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Far Out Chronicles #1
The Joint of No Return
"Star Trek meets Cheech & Chong!" – #1 INTERGALACTIC BESTSELLING author Tom Sadira invites you to take a trip to the farthest reaches of outer space in this hilarious sci-fi adventure saga.
Charlie Hong is on the run from both sides of the law.
He’s spent the last year in hiding, cultivating one last hare-brained scheme to escape his troubles: a clandestine marijuana operation. Just as he’s about to cash in, his cash crop is stolen by a bright light appearing in the night sky. After catching a ride with one of his plants, he finds himself swept up in a cosmic struggle to free Earth from the clutches of secret alien overlords
Does the stoned stowaway have what it takes to free the Starseed—a massive living spaceship overflowing with bizarre life forms—from a mysterious force field trapping it in Earth’s orbit?
More importantly, before he decides anything, does he have time to light one up?
Charlie Hong is on the run from both sides of the law.
He’s spent the last year in hiding, cultivating one last hare-brained scheme to escape his troubles: a clandestine marijuana operation. Just as he’s about to cash in, his cash crop is stolen by a bright light appearing in the night sky. After catching a ride with one of his plants, he finds himself swept up in a cosmic struggle to free Earth from the clutches of secret alien overlords
Does the stoned stowaway have what it takes to free the Starseed—a massive living spaceship overflowing with bizarre life forms—from a mysterious force field trapping it in Earth’s orbit?
More importantly, before he decides anything, does he have time to light one up?
135 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
February 16, 2026
I want to emphasize that by Goodreads default, two stars means "It was okay." This is a positive assessment. This novelette is snappy, self-consistent, and the writing has that smooth, competent rhythm that I expect as a baseline for contemporary fiction, putting this author ahead of 98% of all self-publishing writers. If I read something else by him in which those skills are turned to different material, I might even give that hypothetical thing three "liked it" stars. I found myself thinking that the author could produce some entirely enjoyable licensed IP novels if given the chance. As I mentioned in my review of DadQuest: A Fantasy-Fueled Fiasco, I appreciate the author's authenticity as well as the opportunity for a free e-book, for which my review is utterly honest regarding my personal reactions. This is the only way I know to be.
So: think back to the best, funniest stoner comedy you've ever seen. Now go rewatch that at your current age, while sober. How funny was it this time? In fairness, this is probably the wrong way to enjoy such a thing. While I don't know who can read while high so I'm not convinced this state would improve this specific dope-ridden material, but maybe? Anyway, that's the level of humor we're dealing with here. It's an appropriate homage to weed and being high all the time, in the context of an insane sci-fi adventure. The gags don't always work, particularly the awkwardly mishead phrases ("My magnum dopus ..." "What, Magnum P.I.?" no those don't sound anything alike, as neither do "reptilians" and "reptoids" so can characters stop thinking they heard the other?) but in the grand traditions of stoner comedy it generally hits the basic expectations.
The entire first chapter is a dream sequence so, you know, thanks for wasting my time with that.
As for the rest, it's a short introduction to what is surely a rollicking series of psychoactive space adventures with a fish-out-of-water protagonist. You don't have to be high to enjoy it, but it probably wouldn't hurt.
So: think back to the best, funniest stoner comedy you've ever seen. Now go rewatch that at your current age, while sober. How funny was it this time? In fairness, this is probably the wrong way to enjoy such a thing. While I don't know who can read while high so I'm not convinced this state would improve this specific dope-ridden material, but maybe? Anyway, that's the level of humor we're dealing with here. It's an appropriate homage to weed and being high all the time, in the context of an insane sci-fi adventure. The gags don't always work, particularly the awkwardly mishead phrases ("My magnum dopus ..." "What, Magnum P.I.?" no those don't sound anything alike, as neither do "reptilians" and "reptoids" so can characters stop thinking they heard the other?) but in the grand traditions of stoner comedy it generally hits the basic expectations.
The entire first chapter is a dream sequence so, you know, thanks for wasting my time with that.
As for the rest, it's a short introduction to what is surely a rollicking series of psychoactive space adventures with a fish-out-of-water protagonist. You don't have to be high to enjoy it, but it probably wouldn't hurt.
April 26, 2018
Characters
Charlie is a pot head. An amusing mess of a person that somehow survives most of his crazy encounters. Like any good pothead Charlie gets munchies and always has a few joints to spare. Most of the book is following Charlie and a few fun supporting characters coming in - the Captain being the biggest chunk. The villains were repulsive and even the good guys existed in shades of gray - an unexpected depth that didn't go too deep but just enough to give the characters that much needed complexity.
Plot
This is an amusing sci-fi. I would call this a humorous read for sure, like a Space Comedy. I for sure laughed out loud once. It wasn't necessarily my humor but the author did well to balance between stoner humor and just plain fun. The plot is all around a fun sci-fi adventure and I really enjoyed the creativity of the aliens and the ship. I even liked the Reptilian race and the idea that they are influencing Earth. It all came together nicely and was enjoyable to read from one chapter to another. I won't say much more as there are a few fun twists and turns - I'll leave it for you to read!
Overall
An amusing read with just one too many coincidences. I truly question anyone being that lucky. That being said it was easy to read and follow along with, even when it was a little trippy. A fun short read - I appreciated the brevity of the story. Even the somewhat abrupt ending wasn't annoying it simply felt like one chapter was closing and if I wanted to read more, I needed to pick up the next chapter aka book.
Rating
4 Stars
A fun sci-fi with a stoner in the lead role. This book will make you laugh at least once, but if you are more of a stoner yourself, I have a feeling this one will leave you rolling. All in all, lots of fun!
This is a voluntary review. More reviews at creatingworldswithwords.wordpress.com.
Charlie is a pot head. An amusing mess of a person that somehow survives most of his crazy encounters. Like any good pothead Charlie gets munchies and always has a few joints to spare. Most of the book is following Charlie and a few fun supporting characters coming in - the Captain being the biggest chunk. The villains were repulsive and even the good guys existed in shades of gray - an unexpected depth that didn't go too deep but just enough to give the characters that much needed complexity.
Plot
This is an amusing sci-fi. I would call this a humorous read for sure, like a Space Comedy. I for sure laughed out loud once. It wasn't necessarily my humor but the author did well to balance between stoner humor and just plain fun. The plot is all around a fun sci-fi adventure and I really enjoyed the creativity of the aliens and the ship. I even liked the Reptilian race and the idea that they are influencing Earth. It all came together nicely and was enjoyable to read from one chapter to another. I won't say much more as there are a few fun twists and turns - I'll leave it for you to read!
Overall
An amusing read with just one too many coincidences. I truly question anyone being that lucky. That being said it was easy to read and follow along with, even when it was a little trippy. A fun short read - I appreciated the brevity of the story. Even the somewhat abrupt ending wasn't annoying it simply felt like one chapter was closing and if I wanted to read more, I needed to pick up the next chapter aka book.
Rating
4 Stars
A fun sci-fi with a stoner in the lead role. This book will make you laugh at least once, but if you are more of a stoner yourself, I have a feeling this one will leave you rolling. All in all, lots of fun!
This is a voluntary review. More reviews at creatingworldswithwords.wordpress.com.
April 28, 2018
This is a fun stoner comedy with sci-fi in the background. It kept mentioning reptilians. There's this huge conspiracy theory about reptilians secretly running the world (seriously, look it up before you read this and it'll be much funnier). I kept waiting for Charlie to mention my favorite reptilian conspiracy theory-that Justin Beiber is one of them, but alas, it didn't happen. Maybe in the sequel.
There were a lot of strange happenings in the book that I have to wonder if they are going to be explained in later books. I don't want to spoil the entire book, so you'll just have to read it. I loved the fact that Mother, the sentient spaceship, talks like a southern granny, but I have to wonder about her motivations as the plot progresses
There were a lot of strange happenings in the book that I have to wonder if they are going to be explained in later books. I don't want to spoil the entire book, so you'll just have to read it. I loved the fact that Mother, the sentient spaceship, talks like a southern granny, but I have to wonder about her motivations as the plot progresses
April 5, 2026
This was..... a (short) book.
It's hard to summarise my thoughts but I really enjoyed it. I really liked the blend of sci-weed-fiction, and the first chapter really caught my grip. This book is peak nonsense and i'm all for it. Charlie Hong is a very fun character who could probably outsmoke Snoop Dogg and Willie Nelson as his tolerance must be mega with with his ultra high grade. I feel like i'd be very at home aboard the Starseed, maybe if i'm lucky there might be a vacancy aboard soon :D
It's hard to summarise my thoughts but I really enjoyed it. I really liked the blend of sci-weed-fiction, and the first chapter really caught my grip. This book is peak nonsense and i'm all for it. Charlie Hong is a very fun character who could probably outsmoke Snoop Dogg and Willie Nelson as his tolerance must be mega with with his ultra high grade. I feel like i'd be very at home aboard the Starseed, maybe if i'm lucky there might be a vacancy aboard soon :D
August 21, 2018
Next one ASAP pleae Tom!
May 23, 2019
An alright short book to read didn't actually realise it was about weed, I mean the title should have covered it all, but you know.
November 30, 2020
A fair heads up.. if your known to be uptight, a dyed in the wool traditionalist/conservative, etc. You may want to forget about this book & move on. However, if your a cannabis enthusiast, someone who’s more laid back, can take things as they are, or if you can park your brain at the door & just enjoy this book for the story within, then go on with your bad self. This book without out giving things away, is a nice quick little read that isn’t took taxing on what’s going on, who is what & who’s where, etc. I enjoyed it for what it was, a decent little ebook that I will probably end up following along thru the next 3 books, hopefully more in the future.
August 9, 2022
A fun romp that starts when a poor pot farmer hiding from the law with his little crop is sucked into space with his last plant, refusing to let go of his "girls". From there, things get crazy. A little Alice in Wonderland, Cheech and Chong and sci-fi thriller, this is a great first story. I can't wait to read the next one.
March 4, 2019
Fun Story
What do you get when you mix Cheech & Chong with Star Trek, this book. It was fun to read, not many books have held me so attentively. The only bad part of this book was that it ended. I'm looking forward to the next in the series.
What do you get when you mix Cheech & Chong with Star Trek, this book. It was fun to read, not many books have held me so attentively. The only bad part of this book was that it ended. I'm looking forward to the next in the series.
June 6, 2018
Herbaciously hilarious
A joy to read with a joint, some munchies, and proper tunes emanating from a nearby alien. Prepare to toke.
A joy to read with a joint, some munchies, and proper tunes emanating from a nearby alien. Prepare to toke.
June 17, 2021
Pothead/grower meets aliens aboard a marijuana-laden spaceship. A smoke-filled adventure. Entertaining.
June 9, 2018
Much fun! Good buzz
First time reader of Mr S. I smiled , laughed and wanted a bong hit for much of this read! Looking forward to the next installments. I hope there is a little more meat cuz ya know....munchies.
First time reader of Mr S. I smiled , laughed and wanted a bong hit for much of this read! Looking forward to the next installments. I hope there is a little more meat cuz ya know....munchies.
June 5, 2024
Completely ridiculous, a fever dream, I loved it.
April 1, 2018
Fair warning. I'm from California where recreational marijuana has been, in theory, legalized.
Even before that, it was the second largest crop in my rural county in my youth, behind cow/ calf cattle operations.
I was a kid during the seventies, and a variety of festive authors were not unpopular with the former hippies who were some of my teachers - and neighbors.
If you ever read the acid / peyote stories from William S Burroughs, the adventures of this Black / Chinese pot grower will ring several familiar bells.
Funny eco friendly space alien / pot as transformative element adventure.
Amusing reading if you've the right sense of humor.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Even before that, it was the second largest crop in my rural county in my youth, behind cow/ calf cattle operations.
I was a kid during the seventies, and a variety of festive authors were not unpopular with the former hippies who were some of my teachers - and neighbors.
If you ever read the acid / peyote stories from William S Burroughs, the adventures of this Black / Chinese pot grower will ring several familiar bells.
Funny eco friendly space alien / pot as transformative element adventure.
Amusing reading if you've the right sense of humor.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 25, 2022
First I should be clear, I've never smoked the drugs. It's just not me. That said, I like: mountain biking, disc golf, heavy metal, Harold and Kumar movies, Dude Where's My Car, and The Big Lebowski, so I've had some encounters with stoner culture.
This book is awesome. I laughed, I cried, I experienced every emotion. It really toked me in, to use a phrase from the book. It was wacky, weird and fun. I enjoyed the main character and his viewpoints on life. I found the plot to be enjoyable, and the writing is highly engaging, making it hard to put down. I flew through this work, and I'm going to get the next book in the series, as soon as I can scrape together the $4.20 to do so. Wonder how he came up with that price?
This book is awesome. I laughed, I cried, I experienced every emotion. It really toked me in, to use a phrase from the book. It was wacky, weird and fun. I enjoyed the main character and his viewpoints on life. I found the plot to be enjoyable, and the writing is highly engaging, making it hard to put down. I flew through this work, and I'm going to get the next book in the series, as soon as I can scrape together the $4.20 to do so. Wonder how he came up with that price?
October 29, 2018
Do you know what I love? Niche sub genres. Stoner sci fi has got to be one of the neatest niche subgenres I've ever seen lol. It made me think of how many fascinating possibilities there are for intersecting interests. Got me thinking about the stuff I could write with my own unique interests, the stories I would like to read.
This was a good book. Harold and Kumar meets Firefly kinda. Wish it were a bit heavier on the firefly but so far so good.
Would recommend to people that are looking for lighter sci fi.
This was a good book. Harold and Kumar meets Firefly kinda. Wish it were a bit heavier on the firefly but so far so good.
Would recommend to people that are looking for lighter sci fi.
April 3, 2018
he is on the run from both sides of the law. he is growing cannabis but when is his about to cash out when it is stolen by a spacecraft. he hangs onto one of his plants. once on the ship he learns it is real and needs help to escape. will he do it? can he make it through? an adventure story
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 3, 2018
Stoner sci-fi. Weed, wasted aliens, and a warp speed escape. Plus Reptilians. Dopey fun.
August 25, 2023
😭😭😭 I got given this book for free so I thought I might as well read it and it's the most ridiculous shit. 2 stars for quality of actual story but 5 stars for making me physically laugh out loud within the first chapter
March 13, 2025
I am NOT the audience for this book
It's kinda sad when you wish the alien would eat the main character. C9ntext about me - I avoid Cheech and Chong movies. If you are aa fqn, youm8ght like this book. And eating kittens is unacceptable.
It's kinda sad when you wish the alien would eat the main character. C9ntext about me - I avoid Cheech and Chong movies. If you are aa fqn, youm8ght like this book. And eating kittens is unacceptable.
April 24, 2024
A planet resembling a cannabis seed with breathtaking green views and an intoxicating aroma. A dream come true? Is this one of those lived dreams?
The story is too small for the amount of joints smoked during the story, hehehe
[…] Charlie looked down at the surface of the Starseed from his new vantage point. Endless rows of cannabis plants stretched out in all directions as far as his eyes could see. […]
The story is too small for the amount of joints smoked during the story, hehehe
September 2, 2022
Greetings, fellow readers!
I had a blast writing this first book in the Far Out Chronicles. I truly hope it makes you smile.
I have a couple more books in this series queued up for 2018, and many more to come in the future. So stick around and go for a ride with me.
Let me know if you have any questions, comments, suggestions,etc.
Thanks for reading, and for all your support.
I had a blast writing this first book in the Far Out Chronicles. I truly hope it makes you smile.
I have a couple more books in this series queued up for 2018, and many more to come in the future. So stick around and go for a ride with me.
Let me know if you have any questions, comments, suggestions,etc.
Thanks for reading, and for all your support.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews