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Odyssey Earth #1
Orphan Planet
Book 1 in the 'Odyssey Earth' series – a feelgood SciFi space adventure .
With Earth in crisis, humans are travelling deep into space. But humanity’s future just took a wrong turn.
A seventeen-year colony-ship voyage – a straight shot to a new planet. Handpicked, single-minded crew, and a thousand settlers in hypersleep. No children, no families, no fuss.
That was the plan, anyway.
Captain Juno Washington commands a ship of loners and oddballs. The teenagers of the Odyssey Earth didn’t ask to be born, and face an uncertain future. And Jordan Booth really didn’t want to be woken up early.
After an unexpected change of course, relationships are tested like never before. If they listen to advice, pull together and stop squabbling, they might just make it.
Yeah, right. Good luck with that.
With Earth in crisis, humans are travelling deep into space. But humanity’s future just took a wrong turn.
A seventeen-year colony-ship voyage – a straight shot to a new planet. Handpicked, single-minded crew, and a thousand settlers in hypersleep. No children, no families, no fuss.
That was the plan, anyway.
Captain Juno Washington commands a ship of loners and oddballs. The teenagers of the Odyssey Earth didn’t ask to be born, and face an uncertain future. And Jordan Booth really didn’t want to be woken up early.
After an unexpected change of course, relationships are tested like never before. If they listen to advice, pull together and stop squabbling, they might just make it.
Yeah, right. Good luck with that.
332 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 18, 2023
97 people are currently reading
151 people want to read
About the author
Rex Burke
7 books41 followersRex Burke is a SciFi writer based in North Yorkshire, UK.
When he was young, he read every one of those yellow-jacketed Victor Gollancz hardbacks in his local library. That feeling of out-of-this-world amazement never left him – and keeps him company as he writes his own SciFi adventures.
When he's not writing, he travels – one way or another, he'll get to the stars, even if it's just as stardust when his own story is done.
For a fantastic FREE prequel to the Odyssey Earth series ('First Date') not available anywhere else, sign up to his newsletter at http://subscribepage.io/GPiihl
When he was young, he read every one of those yellow-jacketed Victor Gollancz hardbacks in his local library. That feeling of out-of-this-world amazement never left him – and keeps him company as he writes his own SciFi adventures.
When he's not writing, he travels – one way or another, he'll get to the stars, even if it's just as stardust when his own story is done.
For a fantastic FREE prequel to the Odyssey Earth series ('First Date') not available anywhere else, sign up to his newsletter at http://subscribepage.io/GPiihl
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December 30, 2023Dervla: most likely to discover aliens, if there are any out there.
Karlan: most likely to eat an alien.
Manisha: most likely to be eaten by an alien.
Poole: most likely to arm-wrestle an alien, no question.
Bryson: most likely to spot an alien and start running.
Dana: most likely to be an actual alien.
Oh my gosh this book is just very fun. It reminds me of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy meets Red Dwarf meets Avenue 5. We follow our listless, hapless and very confused protagonist, Jordan, after he’s brought out of cryosleep seventeen years or so after signing up for a mission to New Earth, funded by billionaires desperate to get off Earth as climate change wreaked havoc on Earth. As Earth is still liveable, just plagued by storms and floods, the list of volunteers amounts of everyone who was willing to trade the guarantee of a life on Earth for a possible life out in space. Jordan, who’s disenchanted with his life and has no one left after his parents died and his girlfriend broke up with him, signs up to go.
Ostensibly, he’s going to be the historian on New Earth once they arrive. But he’s been woken up early by the crew to do something none of them want to do – and something he certainly never intended on doing – and that is raise the crew’s children. Six children who were conceived on accident when the crew failed to work out birth control on board during the first year in space. And none of the parents want to take care of any of the children – the AI on board posits that something may have dampened their emotions. But what it amounts to is there are six children and, after the teacher who was woken up before Jordan to raise them is now gone, Jordan’s next up.
Reeves was a great character. Bloody hilarious. He’s the AI who runs the ship and steers/navigates, and who’s picked up sarcasm during the last seventeen years. His primary function is to keep everyone safe and alive, and though he snarks and sasses at every turn, he does his job perfectly. His banter with Jordan and the kids had me giggling out loud.
I thought Sam was a great character, even if we only meet her through recordings. She really was such a kind heart.
I will say, the crew’s disinterest in the children was really upsetting. Like, it’s kind of explained, and obviously there are people who truly just don’t want to be parents, but the fact that there were, like, two hundred crew members and the only ones who gave a shit about the kids were Juno and Gerald made me feel so awful for them. Like, fair play to Sam and Reeves for ensuring that those children grew up capable of love and kindness, because they certainly weren’t shown any by their biological parents. Bless Sam, Jordan, Juno, Gerald and Reeves for giving them something like parental support/mentoring.
I honestly loved Jordan and the kids, all six of them. Not one of the kids was unlikeable or annoying. They were all just utterly endearing. The whole book is basically one big found family trope and I adored every single page of them bonding, bantering and bickering.
This book is honestly funny (so funny) and fairly wholesome and uplifting. It’s a laugh-out-loud romp in outer space as poor Jordan tries to figure out how to bond with the teenagers who have never had anyone other than Reeves, the AI, and Sam, their previous teacher, show even the remotest bit of love for them. And then, just as Jordan is starting to figure things out, unforeseen events force him to really step up in the Dad Mode role. (I loved how he came to view them as his kids. Truly such a good egg our Jordan.)
I completely, wholeheartedly recommend this gem of a book and I can’t wait to read the next one and see where the mysteries and adventures take Jordan and the kids.
My review of book two, Twin Landing, is here.
My review of book three, Star Bound, is here.
Thank you to the author for a review copy.
☆ My Book Reviews | Indie Book Spotlight on Bluesky | Indie Book Spotlight on Twitter ☆
Karlan: most likely to eat an alien.
Manisha: most likely to be eaten by an alien.
Poole: most likely to arm-wrestle an alien, no question.
Bryson: most likely to spot an alien and start running.
Dana: most likely to be an actual alien.
Oh my gosh this book is just very fun. It reminds me of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy meets Red Dwarf meets Avenue 5. We follow our listless, hapless and very confused protagonist, Jordan, after he’s brought out of cryosleep seventeen years or so after signing up for a mission to New Earth, funded by billionaires desperate to get off Earth as climate change wreaked havoc on Earth. As Earth is still liveable, just plagued by storms and floods, the list of volunteers amounts of everyone who was willing to trade the guarantee of a life on Earth for a possible life out in space. Jordan, who’s disenchanted with his life and has no one left after his parents died and his girlfriend broke up with him, signs up to go.
Ostensibly, he’s going to be the historian on New Earth once they arrive. But he’s been woken up early by the crew to do something none of them want to do – and something he certainly never intended on doing – and that is raise the crew’s children. Six children who were conceived on accident when the crew failed to work out birth control on board during the first year in space. And none of the parents want to take care of any of the children – the AI on board posits that something may have dampened their emotions. But what it amounts to is there are six children and, after the teacher who was woken up before Jordan to raise them is now gone, Jordan’s next up.
Reeves was a great character. Bloody hilarious. He’s the AI who runs the ship and steers/navigates, and who’s picked up sarcasm during the last seventeen years. His primary function is to keep everyone safe and alive, and though he snarks and sasses at every turn, he does his job perfectly. His banter with Jordan and the kids had me giggling out loud.
I thought Sam was a great character, even if we only meet her through recordings. She really was such a kind heart.
I will say, the crew’s disinterest in the children was really upsetting. Like, it’s kind of explained, and obviously there are people who truly just don’t want to be parents, but the fact that there were, like, two hundred crew members and the only ones who gave a shit about the kids were Juno and Gerald made me feel so awful for them. Like, fair play to Sam and Reeves for ensuring that those children grew up capable of love and kindness, because they certainly weren’t shown any by their biological parents. Bless Sam, Jordan, Juno, Gerald and Reeves for giving them something like parental support/mentoring.
I honestly loved Jordan and the kids, all six of them. Not one of the kids was unlikeable or annoying. They were all just utterly endearing. The whole book is basically one big found family trope and I adored every single page of them bonding, bantering and bickering.
This book is honestly funny (so funny) and fairly wholesome and uplifting. It’s a laugh-out-loud romp in outer space as poor Jordan tries to figure out how to bond with the teenagers who have never had anyone other than Reeves, the AI, and Sam, their previous teacher, show even the remotest bit of love for them. And then, just as Jordan is starting to figure things out, unforeseen events force him to really step up in the Dad Mode role. (I loved how he came to view them as his kids. Truly such a good egg our Jordan.)
I completely, wholeheartedly recommend this gem of a book and I can’t wait to read the next one and see where the mysteries and adventures take Jordan and the kids.
My review of book two, Twin Landing, is here.
My review of book three, Star Bound, is here.
Thank you to the author for a review copy.
☆ My Book Reviews | Indie Book Spotlight on Bluesky | Indie Book Spotlight on Twitter ☆
April 10, 2024
Great start to a series - well-written, light and cozy, with a unique take on a space travel/adventure and found family. The book balances science fiction elements related to space travel, colony ship life, and planetary adventure with humorous banter and some hilarious one-liners and descriptions. The focus on the little things that fill our daily lives and how they would be at play on a colony ship makes it believable in a very down-to-Earth (pun intended) way. The book takes its time with the set up, but once it reaches the midpoint it really takes off. I imagine as part of a series that serves the larger storyline well. There's a bunch of nostalgic pop culture nods to movies, music, etc. that created an interesting link between Earth and what lies ahead for the characters - and made for smiles and laughs throughout, especially for a Gen X'er like me. Really enjoyed it!
June 13, 2023
This is an interesting book in both important senses of the word.
First, it's an interesting story line - semi-hard sci-fi about a colony ship with unexpected problems. Some quite heartwarming storylines, a few misses on the technical side (or at least, they seem like misses, but as with 'bad' science it might just be something that has yet to be explained). More character development than plot, and more relationship building than action, which is probably not typical for this genre (but well done).
The second sense is the genre. The first few pages read a bit like someone emulating the tone of Hitchhiker's Guide, but this book really isn't that. There's humor, but it's a little more subdued, and doesn't keep to what seemed like a zanier tone in the very beginning. Once I adjusted to that shift I enjoyed the rest of the book more.
Pick it up if you enjoy colony ship stories, alien planet exploration, and a story that makes a schoolteacher a valued member of a scientific expedition!
First, it's an interesting story line - semi-hard sci-fi about a colony ship with unexpected problems. Some quite heartwarming storylines, a few misses on the technical side (or at least, they seem like misses, but as with 'bad' science it might just be something that has yet to be explained). More character development than plot, and more relationship building than action, which is probably not typical for this genre (but well done).
The second sense is the genre. The first few pages read a bit like someone emulating the tone of Hitchhiker's Guide, but this book really isn't that. There's humor, but it's a little more subdued, and doesn't keep to what seemed like a zanier tone in the very beginning. Once I adjusted to that shift I enjoyed the rest of the book more.
Pick it up if you enjoy colony ship stories, alien planet exploration, and a story that makes a schoolteacher a valued member of a scientific expedition!
April 19, 2023
Review: https://jamreads.com/reviews/orphan-p...
Interview: https://jamreads.com/interviews/some-...
Orphan Planet is the first book in the Odyssey Earth series, and the debut in fiction by Rex Burke. A sci-fi proposal, along the lines of classic books in the genre, with a big component of humour that feels really on the spot, following the adventures of the crew of the Odyssey Earth, in their travel to a planet that might work as an alternative to the Earth. And more concretely, it follows the adventures of Jordan, a history teacher that has been woken up in order to take care of a really difficult task: take care of six teens.
But let's explain it a little bit more: it was planned to take seventeen years to travel to this alternative to the Earth, which Jordan was supposed to pass on cryo-sleep. Plans are not always perfect, and while he was in this state, some of the crew had newborns; so taking care of them become an important task that couldn't be delegated to the own crew.
And while it was first taken by Sam, another of the passengers, due to the circumstances, they feel forced to wake up Jordan Both, as his background seems the more adequate to take care of this lovely group, who are now in their teens.
This is the problem that acts as fuel for the plot of Orphan Planet. We become spectators of how Jordan has to adapt to a new life, and more importantly, how he has to take the task of taking care of the education of these teens, born at the Odyssey Earth, and that never know of the original Earth. All of this with a fair dose of humour, a characteristic of this story at which Burke is excellent.
Most of the time, the spotlight will be on Jordan, a great character. He left the Earth as he basically had zero attachment to it; so taking this seventeen-year travel seemed easy. Being tasked with filling the shoes that were left by Sam, and taking care of teens; he didn't ask for it, but once he get into their routines, he starts to really appreciate them. A character that grows with the plot development.
The teens' group is certainly uncommon, as those six characters were born aboard the Odyssey Earth. Not having a real family outside of the others, they are quite particular, as again, they don't have previous knowledge of the Earth outside of films/books they can get. Each one of them is different and unique in its own way.
Among the secondary characters, I would also like to bring the spotlight on Reeves, the snarky AI that controls the spacecraft, and is certainly one of the biggest sources of jokes across the book, in the style of other AIs in classic sci-fi.
While the plot is not exactly too complex, it works well to introduce us to the world, and to keep us reading. I would say it's pretty enjoyable, in the way of classic sci-fi, presenting us with a story solid by itself; not excessively technical, soft in the science elements, but really strong on the fiction ones.
Humour is one of the key pieces in this book. Writing a funny book is difficult, but certainly, Burke has done a great job, with a really British sense of humour, that remembers me much to some Monthy Python sketches. And while we have several jokes, they are spread enough to keep the pacing and the plot flowing.
Orphan Planet is a great first book, and it fulfills perfectly the promise of being a funny and feels-good proposal. If you are in the mood for a humourous classic sci-fi adventure, do yourself a favour and pick this book, because it won't let you down, and you will discover your next favourite author.
Interview: https://jamreads.com/interviews/some-...
Orphan Planet is the first book in the Odyssey Earth series, and the debut in fiction by Rex Burke. A sci-fi proposal, along the lines of classic books in the genre, with a big component of humour that feels really on the spot, following the adventures of the crew of the Odyssey Earth, in their travel to a planet that might work as an alternative to the Earth. And more concretely, it follows the adventures of Jordan, a history teacher that has been woken up in order to take care of a really difficult task: take care of six teens.
But let's explain it a little bit more: it was planned to take seventeen years to travel to this alternative to the Earth, which Jordan was supposed to pass on cryo-sleep. Plans are not always perfect, and while he was in this state, some of the crew had newborns; so taking care of them become an important task that couldn't be delegated to the own crew.
And while it was first taken by Sam, another of the passengers, due to the circumstances, they feel forced to wake up Jordan Both, as his background seems the more adequate to take care of this lovely group, who are now in their teens.
This is the problem that acts as fuel for the plot of Orphan Planet. We become spectators of how Jordan has to adapt to a new life, and more importantly, how he has to take the task of taking care of the education of these teens, born at the Odyssey Earth, and that never know of the original Earth. All of this with a fair dose of humour, a characteristic of this story at which Burke is excellent.
Most of the time, the spotlight will be on Jordan, a great character. He left the Earth as he basically had zero attachment to it; so taking this seventeen-year travel seemed easy. Being tasked with filling the shoes that were left by Sam, and taking care of teens; he didn't ask for it, but once he get into their routines, he starts to really appreciate them. A character that grows with the plot development.
The teens' group is certainly uncommon, as those six characters were born aboard the Odyssey Earth. Not having a real family outside of the others, they are quite particular, as again, they don't have previous knowledge of the Earth outside of films/books they can get. Each one of them is different and unique in its own way.
Among the secondary characters, I would also like to bring the spotlight on Reeves, the snarky AI that controls the spacecraft, and is certainly one of the biggest sources of jokes across the book, in the style of other AIs in classic sci-fi.
While the plot is not exactly too complex, it works well to introduce us to the world, and to keep us reading. I would say it's pretty enjoyable, in the way of classic sci-fi, presenting us with a story solid by itself; not excessively technical, soft in the science elements, but really strong on the fiction ones.
Humour is one of the key pieces in this book. Writing a funny book is difficult, but certainly, Burke has done a great job, with a really British sense of humour, that remembers me much to some Monthy Python sketches. And while we have several jokes, they are spread enough to keep the pacing and the plot flowing.
Orphan Planet is a great first book, and it fulfills perfectly the promise of being a funny and feels-good proposal. If you are in the mood for a humourous classic sci-fi adventure, do yourself a favour and pick this book, because it won't let you down, and you will discover your next favourite author.
March 4, 2023
Orphan Planet ticked all the boxes for me, and I needed the sequel yesterday. If you like feel-good, character-led books set in space, then buying this should be a no-brainer.
I received a review copy from the author.
I received a review copy from the author.
March 12, 2023
Orphan Planet is a remarkable scifi adventure that somehow manages to be both high stakes and wholesome at the same time. Recommended for anyone looking for a witty, engaging, character driven story that deals with themes of both loss and being lost.
Let's begin with Burke's prose. Rex Burke is an author that writes with a subtlety bordering on masterful. His work flows well, never getting in your way, always concise, and polished; so much so that it's easy to miss the fact that his writing feels like that of a very experienced and seasoned writer. Which makes this debut feel less like a debut and more like settling down for a drink with an old friend.
The story revolves around Jordan, who, upon finding himself with little on Earth left to stay for, signs up for a seventeen year, one way trip to an uncharted, Earth-like planet, in a cryo-pod. Upon being woken early, he soon finds himself feeling like a spare part on a ship full of PHD's, only to be told that in his capacity as a history teacher, he is the most qualified human aboard to essentially babysit six teenagers that were accidentally conceived by the crew.
This disappointed me initially, as teenagers tend to do, but I'm amazed at what the author managed to do with this setup, and with the emotional journey that blossomed from it. First off, there are a few lines in this book that really hit me, and are quote-worthy. The last exchange between Jordan and his girlfriend before he leaves Earth, for example, is incredibly honest, and cuts through the usual melodrama of such scenes. This is just one highlight of Burke's way with dialogue, and it continues throughout.
The humour in this book is British, through and through. I found myself reminded of Red Dwarf in places, Monty Python in others. The source of much of it is the ship's AI, Reeves, who named himself after his favourite movie star, but later exchanges between Jordan and the ship's captain or him and the kids are also loaded with laughs.
Do not miss this book. I've had a certain itch with scifi since the death of the great Iain Banks that nobody has quite been able to scratch. This has started to change recently, and I think Burke is one of the writers helping to lift that fog. I'm very much looking forward to following his career.
Let's begin with Burke's prose. Rex Burke is an author that writes with a subtlety bordering on masterful. His work flows well, never getting in your way, always concise, and polished; so much so that it's easy to miss the fact that his writing feels like that of a very experienced and seasoned writer. Which makes this debut feel less like a debut and more like settling down for a drink with an old friend.
The story revolves around Jordan, who, upon finding himself with little on Earth left to stay for, signs up for a seventeen year, one way trip to an uncharted, Earth-like planet, in a cryo-pod. Upon being woken early, he soon finds himself feeling like a spare part on a ship full of PHD's, only to be told that in his capacity as a history teacher, he is the most qualified human aboard to essentially babysit six teenagers that were accidentally conceived by the crew.
This disappointed me initially, as teenagers tend to do, but I'm amazed at what the author managed to do with this setup, and with the emotional journey that blossomed from it. First off, there are a few lines in this book that really hit me, and are quote-worthy. The last exchange between Jordan and his girlfriend before he leaves Earth, for example, is incredibly honest, and cuts through the usual melodrama of such scenes. This is just one highlight of Burke's way with dialogue, and it continues throughout.
The humour in this book is British, through and through. I found myself reminded of Red Dwarf in places, Monty Python in others. The source of much of it is the ship's AI, Reeves, who named himself after his favourite movie star, but later exchanges between Jordan and the ship's captain or him and the kids are also loaded with laughs.
Do not miss this book. I've had a certain itch with scifi since the death of the great Iain Banks that nobody has quite been able to scratch. This has started to change recently, and I think Burke is one of the writers helping to lift that fog. I'm very much looking forward to following his career.
March 23, 2023
Refreshingly non-technical given its genre, yet with entertaining detail, the journey through space makes a splendid read, and its handful of protagonists steadily grow on you (who hasn't secretly contemplated the advantages of sending a space pod with their teenage offspring on board hurtling down a ramp at least once, let's say about 10 minutes into a family outing...). Well, nothing goes as smoothly as planned, not in real life it doesn't, and less so in space, and with a limited supply of noffee at that!
June 30, 2023
The premise for Orphan Planet seems fairly typical for space opera: a wrecked planet, an arkship on the way to a new world and the issues they face on the way. But Oprhan Planet is not typical in most other ways. Space is pretty big so it's not exactly where I would expect to find anything classed as "cosy". This is cosy space opera and it works exceptionally well.
The arkship Odyssey Earth is nearing the end of it's long journey and, due to a slight miscalculation, has more passengers than it started with. Six teenagers in fact. Jordan Booth, professional loner, has been woken early to tend to their needs and he's not very happy about it.
A few things. It is sci-fi, with some very sciency things thrown in. But I don't really think this is a book about science. In my opinion, it's a book about people, development and relationships. It's a very human, character-driven book that just happens to be set in space. This not a bad thing. It's more about feelings and what happens when you bring kids up in a confined environment than about the science of space travel. This gives it the cosy, personal feelings thatvare often lacking in space fare. If I want hard, plot-driven sci-fi, I go to Hamilton or Banks. If I want character-driven portraits of humans lost and trying to be found (in space), I go to Chambers and now Rex Burke.
Second, and as a Britisher myself it's not a bad thing, but this is very British humour. It starts off all Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, descends into Red Dwarf (the teenage boys give very "Boys from the Dwarf" vibes) and hitches up at Monty Python (Terrance and Cliff, I see you!). Understated, sarcastic and dry-witted at times, the humour suited me perfectly. It won't suit everyone but if you love British sitcoms and the humour of the Cornetto trilogy, you will have a great time with this.
I could write essays about this book but I won't go on. The plot, when it really ramps up, is engaging and well written. The characters are delightful (Gerald is a personal favourite). I can't say too much for fear of the dreaded Spoilers but I'm looking forward to the next installment to spend more time at Camp Davetown. I loved it, all of it. Twin Landing is out tomorrow and I will be jumping straight in.
The arkship Odyssey Earth is nearing the end of it's long journey and, due to a slight miscalculation, has more passengers than it started with. Six teenagers in fact. Jordan Booth, professional loner, has been woken early to tend to their needs and he's not very happy about it.
A few things. It is sci-fi, with some very sciency things thrown in. But I don't really think this is a book about science. In my opinion, it's a book about people, development and relationships. It's a very human, character-driven book that just happens to be set in space. This not a bad thing. It's more about feelings and what happens when you bring kids up in a confined environment than about the science of space travel. This gives it the cosy, personal feelings thatvare often lacking in space fare. If I want hard, plot-driven sci-fi, I go to Hamilton or Banks. If I want character-driven portraits of humans lost and trying to be found (in space), I go to Chambers and now Rex Burke.
Second, and as a Britisher myself it's not a bad thing, but this is very British humour. It starts off all Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, descends into Red Dwarf (the teenage boys give very "Boys from the Dwarf" vibes) and hitches up at Monty Python (Terrance and Cliff, I see you!). Understated, sarcastic and dry-witted at times, the humour suited me perfectly. It won't suit everyone but if you love British sitcoms and the humour of the Cornetto trilogy, you will have a great time with this.
I could write essays about this book but I won't go on. The plot, when it really ramps up, is engaging and well written. The characters are delightful (Gerald is a personal favourite). I can't say too much for fear of the dreaded Spoilers but I'm looking forward to the next installment to spend more time at Camp Davetown. I loved it, all of it. Twin Landing is out tomorrow and I will be jumping straight in.
April 27, 2023
The time is now but the timeline is slightly different. On the Earth of Orphan Planet climate change has wrecked the planet, lots of Britain is under water so we are reaching to the stars. Luckily a suitable New Earth has been located and the prospective settlers are on their way - fast asleep for 17 years.
Unfortunately the plans to keep the crew don't quite work out and we have six children born on the early phase of the journey . . .
Shoot forward 16 years and our six children are now teenagers, the crew don't have the time to bring them up, educate them etc so Jordan Booth is brought out of Hypersleep and given the task. Not what he was expecting but them's the breaks.
Nearing journey's end 'events happen' and Jordan and his protégés are separated from the ship and have to learn how to cope for themselves. But with a life spent onboard Odyssey Earth these kids have never experienced 'outside'.
This is where the story really comes into its own. Burke really captures the experience well. Planetfall for people who have never been outside has a sense of fear and wonder that the reader shares with them. There is danger and peril but there is also discovery and bonding.
The highlight character for me is the ships near sentient AI computer (although he probably wouldn't like to be called a computer) Reeves - self named after its favourite film actor. Reeves is highly intelligent (obviously) and, trust me, he knows it so when events lead to Reeves becoming a lesser version of itself it tends to feel a bit more needy and gave me quite a few chuckles. In fact Reeves gave me one of my favourite lines - after telling the teens it'd watched every film ever (in 10 seconds) he goes on "Yes, I've read all the books - that's 20 seconds of my life I will never get back". Very Marvin (Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy).
Orphan Earth is feel good Sci-Fi - adventure, alien planets and a whole heap of fun and I really can't recommend it highly enough. Don't let this one slip under your radar folks, miss this and you are missing a treat.
All the stars/5 cannot wait for the next in the series.
Unfortunately the plans to keep the crew don't quite work out and we have six children born on the early phase of the journey . . .
Shoot forward 16 years and our six children are now teenagers, the crew don't have the time to bring them up, educate them etc so Jordan Booth is brought out of Hypersleep and given the task. Not what he was expecting but them's the breaks.
Nearing journey's end 'events happen' and Jordan and his protégés are separated from the ship and have to learn how to cope for themselves. But with a life spent onboard Odyssey Earth these kids have never experienced 'outside'.
This is where the story really comes into its own. Burke really captures the experience well. Planetfall for people who have never been outside has a sense of fear and wonder that the reader shares with them. There is danger and peril but there is also discovery and bonding.
The highlight character for me is the ships near sentient AI computer (although he probably wouldn't like to be called a computer) Reeves - self named after its favourite film actor. Reeves is highly intelligent (obviously) and, trust me, he knows it so when events lead to Reeves becoming a lesser version of itself it tends to feel a bit more needy and gave me quite a few chuckles. In fact Reeves gave me one of my favourite lines - after telling the teens it'd watched every film ever (in 10 seconds) he goes on "Yes, I've read all the books - that's 20 seconds of my life I will never get back". Very Marvin (Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy).
Orphan Earth is feel good Sci-Fi - adventure, alien planets and a whole heap of fun and I really can't recommend it highly enough. Don't let this one slip under your radar folks, miss this and you are missing a treat.
All the stars/5 cannot wait for the next in the series.
July 21, 2023
I really enjoyed this Sci Fi novel which surprised me as it's not a genre I would normally read. The Earth which we know has been ruined by climate change and volunteers are being offered the chance to 'sleep' for years while being transported through space where another 'Earth' has been discovered. Things haven't gone quite according to plan and six children were born on board, looked after, not by the parents but a teacher, Samantha Smart. Almost Seventeen years later Jordan is awakened to find his job is to look after the teenage children, as Samantha has sadly died.
Things start to get really exciting now when Jordan and the teenagers find themselves separated from the mother ship and have crash landed on another planet, a second earth. How will they cope? I very much liked the interaction between the characters and the humour, not least the character of Jeeves, the AI who knows everything.
I'm very glad this is a series as I can't wait to see how things turn out.
Things start to get really exciting now when Jordan and the teenagers find themselves separated from the mother ship and have crash landed on another planet, a second earth. How will they cope? I very much liked the interaction between the characters and the humour, not least the character of Jeeves, the AI who knows everything.
I'm very glad this is a series as I can't wait to see how things turn out.
January 20, 2025
* I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review. That in no way affects my opinion.
This was such a fun time. I was expecting it to be a bit more absurd given the beginning but it did seem to mellow out. I personally liked that because it meant that the writing didn't take more precedence than the story.
This type of story has of course been done before, but the way in which it was told was what made it so unique and fun.
Great for fans of comedy sci-fi, especially if you're wanting to dip your toes in as its not complicated in story or in neologisms which means we're simply along for the fun and wacky ride.
This was such a fun time. I was expecting it to be a bit more absurd given the beginning but it did seem to mellow out. I personally liked that because it meant that the writing didn't take more precedence than the story.
This type of story has of course been done before, but the way in which it was told was what made it so unique and fun.
Great for fans of comedy sci-fi, especially if you're wanting to dip your toes in as its not complicated in story or in neologisms which means we're simply along for the fun and wacky ride.
May 22, 2023
I really enjoyed this book. I liked the premise and enjoyed the plot - with the cosy tone I wasn't expecting where the story headed but I enjoyed it more for that. The main reason this book is a 4 star and not a 5 star for me is that I felt the children/teenagers should have been fleshed out a bit more as I finished the book not feeling much of a difference between them as people. However, I'm looking forward to where the series is going and I'll be picking up the next book when it comes out!
July 1, 2023
Teenagers in Space
When Earth has a calamitous climate change, the extremely rich decided they needed a plan to save their own skins, and so the Space Program was born. Set on a fictional version of Earth, the sea level has risen, cities are underwater and islands have disappeared. But the British are going to send a ship into space, to a planet many light years away. Jordan is a volunteer. With nothing to live for on Earth, a one way ticket to the stars sounds like a good plan. And so he ends up on a spaceship with a crew of misfits: and a bunch of teenagers. An amusing and easy read, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I don't know if I it was intended for a YA audience, but it entertained this 60 something woman. Looking forward to book two.
When Earth has a calamitous climate change, the extremely rich decided they needed a plan to save their own skins, and so the Space Program was born. Set on a fictional version of Earth, the sea level has risen, cities are underwater and islands have disappeared. But the British are going to send a ship into space, to a planet many light years away. Jordan is a volunteer. With nothing to live for on Earth, a one way ticket to the stars sounds like a good plan. And so he ends up on a spaceship with a crew of misfits: and a bunch of teenagers. An amusing and easy read, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I don't know if I it was intended for a YA audience, but it entertained this 60 something woman. Looking forward to book two.
September 9, 2024
If you like your sci-fi with a dash of humour this one needs to go onto your TBR. In an alternative timeline the Earth is becoming inhabitable rapidly disappearing underwater. The Odyssey Earth ship is travelling into the stars to a new planet that we can call home with most of the crew in hyper sleep for the 17-year journey. Fast forward and a group of teenagers born during the early phase are now coming of age having never set foot on land.
One of my favourite programs of all time is Red Dwarf and this gave me some similar vibes even down to Reeves the ships computer with his banter (not unlike Holly). A truly great cosy sci-fi adventure with lots of good old-fashioned British humour! A must buy if you enjoy Rob Grant, Doug Naylor and Douglas Adams.
One of my favourite programs of all time is Red Dwarf and this gave me some similar vibes even down to Reeves the ships computer with his banter (not unlike Holly). A truly great cosy sci-fi adventure with lots of good old-fashioned British humour! A must buy if you enjoy Rob Grant, Doug Naylor and Douglas Adams.
April 21, 2023
Fantastic sci fi adventure
I'm not going to lie; the book is often hilarious (laugh out loud funny even) and heartwarming, but Jordan's story begins due to heartbreak and tears. Jordan is a marvelous narrator, and his fellow characters are fascinating, frustrating, and engaging. Bad things do happen, and some of them are really bad, but as long as there is life, there is hope. And the author included the beginning of book 2 at the end to show there is life and hope. The worldbuilding is fantastic, and the story is awesome. I read the book in KU but will definitely buy it to reread (because even mini-Reeves is hysterically funny).
I'm not going to lie; the book is often hilarious (laugh out loud funny even) and heartwarming, but Jordan's story begins due to heartbreak and tears. Jordan is a marvelous narrator, and his fellow characters are fascinating, frustrating, and engaging. Bad things do happen, and some of them are really bad, but as long as there is life, there is hope. And the author included the beginning of book 2 at the end to show there is life and hope. The worldbuilding is fantastic, and the story is awesome. I read the book in KU but will definitely buy it to reread (because even mini-Reeves is hysterically funny).
July 3, 2023
Good book
Starts off a bit slow but the story is good. The first 2/3 of the book is basically set up. The last 3rd of the book is more exciting. 6 supersmart teenagers and one adult somewhere they aren't supposed to be. What could possibly go wrong? Hint: A lot
Starts off a bit slow but the story is good. The first 2/3 of the book is basically set up. The last 3rd of the book is more exciting. 6 supersmart teenagers and one adult somewhere they aren't supposed to be. What could possibly go wrong? Hint: A lot
October 3, 2023
Really Good!
Have you ever wondered what being one of the first humans on another planet would be like? What if it was just you, six teenagers who'd never lived on Earth, and a somewhat downsized AI?
Well, here's one story about that. It's funny, engaging, and endearing. Enjoy!
Have you ever wondered what being one of the first humans on another planet would be like? What if it was just you, six teenagers who'd never lived on Earth, and a somewhat downsized AI?
Well, here's one story about that. It's funny, engaging, and endearing. Enjoy!
April 2, 2025
This review is also featured on Behind the Pages: Orphan Planet
Thank you to Rex Burke for providing me with a copy of this book! I voluntarily leave this review!
Jordan Booth never expected to be woken up early. After things fell apart for him on Earth, he looked forward to sleeping seventeen years and starting off fresh on a new planet. Yet near the journey's end, he finds himself on the deck of Odyssey Earth, fully awake and in charge of a group of teenagers. Teenagers that were never in the original plans, and who have no idea what it’s like to be planet side. Jordan will have his hands full as he tries to mentor the teens and learn how to navigate teenage angst and attitude.
In Orphan Planet Jordan finds himself up against know it all kids with a penchant for older movies and music. What starts off as a sarcastic overview of events leading to a seventeen-year space odyssey, quickly evolves into a heartwarming tale of found family. Jordan will face quite a mix of personalities and bravado as he tries to establish a relationship with the teens. Yet when the group of teenagers and Jordan face off against a life or death situation, they’ll only make it through alive if they work together.
The teens' reactions to Jordan are filled with witty remarks and comebacks. While this speaks of their age and view on adults, it also adds a needed layer of tension breaking humor. With the viewpoint focusing on Jordan, it’s quite the read to see inside his mind how he tries to figure out ways to get through to the teens. Jordan starts as a reluctant guardian and will go through quite a bit of character development by the end of the story. Readers who may not be entirely on his side at first will be won over by the end.
Orphan Planet is a great read for readers who enjoy sarcastic sci-fi stories and themes of found family and adventure. This is also a good starting point for anyone looking to explore the sci-fi genre.
Thank you to Rex Burke for providing me with a copy of this book! I voluntarily leave this review!
Jordan Booth never expected to be woken up early. After things fell apart for him on Earth, he looked forward to sleeping seventeen years and starting off fresh on a new planet. Yet near the journey's end, he finds himself on the deck of Odyssey Earth, fully awake and in charge of a group of teenagers. Teenagers that were never in the original plans, and who have no idea what it’s like to be planet side. Jordan will have his hands full as he tries to mentor the teens and learn how to navigate teenage angst and attitude.
In Orphan Planet Jordan finds himself up against know it all kids with a penchant for older movies and music. What starts off as a sarcastic overview of events leading to a seventeen-year space odyssey, quickly evolves into a heartwarming tale of found family. Jordan will face quite a mix of personalities and bravado as he tries to establish a relationship with the teens. Yet when the group of teenagers and Jordan face off against a life or death situation, they’ll only make it through alive if they work together.
The teens' reactions to Jordan are filled with witty remarks and comebacks. While this speaks of their age and view on adults, it also adds a needed layer of tension breaking humor. With the viewpoint focusing on Jordan, it’s quite the read to see inside his mind how he tries to figure out ways to get through to the teens. Jordan starts as a reluctant guardian and will go through quite a bit of character development by the end of the story. Readers who may not be entirely on his side at first will be won over by the end.
Orphan Planet is a great read for readers who enjoy sarcastic sci-fi stories and themes of found family and adventure. This is also a good starting point for anyone looking to explore the sci-fi genre.
September 22, 2025
A colony ship on a 17 year voyage to a "nearby" earth-like planet. A crew of hundreds and thousands of colonists in cyro-sleep. The birth control meds and initially screwed up and 6 unwanted pregnancies occur. The kids are born, but the biological parents want to focus on their ship crew tasks not kid raising. The crew decides to group raise the kids and they wake up a colonist who is an early childhood expert to ber den mother. she gets them to their treensge years, but dies of cancer. The crew then wakes up a historian and says, "Here. these kids are now your responsibility. A story of human interaction, facing the unknown and coming of age. An enjoyable read.
February 2, 2024
I am one of the judges of team Space Girls for the SPSFC3 contest. This review is my personal opinion. Officially, it is still in the running for the contest, pending any official team announcements.
Status: Quarterfinalist
Read: 100%
This book seems to be getting a lot of attention among indie circles. This can be an issue with me sometimes because I have DNFed in the past books that everyone else seems to love. Yes, I know. There is one particular book that is loved to pieces by 99.9% of the public that I found the writing to be beyond amateurish and hard to understand. I spent a good hour rereading entire pages in chapter 2 trying to decipher what is going on. I didn't reach chapter 3 of that book.
So, I do tend to feel trepidation reading any book with a lot of word of mouth. One third into the book, Orphan Planet is certainly well written. This is a book that is heavily influenced by the humor in Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy along with Monty Python. I am certain readers that love that kind of ironic British humor will gel with this book.
I sort of understood the humor, such as the jokes relating to Gerard who everyone treats as some sort of outcast. The FFS scribbles in the cafeteria was funny. Other jokes such as the medical ones felt flat to me. Awakening our protagonist Jordan a few months before the spaceship landed on the new planet was well explained. I won't spoil the motive (seems like the book blurb did it for me), but it made perfect sense. I didn't understand why the book mentions Jordan knowing Astronomy but at the same time doesn't know science fields at all when he is a History teacher. The diary chapter explaining with detail the new set of characters that we will soon meet was very well done. Even though we haven't met these characters, the reader already has a good idea of what their personalities are. It was a very clever way to introduce the reader to a bunch of characters without feeling lost or bored.
Having a colonization crew manned by introverts makes a whole deal of sense. Especially since they selected people that can sort of stick to their job and not cause relentless bickering. Not a good idea to have a bunch of ticking bombs like Gerard inside a tiny tin can that can explode. It felt kind of strange to me how the book views introverts in a rather negative light. As in why aren't they super cuddly wuddly? And it makes sense since the initial chapters are from Jordan's POV, we don't get the full picture. This felt off because I know introverts that are very loving and can act extraverted for a while without issue. Maybe the entire crew is neurodiverse?
Writing for the most part is good and without any typos that I am aware of. Prosewise, the book delivers without issue. Some of the qualms I felt about this book were probably because of my cultural background where the characters seem to waste resources a lot. I did mind the excessive pages about climate change, we destroyed the world, let's destroy the new planet. While the prose is fluid, the climate change droning could have been cut out for brevity.
In a nutshell, the book is not bad in any sense of the word. I can see why so many readers like it. But I tended to quickly skim through the chapters that go too heavy into the Douglas Adams type of humor. It seems like I didn't miss anything important plotwise by skipping a chapter or two in the middle. If I had picked up this book randomly from the shelf, I would have probably DNFed it due to boredom. Once again, I don't feel the book is bad per se, I couldn't really connect to it.
Just as promised, the book really picks up in the final third when the urgency ups a few notches and it becomes a survival story. Once the humor becomes an afterthought over a pressing plot, I felt the writing to improve a lot. I then began feeling rather vested in the story and the 7 most important characters.
Is the ending a cliffhanger? In my opinion, no. It just feels sort of... well, there. More like a standalone novel that later on decided to become a trilogy (there are certainly plenty of loose ends, but the way this book ends, the sequels don't feel like an imperative read).
All in all, the book was ok for me. Would I personally continue the series? I would say no. There were far too many instances in this book that I would have DNFed it and I have too much of a hunch the sequels will return to the same comedy mode of my least favorite chapters of this book. But I am certain there are plenty of other people that will adore this series from start to end.
Status: Quarterfinalist
Read: 100%
This book seems to be getting a lot of attention among indie circles. This can be an issue with me sometimes because I have DNFed in the past books that everyone else seems to love. Yes, I know. There is one particular book that is loved to pieces by 99.9% of the public that I found the writing to be beyond amateurish and hard to understand. I spent a good hour rereading entire pages in chapter 2 trying to decipher what is going on. I didn't reach chapter 3 of that book.
So, I do tend to feel trepidation reading any book with a lot of word of mouth. One third into the book, Orphan Planet is certainly well written. This is a book that is heavily influenced by the humor in Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy along with Monty Python. I am certain readers that love that kind of ironic British humor will gel with this book.
I sort of understood the humor, such as the jokes relating to Gerard who everyone treats as some sort of outcast. The FFS scribbles in the cafeteria was funny. Other jokes such as the medical ones felt flat to me. Awakening our protagonist Jordan a few months before the spaceship landed on the new planet was well explained. I won't spoil the motive (seems like the book blurb did it for me), but it made perfect sense. I didn't understand why the book mentions Jordan knowing Astronomy but at the same time doesn't know science fields at all when he is a History teacher. The diary chapter explaining with detail the new set of characters that we will soon meet was very well done. Even though we haven't met these characters, the reader already has a good idea of what their personalities are. It was a very clever way to introduce the reader to a bunch of characters without feeling lost or bored.
Having a colonization crew manned by introverts makes a whole deal of sense. Especially since they selected people that can sort of stick to their job and not cause relentless bickering. Not a good idea to have a bunch of ticking bombs like Gerard inside a tiny tin can that can explode. It felt kind of strange to me how the book views introverts in a rather negative light. As in why aren't they super cuddly wuddly? And it makes sense since the initial chapters are from Jordan's POV, we don't get the full picture. This felt off because I know introverts that are very loving and can act extraverted for a while without issue. Maybe the entire crew is neurodiverse?
Writing for the most part is good and without any typos that I am aware of. Prosewise, the book delivers without issue. Some of the qualms I felt about this book were probably because of my cultural background where the characters seem to waste resources a lot. I did mind the excessive pages about climate change, we destroyed the world, let's destroy the new planet. While the prose is fluid, the climate change droning could have been cut out for brevity.
In a nutshell, the book is not bad in any sense of the word. I can see why so many readers like it. But I tended to quickly skim through the chapters that go too heavy into the Douglas Adams type of humor. It seems like I didn't miss anything important plotwise by skipping a chapter or two in the middle. If I had picked up this book randomly from the shelf, I would have probably DNFed it due to boredom. Once again, I don't feel the book is bad per se, I couldn't really connect to it.
Just as promised, the book really picks up in the final third when the urgency ups a few notches and it becomes a survival story. Once the humor becomes an afterthought over a pressing plot, I felt the writing to improve a lot. I then began feeling rather vested in the story and the 7 most important characters.
Is the ending a cliffhanger? In my opinion, no. It just feels sort of... well, there. More like a standalone novel that later on decided to become a trilogy (there are certainly plenty of loose ends, but the way this book ends, the sequels don't feel like an imperative read).
All in all, the book was ok for me. Would I personally continue the series? I would say no. There were far too many instances in this book that I would have DNFed it and I have too much of a hunch the sequels will return to the same comedy mode of my least favorite chapters of this book. But I am certain there are plenty of other people that will adore this series from start to end.
September 29, 2025
I really enjoyed this book. Brilliantly written and was fun to read.
April 13, 2024
Orphan Planet: A feelgood space adventure (Odyssey Earth Series Book 1) by Rex Burke.
Quick synopsis : Set in the near future, a man with no connections on Earth signs up for a one-way journey to a new world across the galaxy.
Brief opinion : Sometimes you can't tell a book by its cover. Based on the cover, I expected to dislike it, but turns out I loved it.
Plot : Jordan Booth is a teacher and not much else. No friends. Lost his only girlfriend. No connections to anything. So on a whim, he signs up to be part of Earth's first journey to settle on another planet. Thousands of people are going, so they need all sorts of jobs, including teachers. He is one of the three teachers picked to go.
While nearly all of those thousands of people are put into hypersleep for the 17 year trip, Jordan is woken up early. There had been a few accidental pregnancies (six) and so first of the other teachers (a preschool one) was woken up to see to them. She died, and so next they woke up Jordan.
So there is Jordan, with no real connections to other people, no desire for friends or relationships, suddenly given six teenagers to raise. (The biological parents were no part of the kids' lives, their jobs were too important to split their attention that way. The previous teacher had basically been the mother to the six kids.)
He sort of flounders through the job until they near the planet... then there is an accident and the kids and Jordan are trapped in a lander ship. It seems like the main ship was destroyed, but the teacher/teens and thus the readers don't know for sure yet. They end up on a totally different planet and need to survive together.
Writing/editing : Writing and editing were both excellent. I have a hard time believing this was a self-published book. Remember the last book I reviewed (Chase) where I had asked how crap like that had gotten published while good self-published books aren't? Well this is a book that should be professionally published!
What I Liked/What I Didn’t Like : I liked nearly everything about it. I liked all the characters (believable teenagers! Smart ones, but still teenagers). I love stories about people on a planet or island or something needing to survive.
The small thing thing of note, not really a "dislike": This book is very British. There were a number of uses of slang and British/Scottish/Irish wording I stumbled on. Just a very minor thing though.
Rating: 1-Hated / 2-Disliked / 3-Okay / 4-Liked / 5-Loved : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️- Loved. On to book 2!
Quick synopsis : Set in the near future, a man with no connections on Earth signs up for a one-way journey to a new world across the galaxy.
Brief opinion : Sometimes you can't tell a book by its cover. Based on the cover, I expected to dislike it, but turns out I loved it.
Plot : Jordan Booth is a teacher and not much else. No friends. Lost his only girlfriend. No connections to anything. So on a whim, he signs up to be part of Earth's first journey to settle on another planet. Thousands of people are going, so they need all sorts of jobs, including teachers. He is one of the three teachers picked to go.
While nearly all of those thousands of people are put into hypersleep for the 17 year trip, Jordan is woken up early. There had been a few accidental pregnancies (six) and so first of the other teachers (a preschool one) was woken up to see to them. She died, and so next they woke up Jordan.
So there is Jordan, with no real connections to other people, no desire for friends or relationships, suddenly given six teenagers to raise. (The biological parents were no part of the kids' lives, their jobs were too important to split their attention that way. The previous teacher had basically been the mother to the six kids.)
He sort of flounders through the job until they near the planet... then there is an accident and the kids and Jordan are trapped in a lander ship. It seems like the main ship was destroyed, but the teacher/teens and thus the readers don't know for sure yet. They end up on a totally different planet and need to survive together.
Writing/editing : Writing and editing were both excellent. I have a hard time believing this was a self-published book. Remember the last book I reviewed (Chase) where I had asked how crap like that had gotten published while good self-published books aren't? Well this is a book that should be professionally published!
What I Liked/What I Didn’t Like : I liked nearly everything about it. I liked all the characters (believable teenagers! Smart ones, but still teenagers). I love stories about people on a planet or island or something needing to survive.
The small thing thing of note, not really a "dislike": This book is very British. There were a number of uses of slang and British/Scottish/Irish wording I stumbled on. Just a very minor thing though.
Rating: 1-Hated / 2-Disliked / 3-Okay / 4-Liked / 5-Loved : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️- Loved. On to book 2!
March 19, 2023
Orphan Planet by Rex Burke is absolutely the feel-good space adventure it sets out to be. From the first pages, it had me engaged and smiling. I wouldn't necessarily categorize it as a comedy, but there is a lot of wonderful humor throughout. Most of the humor comes from interactions between characters, which is my favorite type of humor to read or write. Whether it's socially inept crew members, a snarky AI, or equally snarky teenagers, the potential for laughs is everywhere, and Burke mines each situation to hilarious effect. But the "feel-good" in this space adventure isn't all about laughs. The heart of the story is the relationships Jordan, the main character, begins to develop with a group of teenagers he's charged with teaching. It's clear to me that the author has experience as a father or a teacher because his portrayal of these kids was so obviously rooted in love and understanding. It's also a fun, extremely interesting adventure about the first ship to leave Earth in hopes to inhabit a new planet!
If I had to pick a favorite character, it would probably be Reeves, the aforementioned snarky AI that literally knows everything. First and foremost, he's hilarious, but he also displays a sweetness that is very endearing. He clearly cares for the group of kids, as Jordan finds out more and more throughout the story.
I don't know if I would categorize this book as "Cozy Sci-Fi," but that comes pretty close to describing its vibe. A lot happens, and the characters face real peril, but the overall feeling was one of kindness and cooperation. A feel-good space adventure to be sure!
If I had to pick a favorite character, it would probably be Reeves, the aforementioned snarky AI that literally knows everything. First and foremost, he's hilarious, but he also displays a sweetness that is very endearing. He clearly cares for the group of kids, as Jordan finds out more and more throughout the story.
I don't know if I would categorize this book as "Cozy Sci-Fi," but that comes pretty close to describing its vibe. A lot happens, and the characters face real peril, but the overall feeling was one of kindness and cooperation. A feel-good space adventure to be sure!
June 21, 2023
Orphan Planet is the first book in the Odyssey Earth series and tells the story of a man, Jordan, who, having given up on life on planet Earth, decides to join the crew of an ark ship going off to a new planet to give the human race another shot at surviving. I have read a fair number of examples of this type of story over the years and watched countless films and series with a similar theme, so the premise was not a new one for me. What I really enjoyed about this book, though, and what prompted the five stars, was the way the characters interact with each other.
In this first book we follow Jordan as he awakes on the spaceship a little earlier than expected and finds himself tasked with looking after six 'accidental' teenagers who have just lost someone very important to them and who are too much extra work for everyone else. Before he really even has a chance to get to know them, another accident leaves them stranded in an unfamiliar place. Jordan suddenly finds himself to be the person with all the knowledge and skills the group will need to survive.
What really makes this book a pleasure to read is that it doesn't try to be more than it is: a story of found family navigating the obstacles of an unfamiliar environment and coming together in the face of adversity. With moody teens, a snarky AI and a fallible protagonist, it is heartwarming and fun and there are plenty of suspenseful moments to keep you reading until the wee hours.
In this first book we follow Jordan as he awakes on the spaceship a little earlier than expected and finds himself tasked with looking after six 'accidental' teenagers who have just lost someone very important to them and who are too much extra work for everyone else. Before he really even has a chance to get to know them, another accident leaves them stranded in an unfamiliar place. Jordan suddenly finds himself to be the person with all the knowledge and skills the group will need to survive.
What really makes this book a pleasure to read is that it doesn't try to be more than it is: a story of found family navigating the obstacles of an unfamiliar environment and coming together in the face of adversity. With moody teens, a snarky AI and a fallible protagonist, it is heartwarming and fun and there are plenty of suspenseful moments to keep you reading until the wee hours.
January 8, 2024
This was a light, entertaining read! We follow a spaceship on its way to Earth 2 with a bunch of humans in cryosleep...and then one of them, Jordan, gets awakened after some years, because his help is needed to supervise a bunch of teenagers who um. Accidentally are on the ship. Obviously, big ship on big mission versus some awkward but genius youngsters with a tired surrogate dad is not a good combination, so bad stuff happens. And we can watch them navigate through it!
Although it's a feelgood sci-fi, I got the whiff of sadness several times. Already the setup is that (hello, we're destroying Earth 1) and then later too, there are some themes of grief and losing/finding home, but it's true that the banter takes its edge. I liked the teenagers and Jordan, I kinda wish we'd gone into their personalities a bit more but the book does give what it promises and I flew through the pages.
I will probably come back for the other two books, too, because I gotta know what happens with Dave, honestly.
(Reeves was also cool. more Reeves!)
Although it's a feelgood sci-fi, I got the whiff of sadness several times. Already the setup is that (hello, we're destroying Earth 1) and then later too, there are some themes of grief and losing/finding home, but it's true that the banter takes its edge. I liked the teenagers and Jordan, I kinda wish we'd gone into their personalities a bit more but the book does give what it promises and I flew through the pages.
I will probably come back for the other two books, too, because I gotta know what happens with Dave, honestly.
(Reeves was also cool. more Reeves!)
July 17, 2023
Help me read more books
If you like the Boundary series by Eric Flint and Ryk E. Spoor, then you'll enjoy this slice of new planet settling by refugees from a colony ship. It has (some) issues, such as why the lander they were in didn't orient on the beacon from the second planet, then work out the location of the actual planet, since that would have been a relatively simple task for an AI of it's capabilities, but for the most part, it's a really good story, and just the kind of thing I like to read. I'm going to pick up more in this series, because I really like stories of this kind. If you're a scifi fan that likes planetary encounters, and first landing kind of stories, then by all means, grab yourself a copy of this one, and settle in for a good solid read.
If you like the Boundary series by Eric Flint and Ryk E. Spoor, then you'll enjoy this slice of new planet settling by refugees from a colony ship. It has (some) issues, such as why the lander they were in didn't orient on the beacon from the second planet, then work out the location of the actual planet, since that would have been a relatively simple task for an AI of it's capabilities, but for the most part, it's a really good story, and just the kind of thing I like to read. I'm going to pick up more in this series, because I really like stories of this kind. If you're a scifi fan that likes planetary encounters, and first landing kind of stories, then by all means, grab yourself a copy of this one, and settle in for a good solid read.
June 11, 2023
This review first appeared on my blog - https://nsfordwriter.com - on 11th June 2023.
If you enjoy sci-fi comedy with an optimistic outlook, this is the ideal read for you. It’s the first in the Odyssey Earth series. The book begins with Jordan, an occupant of a space ship, being woken up on a seventeen-year voyage. It’s an alternative timeline to ours, where space travel progressed quickly and now the climate disaster means that humanity is branching out beyond the solar system to find somewhere new to live. The crew of the space ship are a lot of misfits but most notably, six extraordinary teenagers have grown up knowing nothing except this environment and it’s up to Jordan to continue their education, preparing them for life on a planet.
I really liked the first half of the book, which I thought had a Red Dwarf vibe. Shabby setting, eccentric characters, the loneliness of space travel. I was not so keen on the second half, partly because it was not very humorous, and partly because it wasn’t set on the space ship, being more of a survival-themed narrative on land. It had an echo of Andy Weir’s The Martian. I have to admit that I didn’t really like the teenagers and found it hard to differentiate between them. My favourite character was Reeves, the artificial intelligence who controls the ship. He named himself after Keanu.
In summary, an intriguing beginning to the series with some funny moments and an easy-read style which will appeal to many readers.
If you enjoy sci-fi comedy with an optimistic outlook, this is the ideal read for you. It’s the first in the Odyssey Earth series. The book begins with Jordan, an occupant of a space ship, being woken up on a seventeen-year voyage. It’s an alternative timeline to ours, where space travel progressed quickly and now the climate disaster means that humanity is branching out beyond the solar system to find somewhere new to live. The crew of the space ship are a lot of misfits but most notably, six extraordinary teenagers have grown up knowing nothing except this environment and it’s up to Jordan to continue their education, preparing them for life on a planet.
I really liked the first half of the book, which I thought had a Red Dwarf vibe. Shabby setting, eccentric characters, the loneliness of space travel. I was not so keen on the second half, partly because it was not very humorous, and partly because it wasn’t set on the space ship, being more of a survival-themed narrative on land. It had an echo of Andy Weir’s The Martian. I have to admit that I didn’t really like the teenagers and found it hard to differentiate between them. My favourite character was Reeves, the artificial intelligence who controls the ship. He named himself after Keanu.
In summary, an intriguing beginning to the series with some funny moments and an easy-read style which will appeal to many readers.
June 3, 2024
History teacher Jordan Booth is leading a life of quiet desperation when he leaves it all behind and signs up to be an archivist on a new interstellar colony. His plans go awry when the captain revives him from stasis years early to tutor six bright teenagers, the unplanned result of a glitch in the crew’s birth control meds. His position is made especially awkward because he has no skills they need to learn and because he is replacing a much-loved teacher who died of a rare cancer. The characters speak with individualized voices, and the novel avoids most of the usual pitfalls of YA fiction. I especially like the snarky AI. Rex Burke has an unassuming genial style that is a refreshing change from the typical space opera bombast.
March 12, 2023
Firstly, I could not put this book down. I loved it! So many page-turner moments, I found myself shouting at the characters: don’t go there! Don’t do that! I was so invested in their story.
Orphan Planet is an incredibly good read that I’ve recommended in person to friends and family and I’m recommending it to you now. Jordan, the main character, goes on an incredible journey of self-discovery, pushing himself past his comfort zone and becoming someone who can, not someone who can’t.
A nod to the style of Grant Naylor, Rex writes in a familiar, cosy tone which plants you directly in Jordan’s world, ready to find out what happens next.
Buy this book. You won’t regret it.
Orphan Planet is an incredibly good read that I’ve recommended in person to friends and family and I’m recommending it to you now. Jordan, the main character, goes on an incredible journey of self-discovery, pushing himself past his comfort zone and becoming someone who can, not someone who can’t.
A nod to the style of Grant Naylor, Rex writes in a familiar, cosy tone which plants you directly in Jordan’s world, ready to find out what happens next.
Buy this book. You won’t regret it.
March 12, 2023
When Jordan signs up on a starship to discover a new planet, he expects to sleep through the whole trip in cryo. He doesn’t expect to become surrogate dad to six sarcastic, hormone-laden teenagers.
Not your average shoot-em-up, intergalactic war type sci-fi, this debut novel from Rex Burke, is sci-fi with heart. It’s character led, and those characters are wonderful, humorous, snarky, bad-tempered, hilarious. Think Douglas Adams sprinkled with Neil Gaiman. What a combo! I'm already waiting for book two.
I received an early copy of this book but this review is my honest opinion.
Not your average shoot-em-up, intergalactic war type sci-fi, this debut novel from Rex Burke, is sci-fi with heart. It’s character led, and those characters are wonderful, humorous, snarky, bad-tempered, hilarious. Think Douglas Adams sprinkled with Neil Gaiman. What a combo! I'm already waiting for book two.
I received an early copy of this book but this review is my honest opinion.
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