Deal Night on Union Station

EarthCent Ambassador #22

by E.M. Foner

Kelly’s attempt to cut back on her working hours at the EarthCent embassy is headed the wrong direction despite handing off responsibility for the All Species Cookbook. The Thark ambassador teaches Consul Ofer how to detect gambling fraud, and Dorothy looks forward to the first season of Mage Search wrapping up so she can spend less time on management. Mike and Fenna discover that not all aliens at the Open University are there with family support, and the McAllisters take on a new project for Tunnel Trips that will require cooperation from the ambassadors of all the advanced species.

Genres: Science Fiction

269 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 29, 2024

About the author

I wrote Date Night on Union Station while taking a break from work on a science fiction epic I've been struggling with for years. The goal was to cheer myself up and to find out if there is still an audience for a science fiction comedy that gets its laughs from dialogue and funny situations rather than from gross-outs and shocks. As many readers have pointed out, the EarthCent series could be rated PG under the old fashioned system, no bloodshed, no graphic sex, no four letter words. And after years of imagining a galaxy for my epic in which multiple human civilizations are at war with each other, it did me a world of good to write about a galaxy where most people are just trying to make a living and find some joy in life. I received so many requests to extend the Date Night universe into a series that I put aside my epic for an extended period to write a sequel, Alien Night on Union Station. The events take place five years after the conclusion of Date Night, and the plot involves a mix of business, diplomacy, gaming and family relations. As a bonus, we finally get to meet Kelly's mother. After the positive response to Alien Night, I wrote a third book for the series, High Priest of Union Station, which is currently in the editing stage and due out in mid-October. I just started a book that extends the EarthCent galaxy with a different mission and cast of characters, though they may intersect at some point.

Reviews

[Craig Sweeney · Rating 5 out of 5]

love these

I always am glad when the author releases a new book! I love watching the characters age and love how the juveniles are so compatible across the species. Looking forward to more.

[John Stults · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought it started slow but then picked up

A very interesting story once again a good chapter on gov being not so good. Not intentionally just worked out that way. Even got a dig at Communism and it not working.
Another good book and I highly recommend it.

[Diana T-C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deal Night on Union Station is the 22nd book of a beloved, intelligent, and gently humorous sci-fi series. The author is prolific and inventive and the numerous ideas EM Foner comes up with makes other writers appear to be on dry spells.

I love that there are other series that branch off and then intertwine with this main series. It's fun to see characters show up from the other series and connect their roles with new events.

The writing is consistently top notch. I have read many science fiction books in my lifetime and appreciate quality writing, well developed characters, interesting plot lines that can span a series, and even across series, and especially a bit of wit and humor.

When a new EM Foner book comes out I drop whatever other book I am reading and read the new EM Foner book. Often twice before going back to the other book.

My only sadness with these beautifully written books is that they are no longer being made into audio books with a talented Professional Narrator.

[Nicolas · Rating 5 out of 5]

classic Foner goodness!

Begin with #1, Date Night on Union Station. If you like the quirky aliens and tangled social protocol, honest human fallibility and complete lack of “HFY” while human humility and ingenuity gradually raises them to “exceptional” galactic status despite their lack of resources and comparative advantages… if you liked all that, then you will *love* all the rest of these books.
Including this one.

And for fellow Foner fans: no spoiler, but the last couple of paragraphs of this book puts the entire story in a delightfully different light!
“I owe him one,” indeed…

Thank you, Mr. Foner, for continuing to develop this particularly fun storyworld. I look forward to seeing the Human Empire getting “unstuck” in future books!

[Joel · Rating 4 out of 5]

The deals in question are between the Human Empire, EarthCent, Tunnel Trips, and the alien diplomats who are doing their best to help the humans get a star liner up and running. Much like Kelly, I needed a notepad to keep track of who was doing what with whom in exchange for whichever favor, price, or IOU could be negotiated. Nevertheless, the book was a lot of fun and I enjoyed seeing the multiple generations of our extended clan take on the next challenge in becoming an interstellar species. Recommended.

[Julie Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Stryx manipulators? Never

Kelly still holds the role of Ambassador but is really trying to reduce her hours. Joe discovers a space liner is in his holding lot just as the next phase for the humans requires a passenger shipping line.
There’s always a deal to be made and however many notes Kelly makes the lines don’t always join up as expected.
E M Foner always delivers when we visit union station, guaranteed, just like the other Ambassadors always turn up after a freebie

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the steps for humans to become an empire is establishing a passenger liner service on the tunnel network. Coincidentally, in a distant corner of Mac’s Bones, Joe McAllister discovers an abandoned ship that could be transformed into a passenger carrier. However, in order to get it working, he needs a new drive. No big deal! Right? Well, it turns out to be a whole web of deals involving most of the alien species on Union Station. A fun, light read.

[Charles T · Rating 5 out of 5]

another great bookI’m

One would think that after this many books, One would get sick of a specific world/worlds but even this far down the line I love Union Station books, this one included. No, I’m not gonna call it the greatest stuff ever written, but I enjoy it and really that’s all that matters.

[Doug Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always an entertaining book

The Union Station series is an amazing journey filled with unexpected plot changes and twists. The Stryx are always ahead of the game but it is fun to see how each book turns out in the end!

[stephanie huntington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting and entertaining, great series