Snark, Space Vampires, and Sentiment
5 out of 5 stars
Six books in and this crew still finds ways to surprise me. Space Academy Graduates brings everything full circle—returning Vance Turbo and his (ever-dwindling but ever-lovable) crew to the place it all started. But make no mistake, this isn’t just a nostalgia-fueled campus tour—it’s a deeply personal mission, both emotionally and cosmically dangerous.
Also, did I mention SPACE VAMPIRES? Because yes, they’re here and they’re in all caps.
Vance is in a vulnerable emotional state following the events of “Vagrants,” and this book capitalizes on that. It’s just as much about healing and reflection as it is about unraveling conspiracies and punching evil in the face. The Department 12 storyline adds some fresh layers of intrigue, and I really enjoyed seeing how past choices ripple through Vance’s present. He’s got baggage, and not the kind you check at the shuttle bay.
C.T. Phipps and Michael Suttkus never let the tone get too heavy, though. They know how to keep things zipping along with whip-smart dialogue, weird tech, and the kind of satire that somehow still makes you care about these oddball heroes. And Jeffrey Kafer? He is Vance Turbo. At this point, I can’t imagine reading a single line without hearing that dry, snark-infused voice in my head.
Space Academy Graduates is like revisiting your old dorm… if your dorm had aliens, government secrets, and a vampire infestation. Absolutely hilarious and unexpectedly heartfelt. A standout finale (or is it?) to a series that never stops being fun.
Book Description:
“The final voyage begins! As soon as we find the parts for the engine.”
Space Academy Graduates is where the worst crew in the galaxy’s adventures come full circle! Vance Turbo and company have returned to Space Academy, the place where it all began, in order to investigate the murder of Earth’s highest decorated officer. Along the way, they’ll discover the secrets of the mysterious Department 12, the responsibilities of power, and the dangers that come from SPACE VAMPIRES! Yes, it’s always capitalized.
Vance Turbo is melancholy after the losses to his crew in Space Academy Vagrants and struggling with the belief that he’s done more harm than good as a captain. Space Academy brings up many memories of his days as a young officer as well as his relationship with his long-lost friend, the Sorkanan Tommy. Can he overcome his sorrow to save the universe from itself? Should he?
Space Academy is an all-new series from the hilarious duo of C.T. Phipps (Supervillainy Saga, Cthulhu Armageddon) and Michael Suttkus (I Was a Teenage Weredeer, Lucifer’s Star) that lampoons the space opera as well as military science fiction genres.
Includes a bonus short story, “The End of History.”
Space Academy Graduates by CT Phipps, Michael SuttkusNarrator: Jeffrey Kafer
Length: 8 hrs and 3 mins
Series: Space Academy #6
Published by Podium Audio on April 14th 2025
Also by this author: Cthulhu Armageddon, Agent G: Infiltrator, The Tower of Zhaal, Lucifer's Star, I Was a Teenage Weredeer, An American Weredeer in Michigan, Lucifer's Nebula
Also in this series: Space Academy Dropouts, , Space Academy Washouts, Space Academy Miscreants
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