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Alexander Outland: Space Pirate
Captain Alexander Outland of the Sixty-Nine (short for Space Vessel 3369, of course) is the best pilot in the galaxy. He’s also a pirate, a smuggler, and loved and loathed by women in umpteen solar systems. His crew of strays and misfits includes an engineer of dubious sanity, a deposed planetary governor, an annoyingly unflappable Sexbot copilot, and a slinky weapons chief who stubbornly refuses to give the captain a tumble.
Outland just wants to make a decent living skirting the law, but when an invisible space armada starts cutting into his business, he soon finds himself in hot water with the military, the mob, mad bombers, and an extended family of would-be conquerors. And that’s not counting an occasionally telepathic spy . . . .
Like any sensible scoundrel, he hates heroics. They’re risky and they don’t pay well. But to keep his ship and crew in one piece, and make time with a certain hard-to-get weapons chief, he might just have to make an exception–and save the galaxy in spite of himself!
Outland just wants to make a decent living skirting the law, but when an invisible space armada starts cutting into his business, he soon finds himself in hot water with the military, the mob, mad bombers, and an extended family of would-be conquerors. And that’s not counting an occasionally telepathic spy . . . .
Like any sensible scoundrel, he hates heroics. They’re risky and they don’t pay well. But to keep his ship and crew in one piece, and make time with a certain hard-to-get weapons chief, he might just have to make an exception–and save the galaxy in spite of himself!
363 pages, Trade Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
17 people are currently reading
696 people want to read
About the author
G.J. Koch
3 books23 followersThis writer also publishes as Gini Koch, please don't combine as this is deliberate.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews
June 23, 2012
Oh, I think I love Outland! :D
****Full Review*****
Alexander pulls Sixty-Nine into Thurge for a magma order, but when he hears the voice and one of the women that has been brewing to see Nap again, he high-tales it out of there to Herion. But in his rush to avoid one trouble he comes barreling into another. Ships have been vanishing around Herion space along with weird occurrences. Alarms in Sixty-Nine go off, but nothing is on the screen. Nap works his flying magic to land on Herion. Now grounded Nap has several different groups after him; to help them, or to kill him. Nap is the first to land in a very long time, and people are desperate to hire him, and the Pirate Armada wants to kill him since he is the only captain who could out pilot them but won't take orders either. Alexander is not a hero, he's a pirate...with morals...okay, low, but some, but he needs to stop the Armada if he wants to keep smuggling and pirating without a huge fee. And try to win the girl too.
Right off the bat we learn Alexander Outland, Nap as his friends and the ladies call him, is quite popular with the ladies...good and bad ways. Alexander comes off as not always the smartest captain, but he always comes through! By the end of the book, I started to think it's all an act. People won't think you smarter than what you come across, so you can get away with many great things, and have fun at it.
There is a whole universe created! Yes, this is so much bigger than a world. Koch creates a universe! This is wild! The first six chapters are quick and fast moving, yet we see a large universe is here. I got the feel we are getting just a bare glimpse of it, and I look forward to future books to see more.
We are taken on a wild and fun ride with Nap and his crew. Just meeting them, and reading Naps responses to each is fun. And there is one he didn't even know about, until we get going in the book. Nap also seems to be a collector of lost souls, as he picks up a few extras along the way. All the characters have their own strong personalities, and abilities they bring to the story. No, they don't all get along, but they are wonderful to blend and clash together. Loved them all!
I loved Nap, so fun. Slinkie is who I want to be when I grow up! Okay, so I'm already grown up, and not a Slinkie, but I loved her! Loved Governor. Oh, he holds a secret all his own. And Randolph, so smart! A genius. And Audrey! Audrey... she is a special case. ;) And all the people we come across, just fun!
The story! It was fun! Thrilling! Adventurous! Nap and crew get into scraps and get out, barely. There are sexual innuendos through out the book, and comments. Like with Slinkie, about every time. But it's all in great fun, and I had to smile. Actually, this book had me smiling the whole time, and even rooting for Nap with Slinkie (even though I probably shouldn't have been). I loved the banter and the sexual tension Alexander puts into everything, a true man but fun. Then we have a few moments in not so...sanitary, places. lol. But it is all so funny!
I've read it, and absolutely loved it!
I loved this adventure and this crew! I CAN NOT WAIT for the next Alexander Outland book!!
****Full Review*****
Alexander pulls Sixty-Nine into Thurge for a magma order, but when he hears the voice and one of the women that has been brewing to see Nap again, he high-tales it out of there to Herion. But in his rush to avoid one trouble he comes barreling into another. Ships have been vanishing around Herion space along with weird occurrences. Alarms in Sixty-Nine go off, but nothing is on the screen. Nap works his flying magic to land on Herion. Now grounded Nap has several different groups after him; to help them, or to kill him. Nap is the first to land in a very long time, and people are desperate to hire him, and the Pirate Armada wants to kill him since he is the only captain who could out pilot them but won't take orders either. Alexander is not a hero, he's a pirate...with morals...okay, low, but some, but he needs to stop the Armada if he wants to keep smuggling and pirating without a huge fee. And try to win the girl too.
Right off the bat we learn Alexander Outland, Nap as his friends and the ladies call him, is quite popular with the ladies...good and bad ways. Alexander comes off as not always the smartest captain, but he always comes through! By the end of the book, I started to think it's all an act. People won't think you smarter than what you come across, so you can get away with many great things, and have fun at it.
There is a whole universe created! Yes, this is so much bigger than a world. Koch creates a universe! This is wild! The first six chapters are quick and fast moving, yet we see a large universe is here. I got the feel we are getting just a bare glimpse of it, and I look forward to future books to see more.
We are taken on a wild and fun ride with Nap and his crew. Just meeting them, and reading Naps responses to each is fun. And there is one he didn't even know about, until we get going in the book. Nap also seems to be a collector of lost souls, as he picks up a few extras along the way. All the characters have their own strong personalities, and abilities they bring to the story. No, they don't all get along, but they are wonderful to blend and clash together. Loved them all!
I loved Nap, so fun. Slinkie is who I want to be when I grow up! Okay, so I'm already grown up, and not a Slinkie, but I loved her! Loved Governor. Oh, he holds a secret all his own. And Randolph, so smart! A genius. And Audrey! Audrey... she is a special case. ;) And all the people we come across, just fun!
The story! It was fun! Thrilling! Adventurous! Nap and crew get into scraps and get out, barely. There are sexual innuendos through out the book, and comments. Like with Slinkie, about every time. But it's all in great fun, and I had to smile. Actually, this book had me smiling the whole time, and even rooting for Nap with Slinkie (even though I probably shouldn't have been). I loved the banter and the sexual tension Alexander puts into everything, a true man but fun. Then we have a few moments in not so...sanitary, places. lol. But it is all so funny!
I've read it, and absolutely loved it!
I loved this adventure and this crew! I CAN NOT WAIT for the next Alexander Outland book!!
June 30, 2012
Just as a warning to others, the entire book is a constant string of one-liner sarcastic jokes and insults. There actually is a plot, of dubious quality, and decent writting overall but after a couple hundred pages of joke and insult after joke and insult it just got too tedious for me to continue reading.
It isn't satirical, there is no attempt to be funny beyond the one-liners, and the actual storyline is very small scale. If none of that bothers you and you can read an entire chapter where nothing happens but the exchange of insults and jokes in the middle of a crisis, then it's probably well worth reading.
It isn't satirical, there is no attempt to be funny beyond the one-liners, and the actual storyline is very small scale. If none of that bothers you and you can read an entire chapter where nothing happens but the exchange of insults and jokes in the middle of a crisis, then it's probably well worth reading.
April 22, 2012
You may also read my review here: http://www.mybookishways.com/2012/04/...
Captain Alexander Napoleon Outland can’t seem to get a break. Along with his crew, he’s out to score some magma when a pirate armada tries to shanghai his ship, the Sixty-Nine. Yes, his ship really is called the Sixty-Nine. Trust me, as you get to know Nap better, this will not surprise you one bit. Forced to land on a planet known for its military and distinct lack in the sense of humor department, Nap and crew find themselves in one sticky situation after another in their attempts to escape the planet and get back to business as usual.
Alexander Outland is told from the point of view of the Captain himself and strikes the perfect tone for a rollicking space opera from the get go. Nap is equal parts Han Solo, Jack Sparrow, and Buck Rogers, with a liberal dash of Spaceballs and Peter Venkman. He can’t resist the ladies, and usually they can’t resist him, which is why he is so puzzled that his weapons chief, Slinkie, is so resistant to his “charms”. However, in spite of his near overwhelming preoccupation with the gorgeous Slinkie, he manages to take care of his crew and inspire an odd sort of loyalty among the strange bunch. I fell in love with Nap from the beginning in spite of his overlarge libido and laughed out loud at his dry wit. There’s plenty of action here, but the real fun (for me) came from the dialogue between Nap and his eccentric crew, including the always cheerful, humanoid Audrey (the ship’s AI in a rockin’ bod). Interstellar spies, a pirate armada with a ridiculous name (trust me on this one), and a memorable (and smelly)trip through the sewer system of Herion are just part of the fun, and I was happy to ride along! Fans of space opera and sci-fi will have a great time with this one, and of course, fans of GJ Koch’s (aka Gini Koch) Kitty Martini series will find lots to love too! Will Nap and his crew escape the pirates and live to plunder another day? Will Nap ever bed the irresistible Slinkie? You’ll have to read it and find out! I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Captain Alexander Napoleon Outland can’t seem to get a break. Along with his crew, he’s out to score some magma when a pirate armada tries to shanghai his ship, the Sixty-Nine. Yes, his ship really is called the Sixty-Nine. Trust me, as you get to know Nap better, this will not surprise you one bit. Forced to land on a planet known for its military and distinct lack in the sense of humor department, Nap and crew find themselves in one sticky situation after another in their attempts to escape the planet and get back to business as usual.
Alexander Outland is told from the point of view of the Captain himself and strikes the perfect tone for a rollicking space opera from the get go. Nap is equal parts Han Solo, Jack Sparrow, and Buck Rogers, with a liberal dash of Spaceballs and Peter Venkman. He can’t resist the ladies, and usually they can’t resist him, which is why he is so puzzled that his weapons chief, Slinkie, is so resistant to his “charms”. However, in spite of his near overwhelming preoccupation with the gorgeous Slinkie, he manages to take care of his crew and inspire an odd sort of loyalty among the strange bunch. I fell in love with Nap from the beginning in spite of his overlarge libido and laughed out loud at his dry wit. There’s plenty of action here, but the real fun (for me) came from the dialogue between Nap and his eccentric crew, including the always cheerful, humanoid Audrey (the ship’s AI in a rockin’ bod). Interstellar spies, a pirate armada with a ridiculous name (trust me on this one), and a memorable (and smelly)trip through the sewer system of Herion are just part of the fun, and I was happy to ride along! Fans of space opera and sci-fi will have a great time with this one, and of course, fans of GJ Koch’s (aka Gini Koch) Kitty Martini series will find lots to love too! Will Nap and his crew escape the pirates and live to plunder another day? Will Nap ever bed the irresistible Slinkie? You’ll have to read it and find out! I promise you won’t be disappointed.
October 12, 2016
This was a really good book. Had to give it a few pages at the beginning where it was rather slow to get off and made the main character out to be a bit of a misogynist but once things get rolling its a non stop action packed hilarity ensured ride that is reminiscent of Guardians of the Galaxy. In fact it's kind of the perfect book version of that movie, if a bit more adult in some respects.
Rather simplistic story that doesn't really need much said about it other than it has a cast of great characters ripped from firefly or guardians of the galaxy and you really do feel for them.
Minor spoilers: In fact, anyone who read this book no doubt felt a pang of sadness with a single page and Hulky. I'll spoil no more.
I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Scifi comedy or the TV shows i mentioned above.
10/10
Sidenote, at the end of this book it mentions the Alexander Outland Series in the last page with all that publisher stuff. I looked online and cant actually see any sequels. Is this the only one or is there a series because I feel it lends itself to be a series rather well.
Let me know in comments :)
Rather simplistic story that doesn't really need much said about it other than it has a cast of great characters ripped from firefly or guardians of the galaxy and you really do feel for them.
Minor spoilers: In fact, anyone who read this book no doubt felt a pang of sadness with a single page and Hulky. I'll spoil no more.
I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Scifi comedy or the TV shows i mentioned above.
10/10
Sidenote, at the end of this book it mentions the Alexander Outland Series in the last page with all that publisher stuff. I looked online and cant actually see any sequels. Is this the only one or is there a series because I feel it lends itself to be a series rather well.
Let me know in comments :)
September 22, 2012
Ok, this is more like 4.5 stars. It's not perfect. The main character is so un-PC that as your starting the book you don't know whether you should be laughing or grimacing. The main character is a perv but he's good natured about it. Holy Moly, I haven't grinned and giggled so much through a book ever. Every page was hilarious to me. This is Spaceballs on crack...or crap. The author's other series has some of the same humour but has a lot more restraint. The restraints are broken in this book and I don't know if the author was exhilarated or exhausted by the end it.
I remember seeing some low ratings for this book and I'd say it's mostly related to the trappings of the style of the book. Egotistical, man-whore pilot and buxom beautiful romantic interest in a no holds barred highly unlikely series of fantasical events with a happy ending. You either can go with the flow or let your PC disapproval get the better of enjoying a truly fun read.
Please, please, please let there be a sequel.
I remember seeing some low ratings for this book and I'd say it's mostly related to the trappings of the style of the book. Egotistical, man-whore pilot and buxom beautiful romantic interest in a no holds barred highly unlikely series of fantasical events with a happy ending. You either can go with the flow or let your PC disapproval get the better of enjoying a truly fun read.
Please, please, please let there be a sequel.
June 12, 2015
Really fun and obviously inspired by Firefly! I though the characters were quirky and spunky, and the plot was a little convoluted at times, but came off nicely in the end. I am sad there does not seem to be a sequel!
May 7, 2012
This turned out to be a complete blast to read. I loved the cast of characters and really enjoyed the action and humor in the book. Great read!
Full review to come.
Full review to come.
May 1, 2020
If I had a complaint, it's that this book is a complete standalone. It ends as if it could have a sequel, but it doesn't.
It's...entertaining. Not quite Star Wars, not quite Firefly, not exactly Pirates of the Caribbean (due to the whole space thing) a whole lot of situational humor... The H is smart but dumb. His cast of misfits are in various states of trying to decide if he's a genius or an idiot...and they're multiplying (he takes on two over the course of the book).
The basic plot is that a pirate has decided to take over the galaxy, the H runs across them on the way to pick up a load of cargo, and runs for another planet where we spend the better part of the book in one escapade after another. They finally manage to get off the planet, then head for the pirates' base. Much silliness later, the spy has been identified, the pirates all captured, and the H skipped out. It leaves us with the idea that they intended to go to a crew member's home planet to make sure the royal family hadn't been displaced by clones. As I said, there was a feeling a sequel was planned for, but that's as far as it went.
It's...entertaining. Not quite Star Wars, not quite Firefly, not exactly Pirates of the Caribbean (due to the whole space thing) a whole lot of situational humor... The H is smart but dumb. His cast of misfits are in various states of trying to decide if he's a genius or an idiot...and they're multiplying (he takes on two over the course of the book).
The basic plot is that a pirate has decided to take over the galaxy, the H runs across them on the way to pick up a load of cargo, and runs for another planet where we spend the better part of the book in one escapade after another. They finally manage to get off the planet, then head for the pirates' base. Much silliness later, the spy has been identified, the pirates all captured, and the H skipped out. It leaves us with the idea that they intended to go to a crew member's home planet to make sure the royal family hadn't been displaced by clones. As I said, there was a feeling a sequel was planned for, but that's as far as it went.
October 28, 2012
4.5/5
Alexander Napoleon Outland, Nap for short, is a riot. Excuse me while I take a huge step back from this book and convulse with laughter.
It was so so funny and silly and full of action and comic relief, - a much needed book for the upcoming winter months. If you love Han Solo and Serenity, this is a must read.
In short, Nap and his team of misfits (did I mention that his ship is called Sixty-Nine? *snort*) are flying through space on one of the few legitimate orders he's taken, when an invisible pirate armada chases them down to a military planet Herion.
Now they are stuck on a very uninspiring planet between military nuts, dodgy businessmen and explosive terrorists with twitchy fingers. The goal is to get the hell out, neutralise the armada, uncover an evil plot of multi-worlds domination and get into Slinky's pants (Slinky is a blond bombshell and a weapons chief on Sixty-Nine). Last task is the most difficult of them all.
Nap is a very charming, unbashful womaniser, not cruel, but his attention wonders. A lot. There are plenty of pissed off women across the universes who remember his name and are out for his blood... He can't help himself. He stares at breasts, his trail of thought is very simple and he is absolutely incorrigible and comfortable in his skin. He made me laugh with his "Everyone loves The Outland!" and he was not talking about his surname...
At the same time he is kind, insightful, recklessly brave and will do anything for his team. He's got a big soft heart, and that's why his team will forgive him anything. Also he is a brilliant and very clever pilot with endless amount of odd jokes. How could I not like him?
The book has plenty of non stop action, fun and involves a lot of chasing through a lake of excrement on Herion in a gliding tank Hulkie. I am not kidding! I couldn't believe my eyes when I was reading about Merderians... :D
If you enjoy a tongue in cheek space opera, this one is definitely for you! Brilliant!
Alexander Napoleon Outland, Nap for short, is a riot. Excuse me while I take a huge step back from this book and convulse with laughter.
It was so so funny and silly and full of action and comic relief, - a much needed book for the upcoming winter months. If you love Han Solo and Serenity, this is a must read.
In short, Nap and his team of misfits (did I mention that his ship is called Sixty-Nine? *snort*) are flying through space on one of the few legitimate orders he's taken, when an invisible pirate armada chases them down to a military planet Herion.
Now they are stuck on a very uninspiring planet between military nuts, dodgy businessmen and explosive terrorists with twitchy fingers. The goal is to get the hell out, neutralise the armada, uncover an evil plot of multi-worlds domination and get into Slinky's pants (Slinky is a blond bombshell and a weapons chief on Sixty-Nine). Last task is the most difficult of them all.
Nap is a very charming, unbashful womaniser, not cruel, but his attention wonders. A lot. There are plenty of pissed off women across the universes who remember his name and are out for his blood... He can't help himself. He stares at breasts, his trail of thought is very simple and he is absolutely incorrigible and comfortable in his skin. He made me laugh with his "Everyone loves The Outland!" and he was not talking about his surname...
At the same time he is kind, insightful, recklessly brave and will do anything for his team. He's got a big soft heart, and that's why his team will forgive him anything. Also he is a brilliant and very clever pilot with endless amount of odd jokes. How could I not like him?
The book has plenty of non stop action, fun and involves a lot of chasing through a lake of excrement on Herion in a gliding tank Hulkie. I am not kidding! I couldn't believe my eyes when I was reading about Merderians... :D
If you enjoy a tongue in cheek space opera, this one is definitely for you! Brilliant!
August 27, 2012
In reading this book, in many ways it reminded me of pulp science fiction that was written during the 1940s. The story is told from a first person perspective, that being Captain Alexander Napoleon Outland of the space ship Sixty-Nine (an abbreviation of the full name), a character obviously rather enamoured with themselves, a womaniser of the first order, and supposedly the best pilot in the galaxy. The story is very much tongue in cheek, and while the title character chooses to portray themselves in a particular way, there is obviously a lot more to them than they want people to think.
The story is about Outland and his crew of misfits as they try and make a living, and the various things that get in the way of that. Apparently the first book in a series, there is a fair amount of groundwork that is done - though there were also many times that references were made to events in the past that made me wonder whether I hadn't missed a book somewhere. However, this probably reflects well on the way the character was actually thinking.
Hadn't read anything by G. J. Koch before, so cannot speak to how this book may compare, but I found it a very enjoyable read, albeit one filled with rather immature masculine humour - though actually one without any details rated past Teen, just implications. If you like sarcastic humour and innuendo, coupled with pulp fiction and characters larger than life, you'll very likely enjoy this book.
The story is about Outland and his crew of misfits as they try and make a living, and the various things that get in the way of that. Apparently the first book in a series, there is a fair amount of groundwork that is done - though there were also many times that references were made to events in the past that made me wonder whether I hadn't missed a book somewhere. However, this probably reflects well on the way the character was actually thinking.
Hadn't read anything by G. J. Koch before, so cannot speak to how this book may compare, but I found it a very enjoyable read, albeit one filled with rather immature masculine humour - though actually one without any details rated past Teen, just implications. If you like sarcastic humour and innuendo, coupled with pulp fiction and characters larger than life, you'll very likely enjoy this book.
May 21, 2012
Something just did not work for me as it should have with this book. I really tried to like it, I mean I love her other books, but here, no, I just couldn't fall helplessly in love with it.
Captain Alexander Outland..a pig really. Sure I like a good rake, but this guy, well it just felt like he would have picked up a few things on the way. Can’t say I loved Slinkie either, the woman he is lusting after. Though I really liked how she did not fall for his crap. And I did like that Alexander did do the right thing when it comes to everything else. He says he does not want to be a hero but he was a hero. A reluctant awesome hero. So as long as he keeps his hands to himself then he is ok in my book.
I did like the Governor though..yes, I can’t say more. And a certain crewman who made a sexbot, well good for him.
The story (even if sadly not for me), was very cool in theory. A wicked plan is set in motion in the galaxy, pirates who want everything. And the crew ending up on a military planet, one have to love a place that keeps order *laugh ironically*. It sure made it interesting and the action was sure to be had after that.
In the end I still do not know why I did not love this book. Going with my old record I should have liked Alexander, cos he really wanted Slinkie. In a good way. And the plot was amazing and kicked ass. But this time it just was not the book for me.
Captain Alexander Outland..a pig really. Sure I like a good rake, but this guy, well it just felt like he would have picked up a few things on the way. Can’t say I loved Slinkie either, the woman he is lusting after. Though I really liked how she did not fall for his crap. And I did like that Alexander did do the right thing when it comes to everything else. He says he does not want to be a hero but he was a hero. A reluctant awesome hero. So as long as he keeps his hands to himself then he is ok in my book.
I did like the Governor though..yes, I can’t say more. And a certain crewman who made a sexbot, well good for him.
The story (even if sadly not for me), was very cool in theory. A wicked plan is set in motion in the galaxy, pirates who want everything. And the crew ending up on a military planet, one have to love a place that keeps order *laugh ironically*. It sure made it interesting and the action was sure to be had after that.
In the end I still do not know why I did not love this book. Going with my old record I should have liked Alexander, cos he really wanted Slinkie. In a good way. And the plot was amazing and kicked ass. But this time it just was not the book for me.
October 10, 2017
A rollicking adventure that reminded me of Firefly meeting Ice Pirates. This is arguably my favorite of Gini Koch's books, but a lot of that is because I like fun space opera and that's exactly what this book was. A fun, diverting read and I hope we eventually see more adventures featuring the Outland and his crew of misfits.
February 6, 2022
Super fun and fast-paced
September 27, 2023
This review originally published in Looking For a Good Book. Rated 2.0 of 5
Alexander Napoleon ("Nap") Outland is the captain of the Space Vessel 3369 - or, the "69" for short. He's the best pilot in the galaxy, according to the book blurb. So is he captain, or pilot? Both? He's also a pirate and smuggler and he's left a string of women throughout the galaxy both loving and hating him while his co-pilot is a smartass Sexbot and his weapons chief ("Slinkie") is just about the sexiest woman around, but she won't even consider sleeping with Outland.
Alexander Outland makes his living skirting the law but a new fleet of pirates are cutting into his business and soon he has folks on both sides of the law after him. It's going to take all his piloting skills and moxie to get him, and his crew, out of proverbial hot water.
I was hoping for a fast-paced, exciting space opera here, and I believe that was the intention, but the book and the primary character are a little too full of themselves to be enjoyable.
Clearly, Outland is supposed to be a bit of Han Solo, Buck Rogers, Malcolm Reynolds, James Kirk, and every other space cowboy bad boy reluctant hero. We get this from the title of the book and his 'banter' throughout the book - that "I'm too cool to say anything that isn't witty or charming" attitude. But really, we can see why his weapons officer won't sleep with him ... there is nothing appealing about him.
The book is over-written. The dialog isn't quick and witty the way this sort of banter should be, and every scene takes much too long to develop. The characters are two-dimensional. Understanding Outland relies on our already knowing the type (see the aforementioned scifi characters) and everyone else in the book is there simply to serve Outland. Even Slinkie serves him by showing us that his 'charms' don't work on everyone.
And the charm of this book definitely doesn't work on me.
Looking for a good book? Alexander Outland: Space Pirate, by G.J. Koch, is a space opera that is a poor pastiche of the genre.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review.
Alexander Napoleon ("Nap") Outland is the captain of the Space Vessel 3369 - or, the "69" for short. He's the best pilot in the galaxy, according to the book blurb. So is he captain, or pilot? Both? He's also a pirate and smuggler and he's left a string of women throughout the galaxy both loving and hating him while his co-pilot is a smartass Sexbot and his weapons chief ("Slinkie") is just about the sexiest woman around, but she won't even consider sleeping with Outland.
Alexander Outland makes his living skirting the law but a new fleet of pirates are cutting into his business and soon he has folks on both sides of the law after him. It's going to take all his piloting skills and moxie to get him, and his crew, out of proverbial hot water.
I was hoping for a fast-paced, exciting space opera here, and I believe that was the intention, but the book and the primary character are a little too full of themselves to be enjoyable.
Clearly, Outland is supposed to be a bit of Han Solo, Buck Rogers, Malcolm Reynolds, James Kirk, and every other space cowboy bad boy reluctant hero. We get this from the title of the book and his 'banter' throughout the book - that "I'm too cool to say anything that isn't witty or charming" attitude. But really, we can see why his weapons officer won't sleep with him ... there is nothing appealing about him.
The book is over-written. The dialog isn't quick and witty the way this sort of banter should be, and every scene takes much too long to develop. The characters are two-dimensional. Understanding Outland relies on our already knowing the type (see the aforementioned scifi characters) and everyone else in the book is there simply to serve Outland. Even Slinkie serves him by showing us that his 'charms' don't work on everyone.
And the charm of this book definitely doesn't work on me.
Looking for a good book? Alexander Outland: Space Pirate, by G.J. Koch, is a space opera that is a poor pastiche of the genre.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review.
June 1, 2017
Yes! Finally there is someone who writes comedic scifi ala Harry Harrison and does it with style. Captain Alexander Outland may not speak Esperanto (well maybe he does), but he does share Slippery Jim’s flexible morality and skill in planning and executing outrageous heists. Throw in a James T Kirk approach to women and a wildly mismatched but extremely skilled crew and voila. Alexander Outland: Space Pirate is just plain fun to read. I was always on the edge of my seat waiting to discover 1) which crazy situation they would get stuck in next 2) how they manage to get out of it. (spoiler alert - I almost died laughing as they escaped through the sewage system and subsequently defeated their enemies while escaping to their ship. Let’s just say the crap was flying) Gini Koch does an amazing job keeping the action and the humor flowing throughout.
Alexander Outland is always looking to make a fast buck, but a couple of ladies (unhappy with his love and leave approach) convince him that the 69 (short for space vessel 3369) should look elsewhere for the goods. After encountering an invisible pirate armada, Outland and crew escape to the most likely nearby world. Unfortunately the situation gets complicated fast. The military wants them to get rid of the pirates. The mob wants that too --for different reasons, and a terrorist group is intent on killing anyone who attempts to leave the planet. Between double and triple crosses, telepathic spies, enemies in the military and a herd of donkeys, Outland has his hands full - and not with the delectable Slinky (his weapons chief) - and that is before he takes on the pirates. Be prepared for lots of action and lots of laughs. My only disappointment came from the book ending - I am definitely ready for more. Gini Koch please don’t keep your eager readers waiting.
5 / 5
I received a copy of Alexander Outland: Space Pirate from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
--Crittermom
October 5, 2023
I confess I finished this book. Even as I was reading it, I wondered why, but G. J. Koch is a reasonably accomplished writer, so the pages turned easily.
So why one star? The juvenile sexism that runs rampant through this book is incredibly hard to swallow. At first, I was going to focus on how "G.J." was writing like he was still in middle school when I realized "G.J." is "Gini" -- and it's even worse then. Characters stare at women's "racks," and "cop a feel," as if this book was written in 1965. The protagonist is emotionally clueless, adolescent to the core and yet is beloved by a smart, beautiful, brave woman, who could do better by randomly picking out a stranger at a bar.
In addition, the plot is full of ridiculous escapes, foolish plotting and at the end, a tank-like machine that magically transports part of itself to a spaceship.
On-line, Koch bills herself as writing "fast, funny and fresh" fiction. The pace is fast, no doubt, but the humor is old-fashioned and forced, and "fresh"? Maybe in 1955.
So why one star? The juvenile sexism that runs rampant through this book is incredibly hard to swallow. At first, I was going to focus on how "G.J." was writing like he was still in middle school when I realized "G.J." is "Gini" -- and it's even worse then. Characters stare at women's "racks," and "cop a feel," as if this book was written in 1965. The protagonist is emotionally clueless, adolescent to the core and yet is beloved by a smart, beautiful, brave woman, who could do better by randomly picking out a stranger at a bar.
In addition, the plot is full of ridiculous escapes, foolish plotting and at the end, a tank-like machine that magically transports part of itself to a spaceship.
On-line, Koch bills herself as writing "fast, funny and fresh" fiction. The pace is fast, no doubt, but the humor is old-fashioned and forced, and "fresh"? Maybe in 1955.
September 17, 2018
90 pages in and the only feeling I ever got from this book was that it was written by a sexually frustrated teenager who wanted to make everyone think he got all sorts of action. That’s just the narrator. Any actual story/plot is overshadowed by the Captain’s obsession with one of his crew members and how best he can cop a cheap feel and sexually harass her. When he’s not hyper focused on her, he’s trying to impress upon the audience (and it seems himself) that he really does get laid all the time.
I like sex scenes in books. For the amount of time Nap seems to fixate on sex there’s a significant lack of action.
I couldn’t even finish the book because every other sentence is about how great this guy is in bed and how much he wants his crew member. There are some other focal points, like how he pretty much thinks anyone that’s not him is an idiot.
I like sex scenes in books. For the amount of time Nap seems to fixate on sex there’s a significant lack of action.
I couldn’t even finish the book because every other sentence is about how great this guy is in bed and how much he wants his crew member. There are some other focal points, like how he pretty much thinks anyone that’s not him is an idiot.
April 23, 2018
Alexander Outland:Space Pirate by G.J. Koch
This is in the vein of the Stainless Steel Rat, irreverent humor with lots of action. The story appears to be a setup for a series. Characters are introduced an fleshed out throughout the plot. The crew of the Sixty-Nine faces off against Lucky Pierre and the French Ticklers. The Sixty-Nine being light hearted and opposed to mass murder while the other villains not so much.
Ms. Koch does a great job crafting likeable rogues. The characters are given some back story and are not facile. Some of the technology is imbued with personality and feelings with the supposition that AI will continue to evolve.
The story is good fun and a pleasant read.
I recommend.
This is in the vein of the Stainless Steel Rat, irreverent humor with lots of action. The story appears to be a setup for a series. Characters are introduced an fleshed out throughout the plot. The crew of the Sixty-Nine faces off against Lucky Pierre and the French Ticklers. The Sixty-Nine being light hearted and opposed to mass murder while the other villains not so much.
Ms. Koch does a great job crafting likeable rogues. The characters are given some back story and are not facile. Some of the technology is imbued with personality and feelings with the supposition that AI will continue to evolve.
The story is good fun and a pleasant read.
I recommend.
January 7, 2021
This is a good book in the Serenity vein with much more raunchy humor and zaniness. Be warned our protagonist thinks impure thoughts about one of his crew, often, on almost every page. It did get a little repetitive further into the book but the action scenes and twists keep the book moving forward well enough that I wasn't annoyed too much. Had the hyper-sexual interior monologue of the protagonist been reduced by 50% I think the book would have been much better for it. I also think the other characters needed more moments to shine. I did like the Governor character a lot and felt he needed more page time and more backstory.
**The writer is a woman with an extensive bibliography under another name. This book uses a pen name depending on which version you read.
**The writer is a woman with an extensive bibliography under another name. This book uses a pen name depending on which version you read.
December 13, 2022
Read Koch's "Touched by an Alien" and liked it very much. Aliens, wit, snark, humor, heroism, romance, and plot twists wrapped in an action sci-fi. Female protagonist that is capable, courageous, vulnerable, and sensitive all at the same time. Loved it and decided to give Outland a read despite a less than 4.0 rating.
Was not disappointed. Lead this time is a laid-back skirt-chasing pirate of a space captain, but with a moral backbone. Alexander Outland and crew has a miserable couple of days but manages to stop the real baddies, get the "dove look" instead of the "vulture glare" from the girl he really has been chasing, and all without major loss of life. Like I said a scoundrel, but a good scoundrel with snappy wit.
Was not disappointed. Lead this time is a laid-back skirt-chasing pirate of a space captain, but with a moral backbone. Alexander Outland and crew has a miserable couple of days but manages to stop the real baddies, get the "dove look" instead of the "vulture glare" from the girl he really has been chasing, and all without major loss of life. Like I said a scoundrel, but a good scoundrel with snappy wit.
April 20, 2023
95% of this book is dialogue, and while Gini Koch is great at writing dialogue, there is nothing else there. I could not tell you a single detail of their ship barring its name. Character descriptions are extremely brief if female, and non-existent if they are male. The plot is barely there and pretty standard. The big "twist" was pretty self explanatory and obvious from the beginning. Clearly wanting to be Firefly, this book feels lile it was written as a script that never panned out and was 'transformed' albeit barely, into a book. If you want something with snappy dialogue try her Alien series. It's still about 65-70% dialogue but at least I could tell you what the characters looked like, how they acted and what they did.
March 11, 2018
This is a fun space opera about licentious pirate captain Outland and his crew of misfits. It is character driven which is unusual for sci-fi but it lacked enough world building for my taste. I would like to have known more about the worlds and spacecraft involved in the drama. I struggled to complete the novel as some parts were just too drawn out. In particular, a night spent on a farm went on and on and added little to the plot. The humour and mickey taking were fun but I found Outland rather irritating and certainly didn't 'warm' to him.
December 15, 2021
The way to main character is written and talks about women made it feel like a teenage boy with a Captain Kirk obsession was writing it. The over arcing story was fun and fast paced and I enjoyed it. I just.... it was uncomfortable reading Nap talk about women and his need to be with as many as possible because the "hottest woman alive" that happened to be on his ship wouldn't. And him watching her shower was gross and the line of, "she likes me possessive" is cringe as hell. If we took all that out, awesome book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 12, 2017
You have to be in a certain frame of mind to enjoy this book. You can't take it seriously. It's a rather silly novel, full of one liners and sophomoric innuendos. It's quite shallow. The women are all smoking' hot babes--from sexy space Ripley to sexy space pirates and the sexy space robots. Meanwhile, the men--aside from the hero and the rivals for the hero's love interest--are non-threateningly plain.
It's not LOL funny, but I chuckled out loud in many places.
It's not LOL funny, but I chuckled out loud in many places.
May 29, 2018
When I picked up this book and read the first chapter, what I expected was an over the top space adventure in the style of Flash Gordon. What I was pleasantly surprised to find was that not only is it over the top but it is also an extremely well written book with an excellent plot, several surprising twists, and a cast of characters that had me laughing the whole way through. I can’t recommend this book enough and I’m hoping there’s already a sequel in the works.
May 12, 2017
*Source* Publisher via Edelweiss
*Genre* Space Opera, Science Fiction
*Rating* 4.0
*Full Review Pending*
Koch is one of my favorite authors. She not only writes this series, but also the Katherine Kitty Katt series. Koch has a tendency of turning up the snark past 10 and push it into the stratosphere.
*Genre* Space Opera, Science Fiction
*Rating* 4.0
*Full Review Pending*
Koch is one of my favorite authors. She not only writes this series, but also the Katherine Kitty Katt series. Koch has a tendency of turning up the snark past 10 and push it into the stratosphere.
September 27, 2019
Pure space-opera popcorn. Some of the reviews here are shocked that this ain't Shakespeare, but that was clearly not the intent. And good thing, too, 'cause this was much more fun. Took me about a day and a half to burn through it and my only real complaint was that this book is way overdue for a sequel.
October 26, 2021
A fun little read, and not half as bad as my very low expectations, but crammed with tropes and sexist language (yes, even if it's meant to be tongue-in-cheek, it's still annoying!). This book and its characters desperately want to be the silly, flirtatious rogues as the spacefarers on Firefly, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy or Spaceballs, but they fall just short. Entertaining, though.
July 28, 2018
I can't bring myself to actually give this book a 'good' rating but it was fun to read. It's a blatant Firefly knock off with a misogynistic ragged hero pilot off to space pirate save the galaxy. It's basically the sci-fi equivalent of a trashy romance novel.
May 7, 2017
Fun read! A good old fashioned sci-fi adventure story with lots of action, a little romance and plenty of smart-assed commentary from our hero and his crew. Great book!!
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