Hal Spacejock Series by Simon Haynes

Hal is a lowly cargo handler working out of a second rate spaceport. He watches freighters coming and going, and dreams of one day piloting his own ship.Unfortunately, he can barely make rent.This prequel novella covers events leading up to the first Hal Spacejock novel (A Robot Named Clunk).(This is a special edition available only to subscribers to Simon Haynes' newsletter.)

Freighter pilot Hal Spacejock refuses to work for gun runners, drug smugglers and politicians. Unfortunately, this results in no customers, no cargo jobs and no hope of paying off the huge loan on his precious ship.When a debt collector kicks in his airlock and threatens his life, Hal grabs the nearest job and blasts off without reading the fine print. Can he deliver the freight and pay off his debt, or is this Hal’s last cargo run?

Rex Curtis is trying to save his freight company from bankruptcy, and the last thing he needs is a cheeky freelancer stealing his best customers.Hal Spacejock, cheeky freelancer, is fighting for survival in the cut-throat interstellar cargo business. The last thing he needs is a powerful enemy.Second Course: Two headstrong men on a collision course, in a Galaxy barely room enough for one.

Planet Cathua has a proud history where robots are concerned. Their legendary factories produced the best, the fastest, the most efficient robots in the Galaxy ... but no longer.Now they must go cap in hand to neighbouring planets, haggling and bartering for the very robots they used to be so famous for.One Cathuan patriot is determined to reverse this embarrassing situation, and Hal Spacejock lands in the middle of his sinister plot ...

Get three books in one! Set in the distant future, where humanity spans the galaxy and robots are second-class citizens, Hal Spacejock will strike a chord with fans of Red Dwarf and Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, while simultaneously forging its own wacky, off-beat path through the cosmos.Hal Spacejock Omnibus One contains the first three books in the Hal Spacejock series (A Robot Named Clunk, Second Course, and Just Desserts) PLUS a bonus short story: Hal Spacejock Visit... moreGet three books in one! Set in the distant future, where humanity spans the galaxy and robots are second-class citizens, Hal Spacejock will strike a chord with fans of Red Dwarf and Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, while simultaneously forging its own wacky, off-beat path through the cosmos.Hal Spacejock Omnibus One contains the first three books in the Hal Spacejock series (A Robot Named Clunk, Second Course, and Just Desserts) PLUS a bonus short story: Hal Spacejock Visit.Hal Spacejock 1: A Robot Named Clunk Clunk's grateful when his boss sends him off for a refit, because old robots are usually junked instead.Since the upgrade centre is on the next planet, Clunk's asked to perform a trivial little task while he's there: help a freelancer pick up some cargo.It's a simple job, straight in and out ... but don't be late.How can he refuse? Clunk's a certified co-pilot, so landing in a deserted field under cover of darkness, avoiding customs ships, orbital lasers and trigger-happy warships along the way, is not a problem.Unfortunately the freelance pilot is a much bigger challenge, because Hal Spacejock is obstinate, over-confident, and woefully under-skilled, and yet he refuses to cede control of his ship to a mere robot.Worse, Hal's only got 24 hours to pay off his debts, or he'll lose his ship ... and his life.Can the two of them sort out their differences and deliver the cargo, or will they still be wrestling over the controls when both deadlines expire?A Robot Named Clunk is one part buddy movie, two parts laughter and three parts madcap adventure.Hal Spacejock 2: Second Course Hal Spacejock’s cargo business is going so well he’s considering getting into passengers ... especially the beautiful and mysterious Sonya Polarov.Meanwhile, Rex Curtis runs the galaxy’s biggest freight company, and he’s sick of independent pilots stealing his cargo jobs. He’s determined to make a statement by destroying the biggest nuisance of them all: Hal Spacejock. And all he has to do is ensure Hal’s latest cargo job ends in disaster.Unaware of the threat and distracted by Sonya, Hal’s time-sensitive cargo sits aboard his ship while the deadline looms ever closer. If he doesn’t get a move on, the late fees will ruin him ... and cost him his life into the bargain.Hal Spacejock 3: Just Desserts Cargo pilot Hal Spacejock has a problem: his hold is stuffed full of expensive food, and the cheap freezer equipment he bought from Bent Jimmy has just failed ... exactly as Clunk predicted.Hal needs replacement parts before his cargo rots, and he's forced to abandon his precious ship at the spaceport to go looking for them. Which is a pity, because an secret agent has just decided Hal's ship is ideal for an urgent mission.Can Hal find the new parts and return before it's too late, or will he lose his ship, his cargo and his livelihood ... again?Hal Spacejock Visit Hal returns to his ship after a shopping expedition and finds Clunk in a right old state. Break out the crayons and colouring sheets ... they're booked in for a school visit!Omnibus Two, containing Hal Spacejock books 4-6, is also available. less

Hal Spacejock is a loner, struggling to make his way in a huge, uncaring galaxy. His occasional brushes with the law have left him wary and suspicious of authority.The Peace Force is a proud and dedicated body of humans and robots who work together to solve crimes and keep the Galaxy safe.Now, one of them desperately needs the other.

A straightforward cargo delivery takes a left turn after Hal Spacejock gets sidetracked. But with 200 shares in a worthless company on offer, who wouldn't step into a makeshift teleporter which has already claimed one victim?Hal and Clunk, stars of the Hal Spacejock comedy series, feature in this brand new 8000-word short story. Framed slots into the series any time after Hal Spacejock: Second Course, but can be read and enjoyed as a stand-alone... moreA straightforward cargo delivery takes a left turn after Hal Spacejock gets sidetracked. But with 200 shares in a worthless company on offer, who wouldn't step into a makeshift teleporter which has already claimed one victim?Hal and Clunk, stars of the Hal Spacejock comedy series, feature in this brand new 8000-word short story. Framed slots into the series any time after Hal Spacejock: Second Course, but can be read and enjoyed as a stand-alone.There are five Hal Spacejock novels and two short stories available now, and Hal 6: Safe Art, will be released Q4 2012. less

Hal and Clunk are stuck in port, forced to wait two whole days for their next cargo. Hal returns to the ship after a little shopping expedition and finds Clunk in a right old state. Break out the crayons and colouring sheets ... he's organised a school visit!Hal and Clunk, stars of the Hal Spacejock comedy series, feature in this short story. Visit slots into the series any time after Hal Spacejock (book one), but can be read and enjoyed as a stand-alone.

Robots have a tough life in Hal Spacejock's universe: as second-class citizens they have no rights, and most are overworked, mistreated, and recycled at the drop of a hat.When Kim Baker, a wealthy industrialist, leaves his vast fortune to an elderly robot, it's front page news.Unfortunately, the robot hasn't been seen for decades ...

A wealthy patron is sponsoring a series of art exhibitions, and Hal Spacejock has been employed to transport valuable pieces from one venue to the next.The only question is which of them will last longest ... Hal or the artworks?Safe Art is the sixth novel in the Hal Spacejock series (70,000 words, approx 300 pages)Simon Haynes also writes the Hal Junior series for readers aged 9-12

A house clearance job sounds like easy money, but rising floodwaters, an unstable landscape and a surprise find are going to make life very difficult for Hal and Clunk.Hal Spacejock 07 Big Bang is book seven in the Hal Spacejock series. This is the complete novel, previously published in ten parts.85,000 words, 42 chapters.

The Spacers' Guild needs a new president, and Hal Spacejock is determined to cast his vote... even though he's not a member. Meanwhile, Hal's latest cargo job belongs to someone else, his shiny new ship is losing money hand over fist, and doing a good favour could turn out to be the biggest mistake of his life. Join Hal and Clunk in their tenth adventure, where the only good boots are... Cold Boots! Hal Spacejock novels are self-contained, with a beginning, a middle and a proper ending... moreThe Spacers' Guild needs a new president, and Hal Spacejock is determined to cast his vote... even though he's not a member. Meanwhile, Hal's latest cargo job belongs to someone else, his shiny new ship is losing money hand over fist, and doing a good favour could turn out to be the biggest mistake of his life. Join Hal and Clunk in their tenth adventure, where the only good boots are... Cold Boots! Hal Spacejock novels are self-contained, with a beginning, a middle and a proper ending. They're not sequels, they don't end on a cliffhanger, and you could start or end your journey with any book in the series. Some events from earlier books are referenced in later ones, so it makes sense to read them in order, but it's not essential. less