Publishers Weekly
★ 05/01/2017
Chen’s sequel to Waypoint Kangaroo, as smart and sassy as its title character, forges mystery and hard science into a rousing tale of interplanetary intrigue. Earth operative Kangaroo—so called because of the invisible “pocket,” or hyperspace shunt, from which he magically retrieves the tools of his trade—has traveled to the moon to collect data on his recently sabotaged mission in an asteroid belt. Then his personal physician, surgeon Jessica Chu, is implicated in a murder. Jessica’s reticence to disclose details of her possible involvement in the death leads Kangaroo to investigate, and he stumbles on several discoveries about a doctor who once performed outrageous medical experiments on him in hopes of understanding his unique talents. This seeming detour has direct bearing on the tumultuous complications that follow. Chen steers his well-wrought mystery into a succession of revelations that give it relentless momentum. Kangaroo is an affable antihero, and his relationships with the colleagues whom his antics exasperate provide solid ground for future adventures to build on. Agent: Sam Morgan, Foundry Literary + Media. (June)
From the Publisher
"Chen’s sequel to Waypoint Kangaroo, as smart and sassy as its title character, forges mystery and hard science into a rousing tale of interplanetary intrigue.... Chen steers his well-wrought mystery into a succession of revelations that give it relentless momentum. Kangaroo is an affable antihero, and his relationships with the colleagues whom his antics exasperate provide solid ground for future adventures to build on." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"This is a caper novel reminiscent of Donald E. Westlake at his best: things start small, then escalate, then turn sideways and escalate again, and then the unexpected ambushes everybody. It’s all about character and pacing and character: Chen is a master of both. If you like good old fashioned plot-driven SF, you will like this book; if you like slightly absurd humorous SF, you’ll like it even more. I want to read more from Chen." —Locus Magazine on Kangaroo Too
"Kangaroo Too is an intelligent and fun space mystery with a maturing and cheeky central character. Fans of John Scalzi and Chen’s Waypoint Kangaroo will enjoy this one." —The Missourian
"A wry, fast-paced spy thriller with a million twists and a good heart. Kangaroo's dry humor kept me turning pages well past my bedtime." —Tina Connolly, Nebula-nominated author of Ironskin on Kangaroo Too
Praise for Waypoint Kangaroo:
“A very entertaining SF mystery/thriller and an impressive first novel.” —Locus Online
“Chen’s debut keeps the plot twisting as the story builds to a powerful climax, leavening the suspense with Kangaroo’s droll quips.” —Publishers Weekly
“Kangaroo’s adventure is a great, fun read for anyone who loves a mystery or a spy story.” —Booklist
The pace never flags in this high-stakes thriller, the plot never stops twisting and turning, and our hero never loses his sense of humor. Debut novelist Chen has created an engaging character and a rich, believable world. Sci-fi fans will love this fun, high-tech adventure." — Kirkus
"Full of intrigue, action, laugh-out-loud humor, and some truly awesome tech, Chen's debut is a ripping great read. I loved it and can't wait for more!" - Jason M. Hough, New York Times bestselling author of Zero World
