Mission 51

By: Fernando Crôtte

Narrated by: Jeff Bower

Fifty previous Torkiyan missions were obliterated in space, but new technology gives Mission 51 a better chance to reach the legendary planet Cerulea—also known as planet Earth.

Zeemat, a peaceful Torkiyan who’d rather hold a paintbrush than a weapon, has been assigned to his planet’s 51st mission against his own will. After suffering a catastrophic journey, Zeemat’s spacecraft crashes in what becomes known as Area 51. Taken captive by a rather brutal cohort of FBI agents, he finds a friend only in his gentle and kind translator, Dr. Linda Deltare. As the FBI torture grows increasingly merciless, Zeemat must find a way to escape his holding cell or perish, never to see the outside world he traveled so far to see.

In his quest for freedom and happiness, Zeemat must learn to survive in a strange new land and fight against militant forces from both his native and adopted planets.

©2022 Inkshares (P)2022 Fernando Crôtte

Nice to see mutualism and pacifism in a hero

I will state that I am clearly not the intended audience for this book -- that being my youngest brother and his cohort -- but I still found the story and writing style enjoyable. The audiobook portrays the protagonist, Zeemat, as a bit too whiney for my taste, but that aside, it's well-read and perfectly suited as a kind of backdrop while I gardened and otherwise engaged myself. I'd zone out while planting my late-summer crops or pruning back my mint, and the rolling cadence made for many a delightfully pleasant summer afternoon.

Reading the book itself...

Honestly, the story is fun and tickled me pink in places. I wouldn't take it too seriously, but after the drama of the past few years, a story that's easy to follow with solid writing following a logical, mostly-relaxed-pace plot is exactly what I needed. I'd recommend this to anyone who wants a stroll down this side of a fantasy adventure and enjoys seeing patience, altruism, and mutualism rewarded with wholesome outcomes. My five stars reflect the sense of peaceful joy I felt while reading and the fact that, once I started, I found my usual reads gathered a few days' dust. It also reflects the fondness I felt at its close.