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Agent to the Stars

by John Scalzi (Goodreads Author)

3.89 of 5 stars 3.89 · rating details · 3,838 ratings · 519 reviews

The space-faring Yherajk have come to Earth to meet us and to begin humanity’s first interstellar friendship. There’s just one problem: They’re hideously ugly and they smell like rotting fish.

So getting humanity’s trust is a challenge. The Yherajk need someone who can help them close the deal.

Enter Thomas Stein, who knows something about closing deals. He’s one of Hollywoo...more

Paperback, 385 pages

Published November 30th 2010 by Tor Science Fiction (first published December 8th 2004)

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Apr 30, 2011 Stephen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ebooks, audiobook, 2000-2005, first-contact, science-fiction, fforde-pickup, comfort-food, humor-and-satire

4.0 stars. SUPERSTAR AGENT WORKING FOR ALIENS....SOUND CRAAAAZY...MAYBE, BUT MAYBE NOT.......

Then one day Mr. “Big Shot Hollywood Agent” is contacted by an ambassador from an alien species that wants him to arrange the introduction of their people to the World.

Unfortunately, Mr. Agent is more than a little skeptical and things look really hopeless for the Alien visitors.

***It is amazing how accurate the guys from South Park were on this one***

Intrigued by the words of L.Ron Hubbard, Mr...more

30 likes · like · see review

Dec 14, 2011 Joel rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, book-club, sci-fi-fantasy, wssfbc

Yes, I know this was John Scalzi's "starter novel," written as an exercise, just to see if he could do it. I know it wasn't traditionally published until years later, when his subsequent better books had already earned him name recognition and numerous Hugo nominations. I know that. I don't really care though: this book cost me the same $7.99* as his other stories, and I don't feel the need to give it the benefit of the doubt.

Besides, if one thing is clear, it is the fact that Scalzi got a lot o...more

18 likes · like · see review

Apr 26, 2010 Michael rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2010, science-fiction

In the preface, Scalzi talks about his being his "tester" novel--the one he wrote to see if he could do it. It's the story of an alien race that decides to come to Earth after intercepting our broadcast signals. They've decided not to invade but instead hire a Hollywood talent agent to help them make their big debut. There's just one small problem--the aliens are gelatinous and smell pretty foul.

The story takes off from there, alternating between the alien (whose name is Joshua) trying to find...more

4 likes · like · see review

Aug 10, 2011 Kaethe rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, animals, dogs, fantasy, feminism, fiction, first-contact, friendship, humor, movies, orphans, philosophy, romance, scifi, social-issues, strong-smart-female-protagonist, want-to-own

I stayed up too late last night because I didn't want to stop reading this. First, it's entertaining as hell. There's an insider's view of movie-making as a business, there's science fiction, there's romance, there's a very complicated plot, there's snappy repartee, but just like His Girl Friday, there's also an examination of what duty we owe to humanity, of what fair play looks like. In this, Scalzi's first novel, as in his most recent one Fuzzy Nation, there is thoughtful consideration of wha...more I stayed up too late last night because I didn't want to stop reading this. First, it's entertaining as hell. There's an insider's view of movie-making as a business, there's science fiction, there's romance, there's a very complicated plot, there's snappy repartee, but just like His Girl Friday, there's also an examination of what duty we owe to humanity, of what fair play looks like. In this, Scalzi's first novel, as in his most recent one Fuzzy Nation, there is thoughtful consideration of what is best for everyone. I'd love to put Tom Stein in charge of running the world: he cares deeply about what is right, as well as what is good. He's a sweetheart: kind to animals, considerate of old people, literate, generous, thoughtful and observant. Weirdly, his virtues don't make him seem any less real.

So, when I finally, happily, finished the book, I spent a little time thinking about why I loved it so much, and what it had in common with others of my favorite books. And why some of my favorite books from 1990 have been culled from the list. First, it's funny. For some reason people seem to think humor and seriousness are incompatible, but as Shakespeare demonstrated, tragedy is more real and more moving if you aren't entirely bogged down in the gloom. A lot of Agent is an exploration of what it means to be human, from the Holocaust and the US civil rights struggle of the 50s and 60s, to our small interactions with neighbors and co-workers. And humor is one of the things that gets us through each day. The dialogue is zippy and amusing and keeps the pace up.

I love that there aren't any villains here. There's conflict, because that's where the drama lies, but there aren't any black hats. People do things which are stupid or vengeful or mean, but not because they're bad people.

So, this is going to be a favorite for some time I expect. It's going up there with Good Omens, Bluebeard, To Say Nothing of the Dog, and Beauty Queens on my shelf of Books That Manage to Slide in Important Lessons in Behaving Humanely While Also Being Funny.

Library copy.

A note about the cover: a stranger walked up to me as I was reading over my lunch to ask me what kind of book it was, a mystery or a regular novel or what. I told her what it was about, and she thought it sounded great. That is a seriously enticing cover.(less)

7 likes · like · see review

Dec 20, 2010 Ron rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, science-fiction, signed

At least four stars.

What a hoot! This may not be great fiction, but it was an unusual approach and a fun read.

I have no idea if Scalzi accurately reported how Hollywood works or he was just playing to stereotypes, but I laughed so hard I cried.

Everything worked out too neatly and I could see a lot of the plot turns coming, but what the heck?

3 likes · like · see review

Oct 26, 2011 apple rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sci-fi

Phone home, E.T and get the mothership to haul your wrinkled little butts out because the Yherajk (pronounced yee-heer-aahg-k) has arrived and they got the best agent in Hollywood to engineer their first contact. Although desperately lacking in the looks department –- Yherajk will slob and glob their way into your unsuspecting heart while releasing fumes of weapon-grade B.O. and dropping cheesy movie lines along the way. Seriously, this book is so funny you shouldn’t read it while consuming hot...more

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Apr 12, 2013 Wendy B rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: levar-s-rainbow-book-club, scifi-fantasy, society-culture

This book was selected for the April Read for my book club based on a member's inquiry:

I was thinking earlier today that it's kind of weird how I haven't really seen any major variances from the male/female paradigm in the sci-fi I've seen. Now, I'm not a sci-fi fan and am only recently starting to explore the genre, so it's possible I just haven't seen enough yet. But it seems like usually even if there's really no good reason for a species to fit those categories, they do anyway in some ways.

T...more This book was selected for the April Read for my book club based on a member's inquiry:

I was thinking earlier today that it's kind of weird how I haven't really seen any major variances from the male/female paradigm in the sci-fi I've seen. Now, I'm not a sci-fi fan and am only recently starting to explore the genre, so it's possible I just haven't seen enough yet. But it seems like usually even if there's really no good reason for a species to fit those categories, they do anyway in some ways.

The Yherajk fit the requirements. They are a species that look like globs of snot and smell horribly (they communicate through scent) and there is no sex or gender distinction between each member of the species. Their reproductive process, as Gwedif, their initial representative describes it, is far more pleasurable and euphoric than anything humans experience during sexual intercourse, because it is far, far more intimate. It involves the complete giving over of one’s self – mind, body and soul – with the resulting offspring being both unique, with its own personality, and also a combination of the parents (of which their can be any number). It will have all the memories and experiences of its parents, but is able to develop its own. Joshua, the Yherajk emissary sent to earth, is the product of 2000 Yherajk and one human – and later a dog, an executive assistant and an actress.

It is possible for a partner in the process to completely destroy any or all of the other partners, obliterating who they are. This is tantamount to murder and raises a huge moral dilemma for the Yherajk and their human contacts later in the story.

The story itself is about a race of aliens who have been watching human television shows and movies for quite some time and wish to become friends with humans. The problem is that, despite the message earth is sending out to space inviting friendly relations with extraterrestrials, the message conveyed through television and film is that almost all aliens will be greeted with fear and violence. Aliens that do not look human at all are automatically assumed to be evil and the only ones with a chance of acceptance are ones that look somewhat human. Based on their viewing, the Yherajk are uncertain of what to take as fact versus fiction, but conclude that this fear is a very real concern. They also conclude that plopping down at the White House is not the best way to make contact because the American presidency is (A) scary, and does not represent or influence the world. Hollywood, however, is international. So their first contact is Carl Lupo, principal of Lupo Associates – a Hollywood agency, who passes the responsibility of figuring out how to introduce the Yherajk to humanity to his junior agent, Tom Stein.

I really did not like Tom. His ‘hot shot agent who takes no shit and isn’t hesitant to be honest and blunt with his clients’ attitude should have been interesting, but I found it rather dull and perhaps trying too hard not to be cliche. If it wasn’t for his literally ass-kicking assistant, Miranda, I would have felt even less for Tom, but even then, I was being lenient because I imagined Miranda as Donna from Suits, who is the newest member of Women I Want To Be When I Grow Up.

Joshua, the Yherajk emissary is initially very amusing with his snarky attitude and occasional television and movie references. I was thankful that those didn’t get over used, but after a while, all the snark and attitude started to drag, with the story going no where fast. That was part of the plot, with Tom having trouble figuring out how to do his job of introducing the Yherajk to earth. Lucky for him, convenient plot devices – mostly in the form of dead people and dogs – showed up at just the right moment to move things along to the next stage in the plot.

I would have liked to spend far more time with the aliens and learning about their understanding of humans. Joshua took on the form of a dog, with the later intention being for him to get a better perspective on humans through interaction, but he didn’t do much interacting at all.

I was also disappointed with the results of the major decision at the end of the book. Through Joshua, the Yherajk were introduced to humanity, but in a way that did not reflect the full scope of human reactions and turned Joshua into a wholly different and unlikeable character. For the most part, humanity was happy with them, despite the deception and what I felt was a rather lame explanation for it, but we didn’t get to hear, even in passing, of any real disagreement with the first contact plans. It was the author’s choice to leave the official first contact up in the air, but I felt the end was almost an rushed afterthought. At one point I wondered if the first contact was even going to happen, with a whole chunk of the focus being on Joshua’s Oscar winning performance in a Holocaust survivor movie.

Understanding John Scalzi’s background in the film industry and as a science fiction writer, I appreciate the entire concept of fitting the two together., but overall, I did not enjoy the delivery of the story, feeling that it dragged more than necessary. I did enjoy the insight into the Hollywood agent industry. The interjections of Holocaust stories was a bit surprising in their continued usage to move the plot along, but the stories themselves in relation to the plot were reasonably interesting. (less)

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Nov 16, 2011 joanna rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audio-books

Was unsure about this one at first. Thought it might be too science fiction-y, and lacking in the human interest sector. But then! I was totally wrong! It's got everything - humor, aliens, Hollywood, intrigue, romance, the Holocaust, talking dogs. I laughed (a lot), I cried (single tear). It had levels. It was great!

I think some have critique'd the credibility - that the story wrapped up a little too easily/happily, but when you pick up a book about a Hollywood agent introducing an alien race t...more

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Mar 02, 2011 Steven rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Agent to the Stars is one of the reasons why, despite liking John Scalzi as a person and deeply enjoying his work, I am also very, very jealous of him. It's his first novel (written so that he could see if he was able to do it), and succeeds fantastically.

Agent is a light, fun read. It's fast-paced, and while slightly dated at points (it refers to current events in 1999), it holds up very well. It pokes fun at both the movie industry and at first contact novels while still being respectful – a...more

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Jul 01, 2009 Clay rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Pop culture is often dismissed as simply low culture – in contrast to the high art of opera or classical music or abstract expressionism. And there’s good reason: As long-ago scifi author Theodore Sturgeon once pointed out, “Ninety percent of everything is trash.”

A simple tour through the cable channels, or spin of the radio dial, will prove Sturgeon right, and in the mass of modern pop culture it’s much harder to filter out the signal from the noise. In classical music, for example, the bad sym...more

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May 06, 2009 Theresa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Have you ever heard of a "practice novel?" Well, if you haven't, let me introduce you to the concept.

John Scalzi, who is likely to become one of my favorite authors, wrote a book in 1997 just to see if he could, in fact, write a book. Turns out he can.

"Agent to the Stars" started its life online in 1999 when Scalzi posted it and asked readers to send him $1 if they thought the story was good and before long it took on a life of its own. Subterranean Press contacted Scalzi and asked if they could...more Have you ever heard of a "practice novel?" Well, if you haven't, let me introduce you to the concept.

John Scalzi, who is likely to become one of my favorite authors, wrote a book in 1997 just to see if he could, in fact, write a book. Turns out he can.

"Agent to the Stars" started its life online in 1999 when Scalzi posted it and asked readers to send him $1 if they thought the story was good and before long it took on a life of its own. Subterranean Press contacted Scalzi and asked if they could publish "Agent" in a limited edition hardcover. Needless to say the book did well and before long it became clear that there was an audience for this book that went beyond the online community and in late October the book is finally being published in wide release by Tor.

How great is that?

So I get "Agent to the Stars" in the mail and start reading a little of the book to see what it's like. I do this a lot, though I rarely get hooked on a book by reading a page or two. Usually I get a feel for the book and then go back to what I was already reading; but not this time. I read "Agent to the Stars" in less than 24 hours.

The funny thing about this book is that it isn't what I would normally characterize as my style. I read a lot of fantasy and paranormal fiction and often pass the hard sci-fi on to my contributors. But "Agent" doesn't fall as far into the hard sci-fi category as I would have thought by reading the back cover.

"Agent to the Stars" is about Hollywood talent agent Thomas Stein who has the unusual (to say the least) task of trying to figure out how to present an alien race to humanity. As hard as that would be on its own, he also has to figure out how to present the Yherajk, who smell like rotting fish and look like mud-colored jello, without scaring the bejeezus out of everyone on Earth. Oh, and he has to juggle his nine-to-five job at the same time.

I hadn't read anything by Scalzi before so I didn't know what to expect. What I got was a funny, funny book that reads a little like something by Christopher Moore-- though slightly less unhinged.

What makes "Agent to the Stars" work is that the book has a heart. Tom Stein could be a totally unsympathetic character. I know very little about Hollywood agents, though I worked in Hollywood awhile back, so I know how soulless the town can be and "Agent" captures the feel of it very well. Tom Stein is a guy you'd want on your side. Oh, he'll give you hell if you deserve it and I loved the vicarious thrill I got from the book when Tom would get into attack mode. At the same time Scalzi gives us a main character who is smart, funny and amazingly, has a conscience.

I've read other reviews of Scalzi and something that comes up often is his gift for witty dialogue and "Agent" definitely has its share. And while I complain that some authors go overboard in their use of sarcasm I think Scalzi achieves a good balance. The book is funny, light hearted and yet still finds a way to incorporate story-lines that have a range of topics from alien invasions to the Holocaust of WWII. I don't know how he did it, but it works.

All I can say is that "Agent to the Stars" is the first book I have read in a long time that had me buried in its pages until I was done. It isn't necessarily deep and it isn't grim. It's just really entertaining. And if I could write a "practice novel" that was half-as good as "Agent to the Stars" this review would be a whole lot more interesting.(less)

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Mar 05, 2009 Sandi rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sci-fi, 2009, california-lit, funny-stuff

What would you get if you added space aliens to the HBO series "Entourage"? You'd get John Scalzi's "Agent to the Stars". This book had me rolling with laughter. I was up way too late last night finishing it. There's nothing deep here. It's a standard first-contact story in which gelatinous aliens hire a Hollywood agent to figure out a way to introduce them to humanity. They've been watching TV broadcasts from Earth and they realize that they'll have a serious image problem. You see, they bear f...more

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Oct 02, 2008 Red rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle-books, sf

This was a fast, fun read. The premise is that aliens come to earth to make first conatct, and decide that their odiferous, gelatenous selves might not be well received. (They look like The Blob, and speak in farts.) So they hire a top notch Hollywood PR firm to present them to the Earth in an acceptable way.

This is the author's first "practice" book, a little science, a lot of humor, some romance and some action. A perfect summer beach read for SF fans. And you can read it free on the author's...more

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May 29, 2009 Joy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Tom Stein is a rising agent in Hollywood, when his boss asks him to create a publicity campaign for a race of aliens. They have an image problem: They look and smell terrible. So if they are to be accepted as friends, Tom is going to need some really creative positioning ideas.

In the meantime he has issues with his main client, a sexy but brainless blonde. A co-worker and a slandering writer for a gossip rag are out to get him. His neighbor's lonely dog makes itself at home in his house. All of...more

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May 11, 2012 Midu Hadi rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: sci-fi fans

Shelves: singles, 212books, aliens, humor, sf

Loved the book.

The humor was just my style-the way the Yherajk communicated was a hoot.

What I also liked was that even though the MC was a smartass, he wasn’t made out to be a jaded guy or an agent who took advantage of other people to survive.

I was expecting a romance between Tom and Michell but Miranda was a far better choice.

The book wasn’t too long but just the right length which always wins points with me. Joshua was my favorite character.

Loved how the ending/unveiling was handled, as well...more

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Mar 11, 2008 Joel Neff rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Fans of Scalzi.

Aliens need representation too. Or at least, that's the central premise of Agent to the Stars, John Scalzi's first novel.

Like all Scalzi novels, the story is served at breakneck pace, with character being revealed in the pauses between the actions. There is a little romance, a lot of humor, and the occasional plot twist.

Agent is a fun, fast read; I read it through during an average day and did not feel that I was missing anything by reading in bits and pieces over the course of my day. Still, it...more

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May 06, 2013 Xan rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

¿Cuál sería la primera vía de contacto con unos extraterrestres? Por desgacia para la Humanidad probablemente serían los programas de teletienda. Si despues de verlos deciden no acabar con nosotros es que son muy crueles, por dejar que sigan torturándonos con máquinas que "lo cortan todo todo todo" y fajas reductoras para llevar debajo del bañador, o es que son demasiado buenos y creen que pueden llevarnos a otro plano de la existencia (en forma de hamburguesas, esclavos sexuales, máquinas vivas...more

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

Shelves: fantasy, science-fiction

The good news: There's intelligent life out there, and they've come to Earth to meet us. They're friendly, and eager to get to know us.
The bad news: They resemble gelatinous cubes, and communicate amongst themselves by means of odor. In short, they're ugly and smelly. And they've familiarized themselves with our popular culture, and let's face it, the "good" aliens never look like ambulatory Jell-O or smell like wet dog farts in summer.
That's why the Yherajk have decided to do what other peopl...more The good news: There's intelligent life out there, and they've come to Earth to meet us. They're friendly, and eager to get to know us.
The bad news: They resemble gelatinous cubes, and communicate amongst themselves by means of odor. In short, they're ugly and smelly. And they've familiarized themselves with our popular culture, and let's face it, the "good" aliens never look like ambulatory Jell-O or smell like wet dog farts in summer.
That's why the Yherajk have decided to do what other people in need of an image makeover do: get a Hollywood agent to make them palatable and acceptable to the public. And that's how up-and-coming Thomas Stein, one of Hollywood's hottest young agents, gets tapped by his boss for the hush-hush project of a lifetime. Introduced to the Yherajk known as Joshua, Thomas is granted carte blanche to drop as many of his client list as he can manage without drawing attention, and focus upon the most unusual client ever to grace Hollywood, all in secret.
Of course, life goes on, and one client Thomas can't drop is one of the biggest starlets around, Michelle Beck, a pain in the ass action heroine better known for her good looks than her acting abilities. She may have just signed on to the next big summer blockbuster for an obscene price tag, but she has ambitions towards (gasp) serious acting, and she's making Thomas's life difficult as a result. Not only does he have to juggle her and Joshua, but he has to navigate the usual shark-infested waters of Hollywood, dealing with rival agents, pesky former clients, and a gossip rag reporter with delusions of serious reporting. As Thomas learns more about his alien client, he stumbles across a plan that might just work, but it's going to take some cooperation, an unexpected sacrifice, and the best negotiating any agent has ever done. Is Hollywood ready for real aliens?
Agent to the Stars, John Scalzi's first written novel and second to be published, has been available in various formats since 1999, but the Tor edition is the first time it has been released in paperback, making this something of a new debut for the book. Thought-provoking and entertaining, it takes a hard look at our own cultural attitudes and prejudices towards that which is alien to us. It's really a great idea, and a logical thing to address, this thought that we naturally make "good" aliens attractive or cuddly and "bad" aliens ugly or unsympathetic. I love the idea that the aliens are friendly and curious enough to want to get to know us, and considerate and cautious enough to seek a makeover before dropping onto the White House lawn. There have been enough first contact stories where the aliens didn't come in peace, or exhibited a superior, even condescending attitude, that it's nice to see aliens who don't want to eat/enslave/destroy/economically exploit us (even if they've seen those Saved By The Bell reruns we keep broadcasting into space...)
If anything, the Yherajk may be too humanized, too culturally adept. But rest assured, there are reasons for that, addressed in the course of the story, and as it so happens, they differ from us on some fairly serious issues. Those differences prove crucial for much of the plot's later development.

The humans of this piece make for a nicely memorable cast. There's Thomas, of course, trying to survive in the treacherous wilds of Hollywood, and his faithful (if long-suffering and occasionally sarcastic) assistant Miranda, who keeps him in his place. There's Michelle Beck, a highly-paid actress who's better off as set decoration, even if her ambitions towards serious acting outstrip her skills. Then you have Jim Van Doren, the afore-mentioned gossip reporter who catches wind of the story that could finally grant him legitimacy... if it doesn't get him punched in the face, first. Scalzi grants them all interesting depths, making for an interesting read.

Thoughtful and down-to-Earth, Agent to the Stars is a thoroughly enjoyable work, reminiscent of Robert A. Heinlein or Spider Robinson, and a nice change of pace from the less optimistic SF out there.

Check out Scalzi’s “The Android’s Dream”

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Nov 12, 2012 Su rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I listened to the audio book of Agent to the Stars on a long drive, and was very engrossed by it. It's fluffy but fun--the premise, that aliens have hired an agent to help them manage their Earth debut, is a very fun one. And Wil Wheaton is a good reader; I suspect that this is one of those books that is better as an audio book than on paper.

Unfortunately, about 2/3 of the way through, there is a plot development that makes no sense at all within the context of the book. As it is the central plo...more

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Sep 23, 2012 Shari Morehouse rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

the Author’s Note at the beginning of the book, John Scalzi calls Agent to the Stars, his practice novel. The novel he wrote just to see if he could write. He can.

The premise of the book is that an alien race wants to make first contact with earth. They’ve been hovering over the planet for years observing life on the planet through the TV shows beamed into outer space. The Yherajk (for that is their name) have an image problem. They are smart and funny but ugly. Fearing that their outer appearan...more

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May 31, 2012 Annette rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sci-fi

I guess you can't really blame them: the aliens learned everything they know about humans from watching American TV and movies beamed into space. So when they decide to make contact, is it any real surprise they decided to find a Hollywood agent rather than showing up on the White House lawn?

This rather amusing premise, combined with even more amusing aliens - sarcastic, movie-quoting, transparent blobs of fishy smelling goo - makes for an amusing and actually quite satisfying book of first con...more

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May 23, 2012 Sally rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobooks

I picked up this audiobook after listening to Fuzzy Nation (Scalzi's "re-boot" of H. Beam Piper's original story), narrated by Wil Wheaton. It has been labeled as a satire of Hollywood, film and TV-making and the part of agents in those arenas. It may be a satire, but not knowing what Hollywood, etc. are really like except for what we read in the other media, I'd probably say it is at least a satire of the stereotypical impression of that entertainment field. More reasonably, I'd catalog it as c...more

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May 08, 2012 Steven rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: novels, sciencefiction

John Scalzi is the Nick Hornsby of science fiction. His writing is quick, breezy, filled with humor but still perceptive and well crafted. I even found myself with the leading character played by John Cusack, both voice and occasional image.

Agent to the Stars is different from Scalzi's other books. It is based on present day earth. In many ways it is more humor than science fiction. That said, it is still very much science fiction.

Scalzi may have approached this novel purely on the whim of seein...more

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Feb 14, 2013 Lauri Sholar rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Really a 3.5-3.75 rating. John Scalzi is becoming one of my favorite fun-time authors. He does this incredible straddle between Sci-Fi and Pop-Culture Satire. It's fun, light, good-times kind of reading.

The premise is a pretty good one: a benevolent alien race decides to introduce themselves to humans via Hollywood. It makes sense as their introduction to the human race is through all those wacky Hollywood shows and movies we've inadvertently beamed into space. The rest of the book follows Tom,...more

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Jun 17, 2009 Karlo rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Aliens have come to earth; unfortunately they're not sexy, green, and bikini-clad. They actually look like Jello and communicate through smells (mostly stinky). How to make first contact? Why, hire a Hollywood agent, of course. (Hilarity ensues)

Just finished this over lunch; a very funny and engaging read. I saw the connection to Scalzi's later book (The Android's Dream), yet somehow found this to be funnier and more enjoyable.

I would highly recommend it.

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Apr 22, 2012 Ian Cunningham rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: owned-books, first-contact

So, of course the day I decide to write reviews is the day Goodreads cocks up and can't post anything reliably. Of course.

This is John Scalzi's first novel, written to prove to himself he could, and when I say "It shows" I don't mean to denigrate the book in any way. It's a solid First Contact novel with Scalzi's trademark humanity and there's no obvious first time novelist screw-ups. It shows in that there are a lot of themes and character traits that are embryonic in the novel that will blosso...more

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Nov 10, 2012 Terry Barker rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A great mixture of comedy and syfy. An alien race wants to introduce themselves to the human race, but because they're physically repulsive, they hire a Hollywood agent to ensure that it goes well. And it does seem to be a pretty good move. Some complications arise, and we get treated to an alien entering the mind of a dying dog, and the dog is healed by the alien and can suddenly think like a human and talk. That leads to some funny scenes as the dog gets hired as a stunt dog, and the humans tr...more

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Oct 18, 2012 Tasha Robinson rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book wasn't quite what I expected or wanted from the premise, which involves a Hollywood agent asked to rep an entire alien species through a first contact. I was hoping for more focus on what an issue that would be, and what clever ways a good agent would find to address it. Instead, Agent To The Stars is an almost slapsticky novel that involves the protagonist running around through various agent crises — a dim-witted but sweet actress who wants a part she isn't qualified for, a tabloid r...more

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Feb 24, 2012 Jim rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Jim by: Kaethe

Shelves: science-fiction, humor, kindle-books, fantasy, favorites

Simply put, it's brilliant.

I agree in every detail with the comments about this book in the wonderful review by Kaethe that put me onto it. Her review provides a series of very good reasons to read the book, without spoiling the fascinating and intricate story that lies within. As I discovered, it provides a second set of points that will make much more sense after you read the book.

The dialogue in this book is among the funniest I have ever read. It is hugely successful as a satire of major pl...more

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Jun 28, 2012 Nicholas Karpuk rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I'm not really the type who gets to things first. I'm not big on new discoveries, I tend to need someone to point me in the direction of new and exciting things. I found out about John Scalzi when Penny Arcade produced the cover for this book. I then promptly read the entire book off his website in one night. It was a fun read. I think his early stab at a fiction novel shows off a lot of his strengths. Scalzi is affable and direct, and while he's not laugh-out-loud hilarious there's a pervasive...more

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About John Scalzi

John Scalzi, having declared his absolute boredom with biographies, disappeared in a puff of glitter and lilac scent.

(If you want to contact John, using the mail function here is a really bad way to do it. Go to his site and use the contact information you find there.)

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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7945523-agent-to-the-stars?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1316638539l/7945523.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7945523-agent-to-the-stars?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Agent to the Stars by John Scalzi[/url]

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