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Reviewed by Asher Syed for Readers' Favorite
The Wild & Zany Galactic Adventures of Commander Zhang & Lieutenant Simon by Vegastarchild584 is the tale of the titular Zhang and Simon and their extra-terrestrial work. The relationship between the co-workers who conduct exploratory assignments from the base of the Athena is one of camaraderie, but a personal exploration is also in motion. Vegastarchild584 starts the novel with a hook that pits Zhang and Simon against one another following a public meltdown, then reverses into a story that starts from the beginning, filling in the blanks on how soulmates came together, fell out, and then reunited while training for and subsequently going on a mission to save Earth. Along the way, we also find out more about their lives, their work, their mission, and an unfortunate incident involving Sichuan chili sesame seed oil.
The Wild & Zany Galactic Adventures of Commander Zhang & Lieutenant Simon took no time to get into and from the hook it proved entertaining. The title is accurate and Vegastarchild584 tells readers exactly what is in the box, so any expectation of huge depth and hard science fiction technical probability should be withheld. Zhang and Simon are like buddy cops who went to the Universe's MIT and become the sexiest stars on Earth. They are lovers and soulmates which means the swings from high to low are lathered in jealousy, misunderstanding, and sometimes soap. I'm glad that the mission training comes first and takes up a sizeable portion of the book because I got to know and like the males before they were full human incarnates. Some of their antics and inability to read the room would have irked me if they had happened first, like when they are the worst retreat guests ever in the most beautiful place on Earth. The writing style is sharp and the main plot takes a back seat to the romance, which is how the story deserves to be told, and the combination makes for an easy ride. Recommended.