Accidental Astronaut

by J.N. Chaney, Rick Partlow

The world needed a hero. Instead, they got Jack.

Dr. Erik Manheim needed a warrior. A Navy SEAL. Someone who could help him confront the threat he uncovered in ancient ruins—evidence that a rogue planet brings devastation every time it passes Earth.

Instead, he got Jack Schafer, hung-over bush pilot in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Now Jack is swept into a mission he was never meant to survive—one that stretches from Alaskan wilderness to the stars beyond. Humanity's future hangs in the balance… and its best hope may be a reluctant pilot who wasn't supposed to be here at all.

Accidental Astronaut is a gripping, fast-paced blend of survival thriller and epic science fiction—perfect for fans of Andy Weir, Michael Crichton, and James Rollins.

Genres: Science Fiction

446 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 9, 2025

About the author

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Reviews

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good start to a series. I like the characters. I wasn't so enthralled that I couldn't put it down, but it was good enough to finish. I'm not sure I was invested enough to continue with the series. I think it may have been Scott Aiello's narration. Still, I would recommend it.

[Joe McGowan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read the blurb that the author sent out, then I started the book and I was so confused. And then I read and I realized I’ve heard this story before. This is basically a retailing of the flash Gordon tale. I quickly lost interest in skim through to the end. I don’t like stories that are just the rehash of something else. A little originality goes a long way I wouldn’t bother.

[Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading the first few pages of Accidental Astronaut, I would not have been surprised if old Eric Manheim, squinting at ancient writings on a wall, had shouted. “Aziz! Light!” Like Professor Pacoli of The Fifth Element, he has discovered ancient information about a rogue planet headed our way. But like Doc Brown of Back to the Future, to whom he is compared, he is ready for adventure. He persuades Lisa, a young physicist, to help him kidnap a warrior. They want a recently retired Navy Seal, but instead they get Jack, a hungover bush pilot, who flew helicopters in the first Gulf War. Together, they hijack an abandoned alien spaceship—yes, it made me wince, too—and head for the planet, which makes Barsoom seem tame.

Points for humor and chutzpah, but deductions for poor world-building.

[Kevin Fryman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like J N Chaney’s books particularly his Backyard Spaceship series. This book was cowritten with another author and it was good but not quite as good as his others. It was entertaining which is mostly what I strive for when reading any book. It’s most definitely SF which is a genre I particularly enjoy. The story begins on Earth but then shoots off into the far depths of space. What more could you ask for? There is a second book and I will read it in the fullness of time.

[Already Overbooked · Rating 3 out of 5]

I shall name him...General

[Nicholas Horianopoulos · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun romp, but one of the sillier Partlow novels just the same

Likeable characters. A premise that is interesting... but it's a litany of borrowed ideas, a "Wizard Of Oz" meets "Flash Gordon" - there's even a Max Von Sydow-like Ming The Merciless. A society ruled with an iron force by a human man who inherited it from its fallen, but Godlike creators. Fanciful airships... Lion-Men. An allosaurus kept as a pet that devours the Archon's disfavored ones, like Jabba T. Hut's Rancor. Many standard-issue Partlow tropes: Earth guns are too whimpy, a chock-a-block whirlwind romance with two unlikely characters, and a planetary spaceship that the main hero redirects.

Now, I'd read a menu if Ricky wrote it - he's a rare delight. But I think he's discovered his range and is now just turning out volume at this point.

[Jo Potgieter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having seen several online reviews placing J.N. Chaney’s Accidental Astronaut in the same echelon as sci-fi heavyweights like Project Hail Mary, Dungeon Crawler Carl, and the Bobiverse series, I entered this story with high expectations. Unfortunately, those comparisons are not only exaggerated - they are fundamentally misleading. For a seasoned reader of the genre, Accidental Astronaut lacks the intellectual rigor and narrative depth required to stand alongside those titles, resulting in a reading experience that feels uninspired and formulaic.

Derivative World-Building
The novel’s primary conceit - humanoid aliens who are clearly ancestral versions of Earth’s animal kingdom - is a concept we have seen executed with more wit and complexity elsewhere, such as in Craig Alanson’s Expeditionary Force. While Alanson compensates for familiar tropes with standout characters like Skippy the Magnificent, Chaney offers no such counterbalance. The world-building feels recycled rather than refreshed.

The "Disney" Effect and Lack of Stakes
The most glaring issue is the narrative’s lack of friction. In high-quality military sci-fi, victory is earned through sacrifice and strategic ingenuity. Here, the protagonists navigate obstacles with a suspicious ease that drains the story of any real tension. Alliances are formed too quickly, and the "evil leader" trope - a villain supposedly tens of thousands of years old - is dismantled by a retired pilot with a simplicity that borders on the absurd. Without loss or heartache, the triumphs feel hollow.

Reliance on Tired Tropes
The character dynamics further lean into the predictable. We are presented with the "nerdy but stunningly attractive" scientist who undergoes a sudden, unconvincing transition from military skeptic to love interest. It is one of the most overused clichés in the genre and serves as a shorthand for character development rather than a genuine exploration of human (or alien) connection.

Final Verdict
As someone who reads extensively, I find that only about 20% of the genre truly reaches excellence. Accidental Astronaut falls comfortably into the category of "low-effort" fiction. It brings nothing new to the table, opting instead for a path of least resistance that may satisfy a casual reader but will likely frustrate fans of "hard" or more inventive science fiction. If you are looking for the technical brilliance of Andy Weir or the unique voice of Dennis E. Taylor, you will not find it here.

[David Eve · Rating 5 out of 5]

A mistaken kidnapping, an alien space ship and a war planet!

An excavation reveals stories of a rogue planet visiting Earth every 10,000 years causing devastation and the next time is overdue...
A crashed spaceship and a plan to kidnap a Navy Seal result in a trip to the other warlike planet for the scientist, linguist and kidnappee. As they try and communicate with the planet and it's people, it becomes clear that Earth has been pillaged many times and things have evolved naturally or been artificially augmented.
While the tale is similar to that of many (A fish out of water goes into space to defeat an enemy who wants to invade Earth), this is an entertaining new take...with suspense, intrigue, romance, double crosses and more.

[Travis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Accidental Astronaut is an interesting story. It's one that will feel familiar to those who have read a lot of scifi stories, because it's a common enough theme. Still, this version of the story was done well enough that it may be worth your time to read it if you're looking for some distraction for a day or two.
Don't know yet if I'll read more in the series or not, possibly not, but we'll see. I may pick up the series again later.

[Phil X. Katz · Rating 5 out of 5]

What would you expect from the best?

You got it! Nothing but the best!
Putting Chaney and Partlow together is like Peanut butter and Jelly! Always a winning combo.

I admit it took longer than usual for me to get into this story, but once I did, that was it. Now, a few nights with insufficient sleep later, and I can't wait to start the next one!

Don't miss this! You'll be sorry you did.

[Sidney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good Read

The authors set the scene. A brilliant linguist working on found writings in Antarctica that May predate known civilizations. All information is secured and the good Doctor is shipped off. Jump forward 10 years and we find an Alaskan bush pilot is taking a retired Navy Seal on a private fishing trip in a remote location. Now the fun begins and you won’t see what’s coming next!

[Gary Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

Kept me reading the first half of the book. And I was particularly impressed with the authors knowledge and use of antiquity. But then the story changed to one of an author has lost imagination and needs to use monsters to create suspense ... So it became a scanner after that. I still followed it to the end... oh well... moving on... 🙂

[Bill Hamilton · Rating 1 out of 5]

Too Flash Gordonie

Really? You even made his Army nickname Flash!
All you needed to add was Dale Arden & Ming the Merciless. You already threw in the prince of the forest & the Lion people.

[Gail Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good new series

For a new series it definitely starts off slow, and it took me a solid ½ of the book to get into it. However I'm glad I stuck with it. Definitely worth the read.

[Richard Kolan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surprisingly Enticing

Not that I write many reviews, but at first it seemed to follow a familiar plot, but there's enough twists and turns to make you actually care about the characters...

[William J Griffin · Rating 5 out of 5]

a good read

I enjoyed the way the plot moved. The characters were inserted disappeared came back. It was a lot of fun to read.

[Shawn Boyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Story line

Pretty good novel. I kinda wonder though if the authors are flash Gordon fans?
Regardless, original enough and well written.

[Vicky Lyons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

I loved this book from the beginning. It has a different feel to it from the other series in the Chaney verse and I can't wait for the next book.

[Michael Hackerott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun Story!

The story and characters reminded me of Flash Gordon. It was a fun story with interesting characters. I look forward to the next book in the series.

[John #Audible · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meeeh it's alright, it's like a Flash Gordon rehash with some minor tweaks. Ming the immortal is in it, the psycho princess is in it, the bird dude turned into Lion people etc etc.

[Peggy]

Did not Finish

[James E. Darrough · Rating 5 out of 5]

One and a Half Day read!

Yup, it was a good book. One that kept me trapped if not hypnotized. I spent a lot of time with my poor eyes glued to Rick and know creation.

Loved it.

[Douglas Kahle · Rating 5 out of 5]

a fun read!

The best compliment I can give is to say I’m moving on to the sequel. That tells you how good the first book was.

[Steven L Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

DNF - good writing - great editing. Just couldn't enjoy the story. I've probably read toooo many similar books recently.