Welcome to Far Point, Rookie

by FIO.

It’s just another day at the office for Agent David Johnson. Interdimensional hive minds, wicked cults, the bureaucratic processes of the endless divide—it’s always a busy day at the Agency. And today, Agent Johnson will have his work cut out for him as he takes on his least favorite part of the job: training the new recruit. Now he’ll not only have to show the rookie the ropes but keep him alive on his first day in Far Point. For there are dangerous forces at play in this cursed city, and to make matters worse, it would seem that today is the end of the world. And unfortunately for Agent Johnson, it’s his job to stop it.

353 pages, Paperback

Published September 20, 2023

Reviews

[MikeLikesBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fun action packed book. It gave me Men In Black vibes. Agent Johnson wants to retire but is given a rookie to train. The first day had them dealing with creatures, cultists, demons and strange portals. The future of the planet is hanging by a thread. Can it be saved? Things look more promising when Officer Gutierrez makes it a trio. The plot was fun, the characters are great and the climatic ending was perfect. I need more of this team. This one was so good.

I want to thank the author for providing me a copy of his book. My review is voluntary.

[Nick Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has the best aspects of an action-fantasy with the structure of a fun dungeons and dragons campaign. With sick demons and monsters (obviously).
This book is funny and sarcastic, with the tone being reminiscent of Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency by Douglas Adams. Some of my favorite bits in this book include “Dr Neil DeLawn Tyson” and “it’s always insects”.
I found the way alternate dimensions are presented to be so sophisticated and thoroughly thought out (and a bit unsettling, as all the best reality shifting premises are). I love the “Men in Black”-esque concept of the agency being behind the scenes. It kinda freaks you out, makes you wonder what’s going on that we don’t know about…
The “post credit scene” (lmao) was the perfect amount of ominous. It set up a next book nicely without an annoying cliffhanger.
All this to say, I had so much fun reading this book and do recommend it!

[Bryce · Rating 5 out of 5]

super fun book. I would recommend to anyone

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Pumpjack Press for the review copy of this book.

This dad read Welcome to Far Point, Rookie, a humorous supernatural/science fiction thriller by Fio. Agent David Johnson’s day begins relatively normally—until he’s tasked with training a new recruit for The Agency, a bureaucratic organization that’s been keeping the world safe from demons and interdimensional threats for thousands of years. Little does the embittered Agent Johnson know, the rookie is a by-the-book stickler who’s more than eager to save the world. The two embark on a training experience neither will soon forget—but can they do it while preventing total annihilation?

Welcome to Far Point, Rookie does a stellar job balancing humor with a breakneck plot. From page one, readers are immersed in a world that feels both familiar (anyone who’s worked a desk job will relate to Johnson’s cynical take on corporate life) and extreme (demons, the multiverse, cults). Importantly, the humor never feels forced or undermined by the supernatural elements. This is largely thanks to the spot-on characterizations of Agent Johnson and his rookie trainee. The odd-couple pairing may not be new to literature, but Fio proves it’s a classic for a reason—it’s hilarious and full of heart.

The book is well-structured, with the main characters facing challenge after challenge that feel like standalone episodes in a TV series. They confront smaller threats while a larger, more menacing force brews in the background, building toward a wild, action-packed finale. This vignette-style storytelling, paired with Fio’s sharp writing, makes for a fun, fast-paced read.

Fio also surrounds the leads with a cast of quirky supporting characters who inject even more humor and depth into the story. From a bumbling pair of cultists to a lovesick fellow agent and a police officer in way over her head, Far Point is packed with personalities who entertain while keeping the plot moving. At times, some of these side characters feel like they’re dropped too quickly, but overall, the book uses them effectively without distracting from the protagonists’ main journey.

All in all, Welcome to Far Point, Rookie is an entertaining ride. I give it a solid 🧢🧢🧢🧢/5 and recommend it to fans of quirky, off-the-wall science fiction.

[Bradley Franks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Welcome to Far Point, Rookie
Written by Fio
Book 107/250
Genre: Sci-Fi
Format: Physical, RC
Pages: 353
Published: 2023
Rating: 9/10

“‘Work less, not harder, rookie.’
‘I thought it was ‘smarter’ sir? Work ‘smarter,’ not harder’
‘Working ‘less’ is the smartest way you can work. Remember that, rookie.’”

Combining the adventure and subversion of Discworld’s City Watch and the workplace comedy of ‘Office Space,’ Welcome to Far Point, Rookie is an engaging and hilarious read from start to finish. I had such a fun time reading this book! WtFPR takes your typical Sci-Fi secret agency, and puts it though the lens of a burnt-out employee who has to train a gung-ho recruit. It's delightfully funny how Fio is able to take these common tropes (secret agency, other-dimensional threats, etc) and flips it on its head with this perspective change. This was the perfect read to binge over a few day work trip. I am very excited to see what's next for Agents Johnson and Critter.

[Clark Hays · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun, engaging and enjoyable -- with monsters

This story kept me hooked from page one. The novel blends classic elements of horror/sci-fi -- including mythical and timeless creatures operating beyond the laws of physics -- with classic detective-style fiction in a super-engaging mashup. The relationship between fresh-faced Critter, the rookie -- who plays 100% by the book -- and cynical, world-weary Agent Johnson (who’s seen just about everything and is ready to call it a day), anchors grounds the story in emotion, somehow making the fantastical elements all the more plausible. The novel is straight-up fun and I look forward to reading more from this author.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel follows the jaded agent David Johnson, who is given a new recruit, Critter. It follows the two as they go about the first day of training and the various events that continue to go wrong. Critter's dedication to following the field manual is comical and so spot on for how a new recruit would be in a new job. The novel ends with saving the world, of course.

Some of my favorite scenes in the novel included the following:

1. The discussion about the wand/stick.
2. Critter purposefully following cult members
3. "It's always bugs..."
4. The plot twist at the climactic finale.

[Jake · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such an amazingly fun read! It reads very theatrically, and feels like I’m watching a movie as I read it. It’s heavy on dialogue, but that works so well for this book. An “I’m too old for this ish” veteran agent has to train the overly eager rookie on his first day and all hell breaks loose. Literally! Demons, elder gods, cults, rips in reality and multi-dimensional travel….its all in a days work for an agent! An absolute blast!

[Ashley Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was fun, but I felt the character development, especially for critter, was lacking.

[Jordy Rousse · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun read. Felt like supernatural Men in Black.