Bonkpocalypse: A Red Darkling Jam

by L.A. Guettler

Bonk isn’t a normal cat. It’s glitchy, rusty, its eyes don’t match—and it’s only getting worse. Red Darkling, its owner and all-around space babe, is determined to find out what’s wrong.

Red’s investigation takes her across the galaxy, from Chuck’s Tap to the Whore’s Knuckles, from Dr. Mn’s Vet Clinic and Oil Change Emporium to The Meaty Noodle. Along the way, she’s joined by a lounge lizard, a government assassin and her busty wife, and some suspiciously hospitable monks.

Will Red uncover Bonk’s secret? Who is Todhunter Balzac? And will she ever get that damn FlinkBar jingle out of her head?

Advance praise for Bonkpocalypse

“It’s just the book I was looking for." ~The Serendipitous Teh

“A powerful exploration of a young woman’s struggle to find her place in the galaxy.” ~Fritzi Giggler

“More fun than a C’longi bachelor party.” ~Dirk Largo

282 pages, Paperback

Published June 12, 2022

Reviews

[Eli B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jaw dropping good book

Guettler’s text is incredibly visual and action packed. I don’t recommend eating while reading the beginning of the book, as there are ew visuals as well. Red Darkling, Bonk, and the rest suck you in and don’t spit you out until the end. Now onto another of Guettler’s books.

[Helen Whistberry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the first book in the Red Darkling series a lot but this sequel absolutely rocks! A focused, fast-paced plot, the highest of high stakes, an adorably deadly mechanical cat, tons of fun new characters, completely ridiculous sex pun acronyms... what's not to love? I'm a huge fan of a genre I think of as snarky sci-fi and this fits it perfectly. The character of Red herself is nicely developed as she is a bit more introspective than in the first outing without losing the chaotic, no holds barred, prickly edge that make her unique. Lots of humor here, naturally, but also a nice emotional core that grounds the story and makes us even more invested in the outcome. Expertly written and edited, I highly recommend this one for fans of this genre.

[Allison Ketchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the long-awaited sequel to Red Darkling, a fast-paced and funny sci-fi romp that you’ll want to read first for maximum fun. Bonkpocalypse was well worth the wait. Guettler introduces new characters, new settings, and new conflicts while staying true to the original, allowing Red to further develop as a rich, complex character amidst all the mayhem and hilariously inappropriate acronyms. The pacing is fantastic, so you might say this is a plot-driven book, but I was laughing out loud frequently, so humor is a major factor, and while wit and action themselves make a fun read, Bonkpocalypse has a lot of heart. The characters grow and learn and fight with each other and resolve their differences (sometimes), and I was just as invested in the emotional resolution as I was in how the plot wrapped up. And it’s a great, twisty plot, so that’s saying something.

I thoroughly enjoyed this and hope for another!

[Krud · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since I read this during my hiatus from Goodreads, I failed to properly give it a review, so I'm rectifying that now. Most books I would not be able to do this over two years after the fact, but this was not most books.

A direct sequel to "Red Darkling," this time around we learn more about Red's mysterious wonky robot cat, Bonk. (So named for his tendency to run into walls.) But it's so much more than that, because we also learn about its horny inventor, an order of unusual monks, and a secret organization with NSFW acronyms. In other words, sex, sects, and SECS.

Despite the innunedo and language, it's still a relatively tame(ish) humorous sci-fi romp that I think needs to be turned into the next Amazon animated series once they've used up all the Critical Role plotlines.

[Ryan Haidar (YPQ) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually read this without realizing that it was the second book in a series! Then I went back and read Red Darkling, and honestly I really enjoyed reading Bonkpocalypse as essentially a prequel.

Absolutely fell in love with the characters, felt like the absurdity behind everything whilst still staying within the plot and world that was built was just brilliant. It's a fine line and the author rode it beautifully! Am definitely looking forward to everything else L.A. Guettler comes up with!

[Ian Bannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it

I absolutely loved the second book in the series, there were many moments I was laughing uncontrollably from the craziness of it all, the fact it's so politically incorrect just adds to it.

There is certainly a lot carnage, body parts flying in all sorts of places, but behind it all, it's an extremely well written story that has a lot of depth to it.

I can't wait for next book in series and certainly recommend it:)

[Sylver Poulsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bonk is best cat

This book has put me in an awkward position, because I gave the first one in the series 5 stars, but this one is even better!
The universe is as engaging as ever, but the characters are much more fleshed out and believable, even when they do unbelievable things.
Also, it still rides the line between touching drama and hilarious (read: crass) comedy so incredibly well.
Definitely worth a read.

[Firstname Lastname · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nobody else writes like this

I haven't had this much fun with a book since explosives training. The multiple entendres, pointed acronyms, and general wordplay are as joyful as they are smart. Tired of SF that looks down from its lofty infodumping to tsk about The Human Condition? Then Bonkpocalypse is definitely for you.

[Alacrity17 · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun and enjoyable book. Definitely a good read that I will enjoy reading again and again. Love the acronyms and the humour throughout. I hope the author writes many more and that a movie is made too. 😀