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33rd out of 146 books
—
350 voters
The Backworlds (Book 1)
by
M. Pax (Goodreads Author)
FREE. Book 1. Space opera series.
In the far future, humanity settles the stars, bioengineering its descendents to survive in a harsh universe.
After the war with the Foreworlders, Backworlders scatter across the planets left. Competition is fierce and pickings are scant. Scant enough that Craze’s father decides to improve his fortunes by destroying his son.
Cut off from f...more
In the far future, humanity settles the stars, bioengineering its descendents to survive in a harsh universe.
After the war with the Foreworlders, Backworlders scatter across the planets left. Competition is fierce and pickings are scant. Scant enough that Craze’s father decides to improve his fortunes by destroying his son.
Cut off from f...more
Paperback, 146 pages
Published
April 10th 2012
by M. Pax
(first published June 30th 2011)
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Due to the greed of his Father and Community Elders, Craze finds himself exiled from his home world. But all is not lost for him as he teams up a crew journeying the "Backworlds". All the while considering how he will make his fortune and take revenge on those back home!
This story introduced some interesting characters and original concepts. It was also a very enjoyable read and I will be adding book 2 in the series to my reading list!
This story introduced some interesting characters and original concepts. It was also a very enjoyable read and I will be adding book 2 in the series to my reading list!
Jun 03, 2012
Catherine Stine
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
lovers of space-opera, sci-fi, world-building
M Pax has visited the stars, you can tell. In fact, her bio says that she’s a star guide at Pine Mountain Observatory in Oregon. In her sparkling new space opera, Backworlds, her main character, Craze talks about shopping for a used rocket with scrappy cabins and a limit of “100 more jumps ‘n’ stops”. She’s created a nuanced galaxy of Backworlds and Foreworlds, with thugs on Wism, Jix cons on Elstwhere, and a rather verdant home planet of Siegna. If only Craze hadn’t been kicked off his own plan...more
Craze is his father, Bast's son. He's learned how to swindle with the best of them. Bast announces he's sending Craze off to another world to make his fortune. Craze thinks maybe his pa believes in him. But then Bast says he's sending him away from his home for good, stealing his girl, and having him declared a leecher, shamed in front of his people. Surely Craze's luck can't get worse than that? Yet as he heads off to Elstwhere, he discovers a whole universe meaner and greedier than his pa.
This...more
This...more
Holy Cow! I bow before the master of science fiction. M Pax should be on the Hugo Ballet right now for this story.
I became a fan of the author when I read Semper Audacia last year. I can't remember the details of that review, but I decided that I was going to be reading everything I could get my hands on that had M Pax on the cover.
So, this came around and my perception of what this author is capable of just went up considerably. This is MAJOR league awesome. I need, what? I need another star...more
I became a fan of the author when I read Semper Audacia last year. I can't remember the details of that review, but I decided that I was going to be reading everything I could get my hands on that had M Pax on the cover.
So, this came around and my perception of what this author is capable of just went up considerably. This is MAJOR league awesome. I need, what? I need another star...more
Free ebooks are awesome! And this one starts out strong.
Okay, it's a bit campily over-the-top, but I write for videogames and approve of such things. Our protagonist is Craze, a guy who's fuzzy and large and has just been betrayed by his con-artist-esque father (who has also stolen his long-time gf).
Craze goes on an unplanned trip to another planet and tries to make his way with new acquaintances and con-artist talent.
I was actually super-into this until the last, oh, 10% of the book. At this p...more
Okay, it's a bit campily over-the-top, but I write for videogames and approve of such things. Our protagonist is Craze, a guy who's fuzzy and large and has just been betrayed by his con-artist-esque father (who has also stolen his long-time gf).
Craze goes on an unplanned trip to another planet and tries to make his way with new acquaintances and con-artist talent.
I was actually super-into this until the last, oh, 10% of the book. At this p...more
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was a fast read, yet did a great job of introducing the reader to the "Backworlds" and the characters there. Craze is young man who suddenly finds himself shunned by his father, his girlfriend and his home-world. Forced to move off-world (literally chased off the planet), and carrying only a few coins and even fewer possessions, he finds himself relying on the skills (scamming and manipulating) that his father taught him. But, when trouble soon finds him, he ha...more
I’ve been a fan of the sci-fi set for as long as I can remember. Mostly, it’s a combination of Star Trek and Transformers that have nurtured my love for the genre. And since those franchises have stayed with me since my childhood days, it almost goes without saying that I’ve developed my own taste of what I like to see in my sci-fi, fickly as those preferences may be.
Mary Pax’s The Backworlds, then, transcends any of my expectations, and delightfully so. In fact, I didn’t know what to expect whe...more
Mary Pax’s The Backworlds, then, transcends any of my expectations, and delightfully so. In fact, I didn’t know what to expect whe...more
This is an easy to read, quick and enjoyable book. The author really brought to life the idea of dozens of races (all bio-engineered it seems), scratching away at the frontier of space, trying to make a living. Each race had very unique characteristics which the author exploited continuously, each tailored to their home planets.
The protagonist was a likable fellow who seemed to flip-flop between bravery and victim. I especially enjoyed his habit of ordering bar bottles in his head (mild to stron...more
The protagonist was a likable fellow who seemed to flip-flop between bravery and victim. I especially enjoyed his habit of ordering bar bottles in his head (mild to stron...more
This novella is a quick, easy read that acts as an intro to an upcoming series. Set in a sprawling universe inhabited by genetically modified humans tailored to their specific worlds, it makes for an interesting twist to the usual space opera. I like all the different "races" and little details such as living hair and sentient trees.
The characters are well drawn although not all of them are fully fleshed out. This isn't such a problem since the purpose of this novella is to introduce readers to...more
The characters are well drawn although not all of them are fully fleshed out. This isn't such a problem since the purpose of this novella is to introduce readers to...more
This book was a grab by the fist ..your coming with me book! You are flung head first into a world where young men are used for cheap labor then discarded in a despicable way ..by a father..then thrown out in a world he only thinks he understands..young Craze gets into trouble every step he takes...all with single mindedness of a strong young man. Who believes he is smarter and quicker and harder to swindle then the average .. But even though his race was created by long a go Earth ..some things...more
Run out of house and town by the Verkinn council elders at the instigation of his father, twenty-year-old Craze sets off to Elstwhere in search of his fortune. Craze soon falls in with two aviarmen, Lepsi - who’s trying to trump his brother Frederoy, and Talos - determined to establish a trade route in honour of his mother, in search of a new home. Their crazy new partnership leads them to adventure, dangerous places, and lots of money, or so they hope.
M. Pax writes with stunning imagery, creat...more
M. Pax writes with stunning imagery, creat...more
Science fiction and especially space opera is my favorite genre. As such I tend to be more critical of sci-fi books and writers. I totally enjoyed “The Backworlds” by M. Pax.
The storyline was well defined and easy to follow. I found myself caught up in the story from the very beginning.
The characters were well developed and believable. Craze, the main character, was like any one of us, stumbling and trying to get by with all his issues. I could easily identify with him.
The only complaint I have...more
The storyline was well defined and easy to follow. I found myself caught up in the story from the very beginning.
The characters were well developed and believable. Craze, the main character, was like any one of us, stumbling and trying to get by with all his issues. I could easily identify with him.
The only complaint I have...more
I don't normally opt for science fiction, but I'd heard of the author and when I read the product description, decided I'd try it. Something different. I didn't expect to like it, or be drawn into this new world so quickly. By page five I was hooked and it takes a good story to hook me.
Great job, M Pax. I thoroughly enjoyed the trip you took me on. I appreciated your characterization, the pacing, and how this new world was introduced without too much direct exposition and/or description. It was...more
Great job, M Pax. I thoroughly enjoyed the trip you took me on. I appreciated your characterization, the pacing, and how this new world was introduced without too much direct exposition and/or description. It was...more
Sep 26, 2012
Trisha
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
anyone who wants an unbloated, entertaining read set in an original sci-fi world
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Okay, just so you know from the start, I don't often read science fiction, and terms like Space Opera are relatively new to me. Since starting my blog I have come into contact with many sci-fi and fantasy authors, so I'm reading their books and learning about the genres as I go.
Just so you know a bit more, I do like Star Wars, Firefly etc. My main issue with reading about aliens is that my brain can't comprehend the alien bits - I need to see the worlds in front of me. This is purely my failing...more
Just so you know a bit more, I do like Star Wars, Firefly etc. My main issue with reading about aliens is that my brain can't comprehend the alien bits - I need to see the worlds in front of me. This is purely my failing...more
This is my first sci-fi read and... wow! I must say that I'm impressed.
This novella-length prequel made for quick reading, introducing an amazing galactic civilisation, a rich universe (it had my imagination running riot...) filled with a host of places (what great names such as Mortua, Wism, Danysovia...) and a variety of interesting and vividly-portrayed, colourful bio-engineered beings from old "fabled earth" like the Verkinn, Jix, and the aviarmen, all with their own distinct set of physical...more
This novella-length prequel made for quick reading, introducing an amazing galactic civilisation, a rich universe (it had my imagination running riot...) filled with a host of places (what great names such as Mortua, Wism, Danysovia...) and a variety of interesting and vividly-portrayed, colourful bio-engineered beings from old "fabled earth" like the Verkinn, Jix, and the aviarmen, all with their own distinct set of physical...more
I have confessed to having a soft spot for sci-fi. I was hooked from the first page when I felt immediate sympathy for the main character, Craze. He's an underdog with limited material resources, but his drive and ingenuity come through loud and clear. After being betrayed by his father and booted out of his home planet, he makes new alliances in a desperate attempt to survive. Craze is a charming character. The Backworlds is a scary place with all sorts of bioengineered beings. I loved reading...more
A MASSIVE 5-stars without hesitation and with glee. This is the kind of work I search for daily. I must winnow through 100 books for every gem like The Backworlds. This is world-building at its richest. It's a small story elegantly woven in a flavorful texture that closely resemble FIREFLY. Thank you Ms. Pax for this entertaining cultural morsel. Please continue the adventure. All thumbs up.
There's something about Craze that makes me smile and want to be his friend, despite the trouble he attracts. This is such a unique setting and M Pax did a wonderful job of world-building. Her characters are fresh and imaginative, swindlers that you can't help but root for. I would love to have living hair! (No, I'm not going to tell you about it)
I wish we could give 1/2 stars as I found this novella worthy of 3.5 stars.
M. Pax did a fantastic job with introducing the characters and the setting of the Backworlds environment. I could actually see and smell the setting (and some of those smells weren't at all pleasant as she intended).
I really liked the growth that Craze experienced. I found myself relating to him in regards to family. And I must say my favorite character so far is Talos. I'm interested in seeing more about him and Lepsi in...more
M. Pax did a fantastic job with introducing the characters and the setting of the Backworlds environment. I could actually see and smell the setting (and some of those smells weren't at all pleasant as she intended).
I really liked the growth that Craze experienced. I found myself relating to him in regards to family. And I must say my favorite character so far is Talos. I'm interested in seeing more about him and Lepsi in...more
3.5 stars.
I love a great sci-fi book and can't get enough of them lately so I was delighted when I downloaded this and the first page sucked me in. The world is well developed and interesting.
I love a great sci-fi book and can't get enough of them lately so I was delighted when I downloaded this and the first page sucked me in. The world is well developed and interesting.
A good set up to a story, developing characters, feelings for them and a vivid setting, but not a lot of plot. Main character remains static.
Although I don't read a lot of sci-fi, I do read the works of M. Pax. Unique plots, engaging characters and fascinating worlds.
This book is no exception. Craze is a young man who wants to own his own bar. However, he is forced to go live in the Backworlds by his father. Craze no money and has to use his wits to earn a living.
We see him secure a deal with shady characters and one of the most precious resources is: chocolate. A great read.
This book is no exception. Craze is a young man who wants to own his own bar. However, he is forced to go live in the Backworlds by his father. Craze no money and has to use his wits to earn a living.
We see him secure a deal with shady characters and one of the most precious resources is: chocolate. A great read.
Interesting characters in an original setting. Proper science fiction and an absorbing read.
It's like Firefly meets Huck Finn!
I think it's fab ... of course :)
Kindle freebie, 11/06/12
This was an enjoyable romp through space.
Very enjoyable first in a series.
May 21, 2013
Daniel J. Weber
marked it as to-read
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M. Pax is author of the sci-fi series, The Backworlds, and the new adult urban fantasy Hetty Locklear series. A Browncoat and SG fan, she's also slightly obsessed with Jane Austen. In the summers she docents as a star guide at Pine Mountain Observatory where the other astronomers now believe she has the most extensive collection of moon photos in existence. No fear, there will be more next summer....more
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“It made Craze smile, despite wishing most of his body parts would find new homes and leave him in peace.”
—
2 people liked it
“You can take a flyin’ leap off a space dock.”
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2 people liked it
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Jan 21, 2013 10:31am