Antique Living

by E.M. Foner

In space, antique appraisals take on a whole new meaning.

Imagine an interstellar colony ship hosting an antiques show where humans and aliens can bring their family heirlooms to learn about the history and market value. Flower’s inhabitants are gearing up for the launch of the Antiques Tunnelshow, and the alien intelligence agents on board are pushing to make it a success for reasons of their own.

The Human Empire is making progress, but Samuel and Vivian are reluctant to take on the trappings of an imperial family. Bill completes his commitment to Flower managing the School of Government café and is ready to open his own place, but…Irene and several friends from the independent Living deck take jobs documenting the making of the Antiques Tunnelshow, while Julie finds herself acting as Flower’s frontwoman for the production.

Genres: Science Fiction

285 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 1, 2025

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

[stephanie huntington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting and entertaining looking forward to more

[Diana T-C · Rating 5 out of 5]

These series that intertwine, sharing characters, are so good that whatever other book I am reading when one of these books comes out is set aside in favor of one of EM Foner's books.

They are stories of capable characters, with new ideas in each book, and wry and gentle humor.

Enjoyable.

[David Provan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well balanced story

Good coverage of the Antique Tunnelshow, as well as some of our recurring characters. I do wish Foner was better at sliding in backstory unobtrusively. I started counting words in introductory sentences, but gave up when Yaem's intro hit 55.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 8 in the series

A welcome addition to the EarthCent universe. Highly creative plot with diverse characters set aboard the huge starship Flower with the sentient omnipresent AI. A great story.

[Al · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always a good read

I always enjoy a new episode of Foner's clever stories. It is an interesting challenge to keep the aliens straight. But the inter species dynamics are worth the effort.

[Lawrence Schoen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful read coming full circle at Union Station.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always love catching up with the travellers on Flower and their adventures.

This story has the Bunny director setting up a version of the Antiques Roadshow in space. With the hysteria and audience manipulation to make an entertaining show.

The story is fairly slight but is entertaining and moves the story of the Human empire on, forcing Sam and Vivienne to face their destiny.

I look forward to the next chapter on Flower.