This was a fun ride. I requested it because it reminded me of a novel version of the old DOS game Planetfall and I was not disappointed.

Jim C Hines introduces us to a new setting with his signature wit. The book captured me on the premise and didn't let me down.

I don’t know if I was maybe just in the perfect mood for some funny space opera, but I was really delighted by this book. It’s the usual formula — Our Hero, armed only with a nonstandard skill set and an unwavering moral compass, must take on insurmountable odds and comes out the victor — but Mops was a wonderful, endearing avatar of generic expectations, and come on, how could you not love space janitors! If you’re familiar with how sci-fi works, you can see the twist coming from a mile off, but if you’re familiar with how sci-fi works, that won’t annoy you. Fans of Bujold and Scalzi will no doubt have found Hines already, but if not: I think you’ll enjoy this one.

Published by DAW on October 30, 2018

Terminal Alliance is an offbeat space opera. The novel is written for laughs but it includes the fundamental elements that make space operas enjoyable to sf fans, including alien empires and starship battles. The story is amusing rather than LOL funny, but it successfully blends humor with action to create a science fiction beach read.

The story imagines that humanity devolved into a feral state. Humans are not exactly zombies, but — well, okay, humans are pretty much zombies. Fortunately, this isn’t a zombie novel, as an apparently benign race called the Krakau have begun the slow process of restoring incredibly dangerous humans to their somewhat less dangerous pre-zombie condition. One of the running jokes is that aliens view humans with trepidation, even when they aren’t feral, because humans have a reputation for being violent and hard to kill.

The Krakau Alliance maintains peace in the galaxy, primarily by keeping the Podryans at bay. Humans are assigned to various roles on Krakau ships as part of the Earth Mercenary Corps. A couple of other alien races are also part of the crew.

Having been given the gift of rebirth by the Krakau, Marion “Mops” Adamopoulos is no longer feral. She named herself after a 22nd century scientist who help destroy human civilization. She chose that name as a reminder not to destroy human civilization. Other humans choose names like Marilyn Monroe and Wolfgang Mozart.

Mops is dedicated to helping the Krakau, as repayment for their efforts to salvage humankind. She is a lieutenant on a cruiser called the Pufferfish where she has been placed in charge of the janitors. She supervises a group of humans and aliens who unclog toilets and disinfect rooms when aliens engage in slimy activities.

Despite her lowly status, Mops gives tactical advice to battle commanders because she’s been around a long time. For reasons that are not immediately clear to Mops, a routine mission goes awry when the Podryans cause most of the human crew of the Pufferfish to revert to their feral state. The janitors have avoided the infection thanks to their environmental suits, leaving them in charge after the Krakau turn up dead.

The premise creates opportunities for amusing scenes. The janitors use cleaning supplies to subdue humans who revert to a feral state. They have no idea how to fly the Pufferfish or operate its weapons systems, and they generally destroy the ship in simulations as they try to learn to operate it. The only chance the janitors have of saving the human crew involves commandeering the ship and chasing after the Podryans to learn what they did to cause humans to turn feral. This leads to a jaunt through the galaxy, a visit to an alien shopping mall, and the discovery of a revisionist view of human history.

Terminal Alliance is a light and original story that takes a couple of surprising turns. Key characters have well-defined personalities that lead to personality clashes that have been a classic feature of space opera since the days of McCoy and Spock. The ending sets up the next novel in the series. I enjoyed Terminal Alliance and I hope to enjoy Mops’ next adventure just as much.

RECOMMENDED

Let me start off by saying one thing: Space Janitors.

Seriously, that alone makes the concept of this story super entertaining. And speaking of Space Janitors, that was a really fun web-series picked up by Geek & Sundry, so I can recommend going to check that out too. It is sort of a Star Wars parody following janitors for the Empire.

This was a pretty entertaining read, and I especially love some of the pieced together details for the human race. A lot of it was really wrong, but that only made it more amusing. Like, the ships are named for feared creatures from earth…you know, like the fierce and deadly pufferfish. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the rest of the story, but seeing these details like what history of the human race these aliens put together was the highlight of this book for me.

Honestly, even though it made me super super late on my ARC review for NetGalley, I’m glad I waited until now to read this one, because the sequel will be out…early next year, I think…so I don’t have to wait as long to read that one. It will make all the details a little more fresh in my mind, which is nice.

I love Jim C. Hines as an author, and I think he makes awesome characters that I am compelled to care about or want to know more about them. This is no less true when it comes to the alien characters in this one. There was action galore, and a crew who is a little out of their league when it comes to running a ship…or fighting…or doing most things that aren’t focused on keeping the ship clean. But I think they did a pretty good job considering.

So I can’t wait to see where the sequel takes this janitorial squad next.

Fun, humorous SF but not laugh-out-loud funny like Douglas Adams. It also includes some cool adventure and an underdog team making good, and generally has a space opera feel to it. I am looking forward to sequels.

Jim C. Hines is one of the best authors in SFF right now as evidenced in this latest series that published late last year. I’m more of a fantasy reader usually, but sometimes science fiction titles really grab my attention and won’t let go. That’s what happened with this fun, cynical read! Just look at the series title: Janitors of the Post-Apocalypse. I love it! And the author did a great job balancing science, janitor jargon, intrigue, and action. There were looks of interesting aliens. And a fun look at how Earth’s human population fell into a feral state.

A fascinating aspect of this book was the use of pronouns. Various alien species were treated differently according to their preferences. One of the main characters uses they/them/their always. There was another race that doesn’t recognize gender, so a conversation alternates female and male pronouns. A third race uses zie in place of gender. And except for giving a brief reasoning for each use, the text doesn’t call attention to it. It’s just accepted.

I did occasionally get lost in the science jargon but never for very long. I think there’s enough to give meaning to the crew’s actions and the universe overall, but not so much that readers will dnf because they can’t follow along.

I loved this snarky crew and can’t wait to see what other mysteries they uncover in book 2!!

"In his hilarious new sci-fi series, Jim C. Hines introduces the unlikely heroes that may just save the galaxy: a crew of space janitors.

The Krakau came to Earth to invite humanity into a growing alliance of sentient species. However, they happened to arrive after a mutated plague wiped out half the planet, turned the rest into shambling, near-unstoppable animals, and basically destroyed human civilization. You know—your standard apocalypse.

The Krakau’s first impulse was to turn around and go home. (After all, it’s hard to have diplomatic relations with mindless savages who eat your diplomats.) Their second impulse was to try to fix us. Now, a century later, human beings might not be what they once were, but at least they’re no longer trying to eat everyone. Mostly.

Marion “Mops” Adamopoulos is surprisingly bright (for a human). As a Lieutenant on the Earth Mercenary Corps Ship Pufferfish, she’s in charge of the Shipboard Hygiene and Sanitation team. When a bioweapon attack wipes out the Krakau command crew and reverts the rest of the humans to their feral state, only Mops and her team are left with their minds intact.

Escaping the attacking aliens—not to mention her shambling crewmates—is only the beginning. Sure, Mops and her team of space janitors and plumbers can clean the ship as well as anyone, but flying the damn thing is another matter.

As they struggle to keep the Pufferfish functioning and find a cure for their crew, they stumble onto a conspiracy that could threaten the entire alliance… a conspiracy born from the truth of what happened on Earth all those years ago.

Jim C. Hines has proven himself a master of humorous fantasy with his Jig the Goblin novels, and has turned the usual fantasy tropes sideways and upside down with his Princess and his Magic Ex Libris series. With Terminal Alliance, the debut novel in his humorous military science fiction series, Jim takes us into a brand-new universe of entertainment certain to appeal to fans of both Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett."

This sounds like Galaxy Quest meets Red Dwarf. I'm sold.

I probably would not like this book from any other writer, but Jim Hines is so funny that I don't care that its about space janitors

The apocalypse (a mutated plague) turned all humans into mindless savages, but the Krakau found a cure. A hundred years later, those cured humans are allowed into space on Krakau ships, acting in menial roles. They are prized for their toughness, their ability to thrive on basic rations, and their hard work. They get the jobs that no one else wants. Marion “Mops” Adamopoulos is a Lieutenant in charge of shipboard hygiene and sanitation. When a bio attack wipes out the command crew and turns the shipboard humans feral again, Mops and her crew are wearing containment suits so they are the only ones not affected. They go from being janitors and plumbers to having to fly the ship and outwit the aliens, and in doing so learn the secret that the Krakau didn't want them to know. It's quirky and intriguing. Highly recommended.

I loved the Libriomancer series but this one didn't catch me as much. Jim Hines is a gifted author with a quirky sense of humor and you could see the elements all there. The second book may be much better.

Jim C. Hines "Terminal Alliance" is a fresh funny take on the classic science fiction trope of smart humans seizing their rightful place in a galactic universe controlled by a higher technologically alien races. Its slightly reminiscent of Andre Norton's "Star Guard", a classic sf novel originally published in 1955, in which Terrans have finally joined a galactic empire but are not allowed by the aliens who control the empire to go to the Stars on their own, but are only used as mercenaries because the galactic empire fears humanities talents, but some resolute Terrans are not content with the hand they have been dealt.

In "Terminal Alliance", Earth has suffered a devastating plague, which causes most of humanity to revert to a feral state. The alien Krakau have sought to help humanity. They choose, modify and "re-educate" selected adult humans who are then sent to help the Krakua Alliance as mercenaries or as sanitation specialists aboard spaceships. The Krakua have bio-engineered the human survivors with super human reflexes and strength making them the perfect soldier for their alliance. So short of a spinal or head injury, they can continue to fight. They have also changed the human physiology to remove what they think are impediments, essentially giving everyone a stomach line for food intake, because the Krakua think human food is disgusting.
Hines audaciously focuses on a group of mop wielding sanitation specialists with an expertise in cleaning machines, plumbing and spills as the main characters who have to thwart an alien plot aimed at their crewmates and the Krakua. And he pulls it off superbly.

Hines winning formula features a lot of humor surrounding cleaning, but also around smart characters thrown into unfamiliar circumstances. It takes real talent to turn accepted space warfare situations, gun battles on space stations and dealing with alien mob families and ratchet up both smart reasonable solutions in clever and funny ways. Hines keeps the action fast and the fun high.

Twelve years after being "re-educated" by the Krakua, Mops Adamopoulus is a Lieutenant and commander of a small Shipboard Hygiene and Sanitation janitor team (SHS) on the Pufferfish, a Krakua space cruiser. During a small military action, some human crew members are infected with something and start to revert to ferals. It appears that they have taken out the Krakua command crew leaving Mops in charge of the Pufferfish with just her small contingent of janitors and a single alien Gron, a Glaciade, who rather play space invader like video games, facing the enemy Prodryans and having to fend off the ferals as well. Mops is supported by her AI Doc, a computer linked to the shipboard systems that Mops has upgraded, Wolf, a muscular crew mate who wishes she was a mercenary and Monroe, the ex-mercenary with a metal arm.

Mops and her team are soon on the Krakua wanted list, who want to "put down" the 200 feral humans on the Pufferfish. Forced into unfamiliar roles, Mops goes in search of the Prodryans, who infected her crew. Figuring out how to use the ship weapons, space battles, dealing with multiple alien species on an space station. Hines powers the story using wit and verve. Mops soon learns a Krakuan secret about how humanity devolved into ferals on Earth. We may not have caused the plague.

Six months after my first read, I zoomed through the book again this week. It's just a great fun unconventional read. The Janitors are taking over the Universe. Watch out.

Terminal Alliance, set in the far future when an alien race, the Krakau, has helped humans overcome a disease which rendered them feral. In gratitude, the humans now work alongside the aliens, or at least that’s what the humans believe.

Enter Marion “Mops” Adamopoulos. Mops is the Lieutenant in charge of Shipboard Hygiene and Sanitation on the Earth Mercenary Corps Ship Pufferfish. Yep, she is pretty much a Space Janitor.

While suited up to perform some of their sanitation duties, her team are the only ones not infected by a bioagent released after docking with another ship. All of the humans have reverted to their previous feral state, and all of the Krakau are now dead.

The Command Crew, as on all Earth Mercenary Corps Ships, is entirely Krakau. Pretty much all ship systems are designed for them as well.

It is up to Mops and her crew to round up the feral humans, hopefully before somebody tries to eat somebody else, and get everybody to safety. But of course, in every good novel, things never go that easy.

They discover that the virus was released intentionally, and realize that no one will believe them. So now they have to prove it before taking the ship back home.

Learning to fly a ship is hard enough, but learning one which was designed for another species is infinitely more difficult. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the misadventures they had in learning the alien ship systems.

Quirky, Fun, Thoroughly Enjoyable

Naturally, you have a lot of questions right from the beginning. I found the questions just kept me wanting to know more about what was going on and why. I found the characters to be quirky and fun, thoroughly enjoyable.

While I have never read any of the other novels by the author Jim C. Hines, I do look forward to reading more in the “Janitors of the Post-Apocalypse” series and others he has written.

Reviewed for LnkToMi iRead in response to a complimentary copy of the book provided by the publisher in hopes of an honest review.

Terminal Alliance, the first book in Jim C Hines’ new Janitors of the Post-Apocalypse series, can be summed up in one word: fun. It’s a humorous take on military science fiction, a departure from his previous fantasy novels. I’ve read Hines’ rather excellent Magic Ex Libris series so seeing him turn his hand to my genre of choice was great news. However, there is always the question when an author deliberately adds in humour of whether it complements the story or just gets in the way. Fortunately, Terminal Alliance falls into the former category, though not without a few bumps along the road.

The early chapters in Terminal Alliance follow Marion ‘Mops’ Adamopoulos and her team of janitors as they clean up, repair, and maintain the Pufferfish from all the nasty incidents and accidents of day-today shipboard life. It’s when the Pufferfish docks with a rescued carrier that things go wrong: the Krakau command crew are left mysteriously dead and the rest of the humans aboard have reverted to a feral state. With nobody to turn to, Mops and her misfit team have to somehow secure the crew and take command of the ship, a ship not designed for anyone but the ruling Krakau to control. With the help of an old Krakau commander, and despite harsh orders to deal with the feral humans, Mops manages to put some pieces of a puzzle together and they make their way to a neutral space station to find out more…

Now, I liked Mops as a character, as well as her rag-tag janitorial crew, but I found the story to be initially somewhat lacking. It was interesting, and the idea of feral humans ‘cured’ by an alien species and then used as an indentured workforce was definitely something I wanted to read more about, as was the plague that affected Earth in the first place. But the explanations and detail were thin on the ground. Hines does tackle this throughout the story, letting us know little bits of information here and there, but as it’s also something that is central to the story he can’t give too much away too early. It’s another balancing act that Terminal Alliance carries out, though one that can often be more annoying than rewarding.

I must admit to being a little slow on the uptake when I started Terminal Alliance. Hines throws the reader in at the deep end and you have to build the picture of the galactic situation as the pages and chapters pass. On one hand it’s very frustrating to have this many questions early on about the history of the world, yet on the other hand it works perfectly as a way to encourage you to keep on reading. It’s unfortunate that it takes so long for things to really get going, but by the time you hit the halfway mark it’s full steam ahead and, if anything, it means you’ll want to keep on turning those pages even more.

I do love some good, funny science fiction, yet I find there is a fine line that needs to be walked carefully. Hines does pull it off with Terminal Alliance, giving the reader something that is both funny and serious, poking fun at established tropes yet using them well throughout the story. Whilst the slow first half can feel like a grind, the payoff in the second half makes it worth the perseverance. Entertaining and amusing in equal measure, there’s enough love for the genre seeping through the narrative to make this worth your time. Roll on the sequel.

I’ve been a fan of Jim C. Hines for a long time. In fact, long time followers of this blog know that Jim is one of the first authors I made a point of connecting with at a science fiction and fantasy convention several moons ago and the rest is pretty much history.

I’ve read most of Jim’s books (saving the Jig series because I just have not been able to connect with that loveable goblin), and basically I comes down to the fact that I love worlds Jim creates or recreates. The Princess series, fitting solidly in the fantasy genre, takes well-known fairy tales and casts the helpless princesses as kickass heroines who write their own happy endings. The Magic Ex Libris series covers urban fantasy (magic in the known world) and fulfills every bookworms’ dream of bringing their favorite objects to life while examining topics likes diversity and human rights. Terminal Alliance is yet another jump for Hines, this time into the realm of science fiction as he charts the journey of some very heroic space janitors. Yes, you heard me right, space janitors.

Jim has been known to tackle tough issues for several years. He is continuing this trend in this new science fiction series, Janitors of the Post-Apocalypse, by asking his readers, “What does it mean to be human?” The twist is Hines is creating a completely new world populated by strange non-humanoid-lookings aliens who think humans are beneath them. Part Star Trek and part Galaxy Quest, Terminal Alliance follows Marion “Mops” Adamopoulos and her crew of space janitors, plus one genial alien, on their quest to determine the truth about the downfall and apparent rescue of the human race from a disease that sounds a lot like something out of The Walking Dead.

Overall the story and adventure in Terminal Alliance is great. The mystery surrounding what happened on Earth during First Contact is revealed in a way that makes sense—not too slow and not too fast. Mops always seemed to be on top of what I was actually thinking as a reader. She was also a strong leader and did her best to put on a strong face for her crew, and there were times where her vulnerability showed as well. This made her a real character and a real leader.

The only downside to this book, for me, is its roots in science fiction. This is a genre, along with epic or high fantasy, that I have always struggled with. The minute a story starts “to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations” my brain struggles to see the exotic new life forms, the worlds they live in and the ships they fly based on the descriptions on the page. Thankfully, with Terminal Alliance, much of the time was spent with Mops and her human crew so I didn’t spend a lot of time with a wrinkled brow trying to figure out what the aliens looked like. I was absorbed in the story and the ongoing conspiracy related to the demise of the human race.

The strength in Terminal Alliance comes from its three-dimensional characters and the questions asked about what makes humans human. As Mops and her crew piece together the truth, you are taken on a grand adventure across a wild universe where humans are not at the top of the power tower — something not often seen in books, television or movies. Using everything in their tool belts, from “high-pressure canisters of disinfectants, paints and sealants,” Mops and her band of misfits strive to reveal the truth about what happened to humanity with tenacity, grace and a little humor. It’s a wild and enjoyable ride.

Jim C Hines strikes me as a very funny guy. Even if you haven't read his books, you might have heard of his game, a few years back, where he reproduced the back-breaking poses from the covers of popular paranormal romances (making the point that men on covers have reasonable poses, while women are put into poses that implies they are contortionists -- apparently his chiropractor got a lot of business out of the exercise).

His novels are often just as tongue in cheek. For example, his Princess series take fairy tale princesses, and puts them together as action heroines.

Terminal Alliance, the first book in the Janitors of the Post-Apocalypse trilogy, does a similar thing of taking a ridiculous concept, and then puts it in a serious scenario. It's hard to take it too serious, and yet the plot gets very much so.

In this world, Earth was infected with a virus that turned humans into feral animals. Not zombies, but maybe a 28 Days Later sort of effect. Amazingly, they still survived until the kindly Krakau came by. They came up with a cure, and start restoring a number of humans at a time. Those humans are strong, near impossible to kill, and have no memories. Of course they go to work for the Krakau.

Marion “Mops” Adamopoulos is the head janitor on the Pufferfish, an Earth Mercenary Corps ship commanded by a bridge crew of Krakau. When coming to the rescue of another ship, a new virus infects the Pufferfish, reverting to the human members of the crew to feral state. The command crew is dead, and the only unaffected humans are Mops and her team, who were in suits at the time for a repair.

Along with Doc, an AI, they get control of the ship and call the Krakau for help. Unfortunately, the Krakau plan to 'put down' the affected crew. Not willing to accept that, Mops and her team take the Pufferfish on a hunt to find the aliens who created this new virus, and find a cure for their fellow crew, despite being instantly named as rogues with a price on their head. And along the way, find out the truth of what originally infected their planet.

The universe is an interesting one, populated by relatable aliens, and others that are so alien that they can barely be understood. The various characters are engaging, including the extremely competent Mops, the gleefully violent Wolf, Monroe with his glitchy mechanical eye, the sarcastic AI Doc (who is part of a monocle that Mops wears), the very juvenile alien Azure, the sympathetic Krakau Admiral.

And while the world and the plot are very serious, I giggled my way through large parts of the book.

Jim Hines has done it again! He as created a group of improbable heroes, given them an impossible task, and the helped the reader cheer them on with literary references, asides, and plain fun. The Terminal Alliance involves the janitors of the Earth Mercenary Corp ship Pufferfish having to take on an alien menace when everyone else is laid low by a "biological" attack. Plenty of action, puns, and detective work that manages to uncover multiple conspiracies at the heart of the ruling Alliance system. The next question is will the next book in the series be as much fun as this one?

Jim C. Hines has been on my radar for a long time, but I haven’t actually read any of his books until now! When I saw this on NetGalley, I was intrigued. I know Hines mostly as a fantasy writer, so I was curious to see how his science fiction would be. Turns out Hines’ Terminal Alliance reminds me a lot of John Scalzi’s Old Man’s War universe. Save on Dropbox Ben Babcock

Side note: This book was published in early November, but I was only approved towards the end of last month.

Terminal Alliance is set in a future where humanity has only recently been rescued from a self-inflicted “feral” virus by the Krakau, squid-like aliens who have formed a loose confederacy of worlds. Humans are infants compared to most species in the galaxy now: the Krakau are slowly “reawakening” as many feral humans as possible, but they’ve had to reassemble human culture and history from our spotty records. So all the humans alive take their names from historical figures. The protagonist is Marion Adamopoulos, or Mops, her name chosen after the scientist responsible for the virus that wiped out her species. Mops is the chief janitor—yes, janitor—aboard the EMC Pufferfish. But when a bioweapon takes out the Krakau in charge and renders everyone except Mops’ janitorial team (and one other alien comrade) feral again, it’s up to Mops and her janitor squad to save the day.

It sounds tongue-in-cheek, I know, and in some ways it is. In other ways, it’s devastating and heartbreaking.

I mean, Hines has essentially created a universe in which humanity has no real connection to the past and no real future. Mops might be a fan of Jane Austen’s work, but she probably lacks a coherent grasp of the context of what Austen was writing. And because there are so few reborn humans, and they are essentially dependent on the Krakau, humanity’s position in the galaxy is tenuous at best. No amount of situational comedy is going to soothe this wound. But, it might contribute to a very enjoyable plot.

The sinister secret conspiracy stuff is about as subtle as a panto villain, but I suppose it gets the job done. Much more enjoyable is the way that Mops and her crew aren’t that competent at what they attempt. As space janitors, they aren’t exactly a crack military squad—and it shows. They rely on their ingenuity, training, and grit—and it gets them far. But they make lots of mistakes too. Although there is much to be said for competence porn and watching Jason Statham–like action heroes just mow through crowds of bad guys, I also enjoy the obverse scenario where people are plucked out of their comfort zone and struggle realistically with adapting to their new situation.

I like how Hines uses the opening of each chapter as a way to infodump without overwhelming the reader. It works well here, because it allows him to push the plot forward very quickly while still informing us about the wider universe. I found myself anticipating these moments at the start of every new chapter, but they are never so long that they overstay their welcome.

There are a few things that didn’t quite work for me. Much of the characterization, for example, was a little too glib (this is a problem for me with Scalzi’s work too)—Wolf and Mops’ interactions are a case in point. Similarly, I just never really got to know many of the characters beyond, perhaps, Mops. They all feel fairly cookie-cutter and stock to me. Finally, the climax feels like it drags on for a while, with a lot more false starts or red herrings and exposition than there needs to be.

So, Terminal Alliance is a competent, fun, and rewarding book. I might read the sequel—it will be interesting to see what is in store for Mops and her crew now. However, it isn’t making any of my lists, so to speak.

Review will be published on Goodreads on December 19.

While I am not super great at keeping up with what's "in" in science fiction books, Jim C. Hines is always on my radar for some fun, creative science fiction storytelling when I do decided to delve into this genre. TERMINAL ALLIANCE is a hilarious and thrilling journey through a post-apocalyptic world. It also makes some thoughtful social commentary on our current times through the lens of a future human/alien alliance of sorts. One issue I have with the book is that there are so many plots that it was difficult to focus on what was happening. Other than that issue I enjoyed the hilarious dialogue and vivid universe created in TERMINAL ALLIANCE.

On the character front, I came for janitors in space and got so much more. Not only do we get hijinks of this motley crew of recreated humans on a romp through the galaxy, we also get a rather fascinating species of aliens trying to revive humans through reading our "old" media and guesswork. I loved their humorous analysis and commentary on some of our historic texts including Dr. Seuss, Shakespeare, and various religious texts. I also loved learning all about just how humanity got so messed up in this story and how the recreated ones are surviving and learning about themselves along the way.

For science fiction, this is science fiction storytelling at it's best and not too serious which makes is a great read for those who might shy away from the genre for one reason or another. TERMINAL ALLIANCE has action and danger but most of all it has witty, humorous fun with its plot and characters that made this an exciting read.

Jim C Hines is one of my favorite authors for so many reasons, all of which are on brilliant display in Terminal Alliance. Smart, imaginative plots that are well thought out and keep you on your toes. Fully realized characters who you'd love to grab coffee and hang out with. Writing that is quick and witty, that makes you laugh out loud without sacrificing the tone of the story.
Long story short I loved this book and would recommend it to anyone who loves a fun, face paced space adventure. This is not your dark gritty space opera, but it will keep you glued to the pages as you wait to hear what the Pufferfish will get up to next.