The adventure explodes from there, as Debbie and her new friend, unable to remember her name or where she is from, jettison across galaxies, fleeing for their lives from the revenge seeking Greens. Debbie comically names her acquaintance “Ellen” after the pop culture heroine, and from there, DeWitt offers up a slew of action sequences and fight scenes that recall pulp science fiction, with humor derived from absurdity and miscommunication—as when Debbie, from the backward planet Earth, is declared an undocumented alien and a biohazard, until she is fitted with a mandatory universal ID chip that “everyone in the civilized universe” possesses.

The hunt for allies forms the story’s backbone, though the women end up making more enemies than friends, thanks in large part to Debbie’s insensitive comments among collectivist, touchy-feely alien cultures. DeWitt animates the novel with an admirably diverse cast—from deceptively cuddly rabbit life forms to androids to a host of rock worshippers—and adds an alien woman nicknamed “Fist” to the mix, serving as the muscle on Debbie’s crew. The strong female leads and intergalactic adventure form the perfect mix—though even Debbie periodically points out holes in the plot—and DeWitt keeps the danger, humor, and cultural faux pas spinning at a breakneck pace.

Takeaway: Fast, fun story of bold women on the run throughout the galaxy.

Comparable Titles: Douglas Adams’s The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Yahtzee Croshaw’s Will Save the Galaxy for Food.

Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A