The Touchdown Collection

Another day, another SF novel. Rather than a ‘series’ I have in mind a ‘Touchdown Collection.’ Same worlds, same characters, same universe. But the idea is that each book is complete with its own ending and no cliff-hangers. The books will follow on from each other, but ideally not so you’ll have to read them in the right order. But who knows, we’re off on an adventure. And Touchdown? Where’s it at? Well if you look at the Galactic chart, Touchdown is here, well out from what we think of as ‘The Sun’, over towards the right hand edge. Just before the edge of the galaxy starts getting fuzzy.

In on a Chance

Available from Amazon

When you arrive home after a long absence, there’s always a few things that need sorting out. Sometimes they can be more complicated than you initially thought.
But at least there are opportunities for an honest man to make money, with maidens to be rescued and tyrants slain, or was it the other way about.
And who uses energy carbines any more? Military fashions have moved on.

As a reviewer commented, “As with all of Jim Webster’s writing, I took to the main characters straight away, and enjoyed the shenanigans that follow – already reaching for the next book, and hoping more will come!”

Also available for Wargame Vault in pdf

https://www.wargamevault.com/product/370706/In-On-a-Chance

Caldoom and the Ship of Dreams

Every so often a spaceship needs servicing. When this happens the mechanic does the metaphorical equivalent of crawling underneath and giving that long low whistle that tells you this is going to cost you. So what is an honest supercargo going to do when he’s told he needs to raise a fortune in less than a month, just to pay for the repairs?

As a reviewer commented, “Supercargo Andrey is left on Caldoom to drum up enough business for funds to repair the spaceship ‘Ship of Dreams’, however, all business is controlled by one Company and the man heading it on Caldroom.
Andrey is not the sort to give up, especially when failure is not an option.”

Also available from Wargames Vault in pdf

https://www.wargamevault.com/product/396815/Caldoom-and-the-Ship-of-Dreams

Plain Tales from the Archonate

In which we stumble upon a new hero. A man not afraid of hard work, even if he does involve working on a world where the temperature is measured in Kelvin, it rains methane, and the food is frankly poor.

We meet old friends and help sweep under the carpet the mistakes of the past. We have talking dogs, triceratops armed for war, lost Empires, slave planets, and a modestly successful confidence trickster who inadvertently becomes respectable. There again, it seems that being respectable is similar to being a criminal. It’s just that the margins aren’t as good and you pay more tax

As a reviewer commented, “

Only Jim Webster could come up with a world where technology coexists with domesticated and warrior-trained dinosaurs without batting an eyelid! And this is merely one of the very different worlds in a complex tale that carries you along at a constantly accelerating pace and leaves you emerging from it, breathless – at 0235 hours this time!

We meet some old friends from previous books in the Touchdown Collection, as well as multiple new ones, but you can read this book independently. As well as deftly handling back story when needed, Jim wraps up all the loose ends in a very satisfactory way at the end.

I particularly love the way Jim has used his innate understanding of working dogs to inform his introduction of communication systems that allow people and dogs to talk to each other in real words rather than just limited commands and whistles. Roll on this turning up in real life!”

Also available from Wargame Vault in pdf

https://www.wargamevault.com/product/447409/Plain-tales-from-the-Archonate

Deep Water on Derin Su

On the good jobs, Alasya is a security consultant, wears a skirt and carries a pistol discreetly. When her luck runs out and work is short she is a mercenary, wears fatigues and carries a carbine. This might be a good job. There again she’s assisted by a smuggler with a dislike of the kitsch and a young woman for whom life has been interesting. Pregnant to the wrong man, there was trouble, killing and a lot of unpleasant and heavily armed people are looking for her.
On the other hand Alasya has been hired to do a job that is almost certainly legal, has immense cultural significance, and might even make her rich. All she has to do is to live to collect the money.

Also available from Wargame Vault in pdf

https://www.wargamevault.com/product/479111/Deep-Water-on-Derin-Su