Space Academy Dropouts

Space Academy, Book 1

By: C.T. Phipps, Michael Suttkus

Narrated by: Jeffrey Kafer

Length: 8 hrs and 19 mins

Publisher's summary

"Boldly going because they're completely lost."

The newly renamed Vance Turbo has sabotaged his own career at Space Fleet Academy due to a desire to atone for a training accident. Unfortunately, his actions result in him getting press-ganged into an expendable crew of misfits recruited by a legendary starship captain. Their mission? To recover a collection of lost sun-destroying missiles that could restart a galactic war. Unfortunately, Vance is smart enough to know something is wrong with this picture. After all, no sane person would recruit this crew to save the universe.

Space Academy is an all-new series from the hilarious duo of C.T. Phipps (Supervillainy Saga, Agent G) and Michael Suttkus (I Was a Teenage Weredeer, Lucifer's Star) that lampoons the space opera as well as military science fiction genres.

©2022 C.T. Phipps and Michael Suttkus (P)2022 Podium Audio

Hilarious sci-fi that delivers

What do you get when you take a group of unqualified underdogs fresh out of the Space Fleet Academy? You get a fun book that is snarky and inspiring. This book reminded me of the police academy movies but in space. Even the main character's name, Vance Turbo, made me laugh. The snarky AI, Trish, was one of my favorite characters. I particularly enjoyed the Star Trek, Starship Troopers, and James (or Jennifer) Bond movie references. Of course, there are many other pop culture references along the way. Overall, this is a light comedy space adventure that is a fun and quick read. If you are looking for a science fiction story that doesn't take itself seriously and has a lot of good laughs along the way. The narrator does a great job with the voices too. I highly recommended it!

I've found a kindred spirit(s)

After I started listening to this, I quickly realized this was my kind of scifi! I laughed out loud several times - loved the "Easter Eggs" referencing cherished scifi programs of our past.

If you love scifi - I definitely recommend Space Academy Dropouts!

Pop space opera

If you’re a fan of fun banter and pop culture reference of other space operas, this will be up your alley

I like the space aspect

I liked this book because it was set in space also it has been my life long dream to travel in space

Great start

Another great series from a fantastic author. Highly recommend you give this a chance. Have a fun listen

Great fun

I've yet to come across a book by CT Phipps that I do not thoroughly enjoy. I expected more pop culture humor, and it did not disappoint. This story paints a very interesting picture of future space travel, and not with the humans being the highest standard to measure up to. Frankly, humans are fairly low on the totem pole. And that seems about right to me. I absolutely cannot wait for the next in the series! It's great to have some scifi spade stories that don't take themselves too seriously.

the dangerous border territory between over-the-top and cringy

I think the book needed to either dial the absurdity up a few notches or dial it way way way back. it's self-aware in a kind of angsty way that hitchhikers guide isn't, and it doesn't always hit it's mark.

the story has some pretty good elements, and I think this would probably land pretty well with genre savvy teens. YA with a capital Y.

the voice acting was also ok, but not great. I never thought I'd complain about diction being TOO good, but he painful and haltingly used perfect annunciation even when it resulted in what I found to be an unnatural speaking cadence. It also made the characters harder to distinguish because they all spoke with the same diction. But on the other hand, it made him very clear and easy to understand. I get the impression that he was told that he wasn't speaking clearly and he overcompensated.

Fun, entertaining, adventurous!

Space Academy Dropouts
by C.T. Phipps, Michael Suttkus

Now these two authors write such great books that it's hard to explain what really makes them stand out. I love all their books but this one was the best one so far in my opinion.

The dropouts from the Space Academy are "recruited" (or die), by a Space hero for a secret mission. Our snarky but loveable dropout we follow is Vance. Phipps has a way of creating characters that really make you remember them, even the side characters. Each character in here is so unique and enjoyable or totally different/creative in personality or species it's a total brain treat! Even the small primate General, that is the enemy, is kind of endearing in a weird way. He thinks he is right! The ship's computer that decides to possess a sexbot to get new input. She is strange but funny!

But characters are not the only thing this book and these authors use to make great books! The dialogue makes the story flow and kept me giggling! Lots of references to movies and books. Snark but not too snarky. Unpredictable and a pure joy to read! The dialogue really brings the characters to life!

Lots of action, twists, humor, but we do lose a few characters along the way... it's deadly out in space! It's also interesting to get a grasp of the story's history, bad guys, god like characters, and more. Really expands the world building which is also done so well! All while I read, smile, and thoroughly enjoyed myself! Can't wait for book two!
Terrific narration!

A good fun start to a new series!

Good fun characters with some interesting backstory. Great narrator in Jeffrey Kafer as always. Alien species could have been fleshed out a little more for my taste. They were a little one note and vague. Very enjoyable listen. Would recommend.

Not just a dropout

The book was enjoyable. Jeffery Kafer, as usual, did a great job narrating. The book starts off with the main character getting himself kicked out of the space academy, then negotiates his way in to just dropping out. The first scene gives a hint as to what his personality is all about. There is quite a bit of sarcastic comedy throughout the book, which really made it enjoyable. The book was expertly crafted as lighthearted, and serious at the same time.