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Rex Nihilo #0
Out of the Soylent Planet (Rex Nihilo Adventure)
Interstellar con man Rex Nihilo has a price tag on his head. Railroaded into smuggling a shipment of contraband corn to a planet short on food, Rex finds himself on the run from an insidious corporation named Ubiqorp, which reaps obscene profits by keeping planets dependent on shipments of synthetic rations. When Rex and his long-suffering robot companion Sasha are sentenced to work as slave labor on a massive Ubiqorp plantation, they learn the terrible secret behind the corporation's products. To escape, Rex and Sasha team up with a mis-programmed combat drone and an intelligent mutant plant to lead a rebellion against their merciless corporate overlords.
This edition of Out of the Soylent Planet also contains the story The Chicolini Incident.
This edition of Out of the Soylent Planet also contains the story The Chicolini Incident.
242 pages, Paperback
First published July 13, 2017
212 people are currently reading
238 people want to read
About the author
Robert Kroese
66 books629 followersRobert Kroese's sense of irony was honed growing up in Grand Rapids, Michigan - home of the Amway Corporation and the Gerald R. Ford Museum, and the first city in the United States to fluoridate its water supply. In second grade, he wrote his first novel, the saga of Captain Bill and his spaceship Thee Eagle. This turned out to be the high point of his academic career. After barely graduating from Calvin College in 1992 with a philosophy degree, he was fired from a variety of jobs before moving to California, where he stumbled into software development. As this job required neither punctuality nor a sense of direction, he excelled at it. In 2009, he called upon his extensive knowledge of useless information and love of explosions to write his first novel, Mercury Falls. Since then, he has written 18 more books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
May 16, 2021
Out of the Soylent Planet: A Rex Nihilo Adventure
Starship Grifters, Book 0
By: Robert Kroese
Narrated by: J.D. Ledford
I have the book and the audio version! The audio is so good thanks to the wonderful and talented performance of this narrator! She can do any voice or sound effect! Amazing! She makes an already hilarious book even funnier with her timing and voice inflections.
The book tells how Rex and Sasha, an android/robot, get together. There first adventures which land them in plenty of trouble which Sasha should get use to if she is going to stay with the crazy nut! Rex has nothing but dangerous and hair brain schemes to get money and he doesn't seem to care if he runs afoul the mob, the law, crooked agents, or other con men.
In this adventure they end up making friends with a crippled military robot and a sentient plant. They are almost executed a couple of times. Slaves for a while. Sasha losses an eye for a while and so much more fun! This was hilarious as the others I have read have been. I am glad to know how the two got together.
Now, on to the next book!
Starship Grifters, Book 0
By: Robert Kroese
Narrated by: J.D. Ledford
I have the book and the audio version! The audio is so good thanks to the wonderful and talented performance of this narrator! She can do any voice or sound effect! Amazing! She makes an already hilarious book even funnier with her timing and voice inflections.
The book tells how Rex and Sasha, an android/robot, get together. There first adventures which land them in plenty of trouble which Sasha should get use to if she is going to stay with the crazy nut! Rex has nothing but dangerous and hair brain schemes to get money and he doesn't seem to care if he runs afoul the mob, the law, crooked agents, or other con men.
In this adventure they end up making friends with a crippled military robot and a sentient plant. They are almost executed a couple of times. Slaves for a while. Sasha losses an eye for a while and so much more fun! This was hilarious as the others I have read have been. I am glad to know how the two got together.
Now, on to the next book!
July 21, 2017
5 Stars
Out of the Soylent Planet (A Rex Nihilo Adventure) by Robert Kroese is a laugh out loud science fiction romp by a favorite author of mine. This is a fabulous summer read. Robert Kroese is one cool cat that writes about things that really interest me. I love his Mercury series, which is a dark comedy, satire, and it is filled with angels and demons. It is hilarious at times, loaded with light hearted witty dialogue, and is really a fun series to read. Kroese dabbles in science fiction as well and those stories are just as good as the ones about Mercury. This is a prequel to the first book of the series Starship Grifters.
I loved this book. It is filled with so many jokes, one-liners, puns, and witty humor. Top that off by making this a fun space adventure, an intelligent robot sidekick, walking and talking horny trees, and of course the dubious hero himself Rex Nihilo.
Great stuff.
I devoured this book along with the other novella length prequel and will immediately go on to book one. Robert Kroese is an author not to be missed.
Loved it!
Out of the Soylent Planet (A Rex Nihilo Adventure) by Robert Kroese is a laugh out loud science fiction romp by a favorite author of mine. This is a fabulous summer read. Robert Kroese is one cool cat that writes about things that really interest me. I love his Mercury series, which is a dark comedy, satire, and it is filled with angels and demons. It is hilarious at times, loaded with light hearted witty dialogue, and is really a fun series to read. Kroese dabbles in science fiction as well and those stories are just as good as the ones about Mercury. This is a prequel to the first book of the series Starship Grifters.
I loved this book. It is filled with so many jokes, one-liners, puns, and witty humor. Top that off by making this a fun space adventure, an intelligent robot sidekick, walking and talking horny trees, and of course the dubious hero himself Rex Nihilo.
Great stuff.
I devoured this book along with the other novella length prequel and will immediately go on to book one. Robert Kroese is an author not to be missed.
Loved it!
February 22, 2019
This is a fun prequel to Starship Grifters, but not quite as good as that novel. Sasha and Rex have a great comic chemistry and the plot is amusingly absurd.
January 29, 2018
The further adventures of Rex Nihilo and his long-suffering robot sidekick Sasha -- or rather, the earlier ones.
This opens with Rex's blundering into buying her in a lot of mechanical items sold together, and her subsequent entanglement in his effort to get out of trouble with the local crime lord. It ends up with them on the title planet, where food-smuggling is big business as the corporation ruling the planet tries to get everyone on their SLOP.
It involves a past con by Rex, selling 399 defective robots to that company; the demo mode of robots; strawberries; a casino and slave labor; and more. A fair chunk of satiric bits, of various SF works, though not so much the plot.
This opens with Rex's blundering into buying her in a lot of mechanical items sold together, and her subsequent entanglement in his effort to get out of trouble with the local crime lord. It ends up with them on the title planet, where food-smuggling is big business as the corporation ruling the planet tries to get everyone on their SLOP.
It involves a past con by Rex, selling 399 defective robots to that company; the demo mode of robots; strawberries; a casino and slave labor; and more. A fair chunk of satiric bits, of various SF works, though not so much the plot.
February 26, 2022
At least the edition I used included the novel "Out of the Soylent Planet" plus a story (novelette?)
Rex Nihilo isn't your usual fictional con man who is smart, skillful and always has an escape ready if needed. Rex can impulsively come up with an alternative when one thing doesn't work out, but it may not be so smart (and may be dropped when another impulse comes.) There's humor, but not as much as I'd prefer (or at least that worked for me.) The narrator is a "woman" robot (Sasha) that Rex acquires.
Most of the novel takes place on a planet with limited habitability for humans. It has genetically engineered "plants" which can walk and talk. These plants also grow fruit, which are used by the corporation that runs the planet to make a cheap, unappealing food called Slop. Rex and Sasha smuggle some canned food onto the planet for those who can afford to buy something other than Slop. But they get stuck on the planet, and end up owing money that results in them being forced to work at the Slop production facility. Eventually, they escape and use schemes to make money to get off the planet. They get scammed by a smuggler who "sells" them the use of a spaceship that was supposed to be ignored by the authorities. The ship is shot down. Once more they have to start over from scratch. Rex uses a little known fact to bargain his way off planet. But it doesn't take long for Rex to get himself into trouble again.
There are some interesting ideas in the book. And the perspective of a robot is different.
Rex Nihilo isn't your usual fictional con man who is smart, skillful and always has an escape ready if needed. Rex can impulsively come up with an alternative when one thing doesn't work out, but it may not be so smart (and may be dropped when another impulse comes.) There's humor, but not as much as I'd prefer (or at least that worked for me.) The narrator is a "woman" robot (Sasha) that Rex acquires.
Most of the novel takes place on a planet with limited habitability for humans. It has genetically engineered "plants" which can walk and talk. These plants also grow fruit, which are used by the corporation that runs the planet to make a cheap, unappealing food called Slop. Rex and Sasha smuggle some canned food onto the planet for those who can afford to buy something other than Slop. But they get stuck on the planet, and end up owing money that results in them being forced to work at the Slop production facility. Eventually, they escape and use schemes to make money to get off the planet. They get scammed by a smuggler who "sells" them the use of a spaceship that was supposed to be ignored by the authorities. The ship is shot down. Once more they have to start over from scratch. Rex uses a little known fact to bargain his way off planet. But it doesn't take long for Rex to get himself into trouble again.
There are some interesting ideas in the book. And the perspective of a robot is different.
July 16, 2017
Another terrific romp by Kroese. While it's a "prequel", it's told by the robot Sasha looking back to the time when she first met Rex Nihilo, "the greatest wheeler dealer in the Galaxy". I wish more had been made of that framing, but no matter, as there is much here to admire. Lots of references to other works -- some with a wink, some with a nudge, some with a hammer upside the head (see title). Lots of silly names and coincidences. There's a clever visual joke that I caught (yes, a visual joke in a book, and I'd hate to point out) and one huge groaner of a joke that I had to admire the author for his willingness to do it. "You'll know it when you get there." That's my motto. Make a note of it.
The whole damned thing is a blast.
The whole damned thing is a blast.
August 20, 2017
This is a fun book, and I love the narrator far more than the character for whom the series is named. The voice mixes humor, irony, and a little wordly-wisdom for a rather cynical but also fun look at the world.
For Rex Nihilo, think of a less competent Han Solo who relies on luck to get him out of the problems he gets himself into. Sasha is a near-sentient robot who shuts down whenever she has an independent thought. The plot meanders a bit, but once you get into the groove of "what happens next?" it's a fun ride. I've started reading the next book already.
For Rex Nihilo, think of a less competent Han Solo who relies on luck to get him out of the problems he gets himself into. Sasha is a near-sentient robot who shuts down whenever she has an independent thought. The plot meanders a bit, but once you get into the groove of "what happens next?" it's a fun ride. I've started reading the next book already.
August 25, 2017
Another hit for Kroese. I know I've enjoyed a book when I slow down my reading pace on purpose so I don't finish too soon. Thoroughly enjoyable.
August 17, 2023
Kroese knows how to spin a yarn. You'll laugh, you'll cringe, you'll be glad you read this book.
July 9, 2019
SciFi Romp That’s Entertaining
There’s nothing serious in this book except for some of the moral situations. This is an unabashed romp through some backwaters of the universe. Corporate greed and organized crime take their turns as the antagonist.
The protagonist is Rex Nehilo and his faithful robotic sidekick Sasha. Rex is almost despicable as he chooses almost any path that will benefit him. Somehow, he manages just enough good to keep me from disliking him.
Sasha is, in many ways, a more interesting character. Her only problem is that she reboots whenever she starts to have an original thought. In spite of that, she works hard to protect and serve Rex.
Sasha has limited skills. One of those is being an amateur thespian. That opens the door for a lot of literary rip offs. The book is full of modified cultural references. The author is rather eclectic in his choice of sources.
This was fun to read. There was some great character development of the non-humans in the story. One of my favorites is Stubby Joe. He’d fit well into almost any western.
Sit back, read, and prepare for serious fun.
There’s nothing serious in this book except for some of the moral situations. This is an unabashed romp through some backwaters of the universe. Corporate greed and organized crime take their turns as the antagonist.
The protagonist is Rex Nehilo and his faithful robotic sidekick Sasha. Rex is almost despicable as he chooses almost any path that will benefit him. Somehow, he manages just enough good to keep me from disliking him.
Sasha is, in many ways, a more interesting character. Her only problem is that she reboots whenever she starts to have an original thought. In spite of that, she works hard to protect and serve Rex.
Sasha has limited skills. One of those is being an amateur thespian. That opens the door for a lot of literary rip offs. The book is full of modified cultural references. The author is rather eclectic in his choice of sources.
This was fun to read. There was some great character development of the non-humans in the story. One of my favorites is Stubby Joe. He’d fit well into almost any western.
Sit back, read, and prepare for serious fun.
April 17, 2019
This did not start out promising. It was very trite and straight up ripping off Star Wars. I was unsure what I had gotten into. But then I got Niholoed! This turned into a fun romp with a completely unlovable main character and a robot bound to him.
I enjoyed the different characters and the world kept feeling fresh as we went to different parts of it.
This included a short story at the end to catch us up to Book 1 in the series. Although this was a fun read/listen I will not be continuing the series.
I enjoyed the different characters and the world kept feeling fresh as we went to different parts of it.
This included a short story at the end to catch us up to Book 1 in the series. Although this was a fun read/listen I will not be continuing the series.
July 23, 2017
Laughs, adventures…and creamed corn
Sasha, the narrator of Out of the Soylent Planet, is a Self-Arresting near-Sentient Heuristic Android . As she admits, she “was no good in a fight, couldn’t tell a lie to save my life, and shut down whenever I had a good idea” (This last feature was required by GASP, the Galactic Artificial Sentience Prohibition of 2998, designed to ensure that AIs did not show up their human creators.). Nonetheless, Sasha and her owner, Rex Nihilo, manage to get out of a tremendous number of VERY bad situations. When the book opens, Rex is trying to sell some illegal explosives and get out of his debt to the interplanetary crime boss Bergoon the Grebatt, but he and Sasha find themselves shipped off to the planet Jorfu, where they immediately get into in hot water again for illegally importing cans of creamed corn. They have help in their adventures from a sentient version of the SHAMBLER (Self-Harvesting Ambulatory Legume Resource) plants that are the basis for the food eaten on Jorfu and from Bill, a mis-programmed security-enforcing robot that falls in love with Sasha.
Out of the Soylent Planet is clever, funny, sometimes downright silly lighthearted entertainment. One of the bonus features I especially enjoy in Kroese’s writing, though, is the occasional glimpse of his obvious fascination with learning, especially philosophy. Rex and Sasha attempt one of their many escapes in a battered spaceship named Reductio ad Absurdum, for example, and discover how appropriate is its name. And Sasha has “a full-blown soliloquy on free will and determinism”, which might not be a good idea, since she was facing down an army of killer robots at the time. She later engages in a discussion of what distinguishes a lovable rogue (Rex) from a villain.
This book is a prequel to Starship Grifters, so even though it takes place before that book, the question is whether you can read it first. The answer is Yes; the only thing you might miss is a very bad pun towards the end of the book, and I have already told you enough that you probably will not miss that.
Given Rex’s total amorality and propensity to get into BIG trouble as a result coupled with Sasha’s fervent determination to keep him alive, readers can look forward to hearing about more of their adventures in the future. Nihilo nisi bonum (That pun is bad enough for Kroese!).
The author sent me a free copy of this book in return for an honest review; this is it!
Sasha, the narrator of Out of the Soylent Planet, is a Self-Arresting near-Sentient Heuristic Android . As she admits, she “was no good in a fight, couldn’t tell a lie to save my life, and shut down whenever I had a good idea” (This last feature was required by GASP, the Galactic Artificial Sentience Prohibition of 2998, designed to ensure that AIs did not show up their human creators.). Nonetheless, Sasha and her owner, Rex Nihilo, manage to get out of a tremendous number of VERY bad situations. When the book opens, Rex is trying to sell some illegal explosives and get out of his debt to the interplanetary crime boss Bergoon the Grebatt, but he and Sasha find themselves shipped off to the planet Jorfu, where they immediately get into in hot water again for illegally importing cans of creamed corn. They have help in their adventures from a sentient version of the SHAMBLER (Self-Harvesting Ambulatory Legume Resource) plants that are the basis for the food eaten on Jorfu and from Bill, a mis-programmed security-enforcing robot that falls in love with Sasha.
Out of the Soylent Planet is clever, funny, sometimes downright silly lighthearted entertainment. One of the bonus features I especially enjoy in Kroese’s writing, though, is the occasional glimpse of his obvious fascination with learning, especially philosophy. Rex and Sasha attempt one of their many escapes in a battered spaceship named Reductio ad Absurdum, for example, and discover how appropriate is its name. And Sasha has “a full-blown soliloquy on free will and determinism”, which might not be a good idea, since she was facing down an army of killer robots at the time. She later engages in a discussion of what distinguishes a lovable rogue (Rex) from a villain.
This book is a prequel to Starship Grifters, so even though it takes place before that book, the question is whether you can read it first. The answer is Yes; the only thing you might miss is a very bad pun towards the end of the book, and I have already told you enough that you probably will not miss that.
Given Rex’s total amorality and propensity to get into BIG trouble as a result coupled with Sasha’s fervent determination to keep him alive, readers can look forward to hearing about more of their adventures in the future. Nihilo nisi bonum (That pun is bad enough for Kroese!).
The author sent me a free copy of this book in return for an honest review; this is it!
May 18, 2023
“You know what’s good for adventures,” asked Rex Nihilo, apparently sensing an opportunity to make a sale. “Malarchian military grade plastic explosives. I’ve got a whole hovertruck load.”
“We don’t need any explosives,” said Uncle Blauwin.
The boy looked like he was going to cry. “First you won’t let me go into town to get energy fluxors and now you won’t let me have any military grade explosives. I hate you and this gosh-darned desert planet!”
Communication is about context, and comedy is about context, which means all communication is comedy. That, kids, is logic.
In this prequel to the sci-fi comedy Starship Grifters, if you’re familiar with a general sci-fi context, you’ll get the jokes–the more familiar, the more jokes. Mm, the smell of logic just gets you in the eye, doesn’t it?
The con man Rex Nihilo attempts to unload a truckload of plastic explosives, fails, rolls to plan B, fails, and then finds himself unloaded onto an isolated planet that’s locked down so tight even cans of creamed corn are contraband. The planet is mostly barren. Its civilization is built around producing an artificial nutritional substance called Slop. “It’s not food. It’s Slop!” Since readers would be thinking Slop is made from people, our heroes come across a corporate video that neatly explains that rumor away.
Rex and his robotic Girl Friday, SASHA, go through several silly romps and clever escapes. And explosions. Lots of explosions. Good fun.
I listened to the J.D. Ledford audiobook version, which added to the comedy with good timing and particular word emphases. I laughed aloud many times.
October 24, 2023
As far as prequels go this isn't too bad. Like all of the other books except the second one I'd actually give it 3.5 stars but I'm rounding up.
It's the secret origin of Rex and Sasha! It starts like a version of Star Wars (the original) with Sasha as C-3PO. Only it's more like if Han Solo had bought Threepio rather than Uncle Owen and Luke. They wind up on a planet that grows soylent that's not made of people. It's turned into a nasty sorta diet shake appropriately called SLOP. The company that makes the product has completely enslaved the planet and so Rex and Sasha have to find a way to survive and escape. Which of course we know they do as this is a prequel. That's not as important as finding out just how they're going to do it. What crazy schemes are they going to pull off this time? That's really how these books work. That and Sasha. For a robot she's really a fleshed-out character. Though strange we never mention the acting thing before this. Or did it? I don't think so. Also, Rex is a bit smarter than in previous books it seems--maybe because his memory hasn't been tampered with so much.
My only complaint really is it runs a bit long versus other books, maybe because most of it is all on the same location, so it's not quite the galaxy-spanning adventure of previous books.
Anyway, if you haven't read this series yet, start with this one. It includes the novella The Chicolini Incident that was also at the end of the third book. So you can read that as well and then start right in with "Starship Grifters."
That is all.
It's the secret origin of Rex and Sasha! It starts like a version of Star Wars (the original) with Sasha as C-3PO. Only it's more like if Han Solo had bought Threepio rather than Uncle Owen and Luke. They wind up on a planet that grows soylent that's not made of people. It's turned into a nasty sorta diet shake appropriately called SLOP. The company that makes the product has completely enslaved the planet and so Rex and Sasha have to find a way to survive and escape. Which of course we know they do as this is a prequel. That's not as important as finding out just how they're going to do it. What crazy schemes are they going to pull off this time? That's really how these books work. That and Sasha. For a robot she's really a fleshed-out character. Though strange we never mention the acting thing before this. Or did it? I don't think so. Also, Rex is a bit smarter than in previous books it seems--maybe because his memory hasn't been tampered with so much.
My only complaint really is it runs a bit long versus other books, maybe because most of it is all on the same location, so it's not quite the galaxy-spanning adventure of previous books.
Anyway, if you haven't read this series yet, start with this one. It includes the novella The Chicolini Incident that was also at the end of the third book. So you can read that as well and then start right in with "Starship Grifters."
That is all.
July 24, 2017
Another wonderful sideways adventure with Rex, Sasha and those that attempt to thwart Rex's latest poorly thought out schemes.
Here we find out how Sasha became attached to Rex, accidentally. Rex swindles a few people, gets Sasha as a throw in, runs from the mob, is caught by the mob, forced into employ with the mob. Gets sent to a desolate planet ran by Ubicorp, where food is contraband. Ubicorp is using the planet as a test market. They have generated a near sentient plant that produces a fully nutritious, foul tasting fruit that is mashed into a nearly inedible goop called SLOP. It's not food, it's SLOP!
There are near escapes, slave labor, attempted uprisings, dance routines and a plethora of A Streetcar Named Desire. What else could you expect from the mind of Robert Kroese? His irreverent style of writing and light philosophy that drew me to his writing when I found Mercury Falls a few years ago. He is fun and insane, his works are always a great time, and this one is no exception.
Here we find out how Sasha became attached to Rex, accidentally. Rex swindles a few people, gets Sasha as a throw in, runs from the mob, is caught by the mob, forced into employ with the mob. Gets sent to a desolate planet ran by Ubicorp, where food is contraband. Ubicorp is using the planet as a test market. They have generated a near sentient plant that produces a fully nutritious, foul tasting fruit that is mashed into a nearly inedible goop called SLOP. It's not food, it's SLOP!
There are near escapes, slave labor, attempted uprisings, dance routines and a plethora of A Streetcar Named Desire. What else could you expect from the mind of Robert Kroese? His irreverent style of writing and light philosophy that drew me to his writing when I found Mercury Falls a few years ago. He is fun and insane, his works are always a great time, and this one is no exception.
July 26, 2017
With his loyal robot sidekick and chronicler Sasha at his side, Rex commences on another set of misadventures in the vein of a Star Wars satire in Out of the Soylent Planet, a prequel to Starship Grifters, the reader is treated to the formation of this team.
Thrown together by the visissitudes of space, along with the inevitable backfiring of Rex's own shady deals, soon Rex and Sasha are on the run from galactic gangsters and find themselves trapped on a corporate controlled planet, where the owners maintain control through a strict food monopoly, and don't ask what - or who - is the secret ingredient.
It would be a spoiler to say more, beyond the obvious: Rex is determined to scheme their way to freedom, and turn a profit in the process, and while he might make progress, his overweening greed will always result in him digging himself and hapless Sasha deeper.
This and Starship Grifters is an excellent entry point into the insane adventures of the galaxy's greatest wheeler-dealer. Not to be missed!
Thrown together by the visissitudes of space, along with the inevitable backfiring of Rex's own shady deals, soon Rex and Sasha are on the run from galactic gangsters and find themselves trapped on a corporate controlled planet, where the owners maintain control through a strict food monopoly, and don't ask what - or who - is the secret ingredient.
It would be a spoiler to say more, beyond the obvious: Rex is determined to scheme their way to freedom, and turn a profit in the process, and while he might make progress, his overweening greed will always result in him digging himself and hapless Sasha deeper.
This and Starship Grifters is an excellent entry point into the insane adventures of the galaxy's greatest wheeler-dealer. Not to be missed!
August 7, 2017
Kroese doesn't make fun of Sci-Fi. He makes Sci-Fi fun!
Rex Nihilo seems a bit smarter in this book (the prequel to all the others) but maybe that's because he has yet to drink all those vodka martinis he is famous for consuming while wheeling and dealing across the galaxy. Honestly, I gave up on Sci-Fi books long ago but Rob Kroese pulled me back in with this series and Out of the Soylent Planet does not disappoint. Rex Nihilo makes Sci-Fi fun again while also reminding me of what I liked about sci-fi back in the day. As in the other Rex Nihilo novels, just when you think Rex can't make a worse decision, he does. And just when you think all is lost...well you'll have to read the book to see if he gets out of this one. Okay, yes, you have a point, maybe you don't have to read it to see if he gets out of all the trouble he gets himself into, since its a prequel and we already know he got out of it or else the other books wouldn't exist. But still, you need to read it to find out how he gets out of trouble. Which as with most Rex Nihilo stories, is almost as good as how he gets into trouble.
Rex Nihilo seems a bit smarter in this book (the prequel to all the others) but maybe that's because he has yet to drink all those vodka martinis he is famous for consuming while wheeling and dealing across the galaxy. Honestly, I gave up on Sci-Fi books long ago but Rob Kroese pulled me back in with this series and Out of the Soylent Planet does not disappoint. Rex Nihilo makes Sci-Fi fun again while also reminding me of what I liked about sci-fi back in the day. As in the other Rex Nihilo novels, just when you think Rex can't make a worse decision, he does. And just when you think all is lost...well you'll have to read the book to see if he gets out of this one. Okay, yes, you have a point, maybe you don't have to read it to see if he gets out of all the trouble he gets himself into, since its a prequel and we already know he got out of it or else the other books wouldn't exist. But still, you need to read it to find out how he gets out of trouble. Which as with most Rex Nihilo stories, is almost as good as how he gets into trouble.
September 15, 2017
The Best Rex Nee Hih Lo (note not Nillyhoo :-) book by far.
All are silly amusing reads, but this is the best one so far. Yes I noticed it doesn't tie in quite with the Chicolini incident. Amusingly, so does the author at the end.
So The prequel you didn't know you'd bee waiting for for Sasha and Rex. Better written that Chicolini, better plot, more laughs. What more could you want. If you like Starship Grifters (A Rex Nihilo Adventure) and Aye, Robot (A Rex Nihilo Adventure) (Starship Grifters Book 2) You'll like this. Only more.
I'd like to see some more characters coming in and perhaps staying, but it's a good story well written!
All are silly amusing reads, but this is the best one so far. Yes I noticed it doesn't tie in quite with the Chicolini incident. Amusingly, so does the author at the end.
So The prequel you didn't know you'd bee waiting for for Sasha and Rex. Better written that Chicolini, better plot, more laughs. What more could you want. If you like Starship Grifters (A Rex Nihilo Adventure) and Aye, Robot (A Rex Nihilo Adventure) (Starship Grifters Book 2) You'll like this. Only more.
I'd like to see some more characters coming in and perhaps staying, but it's a good story well written!
February 26, 2019
This was an entertaining read, full of obscure - and not so obscure - scifi jokes. The author manages to craft a good story, while upending some of the more common tropes of the genre.
While the story is funny, to my mind the real charm of the book lies in the way the tale is told from the viewpoint of the sidekick robot. Fresh from landing in a batch of tech junk for sale, Sasha bemusedly follows her new owner, a dodgy con man with great charm despite his many personal faults.
If you enjoy watching movies like Spaceballs and Galaxy Quest and reading authors like Harry Harrison (Bill, the Galactic Hero and Stainless Steel Rat) then add this author to your list.
While the story is funny, to my mind the real charm of the book lies in the way the tale is told from the viewpoint of the sidekick robot. Fresh from landing in a batch of tech junk for sale, Sasha bemusedly follows her new owner, a dodgy con man with great charm despite his many personal faults.
If you enjoy watching movies like Spaceballs and Galaxy Quest and reading authors like Harry Harrison (Bill, the Galactic Hero and Stainless Steel Rat) then add this author to your list.
May 2, 2018
The best of Sasha and Rex Nihilo
I learned of this book on Goodreads and read it using Kindle Unlimited. I've read and enjoyed all three Rex Nihilo books, but this one is hands down the best. I couldn't stop laughing at the issues soylent wrangler endure when executing their "duties." The shamblers' reactions are equally hilarious. I hope we get a proper ending in a fourth book. The Sp'ossels and the Malarchy both have some payback coming their way. I look forward to the day when I find out how Rex gets lucky enough to deliver it.
I learned of this book on Goodreads and read it using Kindle Unlimited. I've read and enjoyed all three Rex Nihilo books, but this one is hands down the best. I couldn't stop laughing at the issues soylent wrangler endure when executing their "duties." The shamblers' reactions are equally hilarious. I hope we get a proper ending in a fourth book. The Sp'ossels and the Malarchy both have some payback coming their way. I look forward to the day when I find out how Rex gets lucky enough to deliver it.
November 20, 2018
A fun space romp
This is the prequel to the Rex Nihilistic series. It's the origins story of how Rex and Sasha met. The story 8sagree a last given Rex's outlandish behaviour throughout the story. I laughed out loud as some of the scenes.
It's a great satire of some Star wars tropes and I really appreciated the humour. It's a great introduction to the rest of the series.
Highly recommended and you'll have a good laugh at Rex's hijinks and Sasha's attempts to minimize the collateral damage
This is the prequel to the Rex Nihilistic series. It's the origins story of how Rex and Sasha met. The story 8sagree a last given Rex's outlandish behaviour throughout the story. I laughed out loud as some of the scenes.
It's a great satire of some Star wars tropes and I really appreciated the humour. It's a great introduction to the rest of the series.
Highly recommended and you'll have a good laugh at Rex's hijinks and Sasha's attempts to minimize the collateral damage
October 25, 2019
Another hilarious romp with our favorite ne'er-do-well starship grifter, Rex Nihilo. I will read (listen to) anything in this series. The narrator does a great job characterizing the voices, especially the long-suffering sarcastic robot sidekick, SASHA. With this series, I can just sit back and enjoy the ride, which is a good thing since usually I am driving while listening. Sometimes it is good to be entertained without having too much asked of me. This book was the back story of how Rex and SASHA met and began their space adventures. Not much to say other than keep of the good work, Kroese!
December 10, 2017
The origin story of interstellar grifter Rex Nihilo and his robot sidekick Sasha. Rex is running a series of scams on a planet when he meets Sasha, they get in big trouble and travel to a planet producing a disgusting food product.
I love the Rex and Sasha series of comic sci-fi novels, cleverly written, good stories and I get tears in my eyes laughing so much. Hope there are many more to come.
I love the Rex and Sasha series of comic sci-fi novels, cleverly written, good stories and I get tears in my eyes laughing so much. Hope there are many more to come.
July 21, 2018
This is my assessment of this book according to 5 criteria:
1. Too long and Strenuous action - exciting - 4 stars
2. Boring - fun - 5 stars
3. Not difficult to read (as non English native speaker] - 4 stars
4. predictable (common) - good story (unusual) - 4 stars
5. Shalow story - has a deeper story - 2 stars
Total 3.8 stars.
1. Too long and Strenuous action - exciting - 4 stars
2. Boring - fun - 5 stars
3. Not difficult to read (as non English native speaker] - 4 stars
4. predictable (common) - good story (unusual) - 4 stars
5. Shalow story - has a deeper story - 2 stars
Total 3.8 stars.
February 20, 2018
Entertaining and funny
I had a good laugh reading this book. Some of the one liners, and Sasha's attitude are really funny, not to mention the orgasmic plant creatures. Check it out.
I had a good laugh reading this book. Some of the one liners, and Sasha's attitude are really funny, not to mention the orgasmic plant creatures. Check it out.
November 28, 2018
It was the worst of times
I swear the narrator/author rolled a d20 and took the worst possible choice at every turn.
Warning: puns show up at odd intervals. It is never truly safe.
Reminds me of “Phule’s Company”.
You may be disappointed, but you’ll definitely be entertained.
I swear the narrator/author rolled a d20 and took the worst possible choice at every turn.
Warning: puns show up at odd intervals. It is never truly safe.
Reminds me of “Phule’s Company”.
You may be disappointed, but you’ll definitely be entertained.
December 28, 2018
Holy crap Rex is hilarious not only are his adventures stupidly believable but he's pitifully lovable, loyal, and somewhat venal. Science fiction has always been a place for comedy satire and I'm glad that some writers are still carrying on this great tradition.
September 24, 2019
Entertaining!
Fun read following the misadventures of Rex Nihillo & Sasha as they traipse around their universe, being chased by several Mafiso, smugglers & rebuilt robots. While not in the Stainless Steel Rat’s league, Rex & Sasha stay in there, pitching the con.
Fun read following the misadventures of Rex Nihillo & Sasha as they traipse around their universe, being chased by several Mafiso, smugglers & rebuilt robots. While not in the Stainless Steel Rat’s league, Rex & Sasha stay in there, pitching the con.
May 13, 2021
Really funny sci-fi spoof!
So parodies and spoofs are not really my thing, but this is good writing and clever allusions and I really enjoyed it - if this prequel is any indication, I'm really going to enjoy this series!
So parodies and spoofs are not really my thing, but this is good writing and clever allusions and I really enjoyed it - if this prequel is any indication, I'm really going to enjoy this series!
February 28, 2025
Way better structured than book one and better jokes than just references to Star Wars. At first i did not like the narrator since she sounded robotic but that's the point, Duh me! She does an admirable job as Sasha and the rest of the cast.
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