What do you think?
Rate this book
EarthCent Ambassador #8
Guest Night on Union Station
Book Eight of the EarthCent Ambassador Series - Start with the free Book One, Date Night on Union Station
On the other side of the galaxy, the Cayl Empire has decided to wind down operations and the Stryx are planning to pick up the pieces. Kelly is tapped to host an open house event on Union Station to tempt the aliens into joining up, but does anybody other than the Stryx actually want the merger to take place?
On the other side of the galaxy, the Cayl Empire has decided to wind down operations and the Stryx are planning to pick up the pieces. Kelly is tapped to host an open house event on Union Station to tempt the aliens into joining up, but does anybody other than the Stryx actually want the merger to take place?
192 pages, ebook
First published December 24, 2015
228 people are currently reading
59 people want to read
About the author
E.M. Foner
59 books246 followersI 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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
August 28, 2023
This installment of the SciFi Soap didn't make the five star cut of some of the other books in the series however, it was still an enjoyable read. As with previous books, this starts with a couple years downstream from the close of the previous. Again, the story is peppered with tongue in cheek puns and Stryx shaping outcomes in the background. And as always, we're introduced to a new batch of aliens to add to the mix of the recurring favorites.
A fun series, well written and entertaining. Looking forward to #9
A fun series, well written and entertaining. Looking forward to #9
August 10, 2016
A group of aliens are thinking of dismantling their empire and joining the Stryx network. Lucky, lucky, lucky Kelley gets the job of hosting the visiting ambassadors from the empire, who, for the most part, are the most obnoxious house guests you could possibly ask for.
On a space station filled with species of all sorts, we get some major cultural clashes as the species from this empire have some very different notions about “acceptable behavior.”
Kelly’s trying to keep the peace between various groups as hosts and guests are quickly at each other’s throats, never mind internal bickering, and the all-powerful AI’s are being just a teensy bit more opaque than usual.
All just the usual politics for Union Station!
Meanwhile… Kelly’s son is still in touch with a certain junior queen, suggesting some interesting developments down the line.
December 8, 2017
Like a few other entries in this series it ends up being bland because there's really little in the way of conflict or drama to make anything exciting happen. That's not saying there needs to be an epic space battle or anything. But here are two things that were so quickly defused that they were pointless:
1. Ambassador Kelly McAllister's parents come aboard the station. Her father it seems might be having some issues with dementia. The parents are around for like a day or two and then just leave without anything happening.
2. Later, McAllister's daughter Dorothy runs afoul of an alien who tracks her down at work and uses some mental telepathy to abduct her. But the aliens who run the station swiftly deal with the situation so nothing interesting comes of it.
And yes these are ostensibly comedies, but even comedies need events to get big enough for a payoff. When potential conflicts just fizzle out right away, it never gives the story a chance to develop into anything. It just makes for a bland series of events. Basically it's like watching a pot of water on the stove that gets lukewarm without ever boiling.
1. Ambassador Kelly McAllister's parents come aboard the station. Her father it seems might be having some issues with dementia. The parents are around for like a day or two and then just leave without anything happening.
2. Later, McAllister's daughter Dorothy runs afoul of an alien who tracks her down at work and uses some mental telepathy to abduct her. But the aliens who run the station swiftly deal with the situation so nothing interesting comes of it.
And yes these are ostensibly comedies, but even comedies need events to get big enough for a payoff. When potential conflicts just fizzle out right away, it never gives the story a chance to develop into anything. It just makes for a bland series of events. Basically it's like watching a pot of water on the stove that gets lukewarm without ever boiling.
August 8, 2019
In the previous books in the series, the author created a system in which humans and other biological and machine species can live without large-scale destructive violence. Many planets and space stations, such as Union Station, are connected in a tunnel network that is conducive to trade and communications, and controlled by the Stryx, an advanced artificial intelligence species. In this story the author creates another model, the Cayl Empire, for multiple species to live together in relative stability. However, the Cayls have decided to close down their empire, leaving several planets adrift and possible candidates for joining the Stryx network. The Stryx volunteer Kelly McAllister, the EarthCent ambassador to Union Station, to host an open house to entice the aliens to join up. These are all very interesting ideas and the book is a must read for followers of the series. However, in this case, they do not add up to a very exciting story. Too much of it consists of dialogue between the characters, whose voices are barely differentiated from one another.
June 18, 2018
I just love these books. The character development continues to excel and you really start to care about them. One of the things I love about these books is while Foner always leaves some open plot lines for the next book, each book is a complete story. This book deals with a convention of sorts and introduces us to several new species of aliens, who are not really all that alien, i.e. they remind one of different human types that live here in the real world. The interaction between the characters is always a high point and that continues here. These books are great. I'm not sure why the cover art is different here than on Amazon, this image makes it look like the books are somehow lurid. In truth these books are clean and wholesome, without so much as a four letter word, and one more thing. They're fun. Another five star review and I look forward to reading book nine.
June 15, 2022
Everything about this series is wonderful!
I started the series from book one about a week ago and I can’t put them down. Its hilarious & easy to read, it’s also incredibly brilliant. It has such well developed characters and the stories have such depth. I laugh so much reading these and cry a little too (this one hit me in my feels hard) it’s the perfect blend of humor and drama and real life issues brought to life through these characters who you come to see as people. I don’t think have related to any characters much less fictional aliens so much in any book. It’s just really amazing. And I also like the sock puppets.
I started the series from book one about a week ago and I can’t put them down. Its hilarious & easy to read, it’s also incredibly brilliant. It has such well developed characters and the stories have such depth. I laugh so much reading these and cry a little too (this one hit me in my feels hard) it’s the perfect blend of humor and drama and real life issues brought to life through these characters who you come to see as people. I don’t think have related to any characters much less fictional aliens so much in any book. It’s just really amazing. And I also like the sock puppets.
August 22, 2018
New Neighbors . . . ?
. . . and a budding young romance.
I don't know how Mr. Foner continues to come up with new alien races and respective governing styles, but he does it very effectively. In 'Guest Night' he seamlessly introduces the Cayls along with several other species while continuing to develop long-time favorites like Bork, Czeros, Beowulf and Jeeves.
This was another great episode in the Union Station series and I am moving straight into the next installment - 'Word Night'.
. . . and a budding young romance.
I don't know how Mr. Foner continues to come up with new alien races and respective governing styles, but he does it very effectively. In 'Guest Night' he seamlessly introduces the Cayls along with several other species while continuing to develop long-time favorites like Bork, Czeros, Beowulf and Jeeves.
This was another great episode in the Union Station series and I am moving straight into the next installment - 'Word Night'.
February 12, 2025
Another Wonderful EarthCent Novel!
I love this series, and now it’s spin off companions, because there is no major violence, no sex, swearing, or many of the other situations not appropriate for the young. Sometimes, even when you are older, it’s nice to take a break from all that! E. M. Foner is an extremely talented writer, and all of the novels I’ve read are relaxing but not mind numbing. In this time of real life scariness (putting it as mildly as possible) it is a relief to have hope for the future.
I love this series, and now it’s spin off companions, because there is no major violence, no sex, swearing, or many of the other situations not appropriate for the young. Sometimes, even when you are older, it’s nice to take a break from all that! E. M. Foner is an extremely talented writer, and all of the novels I’ve read are relaxing but not mind numbing. In this time of real life scariness (putting it as mildly as possible) it is a relief to have hope for the future.
December 19, 2017
I enjoyed this entry in the EarthCent series quite a bit. I almost feel like there was a bigger, grander story which Foner could have indulged in but he 'settled' (so to speak) for a more concise and less grandiose story. That being said, it was fun to see Dorothy and Samuel (Kelly and Joe's children) starting to grow up and come into their own. Jeeves is up to his normal level of controlled chaos and mischeviousness. Another fun EarthCent story.
February 20, 2017
Another of E.M. Foner's humorous tales of life on Union Station. If you'd like a break from dead serious science fiction, sex, profanity and hard core violence and have some laughs, Foner's EarthCent Ambassador series is the ticket.
Foner has a dry wit and his stories are filled with his sense of humor. This is a fun read. The book is a fast read. I finished it in two sessions in a single day.
Foner has a dry wit and his stories are filled with his sense of humor. This is a fun read. The book is a fast read. I finished it in two sessions in a single day.
February 4, 2018
Fun, light-hearted read
I really like the Cayl empire storyline. That, couple with Samuel and the young queen’s blooming friendship across space made this a great book in a great series.
I really like the Cayl empire storyline. That, couple with Samuel and the young queen’s blooming friendship across space made this a great book in a great series.
September 15, 2018
E. M. Foner really knows how to spin a tale. Ambassador Kelly is doing the best she can in a job she never asked for. In the evolving station family, we care about our characters. We want them to do well and avoid perpetual annoyances.
December 22, 2019
I love it
Every book in this series is just as good as the first. I love reading about Kelly and her family/ friends. There were many spots that made me chuckle. I adored the ending.
Every book in this series is just as good as the first. I love reading about Kelly and her family/ friends. There were many spots that made me chuckle. I adored the ending.
August 20, 2020
I'm adding the spoiler tag for this one. Honestly, if you are familiar with the series, you don't really need this review to tell you to go read it and if you're just starting, well, what are you doing here? Go read book 1!
All that said, I really liked this one because it felt nice to have some aliens that were on the humans side for once. The Cayl are a lot of fun and I like the reiteration of the idea that someone has made sure that there would be dogs all across the galaxy. The Emperor is an interesting character and one that I felt might actually be an equal match for Dring, should he ever decide to take a larger role on the galactic stage.
All that said, I really liked this one because it felt nice to have some aliens that were on the humans side for once. The Cayl are a lot of fun and I like the reiteration of the idea that someone has made sure that there would be dogs all across the galaxy. The Emperor is an interesting character and one that I felt might actually be an equal match for Dring, should he ever decide to take a larger role on the galactic stage.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 13, 2020
Best story yet
Union Station holds an open house to encourage trade and gather intelligence information. Some of the guests are unpleasant but the emperor is a cool guy. A great read.
Union Station holds an open house to encourage trade and gather intelligence information. Some of the guests are unpleasant but the emperor is a cool guy. A great read.
June 30, 2021
More aliens and completely new empires.
Our sinister overlords play games with interstellar empires. Pushing them all together then apart. Fun times as our heroine and her family struggle to keep things from going south.
Our sinister overlords play games with interstellar empires. Pushing them all together then apart. Fun times as our heroine and her family struggle to keep things from going south.
January 13, 2018
Enjoyable
September 13, 2018
If it says "E. M. Foner" on the cover, you can bet it's going to be a fun read.
December 24, 2018
I liked the psychological aspects of this series.
June 7, 2019
Another empire is thinking of hanging it up, so members come to Union Station to see about joining the Stryx network. More amusing and less repetitive than others. Enjoyable.
December 2, 2020
Annoying aliens and how to deal with them
A splendid array of aliens descend on Union station and Kelly needs to find a diplomatic solution , with the help of family and friends.
A splendid array of aliens descend on Union station and Kelly needs to find a diplomatic solution , with the help of family and friends.
April 7, 2021
Great fun!
Now we have new species along with the myriad others,dancing and while new adventures. 😊 what more can a reader want?
Now we have new species along with the myriad others,dancing and while new adventures. 😊 what more can a reader want?
June 14, 2021
I do love this series. Great humour and a vey easy read. Just what you need on a Summer’s Day!
January 27, 2019
Great
Great read as are all of the books in this series. The author has unique storytelling technique thais very imaginative.
Great read as are all of the books in this series. The author has unique storytelling technique thais very imaginative.
February 4, 2018
Another book in the series and another warming trip to Union Station.
This book in particular seemed to just zoom by. Our knowledge of the universe is expanded by the introduction of an empire from off the Strx network. In an exchange of hostages, the reader or listener gets a feel for how politicking can work in an empire spanning multiple star systems as well ashow maybe the Stryx members aren’t so bad after all.
I love how cast continues to age a few years at a time. It is fun watching characters’ kids grow up and come into their own. And in some cases start their own worlds-spanning business empires.
Given that the series hasn’t lost its steam as of this book, I’m just going to go ahead and keep recommending it to anyone wanting a charming glimpse into life of a massive space station.
This book in particular seemed to just zoom by. Our knowledge of the universe is expanded by the introduction of an empire from off the Strx network. In an exchange of hostages, the reader or listener gets a feel for how politicking can work in an empire spanning multiple star systems as well ashow maybe the Stryx members aren’t so bad after all.
I love how cast continues to age a few years at a time. It is fun watching characters’ kids grow up and come into their own. And in some cases start their own worlds-spanning business empires.
Given that the series hasn’t lost its steam as of this book, I’m just going to go ahead and keep recommending it to anyone wanting a charming glimpse into life of a massive space station.
September 18, 2016
Always something new, but still the same
Loved the whole premise of the book, it is a good reflection of how new people's meeting for the first time can go wrong or be completely misunderstood due to cultural habits, a lot of good science snuck into the story, with the "golden goose"and the way it works ;and Samuel's Libbyland suit that was repurposed to let him be with Ailia ,the little Vergallion girl from the previous story that keeps me hoping that this story line continues . Sort of like Star trek or Star wars the characters keep you entertained with their daily lives!!! Thanks for that.
Loved the whole premise of the book, it is a good reflection of how new people's meeting for the first time can go wrong or be completely misunderstood due to cultural habits, a lot of good science snuck into the story, with the "golden goose"and the way it works ;and Samuel's Libbyland suit that was repurposed to let him be with Ailia ,the little Vergallion girl from the previous story that keeps me hoping that this story line continues . Sort of like Star trek or Star wars the characters keep you entertained with their daily lives!!! Thanks for that.
June 9, 2016
A funny look at parenting styles! I love that this series tackles so much of what makes up daily life but seldom gets looked at in fiction. If you were going to run a world, would you be the indulgent parent who lets their kids run wild or the strict parent who checks that they toe the line? How would they behave when you're not around? In this installment, the species of Union Station host species from another and very different system with riotous results!
August 20, 2016
Good Read
What a great story. With new species on the station deciding whether or not to join the Stryx tunnel system, a bunch of shenanigans are happening. Kelly's kids are growing up and doing surprising things. And Beowulf has found a new friend. Very enjoyable episode on Union Station.
What a great story. With new species on the station deciding whether or not to join the Stryx tunnel system, a bunch of shenanigans are happening. Kelly's kids are growing up and doing surprising things. And Beowulf has found a new friend. Very enjoyable episode on Union Station.
December 25, 2015
A charming light-hearted fun-loving romp into classic alien-meet-human. I enjoyed that the sequence of eight stories followed a familiar family and their friends as their grew older through their many adventures.
January 5, 2016
Funny and smart - like sci fi should be
I love the Earthcent ambassador books. They're funny, smart, and imaginative- everything great sci-fi should be!
- Read via Kindle Unlimited.
I love the Earthcent ambassador books. They're funny, smart, and imaginative- everything great sci-fi should be!
- Read via Kindle Unlimited.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews