I’m a Reedsy Discovery reviewer! I received a free ARC of Rattz on the Prowl by Robert F. Glahe for this review.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

A routine mission turns deadly when Sgt. Sludge Dragoon and his squad are attacked by Rattz, the vicious hybrid aliens that even the toughest space marine fears. No human, including Sludge’s squad mates, has ever survived a Rattz attack. Unluckily for Sludge, he’s about to be the first. Saving humanity from this vermin infestation won’t be easy. Sludge will need to delve into the bowels of a space station, travel to a malodorous planet, and even go into the void of space.

Sludge shines as the protagonist. An aging space marine, his narration is clear and strong throughout the novel. Though the entire book is funny, Sludge’s snark provides some of the biggest laughs. His unique curse words add an extra layer of fun. You may find yourself saying “crud-nicks!” the next time something goes wrong in your life, too.

Sludge is an entertaining character, but he never appears to mourn for his friends, despite his obvious closeness with them. The tone shift from their deaths to our hospital-gown glad hero making quips about smoothies is jarring. The narration also treats most of the female characters as eye candy, though this improves by the end of the book.

At times the dialogue can slow down the action, but it always serves the purpose of moving the story forward, or adding to the worldbuilding. The worldbuilding is doled out to readers throughout the book, never becoming overwhelming or making the readers feel like they’re missing something. The action scenes are all a lot of fun to read, especially when they involve improvised weaponry.

The descriptions, particularly of the settings, could be stronger. There are several places in the book where it’s hard to get a sense of place and elapsed time. The two alien species in the book don’t have detailed descriptions until a chapter or two after they’re introduced, which makes them hard to picture from the start.

Overall, Rattz on the Prowl is a rollicking novel with plenty of sequel hooks that will have readers looking forward to Sludge’s next misadventure. It will appeal to adult satire and science fiction fans, especially those who don’t mind poking fun at the genre. It’s also a great entry point for anyone who is interested in the sci-fi genre.