But when someone steals the number three for ransom, suddenly Rollie's not the only one looking for justice. It's the perfect chance to unleash some covert revenge. well, it's more than a smart lifestyle choice. For Rollie Tsmorlood, escaping a prison planet that no one ever survives. Life in the Greater Communicating Universe isn't easy. So with the weight of the world on his shoulders and the cosmic law on his tail, can Bertram outrun, outwit, and out-bid to save the Earthling squatters from one spaced-out redevelopment plan? less Where crime is Art, technology still has its bugs, and lasers don’t go “pyew-pyew.” It’s also surprisingly easy to get on the Universe’s Most Wanted list. Where androids demand better work/life balance. Now he’s discovering space is a mad and mind-boggling place where interspecies communication rests on the power of a gumball. But as a cognitive psychology grad student, he has given some thought to what a complete mental breakdown looks like. Like everyone else on his planet, Bertram Ludlow hasn’t paid much attention to fluctuations in the intergalactic real estate market. Boy learns he’s the only one in the Universe who can save the Earth from extreme world makeover by inter-stellar landlords. more It’s the age-old tale of boy meets alien abductor.

It’s the age-old tale of boy meets alien abductor.

Tryfling Matters by Jenn Thorson