
— 5-star review by Stephanie Haddad on Amazon and Goodreads
“The first half made me cry and the second half made me smile like a fool. The experience of being on Mars was different this time (and I felt it realer than Damien Chazelle's “First Man” lol). I loved the crew and their interactions. I liked the simple but powerful plot and all of the characters.”
— 4-star review by Lucy Rojas of Venezuela on Goodreads
“What a comfortable, believable, satisfying read this book was. Intelligent science fiction, yet not confusing or overwhelming, simply enjoyable. May be read as a standalone easily, but I would recommend reading the previous novels for maximum enjoyment. I know I'm going to. The author skillfully pulls you on deck with the crew. The other characters in the story are lively, Interesting and easy to care about. I hope Mr. Chaucer writes more in this series because he's so good with this universe. In this book, the story flowed and didn't feel forced. His characters were alive and unique; he allowed them simply to be, naturally, not forcing them to fit in a mold. I will be reading anything that has Jack Chaucer's name on it from now on.”
— 5-star review by Terry Price of Claremore, Oklahoma, on Amazon and Goodreads
“Nikki is a fierce, feminist role model, who in previous books saved her high school classmates from a school shooting and survived nearly freezing to death in Antarctica. Mr. Chaucer writes a very well researched space travel book with realistic dialogue. It is so well written that at times it is hard to remember that it is a work of fiction.”
— 4-star review by Susan Alpert of Vermont on Amazon and Goodreads
“I adored the story! Mars Colony Agatha, although belonging to a series, can be read alone and easily. The story started with a screw-up that could have gone really bad, but instead gave Nikki an adventure of a lifetime.
I loved the characters and going to Mars with them, “meeting” Elon Musk (I wish) and his connection to the team, and supporting the group in wanting to strike the stupid media with their “And then there were none.” It was a enjoyable read, with comic relief in the right measure, and while I don't read much sci-fi spacey novels, I loved this one.”
— 5-star review by Lia Oliveira of Mauritius, on Goodreads and NetGalley
“I had such a hard time gathering my thoughts about this final installment of this series because I knew it was the final book. I have been a huge, huge fan of this series since the first book and each one has gotten better and better. I believe I have stated before that I had thought this series was going in one direction after the first one and the storyline of a school shooting scenario, but it turned into so, so much more. It has been such a roller coaster watching Nikki overcome all that she has been through, it has been a highly emotional journey. Each book, I went from tears to laughing to fear to joy. From the school shooting plot to The Bridge fiasco, her training (which was brutal) to her failed takeoff to now her wildest dream coming true. All the characters along the way have added to her journey and each one was so pivotal in who she has become. While some were left back in earlier books, new ones only added to her journey. In this final book, Nikki is one takeoff away from her dream — landing on Mars. However, her takeoff does not go as planned and she finds herself back on Earth. Until she gets the most unbelievable phone call from, THE Elon Musk. Musk wants her to join his crew in putting her on Mars. Naturally, Nikki wastes no time in accepting and she is on her way. Her crew and her bond immediately and seamlessly and I loved watching them all turn into a family. Their trip from preparation to takeoff to landing and the heartache that follows had me at the edge of my seat. I needed Nikki to prevail. I needed to see her her dream come to fruition. I was not ready for yet another setback or disappointment!! So much happens from takeoff to the end of the book and all I will say is my tears flowed freely and frequently. I smiled until my face hurt and my heart was happy for Nikki. Getting to Mars was her dream of dreams, and getting there she endured more then one person can take, but she stood her ground and pushed on with her head held high. She matured in so many ways and became someone she could be proud of. Her life had purpose and she left no stone unturned. She made some enemies along the way and turned friends into family (including some enemies). She may have left behind Earth but found a whole new world on Mars. It was entrancing to see how life on Mars progressed over time and even more interesting seeing characters from past books popping back up … on Mars!!! The drama!!! I could not have been more attached to this series and I am quite fond of the author. I thank you Jack for this amazing series and taking me along on Nikki's journey. It was an “out of this world” experience!!! LOL. … I am so very sad to see this amazing story end, but I will say that it couldn't have ended any better then it did! Ciao Nikki!!!”
— 5-star review by Christine Cheff of Totowa, New Jersey, on Amazon and Goodreads
“It's been a wonderful ride watching Nikki overcome all that she has been through and keep on moving forward. Each book has had me in tears, laughing until my ribs hurt, truly fearful for the characters whom I had gotten attached to. I admit I sobbed as I read parts of this book. I got attached to the characters, and there were tears of sadness and joy. I could not have been more attached to a series or characters and I am now a lifelong fan of the author. I thank Jack Chaucer for this amazing series and taking me along on Nikki's journey. I thank him for giving me the motivation to chase my own dreams from step one to my final takeoff. It was a journey I will forever love. I am sad to see this amazing story end, but I will say that it couldn't have ended any better then it did. I don't think anyone could have done it better.”
— 5-star review by Christina Jackson of Shawneetown, Illinois, on Goodreads
“I thought this was a really good adventure book. The storyline was interesting and not too predictable, and the base personalities of the characters were easy to relate to. Of course, most of us can't claim to have survived a failed attempt to Mars, but Nikki had a positive mindset and didn’t let this stop her from achieving her biggest dream. Overall, I recommend this book, even as a stand-alone!”
— 4-star review by Ellie Diggins of Normal, Illinois, on Goodreads and NetGalley
“Mars Colony Agatha is a fascinating story about six astronauts who leave to Earth to colonize Mars, knowing they will likely never return. I would love to be on a team like this and be one of the first people on a distant planet. Some great moments in this story force you to keep reading, and it makes you think about what life would be like. Nicole and Sunny are especially strong characters that brought a lot of life into the story. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in stories about colonizing new planets and the dangers of space travel.”
— 4-star review by Ed Malaker of Carbondale, Pennsylania, on Amazon and Goodreads
“Yet another amazing book by Jack!! I'm really not a big sci-fi buff, but Jack really stole me with the very first book of the series and has kept me wanting more with every book that he published in this series. I look forward to reading more of his work and learning more about his genius brain. #teamnikki”
— 5-star review by Natalie Limardo Wilburn of Pocahontas, Arizona, on Amazon and Goodreads
“Oh this book was a fun read. I've grown to really enjoy sci-fi and this book did not disappoint. I loved the character Nikki and I thought the beginning was so touching. I felt really involved with the characters in this book and I loved how the author really brought me into that space setting. The character Nikki is so awesome and such a strong character! Some great humor is throughout the book and I can tell the author knew his stuff about the technicalities of what these characters were doing out in space. Great book!”
— 5-star review by Nicole Pyles of Portland, Oregon, on Amazon and Goodreads
“In Mars Colony Agatha: Nikki Red, Jack Chaucer gives the reader a fun, digestible, entertaining story of space exploration and adventure. He's done his research, and manages to successfully walk the line between technical descriptions of the material and practices used on an interplanetary voyage and making those descriptions understandable. His characters are relatable and the plot engaging enough to keep a reader entertained even if they haven't kept up with the adventures of Nikki Janicek. I hadn't read any of his previous novels and was able to follow along just fine. It's an imaginative take on colonizing Mars … enjoyable from start to finish.”
— 3-star review by Daniel Edwards of Brooklyn, New York, on Amazon and Goodreads
“An excellent read that had me engrossed from the outset. I enjoy science fiction, but what I really appreciated about this novel was that I was never overwhelmed with scientific jargon, concepts and theories that usually go over my head – often a frustration I have with sci-fi. It has a great pace and the dialogue is great. You quickly become invested in the characters and are willing them on to success. Along the way, the story includes enough flashbacks to add a little darkness and extra tension as you uncover the protagonist’s backstory. I thoroughly recommend this book.”
— 5-star review by Mrs. RJ of Kidlington, United Kingdom, on Amazon UK and Goodreads
“With recent news stories about space colonization, authors have filled the shelves with exciting adventures and new civilizations. Jack Chaucer’s series on the colonization of Mars is no exception. His story, however, gives a fresh new look at characters. The novel is exciting enough to grab attention of young adults while providing sound plots and mystery that any age will enjoy.”
— 4-star review by Mark Smith of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on Amazon and Goodreads
“This novel is very well-written and fast-paced, taking the reader on an exceptionally exciting journey outside this world and to new beginnings. Highly recommended!” — 5-star review by Stephanie Haddad on Amazon/Goodreads. … “Mr. Chaucer writes a very well-researched space travel book with realistic dialogue. It is so well-written that at times it is hard to remember that it is a work of fiction.” — 4-star review by Susan Alpert on Amazon/Goodreads … “Thank you Jack for this amazing series and taking me along on Nikki's journey. It was an ‘out of this world’ experience!!!” — 5-star review by Christine Cheff on Amazon/Goodreads. … “Yet another amazing book by Jack!! I'm really not a big sci-fi buff, but Jack really stole me with the very first book of the series and has kept me wanting more with every book that he published. #teamnikki” — 5-star review by Natalie Limardo Wilburn on Amazon/Goodreads … “Mars Colony Agatha is a fascinating story about six astronauts who leave Earth to colonize Mars, knowing they will likely never return. I would love to be on a team like this and be one of the first people on a distant planet. Some great moments in this story force you to keep reading.” — 4-star review by Ed Malaker on Amazon/Goodreads …
Here’s the link to the Amazon/Kindle page so you can grab your paperback ($13.99) or e-book ($2.99) today!
https://www.amazon.com/Mars-Colony-Ag...
Though the book can easily be read as a standalone, it’s also the fourth and final book of the Nikki Janicek series. Based on reviews from readers who have experienced Nikki’s entire journey, the four-book set is the best way to go. The Amazon/Kindle links for the first three books are here:
STREAKS OF BLUE
https://www.amazon.com/Streaks-Blue-A...
NIKKI BLUE: SOURCE OF TROUBLE
https://www.amazon.com/Nikki-Blue-Sou...
NIKKI WHITE: POLAR EXTREMES
https://www.amazon.com/Nikki-White-Po...
CHECK OUT THESE AWESOME FULL REVIEWS FOR MARS COLONY AGATHA: NIKKI RED by Jack Chaucer, which is now available on Amazon paperback ($13.99), Kindle ($2.99) and other major online retailers:
“A futuristic, but a very realistic journey that I think one nowadays can identify with having just heard about the spacewalks that took place at the space station. This novel is very well written and fast paced, taking the reader on an exceptionally exciting journey outside this world and to new beginnings. Highly recommended!”
— 5-star review by Stephanie Haddad on Amazon and Goodreads
“The first half made me cry and the second half made me smile like a fool. The experience of being on Mars was different this time (and I felt it realer than Damien Chazelle's “First Man” lol). I loved the crew and their interactions. I liked the simple but powerful plot and all of the characters.”
— 4-star review by Lucy Rojas of Venezuela on Goodreads
“What a comfortable, believable, satisfying read this book was. Intelligent science fiction, yet not confusing or overwhelming, simply enjoyable. May be read as a standalone easily, but I would recommend reading the previous novels for maximum enjoyment. I know I'm going to. The author skillfully pulls you on deck with the crew. The other characters in the story are lively, Interesting and easy to care about. I hope Mr. Chaucer writes more in this series because he's so good with this universe. In this book, the story flowed and didn't feel forced. His characters were alive and unique; he allowed them simply to be, naturally, not forcing them to fit in a mold. I will be reading anything that has Jack Chaucer's name on it from now on.”
— 5-star review by Terry Price of Claremore, Oklahoma, on Amazon and Goodreads
“Nikki is a fierce, feminist role model, who in previous books saved her high school classmates from a school shooting and survived nearly freezing to death in Antarctica. Mr. Chaucer writes a very well researched space travel book with realistic dialogue. It is so well written that at times it is hard to remember that it is a work of fiction.”
— 4-star review by Susan Alpert of Vermont on Amazon and Goodreads
“I adored the story! Mars Colony Agatha, although belonging to a series, can be read alone and easily. The story started with a screw-up that could have gone really bad, but instead gave Nikki an adventure of a lifetime.
I loved the characters and going to Mars with them, “meeting” Elon Musk (I wish) and his connection to the team, and supporting the group in wanting to strike the stupid media with their “And then there were none.” It was a enjoyable read, with comic relief in the right measure, and while I don't read much sci-fi spacey novels, I loved this one.”
— 5-star review by Lia Oliveira of Mauritius, on Goodreads and NetGalley
“I had such a hard time gathering my thoughts about this final installment of this series because I knew it was the final book. I have been a huge, huge fan of this series since the first book and each one has gotten better and better. I believe I have stated before that I had thought this series was going in one direction after the first one and the storyline of a school shooting scenario, but it turned into so, so much more. It has been such a roller coaster watching Nikki overcome all that she has been through, it has been a highly emotional journey. Each book, I went from tears to laughing to fear to joy. From the school shooting plot to The Bridge fiasco, her training (which was brutal) to her failed takeoff to now her wildest dream coming true. All the characters along the way have added to her journey and each one was so pivotal in who she has become. While some were left back in earlier books, new ones only added to her journey. In this final book, Nikki is one takeoff away from her dream — landing on Mars. However, her takeoff does not go as planned and she finds herself back on Earth. Until she gets the most unbelievable phone call from, THE Elon Musk. Musk wants her to join his crew in putting her on Mars. Naturally, Nikki wastes no time in accepting and she is on her way. Her crew and her bond immediately and seamlessly and I loved watching them all turn into a family. Their trip from preparation to takeoff to landing and the heartache that follows had me at the edge of my seat. I needed Nikki to prevail. I needed to see her her dream come to fruition. I was not ready for yet another setback or disappointment!! So much happens from takeoff to the end of the book and all I will say is my tears flowed freely and frequently. I smiled until my face hurt and my heart was happy for Nikki. Getting to Mars was her dream of dreams, and getting there she endured more then one person can take, but she stood her ground and pushed on with her head held high. She matured in so many ways and became someone she could be proud of. Her life had purpose and she left no stone unturned. She made some enemies along the way and turned friends into family (including some enemies). She may have left behind Earth but found a whole new world on Mars. It was entrancing to see how life on Mars progressed over time and even more interesting seeing characters from past books popping back up … on Mars!!! The drama!!! I could not have been more attached to this series and I am quite fond of the author. I thank you Jack for this amazing series and taking me along on Nikki's journey. It was an “out of this world” experience!!! LOL. … I am so very sad to see this amazing story end, but I will say that it couldn't have ended any better then it did! Ciao Nikki!!!”
— 5-star review by Christine Cheff of Totowa, New Jersey, on Amazon and Goodreads
“It's been a wonderful ride watching Nikki overcome all that she has been through and keep on moving forward. Each book has had me in tears, laughing until my ribs hurt, truly fearful for the characters whom I had gotten attached to. I admit I sobbed as I read parts of this book. I got attached to the characters, and there were tears of sadness and joy. I could not have been more attached to a series or characters and I am now a lifelong fan of the author. I thank Jack Chaucer for this amazing series and taking me along on Nikki's journey. I thank him for giving me the motivation to chase my own dreams from step one to my final takeoff. It was a journey I will forever love. I am sad to see this amazing story end, but I will say that it couldn't have ended any better then it did. I don't think anyone could have done it better.”
— 5-star review by Christina Jackson of Shawneetown, Illinois, on Goodreads
“I thought this was a really good adventure book. The storyline was interesting and not too predictable, and the base personalities of the characters were easy to relate to. Of course, most of us can't claim to have survived a failed attempt to Mars, but Nikki had a positive mindset and didn’t let this stop her from achieving her biggest dream. Overall, I recommend this book, even as a stand-alone!”
— 4-star review by Ellie Diggins of Normal, Illinois, on Goodreads and NetGalley
“Mars Colony Agatha is a fascinating story about six astronauts who leave to Earth to colonize Mars, knowing they will likely never return. I would love to be on a team like this and be one of the first people on a distant planet. Some great moments in this story force you to keep reading, and it makes you think about what life would be like. Nicole and Sunny are especially strong characters that brought a lot of life into the story. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in stories about colonizing new planets and the dangers of space travel.”
— 4-star review by Ed Malaker of Carbondale, Pennsylania, on Amazon and Goodreads
“Yet another amazing book by Jack!! I'm really not a big sci-fi buff, but Jack really stole me with the very first book of the series and has kept me wanting more with every book that he published in this series. I look forward to reading more of his work and learning more about his genius brain. #teamnikki”
— 5-star review by Natalie Limardo Wilburn of Pocahontas, Arizona, on Amazon and Goodreads
“Oh this book was a fun read. I've grown to really enjoy sci-fi and this book did not disappoint. I loved the character Nikki and I thought the beginning was so touching. I felt really involved with the characters in this book and I loved how the author really brought me into that space setting. The character Nikki is so awesome and such a strong character! Some great humor is throughout the book and I can tell the author knew his stuff about the technicalities of what these characters were doing out in space. Great book!”
— 5-star review by Nicole Pyles of Portland, Oregon, on Amazon and Goodreads
“In Mars Colony Agatha: Nikki Red, Jack Chaucer gives the reader a fun, digestible, entertaining story of space exploration and adventure. He's done his research, and manages to successfully walk the line between technical descriptions of the material and practices used on an interplanetary voyage and making those descriptions understandable. His characters are relatable and the plot engaging enough to keep a reader entertained even if they haven't kept up with the adventures of Nikki Janicek. I hadn't read any of his previous novels and was able to follow along just fine. It's an imaginative take on colonizing Mars … enjoyable from start to finish.”
— 3-star review by Daniel Edwards of Brooklyn, New York, on Amazon and Goodreads
“An excellent read that had me engrossed from the outset. I enjoy science fiction, but what I really appreciated about this novel was that I was never overwhelmed with scientific jargon, concepts and theories that usually go over my head – often a frustration I have with sci-fi. It has a great pace and the dialogue is great. You quickly become invested in the characters and are willing them on to success. Along the way, the story includes enough flashbacks to add a little darkness and extra tension as you uncover the protagonist’s backstory. I thoroughly recommend this book.”
— 5-star review by Mrs. RJ of Kidlington, United Kingdom, on Amazon UK and Goodreads
“With recent news stories about space colonization, authors have filled the shelves with exciting adventures and new civilizations. Jack Chaucer’s series on the colonization of Mars is no exception. His story, however, gives a fresh new look at characters. The novel is exciting enough to grab attention of young adults while providing sound plots and mystery that any age will enjoy.”
— 4-star review by Mark Smith of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on Amazon and Goodreads
My new short story: Afterlife University
I'm hoping readers will find this 4,000-word trip into the afterlife moving and uplifting, a glimpse into a journey that's far from over no matter how we die on Earth. Our universal connections ultimately override our human divisions, a message that desperately needs to resonate with as many people as possible in this increasingly f-ed up, dangerous world. I just put this title on NetGalley, so if anyone wants to check out an ARC before its Christmas Day 2023 release, just comment here or message me and I'll be happy to get you a copy. Happy reading to all of my Goodreads friends and followers, Jack!
