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The Android's Dream #1
The Android's Dream
From New York Times bestseller and Hugo Award-winner John Scalzi, a wild-and-woolly caper novel of interstellar diplomacy A human diplomat creates an interstellar incident when he kills an alien diplomat in a most . . . unusual . . . way. To avoid war, Earth's government must find an equally unusual a type of sheep ("The Android's Dream"), used in the alien race's coronation ceremony. To find the sheep, the government turns to Harry Creek, ex-cop, war hero and hacker extraordinare, who, with the help of a childhood friend turned artificial intelligence, scours the earth looking for the rare creature.
But there are others with plans for the sheep as well. Mercenaries employed by the military. Adherents of a secret religion based on the writings of a 21st century SF author. And alien races, eager to start a revolution on their home world and a war on Earth. To keep our planet from being enslaved, Harry will have to pull off a grand diplomatic coup, a gambit that will take him from the halls of power to the lava-strewn battlefields of alien worlds. There's only one chance to get it right, to save the life of the sheep―and to protect the future of humanity.
Other Tor Books
The Android’s Dream
Agent to the Stars
Your Hate Mail Will Be Graded
Fuzzy Nation
Redshirts 1. Lock In
2. Head On
The Interdepency Sequence
1. The Collapsing Empire
2. The Consuming Fire Old Man's War Series
1. Old Man’s War
2. The Ghost Brigades
3. The Last Colony
4. Zoe’s Tale
5. The Human Division
6. The End of All Things
But there are others with plans for the sheep as well. Mercenaries employed by the military. Adherents of a secret religion based on the writings of a 21st century SF author. And alien races, eager to start a revolution on their home world and a war on Earth. To keep our planet from being enslaved, Harry will have to pull off a grand diplomatic coup, a gambit that will take him from the halls of power to the lava-strewn battlefields of alien worlds. There's only one chance to get it right, to save the life of the sheep―and to protect the future of humanity.
Other Tor Books
The Android’s Dream
Agent to the Stars
Your Hate Mail Will Be Graded
Fuzzy Nation
Redshirts 1. Lock In
2. Head On
The Interdepency Sequence
1. The Collapsing Empire
2. The Consuming Fire Old Man's War Series
1. Old Man’s War
2. The Ghost Brigades
3. The Last Colony
4. Zoe’s Tale
5. The Human Division
6. The End of All Things
396 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 31, 2006
583 people are currently reading
12392 people want to read
About the author
John Scalzi
186 books28.7k followersJohn 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.)
(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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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,072 reviews
November 25, 2017
I could have read The Ghost Brigades, could have read Fuzzy Nation, but if there is a book in the “to be read” stack whose title is an unmistakable Philip K. Dick reference, then this was clearly the right choice.
And it was a good choice
Like a book by PKD, John Scalzi’s The Android’s Dream packs a lot to think about into an economically written, tightly wound package. From the genetically designed electric blue sheep, to a variety of alien races, to competing paranoid and invasive government agencies, featuring and aggrandizing a small business owner, to a complicating and weird religions Scalzi has done for Philip K. Dick what he did for Heinlein in Old Man's War – he has highlighted the best of the grandmaster and re-tooled the message for today’s audience.
The Android’s Dream tells the unlikely but highly entertaining story of Harry Creek, an erstwhile, reluctant but capable hero who is not out to save the world – but he’s just the man to do just that. Harry meets up with Robin Baker, a charismatic, flirty pet shop owner with a mysterious past. Scalzi throws these two into an adventure that could have originated in a poverty stricken, paranoid rented house in northern California in the mid sixties.
And like the very best of PKD, Scalzi casts as his protagonists the ordinary folks who display their greatness behind the scenes, while quietly saving us all in understated Ghostbusters fashion. Dick’s greatest heroes are rarely the power elite, more often the small-time, unnoticed everyman whose character provides the framework and foundation of a greater society.
If you like Scalzi’s work, if you are a fan of Philip K. Dick, if you like a quirky but fun modern science fiction work that does not take itself too seriously, The Android’s Dream is a good read.
And it was a good choice
Like a book by PKD, John Scalzi’s The Android’s Dream packs a lot to think about into an economically written, tightly wound package. From the genetically designed electric blue sheep, to a variety of alien races, to competing paranoid and invasive government agencies, featuring and aggrandizing a small business owner, to a complicating and weird religions Scalzi has done for Philip K. Dick what he did for Heinlein in Old Man's War – he has highlighted the best of the grandmaster and re-tooled the message for today’s audience.
The Android’s Dream tells the unlikely but highly entertaining story of Harry Creek, an erstwhile, reluctant but capable hero who is not out to save the world – but he’s just the man to do just that. Harry meets up with Robin Baker, a charismatic, flirty pet shop owner with a mysterious past. Scalzi throws these two into an adventure that could have originated in a poverty stricken, paranoid rented house in northern California in the mid sixties.
And like the very best of PKD, Scalzi casts as his protagonists the ordinary folks who display their greatness behind the scenes, while quietly saving us all in understated Ghostbusters fashion. Dick’s greatest heroes are rarely the power elite, more often the small-time, unnoticed everyman whose character provides the framework and foundation of a greater society.
If you like Scalzi’s work, if you are a fan of Philip K. Dick, if you like a quirky but fun modern science fiction work that does not take itself too seriously, The Android’s Dream is a good read.
February 7, 2017
Please don't judge this book too quickly. It gets better very fast after the infantile opening scene with the 'fart-machine'. It's one of the things about American culture that had me baffled for a very long time : where I come from we get over scatological jokes by the time we start school, but it seems they never go out of fashion around Hollywood. Even with my personal reservations, I must give credit to Scalzi for finding a new angle in the field of fart humour, and turning it into an alien criminal investigation.
The higher diplomatic and political Nidu castes had developed a "language" of scents not at al unlike the European nobles of Earth developed a "language" of flowers.
Some of these aliens have really thin skins (or should I say 'noses'?) , and the fart-machine incident is about to develop into a major (but probably very short) galactic war against an enemy with a crushing military superiority over Earth. Our only salvation is for the government of our planet to find and placate the sensitive Nidu with a blue sheep.
It's that kind of story, and John Scalzi channels here the best parts of the zaniness and irreverent dialogues of "The Fifth Element" , with a more highbrow touch of the still zany but better scientifically anchored farces of Connie Willis. It's so funny and so fast paced that I only stopped and thought about the horrible, horrible ways in which a lot of humans and aliens get smashed, dismembered, eaten alive and riddled with bullets a good half hour after I read a scene.
Since I already mentioned "The Fifth Element" I would take the analogy even further and mention that the lead character is obviously modeled on the tongue-in-cheek yet tough-guy-in-a-crisis Bruce Willis:
It was the proverbial dirty job. But equally proverbially, someone had to do it, and Harris Creek was surprisingly good at it.
[...] Creek's official title with the State Department was "Xenosapient Facilitator," which meant absolutely nothing to anyone but the State Department bursar, who could tell you that a Xenosapient Facilitator got the GS-10 pay grade. Creek's unofficial title, which was more accurate and descriptive, was "Bearer of Bad News."
Harris Creek is a prodigy in computer sciences, military combat and discreet investigations, so he is the first choice for the State Department looking for the lost (blue) lamb known as "The Android's Dream" - a touching and fitting nod to Philip K. Dick's masterpiece, one that even posits the same questions about how we define sapience and how we grant rights to aliens and genetic constructs.
I cannot go into more details about the nature of the sheep without spoilers, but I would lay bets readers will be pleasantly surprised at his/her/its identity. The problem for Creek is not so much finding the lost lamb (he has help from another great humorous reference to the dreaded "Office Assistant" paper clip and Siri type of Artificial Intelligence software). The problem is holding onto the 'Android's Dream' and preventing some very determined secret agencies from killing her/him/it. These agencies include, but are not limited to : a rival government department that feels its budget is underfunded and needs a crisis to demonstrate its utility; a right-wing, xenophobic think-tank that looks hostilely at the fragile alliance between Earth and the Nidu; a group of secret government contractors/mercenaries used for 'black' operations; an alien creature with a taste for human flesh; Nidu revolutionaries who want to sabotage the dynastic transfer of power; a mysterious cult that operates both openly and in the shadows.
The Church of the Evolved Lamb was notable in the history of religions both major and arcane in that it was the first and only religion that fully acknowledged that its founding was a total scam.
John Scalzi should write for Hollywood : they are sorely in need of good plots and good jokes around there and "The Android's Dream" is a great example of action-comedy that I would like to see on screen, preferably directed by Luc Besson. In between shooting it out with the bad guys and making snappy repartees, Scalzi introduces a colourful and satirical picture of the future with interesting technological improvements( fart macine included ) and not so veiled digs at Scientology, militarism, lawyers, online privacy and rival baseball fans. I included the last remark as an unintentional joke on the last season's (2016) dramatic finale:
The 'Senators' have never been good. They're the second most pathetic team in the history of baseball and would be the first, if it weren't for the fact that they go out of business every couple of decades and give the 'Cubs' time to lengthen their lead.
While I find potty jokes and American-centric future societies slightly unsavoury, I do hope the author will write more humorous alien stuff. I haven't read "Redshirts" yet, since I am not really/yet a trekkie, but I might give it a chance seeing how incredibly funny some of Scalzi's oddball alien portraits are.
August 14, 2007
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 it. Love it. And right soon
May 13, 2015
A delightful romp of a space opera crossed with an espionage caper. For this entertainment we bid goodbye to the gloom of dystopias and dark post-apocalyptic struggles (with or without zombies) and return to a time when humans of merit have the agency to save the world from villains. The villains here include aliens with colonial exploitation of Earth in mind and bumbling, backstabbing bureaucrats vying for a piece of their action.
Instead of invading, the reptilian Nidu are buying up our suburbs and bribing our politicians for beneficial business deals. The Earth’s administration has recently joined the Common Confederation of intelligent galactic species as a junior member, on the lines of a third world country missing the military might required for power and respect. We know we are in for a bit of madcap Spy vs. Spy when some dirty tricks by agents of the think tank American Institute of Colonization to stall trade negotiations with the Ministry of Trade to make the Nidu fall out of favor ends up backfiring.
Dirk Moeller didn’t think he could fart his way into a major diplomatic incident. But he was willing to try.
Bravo for Scalzi not being afraid of employing low humor. Also, for leaving it alone most of the time. I won’t spoil the fun with details, but it’s fair to say that the Nidu are angry, and though far down in the power structure of the confederation of species, they have the capacity to crush Earth. It’s enough to make permanent enemies in the Departments of State and Defense start to work together. The Nidu are able to extract a favor, which is to locate a blue sheep of a special rare gene-mod breed needed as a critical part of coronation of the next ruler of their extreme top-down society. Our intrepid hero Harry, a lowly State Department staffer, is assigned this important but daffy task and soon uncovers why a certain pet store owner, Robin, is the key to resolving the sheep chase.
But a rival Nidu family line wants that secret to take the throne themselves. And Harry, due to his training as a soldier in a disastrous Nidu-on-Nidu colonial war they dragged humans into, has the skills and motivation to protect Robin against both rival factions and humans bought in as mercenaries. A pyrotechnic shootout and escape at the mall with Robin is enough to make him turn rogue on the order of Bruce Willis in “Die Hard.”. A lot of thrilling action is served up with aplomb and eventually we change venue to off-planet locations. Their secret weapon is an AI created as a simulation of Harry’s compatriot Brian, who lost his life in the Nidu war. The big showdown has a surprising and satisfying conclusion.
When it was all over, my first reaction was to grade it 3 stars as pleasant, mindless entertainment. But soon I came to recognize how this kind of clever fun is rare in sci fi literature these days and upped the stars a notch. After all, I consider comic thriller films like Men in Black and The Fifth Element worth high stars, and unlike some old Heinlein novels of yore that approached comparable madcap plots, I didn’t have to put up with libertarian preaching.
Instead of invading, the reptilian Nidu are buying up our suburbs and bribing our politicians for beneficial business deals. The Earth’s administration has recently joined the Common Confederation of intelligent galactic species as a junior member, on the lines of a third world country missing the military might required for power and respect. We know we are in for a bit of madcap Spy vs. Spy when some dirty tricks by agents of the think tank American Institute of Colonization to stall trade negotiations with the Ministry of Trade to make the Nidu fall out of favor ends up backfiring.
Dirk Moeller didn’t think he could fart his way into a major diplomatic incident. But he was willing to try.
Bravo for Scalzi not being afraid of employing low humor. Also, for leaving it alone most of the time. I won’t spoil the fun with details, but it’s fair to say that the Nidu are angry, and though far down in the power structure of the confederation of species, they have the capacity to crush Earth. It’s enough to make permanent enemies in the Departments of State and Defense start to work together. The Nidu are able to extract a favor, which is to locate a blue sheep of a special rare gene-mod breed needed as a critical part of coronation of the next ruler of their extreme top-down society. Our intrepid hero Harry, a lowly State Department staffer, is assigned this important but daffy task and soon uncovers why a certain pet store owner, Robin, is the key to resolving the sheep chase.
But a rival Nidu family line wants that secret to take the throne themselves. And Harry, due to his training as a soldier in a disastrous Nidu-on-Nidu colonial war they dragged humans into, has the skills and motivation to protect Robin against both rival factions and humans bought in as mercenaries. A pyrotechnic shootout and escape at the mall with Robin is enough to make him turn rogue on the order of Bruce Willis in “Die Hard.”. A lot of thrilling action is served up with aplomb and eventually we change venue to off-planet locations. Their secret weapon is an AI created as a simulation of Harry’s compatriot Brian, who lost his life in the Nidu war. The big showdown has a surprising and satisfying conclusion.
When it was all over, my first reaction was to grade it 3 stars as pleasant, mindless entertainment. But soon I came to recognize how this kind of clever fun is rare in sci fi literature these days and upped the stars a notch. After all, I consider comic thriller films like Men in Black and The Fifth Element worth high stars, and unlike some old Heinlein novels of yore that approached comparable madcap plots, I didn’t have to put up with libertarian preaching.
February 11, 2022
John Scalzi has a great storytelling ability coupled with a great sense of humor. Both are on display in this enjoyable novel.
Taking place in the future, Earth has joined the other planets in becoming spacefaring peoples. During their contact with the Nidu, an Earth diplomat becomes involved in the assassination of a Nidu diplomat, both planets prepare for war.
It seems the only way to defuse this situation is to find a sheep that can be used in a Nidu ceremony. The catch is this is a specific breed of sheep called the Blue Android. There is another catch, the sheep is not a sheep at all. No more spoilers.
Into this mess is thrust Harry Creek of the State Department. harry must try to figure out a solution to this mess, but there are many more players involved than he thinks. Thus begins a humorous journey where Harry and his "sheep" must avoid dangerous assassins, enraged aliens and even their own government.
A very enjoyable sci-fi story that stands out for its wacky plot and great humor. A funny, exciting book that is very well written and very entertaining.
Taking place in the future, Earth has joined the other planets in becoming spacefaring peoples. During their contact with the Nidu, an Earth diplomat becomes involved in the assassination of a Nidu diplomat, both planets prepare for war.
It seems the only way to defuse this situation is to find a sheep that can be used in a Nidu ceremony. The catch is this is a specific breed of sheep called the Blue Android. There is another catch, the sheep is not a sheep at all. No more spoilers.
Into this mess is thrust Harry Creek of the State Department. harry must try to figure out a solution to this mess, but there are many more players involved than he thinks. Thus begins a humorous journey where Harry and his "sheep" must avoid dangerous assassins, enraged aliens and even their own government.
A very enjoyable sci-fi story that stands out for its wacky plot and great humor. A funny, exciting book that is very well written and very entertaining.
April 28, 2021
Leído en 2013.
Sinopsis (de cyberdark):
Una disparatada historia de ciencia ficción, en la línea de otras novelas del autor como El agente de las estrellas o La vieja guardia.
Harry Creek es un funcionario de bajo nivel del Departamento de Estado con un trabajo nada agradable: transmitir malas noticias a los embajadores alienígenas en la Tierra. Pero también es un héroe de guerra y un habilidoso hacker. Así que cuando la Tierra se enfrenta a su destrucción a causa de una metedura de pata diplomática con los nidu, una raza alienígena muy superior a la nuestra, Harry deberá localizar lo único que puede salvar a nuestro planeta de ser esclavizado por los alienígenas: una oveja.
Sí, habéis leído bien. Una oveja. Y si creéis que esto es lo más sorprendente de este libro, esperad a leer el primer capítulo.
Scalzi ha vuelto a conseguir una novela divertida de leer, que te atrapa y que obliga a devorar páginas. Definitivamente confirmo a este autor como uno de mis referentes personales en el panorama actual de la CF.
La primera frase del primer libro que leí de Scalzi, la Vieja Guardia, es : El día que cumplí setenta y cinco años, hice dos cosas. Visité la tumba de mi esposa y me enrolé en el ejército..Buenísima. A partir de ahí leo todo lo que pillo de este señor y he de decir que sus últimos libros superan incluso a los primeros. A mis ojos, claro.
En este, El sueño del androide, nos sumerge en una intriga política/policíaca/jamesbondiana entre dos razas por la posesión de una oveja determinada necesaria para la toma de poder de un nuevo emperador de la raza nidu.
Las ironías, los diálogos simpáticos entre los personajes, las situaciones disparatadas y el ritmo que imprime a la trama me han encantado.
Es ciencia ficción –SpaceOpera Light- de la buena pero en clave de humor. De Ciencia tiene poco, pero os aseguro que pasaréis un muy buen rato leyéndola. Y la evidente referencia a “Sueñan los androides con ovejas eléctricas” de Dick es un guiño apreciado por los amantes de la CF clásica.
Leed, disfrutad y divertíos con este libro.
Sinopsis (de cyberdark):
Una disparatada historia de ciencia ficción, en la línea de otras novelas del autor como El agente de las estrellas o La vieja guardia.
Harry Creek es un funcionario de bajo nivel del Departamento de Estado con un trabajo nada agradable: transmitir malas noticias a los embajadores alienígenas en la Tierra. Pero también es un héroe de guerra y un habilidoso hacker. Así que cuando la Tierra se enfrenta a su destrucción a causa de una metedura de pata diplomática con los nidu, una raza alienígena muy superior a la nuestra, Harry deberá localizar lo único que puede salvar a nuestro planeta de ser esclavizado por los alienígenas: una oveja.
Sí, habéis leído bien. Una oveja. Y si creéis que esto es lo más sorprendente de este libro, esperad a leer el primer capítulo.
Scalzi ha vuelto a conseguir una novela divertida de leer, que te atrapa y que obliga a devorar páginas. Definitivamente confirmo a este autor como uno de mis referentes personales en el panorama actual de la CF.
La primera frase del primer libro que leí de Scalzi, la Vieja Guardia, es : El día que cumplí setenta y cinco años, hice dos cosas. Visité la tumba de mi esposa y me enrolé en el ejército..Buenísima. A partir de ahí leo todo lo que pillo de este señor y he de decir que sus últimos libros superan incluso a los primeros. A mis ojos, claro.
En este, El sueño del androide, nos sumerge en una intriga política/policíaca/jamesbondiana entre dos razas por la posesión de una oveja determinada necesaria para la toma de poder de un nuevo emperador de la raza nidu.
Las ironías, los diálogos simpáticos entre los personajes, las situaciones disparatadas y el ritmo que imprime a la trama me han encantado.
Es ciencia ficción –SpaceOpera Light- de la buena pero en clave de humor. De Ciencia tiene poco, pero os aseguro que pasaréis un muy buen rato leyéndola. Y la evidente referencia a “Sueñan los androides con ovejas eléctricas” de Dick es un guiño apreciado por los amantes de la CF clásica.
Leed, disfrutad y divertíos con este libro.
October 22, 2014
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 come next. Now that I do, I don't think it would be nearly as enjoyable.
August 6, 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 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.
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.
January 6, 2018
A really enjoyable story with bit of humor. More consistent than Redshirts.
September 16, 2018
Good fun adventure and saving planet earth at the same time, just what I needed for my night watch!
November 25, 2025
This is my first John Scalzi book, and it was a weird one. But a good one. In The Android's Dream, Earth finds itself on the brink of war with a superior but much maligned alien race, the Nidu, as the result of a diplomatic incident caused by Earth that occurs early on in the book. Luckily, an opportunity arises to avert total war. The Nidu are going to have a contest for their throne, to declare a new leader. As part of this process, something is required for the coronation ceremony, to make a sacrifice.
A sheep.
But not just any sheep. One of the incredibly rare, and proprietary, Android's Dream breed. If Earth can obtain the sheep for the Nidu for the ceremony, there is a chance war can be avoided between the two planets. Unfortunately for Earth's government, they're not the only ones looking for the sheep, as a group of mercenaries, rogue government elements with an agenda of their own, and a bizarre cult religion are also after the sheep for their own reasons, and they'll do anything to get it...
I liked this one. It's basically comedic sci-fi. Not terribly funny, but it has its moments. It's a very bipolar book, as it contrasts upbeat sections with humour against other sections that are incredibly depressing and involve ruthless, graphic violence. So it's tonally inconsistent throughout, but it does lean toward the goofier side overall.
The main characters are pretty good, but there were a lot of secondary characters who were little more than names. Instantly forgettable cardboard cutouts that I honestly couldn't even remember when they reappeared fifty pages later after an absence. I was like: "Who the hell is this guy again, and which of the many factions searching for the sheep does he belong to?"
Which was another problem with the book. There were too many characters and groups looking for the sheep, and some aren't even explained very well, so I couldn't even tell why they wanted it or who they were. I had to read online that the mercenary group was a mercenary group because it wasn't even obvious to me while I was reading this. So it's a bit of a mess, overcomplicated, and hard to follow. And the forgettable secondary characters don't really help in this regard.
Overall though, it wasn't bad. I've heard this is an early Scalzi novel and not one of his best, and that seems reasonable to me, as I know he's written some iconic sci-fi books like Old Man's War, which I'm sure this doesn't hold a candle to. But it's still not a bad read. It loses its way sometimes, parts of it were boring, and it was hard to follow, but it has some good characters and is interesting enough to check out, especially if you're a fan of the author.
3.5 stars
A sheep.
But not just any sheep. One of the incredibly rare, and proprietary, Android's Dream breed. If Earth can obtain the sheep for the Nidu for the ceremony, there is a chance war can be avoided between the two planets. Unfortunately for Earth's government, they're not the only ones looking for the sheep, as a group of mercenaries, rogue government elements with an agenda of their own, and a bizarre cult religion are also after the sheep for their own reasons, and they'll do anything to get it...
I liked this one. It's basically comedic sci-fi. Not terribly funny, but it has its moments. It's a very bipolar book, as it contrasts upbeat sections with humour against other sections that are incredibly depressing and involve ruthless, graphic violence. So it's tonally inconsistent throughout, but it does lean toward the goofier side overall.
The main characters are pretty good, but there were a lot of secondary characters who were little more than names. Instantly forgettable cardboard cutouts that I honestly couldn't even remember when they reappeared fifty pages later after an absence. I was like: "Who the hell is this guy again, and which of the many factions searching for the sheep does he belong to?"
Which was another problem with the book. There were too many characters and groups looking for the sheep, and some aren't even explained very well, so I couldn't even tell why they wanted it or who they were. I had to read online that the mercenary group was a mercenary group because it wasn't even obvious to me while I was reading this. So it's a bit of a mess, overcomplicated, and hard to follow. And the forgettable secondary characters don't really help in this regard.
Overall though, it wasn't bad. I've heard this is an early Scalzi novel and not one of his best, and that seems reasonable to me, as I know he's written some iconic sci-fi books like Old Man's War, which I'm sure this doesn't hold a candle to. But it's still not a bad read. It loses its way sometimes, parts of it were boring, and it was hard to follow, but it has some good characters and is interesting enough to check out, especially if you're a fan of the author.
3.5 stars
January 16, 2009
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!
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!
March 17, 2018
The Android’s Dream: More like The Fifth Element than Bladerunner
Originally published at Fantasy Literature
The Android’s Dream (2006) is one of John Scalzi’s earlier books, and a stand-alone rather than part of a series, so I couldn’t resist given the obvious Philip K. Dick reference in the title. I decided to go into this one without knowing anything about the plot or reading any reviews at all. I know Scalzi’s humor and style from the OLD MAN’S WAR series, Redshirts and Lock In, and I love the audio narration of Wil Wheaton, so I figured I’d give it a try. I was also surprised that this hadn’t already been reviewed on FanLit, which has covered pretty much all of Scalzi’s prolific output.
Initially I was a bit nonplussed by the opening sequence, essentially the most elaborate “fart joke” in a tense human-alien diplomatic meeting in the history of the genre (tiny niche, I know). It suggests we’re in for something more along the lines of The Hitchhikers’ Guide to the Galaxy or The Fifth Element than the profound and melancholic ruminations on what separates humans from replicants in PDK’s classic Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep that I had expected from the title. But the story certainly throws out enough ideas, computer hackers, AIs, mercenaries, phony religious cults, secret government agencies, intense action sequences, and humorous quips sprinkled throughout, to provide the entertainment that Scalzi has become famous and very successful for delivering.
The plot involves a major diplomatic incident between the UNE (United Nations of Earth) and the Nidu, a more powerful alien race that is the ostensible ally of humanity, a new junior member of the Consolidated Confederation of Worlds, in which the Earth is sitting at the “loser’s table in high school”, as Scalzi puts it so succinctly. So it is up to ex-military State Department “Xenosapient Facilitator” Harry Creek to track down an a rare species of blue sheep called Android’s Dream that holds the key to a major power struggle for succession on the Nidu homeworld. What follows is a madcap, zany, action-packed, whirlwind adventure, from shopping mall shootouts to some pretty cool computer hacking by AIs, and leading up to a grand finale on the Nidu homeworld at the coronation ceremony, with the fate of the Earth and intergalactic war hanging in the balance.
As typical for Scalzi, The Android’s Dream produces dozens of eminently quotable quips about this future society, our own human foibles, etc. However, as the story frequently veers from snarky humor to intense action sequences, sometimes I felt like Scalzi was not quite in control of the tone of the story. It’s much like a Luc Besson movie, with frenetic action, slapstick humor, and then random moments of seriousness. I also think the author was still finding his voice, though his debut novel Old Man’s War was a near-perfect pastiche of Heinlein that updated and improved on Starship Troopers. So I don’t think it really hung together in the end, despite being filled with promising elements. Still, if you are a fan of zany SF thrillers, you probably won’t be disappointed.
Originally published at Fantasy Literature
The Android’s Dream (2006) is one of John Scalzi’s earlier books, and a stand-alone rather than part of a series, so I couldn’t resist given the obvious Philip K. Dick reference in the title. I decided to go into this one without knowing anything about the plot or reading any reviews at all. I know Scalzi’s humor and style from the OLD MAN’S WAR series, Redshirts and Lock In, and I love the audio narration of Wil Wheaton, so I figured I’d give it a try. I was also surprised that this hadn’t already been reviewed on FanLit, which has covered pretty much all of Scalzi’s prolific output.
Initially I was a bit nonplussed by the opening sequence, essentially the most elaborate “fart joke” in a tense human-alien diplomatic meeting in the history of the genre (tiny niche, I know). It suggests we’re in for something more along the lines of The Hitchhikers’ Guide to the Galaxy or The Fifth Element than the profound and melancholic ruminations on what separates humans from replicants in PDK’s classic Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep that I had expected from the title. But the story certainly throws out enough ideas, computer hackers, AIs, mercenaries, phony religious cults, secret government agencies, intense action sequences, and humorous quips sprinkled throughout, to provide the entertainment that Scalzi has become famous and very successful for delivering.
The plot involves a major diplomatic incident between the UNE (United Nations of Earth) and the Nidu, a more powerful alien race that is the ostensible ally of humanity, a new junior member of the Consolidated Confederation of Worlds, in which the Earth is sitting at the “loser’s table in high school”, as Scalzi puts it so succinctly. So it is up to ex-military State Department “Xenosapient Facilitator” Harry Creek to track down an a rare species of blue sheep called Android’s Dream that holds the key to a major power struggle for succession on the Nidu homeworld. What follows is a madcap, zany, action-packed, whirlwind adventure, from shopping mall shootouts to some pretty cool computer hacking by AIs, and leading up to a grand finale on the Nidu homeworld at the coronation ceremony, with the fate of the Earth and intergalactic war hanging in the balance.
As typical for Scalzi, The Android’s Dream produces dozens of eminently quotable quips about this future society, our own human foibles, etc. However, as the story frequently veers from snarky humor to intense action sequences, sometimes I felt like Scalzi was not quite in control of the tone of the story. It’s much like a Luc Besson movie, with frenetic action, slapstick humor, and then random moments of seriousness. I also think the author was still finding his voice, though his debut novel Old Man’s War was a near-perfect pastiche of Heinlein that updated and improved on Starship Troopers. So I don’t think it really hung together in the end, despite being filled with promising elements. Still, if you are a fan of zany SF thrillers, you probably won’t be disappointed.
August 24, 2012
I'm glad I read this after reading John Scalzi's Redshirts. Had I read The Android's Dream first, I would have been slightly disappointed in Redshirts, as it wasn't as funny as The Android's Dream. And it wasn't just funny, either. It had memorable characters, great action sequences, and a plot filled with twists, turns and intergalactic political intrigue.
And to think I almost stopped reading this book in the first chapter when a character kills an alien dignitary with an anal device programmed to send farts with insulting scent messages, thinking it was too sophomoric for my tastes. I'm glad I didn't, as it gets exponentially better -- wittier and less low brow -- after that initial tonal display of this book.
And to think I almost stopped reading this book in the first chapter when a character kills an alien dignitary with an anal device programmed to send farts with insulting scent messages, thinking it was too sophomoric for my tastes. I'm glad I didn't, as it gets exponentially better -- wittier and less low brow -- after that initial tonal display of this book.
September 17, 2017
Executive Summary: I found this book a lot of fun, but utterly ridiculous, even for Mr. Scalzi.
Audiobook: Wil Wheaton does his usual good job at delivering John Scalzi's snark. He reads clearly and with good inflection. He doesn't do voices, but I do feel that audio is definitely a solid option for this book.
Full Review
After my last book, I was looking for something light and fun, and John Scalzi always fits that description for me. This is one of the few books by him I haven't read. I picked up the audio on a deal a few years back and for some reason I just never got around to listening to it.
This book starts out on a ridiculous premise and just seems to keep getting more ridiculous as the book goes on. The protagonist is a bit too competent at times as well, but considering the circumstances he was put in, it didn't really matter that much.
I've always enjoyed Mr. Scalzi's sense of humor, and this one is no different. There were less times that I found myself laughing at a joke than I was simply shaking my head at the events I was listening to however.
I liked the world building a fair bit, even if they were a large part of the silliness as well. I'm a sucker for interplanetary space federations. I'd be interested in reading another book set in this world.
Overall this was a fun and fast read and was exactly what I was looking for when I listened to it. It's not as good as some of his other work, but I still enjoyed it quite a bit.
Audiobook: Wil Wheaton does his usual good job at delivering John Scalzi's snark. He reads clearly and with good inflection. He doesn't do voices, but I do feel that audio is definitely a solid option for this book.
Full Review
After my last book, I was looking for something light and fun, and John Scalzi always fits that description for me. This is one of the few books by him I haven't read. I picked up the audio on a deal a few years back and for some reason I just never got around to listening to it.
This book starts out on a ridiculous premise and just seems to keep getting more ridiculous as the book goes on. The protagonist is a bit too competent at times as well, but considering the circumstances he was put in, it didn't really matter that much.
I've always enjoyed Mr. Scalzi's sense of humor, and this one is no different. There were less times that I found myself laughing at a joke than I was simply shaking my head at the events I was listening to however.
I liked the world building a fair bit, even if they were a large part of the silliness as well. I'm a sucker for interplanetary space federations. I'd be interested in reading another book set in this world.
Overall this was a fun and fast read and was exactly what I was looking for when I listened to it. It's not as good as some of his other work, but I still enjoyed it quite a bit.
January 17, 2022
3.5 stars
This book is pretty weird yet still coherent with a fun plot.
It starts off with a major diplomatic incident caused by farting—I bet this first chapter was the result of a writing prompt—and then turns into a hunt for sheep.
Then it becomes a cat-and-mouse game that was a lot of fun. There’s also a real church with a fraudulent founding (and a sheep fetish) and a cheap cruise. And some lizard aliens. All this comes together, eventually. It feels like Scalzi wrote a bunch of satirical scenes for fun and later strung them together.
It takes a while before a good guy emerges in this story: Harry Creek. (This late appearance of a good guy is most likely because I couldn’t remember any characters’ names for a long time.) He works for the government, like many of the poor saps in this book, and his job is giving people bad news. But he’s also a bad-ass war veteran with cool skills. Best to go into this knowing as little as possible. It’s strange and funny and suspenseful all together.
Wonderful audio narration by Wil Wheaton. I was especially impressed by his ability to pronounce alien names that seemed to be spelled unpronounceable on purpose. He speaks so fast, I had to put the speed at 1.0 and even considered slowing it down.
While the title is inspired by PKD, the story has little to do with that book.
Language: Moderate amount of strong language
Sexual Content: vaguely mentioned once or twice
Violence: Not too graphic: assassination attempts; fighting resulting in broken bones; aliens who eat people, torture
Harm to Animals:
Harm to Children:
Other (Triggers):
This book is pretty weird yet still coherent with a fun plot.
It starts off with a major diplomatic incident caused by farting—I bet this first chapter was the result of a writing prompt—and then turns into a hunt for sheep.
Then it becomes a cat-and-mouse game that was a lot of fun. There’s also a real church with a fraudulent founding (and a sheep fetish) and a cheap cruise. And some lizard aliens. All this comes together, eventually. It feels like Scalzi wrote a bunch of satirical scenes for fun and later strung them together.
It takes a while before a good guy emerges in this story: Harry Creek. (This late appearance of a good guy is most likely because I couldn’t remember any characters’ names for a long time.) He works for the government, like many of the poor saps in this book, and his job is giving people bad news. But he’s also a bad-ass war veteran with cool skills. Best to go into this knowing as little as possible. It’s strange and funny and suspenseful all together.
Wonderful audio narration by Wil Wheaton. I was especially impressed by his ability to pronounce alien names that seemed to be spelled unpronounceable on purpose. He speaks so fast, I had to put the speed at 1.0 and even considered slowing it down.
While the title is inspired by PKD, the story has little to do with that book.
Language: Moderate amount of strong language
Sexual Content: vaguely mentioned once or twice
Violence: Not too graphic: assassination attempts; fighting resulting in broken bones; aliens who eat people, torture
Harm to Animals:
Harm to Children:
Other (Triggers):
January 12, 2009
Scalzi is a throwback to a simpler time in science fiction where the universe is populated with a 1000 alien species, most of them described in a few broad strokes, and the less said about how the hyperdrive works the better. That the book works, (much as the tv show "House" works, despite being entirely forumlaic... "what, only 40 mins past the hour, this can't be the real cure...") because they are fun, with a frenetic energy and a goofball, unpredictable sense of humor.
The writing is plain, and the the plot picaresque: a series of unlikely, escalating confrontations between the forces of the good guys and those of the bad guys, takes our hero from a dead-end job to an interstellar coronation ceremony, by way of a space cruise ship populated entirely by veterans of a battle he just happened to have fought at and won a Medal of Honor... get the picture?
Adding insult, the protagonist is not only a military savant with hands registered as deadly weapons, but he is also a brilliant computer programmer who has cracked the problem of artificial intelligence and is aided in his quest by an all knowing AI computer friend.
I read it with reasonable enjoyment, but even I have to caveat that review by saying I only read sci fi -- so that that with a grain of salt.
The writing is plain, and the the plot picaresque: a series of unlikely, escalating confrontations between the forces of the good guys and those of the bad guys, takes our hero from a dead-end job to an interstellar coronation ceremony, by way of a space cruise ship populated entirely by veterans of a battle he just happened to have fought at and won a Medal of Honor... get the picture?
Adding insult, the protagonist is not only a military savant with hands registered as deadly weapons, but he is also a brilliant computer programmer who has cracked the problem of artificial intelligence and is aided in his quest by an all knowing AI computer friend.
I read it with reasonable enjoyment, but even I have to caveat that review by saying I only read sci fi -- so that that with a grain of salt.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 27, 2016
Another completely mad plot, totally out there, meant to crash and burn, and yet… and yet… Scalzi pulls it off of course.
For want of a better word, this is a scifi comedy, full of action, fast-paced chases, colourful characters, aliens, jumping shoes, spacecrafts, politics, conspiracies, fart language, sharp dialogue, and sheep, well one particular genetically modified one that is. And if this wasn’t enough, an homage to Philip K Dick. Yes it IS silly but, like Agent to the Stars, this is not a stupid book. Far from it.
I do wonder why comedy isn’t always valued the way other genres are when you consider that it requires as much skill if not more to create. For instance, P.G. Wodehouse wasn’t recognised as the great author he was for a long time. Likewise, it would be very easy to disregard this novel, but if you happen to like scifi comedy, this is a great example, entertaining and addictive :O)
PS: read by the excellent Wil Wheaton - who else!!!
For want of a better word, this is a scifi comedy, full of action, fast-paced chases, colourful characters, aliens, jumping shoes, spacecrafts, politics, conspiracies, fart language, sharp dialogue, and sheep, well one particular genetically modified one that is. And if this wasn’t enough, an homage to Philip K Dick. Yes it IS silly but, like Agent to the Stars, this is not a stupid book. Far from it.
I do wonder why comedy isn’t always valued the way other genres are when you consider that it requires as much skill if not more to create. For instance, P.G. Wodehouse wasn’t recognised as the great author he was for a long time. Likewise, it would be very easy to disregard this novel, but if you happen to like scifi comedy, this is a great example, entertaining and addictive :O)
PS: read by the excellent Wil Wheaton - who else!!!
June 14, 2012
Redshirts wasn't in stock Tuesday, and Kobo's DRM shenanigans made me loath to purchase the ebook despite my shiny new tablet. Fortunately, I had already borrowed The Android's Dream from the library. I try to pace myself between books by the same author, but in this case I suppose I'm making an exception. Not that I mind in John Scalzi's case.
The Android's Dream is what I would call clever but zany SF. It's about the race against time to find a breed of sheep to prevent a diplomatic investment from erupting into all-out war with an alien species. The key here is the mundane nature of the quest object, combined with the human fallibility and craziness of the good guys and the bad guys. While the stakes are the usual "survival of humanity" thing, the major plot twists are almost always the result of mundane actions or coincidences. As a result, the book manages to be humorous without, for the most part, overstepping itself.
Reading this so soon after reading Old Man’s War was an interesting experience, because in both books Scalzi depicts humans as a species among many in the galaxy. In this book, Earth and its few colonies are members of the Common Confederacy, which is exactly what it sounds like. In Old Man’s War the galaxy is a little more overtly hostile, and that kind of alliance doesn’t seem to exist—indeed, Earth itself is a lot less relevant to human society in that book. Although I love watching authors build their worlds (or in this case, universes) through successive books, it’s also gratifying when an author shows he or she can build entirely different universes as well.
Yet the different details do not diminish Scalzi’s particular way of constructing aliens or portraying human–alien interaction. Firstly, he’s fond of very creative (albeit predominantly humanoid) alien physiology, and his cultures are quite distinct as well. This creativity leads to a tendency to show off, through digressions, worldbuilding that isn’t all that essential to the story (e.g., the explanation about the Kathungi). In some books this would be a death knell—Scalzi’s saving grace is that, despite his tendency to ramble, when he decides it’s time for an action scene, he delivers an action scene.
From mall shootouts to battles with alien marines inside a cruise spaceship, there is no shortage of such scenes in The Android’s Dream. Scalzi maintains a fine balance between skill and luck when it comes to his protagonists getting out of (or into) scrapes and threatening situations. The bad guys are very competent (and it’s hilarious when they realize that they’ve been so successful in stirring up trouble they might actually have started a war). And there are several levels of antagonists to contend with: beyond the obvious ones, we eventually learn about deeper plots that are coming to fruition after decades of work. So it would be fair to say The Android’s Dream is an often light, action-packed thriller of a novel—but that would ignore how tightly and carefully plotted it is. There’s more going on here than just shoot ’em up scenes (though they are there!).
I love Scalzi’s characters, although I can see why some people complain they tend to sound the same. His default characterization mode is “sassy” or some subtle gradation thereof, so when characters begin making quips their individual attributes tend to blur. But Harold Creek is a very different protagonist from John Perry. He’s much less of a Mary Sue, fortunately—ultimately, as his best plans come apart the seams, help arrives from a timely ally that provides enough information to concoct a last-ditch plan.
Curiously, the cast is almost entirely male. Robin Baker is the only main female character, and the number of minor female characters is paltry indeed. Now, I don’t consciously tally up the ratio of male to female characters when I read books, but I notice when it’s really uneven—especially in books by authors who are otherwise quite outspoken about gender equity, as is the case with Scalzi. I’m not sure what happened here, but it’s a little disappointing that there aren’t any other interesting women in this book except for Robin.
That being said, she’s pretty cool. To be honest, I like her even better than Creek. Creek is capable—but he’s just like every other highly-skilled protagonist out there: little bit detective, little bit rock and roll. Scalzi writes him well, but there’s nothing new to see. Robin, on the other hand, is an interesting combination. Sarcastic by nature, she seems to take a lot of what happens to her in stride. But at certain points in the book, it becomes painfully obvious she’s really just coping, running on physical and psychological adrenaline (so to speak) until she can sit down and work through all of the revelations thrust upon her. Robin, as the asset, is someone not of Creek’s shadow world, pulled out of her depth and into something far bigger than she ever expected to experience. It’s cool to watch her grow and start owning that.
I’m ambivalent about the climax. In many ways, I prefer the tight direction of The Android’s Dream over the somewhat meandering Old Man’s War. Unfortunately, the climax hinges on a technicality, an “oh, by the way,” revealed through some exposition just prior to its execution. I loved the ride all the way, from the opening line up to the very end, but the ending itself leaves much to be desired.
The Android’s Dream confirms that, at least with my sense of humour, Scalzi’s a great contemporary writer. He knows how to make science-fiction a tool for compelling stories rather than a soapbox or a paint-by-numbers canvas of tropes. Sometimes I think he gets a little carried away with the clever nuances of his plots … but I can forgive that, just like I can forgive any number of little glitches, because his style is smooth and his writing is just good.
The Android's Dream is what I would call clever but zany SF. It's about the race against time to find a breed of sheep to prevent a diplomatic investment from erupting into all-out war with an alien species. The key here is the mundane nature of the quest object, combined with the human fallibility and craziness of the good guys and the bad guys. While the stakes are the usual "survival of humanity" thing, the major plot twists are almost always the result of mundane actions or coincidences. As a result, the book manages to be humorous without, for the most part, overstepping itself.
Reading this so soon after reading Old Man’s War was an interesting experience, because in both books Scalzi depicts humans as a species among many in the galaxy. In this book, Earth and its few colonies are members of the Common Confederacy, which is exactly what it sounds like. In Old Man’s War the galaxy is a little more overtly hostile, and that kind of alliance doesn’t seem to exist—indeed, Earth itself is a lot less relevant to human society in that book. Although I love watching authors build their worlds (or in this case, universes) through successive books, it’s also gratifying when an author shows he or she can build entirely different universes as well.
Yet the different details do not diminish Scalzi’s particular way of constructing aliens or portraying human–alien interaction. Firstly, he’s fond of very creative (albeit predominantly humanoid) alien physiology, and his cultures are quite distinct as well. This creativity leads to a tendency to show off, through digressions, worldbuilding that isn’t all that essential to the story (e.g., the explanation about the Kathungi). In some books this would be a death knell—Scalzi’s saving grace is that, despite his tendency to ramble, when he decides it’s time for an action scene, he delivers an action scene.
From mall shootouts to battles with alien marines inside a cruise spaceship, there is no shortage of such scenes in The Android’s Dream. Scalzi maintains a fine balance between skill and luck when it comes to his protagonists getting out of (or into) scrapes and threatening situations. The bad guys are very competent (and it’s hilarious when they realize that they’ve been so successful in stirring up trouble they might actually have started a war). And there are several levels of antagonists to contend with: beyond the obvious ones, we eventually learn about deeper plots that are coming to fruition after decades of work. So it would be fair to say The Android’s Dream is an often light, action-packed thriller of a novel—but that would ignore how tightly and carefully plotted it is. There’s more going on here than just shoot ’em up scenes (though they are there!).
I love Scalzi’s characters, although I can see why some people complain they tend to sound the same. His default characterization mode is “sassy” or some subtle gradation thereof, so when characters begin making quips their individual attributes tend to blur. But Harold Creek is a very different protagonist from John Perry. He’s much less of a Mary Sue, fortunately—ultimately, as his best plans come apart the seams, help arrives from a timely ally that provides enough information to concoct a last-ditch plan.
Curiously, the cast is almost entirely male. Robin Baker is the only main female character, and the number of minor female characters is paltry indeed. Now, I don’t consciously tally up the ratio of male to female characters when I read books, but I notice when it’s really uneven—especially in books by authors who are otherwise quite outspoken about gender equity, as is the case with Scalzi. I’m not sure what happened here, but it’s a little disappointing that there aren’t any other interesting women in this book except for Robin.
That being said, she’s pretty cool. To be honest, I like her even better than Creek. Creek is capable—but he’s just like every other highly-skilled protagonist out there: little bit detective, little bit rock and roll. Scalzi writes him well, but there’s nothing new to see. Robin, on the other hand, is an interesting combination. Sarcastic by nature, she seems to take a lot of what happens to her in stride. But at certain points in the book, it becomes painfully obvious she’s really just coping, running on physical and psychological adrenaline (so to speak) until she can sit down and work through all of the revelations thrust upon her. Robin, as the asset, is someone not of Creek’s shadow world, pulled out of her depth and into something far bigger than she ever expected to experience. It’s cool to watch her grow and start owning that.
I’m ambivalent about the climax. In many ways, I prefer the tight direction of The Android’s Dream over the somewhat meandering Old Man’s War. Unfortunately, the climax hinges on a technicality, an “oh, by the way,” revealed through some exposition just prior to its execution. I loved the ride all the way, from the opening line up to the very end, but the ending itself leaves much to be desired.
The Android’s Dream confirms that, at least with my sense of humour, Scalzi’s a great contemporary writer. He knows how to make science-fiction a tool for compelling stories rather than a soapbox or a paint-by-numbers canvas of tropes. Sometimes I think he gets a little carried away with the clever nuances of his plots … but I can forgive that, just like I can forgive any number of little glitches, because his style is smooth and his writing is just good.
July 13, 2018
Man John Scalzi can write a damn great SiFi story. Now a lot of writers can do that but what makes him stand out to me is that right in the middle of the action he can make me laugh. no matter how intense the scene somehow he shoots a drop of humor into the story line. Much like Terry Prachett did it with fantasy Mr Scalzi does it with SiFi. You won't be the least bit disappointed reading anything of his you pick up, I haven't. Highly recommended
September 11, 2010
**A little over three stars.**
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.
“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.
March 29, 2025
"The Android’s Dream" – Or, How to Start a Galactic Crisis with a Fart
John Scalzi has done it again, folks. He’s taken political intrigue, intergalactic diplomacy, genetic engineering, religious cults, and good old-fashioned hacking… and somehow made it all revolve around a single breed of sheep. Oh, and let’s not forget the diplomatic disaster caused by a strategically weaponized fart. Yes, you read that right.
Our hero, Harry Creek, is the kind of guy who can talk his way out of anything—except maybe a well-placed assassination attempt. Robin Baker, who just wants a normal life, finds out she’s actually the most valuable "sheep" in the galaxy, which is definitely not what she signed up for. Meanwhile, the Church of the Evolved Lamb proves that, yes, there’s always a cult willing to take things way too far.
Scalzi juggles humor, action, and razor-sharp dialogue so well that I kept wondering if I was reading a sci-fi thriller or the world’s best satirical sitcom. Every chapter brought another absurd, brilliant twist, and by the end, I wasn’t sure if I needed a nap or another book to keep my brain from exploding.
Final verdict? If you love your sci-fi with a side of political chaos, snark, and genetically significant sheep, The Android’s Dream is a must-read. Just don’t blame me when your head explodes from the sheer Scalzi-ness of it all. You’ve been warned. 🚀🐑😆
John Scalzi has done it again, folks. He’s taken political intrigue, intergalactic diplomacy, genetic engineering, religious cults, and good old-fashioned hacking… and somehow made it all revolve around a single breed of sheep. Oh, and let’s not forget the diplomatic disaster caused by a strategically weaponized fart. Yes, you read that right.
Our hero, Harry Creek, is the kind of guy who can talk his way out of anything—except maybe a well-placed assassination attempt. Robin Baker, who just wants a normal life, finds out she’s actually the most valuable "sheep" in the galaxy, which is definitely not what she signed up for. Meanwhile, the Church of the Evolved Lamb proves that, yes, there’s always a cult willing to take things way too far.
Scalzi juggles humor, action, and razor-sharp dialogue so well that I kept wondering if I was reading a sci-fi thriller or the world’s best satirical sitcom. Every chapter brought another absurd, brilliant twist, and by the end, I wasn’t sure if I needed a nap or another book to keep my brain from exploding.
Final verdict? If you love your sci-fi with a side of political chaos, snark, and genetically significant sheep, The Android’s Dream is a must-read. Just don’t blame me when your head explodes from the sheer Scalzi-ness of it all. You’ve been warned. 🚀🐑😆
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 7, 2015
I went into this blind, as usual, and really didn't know what was going to happen and it was hilarious. The beginning had me laughing out loud wondering if Scalzi was serious and wondering where the story would go from there. And he managed to keep it going to the end.
The events were funny, captivating and action filled.
There were many characters pulling different strings. I really liked Creek and Robin and their interactions.
I Like how nothing ever seems too serious in Scalzi's novels, no matter how dire the situation.
I also enjoyed the gadgets he came up with and the world this story is set in.
I can recommend this to anyone who likes some fun science fiction.
And I also recommend listening to the audiobook narrated by Will Wheaton, he just brings the story to life.
The events were funny, captivating and action filled.
There were many characters pulling different strings. I really liked Creek and Robin and their interactions.
I Like how nothing ever seems too serious in Scalzi's novels, no matter how dire the situation.
I also enjoyed the gadgets he came up with and the world this story is set in.
I can recommend this to anyone who likes some fun science fiction.
And I also recommend listening to the audiobook narrated by Will Wheaton, he just brings the story to life.
May 29, 2009
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.
October 28, 2019
Harry Creek had the misfortune of being an infantryman in Earth's biggest military defeat of the 21st century. His best friend's brother died in his arms during the retreat. Now Harry's kind of drifting, but he's about to get a short, sharp shock....
Robin Baker runs a small pet shop on the outskirts of Washington, D.C. She's leading a dull-normal suburban life, but she's about to meet Harry, on a truly memorable first date....
Philip K. Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? inspired the title, and yes, unusual sheep are involved -- but this novel reads like prime-period Heinlein, updated to the 21st century. From the opening lines -- "Dirk Moeller didn't know if he could fart his way into a major diplomatic incident. But he was ready to find out." -- the pace and story-telling never slacken. We have a Competent Man protagonist, a spunky female lead, snappy dialogue, sneering villains, the Fate of Earth in the balance.... even a clever analogue to the Church of Foster (here the Church of the Evolved Lamb). All set in a well-lived-in near-future where the aliens have come to call. LOTS of aliens. Moore's Law marches on, with cool new cybertoys, with much the same problems of today's cool cybertoys.... And lots more really Neat Stuff, which I'm not going to tell you about here, but which you're gonna love ❤️. Trust me.
This is a pretty near perfect light planetary romance, ending splendidly with all Biters Bit, and the Good Guys (and Girl) well-rewarded. Really a wonderfully entertaining book -- definitely a keeper. This is my second John Scalzi novel -- I liked Old Man's War, but that was apprentice work, compared to The Android's Dream. Sure, there's a place or two where Scalzi noodges the plot-logic a little hard. Yeah, it's wish-fulfillment fantasy, laid on a little thick. So what? This is a remarkably well-crafted entertainment, squarely in the center of my SF home-comfort zone . If you don't have just a whole lot of old-fashioned SF fun reading this one -- well, our tastes differ greatly. Highly, and enthusiastically, recommended.
Robin Baker runs a small pet shop on the outskirts of Washington, D.C. She's leading a dull-normal suburban life, but she's about to meet Harry, on a truly memorable first date....
Philip K. Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? inspired the title, and yes, unusual sheep are involved -- but this novel reads like prime-period Heinlein, updated to the 21st century. From the opening lines -- "Dirk Moeller didn't know if he could fart his way into a major diplomatic incident. But he was ready to find out." -- the pace and story-telling never slacken. We have a Competent Man protagonist, a spunky female lead, snappy dialogue, sneering villains, the Fate of Earth in the balance.... even a clever analogue to the Church of Foster (here the Church of the Evolved Lamb). All set in a well-lived-in near-future where the aliens have come to call. LOTS of aliens. Moore's Law marches on, with cool new cybertoys, with much the same problems of today's cool cybertoys.... And lots more really Neat Stuff, which I'm not going to tell you about here, but which you're gonna love ❤️. Trust me.
This is a pretty near perfect light planetary romance, ending splendidly with all Biters Bit, and the Good Guys (and Girl) well-rewarded. Really a wonderfully entertaining book -- definitely a keeper. This is my second John Scalzi novel -- I liked Old Man's War, but that was apprentice work, compared to The Android's Dream. Sure, there's a place or two where Scalzi noodges the plot-logic a little hard. Yeah, it's wish-fulfillment fantasy, laid on a little thick. So what? This is a remarkably well-crafted entertainment, squarely in the center of my SF home-comfort zone . If you don't have just a whole lot of old-fashioned SF fun reading this one -- well, our tastes differ greatly. Highly, and enthusiastically, recommended.
November 6, 2016
I always enjoy reading older science fiction because of the insight into the time it was written, as well as the author's vision of the future. For instance in the Martian Chronicles, men head off to settle on Mars, and only bring women along later; this is not a picture of what the future really will be, but a snapshot of what society in the late 40s was like.
I could tell right away that Android's Dream was newer than that. There are women in background roles -- a handler, a scheduler, a secretary, a wife -- but not as major players. I was estimating that the book must date from the late 60s. But as I read further, the technology was surprisingly modern compared to the social setting, and I began to wonder if I had estimated incorrectly. Finally, when the author mentions America Online, I realized I was way off, and I checked. The book was published in 2006, having been written by a man born in 1969.
Now, by 1969, Nyota Uhura was already a lieutentant on the bridge of the Enterprise. Scalzi also had an opportunity to see Drs. Crusher and Pulaski on TV while he was a teenager, and Captain Janeway by the time he was 26 years old. Since he is writing about politics, maybe we could look at some of the real-life women he should be aware of: Madeline Albright, Condoleeza Rice. Or Internationally: Margaret Thatcher, Indira Ghandi, Angela Merkel. How is it that Scalzi sees a future in which neither Earth nor any other planet has women playing a significant role in government?
At page 87 (out of 280), we finally are introduced to a woman who has a name, and her very own identity: Robin Baker, small business owner. By page 91, we learn that Baker is actually the genetically modified offspring of a sheep-human hybrid prostitute. Not actually a human being, and thus, not actually a woman.
Earlier in the book, there was a man whose lover was named Sam. I did wonder for a bit whether that might be short for Samantha, but we soon learn that Sam is a man. If you are uncomfortable with gay characters, never fear: you can take comfort in the fact that Sam's lover will be tortured and shot and have his Achilles tendon severed before finally being digested alive by a young alien.
The computer geek/war hero who is our main character is flattered when the sheep hybrid calls him to bluntly ask him for a date. The two go to a local shopping mall where they put on Flubber (tm) shoes just in time for the geek/war hero to fight off a group of military spies, leaving four people -- men, I should say -- dead or wounded.
The two of them flee, eventually ending up on an interplanetary cruise ship. We find out that John Scalzi is aware that women can join the military; it's a cruise for veterans of a recent war, and some of the veterans are women -- women who have actual names. The women do not have personalities though; the only character from the cruise ship with a personality is a man who helps our heroes evade capture.
Meanwhile, the computer geek/war hero's childhood friend, who died in the above referenced war, is now an artificial intelligence. In the scene where the book finally jumps the shark, he meets a hot looking blonde artificial intelligence who greets him by asking him if he wants to fuck. When he turns her down, she turns into an incredible military strategist, making it tempting to call her the second female character in the book. But then you remember that she's both an artificial intelligence and a hot looking blonde who greets strangers by asking them to fuck, and you realize: no.
I read through to the bitter end; I won't try to describe any more of the convoluted plot. The book held my interest because the alien species were intriguing, and I was interested in how the central plot point would be resolved. Also, Scalzi writes with a quirky humor that I enjoyed, even though it reminded me of some awkward dates I went on in my younger days. The humor and well-crafted alien species net the book two stars, but just barely.
I was surprised to learn that Scalzi is a well known author who has won the Hugo award. Someone please tell me that there are science fiction books, written by both men and women, with actual female characters in them.
I could tell right away that Android's Dream was newer than that. There are women in background roles -- a handler, a scheduler, a secretary, a wife -- but not as major players. I was estimating that the book must date from the late 60s. But as I read further, the technology was surprisingly modern compared to the social setting, and I began to wonder if I had estimated incorrectly. Finally, when the author mentions America Online, I realized I was way off, and I checked. The book was published in 2006, having been written by a man born in 1969.
Now, by 1969, Nyota Uhura was already a lieutentant on the bridge of the Enterprise. Scalzi also had an opportunity to see Drs. Crusher and Pulaski on TV while he was a teenager, and Captain Janeway by the time he was 26 years old. Since he is writing about politics, maybe we could look at some of the real-life women he should be aware of: Madeline Albright, Condoleeza Rice. Or Internationally: Margaret Thatcher, Indira Ghandi, Angela Merkel. How is it that Scalzi sees a future in which neither Earth nor any other planet has women playing a significant role in government?
At page 87 (out of 280), we finally are introduced to a woman who has a name, and her very own identity: Robin Baker, small business owner. By page 91, we learn that Baker is actually the genetically modified offspring of a sheep-human hybrid prostitute. Not actually a human being, and thus, not actually a woman.
Earlier in the book, there was a man whose lover was named Sam. I did wonder for a bit whether that might be short for Samantha, but we soon learn that Sam is a man. If you are uncomfortable with gay characters, never fear: you can take comfort in the fact that Sam's lover will be tortured and shot and have his Achilles tendon severed before finally being digested alive by a young alien.
The computer geek/war hero who is our main character is flattered when the sheep hybrid calls him to bluntly ask him for a date. The two go to a local shopping mall where they put on Flubber (tm) shoes just in time for the geek/war hero to fight off a group of military spies, leaving four people -- men, I should say -- dead or wounded.
The two of them flee, eventually ending up on an interplanetary cruise ship. We find out that John Scalzi is aware that women can join the military; it's a cruise for veterans of a recent war, and some of the veterans are women -- women who have actual names. The women do not have personalities though; the only character from the cruise ship with a personality is a man who helps our heroes evade capture.
Meanwhile, the computer geek/war hero's childhood friend, who died in the above referenced war, is now an artificial intelligence. In the scene where the book finally jumps the shark, he meets a hot looking blonde artificial intelligence who greets him by asking him if he wants to fuck. When he turns her down, she turns into an incredible military strategist, making it tempting to call her the second female character in the book. But then you remember that she's both an artificial intelligence and a hot looking blonde who greets strangers by asking them to fuck, and you realize: no.
I read through to the bitter end; I won't try to describe any more of the convoluted plot. The book held my interest because the alien species were intriguing, and I was interested in how the central plot point would be resolved. Also, Scalzi writes with a quirky humor that I enjoyed, even though it reminded me of some awkward dates I went on in my younger days. The humor and well-crafted alien species net the book two stars, but just barely.
I was surprised to learn that Scalzi is a well known author who has won the Hugo award. Someone please tell me that there are science fiction books, written by both men and women, with actual female characters in them.
April 30, 2019
The alien life forms, cultures and worlds Scalzi creates were really well thought out and fascinating (so complex and so believable). The plot was about political intrigue and power games in general, with a large dose of action, AI personalities, iffy science and some well formulated toilet humour. The twists and turns kept me on my toes - newly introduced characters, reactions or facts help shifted the focus of power on a number of ocasions and I was never sure what the ultimate outcome would be. All this was well executed and extremely clever.
I've read Scalzi before - he is one of my favourite authors. For some reason, though, I didn't enjoy the book as much as I probably should have.
Maybe the emphasis on politics was too much for me? There were definitely too many characters and names for me to keep track of and I didn't really care who came out on top.
The AI characters were my favourite quirk, but none of the other characters really appealed to my imagination, not even the main players. I think this was what ultimately let me down.
For me, this was one of Scalzi's less successful books, hence the 3 stars.
I've read Scalzi before - he is one of my favourite authors. For some reason, though, I didn't enjoy the book as much as I probably should have.
Maybe the emphasis on politics was too much for me? There were definitely too many characters and names for me to keep track of and I didn't really care who came out on top.
The AI characters were my favourite quirk, but none of the other characters really appealed to my imagination, not even the main players. I think this was what ultimately let me down.
For me, this was one of Scalzi's less successful books, hence the 3 stars.
April 20, 2017
Es el claro ejemplo de cómo escribe Scalzi: humor, historia rápida y entretenida, mucho diálogo y bastante infodump.
Es una novela bastante amena de leer a pesar de tener el primer capítulo más absurdo que he leído en mucho tiempo y que puede hacer que cerréis el libro pensando que todo va a ser así. (El día que hagan libros con olores intentar acordaros de no leer este libro).
La historia tiene muchas referencias a la cultura actual, a las religiones y a las posibilidades de la inteligencia artificial. Pero el problema es que antepone el humor y el chiste fácil a profundizar en el tema por lo que termina quedándose en la superficie de lo que podría haber sido.
Es una novela bastante amena de leer a pesar de tener el primer capítulo más absurdo que he leído en mucho tiempo y que puede hacer que cerréis el libro pensando que todo va a ser así. (El día que hagan libros con olores intentar acordaros de no leer este libro).
La historia tiene muchas referencias a la cultura actual, a las religiones y a las posibilidades de la inteligencia artificial. Pero el problema es que antepone el humor y el chiste fácil a profundizar en el tema por lo que termina quedándose en la superficie de lo que podría haber sido.
December 20, 2025
This was a fun read, or in my case, listen. The audiobook was narrated by Will Wheaton, who seems to be either loved or hated by a lot of people. I happen to love his abilities to bring out the snarkiness in some of the books he narrates, and this was no exception. In case you accidentally take things too seriously, he makes sure to set you straight.
But this was also an interesting story with a variety of characters from various worlds and various religions. The main one, on Earth, seems to be making fun of Scientology a bit, with a founder named M. Robbin Dwellin, who was a science fiction writer with one novel, similar to L Ron Hubbard, who also was a sci-fi writer with one novel. A lot of strange people and races come together to form an interesting story that gets a bit convoluted and confusing at times, but is always entertaining. I thought there were many similarities with Philip K Dick, aside from the title, although I haven't read any of PKD's books in well over 25 years, so I don't remember much other than the strangeness that passed for normal in his books. I think this book may have been poking fun at PKD's style a bit, adding more humor and tuning it a bit to more modern times.
But this was also an interesting story with a variety of characters from various worlds and various religions. The main one, on Earth, seems to be making fun of Scientology a bit, with a founder named M. Robbin Dwellin, who was a science fiction writer with one novel, similar to L Ron Hubbard, who also was a sci-fi writer with one novel. A lot of strange people and races come together to form an interesting story that gets a bit convoluted and confusing at times, but is always entertaining. I thought there were many similarities with Philip K Dick, aside from the title, although I haven't read any of PKD's books in well over 25 years, so I don't remember much other than the strangeness that passed for normal in his books. I think this book may have been poking fun at PKD's style a bit, adding more humor and tuning it a bit to more modern times.
September 6, 2020
I really enjoy John Scalzi's books, especially when I listen to them narrated by Wil Wheaton. The fact that there is a species trying to make "android's dream" my genetically modifying sheep is intense on its own. But then there is the childhood friend who is dead but who now lives as an AI helping the MC was crazy. And I loved the fight at the end and some of the comical non-sense politics in the book. Great read for John Scalzi or Wil Wheaton fans, or just fans of satirical political sci-fi.
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