McLendon's Syndrome

by Robert A. Frezza

Ken MacKay's career in space was going nowhere. The decrepit trading ship he served on was also going nowhere: the Rustam's Slipper was grounded on Schuyler's World, a backwater planet lacking even a good bar. For diversion, Schuyler's offered bad bars, cute yet conniving aliens called Rodents, and Catarina -- a mysterious, beautiful, unsettlingly smart woman. Catarina wanted a berth on the Slipper; the Slipper needed a crew member. She Was hired.

But Ken soon discovered that Catarina was more than a vamp with a razor-sharp wit. First was her case of McLendon's Syndrome, an obscure little contagious disease treatable only with chocolate-chip cookies. Then there were all the secrets she was hiding. So she wasn't the most trustworthy ally a guy could want as the Slipper hurried straight into murder, mayhem, intrigue, and an interspecies war -- but she was all Ken had. And unless she helped Ken whip the crew into shape and muster the misfits and malcontents of Schuyler's World, it would be the shortest war on record...

Del Rey Discovery

Genres: Science Fiction, Humor, Vampires

313 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published March 22, 1993

About the author

An American writer who began publishing SF with "Max Weber's War" for Amazing, January 1987.

Reviews

[Little Timmy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just couldn't seem to get into the writing style of this SiFi comedy. It seemed like nothing but puns and one liners strung together to make a story. Overall not a good read. Not recommended

[Mpez0 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very funny. Dry humor. And no, contrary to most of the reviewers (and the blurb) there are no paranormal type vampires in the story. There is a disease (McLendon's Syndrome, d'oh) that imitates some of the legendary characteristics of vampirism.

[Susan Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

How can you not love a book about vampires who crave chocolate chip cookies. Victims of McLendon's Syndrome have allergies that you wouldn't wish on you mother-in-law.

[William Schmitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book a long time ago when I was a kid. It was one of my favorites. If you’re looking for a book with clean white spaceships defending idyllic worlds, this is the wrong book for you. The world they are defending, Schuyler’s World is about as far from idyllic as possible. Reminds me more of Tatooine. The alien race in the story, the rodents, reminds me a bit of the Chinese leaders. The old leader would be Deng Xiaopeng. It is mentioned of him that if he had lived they would all be speaking rodent. This is because of his non-threatening demeanor and incredible business sense covering a ruthless ambition. His successor “Gengis” is the polar opposite. Overtly belligerent, he tries to use threats and the wealth gained by his successor to achieve similarly ambitious goals, more like Xi Jinping. Anyway, this is a really fun book and I may be forced to read it again after writing this review. Almost forgot to mention that the book has a sequel, “VMR Theory”, which is a good book too, but not quite as good as this one.

[MadeMarion · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rife with puns, space vampires, and a sentient bowling pin named Jeeves (as always, the real hero) I read McLendon'S Syndrome as a small child, and it's stayed with me ever since. While the trope of the far more competent girlfriend who still winds up needing the far less competent man's help isn't my favorite, I remember this series fondly--and not just because it stars the Duke of Earl!

[Devyn Wood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Looking for a fun, quirky sci fi novel with plenty of puns? Check out this one.

[Searobin56 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very surprising and enjoyable adventure! Very nice writing, quirky characters, and engaging story. It had mystery, humor, and suspense. I highly recommend!

[Mandi O · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating is closer to 3.5 stars. Might lower it on re-read; I read it back when I was 13 or 14, after all.

The only reason I picked up this book was because a friend of my Dad's went to school with the author and she found out that he'd very loosely based Catarina on her (according to her, he was the one who tortured her with horrible puns). The minute Dad found out, he had to buy a copy, and then I "borrowed" the book from him.

This is not a book to be taken very seriously. The "vampire" who suffers from the titular syndrome craves chocolate chip cookies, not blood. All of the characters are ridiculous to some degree and one of the primary alien species based their culture on Bucky Beaver.

Basically, it's a silly, quick read, not great literature, and I'll probably have a more expansive review when I find that old copy and re-read it.

[Wilson E. Stevens Sr. · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was an OK book for some one that is into vampires. The first half or more of the book was good reading, but about hafe way through it got to dragging, hard to keep track of characters, and even harder to keep track of the action. Almost stopped reading several times. Probably the worst book I have finished reading in ten years.

[Michael Bafford · Rating 2 out of 5]

This started out Ok but then the story bogged down in details and uninteresting bi-characters until the only Sense of Wonder left was wondering why this didn't get a better editing.

Easy to read but too chatty.

[Jeffrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vampires in space.

Enough said.