Friday, 16 October 2026

Stowaway to Saturn - Karina Fabian - Zach Augustine Book 1

Stowaway to Saturn
Zach Augustine Book 1 
Karina Fabian
ISBN 9780819827722
eISBN 
ASIN 

Stowaway to Saturn - Karina Fabian - Zach Augustine Book 1

The reading of this story marks the 49th time I have read a story by Fabian, not counting her contributions to Anthologies. I remember when this character was mentioned in a Rescue Sisters Story, and am so excited having read this first story in this new series. In the beginning of the Acknowledgements section Fabian states:

“When I was a kid—and even now as an adult—I’d sometimes skip the Acknowledgements section. Too often, it’s just a list of people to thank, mixed with a couple of factoids about the book. But I want you to learn something from this section, whether you want to be a writer, an engineer, a scientist, or a landscaper! We seldom accomplish things on our own. Just like Zach needed Jake and Anna (and Putterbot!) to rescue the kids, I needed people to make this story as good as it is. So read on!

The Adventures of Zach Augustine got its start as a mention in my short story, “Moonboy.” In it, Cory Taylor, the first boy born on the moon, reads the Zach adventures and decides to go have one of his own. I only ever meant them to be a bunch of titles. But then editor and friend, Rebecca Martin, talked about the need for middle-grade Catholic books, and I remembered how much I loved sci-fi at that age. (Still do!) Why not make Zach Augustine a real thing? I suggested it to Rebecca, who gave me a lot of encouragement. Lesson: Be open to suggestions. Sometimes an idea can bear more fruit than you think!”

Fabian has written an excellent story for the young and young at heart. I have mentioned in a few reviews and several times over the years on my blog that I have a dual form of dyslexia. Maybe in part because of that I still love Middle Grade reads and Young adult novels. But when I met Madeleine L’Engle she spoke about writing for youths and kids is harder because they ask more questions, and do not just accept things older readers would read over. And Fabian does an excellent job in this her debut Middle Grade novel. The description of this story is:

“The first book in the new Zach Augustine series--page-turning, faith-filled, sci-fi adventures for ages 9 to 12. 

Zach Augustine is on the run. He's a spacer--born and raised on a ship in the asteroid belt. But now he's on his own. Will Zach be able to prove himself to his new crew and earn his place aboard their ship? Or will his faith and diligence prompt him to choose a different path when dangerous secrets come to light?”

About the author we are informed:

“Karina Fabian grew up reading the classics of science fiction and fantasy. Now the author of over 45 books in sci-fi, fantasy, and comedic horror, she loves to entertain readers of all ages with the adventures of her characters. Her books have won the Mensa Award, the EPPIE, the INDIE, and most recently, the Catholic Reads Editors’ and Readers’ Choice awards. She and her husband live in Florida where they can watch rockets launch from their front yard. Discover her books at fabianspace.com. Karina is glad to do school visits to share Zach’s adventures and the real-world adventures of space and science.”

Every time I read a book by Fabian, no matter the series, I think ‘it can’t get better than this’ and yet somehow it almost always does. This story really took me by surprise, in some ways it reads like a Johnny Quest or TinTin in space. Except for the fact that Zach Augustine is an orphan. Zach is trying to live by a code:

“He closed his eyes and recited the Creed. I am a Spacer. My life is among the stars. My ship, my suit, my God, are my protection. To survive, I must use my brains, my faith, my heart. A Spacer never panics. A Spacer survives first, feels second. A Spacer knows his situation, his priorities, and his orders ...”

This is an excellent story. And certain characters and their arcs really stay with readers, even after they finish it. Especially Saint and even Pinky, but especially Zach and Putterbot. The pace of the story is excellent, and the plot fascinating. We have a story with an orphan who is desperate to stay in space, pirates, a repaired robot, and so much more. Sometimes you need to be careful what you wish for, and Zach finds that out in a big way. He also learns that the world is not black and white, and he needs lessons in faith and virtues. 

This is the type of science fiction I had  access to when my own children were younger, and even when I was younger myself. It is a much better story than a lot of what I read as a youth. 

This book is another very entertaining read, and start to what looks to be an excellent series. It is a great offering from Fabian’s pen. Give this book a try; I am certain you will be entertained. Another amazing read from Fabien’s masterful pen that I can easily recommend.      

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2025 Catholic Reading Plan!


Dex Hollister Series:
The Old Man and the Void
Dex's Way
...

Neeta Lyffe, Zombie Exterminator Series :
Neeta Lyffe, Zombie Exterminator
I Left My Brains in San Francisco
Shambling in a Winter Wonderland
…

DragonEye PI Series:
DragonEye PI Novels:

Space Traipse Series:
Space Traipse: Hold My Beer, Season 1
Space Traipse: Hold My Beer, Season 2
...

Zach Augustine Series:
Escape to Enceleadus! 
…

Write Boost Books:
Persevere in your Writing
Develop your Author Voice
Fun with Worldbuilding
The Dubious Joy of Editing
Torture Your Characters
Creature Creation
The Art of Critique
Goal Setting
Humor Writing
Idea Generation
Publicity Package
Scene Fixes
Character Creation
AI for Writers
Faith in Fiction
…



Contributed to:
Firestorm of Dragons
The Zombie Cookbook
The Book of Tentacles
Twisted Fayrie Tales
FRIGHTLINER: And Other Tales of the Undead
Mother Goose is Dead
Word by Word: Slowing Down with the Hail Mary
Image and Likeness Literary Reflections on the Theology of the Body
Corrupts Absolutely? Dark Metahuman Fiction
Weird Noir
The Complete Guide to Writing Paranormal Novels
Manifesto UF
Avenir Eclectia
Planetary Anthology: Jupiter
Planetary Anthology: Pluto
Planetary Anthology: Luna
Planetary Anthology: Uranus
FlagShip Science Fiction and Fantasy v2i5
My Little Book of Headdesks
To Be Men: Stories Celebrating Masculinity
...

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