What do you think?
Rate this book
Last Chance Detectives
Terror from Outer Space
Here in book five of the series, characters have to face their fears. And readers will learn to trust God one step at a time, even when it doesn’t seem to make sense.Will mysterious events cause the Last Chance Detectives to run scared?Memories of Mike’s dad resurface when a space shuttle mission goes bad and the family of the pilot witness the shocking disaster in the desert skies above Ambrosia. Will Mike ever discover the truth about his dad’s plane crash in the Middle East? Why won’t God answer his prayers?Soon another mystery unfolds as reports of strange and frightening apparitions filter in from the desert, along with smoky green fog. Could aliens and enemy soldiers both be attacking Ambrosia?Mike, Winnie, Ben, and Spence investigate at an abandoned military base—only to discover that their greatest fears await them.Get to know The Last Chance Detectives Fearless and bold, his leadership spurs the group on—sometimes into danger! She knows the desert like the back of her hand and has a nose for His imagination makes him a great problem A technical genius, he’s the brains of the outfit.Together, these four friends won’t stop until the mystery is solved!
151 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 5, 2021
10 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
October 1, 2022
Overall, this was another solid addition to the series, with some exciting scenes and a hard, but important, lesson of faith learned by Mike. The mystery was predictable to me, but younger readers will be much less likely to guess what's going on. If I'd been in Winnie's shoes in this story, I probably would have passed out, or at least been found curled up on the floor crying.
Speaking of Winnie, it's much more obvious in this book that she's not as well developed as her three friends. The other three have a line or two explaining what they bring to the group at the beginning of the story. Mike's confidence makes him a natural leader, Spence is clever and inventive, even Ben is said to provide fun and out-of-the-box thinking. There's literally nothing, not even a minor attempt, made to show Winnie's contribution to the group, and thinking about the 3 books in this series I've read in the last few days, I couldn't tell you what it was either. She's just...there.
This is the first new story to come out in a series from the 90s, and while I didn't enjoy it quite as much as the 2 originals that I recently read, I do still recommend this book for those around age 10-14.
Thank you to Netgalley and Tyndale House Publishers/Focus on the Family for providing me a copy of this book to review.
Speaking of Winnie, it's much more obvious in this book that she's not as well developed as her three friends. The other three have a line or two explaining what they bring to the group at the beginning of the story. Mike's confidence makes him a natural leader, Spence is clever and inventive, even Ben is said to provide fun and out-of-the-box thinking. There's literally nothing, not even a minor attempt, made to show Winnie's contribution to the group, and thinking about the 3 books in this series I've read in the last few days, I couldn't tell you what it was either. She's just...there.
This is the first new story to come out in a series from the 90s, and while I didn't enjoy it quite as much as the 2 originals that I recently read, I do still recommend this book for those around age 10-14.
Thank you to Netgalley and Tyndale House Publishers/Focus on the Family for providing me a copy of this book to review.
November 2, 2021
Terror from Outer Space is a Christian children’s fiction novel written by author Robert Vernon.
Terror from Outer Space is book five in The Last Chance Detectives series and can act as a standalone.
Mike Fowler’s dad, John Fowler, was a pilot on an F-16 fighter when the jet went down leaving no trace of John Fowler. Mike began Last Chance Detectives in hopes of finding John Fowler.
The moral from Terror from Outer Space is to not let your fears run away with your imagination. Terror from Outer Space is an exciting read for ages 8-14. Readers get to join in as The Last Chance Detectives explore The Forbidden Zone.
Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255
Terror from Outer Space is book five in The Last Chance Detectives series and can act as a standalone.
Mike Fowler’s dad, John Fowler, was a pilot on an F-16 fighter when the jet went down leaving no trace of John Fowler. Mike began Last Chance Detectives in hopes of finding John Fowler.
The moral from Terror from Outer Space is to not let your fears run away with your imagination. Terror from Outer Space is an exciting read for ages 8-14. Readers get to join in as The Last Chance Detectives explore The Forbidden Zone.
Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255
October 26, 2021
Another great adventure in the Last Chance Detectives series! My 10 year old son and I both read this and thoroughly enjoyed it. I liked the way the author didn’t shy away from difficult subjects. These kids face difficult dilemmas and situations and they were handled with bravery and intelligence.
In this story, the detectives witness the tragic explosion of a space shuttle in the skies above Ambrosia. One of the members of their community, Commander Schaeffer was on that shuttle. This provokes some strong memories and feelings in Mike. He’s once again faced with the loss of his own father. Soon after the explosion, strange things begin happening in the nearby desert. Aliens appear, soldiers from a past war afflict Smitty, and a strange green smoke appears. The Last Chance Detectives decide to investigate the old abandoned military base for clues and instead stumble into something that makes them face their worst fears.
Despite some heavy subject matter and action, there are humorous moments that lighten the story. My son especially loved the “hippy” couple and laughed at several of their comments especially about their vinyl records. He also liked how the kids figured out what was really going on in the story. I liked the elements of faith that were woven into the story and Mike’s learning to accept his father’s disappearance while still maintaining hope.
This is a great series that I highly recommend and will definitely be reading the other books in this series! I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. These are my honest opinions and I was not required to provide a positive review.
In this story, the detectives witness the tragic explosion of a space shuttle in the skies above Ambrosia. One of the members of their community, Commander Schaeffer was on that shuttle. This provokes some strong memories and feelings in Mike. He’s once again faced with the loss of his own father. Soon after the explosion, strange things begin happening in the nearby desert. Aliens appear, soldiers from a past war afflict Smitty, and a strange green smoke appears. The Last Chance Detectives decide to investigate the old abandoned military base for clues and instead stumble into something that makes them face their worst fears.
Despite some heavy subject matter and action, there are humorous moments that lighten the story. My son especially loved the “hippy” couple and laughed at several of their comments especially about their vinyl records. He also liked how the kids figured out what was really going on in the story. I liked the elements of faith that were woven into the story and Mike’s learning to accept his father’s disappearance while still maintaining hope.
This is a great series that I highly recommend and will definitely be reading the other books in this series! I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. These are my honest opinions and I was not required to provide a positive review.
July 9, 2021
The timeline for the story appears to be about 20 years after the Vietnam War, which fits with my theory that The Last Chance Detectives are the Goonies without the profanity.
In fact, the best Last Chance Detective stories always seem to be ones that feel really threatening (much like an 80s adventure film) and just barely plausible, even as they avoid the blood and swearing we associate with Goonies, Temple of Doom, Gremlins, etc. This story hits that sweet spot pretty well, although it may not be as plausible as some other installments. Very exciting, very intense, and highly amusing when the comedic breaks come. A worthy addition to the franchise.
In fact, the best Last Chance Detective stories always seem to be ones that feel really threatening (much like an 80s adventure film) and just barely plausible, even as they avoid the blood and swearing we associate with Goonies, Temple of Doom, Gremlins, etc. This story hits that sweet spot pretty well, although it may not be as plausible as some other installments. Very exciting, very intense, and highly amusing when the comedic breaks come. A worthy addition to the franchise.
December 12, 2021
This book was the best in the series so far. It was a little larger than life but not so much so that it was unbelievable. It had plenty to keep the imagination moving and involved lots of different elements like science, government cover ups, and mystery.
February 23, 2023
Loads of fun. Written for kids, and I liked it.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews