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Platoon F #1
The SSMC Reluctant
Mission 1 from the hilarious Platoon F comedy series!
Lieutenant Orion Murphy is scheduled for execution due to a clerical error. His only out is to undergo a complete physical makeover, get a rank and name change, and agree to take over a new platoon in the Segnal Space Marine Corps (SSMC).
Seeing that it's a case of comply or die, he accepts the offer.
A week later, he finds himself standing on the bridge of The SSMC Reluctant with a misfit crew, an insane special agent, an antiquated robot mechanic, and his updated identity.
Will the newly-named Commodore Don Harr be able to get control of the ship and crew? Can they all survive their first mission, especially since they're not really supposed to? And who came up with this mission, anyway?
...it all makes Harr wonder if execution may have been the better option.
Lieutenant Orion Murphy is scheduled for execution due to a clerical error. His only out is to undergo a complete physical makeover, get a rank and name change, and agree to take over a new platoon in the Segnal Space Marine Corps (SSMC).
Seeing that it's a case of comply or die, he accepts the offer.
A week later, he finds himself standing on the bridge of The SSMC Reluctant with a misfit crew, an insane special agent, an antiquated robot mechanic, and his updated identity.
Will the newly-named Commodore Don Harr be able to get control of the ship and crew? Can they all survive their first mission, especially since they're not really supposed to? And who came up with this mission, anyway?
...it all makes Harr wonder if execution may have been the better option.
93 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 24, 2014
42 people are currently reading
104 people want to read
About the author
John P. Logsdon
142 books317 followersJohn P. Logsdon is a former game designer, producer, and software engineer who shamelessly digs into the deep recesses of his mind to bring forth oddball characters and hilarious plots. He writes primarily in fantasy, urban fantasy, and science fiction, but he's also dabbled in cozy mystery from time to time. To see John's vast library of laughs, visit www.johnplogsdon.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
August 26, 2019
I wasn't in the mood for the humor when I read this, but wanted to get in one more book for Bout of Books. Good for what it was. Looking forward to reading more when I'm in the right frame of mind for it.
August 21, 2015
It delivered what it offered: tong in cheek humor
Not much more to say. A kind of locker room humor set in the future.
All the rude "whoopy cushion" kind of jokes are here. From character descriptions and attitudes, to parts of the story itself, a joke through and through.
A a funny story, it scores all the points. I chuckled a couple of times and read the whole thing, but it is not my kind of story. But readable and entertaining. If you are looking for some lowbrow humor set in space, look no further, this is it.
Not much more to say. A kind of locker room humor set in the future.
All the rude "whoopy cushion" kind of jokes are here. From character descriptions and attitudes, to parts of the story itself, a joke through and through.
A a funny story, it scores all the points. I chuckled a couple of times and read the whole thing, but it is not my kind of story. But readable and entertaining. If you are looking for some lowbrow humor set in space, look no further, this is it.
November 14, 2015
This is an amusing adventure of what happens when the people in charge don't fix their mistakes and you get to deal with the consequences. Somehow it sounds like where I work, if I was in space. As always, a unique set of characters, character names that just leave you shaking your head, and a good story. If you have an appreciation for twisted humor, this will not disappoint.
June 16, 2015
Very disappointed it was not what I expected. I am not a prude but the constant unnecessary sexual innuendo was too much.
September 30, 2018
A lot of dick jokes. A LOT of dick jokes.
Picked up this bundle of novellas looking for some amusing sci-fi. It sort of works but sort of doesn't. The story starts off well as LT Orion Murphy is facing due to a clerical error that the military is unwilling to fix. They offer him an out if he volunteers to command the SSMC Reluctant and its band of misfits.
But he must change his identity lest the military's mistake is discovered...so he is transformed into Commodore Don Harr.....or.... Commodore Harr, Don.....see where I'm going with this? Yeah. Nearly all the humor is sexual with a LOT of gay jokes. Most are mildly chuckle-worthy but generally miss the mark.
There are some promising elements, the robot on the ship is an older model (a "Geezer") and his robotic "listen here champ/alright bucko" manner of speaking is amusing. The jokes about military incompetence/defense contracting are ALMOST clever.
The plot is forgettable and resolves itself almost before you have a sense of what's going on. I own the rest, I'll probably read them, they're serviceable enough.
Picked up this bundle of novellas looking for some amusing sci-fi. It sort of works but sort of doesn't. The story starts off well as LT Orion Murphy is facing due to a clerical error that the military is unwilling to fix. They offer him an out if he volunteers to command the SSMC Reluctant and its band of misfits.
But he must change his identity lest the military's mistake is discovered...so he is transformed into Commodore Don Harr.....or.... Commodore Harr, Don.....see where I'm going with this? Yeah. Nearly all the humor is sexual with a LOT of gay jokes. Most are mildly chuckle-worthy but generally miss the mark.
There are some promising elements, the robot on the ship is an older model (a "Geezer") and his robotic "listen here champ/alright bucko" manner of speaking is amusing. The jokes about military incompetence/defense contracting are ALMOST clever.
The plot is forgettable and resolves itself almost before you have a sense of what's going on. I own the rest, I'll probably read them, they're serviceable enough.
December 27, 2019
Wonderful spoof of all our favourite space series
If you love Futurama, the Orville or Red Dwarf then this will be right up your street. It has all the innuendos, quips and one liners you could wish for whilst the storyline is just as bizarre as any you could envisage. Our hero has been put on death row due to a clerical error by the military and the only way he can survive is by a new identity and plenty of cosmetic work. Now he has been offered the command of a starship. A relic that has seen much better days. The mission (once he finds out) is to destroy an android asteroid base. A one way ticket to the funeral parlour. Can he and his crew find a way to derail the plans (all starships run on rails - non of this jumping black holes or hyperspace)? What secrets are his crew hiding? (From sex obsessed to multiple personalities are just some of their quirks.) Then there is the psycho that is obsessed with killing androids? Who ever said life was boring?
Extremely tongue in cheek but I must I loved it. From the quirky humour to the clever solution it was a great read.
If you love Futurama, the Orville or Red Dwarf then this will be right up your street. It has all the innuendos, quips and one liners you could wish for whilst the storyline is just as bizarre as any you could envisage. Our hero has been put on death row due to a clerical error by the military and the only way he can survive is by a new identity and plenty of cosmetic work. Now he has been offered the command of a starship. A relic that has seen much better days. The mission (once he finds out) is to destroy an android asteroid base. A one way ticket to the funeral parlour. Can he and his crew find a way to derail the plans (all starships run on rails - non of this jumping black holes or hyperspace)? What secrets are his crew hiding? (From sex obsessed to multiple personalities are just some of their quirks.) Then there is the psycho that is obsessed with killing androids? Who ever said life was boring?
Extremely tongue in cheek but I must I loved it. From the quirky humour to the clever solution it was a great read.
September 11, 2019
Interesting start to a new to me series that was mentioned in Orlando Sanchez's Montague and Strong Detective series. I frequently check out books that characters in the series I enjoy are reading since if they like them, I will as well. I tried to think of a description for the series, but Amazon said it better than I ever could "The SSMC Reluctant is the hilarious first installment in the Platoon F sci-fi series. If you like warped comedy, ridiculous physics, and more innuendo than you can shake a stick at, then you’ll love John P. Logsdon and Christopher P. Young’s insane story." Definitely not for children.
June 8, 2018
Excellent Parody
I can see shades of my own real life experiences with the military and there are some excellent logic bombs mixed into the crass humor. This is a very fun series and I am laughing into book 2.
I can see shades of my own real life experiences with the military and there are some excellent logic bombs mixed into the crass humor. This is a very fun series and I am laughing into book 2.
April 6, 2020
If it were a different situation i might score this book low, but in this unusual time (lockdown) there is need to indulge is silly things that will make me laugh.
Listened to the audiobook, the narrator is good in maintaining different voice for each character.
Listened to the audiobook, the narrator is good in maintaining different voice for each character.
April 15, 2020
During the pandemic I had a hankering for something light and funny. This barely scratched that itch. It wallows in it's juvenile humour (the main character is called Harr Don) but unfortunately a couple of characters making constant innuendos means the jokes wear a bit after a few pages.
September 5, 2021
Cheerful and funny
Sci fi should be funnier - and this book is an excellent gift for those of us who like bad jokes, making fun of people in power and psychopaths, want punny lives and celebrate a light touch
Sci fi should be funnier - and this book is an excellent gift for those of us who like bad jokes, making fun of people in power and psychopaths, want punny lives and celebrate a light touch
December 6, 2021
Lieutenant Orion Murphy is due to be executed for a clerical error, offered a second chance, he is surgically altered and put in charge of a ship of misfits. Tongue in cheek space adventure that does not take its self seriously, with some interestingly odd characters.
January 10, 2022
Funny as!!!.
I saw this pop up on my FB timeline with the associated blurb, thought to myself has to be worth a gander.
I was right and glad I did have a gander, Funny as !!!! twisted humor and a crew of misfits ,I look forward to reading more of this series.
I saw this pop up on my FB timeline with the associated blurb, thought to myself has to be worth a gander.
I was right and glad I did have a gander, Funny as !!!! twisted humor and a crew of misfits ,I look forward to reading more of this series.
July 26, 2017
This is a good read for anyone looking for humorous, light. sci fi. It reminds me of something Mel Brooks might have put out there.....think Speceballs.
June 8, 2018
Good comedy, the story is ok. I'm not really attached to the characters yet.
October 28, 2018
Chuckle-funny. Reminds me of Alien Space Tentacle Porn meets The Stainless Steel Rat series.
Reading all of them. Enjoying sci fi military stuff lately, but especially the satire/ funny stuff.
Reading all of them. Enjoying sci fi military stuff lately, but especially the satire/ funny stuff.
June 6, 2020
Good lowbrow humor!
Just dumb enough to be fun. Keep up the good work and soldiers on in the finest military tradition. Thank you!
Just dumb enough to be fun. Keep up the good work and soldiers on in the finest military tradition. Thank you!
July 9, 2020
Well, that was unexpected. SciFi Comedy...
Going to complete all nine missions before I attempt at a full review.
Going to complete all nine missions before I attempt at a full review.
August 23, 2021
Short but funny
Short but funny I'll try a couple more in the series. I need seven more words for this review. Z
Short but funny I'll try a couple more in the series. I need seven more words for this review. Z
November 9, 2021
A bit over the top, still funny and entertaining. I'll read more in the series.
December 14, 2022
If short and fun is on the menu, give it a try
August 13, 2024
Short and Nutty
Has coarse humor, crazy premise but an enjoyable read I would recommend this to anyone who has a way to suspended their rational mindset.
Has coarse humor, crazy premise but an enjoyable read I would recommend this to anyone who has a way to suspended their rational mindset.
April 14, 2025
F Troop
It really reminds me of the series F Troop. It's just in space. I'm not sure if I want to continue the series, but it's kinda funny.
It really reminds me of the series F Troop. It's just in space. I'm not sure if I want to continue the series, but it's kinda funny.
April 5, 2019
Just silly
Potty humor, but not offensive....I enjoyed it and will read more. Very different then the paranormal police, so that is good too!
Potty humor, but not offensive....I enjoyed it and will read more. Very different then the paranormal police, so that is good too!
February 25, 2019
Have read many reviews of different books that give outline of the story, but this is Logsdon and t it's not really something one could do when it's {Terry} Pratchett meets {Douglas} Adams meets Monty Python meets Red Dwarf meets Star Trek meets Doctor Who meets Twilight Zone/Outer Limits/Night Gallery.... Realized at end of the Pentalogy that there are 2 of 'them', writers, so guess 2 peas in an...alien pod.... Their 'issues' have 'issues', and sincerely suggest that they both seem professional help...after a couple or more...sets/series. The only caveat is to not stop at book 2, it is by far the weakest and seems a bit out of place, but even Logsdon said 2 was not all he had wanted it to be. There are more than 5 total and got those to read as well. Sci-Fi fans that also like things mixed with humor or humour should definitely like these. In other news, it is quite possible that Logsdon has taken too many hockey puck shots to the head but still....
Liberating the Package is the prequel to the madness that follows, listed below in order, may only be available through his site, but would be freebie.
Platoon F: Pentalogy set is first 5 {novellas so don't get confused with numbering/may say .#}
Mission 1: The SSMC Reluctant
Mission 2: Angry Robots
Mission 3: The SSMC Voyeur
Mission 4: Earthlings
Mission 5: Synthetic DNA
Warped Conduit (Platoon F Book 6)
Kidnap on Fantasy Planet (Platoon F Book 7)
Platoon F: Veli Unveiled (Platoon F Book 8)
Platoon F: The Search for Veli (Platoon F Book 9) now out at Amazon, Goodreads, and all finer truckstop bookstores near you! *VAT at The End of the Universe gift shop
Warning: subject matter not suitable for the young, small pets, and anyone without a warped sense of humor.
Liberating the Package is the prequel to the madness that follows, listed below in order, may only be available through his site, but would be freebie.
Platoon F: Pentalogy set is first 5 {novellas so don't get confused with numbering/may say .#}
Mission 1: The SSMC Reluctant
Mission 2: Angry Robots
Mission 3: The SSMC Voyeur
Mission 4: Earthlings
Mission 5: Synthetic DNA
Warped Conduit (Platoon F Book 6)
Kidnap on Fantasy Planet (Platoon F Book 7)
Platoon F: Veli Unveiled (Platoon F Book 8)
Platoon F: The Search for Veli (Platoon F Book 9) now out at Amazon, Goodreads, and all finer truckstop bookstores near you! *VAT at The End of the Universe gift shop
Warning: subject matter not suitable for the young, small pets, and anyone without a warped sense of humor.
October 16, 2016
In my opinion , this book is a lot funnier than a lot of Sci-Fi books I have read in the past, This first book in the series is full of plenty funny surprises it starts off with our hero from the prequel, although now he is awaiting execution because of a clerical error, the top brass do not want to admit to said clerical error, so they plan on executing him instead. As luck would have it if he takes on a mission no one else wants he can get a reprieve but first of all he has to get a name change and his face altered.
I do not wish to ruin the story for others, so please invest in this book, if you enjoy a laugh and are not too PC then you should enjoy this book.
I was lucky enough to get this from the Author in exchange for a review, however I will be buying it for my Kindle as I have enjoyed it so much and at the moment can only view it on my computer and enjoy reading my books when outside, or before I go to sleep at night.
I do not wish to ruin the story for others, so please invest in this book, if you enjoy a laugh and are not too PC then you should enjoy this book.
I was lucky enough to get this from the Author in exchange for a review, however I will be buying it for my Kindle as I have enjoyed it so much and at the moment can only view it on my computer and enjoy reading my books when outside, or before I go to sleep at night.
December 2, 2016
Better than Bill, the Galactic Hero...
This is really a short story, and I usually choose to skip over short stories for novels, but I am glad that I read this one! I spent 45 minutes grinning and laughing at the humor and wry details. What a hoot! The protagonist finds himself on Death Row, about to be executed because of a clerical error by his superiors (or whomever keeps the military records). At the last minute he is offered a suicide mission -- but he doesn't know that it is a suicide mission until he receives the mission outline, and long after he could decline.
Lots of military jokes; lots of jokes about sexual orientation and gender roles; and an abiding disgust with bureaucracy in any form seem to follow each other in this short story. Recommended
This is really a short story, and I usually choose to skip over short stories for novels, but I am glad that I read this one! I spent 45 minutes grinning and laughing at the humor and wry details. What a hoot! The protagonist finds himself on Death Row, about to be executed because of a clerical error by his superiors (or whomever keeps the military records). At the last minute he is offered a suicide mission -- but he doesn't know that it is a suicide mission until he receives the mission outline, and long after he could decline.
Lots of military jokes; lots of jokes about sexual orientation and gender roles; and an abiding disgust with bureaucracy in any form seem to follow each other in this short story. Recommended
March 5, 2017
Liberating the Package is the prequel to the madness that follows, listed below in order, may only be available through his site, but would be freebie.
Platoon F: Pentalogy set is first 5
Mission 1: The SSMC Reluctant
Mission 2: Angry Robots
Mission 3: The SSMC Voyeur
Mission 4: Earthlings
Mission 5: Synthetic DNA
also available
Warped Conduit (Platoon F Book 6)
Kidnap on Fantasy Planet (Platoon F Book 7)
Platoon F: Veli Unveiled (Platoon F Book 8)
Platoon F: Pentalogy set is first 5
Mission 1: The SSMC Reluctant
Mission 2: Angry Robots
Mission 3: The SSMC Voyeur
Mission 4: Earthlings
Mission 5: Synthetic DNA
also available
Warped Conduit (Platoon F Book 6)
Kidnap on Fantasy Planet (Platoon F Book 7)
Platoon F: Veli Unveiled (Platoon F Book 8)
July 14, 2014
It's not really worth the time to read. It's a short story, overly silly and loaded with purely sophomoric humor. The characters are caricatures taken to extremes. It is trying too hard to follow the style of "Hitchhiker's Guide"
April 19, 2016
Whilst I started this stuff knowing that it's a comedy and not serious AT ALL; it was just too silly for me :(
Humour is definitely laddish (reverse the hero's name to be Smith, John and that kind of tells you all you need to know)
YMMV
Humour is definitely laddish (reverse the hero's name to be Smith, John and that kind of tells you all you need to know)
YMMV
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews