The Android's Dream

Dec 21, 2009 Jim rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: science-fiction

3.5 stars or a bit more. It was a fun read, a conspiracy theory, SF adventure with lots of tongue in cheek humor, coincidences & odd aliens. Scalzi has a lot of fun poking sticks at legal systems, religions & diplomacy. There is a lot of computer work in it, including some very interesting points about data collection & privacy that is quite obviously pointed at our current system. An interesting read, although I doubt I'll ever read it again. Half the fun was not knowing what would...more

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Aug 14, 2007 Peggy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Although I've heard nothing but good things about John Scalzi's Old Man's War, I still haven't gotten around to reading it. Which, given how much sheer fun The Android's Dream is, makes me an idiot. Seriously. If you can put this book down after reading the first paragraph, you're a better person than me. It's got action. It's got adventure. It's got power politics and strange alien races. It's got the snappiest dialogue since Nick & Nora Charles set the banter highwater mark. Get it. Read i...more

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Jan 11, 2009 Chris rated it 2 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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May 29, 2009 Sheila rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: recommended-to-me

I always hate it when I don't like a book someone recommends to me, but after a chapter and a half I realized that a) I hadn't found a single character I liked yet, and b) the author and I don't share the same sense of humor at all. So, back to the library with this.

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Aug 05, 2011 Jason rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: e-books, read-2011

4 Stars

My first John Scalzi book that I have read and I will now grab up his other books as I am now a fan. This is a tough review to write as by saying what I like about this book might make it seem like it less than it really is.

This is a funny book. It is filled with clever wit, funny parodies, and downright corny jokes. The jokes are all over this one and give it a great feel, without actually detracting from the science. This is a science fiction novel, a space opera, and a futuriistic cons...more 4 Stars

My first John Scalzi book that I have read and I will now grab up his other books as I am now a fan. This is a tough review to write as by saying what I like about this book might make it seem like it less than it really is.

This is a funny book. It is filled with clever wit, funny parodies, and downright corny jokes. The jokes are all over this one and give it a great feel, without actually detracting from the science. This is a science fiction novel, a space opera, and a futuriistic conspiracy novel where the stakes are nothing less than the fate of the Earth and all the people living on it. The jokes add color and flare to the action and chase scenes. They coincide with the plot points and move the story forward. At times they have you laughing out loud.

The first chapter had me hooked, an Earth trade representive developed an anal device and used it to enrage an alien diplomat by farting. "We're pretty sure that it's a device used to send chemical signals the Nidu could smell and interpret through a code of theirs. We think that your guy hid this until he got into the room, and the used it to enrage the Nidu negotiator into a stroke. He had a heart attack right after. He died laughing, Ted. It didn't look very good.". Too funny, an alien strokes out because of too much bad farting and the gassy man dies of a heart attack laughing his butt off.

"Dr Atkinson had warned James for years to eat a more balanced diet..." James was eating too much meat.

"Then in the afternoon we start on livestock quotas. We begin with sheep."
" Do ewe think that's a good idea?". Haha so baaaaaad it's funny.

The story is a straight forward sci-fi involving the Earth, Alien races, traitors, and impending war(doom). There are many cool creatures, gadgets, and technologies. Creek is a likeable lead and Robin is equally easy to identify with. There are a couple of typical bad guys for us to hate, and a pace that keeps us interested. The action is decent, and the prose is competent too. I really feel that it is the integration of so much humor and sattire that made this one a good read.

I highly recommend this book to science fiction readers that don't take themselves too seriously and fans of books by Terry Pratchett would probably appreciate the wit of John Scalzi.(less)

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Sep 11, 2010 The Flooze rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sci-fi, owned, vanquished_2010

**A little over three stars.**

“Dirk Moeller didn’t know if he could fart his way into a major diplomatic incident. But he was ready to find out.“

My introduction to Scalzi was Agent to the Stars. The curious pairing of a slick Hollywood agent with a gelatinous alien life form made for fascinating, funny reading. It also made me hate the man. You see, Agent to the Stars was written as a "practice book." Scalzi decided to try his hand at writing a novel simply to discover if he could create somethi...more **A little over three stars.**

“Dirk Moeller didn’t know if he could fart his way into a major diplomatic incident. But he was ready to find out.“

My introduction to Scalzi was Agent to the Stars. The curious pairing of a slick Hollywood agent with a gelatinous alien life form made for fascinating, funny reading. It also made me hate the man. You see, Agent to the Stars was written as a "practice book." Scalzi decided to try his hand at writing a novel simply to discover if he could create something of that length and depth of plot. The resultant book had a great premise, enjoyable characters and fluid pacing.

The Android’s Dream bears certain similarities. Filled with quirky characters and loopy twists, it displays Scalzi’s aptitude for weird situations and strange modes of thought. Beginning with an interplanetary diplomatic disaster, the book incorporates government conspiracies, artificial intelligence, animal husbandry, prophetic poems, sex scandals…most anything you can think of has its place in the snafu that occurs between Earth and the representatives from Nidu.

Caught up in all this is Harry Creek. He’s the government’s go-to guy when it comes to issuing bad news. He also happens to be a brilliant, resourceful war veteran who knows how to fly under the radar. Tapped to find a lost sheep, Creek’s existence quickly devolves to life on the run as he attempts to stay one step ahead of assassins and fanatics.

The dialogue is snarky and utterly droll--which I love. The action sequences are exciting with an edge of the ludicrous. The overall plot focuses on both big political machinations and personal trials, with well-placed, well-crafted info dumps--just enough information to understand the world, but not so much that passages become bogged down with details.

With all of these positives, why on earth did it take me a month to finish?

I’m not quite sure. There was something indefinably off about the pacing, plus I couldn’t get fully invested in the maneuverings of the government officials. Also, this edition was riddled with typos: misplaced/repeated words and transposed letters irked me just enough to pull me out of the story for a moment.

Still, Scalzi impresses me with his off-beat humor and imaginative details. My mixed feelings on this book won’t prevent me from picking up his other titles.
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Jan 16, 2009 Erika rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I wasn’t going to write a review of this book because I couldn’t really think of anything to say. It was great, funny, wrapped up with pretty much all eventualities covered. A typical John Scalzi book.

The recap: There’s been a diplomatic disaster. Two people are dead - human Dirk Moeller and Nidu trade negotiator Lars-win-Getag. The Nidu are an alien race inhabiting the worlds surrounding Earth. Known for their tempers and disregard for races and species other than their own, the Nidu make unwel...more I wasn’t going to write a review of this book because I couldn’t really think of anything to say. It was great, funny, wrapped up with pretty much all eventualities covered. A typical John Scalzi book.

The recap: There’s been a diplomatic disaster. Two people are dead - human Dirk Moeller and Nidu trade negotiator Lars-win-Getag. The Nidu are an alien race inhabiting the worlds surrounding Earth. Known for their tempers and disregard for races and species other than their own, the Nidu make unwelcome, wicked neighbors that, for the safety of Earth’s population, must be handled with great care and sensitivity.

So when a mysterious object is found lodged inside of the dead Dirk Moeller’s ass, Secretary of State Jim Heffer becomes suspicious. The Nidu use a mixture of subtle scents to communicate to each other on a physiological level available only to Nidu, and high caste Nidu at that. Could Moeller have provoked Lars-win-Getag on purpose and antagonized him flatulently into a rage potent enough to give him a heart attack?

Of course, the Nidu need little in the way of provocation to find an excuse to be angry with humanity. Incensed, they propose a deal: find the electric blue Android’s Dream sheep needed for the Nidu’s upcoming coronation ceremony and the entire matter will be forgiven.

Unfortunately for Earth, this particular breed is mysteriously and rapidly disappearing. Anti-Nidu sentiment is high and it seems someone has a head start on defeating the already tenuous peace negotiations.

Determined to salvage the situation, Heffer recruits army veteran Harry Creek, known for his technological prowess and intellectual capacity despite an easy State Department desk job. Now he’s on the hunt for both the sheep and the manufacturer of Moeller’s device in a journey that will include saving an Unmodified Pet store owner, destroying the inside of a shopping mall, a cult, and an interstellar space cruise.

Android’s Dream is a satirical blend of culture and technology. There are no dates to ground ourselves on the Scalzi timeline. On this Earth, psuedo-vegetarians (meat-lovers with a guilty conscience) rule the market with genetically vatted meats grown entirely independent of any animal intervention. There’s even hybrid meats, like the Bison Boar Burger coexisting on a world where Spam is still consumed with relish and delight.

Scalzi is a writer who knows how to pace his stride and deliver a punch line and snappy, witty dialogue. He’s not a world builder, he’s a character builder, constructing his novel from an utterly human perspective with a keen eye for alien psychology. Scalzi has a firm grasp on what motivates each of his characters and their reactions are some of the most realistic I’ve ever read. I love the dynamics of the unlikely friendships and relationships that develop. It’s too bad most of them happen at the end of things: life, the novel. But the depth of each connection is so strong and wholly believable, a few pages of touching openness, honesty, and complete vulnerability is enough to convince me two kindred souls finally found each other. Which is amazing considering the fast-paced action and “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End”-esque back-stabbing and one-up-manship that made for one hilariously entertaining read.

At times, the solutions seemed a bit too clever, if you know what I mean: Scalzi sitting at his computer cackling maliciously at his own genius. But, I supposed what bothered me the most was the lack of loose ends that make for effervescent speculation once I close a book. My imagination was being told what to and not to expect from this universe and none of that silly “what if” nonsense! There’s worse things I could find to complain about, though.

Android’s Dream is a must-read for everyone, including fans of his Old Man’s War trilogy. Some of the tropes are re-used: alien negotiations, alien politics, military adventure, and God-trigger military weaponry, but Android’s Dream is more than just a few Science Fiction conventions. I love this book and I hope you will, too!(less)

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Dec 09, 2008 Jack rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: sf

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Mar 01, 2008 Ron rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction, thriller, humor

This book is like a big-budget sci-fi action flick, but in a good way. Let's imagine a Paul Verhoeven spectrum; this novel's a lot closer to Robocop than Total Recall. Or, if you must have a literary parallel: Ross Thomas. Action, humor, biting social commentary... Scalzi's got it all. Can't wait for the sequel!

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Oct 13, 2011 Andreas rated it 4 of 5 stars

Earth is very low on the pecking order of the galactic stage. Our closest associates are the Nidu, who are pretty much low-lives themselves. After a diplomatic incident caused by a disgruntled and vengeful State Department employee, the Nidu have Earth in their sights in a Machiavellian scheme involving a coup d’état and a sheep. The sheep, a very special breed, is to be used for the Nidu succession ceremony. Enter Harry Creek, war veteran and problem solver, who now has to find the sheep and ke...more

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Jul 30, 2011 David rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction, humor, audiobook, aliens, space-opera

Oy, I like John Scalzi, but his writing doesn't always click with me. I give this book 3.5 stars, which I round up to 4 'cause I like the author. I suppose his books could best be described as "sci-fi comfort food"; entertaining, lightweight, nothing that makes you think too hard. The Android's Dream seem to be trying to mine Douglas Adams territory with a mix of space opera and humor; the humor worked okay, but at the expense of the space opera.

Basically, it's the future, and Earth is part of a...more

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Jun 05, 2011 Matt Pillsbury rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: funny-sf

The Android's Dream is a bizarre, hilarious take on formulaic espionage thrillers, taking the typical cast of politicians, cabinet officials, diplomats, mercenary thugs and sleazy lobbyists, and moving them into a future where humanity is a new member of an interstellar community of sentient species, and Earth is generally regarded as a minor backwater. While slightly unusual, it isn't the setting, nor the likable but familiar characters, that makes the book shine. Instead, it is the long info...more

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May 07, 2011 Sarah Sammis rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: borrowed, read-in-2010

John Scalzi is best known for his hard science fiction like Old Man's War and The Ghost Brigades but I've so far only read his satyrical science fiction: Agent to the Stars and The Android's Dream. While The Android's Dream isn't a sequel to Agent to the Stars it feels like it could be a far future follow up to the present day satire.

The book opens with a human diplomat insulting and then killing an alien dignitary with his flatulence. Now the world's governments have to come together to stop an...more

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Aug 14, 2009 Anita rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fans of slightly twisted humor, Christopher Moore, Terry Pratchett, or Lee Martinez

Shelves: library, five-star-favorites, science-fiction, fantasy-funny, paranormal-mystery

This is a science fiction novel with a whole lot of political intrigue, comic book style action, and wry humor thrown in. It was so much fun to read! It's science fiction, not fantasy, but if you are a fan of slightly twisted humor, Christopher Moore, Terry Pratchett, or Lee Martinez, you might like this book.

The premise is that Earth is a newcomer to the intergalactic community and has touchy political relations with its biggest trading partner, the Nidu (they look like big lizards). Some secto...more

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Jan 07, 2008 steven rated it 3 of 5 stars

At first glance along the inside cover, one might form the opinion that this is one of those supposedly humorous books that pointedly fail to deliver on the laughs. Au contraire! The humour is, thankfully, secondary; this is an action-packed novel with an actual plot, along with political intrigue, shoot-outs, and escapes from impossible situations. The jokes are there as icing on the cake, and to make the highly improbable seem like the setup for a well-timed joke.

There are a couple problems wi...more

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Oct 08, 2009 Jamie rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: diplomats, vets, and people who like a bizarre sci-fi story

Shelves: fiction, sci-fi, political

This is the first non-"Old Man's War" book of John Scalzi that I've read, and although I didn't enjoy it as much as the other books, I still found it quite enjoyable. Scalzi, once again, demonstrates that he can do character development as well as he can write action sequences - he doesn't get so wordy that it kills the pace, but he also writes in a way that you can relate to almost every character (even the bad guys).

Scalzi must have a soft spot in his heart for war vets, and this book seems t...more

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Jul 19, 2011 Sweetie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Satirical parody, Funny, very irreverent. I chose the audio version which is well narrated by Wil Wheaton. As much as I enjoyed Wil's performance and I am a Scalzi fan, I think I could have saved my $ and picked it up from library. This story just didn't enhance my life. Well, it is funny, if you know Scalzi's work and are in the right mood, you'll like it.

"The Barnes & Noble Review
What do alien-killing flatulence, humans bio-engineered with the DNA of farm animals, the apostle Ted Nugent, a...more

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Apr 01, 2009 Red rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Scalzi fans,

Shelves: sf, kindle-books, read-in-2009

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Apr 18, 2009 Patrick J. rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Comedy lovers and/or Sci-Fi lovers

Shelves: science-fiction

This was a very good book. Very much like like the Gun Seller, this comedic book features a main character that is ex-military and has moved on with that part of his life. This book takes place in the future. One of the best parts is the religion that started as a con, but developed into a real religion where half of the congregation believes that the founder had somehow tapped into the divine when writing the scriptures and the other half is attempting to make those fake prophesies a reality.
An...more

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Feb 24, 2012 Holly Kench rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed

Reading this novel was like watching a fender bender in action: You really want to look away, mostly because you feel embarrassed on behalf of the driver, but also because there isn't much to look at, and yet, you can't help staring. [return][return]I was drawn to it, intrigued by the Philip K Dick reference, but found it completely boring and ridiculous. Still, I was unable to stop reading, even though I really REALLY wanted to. Quite seriously, every single male character was the same, with th...more

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Feb 14, 2010 Eileen W rated it 4 of 5 stars

I read Scalzi's first book because I love his blog, and liked it enough to try a second one. For me, The Android's Dream was head-and-shoulders better--a rollicking good read, worth staying up way too late to finish.

First, you've got to enjoy straight sf to get into this. If you like a little romance with your sf, this one won't do it. But if you like a twisty, turny plot with enough absurdity to make you grin even as you turn pages to see what in the world happens next, try The Android's Dream.

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Apr 18, 2013 Francis Gahren rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Android's Dream reads something like a Sci-Fi James Bond spoof by way of South Park. Scalzi isn't exploring anything particularly deep thematically here; the name of the game is satire, and he does some of the most spot-on political wit this side of the old British sitcom Yes, Minister. Scalzi also makes fine use of the seemingly inexhaustible comic potential of biology, particularly the subcategory "Orifices, Substances Emitted from". It's just the right mix of highbrow and lowbrow that mak...more The Android's Dream reads something like a Sci-Fi James Bond spoof by way of South Park. Scalzi isn't exploring anything particularly deep thematically here; the name of the game is satire, and he does some of the most spot-on political wit this side of the old British sitcom Yes, Minister. Scalzi also makes fine use of the seemingly inexhaustible comic potential of biology, particularly the subcategory "Orifices, Substances Emitted from". It's just the right mix of highbrow and lowbrow that makes for the funniest stuff. And yes, it's all about sheep. Sheep are funny. They are.

It's like this. The Earth is a low-on-the-totem-pole planet in the Common Confederation, comprised of a whole menagerie of alien worlds. Earth has a shaky alliance with the Nidu, an arrogant and reactionary race who communicate by scent (remember this) and whose only clear superiority to Earth is its military. Naturally, there are factions on Earth who cannot stand the Nidu, and this is not mere xenophobia: the Nidu suckered Earth into getting involved in suppressing a rebellion on one of its colony worlds. The result was a disastrous defeat for Earth. There are some who would love to provoke an incident that would cause the Nidu to lose their shit completely, but in a way that would prompt the CC to intervene, thus damaging the Nidus' overall stature within the CC and enhancing Earth's.

In an opening scene sure to go down in posterity as the "Terrance and Philip chapter," chaos ensues at a trade delegation conference when the Earth delegate, secretly working behind the scenes with an anti-Nidu faction, farts a series of unforgivable insults in the general direction of the Nidu delegate with the aid of a customized device implanted up his chute that translates his gastric emissions into silent-but-deadly Nidu scent-speech. The incident leaves both delegates dead — read it yourself to find out how — and sets both planets on the path to war. This is every bit as completely hilarious as it sounds.

The Nidu offer Earth an olive branch; help them locate a rare species of genetically engineered sheep, known as — you guessed it — "Android's Dream," for use in their upcoming coronation ceremony (in one week) and all will be forgiven. In Washington, Harris Creek, one of the few survivors of the infamous battle mentioned above, is now a professional problem-solver for the government. It's his job to deliver bad news to twitchy aliens and generally do the lousy jobs no one wants. Creek is tasked with locating this rare Ovis, a job rendered difficult by anti-Nidu groups who are wiping out every flock of sheep they can find with viruses. But Creek manages to locate one...in the least likely place imaginable. The backstory of this discovery is one of the most outrageous things I've ever read. If the fart chapter is likely to have Trey Parker and Matt Stone slapping their foreheads and wondering why they never thought of it before, the sad story of how the last remaining Android's Dream came to be will doubtless bring them to their knees in awe.
From this premise the book explodes into a frenzied and funny race-against-time thriller whose colorful cast includes an apologetic and philosophical man-eating alien thug; a religious group of sheep-worshipers only kinda-sorta-somewhat inspired by the Scientologists, except these people are some of the most sensible in the story; and an artificial intelligence perfectly named Brian, about whom Scalzi writes the best line of his career: "He might be a disembodied virtual consciousness, but at least he wasn't some fucking geek."

Naturally, the action-storytelling chops Scalzi has honed over his previous two books haven't been sidelined. We get a doozy of a fight scene in a shopping mall, and a swell 007-ish escape from a luxury liner spacecraft. And for all the farce being played out, when it's time for John's villains to get nasty, he pulls back appropriately on the cartoonishness. Sure, it's all supremely silly at the end of the day. But it's smart-silly, if you take my meaning (and if not, then smell this). The Android's Dream is just the right gene-splicing of fast action and furious comedy SF has been needing for ages. So read it, then drop me a note of thanks later. And if you want to throw in some fresh cookies, by all means, feel free. Except ginger snaps. Those give me gas.
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Dec 31, 2012 Sean Randall rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

"Would you like to reset the default mode to not tell you when you are breaking the law?"

A brilliant way to end 2012. I was reading whilst other members of the household watched a very sad end to a long-running soap opera and my chuckles and giggles did not go down very well at all. I couldn't help myself though, things were just very funny for a reason hard to define and even harder to pin down in writing - but it was done here.

"Today, people have tried to kill me, the police are looking for me...more

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Aug 14, 2012 Ana rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

Very fun read. I love the themes and ideas in this book, though it has absolutely nothing to do with Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick. Since his other books were a response to Heinlein's Starship Troopers, I assumed this one would be a spin-off or response to the first one. I suppose it could be a kind of spin-off, or at least a thought the author had while reading Do Androids Dream..., but I was pleasantly surprised by what was there. Enjoyable diplomatic maneuvering and a...more

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Jun 28, 2012 Tommy Carlson rated it 2 of 5 stars

I feel a bit ripped off. See, here's the thing, when you get to the end of a book that depends on resolving an unresolvable situation, the reader needs to be able to go Oh, I didn't see that coming, but I could have. The resolution needs to be a surprise, but one that you could have foreseen. And there's a couple ways to do this.

One is for the author to be just really fucking smart and be able to think of things that you, the reader, just won't, even though all the clues are there. Larry Niven o...more I feel a bit ripped off. See, here's the thing, when you get to the end of a book that depends on resolving an unresolvable situation, the reader needs to be able to go Oh, I didn't see that coming, but I could have. The resolution needs to be a surprise, but one that you could have foreseen. And there's a couple ways to do this.

One is for the author to be just really fucking smart and be able to think of things that you, the reader, just won't, even though all the clues are there. Larry Niven often pulls this off. So can Scalzi, when he's firing on all cylinders, which he isn't doing here.

The other way is to have a loophole, somewhere in the story, that gets you around the unresolvability. And then you need to hope that the reader doesn't see it for the loophole that it is. And, if you're going to get away with that, you need to do two things:

1) Show the loophole relatively early in the story.
2) Not telegraph that it's a loophole.

The first point ensures that the reader doesn't feel ripped off. The second helps ensure that the reader doesn't figure it out.

What you cannot do is introduce the loophole literally a few pages before the actual resolution it facilitates occurs in the last fucking chapter. And, if you decide to do that, you really, really can't point to it then and there and say Hey Reader! Here's the fucking loophole!

But, unfortunately, that's exactly what happens here.

I won't spoil any surprises. But, you'll notice the loophole when you see it. And, as soon as you see it, you know what's coming. But, just in case you don't notice it, the very next paragraph as much as says Hey, notice that the previous paragraph contains a loophole that you didn't know about until now but which will provide the book with an easy way to resolve this unresolvable situation.

And then, in just a few pages, that's exactly what it does.

The loophole could have been introduced much earlier in the story, at the risk of ruining the tension built by the unresolvablility of the situation. But that risk would have been better than holding the loophole in reserve until the very end. Because, as is, I just felt cheated. And without that feeling I mentioned at the beginning of this post, all you're left with is some cleverish satire and weirdness, which just isn't enough to make this a good read.

[Note: It is entirely possible that I missed an earlier mention of the loophole. In which case, well, ignore this whole post. But I did a search through the text and I don't think I missed anything. Always remember to strip the DRM from your eBooks, kids!]
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Apr 25, 2012 Lynne Cantwell rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

This is the first book by Scalzi that I have read -- which is shameful, as I know several people who think highly of his writing.

Harry Creek is a futuristic Beltway bandit. He's a government contractor working for the State Department, in a world where State must deal not only with other nations (actually, there's only one world government on Earth), but with other sentient species. One of these alien species is in the midst of a government coup on its home world, and requires the blood of a spe...more

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Dec 06, 2011 Tim rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: funny, sci-fi

Even at his most serious (e.g. Old Man's War), John Scalzi is the kind of writer who never really loses his sense of humor. If you read his blog, you'll know that wry tone of voice of which I speak. Han Solo-like, he can contemplate bombing the surface of a planet with a smirk and some witty banter, so it stands to reason that a deliberate attempt at "funny sci-fi" is going to be pretty successful.

TAD is an amusingly convoluted, shaggy-dog story that starts with an epic fart joke and then moves...more

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Mar 03, 2008 Sandi rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2008, sci-fi

I really enjoyed Scalzi's "The Android's Dream." It's witty and filled with action. It has some of the strangest plot twists I've ever seen in any kind of novel, but Scalzi makes them oddly plausible, in a warped way. It's relatively clean, so you can recommend it to a teen without too much blushing.

I'd love to see it turned into a movie. A movie version would have to be tongue in cheek without being over the top. I'm thinking it should be something along the lines of "The Fifth Element."

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Mar 25, 2013 Deb rated it 3 of 5 stars

Let me start off by saying that Scalzi is no Douglas Adams. He tries really, really hard, and mostly but not quite succeeds.
It was enjoyable, fast-paced and surprising, but also annoying. A few things just kept jumping out at me and breaking that cocoon of suspended disbelief.
One thing was the overwhelming number of characters who have a "voice." The reader gets to read the inner thoughts of dozens of minor characters, without any real purpose for most if them. It seemed like a waste of wor...more

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Feb 07, 2013 Matt Ball rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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