Genre: Soft Sci-Fi, Humor, Adult
Reviewer: VB
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About The Book
Finding work is easy. Staying alive is a little bit harder.
When Russ Wesley finds an unusual artifact in his grandfather’s collection of rare antiquities, the last thing he expects is for it to draw the attention of a ferocious alien from a distant planet. Equally surprising is the adventurous team of intergalactic exterminators dispatched to deal with the alien threat. They’re a little wild, and a little reckless. Worse yet, they’re so impressed with Russ’s marksmanship that they insist he join their squad . . . whether he wants to or not.
The Review
Have you ever needed a job so bad that you’ll take anything—even if it required an unpaid certification program that killed half the applicants?
Intergalactic Exterminators, Inc is a fun, action-packed sci-fi adventure. The humor lies in the absurdity of the premise, and we get to encounter a range of unique and incredible alien species, some that need protection, others that are targets for extermination. Overall, the story is well-written. The narrative voice is smooth and perfect for this whirlwind adventure. If you’re looking for sci-fi humor, this is a great find.
We’re introduced to Russ, a life-long wanderer and expert marksman, who attracts the attention of Intergalactic Exterminators, Inc when he saves their team from a massive alien beast that has gone rogue on Earth. But Russ has just decided to settle down and help his grandmother restore his late grandfather’s bookstore. He’s not the type to sign a contract, especially under duress. However, having seen the aliens, he’s been marked for a mind-cleanse and the only way to save himself is to join this international alien association.
As he’s uncovering artifacts and trying to escape his destiny, Russ meets Nina—a scientist who has finally escaped her small town, only to be dragged back by an ailing father. In desperate need of money, Nina hopes to escape her current pervy boss by tagging along with Russ and getting a job on his spaceship. She’s smart, creative, and an interesting foil to Russ.
Despite both of them being in dire need of cash, you constantly see their humanity as they risk their lucrative job prospect to save the lives of their crew, and others. They’re both fun and endearing, and provide an excellent anchor to the storytelling. Another fun and wonderful character in the story is a sentient AI that Russ inadvertently breaks, then teaches how to read. The side characters add a beautiful layer of both complexity and entertainment.
I was absolutely riveted for the first half of the book, then things seemed to derail when Russ and Nina find themselves in a battle for a single job with Intergalactic Exterminators, Inc. Their disappointment with their certification jobs and subsequent alien encounters were kind of a let-down to me. For several chapters, they were ride-alongs in a story, and emotional stakes were lacking. The quality of the writing never wavered, though, and the adventures were detailed and immersive. The last quarter of the book picked up again, and as the story finished, I was cheering for Russ, Nina, and their AI friend. (Don’t skip the Epilogue.)
If you’re looking for fun, imaginative sci-fi humor, I’d highly recommend this book.
The Reviewer
VB is a scientist and sci-fi writer who grew up on a steady diet of Star Trek and space operas, mysteries, and thrillers. They’ve written and published several space operas and sci-fi thrillers under the name V. J. Mikles, with progressively more queer characters as they’ve explored their own queer identity. (The pronoun experiments are ongoing.) As an aromantic/asexual/agender, they are particularly interested in finding diverse stories that don’t portray asexuals as aliens. In addition to writing, their creative endeavors include dance, choreography, playing ukulele, and producing short films. Their motto in life is “I can be everything I want, just not all at the same time.”
