Michael's review
Men and Cartoons
by Jonathan Lethem
Michael's review
Men and Cartoons by Jonathan Lethem
Michael's review
rating:
I'm a big Lethem fan but I couldn't give this one more than three stars (and the third star comes only on the basis of how readable the author manages to make even his worst stories).
Lethem writes both Science Fiction and whatever non-science-fiction fiction is properly called (Fi? Non-sci-fi-fi? Bi-mon-sci-fi-con?), but before this I've only read his works featuring lasers and genetically enhanced kangaroos and so forth. There is science fiction in this book, to be sure, but much of what could maybe be considered science fiction here is actually just unrealistic fiction. Not fantasy, either. Just kind of lazy what-if thinking that isn't interesting enough to engage you for more than a couple of pages.
For example, what if there was a sitcom about a giant crab that lived with an otherwise normal human family? And if this giant crab was actually a crab and could talk, what would he have to say to an avid fan after the show ends? Pretty wacky, huh? Well, that's pretty mu...more
Lethem writes both Science Fiction and whatever non-science-fiction fiction is properly called (Fi? Non-sci-fi-fi? Bi-mon-sci-fi-con?), but before this I've only read his works featuring lasers and genetically enhanced kangaroos and so forth. There is science fiction in this book, to be sure, but much of what could maybe be considered science fiction here is actually just unrealistic fiction. Not fantasy, either. Just kind of lazy what-if thinking that isn't interesting enough to engage you for more than a couple of pages.
For example, what if there was a sitcom about a giant crab that lived with an otherwise normal human family? And if this giant crab was actually a crab and could talk, what would he have to say to an avid fan after the show ends? Pretty wacky, huh? Well, that's pretty mu...more
