Charlie was living the life of luxury... as an alien wizard’s gladiator slave. It was not ideal.
He had survived a spaceship crash, alien slave traders, space pirates and fierce gladiatorial combat. Hell, he’d even faced an actual fire-breathing dragon and lived, but now he was presented with an even greater challenge. Domestic living, captive on a strange world.
Charlie almost had to laugh at his changing circumstances, having seen it all since a wormhole spat him out in a distant galaxy. He learned to fight, he learned to use magic, he even learned to kill––to survive at all costs. And that hard work had somehow landed him a cushy life on a powerful wizard’s estate. But all was not what it seemed.
Something was wrong, and he still wasn’t a free man. Captivity, even in a gilded cage such as this, was abhorrent to the spaceman from Earth. And while the new existence he had fallen into seemed one of luxury, he couldn’t help but wonder when it would all go to hell.
He should have known, with his luck, the answer was soon.
Scott Baron is an American author with a penchant for oddball stories with O. Henry-esque twists.
Born in Hollywood, Baron credits growing up in Los Angeles with skewing his humor towards the offbeat and absurd. He studied abroad in Italy during his college years, returning to Los Angeles to work in the film industry as an on-set medic. In addition to writing shorts and novels, Baron is also a screenwriter of both feature and television scripts.
I feel like a kid who's getting away with something. I was asked if I wanted to read an advanced copy of this series- the request went a bit like this... Here's this book full of all your favorite things aliens, wampehs, things blowing up, nobody falling in love and having sex, and coffee. Do you want to read it early before anyone? ALWAYS!
It was everything promised and more. Charlie's series is probably my new favorite. If for no other reason then the scene when Charlie introduces Leila to the wampeh.
This was a great continuation of the story, it furthered the story while having it's own feel with the ending leaving you looking forward to more. And it was so funny! Just looking back over my highlights cracks me up
Edited to add: I finished the audio version today, loved it as much as when i read it the first time. And i think the narrator did a better job this second time. I'm looking forward to hearing him read number 3
The story is second in the series. The first one was thrilling and exciting. The second one is better and builds the story very well. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
Scott Baron (author) and Gary Bennett (narrator) hit another ball out of the park with their second installment in the wonderfully well-written “Dragon Mage” series called “Space Pirate Charlie”. Their first book, “Bad Luck Charlie”, left us with our main character still in a position of having pretty bad luck but not as much as he had started the story with. Now, in this second installment, we begin to see Charlie emerging as something more than a simple guy down on his luck. Instead, he begins to emerge as a force to be reckoned with. The author and narrator do a wonderful job of blending both fantasy elements (who does not like magic, dragons, and monsters?) along with plenty of space and technology; including light-speed travel. The mix is done so well that it is difficult to place this book in one genre or the other. For me, it is more on the side of science fiction than fantasy, but either will suffice. If you are a person who enjoys stories with an off-kilter sense of humor, space assassins, and more, you will like this story and all the while as you pull for Charlie to succeed. This book is well worth your time and precious Audible credit. I enjoyed it very much.
The audiobook contains a decent prologue helping the listener to remember some of the key aspects or events from the previous audiobook. As with the first, there is action, adventure and quite a bit of mystery sprinkled in. Even with that, be aware that this book requires a person to have listened to the first in the series before jumping into the second. Most of the characters from the first book are found here in the second; Tuk Tuk is one of my favorites. We also are introduced to many new characters as well. I can say that I will never look at people named “Bob” the same way again; listen if you want to learn more. Space Pirate Charlie picks up shortly after the ending of the first book. So, if you have not yet listed to the first book, I highly recommend you pick up both as you will want to flow right into the second after the first. As a side note, I just saw that book three in the series is now available on Audible as well.
The author does a very good job of creating a coming-of-age type story even though Charlie is already an older and mature man. His continued growing and nurturing comes in the way he is able to learn and adapt to his given circumstances after his bad luck placed him in a world which he knows little or nothing about. Over the two audiobooks in the series, we see Charlie becoming more comfortable and able to make decisions regarding his new magic-based environment as well as his understanding of this unique magic system that appears to power everything. He has settled into his role as a slave and gladiator fighter for the entertainment of the wealthy, yet his ultimate goal is still in his sights. Charlie continues to wear his slave collar which limits his freedom, yet this new owner is much kinder than his previous ones; or is he?
One of the more interesting things I found in this story was Charlie’s inclusion and use of technology from his world (mainly lost, confiscated or abandoned when he became a citizens of this alien world) as well as embracing and becoming comfortable with the magic which these new worlds revolve around. Only by combining these two different systems was Charlie able to survive and thrive in this harsh and hostile atmosphere. What could go wrong when you give an engineer magic and technology? Another thing making this book great is the need and dependency Charlie has upon others. There are some very strong bonds and relationships created in this book and they are tighter than the previous audiobook. Without his companions (both big and small) Charlie would still be controlled by harsh slavers and never have a glimmer of hope of freedom.
The humor filling the pages is at times wacky and off-kilter, but it quickly grows on you as you listen. It is not slapstick, but at times I found myself laughing out loud while listening. There is a good balance of both humor and seriousness which was important for me. I had to smile every time Charlie took credit for a quote or saying here on earth once he realized his companions never heard them before. Much of the story reminded me of the TV series from the 90’s called “MacGyver” because Charlie is able to create a way out of most situations with nothing more than a paperclip. Charlie’s engineering degree comes in to play many times in this story and because of his skills, he is able to move his ultimate goal farther down the field.
As for the audiobook’s narration, Garry Bennett is a professional in the pieces I have listened to from him. The audio quality was great, no audio artifacts or background noises were observed apart from a few small plugs or edits. The characters felt lively and each had their own personality which the narrator was able to maintain; even across the two books. It was a solid performance and I look forward to more from this narrator in the future.
For parents and younger readers, I feel it is best to let you know that this audiobook contains a smattering of vulgar language, light crude humor, and sexual overtones or innuendos. As with the first book, if any of these items easily offend you, I would say that it is more intended for mature audiences. If you enjoyed the first audiobook, this one includes more of the same humor and language use.
In summary, if you are interested in vast battles, magic, technology and dragons, this is a book I would recommend you pick up and give it a listen. There is mystery, and suspense along with even some aspects of intrigue. You will laugh with Charlie, you will cry with Charlie, but most of all, you will root for Charlie’s success and ultimate goal of getting home one day. Long live Charlie!
This is book 2 in The Dragon Mage series and it is definitely a great book. I recommend starting with book 1 as this book has a lot of things that would not be understood without it. That said...WOW. Sometimes series have a strong first book and then each subsequent book is lackluster. Not here. This book is loaded with action, break-outs, break-ins, blossoming friendships, some heartache, evil doers, and definitely Charlie saying “what could go wrong” or “how could it get worse” at LEAST once...and we all know what happens when Charlie says this. Yes: poop spells.
Once again we get to hear detailed, but not over-described worlds that Charlie and his gang get to/are forced to visit. As a newly bought gladiator, Charlie finds himself back with his old friend Tuktuk (probably spelled wrong, since ya know, I listened to the audio not the print version) who is the chef their shared employer....owner...master. We get to meet Leila and the Wempah that Charlie oh-so-gallantly saved in book 1. Between the aliens, Magic, wizards, vampires, dragons, coffee, and of course the blundering Charlie, this book has everything I wanted. It even tied itself up at the end nicely, while still being wide open for more adventures. To top it off, we get all this without even having one single sex scene - which is once again refreshing. Thank you, Scott Baron!
As before, narrator Gary Bennett gives us a stellar performance. He brings life, personality and emotion to this book and it’s characters.
My expectations were very high for this sequel after reading the wonderful 'Bad Luck Charlie', and I wasn't disappointed in any way.
This book sees Charlie Gault reunited with his blue friend, Tuktuk, but yet to meet his owner, the Visla, Yoral Maktan, whose estate he is now on. Charlie has no idea why the Visla wants him, or what he wants him to do. Charlie meets a few of the 'characters' on the estate, two in particular that are surprises not only for Charlie, but also to others. One is stunningly beautiful, and full of fire and mischief. The other is just...a wee bit prickly. I don't want to spoil anything more of the story. I want you to be pulled in and enjoy it fully for yourself.
This is a very good sequel, and is full of the author's unique blend of fun, action and adventure. Magic plays a rather large role in this tale. However, it's not out of place, it seems natural here, and I love the way the characters use some of the spells, it's ingenious! I know magic makes you think of Harry Potter-y stuff (of which I am not a fan), but this, in my humble opinion, feels better.
Excellent, enjoyable, emotive, and an easy read - a solid five stars - and I can't wait for the next one as each book just gets better and better.
I chose an eARC of this book which I voluntarily read and honestly reviewed. All opinions are my own.
I definitely liked this one more than the first book. Yes, it's probably in part because Bawb shows up and I really wanted to know what happened to him after the last book in his series. I'm still not sure I'm correct about the timeline, but I think the last book of Bawb overlaps the end of Dragon Mage #1 and much of this one. I think the end of this book is probably where the last book of Bawb ends.
Either way, I love the blend of science fiction, fantasy, and magic. It's fun seeing our Earth technology through the eyes of their world and thinking it's evil (bad magic) or something to fear because it doesn't obey the rules of their world. For Charlie, it's fun watching him try to figure out their magic using his unconventional thinking. I love Charlie's friendship with some of the other slaves, and as I mentioned, I particularly loved it when Bawb showed up and all sides had to figure out what the heck was going on. The Zomoki is one of my favorite characters, and way things go a bit nuts with magic when she and Charlie connect is just so much fun. The stuff with the feces some might consider juvenile, but I loved it.
Overall, this is a fun blend of fantasy, sci-fiction, adventure, and humor and I'm looking forward to the rest of the series!
The title of this one feels like it would have been more appropriate as the header for the second arc of the first book as honestly there is very little pirate related stuff in it and it's really just a mention of his past and some re-connections. I get it though this would have been hard to title. While this book still has plenty of action the majority of it isn't nearly as fast paced or seat of your pants as the first one but it still largely feels like a combination of Farscape and Forest Gump. We get a little bit of slice of life and mystery in this one followed by some seat of the pants and finally a resolution. I personally feel the first book as better but for the average reader this one may have been easier to keep up with. The narration is once again fantastic as well and the overall story advances in an interesting way. Definitely a good continuation.
After waking up from the fight for his life Charlie find himself in a palace and without the weight of his slave collar. He soon discovers that while his life has drastically improved he is still a slave, his color is just smaller and lighter than ever before. Reunited with his cook friend, Tuktuk Charlie begins to settle in to what seems like a good life under the enslavement of a kind Visla. At least until Charlie really starts to understand what is going on in the Visla's estate. Once again Charlie finds himself in a position where his life and those he cares about is in immediate danger. Come join Charlie on another harrowing adventure, complete with magic, dragons, vampires and mystery.
This book had all the elements that I should have loved, space opera, magic, dragons. You could love it for just these things. There's a lot to work with here. What could go wrong? So, so plotting (five chapters in and still nothing happening) and lackluster wordsmithery did not have me asking "what happens next?" This author has potential so don't count him out yet.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Another fun book in this series. The first book started out boring, then got interesting once the author got to telling the story. This second book starts out interesting and then keeps going at full speed ahead, with the occasional side quip. Charlie gathers up Ara and the rest of his friends, old and new, and heads off for adventure.
This story of a scientific engineer going to another galaxy were magic rules is an awesome entertaining story that I really enjoyed. The only bad thing is the title. Great Story
This is a great second in the series and is as good as, if not better than the first. That is saying a lot because the first book was great too. I'm looking forward to the next books in the series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Another good book in a series I'm thoroughly enjoying. I look forward to the 3rd book as the story is going really well and I cant wait to see where this adventure is heading. Would definitely recommend!
I really love this universe, It's so fun to read. I know some people will see "fun" and think "kiddie" but that's not what I mean. I mean it's a straightforward adventure in an interesting universe with entertaining characters. I'm excited to read the next installment.
Charlie is back this time with more knowledge and understanding of how things work. Another stellar entry into the Dragon Mage series. This is Scott Baron's second book I've read and I just couldn't put it down like the first one.
I didn't like the last curve. That said, Charlie's continuing misadventures are still making me grin. Recurring characters get more depth, new ones get plenty of page time, and the best ones still have four legs. I super hope the next one doesn't disappoint.
Not quite predictable rehash of other stories, meaning it's new and interesting. Almost expected an I'm Spartacus moment which never came, but many cleches seen through new eyes remade them, new and entertaining.
Wow! I actually think this book is better than the first one. New aliens, more magic, rebellion and some new and old friends along for the ride. Well written with no spelling or grammar issues, engaging, different from the norm and, well, dragons. At least one particular awesome Dragon. Highly recommended although I suggest you read book one first.
Love this story the characters are fun and interesting. It doesn’t take itself too seriously but keeps the pages turning. Well worth the time and money!
I enjoyed following Charlie's adventures in this universe of magic! Charlie uses his engineering skills along with his magic skills! Good fight at the end! The ending segues into the next story.
Really great story. A mix of swords, magic, dragons, science fiction and fantasy. As well as interesting people multiple worlds. Author has done a fantastic job!