(Book 1 in the Hal Spacejock series) - A Robot Named Clunk

This is part of a series. As with most series it leaves you expecting more resolution, maybe wanting to read more.. Not worth my time to pursue more of the series even though it was inventive and entertaining.

Loving this book! Humorous, witty dialogue. Hal reminds me of a slightly sloppy Han Solo - his luck hasn't been so great and he has money troubles and a piece of junk spaceship. Instead of Chewie, his onboard computer is his companion and it rips him frequently which is hilarious. Against his will he winds up with another companion, a good natured robot named Clunk. Hal becomes a pawn in a game being played out by a couple of greedy business rivals trying to get the best of each other when he takes a job to pay his debts. A loan collector who has threatened Hal already for his own debts gets involved in the game to try to better his finances too. I'm glad this is a series and I can look forward to more books!

Hal is the owner of an ancient, battered space freighter. Lacking intelligence, bravery, or even good character, he blunders obliviously, Mr Magoo-like, out of one mishap into the next. As the book starts his fortunes have spiraled down to where he needs to take on a dubious cargo to clear his debts. Clueless about events outside his own sphere of interest, he has no idea just how dodgy this cargo really is. Mayhem ensues.

The humor is about as subtle as pie in the face. Enjoyable if you are in the mood for basic lowbrow slapstick.

I will never like this book but it is well done. If you loved "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Universe" then it's a gotta read. If you found that book just too annoying to finish, this one is better and doesn't have what I considered convoluted and spurious side plots, but then you won't get the answer to Life, The Universe, And Everything either.
I tried to be fair. It is something that would be extreme fun for someone - thus 4 stars, but I don't really understand the apeal of "Hitchhiker" so it's not something I'm capable of judging fairly.

Is it just me, or did I hear the voices of Chris Barrie and Robert Llewellyn while reading this book? I think not. The feel of Haynes humor will be familiar to fans of Red Dwarf, slapstick with a hint of absurdist humor. First rate entertainment. I recommend this book highly. Not perfect, but very, very good.

If Laurel and Hardy went into space it would be a lot like this story. Spacejock starts out with overwhelming problems and it only gets hilariously worse for him and his side kick Clunk as they stumble thru the universe bungling everything they touch. This story would be an instant hit at the movies.

This review is difficult to write because both the wife and the husband in this particular partnership have read it, disagree, and we only have one account from which to write a review. The wife is less impressed because it seemed kind of stupid in places (she would probably give it only 2 stars), but the husband assures her that it's funny in a guy kind of way. They both agree that action and ridiculous adventure come at a fast pace and that Clunk is a sympathetic character. They disagree about whether the term sympathetic applies to Spacejock, however. They both like the ending.

Assuming the book was meant to appeal to the lighter side of a male audience's taste, the four stars of this rating reflect the husband's opinion (and the wife just rolls her eyes in the background).

Funny and fast read. Will take just a couple of hours tops, but it's great summer read and I really cared about the characters especially Clunk, the robot who just like Marvin steals the show as in the best of this kind of fiction the great Hitchhiker's Guide series. This is definitely aimed at young readers say in their teens. They will really enjoy this and I who am past fifty liked it a lot. I will have to get some more of these.

For a SF genre, I'm usually happy if the science is pretty good, and if the characters never act bizarrely. This first book in the Hal Spacejock series passes both tests.

Hal might act in a semi-competent, mostly-good-guy way most of the time, but he doesn't fit well in a world of cut-throat bureaucrats, and he has to take on a less savory job. His general impatience with rules leads to a long series of amusing catastrophes, aided by his robot Clank.

The robots in this book are programmed to advertise, make a profit, and force compliance. Computers are doing that even today, so this look at the future with a bit of AI making things worse isn't much of a stretch.

The series of misadventures revolving around the shipment of robot parts ends satisfyingly. Recommended.

I just finished this first book in the Hal Spacejock series by Simon Haynes, and I couldn't possibly count the number of times I laughed out loud.

I do know it started with the very first page. To set the scene, our hero, Hal Spacejock himself, is playing chess against his spaceship's navigational computer:

-----------------------

'Your turn,' said the Navcom, in a neutral female voice.

'I'm thinking.'

'While you're planning your opening move, can I tell you about a special offer?'

'What kind of offer?' asked Hal suspiciously.

'Planet Books have a chess title on sale.'

[...]

'Chess for the intellectually challenged?' said Hal, staring at the cover in disbelief. 'Is this some kind of joke?'

'It's part of a popular series,' said the Navcom.

'What are the others? Interstellar navigation for nutters? Moon landings for morons?'

'Shall I add those titles to your basket?'

-----------------------

This book had me roaring. From the first page to the last, Hal Spacejock is a comically lovable idiot -- the dubious hero with a heart of gold buried under a whole cargo load of impatience, underhandedness, laughably questionable habits and an indomitable devil-may-care attitude. His faithful sidekick robot, Clunk -- with enough common sense for two and a healthy dose of good guy morality -- saves Hal's foolish hide at every turn and steals the show on every glorious page.

Add in a smart-mouth shipboard computer, a debt collector with a burly robot henchman, and two competing industrial tycoons who would do just about anything to get their hands on a shipment of robot parts, and you have the perfect recipe for one wild and uproarious ride across the galaxy and back again.

The story is set in the traditional, for sci-fi, future of humanity; living on many Earth-like high-tech planets. The "hero" is Hal a bungling freighter pilot who inexplicably managed to acquire a ship. He is the only crew member if you discount the computer (the only being that actually does any useful work) The book contains some of his exploits as he's catapulted around by fate, his inability and a new, surprisingly able, robot friend.

I found it a bit difficult to enjoy a book that centres around a character who doesn't control his fate deliberately. The character is a bit too silly/unbelievable to be taken seriously, though the universe is reasonably interesting.

Overall a mediocre read.

All in all it was a great romp through a universe littered with spaceships, bad guys, intelligent computers and robots. I do feel that it started out a little slow, though this may be a "female" thing as the writer spent more time discussing the technicalities of spaceships and robots then I felt necesssary. That said, it did nothing but get better as it went along with whole story hitting its stride in the last third of the book. Loved Hal's "big dumb jock" luck--his ability to land on his feet with little regard for how it happened (More often than not, Clunk put him there). Lots of snappy, funny conversations and slapstick humor. Many moments had me chuckling and a few-laughing outloud.

One of this book's best qualities is that it is squeaky-clean humor--I can let my sons read it and not have to worry about disturbing content or references to "adult activities". This alone puts this book on par with Terry Pratchett in terms of broad audience appeal.

I cannot wait for the second book and third books in this series to find their way to the US.

Hal Spacejock is an interesting story. Being mainly a comedy, it's really going to depend on your personal tastes if you like this or not.

Unfortunately for me, as it went on, my opinion of it went down. At 4,572 locations, it just felt too long. For this sort of humor, shorter would have worked better for me. As an example, it feels like the entire casino section could have been taken out with no real harm to the story.

Clunk and the Navcom are the stars to me. How Hal could have survived at all, is hard to believe, without Clunk to save him.

Still, free, so give it a try.

Like Douglas Adams. A little like Terry Pratchett, without more wizards and pork. Truly funny-exciting, too. Don't miss it! Riding through space on the Black Gull might even be more fun than the Black Pearl!

Star Trek and Star Wars writers are great, however, just like "Final Frontier," or the entire Prequel Trilogy, sometimes it can be a hit and a miss... However, this novel is a great standalone novel.

Simon Haynes, aside from creating AWESOME computer writing programs like yWriter, has written a great novel here. It's exciting, life-like, interesting, and above all, absolutely hilarious!

I'm glad I got this book, and look forward to purchasing the other books in the series in the future!

(This is the first book, by the way...)

I really liked it. The Humor was at times juvenile at other times over the top. But always very funny. I have the sense of humor of a twelve year old; I'm proud of that. This book really scratched where I itched.
I compare it to the "Hard Luck Hank" books in that sometimes the story Suffered in order to facilitate a joke. But as I said, I enjoyed it.

It's almost like a Star Wars book about Han Solo and C3PO, except here Han is lazy and C3PO isn't a coward. Hal is a transporter with an old, crappy ship who is taking an old robot to a junkyard. But he's in debt to the some bad guys, and is hired for a suicide mission. It's pretty good by itself, but there are more books after. I enjoyed it a lot.

Hal is such a bumbling idiot. But so are most of the other characters in this series. It's entertaining and often groan worthy. Will I read any of the other Hal books? Not right away but eventually.

I enjoyed this fast paced science fiction story about Hal Spacejock. Once you start you better hold on tight because the action never ends. Hal and his intrepid robot friend Clunk solve one hair raising problem after another as they try to make a space run for some robot parts to help Hal pay for his space ship. Clunk the robot is more adventurous, smarter, funnier, clever and human than R2D2 and C3PO combined.

If you like fast paced science fiction that is hard to put down then pick up a copy of Hal Spacejock.

At first, it did not seem that I would be able to finish the book. There were so many perilous situations that it did not seem Hal would be around long. As the action continued and he got some allies (and a lot of enemies), things got better. At times, the action is almost too extreme to be funny, but somehow the author pulls it off. I was hooked by about the 4th chapter and really enjoyed the book.

After the free hook was set, I bought the second and third books. Funny, chaotic, enjoyable read!

Armed with a sense of humor and imagination, Haynes' Hal Spacejock has just the right humor to entertain in a colorful sci-fi setting. Those who enjoy sci-fi humor will enjoy this as the irreverent tone and settings are akin to Hitchhiker's Guide, Red Dwarf, Futurama, Discworld, Planetfall, and Sierra's SpaceQuest.

Hal Spacejock, a not-too-bright or ambitious pilot of a run-down space freighter is desperate for a job. When faced with a very real threat on his life from loan sharks he embarks on a sketchy pick up and delivery job with only a robot companion, Clunk, to assist him when it all goes from bad to worse.

The story is fun and fast-paced, a great book for a quick read or for a younger reader who can appreciate humor, slight cursing, and poop jokes. While it lacks depth, it makes no qualms that it is there for your amusement and tries to please.

The dialogue was its strong point and the witty repartée between Spacejock and the various characters he encounters smoothes over any of the bumps in pacing. Some of my favorite moments are with the ship computer, Navicom, especially when it finds itself copied onto another ship.

It's an entertaining read, and I recommend it for anyone who loves deadpan narration and a few hours of frivolous fun in a science fiction world.

The writing has a very strong Douglass Adams vibe to it, which I really enjoyed. Characters are irreverent, funny, and always seem to make it out of the jam they are in more from ineptitude rather than skill or knowledge.

I felt that the middle of the book dragged on, bouncing from location to location trying to connect the pieces. Overall I really enjoyed it, but I don't think I'll be reading any more in the series for the time being.

Simon Haynes' "Hal Spacejock" was a darn good read. More importantly, it was something that I completely enjoyed reading, after a long time. What was interesting for me while reading the book was to note that I was hooked by the time I was barely a quarter of the way through the book. Usually, it takes me a while to be truly invested in a story. For instance, Terry Pratchett is my favourite author but the last few books by PTerry took me at least till the middle of the book before I was really engaged in the story - you know, the point of no return, where you get so hooked in the story that you cannot bear to put the book down.

Am I saying that Simon is better than PTerry? Not really. (Sorry Simon :p) But I'm saying that Simon's style is very easy to read and to get into and that it is very different from that of Terry Pratchett - I enjoy books by both but I find that Simon's is a much more easier page turner for me a lot earlier on :) But I'm not going to compare one author to another, that's really not fair to either since each author has their own unique style and they bring completely different values and qualities to the table.

Basically, I enjoyed the story. It came together well and by the time I completed it, I wanted to get my hands on the sequel, "Hal Spacejock: Second Course" and continue reading. That's all that any author can ask for, right? :)

I enjoyed the comedy and complete wrong turns taken by both main characters. I laughed many times throughout this book and enjoyed the adventure. I definitely recommend this book. I will purchase more in the series in the future.

First, I'd like to point out that I'm by no means a sci-fi enthusiast. In fact, though I read quite a bit, I've probably read less than 5 sci-fi book in all...

And I loved Hal Spacejock.

What does that mean for you? Well, it means that you don't have to be engrossed in this genre to enjoy Hal! Sure, it might help if you like Star Wars, or enjoyed SpaceQuest, but it certainly isn't required.

So, if you're looking for some fun, sci-fi lover or not, give this book some of your free time. In it, you'll find comedy and suspense, and a main character who you can't help but root for. His unlikely companions, and multiple enemies, travel with him through the atmospheres of several planets in search of adventure (or is it mainly to run from trouble?) Being the versatile space jock that he is, Hal is at ease in any situation, from the casinos of Forg to the battle-riddled junkyards of Seraph.

There's enough here to be worth the price folks, and to top it off, the author is a top-notch character himself. He is open and ready to chat on his various blogs, websites and through facebook. He writes software to help other authors in their quests, and hosts multiple web pages with information on how to write effectively. Generous!

Is it just me, or did I hear the voices of Chris Barrie and Robert Llewellyn while reading this book? I think not. The feel of Haynes humor will be familiar to fans of Red Dwarf, slapstick with a hint of absurdist humor. First rate entertainment. I recommend this book highly. Not perfect, but very, very good.

Hal is the owner of an ancient, battered space freighter. Lacking intelligence, bravery, or even good character, he blunders obliviously, Mr Magoo-like, out of one mishap into the next. As the book starts his fortunes have spiraled down to where he needs to take on a dubious cargo to clear his debts. Clueless about events outside his own sphere of interest, he has no idea just how dodgy this cargo really is. Mayhem ensues.

The humor is about as subtle as pie in the face. Enjoyable if you are in the mood for basic lowbrow slapstick.

More than the lion's share of scifis that aim to be funny seem to miss the mark. It pleases me to report that, for me at least, Hal Spacejock is on target.

It's a joyous romp through the lighter side of space opera that manages to maintain its flip tone from chapter to chapter. I am a curmudgeon and I don't laugh out loud much. Major kudos to Spacejock author Simon Haynes for breaking my stone face with a few good guffaws when he stooped to slapstick, a form of humor we don't see often enough in fiction. And the one or two times he descended into pure silliness were spot on the money.

And if you are looking for humorous robots, well, let's just say that compared to Douglas Adams's downer, Marvin, Haynes has crafted a winner.

Hal Spacejock's tone is comparable to Keith Laumer's Retief stories, except Spacejock is much lighter.

Way to go, Mr. Haynes.

Literary masterpiece? Naww.... Well, worth the time to read? You betcha! The characters were just real enough to make the story something to buy into. The author was able to weave an odd tapestry of plot, silly, robots, and an inept human and somehow end up with something that was fun to read. That is the best reason to read this book, it is just plain fun. I want more, so am off to get more of this author's works.

I had a fun time reading this book. I chuckled at the adventures and mis-adventures of the characters and the weaving of adventure, fun, fantasy, and space travel into the same book. Yes, there were some parts of the book that were hard to believe (just how did he get out of that situation, or are they that dumb?) but I knew this wasn't serious or hard sci-fi simply by the title.

I'd definitely read another Hal Spacejock (mis) adventure.

If you enjoy "British Humor" (like the four book trilogy, "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy") you will enjoy this insane comedy. At least, I did.

If you are looking for serious Science Fiction, look elsewhere.

Han Solo meets Hitchhikers Guide! This is some funny stuff. It really is laugh out loud funny. I just came off a binge in the Star Wars universe so I couldn't help but see similarities and enjoyed every one of them!

I have dabbled myself with writing and actually came across Simon's site, the author, due to a software application he made for writers I had seen good reviews in other locations. I certainly wasn't looking for something to read as I have a HUGE backlog of other books just waiting for me to have some spare time to pick up. However, I ended up with a copy of Hal and it was a joy to read. Its a quick read, not too intellectual, which too much sci-fi tries to do these days, and just the right mix of humor, excitement, and adventure.

The interaction between characters is a roller coaster of good times for all. I read 3-4 books a month and rarely do I put one down and immediately start seeking out more of the same. I like to jump genres to keep my mind fresh, right now all I want is more of Hal and Clunk!

If you enjoy a world of quirky characters and side splitting humor. Here is your new base of operations! You will not regret it!

I thought this book was great and free to boot. I hate long descriptions that some books go through. It's the story that I'm interested in and this book delivers.
Sure it's corny in some spots but I was laughing out loud at some other parts. Fiction is made to entertain. If you want realism read a tech manual.

and it managed a lot of humour in there. At couple of times it lost continuity for another slapstick gag, but overall it kept integrity, consistency and, best of all, managed a heck of a lot of laughs. I loved the reversal of the Hitchhiker characters too -- good to see a spunky robot. I think that scifi-based humour is hard so give Mr. Haynes the credit he is due and read the book.

Hal Spacejock is fast, fun read guaranteed to make you chuckle out loud. Simon Haynes keeps the plot simple and moving forward quickly. All Hal has to do is pick up some cargo and deliver it. The only problem is, Hal isn't the bravest, smartest, or even most motivated of guys. These qualities end up making the whole trip a lot more interesting.

Through a series of misfortunes Hal ends up in mortal peril, causing massive property damage, and having his ship stolen. You find yourself turning the pages just to see how Hal and Clunk get out of their jam and into the next.

Fans of sci-fi will appreciate the little digs at other books and movies, but anyone looking for a good read will enjoy the story, humorous dialogue and outrageous situations. While not as non sequitur as "Hitchhikers Guide", Haynes does drop in plenty of gibes on our modern way of living and taking it to that next step (do we really want the elevator computer to know how much we weigh?)

I definitely recommend Hal Spacejock to anyone looking for a solidly entertaining book that will provide laughs and introduce you to some fun characters.

I guess the main thing is that with very little effort this could have been a great book. I like the main character to a point, then it seemed completely crazy. I was routing for the bad guy at one point. Anyway, read at your own risk.

This was one of those surprise books that you start expecting one thing, and then get another. I was laughing out loud at some of the parts, and put it down, not a chance. If you enjoy Hitch Hikers Guide and Red Dwarf you will enjoy this.

Jokes never stopped coming. They just happened one after the other. I think the author tried to make fun of the Sci-fi genre here? Not too certain on his motivation. If you want t o laugh? So be it, read it and have fun with it.

I enjoyed reading this book enough that I bought the second book in the series. It has been compared to Red Dwarf, while there some surface similarities, the characters are really quite distinct. Hal isn't Lister, for one. It's fun, it's free, you might like to give it a try.

This book is very funny. The first 2/3 of the book flows very well and makes you want to read one more page but the last 1/3 just goes on too long. I do recommend this book and i have bought the next volume.

This review is difficult to write because both the wife and the husband in this particular partnership have read it, disagree, and we only have one account from which to write a review. The wife is less impressed because it seemed kind of stupid in places (she would probably give it only 2 stars), but the husband assures her that it's funny in a guy kind of way. They both agree that action and ridiculous adventure come at a fast pace and that Clunk is a sympathetic character. They disagree about whether the term sympathetic applies to Spacejock, however. They both like the ending.

Assuming the book was meant to appeal to the lighter side of a male audience's taste, the four stars of this rating reflect the husband's opinion (and the wife just rolls her eyes in the background).

I enjoyed this fast paced science fiction story about Hal Spacejock. Once you start you better hold on tight because the action never ends. Hal and his intrepid robot friend Clunk solve one hair raising problem after another as they try to make a space run for some robot parts to help Hal pay for his space ship. Clunk the robot is more adventurous, smarter, funnier, clever and human than R2D2 and C3PO combined.

If you like fast paced science fiction that is hard to put down then pick up a copy of Hal Spacejock.

Not quite as funny as The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Not quite as adventurous as The Stainless Steel Rat. Not quite as original as, well, something more original would be. It is an amusing, light reading. I like the writing style and the story line.

Pretty much the sole point of this book is to be funny, and, at least for me, it wasnt. The comparison to Hitchhiker's Guide is way off; Hitchhiker's is deliberately so whimsical, fantastical and over-the-top that most of the time you'll either smile/laugh or groan -- lack of any reaction at all isnt an option, at least not most of the time, whereas I had no reaction at all to most of the attempts at humor here. Hitchhiker's Guide worked because it continually swung for the fences -- and even if it sometimes fell flat, the homeruns were homeruns. (Who doesnt remember the importance of a towel, or the significance of 42?) Unlike Hitchhiker's, this book tries for singles, and even if a few of them hit, its not enough to forgive the stinkers.

Since humor is so personal, probably not much else to add to the review apart from a few random examples from the book -- Hal is so dumb, his computer gives him an advert for "Chess for the Intellectually Challenged" (title was something like that anyway) when they are playing, and when Hal expresses surprise/outrage, the computer explains that its part of a series, would he like to see them all? If it makes you smile, great, this book may work for you. Me, no reaction.

Hal is so poor that at the spaceport there is an "A" parking lot for the rich with exclusive resteraunts and top notch amenities, a B parking lot with fast food joints and a chaotic garage, a C parking lot with vending machines for food and some random tools thrown around, and Hal has to park way out in "Z" which is basically a junkyard. The docking agent calls him and orders him to report to the spaceport proper, and Hal doesnt want to walk (no shuttle from "Z") so he tries to steal the car from the maintenance robot but has to shoot him. Later he learns that killing robots is now considered murder, unless they are "obsolete" and then its fine. Again, if it makes you smile, your probably good.

Humor is personal, and there are a bunch of good reviews for this book, and its free. Still, for me, it didnt work at all, and there is very little story without the humor - hence the one star.

This book just left me wanting more. I will have more of Hal Spacejock and his crew.

As a person that loves stories about space. I would recommend this to everyone that is a follower of Red Dwarf or the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

A well written, highly amusing story. Highly recommended for those who enjoy a bit of sci-fi comedy. I think I once read a reviewer say this is "better than red dwarf" and I think I'm inclined to agree. I can't wait for future books in this series to be released!

7th grade diction, 3rd grade plot with 1st grade characters. If you're over age 10 or made it to the 6th grade don't bother with this waste of good paper. Worth every penny I paid for it, which was nothing, "0"......!

Ok - whoever compared this book to "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" never actually read Hitchhiker. I got maybe halfway through the book before I gave up. Hal is just plain stupid and not one other character is even remotely likeable.

My advice is to stay far away from this series. A waste of time and money.

After a chapter I realized that this was not my kind of book to continue. I knew there was a robot but thought I would try. The humor didn't hit me either. I feel bad giving this review because others find this book entertaining so take it for what it's worth.

I was very pleasantly surprised to find it lived up to the hype and then some. Don't expect any serious content here--it's fast-paced light-hearted humour from start to finish. I really enjoyed it and am looking forward to reading the second book.

I thoroughly enjoyed the first book in the series. It is a fast-moving, fun and funny book that really keeps things moving along. Occasionally there's a little too much work pulling the plot together, the setup seems rather formulaic (maybe intentionally?), some odds and ends like that, but I highly recommend this to anyone whose a fan of the odd bit of fantasy or sci-fi satire.

It feels a bit like if Pratchett did sci-fi with more straightforward plotline, you'd get something like this (that by the way is a compliment!).

One thing that sets it apart from some of the other trifles out there is that you really do feel that Hal and Clunk have actually changed and grown by the end ... so many of these types of novels wind up with the characters being exactly the same at the end, and this is really a nice surprise. Something like 'character development' actually making it's way into a fun book like this? Crazy!

I'm new to the Spacejock series but I'm glad I made the decision to buy this book. A nicely written romp across the galaxy. It has the feel of a cross between 22nd century and 1950's technology. I am currently reading book 2 of the series and that is the best review I can give.

I read the first four books this series when they were only available from the author's website. I've become a huge fan of the Spacejock series, and can't wait for Mr. Haynes to write even more adventures of Hal and his robotic friend, Clunk. Simon Haynes is one funny man with a wonderfully twisted sense of humor, and each book to date has been even funnier and more enjoyable than the one before.

Not being into Sci-Fi I must admit I found this title most entertaining, it really was an unexpected pleasure, I'm now looking forward to the next book having read the sample at the end of this one. A recommended title.

This is the first sci-fi satire I have read. It was fantastically written and very cunning. I enjoyed being unable to suppress laughter on the bus on several occasions. I will certainly be stealing parts of Hal's character when I write for the NanoWrimo November challenge. Cheers Simon :)!!! you have inspired me.

Han Solo meets i Robot. This is a corky, fast pased, easy read that takes you out of reality. It's fun I enjoyed it, it doesn't make you think a lot which is nice after a long day. I recomend it to anyone who enjoys sci-fi.

Well, not exactly a space opera. More like a zany space adventure with a lot of tripping. There are places where it aaaalmost goes over the top with craziness, but overall this is one of those beach reads when you're looking for something light and funny that moves along. Enjoyed it.

The incompetent-but-lucky man with his capable-but-frequently-eyerolling companion who repeatedly (and thanklessly) saves his butt seems to be a staple in humorous science fiction. Hal Spacejock and his robot sidekick, Clunk, are no exception. I won't say that this story has anything new and novel to offer, but it sure is a good time. I especially enjoyed the random side scenes, like Hal's altercation with a stubborn automatic door. If you like outlandish SF like Red Dwarf and the Stainless Steel Rat, check out Hal Spacejock.

...but this book manages it. The humor is clever and sometimes subtle. The story starts pretty quickly, and flows smoothly the entire time with scarcely a break in the action the entire time. Best of all, the actual science fiction elements in the story are plausible, showing that the author has not only read some of the classics himself, but is paying attention to (and extrapolating from) what's going on in the world around him. I'm looking forward to reading the second book.

Simon Haynes' "Hal Spacejock" was a darn good read. More importantly, it was something that I completely enjoyed reading, after a long time. What was interesting for me while reading the book was to note that I was hooked by the time I was barely a quarter of the way through the book. Usually, it takes me a while to be truly invested in a story. For instance, Terry Pratchett is my favourite author but the last few books by PTerry took me at least till the middle of the book before I was really engaged in the story - you know, the point of no return, where you get so hooked in the story that you cannot bear to put the book down.

Am I saying that Simon is better than PTerry? Not really. (Sorry Simon :p) But I'm saying that Simon's style is very easy to read and to get into and that it is very different from that of Terry Pratchett - I enjoy books by both but I find that Simon's is a much more easier page turner for me a lot earlier on :) But I'm not going to compare one author to another, that's really not fair to either since each author has their own unique style and they bring completely different values and qualities to the table.

Basically, I enjoyed the story. It came together well and by the time I completed it, I wanted to get my hands on the sequel, "Hal Spacejock: Second Course" and continue reading. That's all that any author can ask for, right? :)

More than the lion's share of scifis that aim to be funny seem to miss the mark. It pleases me to report that, for me at least, Hal Spacejock is on target.

It's a joyous romp through the lighter side of space opera that manages to maintain its flip tone from chapter to chapter. I am a curmudgeon and I don't laugh out loud much. Major kudos to Spacejock author Simon Haynes for breaking my stone face with a few good guffaws when he stooped to slapstick, a form of humor we don't see often enough in fiction. And the one or two times he descended into pure silliness were spot on the money.

And if you are looking for humorous robots, well, let's just say that compared to Douglas Adams's downer, Marvin, Haynes has crafted a winner.

Hal Spacejock's tone is comparable to Keith Laumer's Retief stories, except Spacejock is much lighter.

Way to go, Mr. Haynes.

I thoroughly enjoyed the first book in the series. It is a fast-moving, fun and funny book that really keeps things moving along. Occasionally there's a little too much work pulling the plot together, the setup seems rather formulaic (maybe intentionally?), some odds and ends like that, but I highly recommend this to anyone whose a fan of the odd bit of fantasy or sci-fi satire.

It feels a bit like if Pratchett did sci-fi with more straightforward plotline, you'd get something like this (that by the way is a compliment!).

One thing that sets it apart from some of the other trifles out there is that you really do feel that Hal and Clunk have actually changed and grown by the end ... so many of these types of novels wind up with the characters being exactly the same at the end, and this is really a nice surprise. Something like 'character development' actually making it's way into a fun book like this? Crazy!

The incompetent-but-lucky man with his capable-but-frequently-eyerolling companion who repeatedly (and thanklessly) saves his butt seems to be a staple in humorous science fiction. Hal Spacejock and his robot sidekick, Clunk, are no exception. I won't say that this story has anything new and novel to offer, but it sure is a good time. I especially enjoyed the random side scenes, like Hal's altercation with a stubborn automatic door. If you like outlandish SF like Red Dwarf and the Stainless Steel Rat, check out Hal Spacejock.

is what this book is about. Hal is incompetent, but a likeable guy (well, except to most women). Clunk is a robot, that tries his best to keep Hal out of trouble (but mostly does not succeed). And, of course, trouble happens about every page.

This book is funny, easy to read, and a good story. It has not yet reached the classic status of Asimov's Robot stories (which were more serious in nature), but can approach Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker series.

Well, not exactly a space opera. More like a zany space adventure with a lot of tripping. There are places where it aaaalmost goes over the top with craziness, but overall this is one of those beach reads when you're looking for something light and funny that moves along. Enjoyed it.

I'm new to the Spacejock series but I'm glad I made the decision to buy this book. A nicely written romp across the galaxy. It has the feel of a cross between 22nd century and 1950's technology. I am currently reading book 2 of the series and that is the best review I can give.

I managed to get hold of a copy of this book through an online bookstore in Australia. I must say that it was worth the effort. If you enjoy funny dialogue, quick paced action and thrills then don't miss out. The scenes between Hal and his clumsy but intelligent robot "Clunk" are hilarious. I can't wait for the next instalment !

I thoroughly enjoyed reading every page of Hal Spacejock. It was highly amusing and very engrossing. The back and forth between Hal and Clunk was a lot of fun to read, I never found myself in a lull waiting for the next good part to come alone. I highly recommend this book to anyone considering purchasing.

This is the first sci-fi satire I have read. It was fantastically written and very cunning. I enjoyed being unable to suppress laughter on the bus on several occasions. I will certainly be stealing parts of Hal's character when I write for the NanoWrimo November challenge. Cheers Simon :)!!! you have inspired me.

...but this book manages it. The humor is clever and sometimes subtle. The story starts pretty quickly, and flows smoothly the entire time with scarcely a break in the action the entire time. Best of all, the actual science fiction elements in the story are plausible, showing that the author has not only read some of the classics himself, but is paying attention to (and extrapolating from) what's going on in the world around him. I'm looking forward to reading the second book.

The book is hard to put down. Don't take yourself or science too seriously and you'll enjoy the book. It was thicker than the average paperback but well put together. I'm starting a Simon Haynes section on my bookshelf.

Not being into Sci-Fi I must admit I found this title most entertaining, it really was an unexpected pleasure, I'm now looking forward to the next book having read the sample at the end of this one. A recommended title.

I just want to say thank you to BookBub for provided all us readers daily with book at a very low price for free!!! I can't wait to check my mail each day for that reason alone!! Thank for so much for what you do and you've given me so much to reat that I LOVE IT!!!!!!

Han Solo meets i Robot. This is a corky, fast pased, easy read that takes you out of reality. It's fun I enjoyed it, it doesn't make you think a lot which is nice after a long day. I recomend it to anyone who enjoys sci-fi.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book as there are so many laugh-out-loud scenes in it (the Cigar lighting robot scene was a killer!). It's an easy and fast paced read that will leave a smile on the dial.

If you like Pratchett then you'll love this stuff.