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Koban Universe #1
Koban Universe 1
Here are four stories, derived from the Universe of the Koban series. These are tales involving the Kobani people and Koban. Reading the series is NOT required to understand and enjoy these stand-alone tales. Australian (Novelette) A fully gene enhanced Kobani woman finds herself trapped in total darkness and underground, pursued by hundreds of slavering, semi-sentient, maniacally aggressive and hungry aliens. Let’s take a walk on the dark side! Bats of a Leather Flock (Short story) The wolfbat Flock Leader takes his colony to an unexplored Koban continent to set up a nest in virgin territory. The wily leader uses his cooperative experience with humans to forge similar alliances with other native creatures. Not everyone wants to play nice. Kobani Kiddie (Novella) How do Kobani parents cope with children that are born with the contact telepathy gene, and have eidetic memory? Adults who think teenagers act like they know everything never had an overconfident four-year old super child, with a ripper cub as his partner in crime. Living to reach his teens seems doubtful. The Smuggler and the Crime (Novelette) When you land a known smuggler’s ship in a ruthless Crime Lord’s city using false registry, it’s hard to convince a platoon of armed thugs that you’re only shopping, that you don’t owe the boss his cut of your take. If the Kobani captain is buying drinks for friends in a spaceport bar, spoiling his evening and making threats is ill advised, and could prove fatal.
147 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 30, 2014
37 people are currently reading
108 people want to read
About the author
Stephen W. Bennett
11 books272 followersI was born in 1942, so I'm an autumn rather than a spring chicken. I live outside of Tampa, Florida with my fabulous wife Anita, and one son in college, Montana. I have three older boys, Mark, Gary, and Anthony, all of whom have married and presented us with terrific grandchildren.
My education gravitated to science, starting out as a physics major and my depression era folks told me I'd never make a living as a theoretical physicist (probably right, and Cosmology wasn't a career field then), so I moved to Electronics Engineering. I devoted (was drafted into) service for the US Army, and caring not a whit for my electronics background, they offered this draftee a job as an Air Traffic Controller. Cool new career field. Retired, I now work as a consultant for the FAA, supporting software I helped create.
I decided to try my hand at writing what I loved to read, Science Fiction. The Koban Series has established my unusually successful entry into SciFi as an indie author. 11 books at last count, and at least two more in my mind.
My education gravitated to science, starting out as a physics major and my depression era folks told me I'd never make a living as a theoretical physicist (probably right, and Cosmology wasn't a career field then), so I moved to Electronics Engineering. I devoted (was drafted into) service for the US Army, and caring not a whit for my electronics background, they offered this draftee a job as an Air Traffic Controller. Cool new career field. Retired, I now work as a consultant for the FAA, supporting software I helped create.
I decided to try my hand at writing what I loved to read, Science Fiction. The Koban Series has established my unusually successful entry into SciFi as an indie author. 11 books at last count, and at least two more in my mind.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
April 12, 2020
Enjoyable
I don't think so but I'll have to check it out and let you know when I'm done with the ginning data and
I don't think so but I'll have to check it out and let you know when I'm done with the ginning data and
February 23, 2019
Mostly good ... With reservations.
The first and last stories are the best. Despite what people say about this being a short few stories to make money, the stories are worth it. They are a good addition to the series.
There is a lot of action in the first and last story. Short stories are good but when the action gets going it's over pretty quickly.
The second story was so-so. I got used to it after a while, though I wasn't terribly interested in the plot of wolfbats seeking alliances.
The third story wasn't very interesting. I was not interested in the views of young Kobani children.
The last story was good but I didn't like how the Islamic smugglers were described as decapitating people and not trading with people outside their faiths, though there were also Australian smugglers. The topic of religion is very sensitive and I didn't like how there is no positive portrayal of religion, only negative portrayal.
The first and last stories are the best. Despite what people say about this being a short few stories to make money, the stories are worth it. They are a good addition to the series.
There is a lot of action in the first and last story. Short stories are good but when the action gets going it's over pretty quickly.
The second story was so-so. I got used to it after a while, though I wasn't terribly interested in the plot of wolfbats seeking alliances.
The third story wasn't very interesting. I was not interested in the views of young Kobani children.
The last story was good but I didn't like how the Islamic smugglers were described as decapitating people and not trading with people outside their faiths, though there were also Australian smugglers. The topic of religion is very sensitive and I didn't like how there is no positive portrayal of religion, only negative portrayal.
October 28, 2016
I enjoyed this book but nowhere near as much as the full length books in the Koban series. It had four stories I think, and I really enjoyed the first one.
The first story was about Maggie exploring an abandoned dome on an unexplored Koban continent. It was really enjoyable and actually featured some developments that could affect the future actions of people in the Koban series.
The second story was about some wolf bats exploring a little explored Koban continent and trying to establish hunting partnerships with other species. That story was okay but didn't stand out.
The third story was about the first TTG child and a little hunting excursion he goes on with his ripper companion when he is not quite four and the ripper is less than a year old. That story was fairly entertaining, and I would enjoy hearing more about this character later on in the series.
The fourth story was about the Chief and his encounter with a criminal organization on a planet where he acquires general goods for Koban. The story was fairly entertaining but didn't seem to be of much consequence unless that planet becomes important in the future for the Koban series of books.
As much as I love the Koban series, I would give this book only three and one half stars. I would probably give the first story four or four and one half stars, but the other two stories lower my rating. The second story I would only give two and one half stars. The third story I would give three or three and one half stars. The fourth story deserves around four stars I think.
I would recommend this book to fans of the Koban series but definitely not to anyone unfamiliar with or familiar with but possessing no favorable view on the Koban series. I feel like this book may have been a fun experiment for the author, and I am glad that he tried this. I am looking forward to more Koban Universe books and hope to see improvement on what made this book weaker than it could have been.
The first story was about Maggie exploring an abandoned dome on an unexplored Koban continent. It was really enjoyable and actually featured some developments that could affect the future actions of people in the Koban series.
The second story was about some wolf bats exploring a little explored Koban continent and trying to establish hunting partnerships with other species. That story was okay but didn't stand out.
The third story was about the first TTG child and a little hunting excursion he goes on with his ripper companion when he is not quite four and the ripper is less than a year old. That story was fairly entertaining, and I would enjoy hearing more about this character later on in the series.
The fourth story was about the Chief and his encounter with a criminal organization on a planet where he acquires general goods for Koban. The story was fairly entertaining but didn't seem to be of much consequence unless that planet becomes important in the future for the Koban series of books.
As much as I love the Koban series, I would give this book only three and one half stars. I would probably give the first story four or four and one half stars, but the other two stories lower my rating. The second story I would only give two and one half stars. The third story I would give three or three and one half stars. The fourth story deserves around four stars I think.
I would recommend this book to fans of the Koban series but definitely not to anyone unfamiliar with or familiar with but possessing no favorable view on the Koban series. I feel like this book may have been a fun experiment for the author, and I am glad that he tried this. I am looking forward to more Koban Universe books and hope to see improvement on what made this book weaker than it could have been.
February 13, 2016
I really enjoyed this short book, it was made up of a few short stories filling in an amazing universe with a little more detail helping it come even more to life. It gives you a different view of the worth that the author created and is a welcome chance to see though others eyes.
The first of these stories is a nice little tale of telling what happened to Maggie when she decided to take a trip for her hundred and twelfth birthday and how a little sightseeing and turn deadly on Koban.
The Second of these stories is short little look at a wolfbat flock leader and how a new flock was set up on a different island and trying to convince the other life forms there that cooperation would be the easiest way to survive for all.
The third story is about a young kobani and his new brother where they try and sneak out to go for a hunt. It’s an interesting little story and worth a read giving insight into what its like to be born a kobani.
The forth story is a nice little underground crime tale, it was a fun story with the Chief as the main character and it was good to see him and is smuggling getting a main story as I always thought he was a great side character. Overall this is a good book and I would recommend it to anyone that like the series and sci fi in general.
The first of these stories is a nice little tale of telling what happened to Maggie when she decided to take a trip for her hundred and twelfth birthday and how a little sightseeing and turn deadly on Koban.
The Second of these stories is short little look at a wolfbat flock leader and how a new flock was set up on a different island and trying to convince the other life forms there that cooperation would be the easiest way to survive for all.
The third story is about a young kobani and his new brother where they try and sneak out to go for a hunt. It’s an interesting little story and worth a read giving insight into what its like to be born a kobani.
The forth story is a nice little underground crime tale, it was a fun story with the Chief as the main character and it was good to see him and is smuggling getting a main story as I always thought he was a great side character. Overall this is a good book and I would recommend it to anyone that like the series and sci fi in general.
October 22, 2015
Awesome Series
I have enjoyed this series. I can't wait to see what's next. This was a worthwhile read. This volume gives you insight into some scenes that aren't covered in the other books. Good job.
I have enjoyed this series. I can't wait to see what's next. This was a worthwhile read. This volume gives you insight into some scenes that aren't covered in the other books. Good job.
May 20, 2014
great read adds a lot to the koban universe
December 1, 2014
Excellent! This is a fantastic series!
February 24, 2016
Good short stories in a good verse.
August 1, 2016
Do not let the cover of this book put you off. It's a fun, scifi romp, and well written.
May 12, 2015
Tedious, terrible, and taxing.
Four somewhat related stories, none of which I found interesting.
Some ideas and concepts were cool, but not cool enough to make up for the lack of story.
Of the four stories, the one that tells how Kobani parents cope with their kids who posses contact telepathy was the only one that held a shred of my attention. The kids were basically trading images, information, ideas, memories via contact telepathy like contraband.
Four somewhat related stories, none of which I found interesting.
Some ideas and concepts were cool, but not cool enough to make up for the lack of story.
Of the four stories, the one that tells how Kobani parents cope with their kids who posses contact telepathy was the only one that held a shred of my attention. The kids were basically trading images, information, ideas, memories via contact telepathy like contraband.
February 17, 2015
Two good stories. Two predictable ones.
October 27, 2015
A few short stories. Not horrible, not great. Only read if you tend to enjoy short stories. Most will include characters from main series.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews