The pocket allows Kangaroo to smuggle pretty much anything anywhere, and it makes him both special and useful, but he’s otherwise not terribly well suited to be a secret agent. That’s his spy agency code name, because he has a superpower: the ability to open portals into a pocket universe that only he can access. (I know what you’re thinking: “Which one? There are so many dumb jokes in your novel!” Thanks, Mom.)ĭumb jokes and bad puns are especially apt for my protagonist, KANGAROO. My favorite bit in Waypoint Kangaroo is a dumb joke.

Chen has an extensive network of connections to prominent science fiction authors, and has studied under John Scalzi, James Patrick Kelly, and Ursula K. With Waypoint Kangaroo, Chen makes his debut with this outer space thriller. Weren’t vacations supposed to be relaxing? A new interplanetary conflict would be devastating for both sides. Now, Kangaroo has to stop a disaster which would shatter the delicate peace that’s existed between Earth and Mars ever since the brutal Martian Independence War. It turns out he isn’t the only spy on the ship–and he’s just starting to unravel a massive conspiracy which threatens the entire Solar System. While he tries to make the most of his exile, two passengers are found dead, and Kangaroo has to risk blowing his cover. But he’s pretty sure the agency only keeps him around to exploit his superpower.Īfter he bungles yet another mission, Kangaroo gets sent away on a mandatory “vacation:” an interplanetary cruise to Mars. But what sets him apart is “the pocket.” It’s a portal that opens into an empty, seemingly infinite, parallel universe, and Kangaroo is the only person in the world who can use it. Sure, he has extensive agency training, access to bleeding-edge technology, and a ready supply of clever (to him) quips and retorts. Chen is joining us today with his novel Waypoint Kangaroo.

Waypoint kangaroo