Just the correct mix of humor, action, and, yes, a little romance.-Amazon reviewer
An alien pilot.A chocolate cake.A doomed relationship or two.
Jane’s life as an elementary school librarian gets sidetracked when she digs up the AI pilot of a 140 million year-old spacecraft. Now, she’s running all over the world looking for spaceship parts, falling in and out of love and trying to keep her friends from thinking she’s going crazy.
To make matters worse, the ship she’s recovering is starting to sound a bit more like the Death Star than the Millennium Falcon.
When did life get so complicated?
Join Jane for high-tech gadgets, action, adventure, and an alien intelligence for a sidekick, because it's just as much fun to watch her get into trouble as seeing her get out of it!
V.R. Tapscott lives in the desert wastes of Eastern Washington, out among the spiders, snakes and sagebrush. In a house, of course. With a cat, a spousal unit, a mortgage and thirteen computers. The cat makes most of the decisions.
Living in one of the areas (Wenatchee) where this story takes place, and actually knowing the author, I really wanted to like this book. My book club had chosen this book for our March read, and I put off starting it until just the week before our meeting. I had some trepidation, especially since I knew the author had been invited and had in fact accepted said invitation to join us at our March meeting. I did not like the book...I LOVED it. If I could change anything about the book, I would say that I found myself wanting more. The story was so engaging, interlaced with enough humor to make me truly LOL a few times, the characters so likeable, I could easily have read so much more. And while the finale of the story was no where near what I was expecting, it was well done.
This is an author that, had I run across him generically, his name would have immediately gone on my list of authors that I track and will buy their next book just because they produced it. Look forward to your next release Mr. Tapscott!!
I liked the idea for the story, but the further I got into the book the less it lived up to its promise. To start with, it begins with an episode that’s actually from near the end the book, I really hate when authors do this. The story then jumps backwards and forwards in time and place sometimes including random characters and events. This makes the story very ‘bitty’, especially when the author leaves the main storyline so Jane can make a chocolate cake. At the end of the book we find the purpose behind the whole chocolate cake saga and I was even more annoyed with the author. The ending was a bit unexpected and scuppered my ideas of where the series might go next. In fact I didn’t intend to read the next book, but I might have to just to see what happens next. Overall a good idea not well executed, but maybe the next one will be better.
Not my usual cup of tea. Geared more toward teen and young men I think. Nice boobs, millions of dollars easily acquired, and an endless supply of "stuff" from the AI... in spite of all that it was a trippy little story and I couldn't help but like Jane.
Overall it wasn't well written and I couldn't kick the feeling that the author was presenting me with a rough draft of what the real story would be. Who am I to critique the writing with a sentence like that. Jane Bond offered quite a lot of potential for a really large and intense sci-fi thriller. But a cuddly cozy is what we have.
Imagine this: I'm cozily nestled into my reading corner, diving into a narrative that paints a serene picture of grasslands that could make a cow weep with joy, edged by a forest that even Bambi would approve of, and a river so laid-back, it’s nearly taking a nap on the landscape. Then, out of nowhere, all hell breaks loose - like a toddler on a sugar rush. Jeep engines are starting up and screaming can be heard. Then a mysterious figure bursts out of the trees faster than my interest in a diet fades. Hot on their heels are jeeps packed with men in uniforms, bristling with more weaponry than a Hollywood action movie, trying to take potshots at whoever had just emerged from the trees. This same figure responds by giving me the impression of a flying squirrel off a 400-foot cliff. Who is this daredevil? Beats me. Why they're being chased? Not a clue. And why, amidst this adrenaline-pumping chaos, they're pondering the existential crisis of buying chocolate frosting and the logistics of car-pooling to the gym? It's anyone's guess. The real question is, what literary roller coaster have I strapped myself into? The answer: "Jane Bond – Some Assembly Required" by V.R. Tapscott – the first in the Jane Bond series. Buckle up, buttercup; it's going to be a wild ride.
Dive into the whirlwind adventures of V.R. Tapscott's dual-timeline saga, where every page crackles with electrifying excitement. In the past timeline, we meet Bond, Jane Bond, your average elementary school librarian, who happened to stumble upon the AI pilot of a 140 million year-old spacecraft that exploded when entering the Earth’s atmosphere many, many, many (and a few more “many”) years ago. Kit and Jane forge an unconventional bond, communicating telepathically and through modern technology like Bluetooth speakers and cellphones, propelling this story through hilarious dialogues. Together, Jane and Kit embark on a global scavenger hunt to recover scattered spaceship parts. With each piece they retrieve, their quest intensifies, unlocking new abilities and means of discovery. Their journey is peppered with heart-stopping encounters - from narrowly escaping the clutches of a mountain lion to fulfilling an ancient Chinese prophecy. Their adventures take them to the most unexpected places: a secretive compound nestled in a National Park and a mysterious cave system in Australia, each setting more intriguing and perilous than the last.
We also dive into the life of present-day Jane, where we are introduced to her eclectic mix of friends. There's Bailey, the soulful confidante; Georgia, the trophy wife who can’t keep a husband; and Debbie, the quintessential PTO mom. Amid this colorful crew, Jane embarks on a seemingly simple mission: to bake a boxed chocolate cake for Debbie's 32nd birthday. Jane also struggles with the complexities of her personal life when it comes to Dale - the man who started as a stranger who volunteered to use duct tape to pull the spines of a Prickly Pear out of her derrière.
V.R. Tapscott's narrative is a rollercoaster of exhilaration, seamlessly blending elements of mystery, adventure, and science fiction. Whether it was dodging danger at every turn or unraveling the mysteries of Kit's pieces of the ship, Jane and Kit's adventures are nothing short of spectacular. Prepare to be enthralled by a story that redefines the boundaries of friendship and adventure, where every discovery is a leap into the unknown. In Jane Bond – Some Assembly Required, V.R. Tapscott provides the reader with an imaginative and unique storyline that persuades to keep turning the pages and in the end leaves the reader wanting more. And thank goodness there is more, Jane Bond – Book 2 - Dark Side of the Moon is the next in line and is a definite must read for me…I can’t imagine what V.R. Tapscott has in store for us readers in the next installment.
This book starts with a bang. Meet Jane Bond as she leaps from a tall Australian cliff to escape a bevy of uniformed men with automatic rifles intent on ending her. The fall alone should kill her, but before she reaches bottom, her descent is controlled by some sort of protective bubble, and soon, she’s warping her way back home to the state of Washington, safe in the confines of an extraterrestrial spacecraft piloted by an artificial intelligence she has named Kit…
And this is just in the first few pages…
Tapscott wastes no time bringing you up to speed with the chapters that follow, shifting perspective from past to present with surefooted ease, showing you exactly how plausible it just might be for a librarian on vacation to unwittingly stumble across a piece of regenerative artificial intelligence whose main purpose appears to be restoration and reunion with its “mothership” which has been floating dormant near Pluto for approximately 140 million years. It needs Jane to help find as many of its missing pieces as possible, and in exchange, offers its services to help fund Jane’s day-to-day existence. It seems like a reasonable trade.
Jane is a bit of a loner, which makes this all the more possible. She’s independent, intelligent, and outdoorsy, all of which make her an ideal candidate for Kit’s various missions. During one of these missions, she meets Dale, a Park Ranger who stumbles across her in—let’s just say a delicate state. The attraction is immediate, but her need to keep Kit to herself is a natural reaction, yet bound to cause complications, which it inevitably does. The final chapters of the book are a real surprise, and I’m not going to spoil any of it here. (Read it yourself!)
Tapscott has created a winning narrator in Jane, who is full of witty observations and a thirst for adventure. As a reader, I don’t often go for sci-fi. Don’t get me wrong, I love sci-fi, but I usually do better with the visuals in movies and TV shows, and I blame my own lack of imagination for that. I tend to get impatient with descriptive sci-fi, rendering it implausible, but that was not the case here. Tapscott made finding a piece of artificial intelligence seem like the most natural thing that could happen to a person while searching for fossils on vacation. The compact story unfolds at a pace that makes it hard to put down, and I look forward to reading more in the series.
Tapscott, V. R. Jane Bond: Some Assembly Required. Kindle, 2020. V. R. Tapscott is an indie writer with a lot of promise, but this first novel in the Jane Bond series needed another draft or two before it was posted. Here is the promising part: Our heroine is a young librarian who uses her vacation to hike and hunt for fossils in the Montana wilderness. Suddenly, a voice in her head asks for help and directs her to a crevasse where she digs up the AI pilot of an ancient starship. It needs help finding and reassembling other crash-landed pieces of itself. That is a great premise. The two characters are engaging. We learn that Jane’s parents were military types who were fans of double-O Seven. The AI needs to learn how to be a social entity. Then, sadly, the plot starts. The writing gets rushed, and maddingly, some new characters are introduced way too late in the game. Finally, let me nitpick about the title. The various covers and the title page create ambiguity about what it is. Goodreads decided it should be Some Assembly Required, perhaps because one cover shows the phrase in larger type than the character name above. Another cover, reverses that, making Jane Bond the clear title, with Some Assembly as a subtitle. Jane is a librarian. She would care. A generous three stars from me.
If you enjoy Sci-fi/Fantasy/Opera, or whatever, and are looking for something different, you need look no more because you have found right here in "Jane Bond". The story itself is fun but Tapscott had to to have had so much fun writing it that I'll bet he was sad it came to an end. I was. (I had to Google to discover V. = Vincent and for some reason I was thinking V.R. is female!?) The style of writing I'd classify as "whimsical" and the jumping around in time on a chapter from present, to past, to ancient got confusing. Fortunately, he labeled each chapter as present or past. Overall a lot of fun and an awesome diversion from these strange days of Covid-19 panic.
This was a fun romp with some physical comedy at first, but then it takes a surprising turn into deeper feelings. Betrayal, abandonment, loneliness, loss, identity. These are all things I enjoy throughly, and was pretty surprised to find here. Still waters may run deep, but apparently this babbling brook does too. Other than that, there's a lot of good natured comedy and high adventure that packages the deeper exploration, so it will never feel like drama for drama's sake, which is too easy a trap to fall into when exploring weighty things. Don't be put off by the apparent silliness, there's substance here.
Fun and light-hearted sci-fi for the ladies A comical and witty sci-fi story to escape from reality into. Not only is the narrator a delight, the story is fast-paced and quite endearing. I'm from Central Washington so I absolutely love that my area (among others) is highlighted in all it's geographic and seasonal glory. Jane is NOT James' brother, which I kind of expected. Instead she is uniquely her own, over the top, goofy female who tries to be and do everything and somehow finds herself the lucky friend of the coolest AI ever. Jane's world is a fun one to hop into if you're looking for light-hearted, sci-fi escape.
Jane Bond #1 Some Assembly Required by V. R. Tapscott
Oh my! What I wouldn’t give to be Jane! Goes artifact hunting, finds otherworldly “being” who then helps her find gold!!! Yeah baby! This is the first in the Jane Bond series and it is a doozy! I love the predicaments she finds herself in – falling in cactus then meeting a handsome stranger, traveling in space ships, baking birthday cake failures – you name it, this poor girl has done it. The story is very well put together and flows smoothly from present day to past. I was a little sad to see the “being” go but hope he/she keeps in touch in the next books! Humorous sci-fi at its best.
Have to honest here and say it was not the ending I expected and it threw me quite a bit. Even to the point on wether I should pick up the next book in the series. Will have to think on this because I really loved the idea behind the protagonist, hope I am using that word correctly here, and where the story “might” . Now I am lost and thrown out to tumble on my mind until hopefully I have the strength to pick up the next book in the series or continue with another series I am currently reading. 🤕
Jane is an immediately likable character and Kit quickly becomes her perfect foil. While I am not generally a fan of a lot of flashbacks, these were easily followable and enhanced the story. If you like a little sci-fi, a little slapstick, a sprinkle of pop-culture, and some great scenery, you’ll definitely enjoy this book. If you don’t giggle out loud at the cactus scene, or get Leavin’ on a Jet Plane stuck in your head, I’d be very surprised!
Vee, don't think I'd ever want to be inside your head. But, you weave a strange and puzzling web that I must fallow to the end. Where is Jane Bond going? Jane, of the perfect kitchen that doesn't cook (unless blackmailed into doing so). I want to find out about Jane Bond Detective. The scary thing is that there are TWO Jane Bonds in the universe. When they release you from whatever institution they keep you, I would like to meet you. (Asumming you are unarmed) Ms Danie
Fabulous! Just Fabulous! Character development at its best in this first book of the Jane Bond series. I've never read a novel where the sidekick, an ancient artifact, is intrical to the story and has a personality which truly makes me laugh. But, such is the case here . Multiple settings for world building makes the mud encountered squish under your boots. I enjoyed every chuckle and adventure Jane and Kit came through. My favorite was the cactus patch! Please read this highly recommended story.
The story premise is OK, the execution is weak and scattered at times. For me, the constantly shifting timeline -forward, backward- simply made a jumbled mess of the story. Sequences like the cake baking were mostly inconsequential filler adding nothing to the plot and the way Dale appeared/disappeared in the storyline only made things worse. While the attempt at humorous Sci-fi is commendable, my recommendation is to leave this book on the shelf.
I am tough on books. If I don't care about the characters, I usually drop a book after reading the first 10%-15%. This book started off with a bang and kept going with wonderful character development. I really enjoyed this book and I recommend it to all who are looking for a funny read.
Not funny for me. At all. Very like JR Moon’s vampire series minus the kids. Writing was amateur, like someone just finding their writing voice. Needs editing and proofreading. Plot=not much happens, beyond Jane looking for and acquiring pieces of a space ship. No emotional texture, no engagement with the characters. Not a series I’ll continue reading.
I wasn't sure how I'd like this book, described as a humorous science fiction, but I really did enjoy it. It has enough action & plot to keep up interest, humorous ( not slapstick funny, but chuckles) and a sense of humanity that's lacking in some other space opera genre.
I enjoyed the opening of the story. I could follow her back and forth in time story telling until she melded into one story line. Sort of hokey and young adult and I didn’t agree how she segwayed to her next story. I’ve downloaded the next in the series, hopefully it’s just as good...MRD
In the land of Covid recovery,one needs light,laughter,fun,joy and freshness-Jane Doe some assembly required gives you that. It's an easy read,it kept moving and it was enjoyable. Set in the Pacific North and Montana it made for refreshing sci to romp,read it giggle,watch out for cactus.
Loved the response to what’s your name? “Bond. Jane Bond.” Predictable? Maybe, but entertaining nonetheless!
Felt like a short, but fun read, and not bad for a 1st book in a new series. I’m off to read book 2 - hopefully it takes the next step and evolves further!
It was a bit slow getting into but once I got it...
It was a fun book. I think comparing you to Jamie McFarland is high praise and your story puts me in mind of his Junkyard Pirate. Not the same mind you but very similar humor to his. This book is completed so it's time to look for its seguel!
I'm really glad I ran across this book. It's a really good sci-fi book and although it has funny parts its a shame that it's pigeon holed as "humorous". I found it to be interesting and thoughtful as well as fun!
Great story. Really enjoyed getting to know Jane. Looking forward to seeing where she has her next adventure. Glad to have this book in my collection. Recommended for everyone.
I really liked this book. This book is easy to read and understand. The story line is good and the character building is very good. There is a lot of humor and forms a very enjoyable read.
Jane Bond, even the name already spelled as mischief and adventure. And with Murphy as the patron of mischievous writers, anything that can happen is happening in double!
I really enjoyed this easy to read lite hearted sci-fi adventure. Jane is a very likable character who seems to be ready and willing to take on anything life and Kit throws at her. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
Different tricky tech than James. She helps rebuild a starship after finding part of its AI instead of crashing cars. Cactus spines in her butt, all too real. You’ll have to read the book to find out how those things fit in the story. Great fun.
I really enjoyed this ebook. New spin on this genre. The character building was an easy read, not always the case, and enough action to keep me engaged. Already downloaded the next in the series.