Bodega: Tales from the Bodegaverse

by Edward Forsyth

Bodega. Lover. Sniper. Thief. Scourge of the wicked. In fact, scourge of anyone if there's money to be made. A lawless man in a galaxy overrun by villains, Mork beasts, Dildonians and the dreaded imperial forces of Crem Slumdump. Aided by his otherwise unemployable crew of drunks, criminals, assassins and broken down combat droids, Bodega seeks fortune, and trouble seeks him. Armed with his array of hi-tech gadgets, and of course his famous las-gun, Bodega careens around the corners of the known Universe in his ship, the Disco Volante, guided by his unique sense of justice, and his love for the psychic entity known only as Majesta.

Bodega: Tales from the Bodegaverse contains all the episodes of Bodega previously transmitted via the Triforce Podcast, and heaps more Bodega action besides. What're ya waiting for, pard?

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Audiobook, Space Opera, Humor

230 pages, Paperback

Published August 1, 2019

About the author

Edward "Ted" Forsyth, better known by his online pseudonym "Pyrion Flax", is an English Twitch Streamer, E-Sport Commentator, Amature Poker Player and YouTuber.
Pyrion is also a member of the entertainment company "The Yogscast", with whom he frequently collaborates with.
After much delay, he finally completed his first novel "Bodega: Into the Bodegaverse" in 2019.

Reviews

[Harry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Essentially, this is something kinda like a cross between Guardians of the Galaxy, Dirty Harry, and Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy.
For those who don't know, this is book that started life as a joke on a podcast the author Edward Forsyth (aka Pyrion Flax) is a part of, where he attempts to parody all the hard-boiled, hyper masculine, sci-fi pulp action heroes. And he does a great job, especially for a debut novel!
It starts off a little rough because of this, as the first half is more or less a collection of seemingly unconnected stories about the protagonist - a grizzled, mega vaping, uncomplicated man named Bodega who solves most of his problems by blasting them away with his signature "lasgun" (the first 20 or so chapters were actually written to be read each week as a segment of the podcast, before he started working on the book properly).
But as Pyrion gets into the swing of things, the writing noticeably tightens up and something like an actual overarching plot emerges, and while not exactly the most complicated of plots, it comes in with some surprisingly solid scifi (given the nature of Bodegaverse also includes a species called "Dildonians"). Bodega is maybe a little one dimensional, which may be part of the point, but he's good enough to always be fun to read, and the eventual crew of the starship Disco Volante works well too.
Overall, I would say its a hilarious, entertaining, sex and violence packed scifi romp with more terrible puns and out of context similes than a Sperlupian's tips on half price booze night. Well worth anyone reading, especially as its not that long.

[Paul]

I got Bodega as a gift from a friend. I had no prior knowledge of where it originally came from other than "It's science fiction", from my present giver. So, as I'd been gifted this, I immediately moved it to the top of my reading list.
It's an interesting one and I'll attempt to tell you for why. Very early on (actually before the book even officially begins, to be accurate) we learn that this is a book full of throw-away, silly, sci-fi episodes written for a podcast. On learning this it began to make sense that my pal would give this to me, it having come from a series of podcasts he often mentions. It didn't immediately strike me as having the makings of a good book, though. Still, I gave it a go and found that, yes, it is a bunch of loosely connected 'chapters' that are overtly comic and self-aware. It also appeared to maintain the same number of pages each chapter like, those books that come out at Christmas, books that are all the columns some actor has written for the Guardian collated into a hardback, cash-in. And yet...

And yet, clearly, Edward Forsyth (our author) started to get a bit of a taste for this writing lark. Slowly but surely these nonsense stories started to develop a little more detail. Characters begin to round out and things that happened in one chapter have consequences in later ones. By about half-way all the chapters are brand new, not built from 10 minute sections in a podcast, and it shows. They're suddenly taut, focused, charming and bursting with sharp ideas. Something as close to a narrative as you're ever going to get from a thing born from a podcast 'bumper' slowly emerges. The second to last chapter even manages to stand entirely on its own two feet. It's a genuinely good short story with all the prior comic silliness removed and, for 26 pages, it carves out a brain and a body to go with all of the heart that'd been showing up till then.

I can't really call this a novel, because it is not, but I can say that watching this idea grow over the course of 264 pages was quite a novel experience. Ha-ha-ha, did you see what I did there? Sorry. Yeah, it's a wonderful thing to take part in this journey. To come in cold to it probably only served to make my experience all the sweeter.

So what's the book about? Well, it's about a guy called Bodega. Boooodega. Bodegaaa... Bodega, his name is Bodega. He's a cartoon'ish, 2D, space pirate/cowboy bad-ass. He goes on silly adventures and makes a lot of horrible choices. Along the way he learns a terrible lesson and then builds a gang to sort things out. Or at least sort things out so that he can live the life he wants to lead. And that's about it. There are a few stand out chapters (as mentioned above, and one involving a trip to hell) that hold the whole thing together, giving it weight and spark, and they come along just at the right time so that the somewhat trivial/throw-away nature of the beginning doesn't overstay its welcome.

I applaud the achievement and the obvious talent that bloomed along the way. Also a fun wee read.

[Johnny Bannister]

The flarvin' thing rocked my world I tell ya your in for one heck of a hoardersharcortiery I tell you

[E.Elizabeth. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Please announce 'round two' of pre-orders soon!!

[Kate Curtis-Hawkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

How exactly does one review something that is, at its very core, a joke?

That question has been swirling around in my head as I try to figure out just what I should say in a review of Bodega: Into the Bodegaverse because this isn’t a character or a series that is meant to be taken seriously. I remember when the character was created on the Triforce! podcast a few years ago, the three hosts were discussing just how bad, or silly, or insane internet fanfiction can be when one of the hosts, the author of this book, gave an example of how easy these stories were to write. He proceeded to speak the sentence ”And then the robot pulled out his canon arm and fired at Bodega, but Bodega, using his cyborg legs dived to the left, anticipating the robots canon arm and shot back with his las-pistol” and from that sentence the character was born.

Bodega, in many respects, represents a send up of the incredibly insane science fiction paperbacks of the seventies and eighties that held more gunfights than they did logic. The characters here are nothing short of caricatures of tropes commonly held in westerns, sci-fi, and fantasy and it’s a great bit of fun to watch them gallivant across a universe filled with strange species of aliens, A.I. planets, the president of the universe, and strange German television hosts. Everything in this universe of stories has a strange named designed for comedic effect, and I would be lying if I didn’t say that some of the things Mr. Forsyth was able to come up with don’t make me laugh incredibly hard.

The quality of writing isn’t great, by Mr. Forsyth isn’t a writer, the only reason we have these stories is because the other hosts of his podcast asked him to write them, and the fans only wanted more and more. With that said, Mr. Forsyth does actually have some natural talent for the art, it just has to be practiced and worked on. Towards the end of the book, when the stories read out on the podcast were finished we get a chance to see the best of what he can write, some of the ideas and themes in the final couple of stories are genuinely good and I wanted to see what he could do with those stories if he wrote the entire book around them as opposed to ending a series of significantly shorter tales with them.

I want this series to continue, because I think that Mr. Forsyth really has the potential to make this into a great character and a great series, if he steps back on the humor just a little bit and turns up the drama and character work the follow up to Bodega: Into the Bodegaverse could really be something to look out for. As it is now, the book offers very little to someone who wasn’t already a fan of the character because of the original stories told on the podcast.

[Jake Munnerley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book, both as a fan of the Triforce podcast, and as a fan of sci-fi.

After hearing the first half of the book on the podcast, I couldn't wait to read the rest of the book. I certainly wasn't disappointed.

I cannot wait to see if PFlax (Edward Forsyth, the author) writes another book, be it set in the Bodegaverse or something completely new.

[Noah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a tiny dick.

[Sebastian Hoppe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amazing for Triforce Podcast fans. Please continue writing Pflax

[Cameron Trotter · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fairly decent parody of old school sci-fi adventures, but could be more linear.

[Adam Malone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lock your flarvin' eyes on this Space epic, Pard'.

Born from a conversation between two Dad's and an 8 year old Lebanese child for a podcast, Bodega asks what happens when you take John Wayne at his most cowboy, shoot him into space, surround him with mad creatures, mad aliens, and madder scenarios, and write it like you're trying to out cliche the worst Philip K. Dick wannabe at their most hackiest.
What you get is Bodega, a love letter written to bad Sci-Fi that leaves you wanting more.

Come join Bodega, take a hit off of his vape pen, stare down the sights of his las-gun, and read about him and his band of merry men (including a Hacker, a Femme Fatale, a killer robot, and a angry drunk Scotsman), as they set out to save the universe... for the right price.
.
.
...after lunch though.

[Patrycja Kotlowska · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just crazy enough

[Ian · Rating 5 out of 5]

My kind of sci fi, laughed, cried, came

[Matus K · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a joke. Don't read it expecting excellence, if you're not in on the joke.

[Menno Van · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bo-de-ga!
I gotta be honest, I've been a fan of the Yogscast for over a decade so I'm obviously quite biased when it comes to their products. That said, I definitely enjoyed this book. It's not quite the bees knees, but it is close, like the bees toes or the bees ankles or something.

The structure of the book is quite messy, like a Shrovian cabaret. Roughly the first half are just short tales which were originally told on the Triforce podcast. These stories have some loose continuity, but many could be easily read and understood on their own. This part is mostly focused on humor instead of plot. From the weird alien names, to the irrelevant references, to the various absurd settings Bodega finds himself in. These were written to be read within ten minutes at the end of a podcast, long before the idea of making a book came up. At one point Pyrion ends a chapter in a hilariously short and rushed way because he needed it finished in time for the podcast. Any other writer would've gone back and changed this into a more coherent ending, but not Pyrion. He chose to keep this the way it was originally told. He admits things like these in the little author's notes he placed at the end of some chapters. There is something charming about the raw, honest and absurd writing quality. It's just a guy having fun.

The second half has more of a plot going on. The writing style changes to something a bit more serious (though still hilarious at times). In my opinion, the story loses a bit of its original appeal this way, which had no sense of direction and was just over-the-top action combined with strange characters in an even stranger world. It does become a lot more tense, like an actual book. It is a trade-off Pyrion must've realized as well. I wished he elaborated on that in his author's notes.

I also wished Pyrion explored his various cast of characters a bit more. There's a ton of potentially interesting people in it, but most of them seem a bit shallow. Some are only briefly introduced, talk very little in the whole book, and never add much to the plot. Some are seemingly forgotten (or abandoned) later on without any neat conclusion. I'd like more scenes like the drinking contest between Big Rab and VARU, and perhaps some tales (that aren't just an introduction) that focus mainly on a particular side-character. Also, the way he writes women is... a bit cliche and sexist (though he admits he knows very litte about women). This is part of the style, though I wished Pyrion had gone more against the cliches.

However, I don't think it's anything Pyrion can't fix in (hopefully) the second book, which I'd definitely buy. In the end I'd rank this book a 7/10, so it's a toss up between 3 or 4 stars for me. If you liked stuff like the Hitchhiker's Guide, you'd probably enjoy this as well.

[K · Rating 3 out of 5]

Note: listened to audiobook.

A fun, short read. Bodega starts, as explained in the blurb and the introduction, as a series of short, unrelated stories about Bodega - a parody of schlock action sci-fi novels and tropes that centre around our anti-hero / hero Bodega. Imagine Hitchhikers Guide, Star Wars, and a spaghetti western had a weird little kid that you're most of the way there.

Throughout the first half there are many author notes explaining how each short story came about, and then a note to explain that the short parodies are over and now you can expect a more structured narrative. The short stories are a laugh but they do lack substance when reading them back to back and I was losing motivation to finish the book until the bigger narrative kicked in and pulled me back in.

Ted Forsyth has a very clear love for the genre and I honestly preferred the second half of the novel, where the humour takes a slight back seat to a decent narrative and more serious writing style (still keeping in meta-humour and, of course, teenage humour with races like the Dildonians).

I particularly liked the final two chapters focused on the prison break and the AI ruled planet. I would actually like to see Ted attempt a serious novel or novella with that style in mind.

[Sky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Suppassed all expectations!

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't expecting anything more than just a general shit post for this, I'd heard a couple stories from the podcast but not too many. This genuenly though was a well crafted story, with a well thought out galaxy and characters.

Yeah it's dumb, got some stupid moments and can't be taken overly seriously, but that's really enjoyable.

A lot of stories fall into the trap of "here's a main character. Here's a world around said character.". For bodega, this is not true in the slightest. The universe around him has history, different cultures, loads of characters all with their own stories to tell.

The first part of the book is the sort of disconnected ramblings from the podcast, the writing is a little all over the place and the story isn't too connected. However it quickly picks up pace and tightens in an unexpected way. Edward has more of a knack for writing then it first seems!

Genuenly well worth a read for yognaughts and non-yognaughts alike.

[Meredith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a flarvvin' good time, ESPECIALLY if you're familiar with the Triforce Podcast. My biggest note about this book is very interesting, actually... Pyrion's writing became more consistent, more serious, and (in my opinion) more investing *after* he stopped writing for the podcast. I think this was after "Part Twenty-three-ino." His [writing] craft definitely changed once he stopped writing with the intention of 'podcasting' it. And in terms of professional writing, it improved after that point. Bodega not only became a bigger commitment for him once he thought about turning it into a book, but it also became a different kind of writing project. The second half of this book kept the spirit of what it started out as, though it also shifted its tone and became more comfortable with itself. Fascinating from a writer's stance! And definitely fun to read with that type of lense. I so hope he writes more--if for any reason, to see him grow more as a writer :)

[Daniel Kephart · Rating 3 out of 5]

As many other reviewers note below, the central challenge of reviewing Bodega is that the story is itself, in many ways, a joke. As such, I've primarily limited myself to reviewing the Kindle Edition rather than the plot or content (which, as the book makes clear, is not entirely meant to be polished stuff).

A few typos dot the manuscript, and unfortunately the font is locked it at a single size, make this a bit of a frustrating text to deal with at times. Most unfortunate is that the "Kindle Edition" simply does not work on Kindle - why that is, I cannot fathom. As such, I found myself reading the Tales from the Bodegaverse on the screen of my phone rather than on my kindle as I'd hoped.

Still, the sci-fi romp that is Bodega almost feels more at home on a phone screen, where it can be recognized for what it is: A highly self-aware goofball of a story that every fan of the Triforce will love.

[Andrew Worthington · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was recommended to me from my Sister and the recommendation was certainly a good one. Taking place in a Universe where Science Fiction is the norm, Bodegaverse is filled with criminals, sex, robots, swearing and gruesome adventures and escapades. The book is a series of short tales with each tale holding its own individual mark which makes it unique to others. Each series paints Bodega in one way or another, he isn't a hero nor is he a villain, the book explores the possibility that he is in fact both and neither at the same time which is an interesting style to read.

The writer is an expert at stereotyping, that being said, his depiction of the Scottish planet Tartania is a spitting image of Glasgow in Winter. All is in good nature, no offence is meant and in my opinion it makes the book better because it doesn't hold any punches back.

If you're a fan of science faction and want a funny, exciting and very enjoyable book to read then this is a great option for you.

[Dmitri Chizhikov ii · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book, idk if it's for everyone though? It is quite meme-y. I love it because it's easy to read without being yound adult-y, it's very funny, really well written and Edward Forsyth (better known as Pflax) is a super nice dude. He is the best member of the triforce podcast (nothing to do with zelda) imo, so I guess my liking of the book is very very biased. However if anyone reading this is on the fence about reading this great piece of sci-fi, like half of the book is available as audio at the end of 20 episode of the podcast, starting with episode named Homebrew Science fiction. Definitely worth checking out.

Also its seld published and only available from yogscast store. Which I am 100% down with, hope Pflax makes that bank from this book. Hopefully that will mean that a second one will be released.

[TheTeapot · Rating 3 out of 5]

I appreciate anti-fantasy, anti-sf, and the idea of fantastic worlds that don't take themselves too seriously. This is the realm of giants like Pratchett and Adams, and I can't get enough.

Bodega appears to be an homage to this treasured sub-genre, but I feel the author makes the cardinal error of equating silliness with laziness. To produce a great work in this space means being serious about being silly - there is no substitute for careful and clever writing, regardless of genre.

Plot, character design, wordplay et al., even when intended as satire still require the same amount of planning as the sombre tomes of classic lit, and the author could have made a stronger effort in this regard.

[N Dorville · Rating 5 out of 5]

15 out of 15 yogstars, more exciting than a spurloopian cabaret. If you like Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams, you'll find this in the same vein of British wit and slapstick humour, childish and mature. Also loved Pyrion's notes, they really add flavour to the worldbuilding and humour. However I felt like I think I was spoiled by the Triforce listening to this, although there were times that I was absolutely hooked in the chapters that were both on and off the Triforce and yogcon. I hope Pyrion continues this!

[George Pearson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The early chapters establish the theme. Hilarious sci-fi writing with no real commitment to plot. It’s just fun, unapologetically trashy sci-fi.

I was expecting more of the same from P Flax’s (Forsyth’s) later chapters. Instead I was pleasantly surprised by an overall improvement - he expanded the plot and maintained the exciting element throughout.

At times I was totally gripped by this book; I couldn’t put it down and I am very excited for the next instalment.

[ben · Rating 3 out of 5]

cool story. can really tell when it goes from loosely-connected short stories to a (slightly) more serious continuous story. the tone definitely shifted and i would have liked more of the humour (weird alien names etc) that was present in the beginning.
whilst you can occasionally tell it isn’t written by a professional author, the writing is still decent and pflax does a great job creating stories.
unfortunately the ending felt very rushed and abrupt (unless i missed some joke in it). everything before the ending was 4 stars

[Calum Turnbull · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. I remember listening to the author reading the early chapters on the Triforce Podcast as he began writing them.

The book positions itself as a sci-fi rip-off, but is actually a charming and nostalgic homage to classic sci-fi and all the slightly silly tropes of the genre that we love.

[Daniel Verner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great moons of Shabboth, this is one flarv of a good time. This hooked me quicker than a Galdorpian hook fish catches dinner.

Great fun, such a good laugh. Can't wait for Number 2.. Hear that Flax? Get on it!

[Kelly Broomhall · Rating 4 out of 5]

I witnessed the birth of the Bodegaverse on the podcast (Triforce Podcast, part of the Yogpod) and loved it then. In book form with extra stories it's even better. SO funny, and reminiscent of Hitchhiker's Guide sometimes. Recommend whether you've heard the podcast or not.

[Joseph · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Great Read For Fans of the Triforce Podcast

If you like the Yogscast Triforce podcast, you'll like this book. There were some minor grammar issues here and there but it was written by an gut having fun with friends and fans.

[Lance Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is unlike any novel I’ve read, it’s extremely unpredictable while playing a twist on the usual tropes of sci fi. It offers a fantastic and refreshing experience while not taking itself too seriously. Sit back with a scoffee and enjoy some space cowboy shenanigans.

[Ian S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

From humble beginnings, this book simply proves two things. 1. It’s man’s nature to create, and 2. Just have to have fun and enjoy life. This is one flarv of a space adventure with twists and turns to make you chuckle and grin the whole way through