What do you think?
Rate this book
Space Brooms!
A fun, sci-fi romp where custodian � or space broom � Johnny Gomez teams up with smugglers and is thrust into an unforgettable adventure. Great read for fans of Stringers by Chris Panatier.
Everyone aboard Kilgore Station is living their best life. Everyone except for Johnny Gomez.
While humans, the augmented, and aliens of all shapes and sizes enjoy exotic cuisine on the dining deck, or gamble away their credits on the entertainment deck, Johnny is elbow-deep in oily, black, alien excrement. A ‘space broom� custodian for the entire station.
This was obviously not the life Johnny dreamt of. Ten years ago, he travelled to Kilgore, the farthest space station in our solar system, in search of fortune like everyone else. Some people are just luckier than others.
Yet his meaningless, uneventful existence is immediately turned upside down when he happens upon a tiny glass data-chit, hidden amongst the alien poop he must clean up. Unbeknownst to him, every nefarious creature in the solar system will soon be after him to claim it for their own.
With the help of his augmented roommate, a pair of smugglers and a mysterious and beautiful stranger, Johnny fights off thugs and sails as fast as possible to earth’s moon, Luna, in effort to sell the chit to the Obinna Crime Syndicate. But with assassins and mobsters on their tail, the trip is anything but a cakewalk. And Luna itself proves to be nothing like a safe haven, when Johnny’s painful past finally catches up to him�
Everyone aboard Kilgore Station is living their best life. Everyone except for Johnny Gomez.
While humans, the augmented, and aliens of all shapes and sizes enjoy exotic cuisine on the dining deck, or gamble away their credits on the entertainment deck, Johnny is elbow-deep in oily, black, alien excrement. A ‘space broom� custodian for the entire station.
This was obviously not the life Johnny dreamt of. Ten years ago, he travelled to Kilgore, the farthest space station in our solar system, in search of fortune like everyone else. Some people are just luckier than others.
Yet his meaningless, uneventful existence is immediately turned upside down when he happens upon a tiny glass data-chit, hidden amongst the alien poop he must clean up. Unbeknownst to him, every nefarious creature in the solar system will soon be after him to claim it for their own.
With the help of his augmented roommate, a pair of smugglers and a mysterious and beautiful stranger, Johnny fights off thugs and sails as fast as possible to earth’s moon, Luna, in effort to sell the chit to the Obinna Crime Syndicate. But with assassins and mobsters on their tail, the trip is anything but a cakewalk. And Luna itself proves to be nothing like a safe haven, when Johnny’s painful past finally catches up to him�
352 pages, Paperback
First published March 25, 2025
35 people are currently reading
905 people want to read
About the author
A.G. Rodriguez
3books26followersAG Rodriguez is a Puerto Rican American, multi-genre author specializing in Latino/a/e/x stories and characters. He is the multi-genre author of the debut novel STONE FEATHER FANG from Deep Hearts YA, a fantasy reimagining of Taíno mythology and Puerto Rican history. He holds a MFA in Creative Writing and has penned three published short stories along with four full-length manuscripts in the past ten years. They all have sequels planned, if he can just stop coming up with new projects to work on. He currently resides in the Land of Enchantment where the beautiful mountains and never-ending skies inspire all his work.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
March 2, 2025
4.0 Stars
This was exactly the fun rompy space adventure I wanted from this one. This was one of my anticipated releases because I loved the premise so I am happy to report that it met those expectations.
For me, this one was the right balance between a silly setup and delivering an exciting plot. It was a fast, enjoyable read. Given my preference for darker stories, this one was never destined to be a personal all time favourite. Yet it fulfilled the adventurous reading experience I was looking for from this novel.
I would recommend this novel to readers looking for a light science fiction read in the vein of authors like Scalzi.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
This was exactly the fun rompy space adventure I wanted from this one. This was one of my anticipated releases because I loved the premise so I am happy to report that it met those expectations.
For me, this one was the right balance between a silly setup and delivering an exciting plot. It was a fast, enjoyable read. Given my preference for darker stories, this one was never destined to be a personal all time favourite. Yet it fulfilled the adventurous reading experience I was looking for from this novel.
I would recommend this novel to readers looking for a light science fiction read in the vein of authors like Scalzi.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
June 26, 2024
*I had the privilege of reading this before it found a publisher and I’m SO happy it did!*
A fun, exciting adventure with diverse and well-written characters, reminiscent of HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY with its own unique spin. You’ll find yourself rooting for Johnny Gomez and enjoying the world-building.
5/5 stars to this amazing novel! Space Brooms!!!!
A fun, exciting adventure with diverse and well-written characters, reminiscent of HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY with its own unique spin. You’ll find yourself rooting for Johnny Gomez and enjoying the world-building.
5/5 stars to this amazing novel! Space Brooms!!!!
April 1, 2025
Space Brooms! is a fun and rompy sci-fi adventure novel, written by A.G. Rodriguez, and published by Angry Robot Books. A kinda cozy story full of friendship, found family and action, with a creative worldbuilding, following Johnny Gomez after he finds a data chit that might mean the way to get out of the job he was stuck on the Kilgore station if he manages to survive and get it to the adequate people.
Johnny originally left Luna looking for bigger horizons, adventures and new prospects; but after ten years working on the custodial staff at Kilgore Station, cleaning and desinfecting after all kinds of alien, he's trapped into a life without prospects. All changes when he finds a data chit; after he's rescued from a beating by a pair of spacefarers, Hooper and Liliana, and together with Lissette (a woman he always daydreamed about), they start a journey headed towards Luna looking to pocket a hefty sum in exchange of the chit. Only if they are not attacked or robbed of it first.
While this is a bit of the classical adventure story, Rodriguez draws more into the side of the characters, resulting into a really well-fleshed cast that forms the perfect ragtag band: not only Johnny, who has to work in his self-confidence, but each one of the crew has its own strengths and weaknesses. It was also heartwarming in part to see the interactions between Johnny and his uncles, reflecting a Latin family with its own quirks and all.
In terms of pacing, the book is a little bit slow in the first part, but after we are outside of the Kilgore Station, it becomes faster and funnier; not only we have time to explore how the Solar System has evolved in this setting, but to live a few difficult episodes that put our characters between the stone and the wall. The ending was kinda expected, but it suited well with the kind of story Rodriguez is trying to tell.
Space Brooms! is a great example of how to write a rompy and fun sci-fi adventure while putting extreme care at the characterization aspect; A.G. Rodriguez has talent for the genre, and I wonder if this won't be the start of a long series of adventures!
March 11, 2025
This is a cozy sci fi full of alien excrement, a fork lift that's also a dog, and found family. I enjoyed the world that Rodriguez built, and all the parts we got to see. We're taken on an action packed space adventure that's full of heart.
Issues I had:
The writing wasn't my favorite, but I'd definitely pick up another book from this author
**Rounded up from 3.5**
Thank you Angry Robot Books for an early copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.
For fans of:
Issues I had:
The writing wasn't my favorite, but I'd definitely pick up another book from this author
**Rounded up from 3.5**
Thank you Angry Robot Books for an early copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.
For fans of:
March 10, 2025
Space Brooms! Is a good rompy light sci-fi adventure with a quirky plot. I fell for Johnny’s charm almost instantly just like most of the characters in the book, they couldn’t help but like him. All the characters were well written and had their own quirks that worked together beautifully. I was happy to read there was no AI ship mind in this book and it was just solely different types of human characters from different parts of the system. I was also glad it didn’t dive into too much political aspect of some of the government/ authority. This left the book more of a fun relaxing read that I wanted in a sci-fi book. I totally want a sequel!
Would recommend for those who want an easy fun sci-fi book to read.
**Thank you NetGalley and Angry Robot books for an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review**
Would recommend for those who want an easy fun sci-fi book to read.
**Thank you NetGalley and Angry Robot books for an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review**
March 4, 2025
Space Brooms is a fun and quirky read with a unique premise that kept me entertained. The world-building is creative, and while the pacing lagged in a few spots, the humor and charm made up for it. If you’re into lighthearted sci-fi with a touch of magic, this one is worth checking out!
*** Thank you Netgalley for providing an eARC in exchange for my honest review.***
*** Thank you Netgalley for providing an eARC in exchange for my honest review.***
February 10, 2025
It was entertaining from the start with an action sequence worthy of a sci-fi pulp fiction. Until Johnny finds the data chip and the action begins, we follow him in his daily routine and it could have been boring but I was surprised to casually follow his story with all his funny daydreaming adventures. Then these daydreams appear from time to time throughout the story and I kept looking for them, they were fun and entertaining.
The worldbuilding was excellent but the best part for me was the development of his relationship with the team of characters he ends up with. The humor, the ragtag crew, the impossible situations Johnny finds himself in, made me feel like I was watching an episode of Firefly.
I laughed, I stressed and I cried, because behind every humorous adventure there are always moving moments.
I really hope this is the first in a series. I want more adventures from the crew of the Mentirosa, and I want to know more about this world we only have a glimpse of, especially Rygar's backstory.
Thank you to NetGalley and Angry Robot for the eARC
The worldbuilding was excellent but the best part for me was the development of his relationship with the team of characters he ends up with. The humor, the ragtag crew, the impossible situations Johnny finds himself in, made me feel like I was watching an episode of Firefly.
I laughed, I stressed and I cried, because behind every humorous adventure there are always moving moments.
I really hope this is the first in a series. I want more adventures from the crew of the Mentirosa, and I want to know more about this world we only have a glimpse of, especially Rygar's backstory.
Thank you to NetGalley and Angry Robot for the eARC
February 10, 2025
Review: A Sci-Fi adventure that may have been titled "The space life of Walter Mitty". Johnny is a great MC and while this is a frenetic space romp, it is also about the pain of self-discovery.
A fun read with good characters and plot progression. I had a good time and I think you will too.
I received this ARC for an honest review.
4.7/5
A fun read with good characters and plot progression. I had a good time and I think you will too.
I received this ARC for an honest review.
4.7/5
March 8, 2025
Though the pacing is a little slow, the story was enjoyable, and unexpected, in that the main character is a bit of a sad sack who stumbles upon a lucrative find, then has every criminal organization in colonized space after him. Johnny Gomez gets beat up repeatedly, and it's only after it happening once too many times, the formerly adventure-seeking guy from Luna begins to appear, and taking control of his life.
Johnny had originally left his home on Luna looking for bigger horizons, new prospects and adventure. He eventually ended up on Kilgore station, and had to get a job. The only one he was really qualified for was on the custodial staff, and Johnny has become adept at cleaning up and disinfecting after all sorts of aliens. His boss is awful, and super creepy, and submits Johnny to repeated humiliations and harassment, and sends him out to clean up the worst messes.
Johnny has also made only one friend, a heavily modded human named Rygar, who looks out for Johnny whenever possible.
One day at work, Johnny finds a chit lodged in a drain, and he pockets it, intent on turning it into security. Before he can, he's beaten by a pair of lowly criminals, and rescued by a pair of starbound spacefarers (people born in space) named Hooper and Liliana.
They whisk Johnny to a fence, Lisette, formerly of Luna (and the woman Johnny has been daydreaming about), and before they can do anything else, Johnny is attacked again, and soon he, Hooper, Liliana and Lisette are headed to Luna, in the hope of selling what is on the chi.
They keep getting targeted by criminals, and it's only when Johnny occasionally changes his attitude from "Poor me" to "I'm not taking this anymore" that their journey and his relationships with those around him begin changing for the better.
I found the first third of the book a little on the slow side, but things picked up, and though it takes Johnny a long time to find his self-confidence, it does happen eventually, taking the character on an emotional journey.
The story is light in tone, and there is humour (e.g., Hooper and his hats!) but it's the quiet character moments, and the friendship that grows between Johnny, Hooper, Liliana and Lisette, and the deepening of his friendship with Rygar, that made this as enjoyable as it was.
Thank you to Netgalley and to Angry Robot for this ARC in exchange for my review.
Johnny had originally left his home on Luna looking for bigger horizons, new prospects and adventure. He eventually ended up on Kilgore station, and had to get a job. The only one he was really qualified for was on the custodial staff, and Johnny has become adept at cleaning up and disinfecting after all sorts of aliens. His boss is awful, and super creepy, and submits Johnny to repeated humiliations and harassment, and sends him out to clean up the worst messes.
Johnny has also made only one friend, a heavily modded human named Rygar, who looks out for Johnny whenever possible.
One day at work, Johnny finds a chit lodged in a drain, and he pockets it, intent on turning it into security. Before he can, he's beaten by a pair of lowly criminals, and rescued by a pair of starbound spacefarers (people born in space) named Hooper and Liliana.
They whisk Johnny to a fence, Lisette, formerly of Luna (and the woman Johnny has been daydreaming about), and before they can do anything else, Johnny is attacked again, and soon he, Hooper, Liliana and Lisette are headed to Luna, in the hope of selling what is on the chi.
They keep getting targeted by criminals, and it's only when Johnny occasionally changes his attitude from "Poor me" to "I'm not taking this anymore" that their journey and his relationships with those around him begin changing for the better.
I found the first third of the book a little on the slow side, but things picked up, and though it takes Johnny a long time to find his self-confidence, it does happen eventually, taking the character on an emotional journey.
The story is light in tone, and there is humour (e.g., Hooper and his hats!) but it's the quiet character moments, and the friendship that grows between Johnny, Hooper, Liliana and Lisette, and the deepening of his friendship with Rygar, that made this as enjoyable as it was.
Thank you to Netgalley and to Angry Robot for this ARC in exchange for my review.
March 13, 2025
3.5/5 stars
Space Brooms! is a scifi adventure about a space station custodian who gets into a situation way over his head. Johnny Gomez is in a dead-end job as a janitor on a space station (aka a space broom) getting the worst tasks and being sexually harassed by his boss when he finds a data chit while cleaning a public toilet. Suddenly, he is the subject of a manhunt by several criminal syndicates determined to take it from him. With the help of some smugglers, he is determined to sell it off to change his fortune.
This was a fun romp of a book, taking us from far off Kilgore Staton all the way back to Luna (the moon). Johnny is just a fun character to follow despite his “poor me� attitude. He is kind of pathetic but that was what actually made him so appealing and endearing—like a sad little puppy you want to take care of. He also has this tendency to daydream sequences that don’t quite work as well on page than it would in a more visual medium, but it does serve to spice up the story.
The book is, however, a bit tonally confused. It has a silly premise that gets treated somewhat lightheartedly even with the physical violence and shootouts, but then it features a detailed and graphic torture scene (that even includes a castration) which I was not at all necessary or appropriate. Still, it does pull off being fun, funny, and masculine (mostly without the toxicity).
I’d describe this as a popcorn book because it is entertaining and light. Thinking about it though reveals some plotholes or inadequately explained details. How did all these syndicates even know Johnny had the data chit? Why did the smugglers suddenly just take in Johnny who they don’t even know nor asked for their help? What makes Rygar and Johnny’s friendship so special that Rygar goes way out of his way to help Johnny more than is reasonable? Why was Johnny’s aunt treating him so uncomfortably strangely? Those are just some questions that remained with me after reading the book that needed further explanations than was given.
Space Brooms! is a fun scifi romp with a charismatically pathetic lead.
*Thank you to Angry Robot Books for this eARC via NetGalley
Space Brooms! is a scifi adventure about a space station custodian who gets into a situation way over his head. Johnny Gomez is in a dead-end job as a janitor on a space station (aka a space broom) getting the worst tasks and being sexually harassed by his boss when he finds a data chit while cleaning a public toilet. Suddenly, he is the subject of a manhunt by several criminal syndicates determined to take it from him. With the help of some smugglers, he is determined to sell it off to change his fortune.
This was a fun romp of a book, taking us from far off Kilgore Staton all the way back to Luna (the moon). Johnny is just a fun character to follow despite his “poor me� attitude. He is kind of pathetic but that was what actually made him so appealing and endearing—like a sad little puppy you want to take care of. He also has this tendency to daydream sequences that don’t quite work as well on page than it would in a more visual medium, but it does serve to spice up the story.
The book is, however, a bit tonally confused. It has a silly premise that gets treated somewhat lightheartedly even with the physical violence and shootouts, but then it features a detailed and graphic torture scene (that even includes a castration) which I was not at all necessary or appropriate. Still, it does pull off being fun, funny, and masculine (mostly without the toxicity).
I’d describe this as a popcorn book because it is entertaining and light. Thinking about it though reveals some plotholes or inadequately explained details. How did all these syndicates even know Johnny had the data chit? Why did the smugglers suddenly just take in Johnny who they don’t even know nor asked for their help? What makes Rygar and Johnny’s friendship so special that Rygar goes way out of his way to help Johnny more than is reasonable? Why was Johnny’s aunt treating him so uncomfortably strangely? Those are just some questions that remained with me after reading the book that needed further explanations than was given.
Space Brooms! is a fun scifi romp with a charismatically pathetic lead.
*Thank you to Angry Robot Books for this eARC via NetGalley
March 10, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC copy of this book.
This is a fun sci-fi adventure that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Johnny Gomez is a custodian (or “space broom�) on Kilgore Space Station. One day while cleaning, he finds a small data disk, and is life is immediately turned upside down as multiple rival gangs come after him for it. With the help of smuggler cousins Hooper and Leilani (who save Johnny’s life from his first attack), as well as black market dealer Lisette, the four start making their way toward Luna (the old Earth’s moon) to sell the data disk to the highest bidder.
Ending spoilers:
What I really love about this book is just how rich all the world lore is without getting into unnecessary details. The author writes about alien species and customs as though I should already know what he’s talking about—and because of how the information is presented, it feels like I do. In particular, after a chapter involving an in-universe card game called Orbit, I felt like I pretty much knew how to play the game myself if it actually existed. Similarly, although we don’t get deep backstories on most of the gangs and factions involved in the story, the way the characters talk and act tells so much about the different rivalries.
One thing I do wish, though, is that more was explained about Lisette’s backstory. It’s made obvious that she doesn’t like to talk about her past, and although we get a few hints, not much is revealed. With her and Johnny becoming good friends by the end of the story, I’m hoping she’ll open up in a sequel.
This is a fun sci-fi adventure that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Johnny Gomez is a custodian (or “space broom�) on Kilgore Space Station. One day while cleaning, he finds a small data disk, and is life is immediately turned upside down as multiple rival gangs come after him for it. With the help of smuggler cousins Hooper and Leilani (who save Johnny’s life from his first attack), as well as black market dealer Lisette, the four start making their way toward Luna (the old Earth’s moon) to sell the data disk to the highest bidder.
Ending spoilers:
What I really love about this book is just how rich all the world lore is without getting into unnecessary details. The author writes about alien species and customs as though I should already know what he’s talking about—and because of how the information is presented, it feels like I do. In particular, after a chapter involving an in-universe card game called Orbit, I felt like I pretty much knew how to play the game myself if it actually existed. Similarly, although we don’t get deep backstories on most of the gangs and factions involved in the story, the way the characters talk and act tells so much about the different rivalries.
One thing I do wish, though, is that more was explained about Lisette’s backstory. It’s made obvious that she doesn’t like to talk about her past, and although we get a few hints, not much is revealed. With her and Johnny becoming good friends by the end of the story, I’m hoping she’ll open up in a sequel.
March 27, 2025
Space Brooms! Is a fun and exciting and silly sci-fi adventure that's not without its heartfelt moments. We follow Johnny, who accidentally gets himself caught up in a galaxy-wide cat-and-mouse game, where he's got the treasure everyone's after! This book is a quick read, and it's exactly what I expected in all the best ways. I enjoyed it, and I liked getting to know the quirky crew, and the society and history of the galaxy has a lot of potential to expand on. I liked the queernormative and non-human centric take that the setting has, and overall this book was solid! A huge thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a free eARC in exchange for my thoughts.
February 27, 2025
Space Brooms! was a fast-paced, fun, and exciting read! I loved the vivid world-building—it was immersive without feeling like an info dump, and the writing style was super easy to read.
The characters were vibrant, complementary, and full of personality, truly coming alive off the page. I also really appreciated that the plot wasn’t predictable like so many books have been lately. Even though it’s on the shorter side, it never felt rushed.
A solid and enjoyable read that kept me engaged the whole way through!
Thank you to Netgalley and Angry Robot Books for my eARC, in exchange for my honest review.
The characters were vibrant, complementary, and full of personality, truly coming alive off the page. I also really appreciated that the plot wasn’t predictable like so many books have been lately. Even though it’s on the shorter side, it never felt rushed.
A solid and enjoyable read that kept me engaged the whole way through!
Thank you to Netgalley and Angry Robot Books for my eARC, in exchange for my honest review.
February 5, 2025
Meet Johnny Gomez, a space broom, the space station’s most hopeless janitor. His life is pathetic, until he picks up a piece of forgotten trash during a particularly nasty job, which dangerously puts him in the way of all sorts of baddies who want it. Aided by a pair of smugglers, Johnny goes on the ride of his life…will he survive, or become space trash himself?
I thought the premise of this was promising and did think the world building was interesting, but the overall execution fell flat for me. The humour wasn’t really to my taste, in that guy-writing-scifi-for-guys way, and some of the conversations or plot points made me roll my eyes. While the world building and characters were descriptive, they lacked depth, though this novel is quite short so I wasn’t expecting anything more beyond a space adventure. And in that it delivered: if you want a sardonic romp across another universe then this is for you. If you’re looking for compelling prose, then perhaps look elsewhere.
Thank you to Netgalley and Angry Robot for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I thought the premise of this was promising and did think the world building was interesting, but the overall execution fell flat for me. The humour wasn’t really to my taste, in that guy-writing-scifi-for-guys way, and some of the conversations or plot points made me roll my eyes. While the world building and characters were descriptive, they lacked depth, though this novel is quite short so I wasn’t expecting anything more beyond a space adventure. And in that it delivered: if you want a sardonic romp across another universe then this is for you. If you’re looking for compelling prose, then perhaps look elsewhere.
Thank you to Netgalley and Angry Robot for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 18, 2025
Thank you Angry Robot Books @ angryrobotbooks and A.G. Rodriguez @ajrwrites for this free book!
“Space Brooms� by A.G. Rodriguez⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Genre: SciFi Space Opera. Location: From the farthest space station in our galaxy to earth’s moon Luna. Time: Future.
Johnny Gomez (37) has been an Astro-Suds space broom (janitor) on Kilgore Space Station for 10 years. While humans, aliens, and augmented of all shapes and sizes enjoy exotic cuisine on the dining deck, or gamble on the entertainment deck, Johnny is elbow-deep in oily, black, alien excrement-and his boss is sexually harassing him. His life turns upside down when he finds a tiny glass data-chit hidden in alien poop. Unfortunately, every evil creature in the solar system is after that little data-chit. Johnny heads to Luna on the Mentirosa (the Liar) with space smugglers Hooper and Leilani and mysterious, beautiful Lisette. They plan to sell the chit to the Obinna Crime Syndicate. But assassins and mobsters are after them, Luna is no safe haven, even the spaceship’s MedDoc won’t be able to save Johnny if he gets beat up yet again, a card game may prove disastrous, and Johnny’s painful past catches up to him.
Author Rodriguez has written a fast-paced novel full of adventure, danger, quirky aliens, humor, and heart. He includes plenty of nerdy references that made my heart happy. (think Chewbacca, 007, hip hop, video games, Blood Sweat and�) As the book progresses, Rodriguez evolves Johnny from daydreaming space broom to space adventurer. There’s lots of science techy description. If you like that, you’ll be so happy! If you’re not into the techy details, just speed-read through those parts and get to the action-there’s plenty of it, and the book will grow on you. If you’re a fan of Red Dwarf (💜The Cat!) and Cowboy Bebop, read this! It’s fun, it’s fast-paced, it’s everything a Space Opera should be, and it’s 5 stars from me 📚💁🏼♀� #spacebrooms #agrodriguez
“Space Brooms� by A.G. Rodriguez⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Genre: SciFi Space Opera. Location: From the farthest space station in our galaxy to earth’s moon Luna. Time: Future.
Johnny Gomez (37) has been an Astro-Suds space broom (janitor) on Kilgore Space Station for 10 years. While humans, aliens, and augmented of all shapes and sizes enjoy exotic cuisine on the dining deck, or gamble on the entertainment deck, Johnny is elbow-deep in oily, black, alien excrement-and his boss is sexually harassing him. His life turns upside down when he finds a tiny glass data-chit hidden in alien poop. Unfortunately, every evil creature in the solar system is after that little data-chit. Johnny heads to Luna on the Mentirosa (the Liar) with space smugglers Hooper and Leilani and mysterious, beautiful Lisette. They plan to sell the chit to the Obinna Crime Syndicate. But assassins and mobsters are after them, Luna is no safe haven, even the spaceship’s MedDoc won’t be able to save Johnny if he gets beat up yet again, a card game may prove disastrous, and Johnny’s painful past catches up to him.
Author Rodriguez has written a fast-paced novel full of adventure, danger, quirky aliens, humor, and heart. He includes plenty of nerdy references that made my heart happy. (think Chewbacca, 007, hip hop, video games, Blood Sweat and�) As the book progresses, Rodriguez evolves Johnny from daydreaming space broom to space adventurer. There’s lots of science techy description. If you like that, you’ll be so happy! If you’re not into the techy details, just speed-read through those parts and get to the action-there’s plenty of it, and the book will grow on you. If you’re a fan of Red Dwarf (💜The Cat!) and Cowboy Bebop, read this! It’s fun, it’s fast-paced, it’s everything a Space Opera should be, and it’s 5 stars from me 📚💁🏼♀� #spacebrooms #agrodriguez
March 24, 2025
Thanks to Angry Robot and NetGalley for the eArc.
Ooff, ok, this needed some editing. The story was fun and there was a lot of action, but there was also a lot of filler, too many Star Wars references, relationships just happened, without a good reason, suddenly everyone is friends, stuff that I questioned but the characters didn’t�
I kinda did enjoy that our MC is lost in life, not knowing what to do but he’s not 22, he’s pushing 40! Nice change!
Things I muttered or yelled throughout:
“How do they know he has it when he JUST picked it up?�
“How do they know what he looks like? Was there an email, just to the sketchy people?�
“Why does he trust them?�
“Why does he STILL trust them?�
“I have no idea why they are such great friends, I have not been shown.�
“Why wouldn’t people everywhere know about this and hunt for him?�
“How are people not trackable in the future? They are pretty much today!�
“Star Wars, yeah, I get it…Sigh!�
“Show, don’t tell!�
“Who reacts like that?�
"Is everyone just emotionally very unstable here? I do not want to talk about it is easily said, you know!"
“Can we move on, please?�
“Why not, you know, stay hidden or at least disguise yourself? No?�
“Did we need found family explicitly explained and pointed out to us?�
I do not usually say this much while reading, I'm more of a shut up and read person, really.
Overall I did have an ok time reading this and the world building was nice, albeit sometimes too detailed, I just think it could have done with an additional sanity check and some editing. It was ok for me, just not great.
Ooff, ok, this needed some editing. The story was fun and there was a lot of action, but there was also a lot of filler, too many Star Wars references, relationships just happened, without a good reason, suddenly everyone is friends, stuff that I questioned but the characters didn’t�
I kinda did enjoy that our MC is lost in life, not knowing what to do but he’s not 22, he’s pushing 40! Nice change!
Things I muttered or yelled throughout:
“How do they know he has it when he JUST picked it up?�
“How do they know what he looks like? Was there an email, just to the sketchy people?�
“Why does he trust them?�
“Why does he STILL trust them?�
“I have no idea why they are such great friends, I have not been shown.�
“Why wouldn’t people everywhere know about this and hunt for him?�
“How are people not trackable in the future? They are pretty much today!�
“Star Wars, yeah, I get it…Sigh!�
“Show, don’t tell!�
“Who reacts like that?�
"Is everyone just emotionally very unstable here? I do not want to talk about it is easily said, you know!"
“Can we move on, please?�
“Why not, you know, stay hidden or at least disguise yourself? No?�
“Did we need found family explicitly explained and pointed out to us?�
I do not usually say this much while reading, I'm more of a shut up and read person, really.
Overall I did have an ok time reading this and the world building was nice, albeit sometimes too detailed, I just think it could have done with an additional sanity check and some editing. It was ok for me, just not great.
March 11, 2025
Thank you to Angry Robot Books for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Johnny Gomez is a janitor, fondly called a space broom, on Kilgore Station, when he happens upon a data chit while cleaning a particularly nasty restroom. His normally uneventful life is turned upside down when he realizes that every crime syndicate in the galaxy wants to get their hands on the chit. With the help of his augmented roommate, a pair of smugglers, and the woman of his dreams, Johnny finds himself in a fight for his life as he travels to Luna to sell the chit for a payout that could change his entire life.
This was definitely an entertaining read with heart-warming redemption at the end. I loved the focus on family, between the found family Johnny creates and his reunion with his aunt and uncle who raised him on Luna.
One of my favorite parts about this book was the world-building. Rodriguez does an incredible job creating an entire galaxy of planets and unique alien species, weaving in the history of Terra (formerly Earth), its destruction, and humans' subsequent flight to Luna (Terra's moon).
I enjoyed the overall pacing of the book, and the regular close encounters with different inter-galactic gangs and crime syndicates kept the story moving.
The part where I struggled with this book was the character development. I didn't feel truly invested in Johnny's character until probably the last 30-40 pages of the book. I loved that he was an older MMC (in his late 30s) but some of his interactions felt young and immature. Despite Hooper, Leilani, and Lisette's huge parts in the book, they felt very one-dimensional. I also felt like the relationship between Johnny and Lisette should have either been left out entirely or given more time to develop naturally.
Read if you like:
Comedic sci-fi
Found family
Late 30s MMC
High stakes
Chasing dreams
Hispanic rep
Johnny Gomez is a janitor, fondly called a space broom, on Kilgore Station, when he happens upon a data chit while cleaning a particularly nasty restroom. His normally uneventful life is turned upside down when he realizes that every crime syndicate in the galaxy wants to get their hands on the chit. With the help of his augmented roommate, a pair of smugglers, and the woman of his dreams, Johnny finds himself in a fight for his life as he travels to Luna to sell the chit for a payout that could change his entire life.
This was definitely an entertaining read with heart-warming redemption at the end. I loved the focus on family, between the found family Johnny creates and his reunion with his aunt and uncle who raised him on Luna.
One of my favorite parts about this book was the world-building. Rodriguez does an incredible job creating an entire galaxy of planets and unique alien species, weaving in the history of Terra (formerly Earth), its destruction, and humans' subsequent flight to Luna (Terra's moon).
I enjoyed the overall pacing of the book, and the regular close encounters with different inter-galactic gangs and crime syndicates kept the story moving.
The part where I struggled with this book was the character development. I didn't feel truly invested in Johnny's character until probably the last 30-40 pages of the book. I loved that he was an older MMC (in his late 30s) but some of his interactions felt young and immature. Despite Hooper, Leilani, and Lisette's huge parts in the book, they felt very one-dimensional. I also felt like the relationship between Johnny and Lisette should have either been left out entirely or given more time to develop naturally.
Read if you like:
Comedic sci-fi
Found family
Late 30s MMC
High stakes
Chasing dreams
Hispanic rep
April 5, 2025
Space Brooms was fun! It is an entertaining and enjoyable space adventure featuring found family and discovering oneself. It is certainly in the cozier realm of sci-fi, and I was pleased to learn it is meant to be a series, because I'd gladly take another jaunt into the world. It is quirky and charming, and I enjoyed it! It is a quick read, and it likely won't stick with me quite as long as some of the more poignant fare I've read, it served as a great palate cleanser for me and I look forward to more of Johnny's space adventures!
March 14, 2025
This was a lot of fun. I thought of it as "The 39 Steps" meets "Red Dwarf." Johnny Gomez is a janitor on a space station. One day thanks to accidentally finding a highly desired bit of merchandise, he finds himself on the run and on an adventure throughout the solar system with some newfound friends.
This book hit the sweet spot of being enough of a different world that it was delightful escapism....but not so much sci fi that I had to think too hard. I also enjoyed the quirky characters and the humor. I'd be up for reading what A.G. Rodriguez writes in the future.
Disclaimer: I received a free galley of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This book hit the sweet spot of being enough of a different world that it was delightful escapism....but not so much sci fi that I had to think too hard. I also enjoyed the quirky characters and the humor. I'd be up for reading what A.G. Rodriguez writes in the future.
Disclaimer: I received a free galley of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
February 23, 2025
“All my life I wanted adventure.�
Space Brooms! By A, G. Rodriguez is a wild sci-fi adventure that follows Johnny Gomez a space broom � term for a custodian- as he teams up with a captivating cast of characters. After Johnny happens upon a data chit containing information worth millions, his boring life becomes much more entertaining and filled with the new and exciting people he meets along the way.
Space Brooms! is an easy to read book that quickly becomes immersive and enjoyable. The characters, starting with Johnny, are delightful even if they don’t all have Johnny’s best interests at heart. They’re likeable and well written so you aren’t reading about characters that just seem to be copy and pasted to only fill the pages. The new terminology that exists in this new futuristic space world is introduced and understood easily. There is no need for a glossary to help keep track of everything Rodriguez has included in the book. The beauty and wonder of space and the wreckage of Earth � or Terra � was mostly abandoned in are both described wonderfully. Reading sci-fi that discusses Earth’s future is always an experience whether good or bad and no matter who gets blamed; Rodriguez’s telling is no different. While Space Brooms! is a story of adventure and survival, it is also the story of found family. Johnny goes from having one friend to finding a few more. Even if they originally just became involved in his life in order to make money from the data chit. There was a hint of romance that I’m kind of glad didn’t come to fruition. A person you daydream about from afar without knowing anything about them is not going to miraculously become your life partner. Since they met each other and have gotten to know each other, maybe a romance could be in the future.
Overall, I enjoyed Space Brooms! very much, It is an easy read that I could see rereading in the future. I found A. G. Rodriguez’s writing style and world building enjoyable and entertaining. Once the sequel promised at the end of the book comes out, I will definitely be buying it. If you’re a fan or sci-fi and found family and if you won’t mind reading a bit of violence, then I recommend Space Brooms!
Space Brooms! By A, G. Rodriguez is a wild sci-fi adventure that follows Johnny Gomez a space broom � term for a custodian- as he teams up with a captivating cast of characters. After Johnny happens upon a data chit containing information worth millions, his boring life becomes much more entertaining and filled with the new and exciting people he meets along the way.
Space Brooms! is an easy to read book that quickly becomes immersive and enjoyable. The characters, starting with Johnny, are delightful even if they don’t all have Johnny’s best interests at heart. They’re likeable and well written so you aren’t reading about characters that just seem to be copy and pasted to only fill the pages. The new terminology that exists in this new futuristic space world is introduced and understood easily. There is no need for a glossary to help keep track of everything Rodriguez has included in the book. The beauty and wonder of space and the wreckage of Earth � or Terra � was mostly abandoned in are both described wonderfully. Reading sci-fi that discusses Earth’s future is always an experience whether good or bad and no matter who gets blamed; Rodriguez’s telling is no different. While Space Brooms! is a story of adventure and survival, it is also the story of found family. Johnny goes from having one friend to finding a few more. Even if they originally just became involved in his life in order to make money from the data chit. There was a hint of romance that I’m kind of glad didn’t come to fruition. A person you daydream about from afar without knowing anything about them is not going to miraculously become your life partner. Since they met each other and have gotten to know each other, maybe a romance could be in the future.
Overall, I enjoyed Space Brooms! very much, It is an easy read that I could see rereading in the future. I found A. G. Rodriguez’s writing style and world building enjoyable and entertaining. Once the sequel promised at the end of the book comes out, I will definitely be buying it. If you’re a fan or sci-fi and found family and if you won’t mind reading a bit of violence, then I recommend Space Brooms!
March 9, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and the author and publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I really feel like this book was written for me. This was so much fun and enjoyable (and easy) to read. I primarily read sci fi and fantasy and this is a great starting point if you’re just getting into sci fi. I wouldn’t call it cozy sci fi per se since there are stakes and plot but more like sci fi light perhaps. The sci fi elements aren’t too bogged down and easy to understand. I’ve seen a few comparisons to Hitchikers Guide to the Galaxy and I think that’s an excellent reference.
I think the characters were lovable and entertaining and the ever so dry humor was exactly my type. Highly recommend this book and can’t wait to read more from this author.
I really feel like this book was written for me. This was so much fun and enjoyable (and easy) to read. I primarily read sci fi and fantasy and this is a great starting point if you’re just getting into sci fi. I wouldn’t call it cozy sci fi per se since there are stakes and plot but more like sci fi light perhaps. The sci fi elements aren’t too bogged down and easy to understand. I’ve seen a few comparisons to Hitchikers Guide to the Galaxy and I think that’s an excellent reference.
I think the characters were lovable and entertaining and the ever so dry humor was exactly my type. Highly recommend this book and can’t wait to read more from this author.
March 10, 2025
Johnny had big dreams, but they didn't really pan out, and for the last decade hes been working as a custodian (space broom) until one day he finds a data-chit while cleaning. Before the end of his shift, there's a bounty out for him, and every nefarious creature is out to get him!
I love a reluctant hero, and Johnny is definitely reluctant.. even though he daydreams about adventure while cleaning, he doesn't expect it to just fall in his lap. My only real complaint is that Johnny is supposed to be 37, I think, and he really comes across more late 20s than late 30s.
The adventure is great, the characters are really fun, and there's a good amount of heart in the story, too. If you like stories about regular guys thrown into life or death danger, then this is the book for you!
I love a reluctant hero, and Johnny is definitely reluctant.. even though he daydreams about adventure while cleaning, he doesn't expect it to just fall in his lap. My only real complaint is that Johnny is supposed to be 37, I think, and he really comes across more late 20s than late 30s.
The adventure is great, the characters are really fun, and there's a good amount of heart in the story, too. If you like stories about regular guys thrown into life or death danger, then this is the book for you!
March 7, 2025
This was an absolutely hoot! If you loved Titan A.E. and Treasure Planet growing up, you have found the one! This book is a quirky mix of absurd space scenarios (in the best way possible) and real heart. I loved it from start to finish!
The characters are diverse and unique. Puerto Rican descendants, augmented humans, aliens with questionable bathroom habits all blend together in a interesting universe! I loved how the protagonist, Johnny, has been a custodian (Space Broom) for many years and stumbles into this deadly journey. He finds friendship, adventure, and maybe a little love along the way! Don't miss out on this fun space romp that takes you from the edge of the universe and back to the planets you call home!
The characters are diverse and unique. Puerto Rican descendants, augmented humans, aliens with questionable bathroom habits all blend together in a interesting universe! I loved how the protagonist, Johnny, has been a custodian (Space Broom) for many years and stumbles into this deadly journey. He finds friendship, adventure, and maybe a little love along the way! Don't miss out on this fun space romp that takes you from the edge of the universe and back to the planets you call home!
February 11, 2025
What a fun romp through space this was! I read an eARC of this book on NetGalley so thank you to the author and the publisher.
This was a wildly entertaining story of a janitor or ‘space broom� on a space station who is feeling a bit disillusioned with his life and his job. He’s been on this station for ten years and things haven’t panned out as he hoped. I loved having a character in his mid to late thirties. His motivations and life experience just felt so perfect for the choices he makes throughout the book. When he’s cleaning he finds a data chit and suddenly he’s being attacked by mercenaries before finding some smugglers to help him escape his predicament.
We have found family elements here which I love and I am always here for! A sweet romantic interest, however it’s the best friendship that was the absolute winner! What a wonderful, supportive and loving friendship that added a wholesomeness to this book to contrast with all the violence.
The author did such a great job with the sci-fi setting with this book. There was no overly complex descriptions, a perfect balance between creating the sci-fi world without derailing the story and giving enough detail that you could envision the world. I thought the space stations were really well done. It reminded me of playing games like Starfield and I really enjoyed it.
I would recommend this book for the unique and fascinating main character. He’s an unusual choice as he’s not a fighter, but that means he has to be creative to get out of scrapes sometimes. He’s got a fine attention to detail and listens to people around him. I really enjoyed the found family here.
Great fun!
This was a wildly entertaining story of a janitor or ‘space broom� on a space station who is feeling a bit disillusioned with his life and his job. He’s been on this station for ten years and things haven’t panned out as he hoped. I loved having a character in his mid to late thirties. His motivations and life experience just felt so perfect for the choices he makes throughout the book. When he’s cleaning he finds a data chit and suddenly he’s being attacked by mercenaries before finding some smugglers to help him escape his predicament.
We have found family elements here which I love and I am always here for! A sweet romantic interest, however it’s the best friendship that was the absolute winner! What a wonderful, supportive and loving friendship that added a wholesomeness to this book to contrast with all the violence.
The author did such a great job with the sci-fi setting with this book. There was no overly complex descriptions, a perfect balance between creating the sci-fi world without derailing the story and giving enough detail that you could envision the world. I thought the space stations were really well done. It reminded me of playing games like Starfield and I really enjoyed it.
I would recommend this book for the unique and fascinating main character. He’s an unusual choice as he’s not a fighter, but that means he has to be creative to get out of scrapes sometimes. He’s got a fine attention to detail and listens to people around him. I really enjoyed the found family here.
Great fun!
March 7, 2025
I created a NetGalley account specifically for this book. I had a strong feeling I would love it, and I was right! Great work, AG! I will be adding this book to my ‘gift list� for years to come. I can't wait to see what amazing adventure you take us on next.
Cowboy Bebop is one of my favorite live-action sci-fi shows, while Serenity ranks among my top sci-fi adventure comedy movies and the Star Trek Movies are my favorite sci-fi trilogy. Space Brooms also captures that fun and adventurous sci-fi spirit for me.
Space Brooms is a sci-fi adventure comedy featuring a captivating plot, excellent pacing, and rich world-building, along with lovable, diverse characters navigating a perilous journey through our fascinating futuristic universe. The story highlights found family, second chances with strong female characters, and kindhearted male characters, all packed into a fast-paced read. I highly recommend it if you enjoy sci-fi that has no spice but is filled with laughter and adventure.
Cowboy Bebop is one of my favorite live-action sci-fi shows, while Serenity ranks among my top sci-fi adventure comedy movies and the Star Trek Movies are my favorite sci-fi trilogy. Space Brooms also captures that fun and adventurous sci-fi spirit for me.
Space Brooms is a sci-fi adventure comedy featuring a captivating plot, excellent pacing, and rich world-building, along with lovable, diverse characters navigating a perilous journey through our fascinating futuristic universe. The story highlights found family, second chances with strong female characters, and kindhearted male characters, all packed into a fast-paced read. I highly recommend it if you enjoy sci-fi that has no spice but is filled with laughter and adventure.
March 18, 2025
I received this ARC from the Publisher in exchange for a fair review.
Space Brooms is � entertaining. I think a lot of people would really enjoy this but it just didnt’t work for me. Hopefully the stuff that didn’t work sounds like something that would work for you and you do check it out if it sounds interesting! That cover is awesome.
I think I was thrown off because the blurb makes it seem like a sort of Star War/Star Trek aliens living with humans sort of thing, which I love, so I was excited to meet some cool alien cultures. But all the main characters are human, some of whom are cyborgs. Ok, that’s fine.
I did enjoy the detail of the worldbuilding, the capitalist critique that was Kilgore station, and the writing was very sharp in terms of describing things. I was never confused or unable to picture something. Nothing stood out as overly memorable, but it was enjoyable.
There was also some humour in the book but it didn’t really work for me - that’s entirely subjective though. Some people might find it quite funny.
Of the two things that didn't quite land for me, the main issue was tonal. There are some pretty violent things that happen, so I think it should have leaned harder into that and gone darker overall. Be a cyperpunk book if you want to be, Space Brooms! Accept that you want to have a edgier, gritter tone. I say this because some of the book is found family fun but then there’s a very graphic (like I had to skim over it) torture scene, sexual predation, and people being beat almost to death; it kept going back and forth from romp to action and then back again. It gave me tonal whiplash.
I also wasn’t super into Johnny. He’s very much a sad sack whom things happen to and who always needs rescuing (yes, he’s a damsel). Now, I will say, I loved that he was an older protagonist - we don’t get enough late 30s main characters, and I thought his dilemma of having gotten stagnant in his life/job/purpose was relatable and executed well. And the thing is, I didn’t dislike him, I just couldn’t connect with him; I was sort of ambivient to him, which lowered the tension for me considerably because the explanation for why the crew would take him along on the mission felt a bit forced to me - he almost felt superfluous for most of the book. I will say though, the last like 50 pages I did start to like him more.
The rest of the crew were fun, but very surface-level - nothing we haven’t seen before. The relationship between Johnny and Lisette was very predictable, as she’s the woman he’s been crushing on for months that just so happens to be part of the crew. Instead of being a hopeful coincidence, his crush on her is sort of pathetic. He acts like he’s 15 in that regard. Just ask her out, man, you’re 37 years old.
Overall, sorry to say that while I don't think it's a bad or poorly-written book by any means, I wouldn’t hesitate to sweep Space Brooms off to the side.
Space Brooms is � entertaining. I think a lot of people would really enjoy this but it just didnt’t work for me. Hopefully the stuff that didn’t work sounds like something that would work for you and you do check it out if it sounds interesting! That cover is awesome.
I think I was thrown off because the blurb makes it seem like a sort of Star War/Star Trek aliens living with humans sort of thing, which I love, so I was excited to meet some cool alien cultures. But all the main characters are human, some of whom are cyborgs. Ok, that’s fine.
I did enjoy the detail of the worldbuilding, the capitalist critique that was Kilgore station, and the writing was very sharp in terms of describing things. I was never confused or unable to picture something. Nothing stood out as overly memorable, but it was enjoyable.
There was also some humour in the book but it didn’t really work for me - that’s entirely subjective though. Some people might find it quite funny.
Of the two things that didn't quite land for me, the main issue was tonal. There are some pretty violent things that happen, so I think it should have leaned harder into that and gone darker overall. Be a cyperpunk book if you want to be, Space Brooms! Accept that you want to have a edgier, gritter tone. I say this because some of the book is found family fun but then there’s a very graphic (like I had to skim over it) torture scene, sexual predation, and people being beat almost to death; it kept going back and forth from romp to action and then back again. It gave me tonal whiplash.
I also wasn’t super into Johnny. He’s very much a sad sack whom things happen to and who always needs rescuing (yes, he’s a damsel). Now, I will say, I loved that he was an older protagonist - we don’t get enough late 30s main characters, and I thought his dilemma of having gotten stagnant in his life/job/purpose was relatable and executed well. And the thing is, I didn’t dislike him, I just couldn’t connect with him; I was sort of ambivient to him, which lowered the tension for me considerably because the explanation for why the crew would take him along on the mission felt a bit forced to me - he almost felt superfluous for most of the book. I will say though, the last like 50 pages I did start to like him more.
The rest of the crew were fun, but very surface-level - nothing we haven’t seen before. The relationship between Johnny and Lisette was very predictable, as she’s the woman he’s been crushing on for months that just so happens to be part of the crew. Instead of being a hopeful coincidence, his crush on her is sort of pathetic. He acts like he’s 15 in that regard. Just ask her out, man, you’re 37 years old.
Overall, sorry to say that while I don't think it's a bad or poorly-written book by any means, I wouldn’t hesitate to sweep Space Brooms off to the side.
February 20, 2025
Space Brooms! by A.G. Rodriguez
Johnny Gomez is a dreamer, just like everyone else. He has his goals and passions, but in a galaxy far away, Mr. Gomez finds himself settling in Kilgore Station. Unfortunately, his life is far from glorious. Feeling like a failure, he adapts to a monotonous routine as a janitor. Dirt and grime build up in Johnny’s mind, and it sweeps away any sense of happiness. Fortunately or unfortunately, conveniently up for debate, he stumbles upon a chit. A chip of sorts containing some top-secret information. Data that could change the landscape of the gaming community and one that garners a whole handful of trouble. Will he be able to withstand the barrage of various bounty hunter types who want to steal what he has discovered?
Fun. Simple in approach, yet effectively written. The witty banter among the group translates perfectly. I felt among the crew. With a childlike similarity to finding the golden ticket in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, rabid wolves circle their prey, and vultures swoop down to pick at the corpse and retrieve the prize. Johnny is still alive, thwarting attacks with the help of three others: Hooper, Leilani, and Lisette. Their mission is absurd: to sell the “chit� for an unbelievable sum of money, which would give each of them the foundation for a lifestyle they never thought was possible. However, they must evade both the authorities and rival gangs. A.G. Rodriguez’s story oozes action and yet manages to stay on course throughout. Its strength relies upon the reader’s relatability to the dull drums of working an endless nine to five, our dreams conveniently thrown to the waste side like a piece of trash, waiting for pickup from our friend Johnny Gomez, who also experiences the same issues in his life. The book’s simplistic nature fooled me, for I felt strong emotions in my readthrough. Regret, hope, and family bonds come to mind.
An underlying message circulated through my veins. It’s never too late to pursue what we love. Believe in yourself and stick to your principles in times of peril, and for heaven’s sake, have fun. I am giving this 4 out of 5 stars. Recommended reading!
Many thanks to Angry Robot for the ARC through Netgalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion.
Johnny Gomez is a dreamer, just like everyone else. He has his goals and passions, but in a galaxy far away, Mr. Gomez finds himself settling in Kilgore Station. Unfortunately, his life is far from glorious. Feeling like a failure, he adapts to a monotonous routine as a janitor. Dirt and grime build up in Johnny’s mind, and it sweeps away any sense of happiness. Fortunately or unfortunately, conveniently up for debate, he stumbles upon a chit. A chip of sorts containing some top-secret information. Data that could change the landscape of the gaming community and one that garners a whole handful of trouble. Will he be able to withstand the barrage of various bounty hunter types who want to steal what he has discovered?
Fun. Simple in approach, yet effectively written. The witty banter among the group translates perfectly. I felt among the crew. With a childlike similarity to finding the golden ticket in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, rabid wolves circle their prey, and vultures swoop down to pick at the corpse and retrieve the prize. Johnny is still alive, thwarting attacks with the help of three others: Hooper, Leilani, and Lisette. Their mission is absurd: to sell the “chit� for an unbelievable sum of money, which would give each of them the foundation for a lifestyle they never thought was possible. However, they must evade both the authorities and rival gangs. A.G. Rodriguez’s story oozes action and yet manages to stay on course throughout. Its strength relies upon the reader’s relatability to the dull drums of working an endless nine to five, our dreams conveniently thrown to the waste side like a piece of trash, waiting for pickup from our friend Johnny Gomez, who also experiences the same issues in his life. The book’s simplistic nature fooled me, for I felt strong emotions in my readthrough. Regret, hope, and family bonds come to mind.
An underlying message circulated through my veins. It’s never too late to pursue what we love. Believe in yourself and stick to your principles in times of peril, and for heaven’s sake, have fun. I am giving this 4 out of 5 stars. Recommended reading!
Many thanks to Angry Robot for the ARC through Netgalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion.
April 24, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley and Angry Robot for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I loved how the story started. Johnny Gomez is living in the far future on a Kilgore Station, struggling to stay afloat, dreaming of working on space haulers. It felt almost cyberpunk-esque. And part of me wishes that it leaned more into that vibe. But instead it was trying to be funny, lighthearted, and gritty at the same time.
Let's start with what I liked.
1. The world building. The book doesn't explain much, it just throws you into this futuristic world full of aliens and alien technology. I loved every moment of it.
2. Imaginative setting. It's great to get more sci-fi books that are actually set in the future and outside of Earth.
3. Social commentary was not on the nose.
4. The writing was easy to read.
Now, to what I didn't like:
1. The story would have some comedic moments, only to be followed by a brutal torture scene. It was giving me a whiplash.
2. In the first 7-10% of the book, Johnny was the only character that we knew, and he felt like a protagonist, with somewhat day-to-day problems, but he was sorting them out.
And then he found the data-chit, and he met some fancy space smugglers with swords and martial arts, and then his cyborg neighbor got involved (loved him btw), and Johnny, instead of being the main character, turned into a helpless bystander. In 36% that I read, he was saved so many times that I got tired.
3. The characters felt flat. It felt like it was supposed to be the found family story, but I didn't care about any of them and if was so odd that they cared about Johnny instead of dumping his useless ass and stealing the chit. He for sure wasn't contributing to the adventure. Maybe later he would be useful by cleaning the ship, I dunno, I just didn't care enough to continue reading. I'm not a fan of useless protagonists.
4. The romance was cringe.
I think it's a decent story, and I might come back to it sometime in the future. An audiobook feels like a good way to consume it.
Give it a go if you like space romps, but check the trigger warning first; this is not a light book at times.
DNF @36% 2.5 starts rounded up.
I loved how the story started. Johnny Gomez is living in the far future on a Kilgore Station, struggling to stay afloat, dreaming of working on space haulers. It felt almost cyberpunk-esque. And part of me wishes that it leaned more into that vibe. But instead it was trying to be funny, lighthearted, and gritty at the same time.
Let's start with what I liked.
1. The world building. The book doesn't explain much, it just throws you into this futuristic world full of aliens and alien technology. I loved every moment of it.
2. Imaginative setting. It's great to get more sci-fi books that are actually set in the future and outside of Earth.
3. Social commentary was not on the nose.
4. The writing was easy to read.
Now, to what I didn't like:
1. The story would have some comedic moments, only to be followed by a brutal torture scene. It was giving me a whiplash.
2. In the first 7-10% of the book, Johnny was the only character that we knew, and he felt like a protagonist, with somewhat day-to-day problems, but he was sorting them out.
And then he found the data-chit, and he met some fancy space smugglers with swords and martial arts, and then his cyborg neighbor got involved (loved him btw), and Johnny, instead of being the main character, turned into a helpless bystander. In 36% that I read, he was saved so many times that I got tired.
3. The characters felt flat. It felt like it was supposed to be the found family story, but I didn't care about any of them and if was so odd that they cared about Johnny instead of dumping his useless ass and stealing the chit. He for sure wasn't contributing to the adventure. Maybe later he would be useful by cleaning the ship, I dunno, I just didn't care enough to continue reading. I'm not a fan of useless protagonists.
4. The romance was cringe.
I think it's a decent story, and I might come back to it sometime in the future. An audiobook feels like a good way to consume it.
Give it a go if you like space romps, but check the trigger warning first; this is not a light book at times.
DNF @36% 2.5 starts rounded up.
March 19, 2025
Space Brooms is about Johnny Gomez. While humans, the augmented, and aliens all enjoy exotic cuisine or gambling on Kilgore Station, Johnny is instead elbow-deep in alien excrement working as a janitor. This was not the life he'd dreamt of, but some people are just luckier than others.
But his his life is soon turned upside down when he finds a data-chit that every creature in the solar system wants to claim for their own. With the help of his augmented roommate, a pair of smugglers, and a mysterious stranger, Johnny soon sets off as fast as possible to earth’s moon, Luna, to sell the chit. But with assassins and mobsters on their tail, the trip is anything but a cakewalk...
I really enjoyed Space Brooms! It was just what I needed a fun and highly entertaining sci-fi adventure.
It was a fast-paced space adventure, and it really was just so much fun to read.
My favourite part was definitely the characters and their relationships. Johnny was a great main character, and I even found him relatable at times. I also really loved his relationship with everyone, and it pretty much turned into a found family dynamic, and we all know that is my favourite trope! My favourite character, though, was Rygar, and I wish we got to see more of them in the book as they weren't in it much.
I'm pretty sure Space Brooms is a standalone as it ends with everything wrapped up, but I would really love a sequel as it would be so much fun reading another adventure with all the characters and to see what they get up to after that ending!
While I did greatly enjoy the book was one thing I disliked in the book, but it ended up being resolved by the end, and I can't really say more about it as I'm pretty sure it would count as a spoiler.
In the end, this really was a good book that i highly enjoyed, and if you are looking for a fast-paced and entertaining sci-fi read, then this is the one for you!
But his his life is soon turned upside down when he finds a data-chit that every creature in the solar system wants to claim for their own. With the help of his augmented roommate, a pair of smugglers, and a mysterious stranger, Johnny soon sets off as fast as possible to earth’s moon, Luna, to sell the chit. But with assassins and mobsters on their tail, the trip is anything but a cakewalk...
I really enjoyed Space Brooms! It was just what I needed a fun and highly entertaining sci-fi adventure.
It was a fast-paced space adventure, and it really was just so much fun to read.
My favourite part was definitely the characters and their relationships. Johnny was a great main character, and I even found him relatable at times. I also really loved his relationship with everyone, and it pretty much turned into a found family dynamic, and we all know that is my favourite trope! My favourite character, though, was Rygar, and I wish we got to see more of them in the book as they weren't in it much.
I'm pretty sure Space Brooms is a standalone as it ends with everything wrapped up, but I would really love a sequel as it would be so much fun reading another adventure with all the characters and to see what they get up to after that ending!
While I did greatly enjoy the book was one thing I disliked in the book, but it ended up being resolved by the end, and I can't really say more about it as I'm pretty sure it would count as a spoiler.
In the end, this really was a good book that i highly enjoyed, and if you are looking for a fast-paced and entertaining sci-fi read, then this is the one for you!
March 15, 2025
DNF at 42%.
I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley. I liked the premise, of a cleaner/janitor who is thrust into an action plot.
However, the main character was just so unbelievably naive and unaware of things that literally every other character seemed to take as common knowledge, such as the presence of criminal gangs on the space station, that I kept getting frustrated with him - yes, he is supposed to be a 'regular guy' who finds himself in this situation, but was he living under a rock?? Coupled with everyone around him suddenly and co-incidentally being super-competent and mysterious.
The world-building and descriptions of the different alien races and how the space station accommodated their needs was interesting and clearly thought had gone into that, but I would have liked for this to go deeper and possibly include some of these aliens in the main cast of characters rather than just 'oh and my boss was watching [elephant alien] porn because those exist'. The humour and repeated references to porn or brothels made me cringe a little, and the protagonist's 'daydreams' about women made me roll my eyes - I was honestly shocked when the narrator said he was in his late 30s because he seemed so juvenile.
The book and story up to where I decided not to finish was a light-hearted read, nothing too heavy, and for some could be a quick and fun read. Sadly I just could not connect with any of the characters and when I picked it up again after a week of not reading it, I realised I didn't really care what happened next and would rather just read something else.
I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley. I liked the premise, of a cleaner/janitor who is thrust into an action plot.
However, the main character was just so unbelievably naive and unaware of things that literally every other character seemed to take as common knowledge, such as the presence of criminal gangs on the space station, that I kept getting frustrated with him - yes, he is supposed to be a 'regular guy' who finds himself in this situation, but was he living under a rock?? Coupled with everyone around him suddenly and co-incidentally being super-competent and mysterious.
The world-building and descriptions of the different alien races and how the space station accommodated their needs was interesting and clearly thought had gone into that, but I would have liked for this to go deeper and possibly include some of these aliens in the main cast of characters rather than just 'oh and my boss was watching [elephant alien] porn because those exist'. The humour and repeated references to porn or brothels made me cringe a little, and the protagonist's 'daydreams' about women made me roll my eyes - I was honestly shocked when the narrator said he was in his late 30s because he seemed so juvenile.
The book and story up to where I decided not to finish was a light-hearted read, nothing too heavy, and for some could be a quick and fun read. Sadly I just could not connect with any of the characters and when I picked it up again after a week of not reading it, I realised I didn't really care what happened next and would rather just read something else.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.