Search Worlds Without End

Zeke Reynolds comes from a long line of proud science fiction geeks. He knows his games, comics, movies, and TV shows like Captain Kirk knows the starship Enterprise. So it's a dream come true when he learns the science fiction he loves so much is based on reality--and that he's been selected to spend a year on a massive space station. To evaluate humanity's worthiness, the Confederation of United Planets has hand picked three of Earth's most talented young people--and then there's Zeke. He's the random.

Unfortunately, Zeke finds life in space more challenging than he'd hoped. When he saves his transport ship from a treacherous enemy attack, he's labeled a war criminal. Now despised by the Confederation, rejected by his fellow humans, and pursued by a ruthless enemy, Zeke befriends the alien randoms: rejected by their own species, but loyal to each other. But their presence in the Confederation may not be so random after all, and as the danger increases, Zack's knowledge of science fiction might be the only thing that can save himself, his friends, and Earth itself.

It's difficult to return to Earth and live a simple, unadventurous life after having seen the wonders of the universe--especially when you find yourself with Smelly, a self-important artificial intelligence living in your head, reminding you how much of a primitive meat bag you are. But with Smelly's help, Zeke is on his way back to space on a new, super-secret mission. Zeke may earn Earth a second chance at intergalactic membership--and better yet, he'll be reunited with Tamret, the alien girl of his dreams.

However, things never go as planned for Zeke. Conspiracy abounds as he's once again blamed for destroying a spaceship, and sent deep into the dangerous Forbidden Zone to find the military tech tree that the enemy Phands are already using. Will his knowledge of pop culture and science fiction that saved him in Randoms help again?

Zeke has returned to Earth and, as usual, nothing is going like he planned.

The plan was: escape from Junup, rescue Director Ghli Wixxix and Captain Qwlessl, stop the Phands, and finally get Tamret to officially be his girlfriend. Instead, he gets stuck in an Earth facility for disobedient children, is stranded on an unknown and supposedly deserted planet with Villainic, of all beings, and Tamret kind of broke up with him. He's not entirely sure. Nothing and no one is as it seems, and all Zeke knows is that he's tired of the Phands trying to take over the galaxy.

With Smelly gone and his friends scattered, though, it's going to take a lot more than Zeke's expert sci-fi knowledge to save them this time.