Lost in Space with Time

The downside of selecting an airline which only has one flight a day back to the US is that you might find yourself stuck in the general lobby area patiently waiting for the three-hour window before departure which will allow you to offload your 35 pound backpack (and unintentionally your mobile phone).  The upside is that this seven hour window of time, when paired with a Kit-Kat and two bottles of water, will allow you the opportunity to read a book in full as well as challenge yourself a few times with navigation to the very small-roomed facilities carrying three bags (two of which are backpacks).  Viva la adventura.

I had selected Sleeper Protocol by Kevin Ikenberry because it was the one book out of three that had completely downloaded to my e-reader while I was on WiFi*.  I had thought it to be one of the Kindle's Free monthly reads until I read the author's biography after finishing the book and discovered that it was a book I had purchased because the author had local ties to Space Camp.  (Viva Rocket City.)

Let me first say that it is I think the ONLY fictional book that I have read that mentions the Nolichucky and Cherokee Mountain.  These were pleasant surprises that endeared me to the read perhaps a little more than someone who doesn't know East Tennessee geography.

This book is sci-fi meets alien war meets crazy scientist(s) meets a female Hal meets the Good Guy (in 305 pages).  At no point did I want to stop reading.  The story is quick moving, quirky, and has just the right about of science to keep readers engaged.  There are just a few main characters and the reader forms a "good" or "bad" opinion on most of these pretty quickly.  It's fun to watch these early opinions get played out in words.  (We're not always right.)

The title was published in January and I'd recommend adding it to your spring/summer reading lists.  (Plus, I'd like to review the ending in more detail with you after you've read it.)

* Don't tell the author

PS  You'll get your mobile phone back before boarding but you'll get to have a really fun conversation with the security guard about why you're going back.