Empire Night on Union Station

EarthCent Ambassador #18

by E.M. Foner

Book Eighteen of EarthCent Ambassador. Start series with Book One, Date Night on Union Station. The population of the Conference of Sovereign Human Communities hits a billion, triggering a previously unnoticed clause in the Tunnel Network Treaty. Has the time finally arrived for the Stryx to remove Earth’s training wheels and let humanity to stand on its own? The EarthCent ambassador gets a crash course in investing from the alien ambassadors but she’s having trouble remembering little things. Dorothy has a new idea to revolutionize the fashion industry while Samuel’s career hits a wall. 

Genres: Science Fiction, Humor, Cozy

203 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 6, 2020

About the author

I wrote Date Night on Union Station while taking a break from work on a science fiction epic I've been struggling with for years. The goal was to cheer myself up and to find out if there is still an audience for a science fiction comedy that gets its laughs from dialogue and funny situations rather than from gross-outs and shocks. As many readers have pointed out, the EarthCent series could be rated PG under the old fashioned system, no bloodshed, no graphic sex, no four letter words. And after years of imagining a galaxy for my epic in which multiple human civilizations are at war with each other, it did me a world of good to write about a galaxy where most people are just trying to make a living and find some joy in life. I received so many requests to extend the Date Night universe into a series that I put aside my epic for an extended period to write a sequel, Alien Night on Union Station. The events take place five years after the conclusion of Date Night, and the plot involves a mix of business, diplomacy, gaming and family relations. As a bonus, we finally get to meet Kelly's mother. After the positive response to Alien Night, I wrote a third book for the series, High Priest of Union Station, which is currently in the editing stage and due out in mid-October. I just started a book that extends the EarthCent galaxy with a different mission and cast of characters, though they may intersect at some point.

Reviews

[Mike Alderman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Consistently fun scifi series

I've read all the books in this series, and its spinoff. I've enjoyed every single one. Read this author's stuff.

[john Calkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the EarthCent Ambassador series, the relevant part of the universe is tightly controlled by an Artificial Intelligence called the Stryx. The senior Stryx are benevolent, manipulative, sly, and for the most part happy to remain well in the background of the series. The alien species that dwell within the Stryx domain have civilizations that are millions of years old, and as far as readers know, don't have to be managed by the Stryx very much except to prevent war. Humans are the newbies in the storyline and the Stryx quietly meddle in their affairs to improve and strengthen the species as well as manipulate some of them on an individual level. This meddling is often the delightful part of the books. The humans are rather bumbling creatures incapable of making decisions for their own good until they fall into the sphere of the Stryx.

The author keeps a family tree of his characters online, and an updated copy of it should accompany each volume. E.M. Foner loves his long-term readers as much as he loves his characters, and it must make it more difficult for new readers to get involved with each volume. It's hard for me to judge since I started with book #1 and have read the series in order a number of times. There are more action and excitement in the earlier books. Readers who stick with the series will find a lot of satisfaction in the character development as well as the expansion of the characters. Each book is like coming home to old friends.

I realize that this is a crappy review if you want specifics about volume #18, but I feel that a plot description will be sound too boring to potential new readers and that old readers of the series probably don't want to know. Newbies should start with #1. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did several years ago. If #1 grabs you, you have a lot of pleasant and fun reading ahead of you.

[james · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another winner in the series. Again, the plot spanning multiple volumes ties in clues from past noels to the current story, and litters the floor with hints of future developments in the Earthcent universe (or should we start using the rebranded term Earth Empire).

Well edited and crafted, with reappearances of some old character favorite like the Gem (hide your chocolates); and car show bikini-clad Sephia who manages to make the Stone Soup host blush and stammer.

[Dave Weiss · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I say? Only E.M. Foner could take you behind the scenes of a trade show and make it interesting. The human race has reached the status where it can become a galactic empire, but what will they do? Once again it's Foner's character development that wins the day. You get to the point where you genuinely care about these characters. It takes something special to be able to carry a book series for 18 books, but Foner has done it once again and I am seriously looking forward to book 19. This is science fiction but without all the violence, just very different people learning how to live with their differences and learning to appreciate each other and thrive together. That's something we could all use these days. If you've never read a Union Station book, I highly recommend you pick up the Union Station 1-3 anthology and dig in. This is a good read.

[Jonathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable read for fans of the series

I enjoy hanging out with these characters. I haven't been carefully tracking the time skip with each new book but the main characters are getting old! Now I'm worried for them.

Not too much happens in the way of plot. The biggest things are nanotech in the fashion industry and the possible evolution of a Human Empire out of a loose collection of human societies.

Plus there's some interesting business going on with paper notebooks and investing EarthCent's cookbook royalty money.

[Joshua Macy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I still like the characters a lot, but this one seemed like the author was playing a game with himself to see if he could work a reference in to every other book in the series. I think he missed Vacation Night, but otherwise it was a clean sweep. The "Living" spin-off series seems more vibrant and fun at the moment.

[Rick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun as always.

U Earth sent embassador books are always fun and this one doesn't fail no they're not heavy yes the action just goes on and on and on and cause-and-effect or somewhat lightly linked but that doesn't mean they're not fun, they are. I'll read the next one and the one after that and I'm gonna keep reading them as long as Foner keeps writing them so you should to.

[Rob · Rating 5 out of 5]

Empire???? We don't need no stinking Empire!!!

Another Great installment of the on going union station space opera! Kelly(Earths' ambassador) still has windfall profits from the cookbook,but now has to figure out how to help make up the framework for Earth's new Empire! The fun continues!!!

[Doug Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book in the Union Station series!

I look forward to each new release in this series and this latest book did not disappoint. The ambassador sometimes seems like she is a step behind the other characters, but they always seem to adapt to her way of thinking before the story is finished.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good to be back in Union Station

Another fun romp with Kelly and the Stryx; as usual, Libby and Jeeves have everything under control, and Dorothy doesn't get to spend as much of Jeeves' money as she would like. 😉

[Daniel T. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent Series

Great Series of books with an ongoing story line, with well crafted characters that make you care about their struggles. No epic battles, harem, crazy powers, just interesting characters. Nice light reading.

[Bill Perkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great read

Every book I could write the same thing. They are all good, fun to read, and stand alone.

Once again I'll say it is clear he really likes these people, the characters, as they are all treated nicely and with respect.

[Keith Fletcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the series and hope it continues for a long time

This is just great fun. Fantastic character development I will miss them while I wait for more books. I truly recommend all the books ..... Enjoy!

[DOUGLAS J BERRY · Rating 5 out of 5]

Notebooks and pens for all.

Strong entry in the series. Buy the introductory three pack it's a bargain. The humans are offered an upgrade and behave oddly? Some humans seem to regressising. The Neandertals do well.

[Al · Rating 5 out of 5]

foner is very cleaver

I’m really enjoying this series of stories. The development of the aliens is very imaginative and compelling. The stories about historical reinactments run by aliens for alien tourists are very thought provoking.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The royalties are rolling in from the All-Species Cookbook and EarthCent ambassador Kelly McAllister is looking for a way to invest the profits. So, much of the story turns out to be a primer on investment strategies. It is always fun to spend time with this cast of characters, although it is hard sometimes to keep them all straight. I do miss Hollie Jackson; the series was more entertaining in audio.

[Jackson Bell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Consistently good and intelligent SF with humor. I have read all 18 plus the spin-offs on Flower. Highly recommend the Union Station sereies.

[stephanie huntington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent and entertaining

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really Humorous

There is more humor in this story than usual. Kelly starts a trend and the kids break out more. Well worth reading. A fun read.

[Norman · Rating 5 out of 5]

First school then

Reading, arithmatic, now writing...it is as if our alien overlords are weaning us all from tech. Go figure.And our dear Kelly is becoming versed in retail trends

[shannon Stubbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still good

This is such a great series. Every time I read a new book it feels like catching up with old friends.

[Elaine Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this series

I love this series. The way the author has interwoven the lives of the central characters as well as adding new characters. Well played Mr Foner

[Pranav Garg · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best written, fun, entertaining sci-fi series I have ever read! Please do yourself a favor and read all the books in the series!

[mike williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

?

E.M. Foner produces very hard to put down light hearted reading. His quick wit and jokes make for fun, quick reading, and leaves one looking for more.

[Joel · Rating 3 out of 5]

The EarthCent Ambassador books are such a delight and this one is no different. The cast of characters has grown a bit unwieldy and keeping track of who is the offspring of whom can be a bit distracting, but in general, the lighthearted tone and easy-going nature of the plots make for relaxed, enjoyable reading.

Empire Night is no different from its predecessors in that regard. This time out sees lessons in investing for Kelly and in iterating-in-public for Dorothy all while humans and aliens alike debate the best course for the future of humanity. No surprises here, the book is fun and more like spending an afternoon with old friends than anything else.

[Edward · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy read. Delightful and stress free sci-fi adventure that focuses more on characters than the science.