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The SSMC Reluctant (Platoon F Book 1) Kindle Edition

3.6 3.6 out of 5 stars 293 ratings

An identity change. A space ship that travels on rails. A new captain who never saw this coming.

Commodore Don Harr is being punished due to a military mistake. He has been physically altered, given a new identity, and placed in charge of the antiquated ship known as The SSMC Reluctant. Their first task is to fly the old beast around the planet in celebration of her fiftieth anniversary. But during flight, new orders arrive. Harr learns that their true mission is to destroy a nearby Kortnor space station. Worse, it's a suicide mission...

As Harr works with his crew to figure out alternatives to going down in flames, special agent Kek fights to ensure they all die as planned. But something even stranger is going on, and it'll take a bit of sleuthing on Harr's part to figure out precisely what it is…

The SSMC Reluctant is the hilarious first installment in the Platoon F sci-fi series. If you like warped comedy, ridiculous physics, and more innuendo than you can shake a stick at, then you’ll love John P. Logsdon and Christopher P. Young’s insane story.

Buy The SSMC Reluctant today and learn what the "F" in Platoon F truly means!

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Editorial Reviews

Review

This one just sneaked up on me ... I kept laughing at the ridiculous situations our hero and his crew encountered. This is for readers who like slapstick, parody, stories that center on the eternal philosophical question, "How the heck did I get into this situation? And where's the door out?" -Joseph L. White

I haven't enjoyed a book this much since Phule's Company. Yep, it's silly, preposterous, and totally unbelievable. But it's a barrel of fun. If you read this book expecting serious sci if drama, you will be disappointed. But if you are capable of backing away from real life, and letting go of the reins long enough to enjoy simple entertainment, no strings attached, then you'll love it as much as I did.
-Paul M. Stone

Reminds me of Bill the Galactic Hero. Heaven' t laughed so much in a long time. It was a blast.
-R. D. Braun

From the Author

Please note that this is not a kids series!

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00JWUOWP8
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Crimson Myth Press; 8th edition (April 23, 2014)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 23, 2014
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 4.5 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 141 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.6 3.6 out of 5 stars 293 ratings

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Customer reviews

3.6 out of 5 stars
293 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book enjoyable and a quick read with a coherent storyline. They describe it as a nice change of pace from their usual reading habits. However, some readers feel the humor is juvenile and the science fiction content is not serious. Opinions differ on the character development, with some finding them fun and caricature-like, while others consider them limited to caricatures.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

27 customers mention "Readability"27 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's readability. They find it humorous with a good story and the right amount of satire. Some describe it as a silly little book masquerading as a book.

""The SSMC Reluctant" advertises itself as a short, silly little book. Ok. You've got my attention...." Read more

"...The story was fast and fun to read. The main Characters are a blast...." Read more

"Has coarse humor, crazy premise but an enjoyable read I would recommend this to anyone who has a way to suspended their rational mindset." Read more

"...I think this was suppose to a funny story but I kept being distracted by the so called tech background of the authors universe...." Read more

6 customers mention "Pace"6 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's brisk pace. They find it enjoyable and a nice change from intergalactic adventures. The story is fast-paced and flows smoothly.

"...First - the short. It is, by any standard, a quick read...." Read more

"...The story was fast and fun to read. The main Characters are a blast...." Read more

"...The story is coherent, and flows through, but overall it's not especially interesting. This is Captain Underpants for high school boys...." Read more

"A quick yet evenly paced outer space read with a very catchy end-to-end storyline, sprinkled with the perfect amount of tongue-in-cheek wit to keep..." Read more

29 customers mention "Humor"16 positive13 negative

Customers have differing views on the humor in the book. Some find it funny and entertaining, with sarcasm and a steady stream of chuckles. Others consider it silly, juvenile, and ridiculous, with non-existent character development. While some readers enjoyed the book, others found the first part boring.

"This is a short story masquerading as a book. It's funny if you like weak bathroom humor, and most off the jokes are explained in case you don't get..." Read more

"...quarter had rolled around I'd finished the book and found it quite silly indeed...." Read more

"I haven't enjoyed a book this much since Phule's Company. Yep, it's silly, preposterous, and totally unbelievable. But it's a barrel of fun...." Read more

"...This is for readers who like slapstick, parody, stories that center on the eternal philosophical question, "How the heck did I get into this..." Read more

9 customers mention "Character development"3 positive6 negative

Customers have different views on the character development. Some find the main characters engaging, while others feel the development is limited to caricatures and there are no plot twists.

"...There's little plot development, character development is limited to caricatures, and there are no plot twists or complications...." Read more

"...The story was fast and fun to read. The main Characters are a blast...." Read more

"...The characters were all crazy. The situation was insane from start to finish...." Read more

"I know it's science fiction but this plot and the characters were just weird...." Read more

7 customers mention "Value for money"0 positive7 negative

Customers find the book not worth their time. They describe it as juvenile, puerile, and atrocious.

"...The silly bastards failed, again. But the book didn't...." Read more

"...This was a very zany book, but I have to say that I could not stop reading it. Nor could I make myself erase it...." Read more

"...Seriously, not worth your time. The humor is juvenile, the character development is non-existent, the plot is cliche and predictable...." Read more

"...I appreciate humor but this attempt is ridiculous." Read more

6 customers mention "Sci-fi content"0 positive6 negative

Customers find the sci-fi content silly, absurd, and not believable. They describe it as an enjoyable read.

"Has coarse humor, crazy premise but an enjoyable read I would recommend this to anyone who has a way to suspended their rational mindset." Read more

"Adult humor and situations, not for everybody. The Sci-Fi is weird and very limited...." Read more

"...Yep, it's silly, preposterous, and totally unbelievable. But it's a barrel of fun...." Read more

"Silly, ridiculous, absurd and FUNNY. Not Literature, but a fun read...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on September 17, 2015
    "The SSMC Reluctant" advertises itself as a short, silly little book. Ok. You've got my attention. The reviews seem to indicate a short, silly swath of silly, sophomoric bathroom and bedroom humor. That sounds like it's right up my alley!

    So, I lube up my alley, bend over the "buy" button, and thrust this little book into my, uhm, alley.

    First, as Bluto would say in Animal House - "Don't cost nothin'". It was, at the time I got it at least, a freebie sampler, no doubt intended to drag you kicking and screaming (and tied up, tickled and, of course, well lubed) into their sordid little enterprise.

    How should I address this book? First - the short. It is, by any standard, a quick read. I "bought" it on a Monday night - the first Monday night of the 2015 football season. The Dallas Cowgirls (boo) and the New York Gnats (hiss) were butting heads to determine which would leap out in front of my beloved NFC LEast; as my favorite Washington "At least we're not the Philthydelphia Beagles" Chokeskins had lived up to their SOP the day before.

    I ripped through this little work in between plays, all the while hoping that Dallas and NY would *finally* figure out a way to play each other and *both* lose.

    The silly bastards failed, again. But the book didn't. By the time the fourth quarter had rolled around I'd finished the book and found it quite silly indeed. Lots of junior-high level homophobic and heterophobic - basically just genitaliaphobic - humor spewed throughout the book. Some worked, some didn't. Such is humor.

    The humor in this will likely make you groan (and not in an old fashioned, well-lubed, kind of way). It will insult your intelligence. It will make you hate the authors and, most of all, will likely make you hate yourself. For laughing.

    Mission accomplished.
    One person found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on March 3, 2015
    The arthor has started a series based on a group of misfits on a historic space ship, SSMC Reluctant. The story was fast and fun to read. The main Characters are a blast. The Reluctant series has potential to poke fun at the space services of science fiction.

    This book reminds me of the old TV series F Troop and the AD book series Phoules Company with Captain Jester. Well here's to the Laws of Murphy, where anything can go wrong AND Murphy is optimistic.

    Let me salute our hero Captain Errr... (my Kindle won't let me spell his name correctly), Murphy rules again
    One person found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on April 15, 2020
    A nice change from normal space operas. A little too broad for my tastes. A few more subtle jokes would have been good
  • Reviewed in the United States on August 13, 2024
    Has coarse humor, crazy premise but an enjoyable read I would recommend this to anyone who has a way to suspended their rational mindset.
  • Reviewed in the United States on June 28, 2014
    I had to force myself to complete the book. I think this was suppose to a funny story but I kept being distracted by the so called tech background of the authors universe. (Train tracks please!) I felt nothing for the characters I will delete this bad taste from my mind and kindle.
    One person found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on September 17, 2014
    This is a short story masquerading as a book. It's funny if you like weak bathroom humor, and most off the jokes are explained in case you don't get them. There's little plot development, character development is limited to caricatures, and there are no plot twists or complications. The story is coherent, and flows through, but overall it's not especially interesting. This is Captain Underpants for high school boys. The best part for me was knowing that I didn't buy any of the sequels!
  • Reviewed in the United States on August 23, 2021
    Short but funny I'll try a couple more in the series. I need seven more words for this review. Z
  • Reviewed in the United States on July 22, 2015
    It was a good story, even though the first little bit bore a striking resemblance to Robert Asprin's "Phules Company"

Top reviews from other countries

  • Dennis Mayhew
    3.0 out of 5 stars Three Stars
    Reviewed in Canada on November 29, 2014
    It was good but a little slow and draged on.
  • Kindle Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars Good
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 27, 2020
    Good stuff. Didn't make me laugh out loud, well, ok, the odd snort if that counts, but a very enjoyable light read. It was amusing and well written, flowed nicely and had no jarring moments. Nice believable characters but no real depth to it. Don't be expecting Pratchet or Douglas Adams type character and plot depth, do expect very easy reading that isn't farcical or nonsense. Great hangover or holiday fodder. There's one problem, it's way too short. It really is short story length, and with the skilled writing it doesn't need to be. The authors could flesh the story and characters out more without losing anything. Maybe I've been spoilt by the number of good quality books of proper length available for the same money. Realistically reading the whole set would give me a big book, and no doubt over the course of that I'll get more depth to the characters and a good satisfying read, but I can't help wondering if I'll be happy with the pence per page price, because I do read a lot. Yes, I am tight. Someone gift me an Amazon voucher so I can read more please!
  • Stephanie Fletcher
    3.0 out of 5 stars Liked the story
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 19, 2014
    The plot was good but I found too many sexual references that did nothing for the storyline. The fact they were all androids was a good twist.
  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Sniggering out loud!!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 21, 2016
    A hilarious introduction to antics of the slightly less than heroic members of Platoon F. I even love the name of the Platoon - not the best of the best, such as Platoon A+ might be or even Platoon ‘B’ the next best team, but ‘F’ Its full of the sort of humour you get in Southpark or (maybe because its set in space), Futurama. Great writing, great characters and once you’re in, you’re hooked in to the whole series. Its not a read for children in the same way SouthPark isn’t suitable for young children either, but I think the rudeness is just so essential to the funny. Some parts will have you sniggering, others tittering and some brilliant bits are laugh out loud. Give it a go!
  • Amazon Customer
    2.0 out of 5 stars Dire and disappointing
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 25, 2014
    I'd put the age of this author at around 17, which should give you a good idea of what he thinks is funny. I'm only surprised there wasn't a fart joke thrown in to round it off.
    Some interesting ideas, although none of them were exploited enough in my opinion.
    As it used to say in all my school reports, "must try harder"

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