From Left to Right: Bagok Grinch, Marvelous Dagon, the Marauder, Reeva Savaltenhein, Ameenzaleira Rüdcruuz, Nicora Eidenburg, Ratroe Calaranzo, and Bob Balter
Space Glass, by author Kurt A. Russell, is an adventure story about four mercenaries who pursue a mad man across the galaxy.
Thing is, the Blackstar Mercenaries barely function as a team, whereas the Extragalactic Enthusiasts are as close as family.
It was first published to Amazon on June 12, 2021, as both an e-Book and a paperback.
This book provides examples of:
- Affably Evil: Marvelous is quite the gentleman, and absolutely loving to his team.
- A.I. Is a Crapshoot: Averted with the Marauder, who actually gives Ratroe a chance to survive during their second encounter, and cares deeply about his associates.
- Alas, Poor Villain: Bagok, Reeva, and the Marauder all had miserable lives, and they, with Marvelous help, were only trying to escape it.
- Because You Were Nice to Me: Bagok, Reeva, and the Marauder all love Marvelous because of this. Also, Ratroe to Amy, who's kindness to him he finds unusual.
- Bittersweet Ending: By the end of the story, Amy, Bob, and all four of the Extragalactic Enthusiasts are dead, as well as a huge portion of the galaxy. The only happiness is that Ratroe gets to provide for his and Amy's families.
- Blade Below the Shoulder: The Marauder's four arms end in blades.
- Blatant Lies: Amy pulls this number twice, first with Ratroe after he pieces together that she has feelings for Bob, and then with Bob who absentmindedly asks if she likes Ratroe.
- Book Ends: The story begins and ends at the Blackstar Mercenary headquarters.
- Body Horror: Polodium Sickness covers your body with green zigzagged lines, all the while paralyzing, blinding, and potentially killing you.
- Cannot Spit It Out: Amy refuses to tell Bob about her crush on him, although she claims this is because she doesn't want to break Bob and Nicora up.
- Dark and Troubled Past: Almost every character.
- Bob's parents killed each other in front of him while he was still a child.
- Amy's brother was badly injured in the war, ending her happy childhood.
- Ratroe's family was plunged into poverty after their father abandoned them.
- Bagok was considered a freak everywhere he went.
- Reeva was thrown out by her family after slaughtering several people in self defense.
- and finally, the Marauder was being used for target practice.
- Dark Is Not Evil: Ratroe certainly has a dark demeanor, yet his goals are heroic.
- Dead Sidekick: This happens to Marvelous as each of his closest companions die. He finally snaps and goes ballistic on the mercs after the Marauder dies.
- The Determinator: Marvelous Dagon. Also, Ratroe after finding his reason to stop Marvelous.
- Died in Your Arms Tonight: Amy dies in Ratroe's arms and Bob dies in Nicora's.
- Don't Make Me Destroy You: Marvelous and the Marauder are both hesitant to fight the Blackstar Mercenaries, giving them almost every chance to withdraw.
- Dwindling Party: The Blackstar Mercenaries lose Amy, and Marvelous loses Bagok, Reeva, and the Marauder in painful succession.
- Eldritch Abomination: The World Eater.
- Gentle Giant: Bob and Bagok both have shades of this, although Bagok more so.
- Gentleman and a Scholar: Marvelous is very well kempt, and also brilliant.
- Girl Next Door: Amy.
- Got Volunteered: Nicora never actually gets the drive to pursue Marvelous, instead having to go along with the others because she's the pilot.
- Groin Attack: Reeva gets Ratroe twice with this, first when he's pinning her down, then again when he has her in a chokehold. Nicora and the professor's daughter also try this on Marvelous Dagon, but they're stopped short.
- Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold: Amy plays this straight, being the kindest character in the cast, and also having the brightest blond. Subverted with Nicora, who is quite a jerk. Also goes both ways with Marvelous, who adores his team, but also beats his enemies savagely.
- Heroic Sacrifice: Amy uses a Polodium Missle Launcher to save Bob, which kills her.
- Hidden Heart of Gold: Ratroe shows it to Amy, who reminds him of his little siblings.
- Humanoid Abomination: It's implied that this is what people see Bagok Grinch as.
- Impaled with Extreme Prejudice: Nicora is stabbed through by the Marauder twice, the first time paralyzing her and knocking her out of commission for awhile, and the second time nearly killing her.
- It Can Think: Nicora is thrown off guard by the realization that the Marauder can speak.
- I Will Punish Your Friend for Your Failure: Marvelous says this to Bob after giving him a No-Holds-Barred Beatdown on the Albatross.
- The Juggernaut: Bagok Grinch shrugs off most of the mercs attacks, only being truly affected by Ratroe's sniper rounds.
- Kick Them While They Are Down: A favorite move of Marvelous'.
- Kindhearted Simpleton: Bagok to his friends.
- Mark of Shame: Reeva's Mark of the Killer, which signifies that she's killed at least ten innocent people.
- Names to Run Away from Really Fast: The Marauder. Also, the World Eater.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Bob's attempt to help the professor's daughter ends up getting her beaten worse.
- Nigh-Invulnerability: Several examples.
- After their full onslaught of weaponry, Bagok Grinch was only damaged by Ratroe's sniper rounds.
- The Marauder can regenerate and is resistant to most attacks, only getting stumbled most of the time.
- The only way to defeat the World Eater was to get it to eat itself, being completely resistant to all other attacks.
- No-Holds-Barred Beatdown: Another of Marvelous Dagon's favorite techniques.
- Marvelous delivers one to the professor's daughter, then one to Bob immediately after.
- Reeva gives one to Bob after he disables the Marauder.
- Marvelous gives another to Bob during the Chapter 10 fight.
- He dishes one out to Ratroe, Nicora, and Bob after unleashing the World Eater.
- And another during the Albatross battle, to Bob.
- Finally, Bob gives one to Marvelous during their final battle.
- Oh, Crap!: Twice, first when the mercs find that a rock worm has eaten the Aggressor and second when they see the World Eater.
- Only One Name: The Marauder, although one could argue his first name is "the".
- Parental Abandonment: Ratroe's father left him, Bob's parents killed each other, and Bagok's parents were eaten.
- The Power of Friendship: The Extragalactic Enthusiasts use this often, with each member getting stronger and ragier after each death. Amy also does her best fighting when her friends are in danger.
- Promotion to Parent: Effectively, Ratroe, thanks to his father leaving.
- Rage Breaking Point: Marvelous, after the Marauder dies.
- Red Eyes, Take Warning: The Marauder has these, and is the second most powerful member of the Extragalactic Enthusiasts.
- Robot Buddy: The Marauder to Bagok and Reeva.
- Savage Wolves: The Razor Wolves of Poison.
- The Shangri-La: Oracle Mountain.
- This Is Unforgivable!: Ratroe's reaction to learning that Marvelous beat up a teenager.
- Together in Death: Marvelous hopes surrendering the World Eater will let him join his adoptive children in Heaven.
- Tragic Dream: Marvelous wants to take Bagok, Reeva, and the Marauder to a new galaxy, to get them away from the ruthless galaxy they currently live in, but extragalactic travel is nigh impossible.
- True Companions: Amy likes to think the Blackstar Mercenaries are, though the Extragalactic Enthusiasts qualify more.
- Well-Intentioned Extremist: Marvelous does very cruel things and murders a great many people, but it's all to give Bagok, Reeva, and the Marauder better lives.
- Would Hurt a Child: Marvelous beats up the professor's daughter, just to get him to talk.
