Reviewed by Dan
This is a Series Review of Alien Danger (Books 1 & 2)
AUTHOR: Mark Zubro
PUBLISHER: MLR Press
SERIES REVIEW:
This was my first foray into the world of Mark Zubro. I have to say I was impressed. Although the books are quite tame on a “heat index” scale, containing very little actual sex, they are a true sci-fi series that has positively portrayed gay characters. I enjoyed Mark’s wit, and his little digs at our current political climate in the United States, even though he was writing about an alien culture. Great job. I hear the third book in the series is off to the editor by month end, with a late spring, early summer release. I for one can’t wait!
SERIES RATING: 
TITLE: Alien Quest
LENGTH: 396 Pages
BLURB:
Gay Chicago waiter falls in love with a sexy, mysterious alien who asks for his help to save Earth from a mad scientist.
Chicago waiter Mike Carlson stumbles into intergalactic intrigue and romance as he becomes involved with Joe, an alien cop, who lands on Earth in pursuit of a dangerous mad scientist bent on taking over our corner of the universe. As Mike joins Joe on a wild adventure beyond anything he dreamed of in his life, Mike must balance his obligations to his nephew and his first lover– with a little help from a drag queen in sequins and spandex and the well-dressed patrons of a leather bar.
REVIEW:
Mike Carlson is your run of the mill, super buff, in-shape waiter, working in an eclectic Chicago eatery. The waiters are gay, the bartender might be, and the hostess is a 300 pound drag queen. Sounds like a great place to eat!
For the last few nights, a stranger, albeit a very nice looking stranger, has been coming in and requesting table 7, which is in Mike’s station. The man doesn’t say much, but appears friendly. All that changes when he walks up behind Mike and asks if he can buy the underwear he has on! Mike is kind of appalled that he so misread the guy and gives him the brush-off.
Later that night when Mike is leaving through the back alley, he finds the stranger beside a dumpster. He has been attacked by some straight kids who threw a brick at him and then kicked him when he was down. Mike helps him, but the man refuses to go to the hospital. Instead they go for coffee, and Mike’s perception of reality will never be the same again!
Turns out that Joe isn’t from anywhere near Chicago. In fact he isn’t even from our Solar System. He is an intergalactic cop, on Earth searching for an escaped evil scientist who is hell bent on world domination…of our world.
Before Mike knows what hit him, he is on the run from the FBI, the Chicago Cops and not only the evil scientist, but another alien who is a bounty hunter! Along the way there will be forays into a huge leather/BDSM club, a clinic for patients with AIDS that hides a nefarious alien plot, a brief trip to Saturn’s rings in a spaceship, a couple huge fires, some explosions, a tornado and other general mayhem!
One note, I did want to reach in and slap Mike near the end of the book. He became this totally whiney bitch for a few pages…complaining that Joe had lied to him about his abilities and mental powers. I found myself sputtering at the book…things like “get over it you whiney bitch…you have this hot alien and you’re complaining?” Happily he got over it!
I liked this book, it moved along at a fast pace, surprising me on how fast I finished the nearly 400 pages. The end was open, so I’m glad I have the second book in the series to review immediately! I recommend this book if you’re a sci-fi fan!
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TITLE: Alien Home
LENGTH: 332 Pages
BLURB:
True love trying to survive against galactic dangers.
Through a maelststrom of intergalactic intrigue, cosmic danger, and terran peril, Mike Carlson, intrepid waiter madly in love with a man from another planet, must navigate between extremes of familial joy and hate balanced against the intrigues and wiles on Earth and out among the vast stars of the universe. Will Mike and Joe’s love survive the perils that surround them, from a raging blizzard, to an interstellar abduction, to a debate over their very existence? Mike and Joe and their love hurtle through adventures that no one on Earth has ever been through. Can their love survive the demands of the universe?
REVIEW:
It is four years after the events in Alien Quest and Mike and Joe’s love has only grown. They are deeply in love and have moved past all the stuff that happened with Vov, the evil scientist in book one. They did though save some of the technology from Vov, and Joe came up with a way to do an implant in Mike’s neck that helps him use the alien communicators. They’ve also come up with a pretty cool way to melt snow with it as well!
Following the arrest of Jack’s dad in book one, Mike and Joe gained custody of Jack, and he is now a high school wrestler. The book starts out at the state championships, where Mike, Joe, the flamboyant drag queen Meganvilia, and his husband Ray are all in attendance. It is the middle of a blizzard, but somehow Jack’s dad shows up on the scene. It turns out he has gotten out of jail and is out for revenge. But the dad isn’t the only one in pursuit of the guys. A probe has entered our solar system that is making Joe very ill. They have to return to Chicago and Joe’s ship which is still under Lake Michigan to combat the probe.
That’s where the cool way to melt snow comes in. The biggest blizzard to hit Illinois in years is raging and the roads are impassible. But not for our heroes…they rig the communicator to heat below the car so that the snow and ice melts in front of them, but then fills in behind them in the blizzard so no one sees. After Mr. Toad’s wild ride, they finally get back to Chicago, with the dad still in avid pursuit.
Joe knows the only way to protect them is to get the probe and destroy it, so they take off into the solar system to get it. Jack is pretty darned impressed with the whole alien/spaceship thing, as any kid would be. Hell, I know I would be!
When destroying the probe doesn’t stop the aliens from Joe’s world from pursuing Joe and Mike, they leave Jack with Meganvilea and Ray and run off to the north woods. Unfortunately, the aliens capture them and carry them off to the alien homeworld.
I really, really liked this book. The politicians of Joe’s society are in place because they are the richest people. They get all the votes, and the little people (poor) get no votes. Sound familiar? The entire set-up sounded very much like it was pulled from the US House of Representatives under the current Republican led house, LOL.
That group of wealthy people are the ones that will decide the fate of Joe and Mike. It turns out that the implant in Mike’s neck makes him stronger than any person in Joe’s society, and their military fears him. Their world isn’t any better than ours in the treatment of gay people. The punishment for gay sex is death. It is an abomination. Again…sounds like today’s headlines.
What will happen with Mike and Joe at the trial? Is there any way they can live in peace? I will warn you, the book seemed to end with a cliffhanger. I’m anxiously awaiting that third book that is coming! I need to know what happens next! 🙂
RATING:
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