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The Speaker for the Trees

by Sean DeLauder (Goodreads Author)

4.45 of 5 stars 4.45 · rating details · 29 ratings · 16 reviews

Hedge is a typical human—fat and bald, not pretty but not ugly, with a round, doting wife and a farm where he tends beehives. Except Hedge is not a typical human. In fact, Hedge is not human at all, but a plant sent by the Council of Plants and the Plant of Ultimate Knowing to observe humanity and determine whether or not humanity is a threat to the universe. A task he has...more

Kindle Edition, 87 pages

Published January 8th 2012

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Apr 29, 2012 Chance Maree rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle, fantasy

The Speaker for the Trees is a scifi/fantasy novel wherein humanity is observed and judged through the eyes of an alien race, familiarly known as plants. The Council of Plants planted plants (smiled when I wrote that!) on Earth to ascertain why our planet hadn't been conquered by plants (they hadn't seen my yard!), and whether or not mankind is a threat to the universe and should thereby be eliminated. Okay, I'll stop playing with the plant thing. The plot is delicious (because I'm a vegetarian?...more The Speaker for the Trees is a scifi/fantasy novel wherein humanity is observed and judged through the eyes of an alien race, familiarly known as plants. The Council of Plants planted plants (smiled when I wrote that!) on Earth to ascertain why our planet hadn't been conquered by plants (they hadn't seen my yard!), and whether or not mankind is a threat to the universe and should thereby be eliminated. Okay, I'll stop playing with the plant thing. The plot is delicious (because I'm a vegetarian?) and unique in that the alien plants share certain flaws with humans, so the pot calls the kettle black, which eliminates an objective moral superiority thereby showing that tolerance and empathy are the true virtues.

This novel felt easy to read as the style is similar in tone to books such as The Little Prince and Doodling, which, strangely enough, also incorporates toasters. Hmm. Sentences vary from short, staccato ones that startled me and made me laugh, such as:
"Hedge exhaled a deep, shuddering breath. He was going to need a toaster."

-- to longer, more convoluted yet with oddly packed truth-isms, such as:
"By adulthood humans had trained themselves to be coy and manipulative in response to the coy and manipulative society in which they lived, which led them to believe that everyone was being as coy and manipulative as themselves and were uncertain about what was true and what was not."

Whereas The Little Prince is whimsical and illogical, The Speaker for the Trees manages to be whimsical and logical. Hedge's story is heartfelt, as only beings without hearts can demonstrate. Humans and plants are imperfect, yet the capacity to see beyond the flaws and to care for the sweet vulnerabilities that require a bit of nurturing to bring about a grand flowering--well, that is close to being divine.

If I were pressed to find fault here, I'd say I least appreciated the concept of the Visitors. The Mr. Visitor character added intrigue, and a wee bit of tension, but was not "fleshed" out enough to be truly threatening. For me, the Visitors, though interesting, were the least developed and thereby most disappointing component of the story. There. I was brutal.

Summary: Very enjoyable read. Please do so. (less)

4 likes · like · see review

May 13, 2012 Mia Darien rated it 5 of 5 stars

Apparently, I'm on a funny indie book kick. My non-indie reading has not been so much with the funny, but this is the third humorous indie I've read in a row. And you know what? I love it. They've been a blast.

This one was a riot. I had only meant to read a couple chapters this evening, and ended up finishing the whole damn thing! (Mr. DeLauder, if my characters haunt me because your story delayed my writing of theirs, I'm sending them to your doorstep.) There are some truly precious lines. The...more

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Mar 27, 2012 L.H. Thomson rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Speaker for the Trees is an astonishing sci-fi novella in its ability to touch on the myriad of pragmatic, logical views we can take of existence and humanity, then point to the sheer beauty in sometimes ignoring all that, and benefiting instead from the sheer empathy gained from shared experience.

It's not complex to read. But it is a complex novel in its depth and intellect, and one that I suspect will be read and discussed for a great many years after being written -- and perhaps, unfortun...more

4 likes · like · see review

Jan 10, 2013 Mallory Anne-Marie Forbes rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Mallory Anne-Marie by: Sean deLauder

Shelves: 2013-authors-new-to-me-challenge, 2013-eclectic-reader-challenge, 2013_reads, jan-yc-blue, january_2013_reads

Loved it.

Review of The Speaker for the Trees by Sean DeLauder
5 stars

Throughout this story, I alternated between chuckling aloud, exclaiming “ahh!” and saying, “That’s what I’ve always believed!” So clearly this story touched my heart and soul; there’s much more here than meets the eye—philosophy, metaphysics, a study of the human condition, for better or worse…

Somewhere far out in the universe is a planet known only as Plant Plant, because the sentient denizens are just that-plants. They also ho...more

1 like · like · see review

Mar 23, 2012 James Field rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: finished

Sean DeLauder scores full points with this novel.
I am old enough to remember my days as a 'Hippie' when everyone spoke of 'Flower-Power'. After reading 'The Speaker for the Trees' I think, perhaps, we were on to something?
Sean DeLauder depicts a universe where plants are supreme, and humans are a dangerous pest. The plot is captivating, funny, and bitingly ironic. If you enjoyed 'A Hitchhiker's Guide to the Universe', and 'Men in Black', then this novel is a 'must'.
Unfortunately, I tend to suffe...more

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Apr 17, 2012 Doreen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Ok, here it goes... (Though I know I am not going to do this book the awesome justice it deserves.) I loved this book. It was given to me for review by the awesome author (Thank you Mr. DeLauder!) I look forward to reading more of your work. The protagonist in this book is Hedge (literally and figuratively it turns out). He is living on Earth with his wife to observe humans. There is an omnipotent plant and counsel that think the Earth should be purged and restarted because of the destruction of...more

1 like · like · see review

Feb 23, 2012 Amy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

Hedge is fat, and aside from the greenish tinge of his skin, utterly unremarkable for a human male; the perfect disguise. For 20 years he enjoyed working on his farm and keeping his bees and eating his wife's pork chops. Then one day he is summoned back to his home planet, Planet Plant, and given some terrible news. Under the guidance of the Plant of Ultimate Knowing, it becomes his responsibility to save Earthwife Anna and the rest of the human race - and in the process he realizes that living...more Hedge is fat, and aside from the greenish tinge of his skin, utterly unremarkable for a human male; the perfect disguise. For 20 years he enjoyed working on his farm and keeping his bees and eating his wife's pork chops. Then one day he is summoned back to his home planet, Planet Plant, and given some terrible news. Under the guidance of the Plant of Ultimate Knowing, it becomes his responsibility to save Earthwife Anna and the rest of the human race - and in the process he realizes that living among humanity for two decades has made him a little bit human, as well.

DeLauder's prose is beautiful, crisp, and redolent with ebullient humor reminiscent of the late, the wonderful, Douglas Adams. The plot is fantastical and may have come off as zany if not grounded by the sincerity, even seriousness, of the narrator's tone. I especially enjoyed the juxtaposition of narrative and vernacular dialogue; it made me wonder who was actually telling the story: clearly some vastly intelligent being. Perhaps the Plant of Ultimate Knowing itself?

The characters in this story are wonderful. I couldn't help but like Hedge from the very beginning. Even though he is just a plant, his capacity for compassion and empathy indicates that he is for certain more highly evolved than others of his race. Scud Peabody is surely a genius and, judging from the vivid descriptions typical of this author, may suffer from undiagnosed Graves' ophthalmopathy. I especially love the Earthwife, Anna. Though we meet her only briefly, during that time we can tell so much about her nature: she is sweet and loving and honest and has a terrible past of which she was singularly undeserving. This is a short story, but the characters are extremely well developed and multi-dimensional; I hope to hear more from Hedge in the future.

The Speaker for the Trees is a fun sci-fi yarn, but more than anything it is a love story. On the surface it is the story of a plant-man who learns to love an earth woman and goes to great lengths to save her. Upon closer inspection one finds that it is really about a love of humanity - that despite our flaws, we are a species of brilliant hope and potential, one worthy of saving. DeLauder conveys this message with his prose, but also by the emotions he evokes in the mind and heart of his reader.(less)

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May 11, 2013 MoonButterfly rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: literature, reviews, stars-rating-4, 2012

Vegetarians Beware! You may want to avoid planet Plant on your intergalactic travels. If you munch, you��ll be mulched. [Actually this has nothing to do with the book, I'm trying to being clever.]

This is a relief after reading so many hard hitting books. Indie writer, Sean DeLauder, has written an entertaining fantasy novella where humanity is under surveillance by plants. You see, the protagonist is a plant disguised as a human. Hedge was sent to earth by the Plant Council, but you��ll have t...more

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Jan 01, 2013 Richard (Bound & Determined...) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: review-request

There comes a time when we must learn from our mistakes, take responsibility for our actions, accept the consequences, and move on. Stronger, greater, more knowledgeable than we were. Sean DeLauder in a humorous, witty, quirky way explores these themes.

Hedge, a plant come to Earth in human form, has been sent to study humanity, to learn their ways, what makes them tick. It was fun to see us through his eyes. How our everyday, without-much-thought routines can seem trivial and ridiculous.

Even und...more There comes a time when we must learn from our mistakes, take responsibility for our actions, accept the consequences, and move on. Stronger, greater, more knowledgeable than we were. Sean DeLauder in a humorous, witty, quirky way explores these themes.

Hedge, a plant come to Earth in human form, has been sent to study humanity, to learn their ways, what makes them tick. It was fun to see us through his eyes. How our everyday, without-much-thought routines can seem trivial and ridiculous.

Even understanding why and how we love someone and how to express that love was hilarious:

She gave him a half smile.

"You're always so weirdly sincere," she said. "I guess I love you for that." The half smile found its other half and became full, but she was staring at him in the intense, patient way that told him she was waiting for something. Not just something, an equal acknowledgement of the love which she had just expressed.

Hedge thought a moment, then smiled in return.

"I find you highly symmetrical."
(Kindle Locations 427-433).

Even some of our greatest pastimes were analyzed, shaken down, and exposed at their basest levels:

He thought he'd wasted time with Anna, watching the glamorized violence on the television; wasted time sitting on the porch as he waited for the magical moment when the sunlight fell behind the willow and exploded it with radiant orange; wasted time gazing at Anna while the toaster buzzed in his hand before slinging him across the cosmos to end up standing here—in the mud, dripping wet, waiting indefinitely. The only wasted time, he decided, was not the moments idled away in pursuit of foolish pleasure, but that period of empty time where you did absolutely nothing and the next foreseeable event loomed somewhere beyond the horizon.

This, Hedge felt, was an unprecedented waste of time.
(Kindle Locations 532-537).

I did a little looking around on Goodreads, seeing how others rated this book, and noticed that there were some discussions people had started. One was related to the subtitle of the book: A Love Story. And I was perplexed because I didn’t notice that when I started the book. And it truly was. The love between Anna and Hedge spanned miles, hours, planets, galaxies. It was a genuine, real, sweet love. There was nothing more satisfying about this book than that love and it’s many representations in the story.

I don’t want to give anything away, but the ending is just wonderful. I smiled. I mean, y’all, it was that sappy smile, that all-is-right-with-the-world smile. And it was real. At that moment, everything felt right with the story, the world, the universe.

I so enjoyed this book that if I could give away copies to you all, I would, but I can’t. So, you just need to go buy this for yourself. It is not what I expected it to be, and I am thankful that it wasn’t. The Speaker for the Trees is perfect the way it is, taking it at face value, no additions, subtractions, or substitutions.

Y’all, read this book.
(less)

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Aug 01, 2012 Sam rated it 5 of 5 stars

Hedge is not human but a plant sent here to live among the humans and observe. The Counsil of the Plants and the Plant of Ultimate Knowing wants to know if humanity is a threat to the universe. So Hedge along with other plants take on human form, where he lives on his farm, tends to his bees, and eats his earthwifes pork chops. Until one day when he is summoned home.

This was such a good story. I fell in love with Hedge and some of the other characters. You forget that he is a plant until he remi...more

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Apr 09, 2012 Penumbra rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewers-requested, 51-to-100-pages, fast-read, free-ebook, format-ebook, humor, own, pov-adult-male, read-in-2012, reviewed, cover-love, character-aliens, publisher-createspace, science-fiction

The author kindly gave me a copy of his book to read through Making Connections' ARR, for an honest review. Thank you!

This story was told through the eyes of Hedge; a form of plant life sent to Earth and is impersonating a human. The book blurb gives a good description of what the book is about, so I won’t go into that.

I enjoyed this story; the humor reminded me a lot of “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.” Because the world is seen through the eyes of Hedge, we get an alien’s take of what human...more

1 like · like · see review

Apr 25, 2012 Kerry Stewart rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

First I must say that I do not typically read Sci-Fi genre but the author so kindly provided me with a copy. Thank you Mr. DeLauder! I rate this book 5 stars for creativity of the zany clever plot of a man who is not actually a man but a plant sent to live among the humans and observe them. While not being a human Hedge seems like he has become more human than plant with the compassion that he shows for his Earth wife Anna and the human race.

Thanks again Mr. DeLauder for sharing your book with...more

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Apr 11, 2012 Sadie Forsythe rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle-lendable-read

This is a fabulous little novella. It starts on a high note and stays there. It is witty and clever, with a very Douglas Adams feel. Being so short most of the characters are not deeply developed, but this is not a destraction-rather it avoids unnecessary distractions. Hedge's outsider observations of humanity are thought provoking, and his budding understanding of his own, very human, emotions touching. I'm glad I gave it an evening. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Oh, and I'll be keeping my toaster c...more

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Sep 16, 2012 B0nnie marked it as books · review of another edition

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Nov 28, 2012 Sean DeLauder added it · (Review from the author)

Shelves: wroten-by-me

This book is cursed. Any who read it will have their brain transformed into a turnip. The author regrets this.

1 like · like · see review

Jun 14, 2012 Darlene rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Simon Haynes, Jon Gibbs, Yvensong, Cheryl in CC NV, Ralph, Chris, S. Michele, Tom

Recommended to Darlene by: L. H. Thomson and Sean DeLauder

Shelves: free-from-author, kindle, kindle-books-i-own, aliens, favs, lending-enabled, sci-fi, science-speculative, text-to-speech-enabled

Not awful. Not awful at all! In fact, it had the fun of the Hal Spacejock series and the quiet terror of Twilight Zone or Outer Limits. What a combination! And though I may have missed something, I think a better title would be Speaker for the Human Being. Hitting the nail on the head is far less painful.

Well done, Mr. DeLauder. I think everyone should read this once. I plan to read it again as there is depth within this story worth gathering and nurturing within oneself. Hope and the ability t...more

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Shelves: ebooks_have

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About Sean DeLauder

This author has held several positions in recent years, including Content Writer, Grant Writer, Obituary Clerk, and Staff Writer, and is under the false impression that these experiences have added to his character since they have not contributed much to his finances. He was awarded a BFA in Creative Writing and Journalism and a BA in Technical Communication by Bowling Green State University becau...more

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Of Gods and Men and Men Who Would be Gods

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Quotes from The Speaker for the Trees

“For all their simplicity, humans could be remarkably perceptive, though they didn't know it most of the time, and their ability to thrust straight through deception and see to the heart of truth was often lost with childhood. By adulthood humans had trained themselves to be coy and manipulative in response to the coy and manipulative society in which they lived, which led them to believe that everyone was trying to be as coy and manipulative as themselves and were uncertain about what was true and what was not. Beyond their few flashes of clarity, everything became a muddle of colliding doubts.” — 3 people liked it

“Most distinguishable about the idiot, Hedge noted, was their fear of that which was different. Those who feared difference always made a point of finding difference in others in order to feel more secure in their sameness.” — 3 people liked it

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