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Alien Danger #1
Alien Quest
Gay Chicago waiter falls in love with a sexy, mysterious alien who asks for his help to save Earth from a mad scientist.
Chicago waiter Mike Carlson stumbles into intergalactic intrigue and romance as he becomes involved with Joe, an alien cop, who lands on Earth in pursuit of a dangerous mad scientist bent on taking over our corner of the universe. As Mike joins Joe on a wild adventure beyond anything he dreamed of in his life, Mike must balance his obligations to his nephew and his first lover-- with a little help from a drag queen in sequins and spandex and the well-dressed patrons of a leather bar.
Chicago waiter Mike Carlson stumbles into intergalactic intrigue and romance as he becomes involved with Joe, an alien cop, who lands on Earth in pursuit of a dangerous mad scientist bent on taking over our corner of the universe. As Mike joins Joe on a wild adventure beyond anything he dreamed of in his life, Mike must balance his obligations to his nephew and his first lover-- with a little help from a drag queen in sequins and spandex and the well-dressed patrons of a leather bar.
396 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2013
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104 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
January 19, 2014
No, really. I am an alien.
This story has three gears and the shifts are slow and steady. As far as sci-fi stories go this is rather humorous and less about imminent doom and destruction. Not that there isn't destruction. All kinds of calamities befall the poor city of Chicago and it's outskirts, but the focus is on the similarities rather than the difference between the species.
Joe is an intergalactic detective hot on the trail of a wanted criminal. Immediately after meeting him you realize that he's a bit different than other aliens.
The recipient of such a glorious offer is less than enamored, in fact Mike really doesn't want to deal with the wacko. But Mike's got a strong compassionate streak and soon he's caught up in the race for Joe to find Vov.
There are some great secondary characters including Darryl, Meganvilia, and Jack. Darryl is the dose of reality, but love him. Loud and won't give up, and equally so is Meganvilia. There is a perseverance and strength revealed through these characters and in turn the protagonists. Each adds a nice chunk of complexity and emotion, but Jack's story is the heartstrings' tugger and what pulls Joe and Mike together emotionally.
The external elements driving the action and their characters are less well defined; they stay shady villains in the background which works fine since the story's emphasis is not on xenophobia/xenophilia. Overall, this is a chase story. So there's a lot of creeping around and running and confrontations with the various antagonists.
It's a rough ride to the finish with this one. There's no free lunch and there are some sad moments. Nonetheless, it was an enjoyable read. That said you must love skulking--in fact go change into dark clothes and grab your balaclava now.
Favorite quote:
~~~A copy was provided to me for a No Glitter Blown review~~
Reviewed for Hearts On Fire Reviews
This story has three gears and the shifts are slow and steady. As far as sci-fi stories go this is rather humorous and less about imminent doom and destruction. Not that there isn't destruction. All kinds of calamities befall the poor city of Chicago and it's outskirts, but the focus is on the similarities rather than the difference between the species.
Joe is an intergalactic detective hot on the trail of a wanted criminal. Immediately after meeting him you realize that he's a bit different than other aliens.
The hunk at table seven motioned him closer. “If you’re wearing white briefs, I’ll buy them from you for twenty dollars.”
The recipient of such a glorious offer is less than enamored, in fact Mike really doesn't want to deal with the wacko. But Mike's got a strong compassionate streak and soon he's caught up in the race for Joe to find Vov.
“Have I mentioned that for an all-powerful, interstellar alien, you leave a lot to be desired?”
“An annoying number of times.”
There are some great secondary characters including Darryl, Meganvilia, and Jack. Darryl is the dose of reality, but love him. Loud and won't give up, and equally so is Meganvilia. There is a perseverance and strength revealed through these characters and in turn the protagonists. Each adds a nice chunk of complexity and emotion, but Jack's story is the heartstrings' tugger and what pulls Joe and Mike together emotionally.
The external elements driving the action and their characters are less well defined; they stay shady villains in the background which works fine since the story's emphasis is not on xenophobia/xenophilia. Overall, this is a chase story. So there's a lot of creeping around and running and confrontations with the various antagonists.
It's a rough ride to the finish with this one. There's no free lunch and there are some sad moments. Nonetheless, it was an enjoyable read. That said you must love skulking--in fact go change into dark clothes and grab your balaclava now.
Favorite quote:
If love ever comes to you, say, ‘yes.’
~~~A copy was provided to me for a No Glitter Blown review~~
Reviewed for Hearts On Fire Reviews
November 13, 2014
I've tagged this hard-to-classify book as a queer, erotic detective sci-fi novel. That's a lot of genres mashed together and fully satisfying to none of them. I must point out that I am not the target audience for detective novels or erotica having read nothing in those categories before except for The Case of the Good-for-Nothing Girlfriend by Mabel Maney, a lesbian take on the Nancy Drew mysteries. What I was hoping for was a solid sci-fi or urban fantasy with a queer protagonist, which is still a rarity in today's market. That fact that the book takes place in my city of residence made it all the more fun.
I should note that I received this copy of the book for free from the author whom I do not know. In July, I attended a reading of authors nominated for the 2013 Literary Lambda Awards. This author, with a 1990 win in the category of Best Gay Mystery for A Simple Suburban Murder and numerous nominations in that category since then, was reading from his latest nomination in that category, Pawn of Satan. I have not read any of the author's nominated books, just this one.
As a queer novel, this book is largely deep inside a white gay neighborhood populated by gay stereotypes: the leather queen very sick with AIDS and living in a hospice, the male dancer/escort, the sassy-but-nuturing, over-sized drag queen (who is possibly not white) . . . The settings are the hospice, seedy hotels, a fetish mansion, a whorehouse. While there could be perfectly legitimate reasons for said settings within the context of the story, I lost trust in the narrator when the narrator lost all sense of perspective. About the leather mansion, the narrator said "As all gay men in Chicago know . . . " Anyone who can presume to speak for the interests and knowledge of a wildly diverse subset of society lacks perspective in my book.
As erotica, maybe this book would work for some people. I personally found erotic sections to be distracting
from the narrative and insincere. However for believers of love-at-first-sight, this 96-hour romance may work.
As a detective novel, I found the story a little shy on specifics. The "mad scientist" [literally called that on the back cover of the book] is intent on either destroying or enslaving Earth-kind. It's never made clear which, how, or why. I would expect my bad guys to have reasons and discoverable methods. He wants something from Earth, but the story never makes clear what it could be. The mad scientist also wants money, US money. I'm not sure how that is helpful in his plot especially if mankind is destroyed.
As a sci-fi novel, I got the most satisfaction. There are advanced scientific machines and gadgets and an advanced alien culture reliant upon biological integration with nanotechnology and neural implants. This is a sound cultural structure that I wish had played a bigger role or been more fully explored. I'm okay with the main alien protagonist "not being a science guy." The idea that an advanced culture relies on technology that they do not fully understand is a valid trope. However, he implies that there are other alien races without ever citing a single one. His own race and people are never named as he constantly refers to himself as "an alien," which I find odd. Only once do we get the name of the home-planet, Hrrm, but it comes with no further description.
All of the sci-fi and "alien" aspects to the alien seem to serve only one purpose, and that is to make him seem exotic for the sake of erotica. Possibly, a character of color anywhere in the book could have done the same. The three aliens we see, though, are white young and attractive in the perfect image of the modern American advertising and porn industries. The impossibly-toned, 20-something single white male is not just the ideal of the gay neighborhood, but of the entire cosmos. That is disappointing.
I should note that I received this copy of the book for free from the author whom I do not know. In July, I attended a reading of authors nominated for the 2013 Literary Lambda Awards. This author, with a 1990 win in the category of Best Gay Mystery for A Simple Suburban Murder and numerous nominations in that category since then, was reading from his latest nomination in that category, Pawn of Satan. I have not read any of the author's nominated books, just this one.
As a queer novel, this book is largely deep inside a white gay neighborhood populated by gay stereotypes: the leather queen very sick with AIDS and living in a hospice, the male dancer/escort, the sassy-but-nuturing, over-sized drag queen (who is possibly not white) . . . The settings are the hospice, seedy hotels, a fetish mansion, a whorehouse. While there could be perfectly legitimate reasons for said settings within the context of the story, I lost trust in the narrator when the narrator lost all sense of perspective. About the leather mansion, the narrator said "As all gay men in Chicago know . . . " Anyone who can presume to speak for the interests and knowledge of a wildly diverse subset of society lacks perspective in my book.
As erotica, maybe this book would work for some people. I personally found erotic sections to be distracting
from the narrative and insincere. However for believers of love-at-first-sight, this 96-hour romance may work.
As a detective novel, I found the story a little shy on specifics. The "mad scientist" [literally called that on the back cover of the book] is intent on either destroying or enslaving Earth-kind. It's never made clear which, how, or why. I would expect my bad guys to have reasons and discoverable methods. He wants something from Earth, but the story never makes clear what it could be. The mad scientist also wants money, US money. I'm not sure how that is helpful in his plot especially if mankind is destroyed.
As a sci-fi novel, I got the most satisfaction. There are advanced scientific machines and gadgets and an advanced alien culture reliant upon biological integration with nanotechnology and neural implants. This is a sound cultural structure that I wish had played a bigger role or been more fully explored. I'm okay with the main alien protagonist "not being a science guy." The idea that an advanced culture relies on technology that they do not fully understand is a valid trope. However, he implies that there are other alien races without ever citing a single one. His own race and people are never named as he constantly refers to himself as "an alien," which I find odd. Only once do we get the name of the home-planet, Hrrm, but it comes with no further description.
All of the sci-fi and "alien" aspects to the alien seem to serve only one purpose, and that is to make him seem exotic for the sake of erotica. Possibly, a character of color anywhere in the book could have done the same. The three aliens we see, though, are white young and attractive in the perfect image of the modern American advertising and porn industries. The impossibly-toned, 20-something single white male is not just the ideal of the gay neighborhood, but of the entire cosmos. That is disappointing.
September 15, 2013
2.5 stars rounded up
More later but I have to go to bed now!
Sep 15, 2013
It doesn't bode well that I had to actually go back to the book to remind myself what it was even about.
Mike 'rescues' Joe after he is gay bashed and left in an alley near the restaurant where Mike works. Joe shares the fact that he is from another planet searching for a mad scientist shortly after, to Mike's careful disbelief. Subsequent events, however, prove Joe is not insane.
The story is a series of events where Mike outwits inept Chicago PD and federal agents while searching for the criminal scientist before the scientist reaches his goal.
It's not a bad read, really....it just didn't engage my interest or imagination. The MC's seemed 2-dimentional at best and the dialogue was distracting to me in that it was so very, very terse (Joe Friday, anyone??!!).
More later but I have to go to bed now!
Sep 15, 2013
It doesn't bode well that I had to actually go back to the book to remind myself what it was even about.
Mike 'rescues' Joe after he is gay bashed and left in an alley near the restaurant where Mike works. Joe shares the fact that he is from another planet searching for a mad scientist shortly after, to Mike's careful disbelief. Subsequent events, however, prove Joe is not insane.
The story is a series of events where Mike outwits inept Chicago PD and federal agents while searching for the criminal scientist before the scientist reaches his goal.
It's not a bad read, really....it just didn't engage my interest or imagination. The MC's seemed 2-dimentional at best and the dialogue was distracting to me in that it was so very, very terse (Joe Friday, anyone??!!).
May 1, 2016
I think if you don't go into this expecting high-scifi, you'll quite enjoy this. I was just looking for an easy book to read, and since I got this free a few days ago and have been wanting to read it for ages, I thought I would give it a shot. And I guess since I didn't want to stop reading till I got to the end, says good things about the story. The whole thing with the FBI was kind of a nuisance that went no where, and I wish there had been a tad bit more romance between Joe and Mike, but it was lighthearted and entertaining.
July 1, 2018
Didn't care for the author's writing style. The dialogue felt forced, the narrative was stiff, and I just couldn't bring myself to care about the characters or the plot.
April 8, 2018
On the surface, everything about this book appealed to me. Sci-Fi has always deeply appealed to the outsider in me, drag queens are basically angels, and there’s nothing about a bit of kink at which I’d turn up my nose. I signed up to review it hoping for a sort of Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Gay Galaxy. What I got instead felt like an outdated, hokey tour through white, cis, gay Chicago. Cis to the point where the skanky hotel was populated by “transgendered denizens” and white to the point where even the man from another planet was the pinnacle of Aryan beauty.
Sci-Fi is meant to exist on the bleeding edge of the world we inhabit, pushing our imaginations to new limits. Instead, I got a gay man who was introduced as “He has AIDS” before he was named and died before the book was out. I know HIV/AIDS left huge, gaping wounds on the gay community and that it continues to do so. However, when dealing with a protagonist in his twenties, in a book that apparently takes place in the same time as iPhones, the focus on finding a cure for AIDS wrenched me out of whatever time period I was supposed to be imagining. I get the feeling this book was written several decades ago and then hastily updated.
In one sense, though, this book brought to a light a lot of issues that still exist, exemplified especially by the way the main character essentially fat-shames his way through a leather bar and refers to larger characters as looking like sausages, as well as “unkempt and porcine” and doing things like trundling, instead of walking, as most humans do regardless of weight. On the other hand, this book tries to fight stereotypes that aren’t as present anymore. It features a teen boy whose only reason for homophobia is because his father has been repeatedly raping and beating him since the first grade and that’s what gay men do. These suspicions may still lurk in the minds of outlandishly out-of-touch bigots, but I’d hoped that we’d moved past the idea that homophobes have a tragic reason for their homophobia.
The writing, in general, was sparse in some ways but overmuch in others, giving a few sentences to a jaunt around the rings of Saturn and an entire paragraph to the all-white-silk outfit of the main character’s lawyer (down to his underwear). It spends a lot of time throwing sex into our faces, but when the main characters to go to bed together, we get nothing more than a kiss and a fade to black. Overall, the whole book was disjointed and out dated, referring to alien tech simply as “technology” for the bulk of the book. As in “can your technology fix this?” or “is this something that can be solved with your technology?” with very little explanation as to how or why this alien is pulling anything off with some kind of interstellar Apple Watch.
In the end, I wanted to hate this book. While I was reading it, I really thought I did. Looking back, I feel a sort of pity for someone so out of touch with the modern queer community that we got a 27-year-old protagonist who still reads print newspapers and has an answering machine.
Sci-Fi is meant to exist on the bleeding edge of the world we inhabit, pushing our imaginations to new limits. Instead, I got a gay man who was introduced as “He has AIDS” before he was named and died before the book was out. I know HIV/AIDS left huge, gaping wounds on the gay community and that it continues to do so. However, when dealing with a protagonist in his twenties, in a book that apparently takes place in the same time as iPhones, the focus on finding a cure for AIDS wrenched me out of whatever time period I was supposed to be imagining. I get the feeling this book was written several decades ago and then hastily updated.
In one sense, though, this book brought to a light a lot of issues that still exist, exemplified especially by the way the main character essentially fat-shames his way through a leather bar and refers to larger characters as looking like sausages, as well as “unkempt and porcine” and doing things like trundling, instead of walking, as most humans do regardless of weight. On the other hand, this book tries to fight stereotypes that aren’t as present anymore. It features a teen boy whose only reason for homophobia is because his father has been repeatedly raping and beating him since the first grade and that’s what gay men do. These suspicions may still lurk in the minds of outlandishly out-of-touch bigots, but I’d hoped that we’d moved past the idea that homophobes have a tragic reason for their homophobia.
The writing, in general, was sparse in some ways but overmuch in others, giving a few sentences to a jaunt around the rings of Saturn and an entire paragraph to the all-white-silk outfit of the main character’s lawyer (down to his underwear). It spends a lot of time throwing sex into our faces, but when the main characters to go to bed together, we get nothing more than a kiss and a fade to black. Overall, the whole book was disjointed and out dated, referring to alien tech simply as “technology” for the bulk of the book. As in “can your technology fix this?” or “is this something that can be solved with your technology?” with very little explanation as to how or why this alien is pulling anything off with some kind of interstellar Apple Watch.
In the end, I wanted to hate this book. While I was reading it, I really thought I did. Looking back, I feel a sort of pity for someone so out of touch with the modern queer community that we got a 27-year-old protagonist who still reads print newspapers and has an answering machine.
January 31, 2015
Alien Quest
By Mark Zubro
Four stars
Mike Carlson learns a few important lessons in this book. You can save some people, but you can’t save everyone. And you never know when love will strike.
Oh, yes, and Mike also learns that there are aliens.
Zubro’s gently comic alien adventure series begins with this book, in which a twenty-something waiter in Chicago finds himself caught up in an intergalactic manhunt. Full of wry humor, the book takes its characters seriously but not itself—and that’s a good thing. There are no portentous commentaries about the cosmos, and Mike’s resident alien is sort of like a hot gay Joe Friday—just the facts, ma’am. Well, some of the facts, anyway.
“What haven’t you told me?”
“Probably several million things. Where would you like me to start?”
What makes this book memorable is the subplots that weave themselves around the central storyline: Mike’s lifelong friend and first boyfriend, Darryl; and his obnoxious fourteen-year-old nephew Jack. Although these two narratives are not connected to the alien tale any more than they are to each other, they are both profoundly tied to Mike, who he knows, and who he is. It is Mike’s response to the three protagonists of these storylines—Darryl, Jack and Joe, the alien—that ties the reader to the book.
There is no world-building here, it is sci-fi only in the presence of the aliens and their otherworldly technology. Everything else is Chicago and its environs (but for one side-trip that’s a romantic gesture and probably a teaser for another book). But that’s OK, because Mike and Joe together make an interesting study in human nature that keep you turning the pages.
I really want to see Mike Carlson again, which is why I bought book 2, Alien Home.
By Mark Zubro
Four stars
Mike Carlson learns a few important lessons in this book. You can save some people, but you can’t save everyone. And you never know when love will strike.
Oh, yes, and Mike also learns that there are aliens.
Zubro’s gently comic alien adventure series begins with this book, in which a twenty-something waiter in Chicago finds himself caught up in an intergalactic manhunt. Full of wry humor, the book takes its characters seriously but not itself—and that’s a good thing. There are no portentous commentaries about the cosmos, and Mike’s resident alien is sort of like a hot gay Joe Friday—just the facts, ma’am. Well, some of the facts, anyway.
“What haven’t you told me?”
“Probably several million things. Where would you like me to start?”
What makes this book memorable is the subplots that weave themselves around the central storyline: Mike’s lifelong friend and first boyfriend, Darryl; and his obnoxious fourteen-year-old nephew Jack. Although these two narratives are not connected to the alien tale any more than they are to each other, they are both profoundly tied to Mike, who he knows, and who he is. It is Mike’s response to the three protagonists of these storylines—Darryl, Jack and Joe, the alien—that ties the reader to the book.
There is no world-building here, it is sci-fi only in the presence of the aliens and their otherworldly technology. Everything else is Chicago and its environs (but for one side-trip that’s a romantic gesture and probably a teaser for another book). But that’s OK, because Mike and Joe together make an interesting study in human nature that keep you turning the pages.
I really want to see Mike Carlson again, which is why I bought book 2, Alien Home.
February 28, 2016
DNF.
I couldn't connect with the characters at all and felt total outsider when reading the story. Had to stop before I was bored to death. The writing style felt really stiff, almost cold and Mike's way to always refer Joe as "alien" really didn't help. He had a name, would've been nice to hear it more than couple of times in the first 30 % I managed to read...
I couldn't connect with the characters at all and felt total outsider when reading the story. Had to stop before I was bored to death. The writing style felt really stiff, almost cold and Mike's way to always refer Joe as "alien" really didn't help. He had a name, would've been nice to hear it more than couple of times in the first 30 % I managed to read...
Want to read
December 20, 2014FREE at MLR Press on 12/19/14!
October 30, 2022
Kindle-Sort-ReRead
Hard NO at 10%
The writing isn't the most riveting it all feels odd. Was expecting a detective with sci-fi elements but not sure if it's intended as a wacky spoof.
But
While most jokes fell flat, that's seriously unfunny.
No way I'll even skim on.
Hard NO at 10%
The writing isn't the most riveting it all feels odd. Was expecting a detective with sci-fi elements but not sure if it's intended as a wacky spoof.
But
While most jokes fell flat, that's seriously unfunny.
No way I'll even skim on.
May 1, 2017
2.5 Stars
I wrote a long thought out review for this complete with examples of the humor and of the stilted writing. I spent over and hour on it, then I lost it to the ether. I'm too depressed and the book wasn't good enough to write it again, so here are my notes:
Writing is very choppy, very short sentences.
Very believable Chicago. I feel the author really knows the city. But by a third of the way through, it got to be too much. There were four different freeways that had to be taken to get to a location and each one named including the last one, Interstate 80. A little later they're walking by one of those highways and instead of saying that, Interstate 80 was mentioned again. Finally at the end of the long scene, they got in the car and accelerated onto Interstate 80. I'm starting to get the impression that the author just has Google Maps bookmarked since most of the descriptions that are place-specific are streets.
Very very funny. My favorite line was:
Anyone who is overweight in the book basically becomes defined by that and it's mentioned over and over. One woman was one of the dancers and had as large a following as the thinner women but it was surprising to the main character. It wasn't overt fat phobic but it was close.
I feel like this book was written several years ago. The take on HIV drugs, like it was written before they were a great solution and the author had to come up with something, the fact that no one has cell phones, that in huge city like Chicago, the cops raid a gigantic gay bar and arrest everyone with no reason whatsoever, and some other generalities I can't remember right now.
Book is too long with a lot of unnecessary stuff. Despite it being entertaining and funny, it was a chore to get through it.
Why didn't they put Darryl in a wheelchair?
The explanatino of why the alien was in danger from humans and our primitive weapons was ridiculous and done just as a way to further the plot.
I hate how Joe is constantly referred to as "the alien" like "the alien came over to talk to him." It would be like constantly referring to Mike as "the man." The man went to the alien, wanting to kiss him."
Gobs of little chapters. New ones start with no reason sometimes.
The crowd mob thing is realistic but it bothers me. The cops on the line aren't the problem so much as their supervisors. And it solves nothing to hurt or kill them, it only makes it worse. Not just the cops but the community lose respect and don't back the cause.
There was absolutely no chemistry between the characters. There were points at which they were supposedly in love when they were pushy and snarky in a not-funny kind of way with each other. Joe didn't show any kind of emotion about it until he did something overt. Mike didn't think about it much and then they're in love. Plus NO SEX SCENES! I wanted to know how aliens do it in their universe. ;)
I wrote a long thought out review for this complete with examples of the humor and of the stilted writing. I spent over and hour on it, then I lost it to the ether. I'm too depressed and the book wasn't good enough to write it again, so here are my notes:
Writing is very choppy, very short sentences.
Very believable Chicago. I feel the author really knows the city. But by a third of the way through, it got to be too much. There were four different freeways that had to be taken to get to a location and each one named including the last one, Interstate 80. A little later they're walking by one of those highways and instead of saying that, Interstate 80 was mentioned again. Finally at the end of the long scene, they got in the car and accelerated onto Interstate 80. I'm starting to get the impression that the author just has Google Maps bookmarked since most of the descriptions that are place-specific are streets.
Very very funny. My favorite line was:
"Nobody has an anti-teenager device," Mike said, "but whoever invents one is going to be very, very wealthy."
Anyone who is overweight in the book basically becomes defined by that and it's mentioned over and over. One woman was one of the dancers and had as large a following as the thinner women but it was surprising to the main character. It wasn't overt fat phobic but it was close.
I feel like this book was written several years ago. The take on HIV drugs, like it was written before they were a great solution and the author had to come up with something, the fact that no one has cell phones, that in huge city like Chicago, the cops raid a gigantic gay bar and arrest everyone with no reason whatsoever, and some other generalities I can't remember right now.
Book is too long with a lot of unnecessary stuff. Despite it being entertaining and funny, it was a chore to get through it.
Why didn't they put Darryl in a wheelchair?
The explanatino of why the alien was in danger from humans and our primitive weapons was ridiculous and done just as a way to further the plot.
I hate how Joe is constantly referred to as "the alien" like "the alien came over to talk to him." It would be like constantly referring to Mike as "the man." The man went to the alien, wanting to kiss him."
Gobs of little chapters. New ones start with no reason sometimes.
The crowd mob thing is realistic but it bothers me. The cops on the line aren't the problem so much as their supervisors. And it solves nothing to hurt or kill them, it only makes it worse. Not just the cops but the community lose respect and don't back the cause.
There was absolutely no chemistry between the characters. There were points at which they were supposedly in love when they were pushy and snarky in a not-funny kind of way with each other. Joe didn't show any kind of emotion about it until he did something overt. Mike didn't think about it much and then they're in love. Plus NO SEX SCENES! I wanted to know how aliens do it in their universe. ;)
September 17, 2013
3 Hearts
Review written for MM Good Book Reviews
Mike finds himself in difficult circumstances when he makes an impression on one of his customers and that customer drags him into a race against time to save the human race from a mad scientist. Joe needs help, on Earth to chase down a wanted criminal he is clueless about Earth customs so he pulls Mike into aid him. Mike is now in for the adventure of his life, but Mike still has responsibilities with work, his nephew and his AIDs stricken first lover.
This is a pretty good alien visitor story where a mad alien scientist with nefarious plans is hiding out on Earth and an alien cop is hunting him before he can cause too much damage. Mike is just a simple waiter, but when he comes to the aid of one of the patrons of the restaurant he works at he gets pulled into a race to save humanity. Joe is a cop on his world, this mission is his last chance to redeem himself and keep his job but fitting in is hard. When Joe asks waiter, Mike, to help him explaining his mission, Mike thinks he is mad until things happen that has Mike helping him out, but Joe finds himself aiding Mike when it comes to Mike's nephew.
This story is pretty interesting with Joe's story and the hunt for the scientist keeping you reading. Mike is a pretty simple character who manages to catch the eye of an alien, Mike's relationship with his nephew is on rocky ground until he discovers just what his nephew has been going through and he isn't sure what to believe about Joe. Joe has messed up in the past and he knows that this is a mission he isn't expected to come back from, but that doesn't stop him from trying his best. The connection he forges with Mike isn't very strong but he hopes that Mike will trust him and give in to the attraction they both feel.
Although I found that this story did jump between topics and at times dragged it was still entertaining. Meeting Mike's family added a nice twist to the story along with Joe helping out with Mike's nephews secrets. Having Darryl seriously ill and finding out about a miracle cure which helps to lead them to the alien scientist was an interesting twist, but also pretty horrific when discovering the true twisted mind of the scientist. The relationship between Mike and Joe is very loose with mistrust that changes to more as they run from the police and FBI while trying to keep on step ahead of the alien bounty hunter.
I recommend this to those who love alien love stories, danger, chases and escapes, finding love in difficult circumstances and prevailing over evil while keeping love intact.
Review written for MM Good Book Reviews
Mike finds himself in difficult circumstances when he makes an impression on one of his customers and that customer drags him into a race against time to save the human race from a mad scientist. Joe needs help, on Earth to chase down a wanted criminal he is clueless about Earth customs so he pulls Mike into aid him. Mike is now in for the adventure of his life, but Mike still has responsibilities with work, his nephew and his AIDs stricken first lover.
This is a pretty good alien visitor story where a mad alien scientist with nefarious plans is hiding out on Earth and an alien cop is hunting him before he can cause too much damage. Mike is just a simple waiter, but when he comes to the aid of one of the patrons of the restaurant he works at he gets pulled into a race to save humanity. Joe is a cop on his world, this mission is his last chance to redeem himself and keep his job but fitting in is hard. When Joe asks waiter, Mike, to help him explaining his mission, Mike thinks he is mad until things happen that has Mike helping him out, but Joe finds himself aiding Mike when it comes to Mike's nephew.
This story is pretty interesting with Joe's story and the hunt for the scientist keeping you reading. Mike is a pretty simple character who manages to catch the eye of an alien, Mike's relationship with his nephew is on rocky ground until he discovers just what his nephew has been going through and he isn't sure what to believe about Joe. Joe has messed up in the past and he knows that this is a mission he isn't expected to come back from, but that doesn't stop him from trying his best. The connection he forges with Mike isn't very strong but he hopes that Mike will trust him and give in to the attraction they both feel.
Although I found that this story did jump between topics and at times dragged it was still entertaining. Meeting Mike's family added a nice twist to the story along with Joe helping out with Mike's nephews secrets. Having Darryl seriously ill and finding out about a miracle cure which helps to lead them to the alien scientist was an interesting twist, but also pretty horrific when discovering the true twisted mind of the scientist. The relationship between Mike and Joe is very loose with mistrust that changes to more as they run from the police and FBI while trying to keep on step ahead of the alien bounty hunter.
I recommend this to those who love alien love stories, danger, chases and escapes, finding love in difficult circumstances and prevailing over evil while keeping love intact.
February 22, 2014
Science Fiction really isn’t my favorite genre. When I was younger, it was all I read. Then all I read was horror for awhile. Like most people, I go through phases where I read more of one genre than another. Although I must admit that my M/M binge has lasted a few years and shows no signs of waning! Alien Quest is the first sci-fi that I have read in a long time. It is the first M/M sci-fi I have ever read.
Joe is a disgraced alien cop who has come to earth to find an escaped mad scientist who is in possession of technology that would enable him to take over the Earth’s population. The last place he was able to track the lunatic to is the restaurant where Mike is a waiter. He comes in several nights in a row and asks to be seated in Mike’s section. Joe seems like a normal customer, just quiet. He watches Mike’s every move. And he brings his own silverware. Oh, and he offers Mike twenty dollars for a pair of his dirty underwear. Did I say Joe seemed normal? Maybe that was a bit of an misstatement.
Joe doesn’t know how to be a gay human, or any kind of human really, so he takes his cues where he can get them. The dirty underwear one didn’t pan out. Mike did wind up alone with Joe, but underwear had nothing to do with it and to tell you would be a spoiler. The chemistry between them is right there in your face. They are very slow to act on it though. Joe is snarky and Mike is sarcastic. Makes for funny conversation.
They have quite and adventure hunting down the scientist while the local police and the FBI (working with an informant) are hunting them down. You can imagine what happens between their hearts and bodies during this time. It is a romance novel after all. The back story about Mike’s first lover and Mike’s rocky relationship with his nephew add depth and dimension to the main plotline.
Alien Quest was actually very funny. Mark Zubro has a great sense of humor. The entire book seemed, to me, to be tongue-in-cheek. I felt myself smirking a lot while reading it. That said, the writing style just wasn’t for me. Or maybe it was that I didn’t really connect with Mike and Joe. I’m not sure. Either way, it just didn’t quite work for me. It felt like it was slightly out of reach and just the smallest nudge would make it work. I’m not sure. I know this isn’t very reassuring, but it IS honest! I am going to read another of Mark Zubro’s books and see if it was just this book or if he and I just don’t work well together.
Joe is a disgraced alien cop who has come to earth to find an escaped mad scientist who is in possession of technology that would enable him to take over the Earth’s population. The last place he was able to track the lunatic to is the restaurant where Mike is a waiter. He comes in several nights in a row and asks to be seated in Mike’s section. Joe seems like a normal customer, just quiet. He watches Mike’s every move. And he brings his own silverware. Oh, and he offers Mike twenty dollars for a pair of his dirty underwear. Did I say Joe seemed normal? Maybe that was a bit of an misstatement.
Joe doesn’t know how to be a gay human, or any kind of human really, so he takes his cues where he can get them. The dirty underwear one didn’t pan out. Mike did wind up alone with Joe, but underwear had nothing to do with it and to tell you would be a spoiler. The chemistry between them is right there in your face. They are very slow to act on it though. Joe is snarky and Mike is sarcastic. Makes for funny conversation.
They have quite and adventure hunting down the scientist while the local police and the FBI (working with an informant) are hunting them down. You can imagine what happens between their hearts and bodies during this time. It is a romance novel after all. The back story about Mike’s first lover and Mike’s rocky relationship with his nephew add depth and dimension to the main plotline.
Alien Quest was actually very funny. Mark Zubro has a great sense of humor. The entire book seemed, to me, to be tongue-in-cheek. I felt myself smirking a lot while reading it. That said, the writing style just wasn’t for me. Or maybe it was that I didn’t really connect with Mike and Joe. I’m not sure. Either way, it just didn’t quite work for me. It felt like it was slightly out of reach and just the smallest nudge would make it work. I’m not sure. I know this isn’t very reassuring, but it IS honest! I am going to read another of Mark Zubro’s books and see if it was just this book or if he and I just don’t work well together.
April 1, 2015
4 star review by Dan
Mike Carlson is your run of the mill, super buff, in-shape waiter, working in an eclectic Chicago eatery. The waiters are gay, the bartender might be, and the hostess is a 300 pound drag queen. Sounds like a great place to eat!
For the last few nights, a stranger, albeit a very nice looking stranger, has been coming in and requesting table 7, which is in Mike’s station. The man doesn’t say much, but appears friendly. All that changes when he walks up behind Mike and asks if he can buy the underwear he has on! Mike is kind of appalled that he so misread the guy and gives him the brush-off.
Later that night when Mike is leaving through the back alley, he finds the stranger beside a dumpster. He has been attacked by some straight kids who threw a brick at him and then kicked him when he was down. Mike helps him, but the man refuses to go to the hospital. Instead they go for coffee, and Mike’s perception of reality will never be the same again!
Turns out that Joe isn’t from anywhere near Chicago. In fact he isn’t even from our Solar System. He is an intergalactic cop, on Earth searching for an escaped evil scientist who is hell bent on world domination…of our world.
Before Mike knows what hit him, he is on the run from the FBI, the Chicago Cops and not only the evil scientist, but another alien who is a bounty hunter! Along the way there will be forays into a huge leather/BDSM club, a clinic for patients with AIDS that hides a nefarious alien plot, a brief trip to Saturn’s rings in a spaceship, a couple huge fires, some explosions, a tornado and other general mayhem!
One note, I did want to reach in and slap Mike near the end of the book. He became this totally whiney bitch for a few pages…complaining that Joe had lied to him about his abilities and mental powers. I found myself sputtering at the book…things like “get over it you whiney bitch…you have this hot alien and you’re complaining?” Happily he got over it!
I liked this book, it moved along at a fast pace, surprising me on how fast I finished the nearly 400 pages. The end was open, so I’m glad I have the second book in the series to review immediately! I recommend this book if you’re a sci-fi fan!
A copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review. Please visit www.lovebytesreviews.com to see this and many more reviews, author interviews, guestposts and giveaways!
Mike Carlson is your run of the mill, super buff, in-shape waiter, working in an eclectic Chicago eatery. The waiters are gay, the bartender might be, and the hostess is a 300 pound drag queen. Sounds like a great place to eat!
For the last few nights, a stranger, albeit a very nice looking stranger, has been coming in and requesting table 7, which is in Mike’s station. The man doesn’t say much, but appears friendly. All that changes when he walks up behind Mike and asks if he can buy the underwear he has on! Mike is kind of appalled that he so misread the guy and gives him the brush-off.
Later that night when Mike is leaving through the back alley, he finds the stranger beside a dumpster. He has been attacked by some straight kids who threw a brick at him and then kicked him when he was down. Mike helps him, but the man refuses to go to the hospital. Instead they go for coffee, and Mike’s perception of reality will never be the same again!
Turns out that Joe isn’t from anywhere near Chicago. In fact he isn’t even from our Solar System. He is an intergalactic cop, on Earth searching for an escaped evil scientist who is hell bent on world domination…of our world.
Before Mike knows what hit him, he is on the run from the FBI, the Chicago Cops and not only the evil scientist, but another alien who is a bounty hunter! Along the way there will be forays into a huge leather/BDSM club, a clinic for patients with AIDS that hides a nefarious alien plot, a brief trip to Saturn’s rings in a spaceship, a couple huge fires, some explosions, a tornado and other general mayhem!
One note, I did want to reach in and slap Mike near the end of the book. He became this totally whiney bitch for a few pages…complaining that Joe had lied to him about his abilities and mental powers. I found myself sputtering at the book…things like “get over it you whiney bitch…you have this hot alien and you’re complaining?” Happily he got over it!
I liked this book, it moved along at a fast pace, surprising me on how fast I finished the nearly 400 pages. The end was open, so I’m glad I have the second book in the series to review immediately! I recommend this book if you’re a sci-fi fan!
A copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review. Please visit www.lovebytesreviews.com to see this and many more reviews, author interviews, guestposts and giveaways!
October 9, 2013
Please leave comments on Pattycake's 4 sweet pea review at http://mrsconditreadsbooks.com/index....
“He kept his vial of pepper spray with the lid off in his right hand. He didn’t know if this would work against an intergalactic attack, but he’d do whatever he could to defend himself, as ineffective as that might be.”
In Alien Quest, Mark Zubro has written a quirky, humorous, and sometimes heartbreaking tale that takes the standard “evil alien out to take over and rule the world vs the good alien out to stop him” story and turns it upside down and inside out. Mike Carlson is a waiter at Oscae and Alfred’s, the trendiest restaurant in Chicago. A gorgeous man has been sitting at the same table in Mikes’s section for several nights. The guy finally makes a move on Mike, but his crude attempt only makes Mike angry. After closing time, Mike finds the man unconcious in the alley behind the restaurant, where he’s been attacked by a carful of teens. When Mike offers to take Joe-the name that the man gives him after he wakes up-to the hospital, or to the police, little did he know that this was the beginning of a wild adventure beyond anything he could ever dream of.
This is a character and plot driven story with a plot that flows smoothly from the first page until the last. The characters are solid. Three dimensional, and definitely don’t fit the usual stereotypes that most people think of when they hear “aliens”, “spaceships”, or “science fiction”. The backstory does a fantastic job of filling in any gaps in the storyline and lays a solid foundation. There is little actual sex in the story, but the book is so interesting that it’s really not needed. I really like how the author skillfully blends the ordinary with the extraordinary into a seamless whole, plus does a fantastic job of shining a bright light on subjects that all too many people would prefer not to know about.
The author’s writing style is crisp, clean, and original. The story has a very unique HEA ending that comes after a wild series of twists and turns that I didn’t see coming. If you’re looking for a entertaining and enthralling book that is well worth the time it takes to read, then you DEFINITELY should check this one out.
“He kept his vial of pepper spray with the lid off in his right hand. He didn’t know if this would work against an intergalactic attack, but he’d do whatever he could to defend himself, as ineffective as that might be.”
In Alien Quest, Mark Zubro has written a quirky, humorous, and sometimes heartbreaking tale that takes the standard “evil alien out to take over and rule the world vs the good alien out to stop him” story and turns it upside down and inside out. Mike Carlson is a waiter at Oscae and Alfred’s, the trendiest restaurant in Chicago. A gorgeous man has been sitting at the same table in Mikes’s section for several nights. The guy finally makes a move on Mike, but his crude attempt only makes Mike angry. After closing time, Mike finds the man unconcious in the alley behind the restaurant, where he’s been attacked by a carful of teens. When Mike offers to take Joe-the name that the man gives him after he wakes up-to the hospital, or to the police, little did he know that this was the beginning of a wild adventure beyond anything he could ever dream of.
This is a character and plot driven story with a plot that flows smoothly from the first page until the last. The characters are solid. Three dimensional, and definitely don’t fit the usual stereotypes that most people think of when they hear “aliens”, “spaceships”, or “science fiction”. The backstory does a fantastic job of filling in any gaps in the storyline and lays a solid foundation. There is little actual sex in the story, but the book is so interesting that it’s really not needed. I really like how the author skillfully blends the ordinary with the extraordinary into a seamless whole, plus does a fantastic job of shining a bright light on subjects that all too many people would prefer not to know about.
The author’s writing style is crisp, clean, and original. The story has a very unique HEA ending that comes after a wild series of twists and turns that I didn’t see coming. If you’re looking for a entertaining and enthralling book that is well worth the time it takes to read, then you DEFINITELY should check this one out.
October 24, 2015
You know a book isn't working for you when you stop reading to figure out how much longer it is and then when
Mike is a waiter who lives a pretty normal life in Chicago. He has a supportive family and is close to many friends. One day he finds a customer after a gay bashing. The customer introduces himself as Joe, and tells Mike he's an alien. Despite his initial disbelief, Joe soon proves that he knows things he shouldn't otherwise know. Joe explains that he's a cop on assignment to retrieve an escaped prisoner who is dangerously insane. Soon Mike is drawn into a strange mystery of figuring out just where the escapee is and what he's been doing with his time on earth.
I enjoyed the first half of the story. I love mystery capers and soon was drawn into Mike and Joe's quest. However, it began to feel overlong, and that's when I tried to see when it would be done. The book is filled with details about Chicago, which I thought were great as someone who is not familiar with Chicago in any way. However, I didn't understand Mike and Joe's sudden declarations of love near the ending. Also, there is a lot of discussion initially about Joe's alien attributes, and Mike wondering what's in his shorts. Then when they do spend a night together, there's no mention of anything at all. Frustrating.
I would only recommend this to people who don't like much romance in their books, and like more action.
Mike is a waiter who lives a pretty normal life in Chicago. He has a supportive family and is close to many friends. One day he finds a customer after a gay bashing. The customer introduces himself as Joe, and tells Mike he's an alien. Despite his initial disbelief, Joe soon proves that he knows things he shouldn't otherwise know. Joe explains that he's a cop on assignment to retrieve an escaped prisoner who is dangerously insane. Soon Mike is drawn into a strange mystery of figuring out just where the escapee is and what he's been doing with his time on earth.
I enjoyed the first half of the story. I love mystery capers and soon was drawn into Mike and Joe's quest. However, it began to feel overlong, and that's when I tried to see when it would be done. The book is filled with details about Chicago, which I thought were great as someone who is not familiar with Chicago in any way. However, I didn't understand Mike and Joe's sudden declarations of love near the ending. Also, there is a lot of discussion initially about Joe's alien attributes, and Mike wondering what's in his shorts. Then when they do spend a night together, there's no mention of anything at all. Frustrating.
I would only recommend this to people who don't like much romance in their books, and like more action.
dnf
January 10, 2015I tried. I really did because this book contains sentences like "Moments later, looking as studly as several dead cows could make them, they left the Luxor" (they are going to a leather bar). Such a book can't be really all that bad, can it? But after I found myself bored even during the big confrontation with the evil alien scientist I have to give up.
At first I was really very happy because the dialogue is quite funny and I thought the story, though maybe a little cartoonish could be a fun ride. But no. The problem is that "Alien Quest" is basically written like a computer game, as the name suggests. This means that the protagonists are constantly in motion, looking for clues but NOTHING REALLY HAPPENS! For those of you old enough to remember that, it reads like playing a MUD (Multi-User Dungeon) game, which I thought was dreadfully boring in the nineties and I still think it is. Tons of descriptions that are really quite redundant, tons of people popping up who have no bearing on the story whatsoever - yawn.
Again - it has many laugh-out-loud moments and if you liked MUDs you'll probably like it but it's just not for me.
At first I was really very happy because the dialogue is quite funny and I thought the story, though maybe a little cartoonish could be a fun ride. But no. The problem is that "Alien Quest" is basically written like a computer game, as the name suggests. This means that the protagonists are constantly in motion, looking for clues but NOTHING REALLY HAPPENS! For those of you old enough to remember that, it reads like playing a MUD (Multi-User Dungeon) game, which I thought was dreadfully boring in the nineties and I still think it is. Tons of descriptions that are really quite redundant, tons of people popping up who have no bearing on the story whatsoever - yawn.
Again - it has many laugh-out-loud moments and if you liked MUDs you'll probably like it but it's just not for me.
August 8, 2015
I don’t usually read M/M romances that are sci-fi also. This one just sounded really good when I read the blurb about what it was about. I wasn’t disappointed.
While this story doesn’t measure up to my all-time favorites, it kept me reading and enjoying each page. There was a great deal of action and adventure which are right up my alley. My favorite thing about this book was the characters though. I loved how each had their own personality that came through and could easily be pictured. It just seemed so easy for me to close my eyes and be able to see Mike and Joe working together or see Meganvilia all dressed up. I love it when character really stand out even when they aren’t the main ones.
I was very happy to see that this is a series. I know that the rest of the books are on my future list to read.
While this story doesn’t measure up to my all-time favorites, it kept me reading and enjoying each page. There was a great deal of action and adventure which are right up my alley. My favorite thing about this book was the characters though. I loved how each had their own personality that came through and could easily be pictured. It just seemed so easy for me to close my eyes and be able to see Mike and Joe working together or see Meganvilia all dressed up. I love it when character really stand out even when they aren’t the main ones.
I was very happy to see that this is a series. I know that the rest of the books are on my future list to read.
December 25, 2015
I had trouble getting into this story, and I'm not entirely sure why. Possibly just that I'm so stressed and busy right now, but perhaps also because it seemed to move rather slowly at the beginning. I'm glad I stuck it out however, because Joe and Mike make an amusing couple, and the action portion of the story was solid. Joe as the technologically inept alien just made me grin, and the banter between them was hilarious at times. The declarations of love, despite their attraction, seemed to come a bit out of nowhere, but I'd be interested in seeing how their relationship progresses. I may have to invest in the sequel.
July 21, 2015
I really enjoyed this book - it was fun, moved fast, and reading it was like reading an sci-fi action/adventure movie - nothing too unexpected, but enough action and banter to keep me engaged. Not a serious read, and the emphasis was definitely on the action rather than the characters, but they were well-drawn and interesting and I'd look forward to reading the next book at some point ... when I know I won't be left in cliffhanger limbo!
September 27, 2017
I love when a local author takes bits and pieces of the landscape and adds the various locales to their work. Chicago...and south of Chicago prairie lands.
Zubro is usually a mystery writer and for the rare selection of sci fi books available that do not have zombies...I would have sharpened some of the exact locations more to real businesses....but truly understand the angst of trying to incorporate a sci fi thriller with local landscape.
Zubro is usually a mystery writer and for the rare selection of sci fi books available that do not have zombies...I would have sharpened some of the exact locations more to real businesses....but truly understand the angst of trying to incorporate a sci fi thriller with local landscape.
November 29, 2014
Very enjoyable read. I did feel that he belabored some of his descriptions, and probably could have shortened the story by fifty pages or so. However, that really didn’t detract from the overall story. It’s still five star quality in my mind. Definitely recommended.
I see that there is a sequel, which I will put on my 'to-read' list.
I see that there is a sequel, which I will put on my 'to-read' list.
October 25, 2013
Alien Quest was actually very funny. Mark Zubro has a great sense of humor. The entire book seemed to me to be tongue-in-cheek.
See what more Tina had to say at The Novel Approach: http://thenovelapproachreviews.com/20...
See what more Tina had to say at The Novel Approach: http://thenovelapproachreviews.com/20...
March 22, 2015
Lol, that was an adventure! This book literally had everything, even an alien! ;)
I really liked Joe and Mike. I also liked Mike's friends and allies such as David and Mrs. Benson. I also liked Darryl. And how awesome are Meganvilia and Ray? :)
Very entertaining!
I really liked Joe and Mike. I also liked Mike's friends and allies such as David and Mrs. Benson. I also liked Darryl. And how awesome are Meganvilia and Ray? :)
Very entertaining!
February 11, 2016
I think Mark Zubro is a talented writer in the LGBT genre. In this case all about an alien who develops a friendship with a human and the two have a wild, twisted adventure in this world and beyond. Several great characters and lots of action.
abandened
November 15, 2015I just could NOT get into this. The alien, an alien cop.. is depicted as on the incompetent side. That makes it hard to see or feel him as a 'hot' character.
January 18, 2014
For me, the best book by this writer. Funny at times, heartbreaking at others. Excellent
April 8, 2017
Good book. Loved the characters. On to book two.
lurking-in-kindleland
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