Old Man's Vines

by Jon Kiln

Ezra Kowalski thought life on Halcyon had finally gone back to normal—just him, his hens, and thirty‑six varieties of cucumbers. But when Nora Velasquez shows up unannounced at his homestead, poking around the wreck of her crashed starship, peace goes out the airlock.

Nora claims she just wants to check on the Silver Beetle, still half‑buried in Ezra’s field months after the accident. But when Sprocket—her overly helpful, socially oblivious droid—accidentally boots up a forgotten memory log, Ezra discovers the Nora wasn’t joyriding when she crashed. She was chasing a fragment of a clue about her missing father.

Now Ezra is stuck with an impulsive teenager, a meddling droid, and Mrs. Wong’s relentless “advice” as they unravel a mystery that leads to an abandoned outpost, old Fleet secrets, and more trouble than Ezra ever wanted in his retirement.

Genres: Science Fiction

198 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 6, 2025

About the author

Heroic fantasy author.

Reviews

[Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even better than the previous book

I really think that this book is even better than the first book in the series. Thoughtful, an amazing story of our interactions and layers. Highly recommended.

[Nancy M Davis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Even with the Abrupt “ending”, Too Long

Not bad, but not engaging, either. Peppered with tedious segments that made me want to skip to the end. Looks like another installment coming, but I may pass.

[David Pynaker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun read

Really enjoyed reading this. Character development was excellent and really drew me in.
Hope there's another chapter to this on the coming months.

[Ann Mills · Rating 5 out of 5]

such a good story

This is the conclusion of recovering Nora’s father. Family, friends, and community come together. A really nice 2 book series.

[Richard Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoying the series. Not pushing the believability of the future by introducing all kinds of technology that is way beyond reasonable. A nice easy read.

[Sandra Fortenberry · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Adult Fairytale

such fantastic characterizations…I am overwhelmed in the acuity of this author. I would like these stories to go on and no …

[John Cole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good individuals making valiant efforts makes a wholesome story. Fast passed and fun especially if you understand being young and trying hard with others apparently set in their way.

[deborah trout · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another good one

This is a great story continuation in what is turning out to be a fascinating series. I'm about to read the next one.