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Max and the Multiverse
* Gold Medal Winner - Global Ebook Awards
* Readers' Favorite® 5-Star Selection
It's spring break and Max is stuck at home all by himself. Just the way he likes it. He games online, feasts on junk, and wonders why his cat can suddenly talk.
Thanks to a bizarre mishap, Max has started shifting between parallel universes whenever he falls asleep. A curious affliction, and one that steadily erodes his sanity. Day after day, he awakes to a strange new reality and struggles to make sense of his surroundings.
But then one day he awakes to a hyper-advanced version of Earth where humans have colonized space. Determined to fulfill a lifelong dream, Max and his cyborg cat venture into the black, only to entangle themselves in an intergalactic conflict.
* Readers' Favorite® 5-Star Selection
It's spring break and Max is stuck at home all by himself. Just the way he likes it. He games online, feasts on junk, and wonders why his cat can suddenly talk.
Thanks to a bizarre mishap, Max has started shifting between parallel universes whenever he falls asleep. A curious affliction, and one that steadily erodes his sanity. Day after day, he awakes to a strange new reality and struggles to make sense of his surroundings.
But then one day he awakes to a hyper-advanced version of Earth where humans have colonized space. Determined to fulfill a lifelong dream, Max and his cyborg cat venture into the black, only to entangle themselves in an intergalactic conflict.
197 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 27, 2017
967 people are currently reading
1827 people want to read
About the author
Zachry Wheeler
26 books177 followersZachry Wheeler is an award-winning science fiction author. His many interests include photon hunting, full-contact chess, and vertical wit. He lives on Earth with his wife and cats. Learn more at ZachryWheeler.com, where you can join his email list and receive a FREE limited edition eBook.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 158 reviews
June 19, 2017
I approached this book with more than a healthy dose of skepticism, because I know that writing science fiction humor is a tough trick to pull off. So few have done it well without going into the realm of the absurd, but honestly this is one of the finest pieces of SF satire I have ever read. Anywhere. Bar none.
Zachry Wheeler dedicates Max and the Multiverse to Douglas Adams, and although I understand where Adams might have been an inspiration, I think this story far exceeds HHG. It is undeniably funny, but also thought provoking and passionate, with a story that even without the humorous elements would be a good space opera in its own right.
I highly recommend this book to those that like Douglas Adams stories, and to those that don’t as well. It is a rollicking good read with a fine cynical edge (that never really goes over to the dark side). It will leave you laughing, and thinking. And that is a wonderful achievement for any novel.
The dialog is sharp, the characters are vibrant and genuine, even given the incredibly odd situations they experience. All around Max and the Multiverse is a well written and entertaining piece of fiction that deserves to soar to the top of the charts.
Zachry Wheeler dedicates Max and the Multiverse to Douglas Adams, and although I understand where Adams might have been an inspiration, I think this story far exceeds HHG. It is undeniably funny, but also thought provoking and passionate, with a story that even without the humorous elements would be a good space opera in its own right.
I highly recommend this book to those that like Douglas Adams stories, and to those that don’t as well. It is a rollicking good read with a fine cynical edge (that never really goes over to the dark side). It will leave you laughing, and thinking. And that is a wonderful achievement for any novel.
The dialog is sharp, the characters are vibrant and genuine, even given the incredibly odd situations they experience. All around Max and the Multiverse is a well written and entertaining piece of fiction that deserves to soar to the top of the charts.
August 27, 2017
Max is looking forward to enjoying his spring break in a basement, alone save for his orange cat, playing videogames. Instead, thanks to some fluke with quantum physics, he’s risking life and limb on a space freighter an orange lesbian couple. While in space, his cat can talk, but does so mainly to call Max’s Garfield jokes racist. Does Max have what it takes to save the multiverse? Find out for yourself.
I was impressed by Wheeler’s Transient. I was blown away by the fact that the guy who wrote that book also wrote a very funny book! You can check that review out at LARC-SciFi(dot)com/BookReviews.html if you have yet to read them. Or just stop reading reviews and buy both books. You won’t be disappointed.
Max’s story is one that I think many millennials are currently wrestling. Finding what matters to you that can benefit the world at large. The world is a crowded place, parts of which are overrun with people competing for resources against one another. In the fortunate corners of the globe where basic needs are nearly guaranteed, the problems don’t cease, they simply turn in on themselves. In this adventure, Max discovers what it is that makes him happy and a productive part of a little tribe. Isn’t that what we all want to find when we feel unsatisfied?
I got a free copy of this book because Wheeler and I are both in the Scifi Roundtable, a Facebook group, and I saw him running it for free. I write reviews as part of my community service for those dirty days of bit torrent sharing, before I ponied up and paid for amazon prime (Just kidding…kind of…). I’ve reviewed a ton of good books and you can see what I’m reading next on Twitter @S_Shane_Thomas.
I hope Max makes it farther in the galaxy than Walter Dent ever dared to explore!
I was impressed by Wheeler’s Transient. I was blown away by the fact that the guy who wrote that book also wrote a very funny book! You can check that review out at LARC-SciFi(dot)com/BookReviews.html if you have yet to read them. Or just stop reading reviews and buy both books. You won’t be disappointed.
Max’s story is one that I think many millennials are currently wrestling. Finding what matters to you that can benefit the world at large. The world is a crowded place, parts of which are overrun with people competing for resources against one another. In the fortunate corners of the globe where basic needs are nearly guaranteed, the problems don’t cease, they simply turn in on themselves. In this adventure, Max discovers what it is that makes him happy and a productive part of a little tribe. Isn’t that what we all want to find when we feel unsatisfied?
I got a free copy of this book because Wheeler and I are both in the Scifi Roundtable, a Facebook group, and I saw him running it for free. I write reviews as part of my community service for those dirty days of bit torrent sharing, before I ponied up and paid for amazon prime (Just kidding…kind of…). I’ve reviewed a ton of good books and you can see what I’m reading next on Twitter @S_Shane_Thomas.
I hope Max makes it farther in the galaxy than Walter Dent ever dared to explore!
October 13, 2017
The best thing I can say about this book is the following: Until reading this book, I have *never* laughed out loud while reading. Not even while reading Douglas Adams (who I think is one of the funniest authors I've ever read). I took a copy of this book on a cross-country plane trip, and annoyed the crap out of the person sitting next to me by giggling, snorting, and laughing out loud for the entire flight. I should have given the poor person my copy of the book as an apology at the end of the flight, but I was too greedy. Please, please Mr. Wheeler--write a sequel!
November 7, 2019
With that title I was expecting a young adult book; indeed, the idea of a misanthropic teenage nerd accidentally discovering the secret of interdimensional travel might have worked better as a coming-of-age story where he learns not to be so much of an asshole to all his loved ones. Instead the multiverse is kind of a Macguffin that gets Max, accompanied by his cyborg cat Ross, into space as reluctant stowaways on a cargo ship (manned by smoking hot space lesbians of course) with a terrifying mission.
As others have said, the characters are hard to like, the style feels like a coat of purple over the beige plot, and it felt like a drag once it left Earth. Wheeler repeatedly indicates a preference for intelligence over superstition (and religion), but neither he nor Max do anything particularly clever here. Perhaps I’m the wrong audience for this: it would probably go down a treat in a parallel dimension where I was an American teenage boy.
As others have said, the characters are hard to like, the style feels like a coat of purple over the beige plot, and it felt like a drag once it left Earth. Wheeler repeatedly indicates a preference for intelligence over superstition (and religion), but neither he nor Max do anything particularly clever here. Perhaps I’m the wrong audience for this: it would probably go down a treat in a parallel dimension where I was an American teenage boy.
November 2, 2019
Absolute Mayhem
I read this book because I was looking for something a little out of the ordinary and it was just what the doctor ordered. The plot was lots of fun and had just the right mixture of lunacy and craziness to make a brilliant fantasy space novel. I think that if I ever meet the author I’ll buy him a drink and try to find out where he bought his imagination.
I read this book because I was looking for something a little out of the ordinary and it was just what the doctor ordered. The plot was lots of fun and had just the right mixture of lunacy and craziness to make a brilliant fantasy space novel. I think that if I ever meet the author I’ll buy him a drink and try to find out where he bought his imagination.
October 20, 2019
DNF at 53%. The Max parts of the book at the beginning are entertaining. The Zoey and Perra parts were a snore. By the time all three met up I had lost interest. Also, this author does not know how to write women characters at all.
February 16, 2018
Max and the Multiverse was a great read. Life kept getting in the way and even though I started it while in the ER waiting on a decision to take out my gall bladder back in October, I only just managed to completely finish it.
Ross is a character who could only really be portrayed properly by a cat owner. He really captured the feline house cat essence. I'm glad that Zachry wrote him with a British accent as I truly hated the voice they chose for Garfield in the movies. I can just hear Ross exclaiming, "That's racist!" in John Rhys-Davies voice as I write this.
I'm told this is an excellent book for Douglas Adams fans. I've never read any of his books, but after reading this one, I think I might have to try Hitchhiker's Guide. If it is as good and funny and silly as Max and the Multiverse, it ought to be a good read.
Ross is a character who could only really be portrayed properly by a cat owner. He really captured the feline house cat essence. I'm glad that Zachry wrote him with a British accent as I truly hated the voice they chose for Garfield in the movies. I can just hear Ross exclaiming, "That's racist!" in John Rhys-Davies voice as I write this.
I'm told this is an excellent book for Douglas Adams fans. I've never read any of his books, but after reading this one, I think I might have to try Hitchhiker's Guide. If it is as good and funny and silly as Max and the Multiverse, it ought to be a good read.
March 6, 2018
Max and the Mukitverse is a humerous adventure from the third ominous POV. I found myself laughing in public, on the edge of my seat, and gaping from unexpected twist. All around the writings great, pacing's good, plot and overall story line is amazing.
December 28, 2019
I loved this book! This was fun and strange and captivating! I will definitely read the rest of the series!
February 15, 2020
Great
Fast moving and hilarious, this space caper rocks with sympathetic, well developed characters and plenty of snarky wit. Highly recommended!
Fast moving and hilarious, this space caper rocks with sympathetic, well developed characters and plenty of snarky wit. Highly recommended!
August 12, 2018
Meet Max. Max is your typical teen from Albuquerque. It's Spring Break and Max's parents have left for Hawaii, leaving Max at home for the entire week. Max is in heaven since he can now play countless hours of video games. That would have been it, except that Max wakes up one morning with his cat, named Ross, talking to him with a British accent. What the... As it so happened Max's marathon gaming session caused him to crash into his keyboard where it just happened to strike the right sequence of keys so that the universe, in it's infinite wisdom, imprinted the ability for Max to shift between different universes in the great multiverse. Now, every time Max falls asleep and wakes up, he's in a different universe. Peachy. (The coincidence here happily reminds me of what happens in the cartoon Freakazoid - which involved a cat tapping out a specific sequence on a computer keyboard to send the main character into the internet and become Freakazoid.)
Now Max is shifting through the multiverse, experiencing a new universe with each new day. This is quite a shock to Max, and causes him no end of head banging until he comes to a universe where religion never fully developed and the human race has advanced to the point of traveling effortlessly through the stars. Score. Max decides to take a trip to Mars, bringing Ross along for the ride. The trip is side-tracked to Europa, and there Max's adventures really begin for it is on Europa that Max meets Zoey and Perra, two orange-skinned Mulgawats who earn a living delivering rare and dangerous cargo for the PCDS - Precious Cargo Delivery Service. Max soon finds himself in a fight to keep an ancient artifact out of the hands of the universe's most dangerous person, Lord Essien.
Max and the Multiverse is a roller-coaster of a trip, fast-paced and filled with excitement. Max is unwittingly brought along for this ride, and spends a fair amount of time flabbergasted by what he sees and experiences, but by the end he decides that the roller coaster is much more exciting than the life he had back on Earth. Wheeler has created a setting (universe? multiverse?) where pretty much anything goes, the possibilities only limited by the ideas in his head. This is a imagination-fueled thrill ride so just sit back and enjoy the trip.
I do have a couple of (minor) quibbles, though I don't think either detracts from the overall fun of the story. One, as Max pops between the plethora of universes we don't know what happens to the universe that Max leaves each time he awakens. Max is Max, and seems to be a single point of reference as he always retains the memory of what he's done. As he slides through the multiverse, he interacts and causes change, and then the next morning he is gone and we don't see what sort of damage Max has caused, as the Max of that universe is back again, having to deal with what our Max has wrought. But this is very minor, and probably I'm the only one who really cares about it. My second quibble has to do with the villains in the story - Jai Ferenhal and Lord Essien, as I feel that they are a bit two-dimensional. Lord Essien, especially, seems to be nothing more than a caricature of a Sci-Fi villain, filled with hate and anger and little else. I like these villains, but they seem to only be there to prod Max and the others along and there is little development for them. I hope that they are given a chance to grow and become more developed in the next book.
I highly recommend this book for anybody who is a fan of Douglas Adams and the worlds he created in his Hitchhiker's Guide series. Max, like Arthur Dent, is whisked along for the ride of his life, and is just as hapless most of the time. (Luckily, Max doesn't have to worry about keeping track of his towel or understand Vogon poetry.) Pick up a copy of Max and enjoy the ride.
Now Max is shifting through the multiverse, experiencing a new universe with each new day. This is quite a shock to Max, and causes him no end of head banging until he comes to a universe where religion never fully developed and the human race has advanced to the point of traveling effortlessly through the stars. Score. Max decides to take a trip to Mars, bringing Ross along for the ride. The trip is side-tracked to Europa, and there Max's adventures really begin for it is on Europa that Max meets Zoey and Perra, two orange-skinned Mulgawats who earn a living delivering rare and dangerous cargo for the PCDS - Precious Cargo Delivery Service. Max soon finds himself in a fight to keep an ancient artifact out of the hands of the universe's most dangerous person, Lord Essien.
Max and the Multiverse is a roller-coaster of a trip, fast-paced and filled with excitement. Max is unwittingly brought along for this ride, and spends a fair amount of time flabbergasted by what he sees and experiences, but by the end he decides that the roller coaster is much more exciting than the life he had back on Earth. Wheeler has created a setting (universe? multiverse?) where pretty much anything goes, the possibilities only limited by the ideas in his head. This is a imagination-fueled thrill ride so just sit back and enjoy the trip.
I do have a couple of (minor) quibbles, though I don't think either detracts from the overall fun of the story. One, as Max pops between the plethora of universes we don't know what happens to the universe that Max leaves each time he awakens. Max is Max, and seems to be a single point of reference as he always retains the memory of what he's done. As he slides through the multiverse, he interacts and causes change, and then the next morning he is gone and we don't see what sort of damage Max has caused, as the Max of that universe is back again, having to deal with what our Max has wrought. But this is very minor, and probably I'm the only one who really cares about it. My second quibble has to do with the villains in the story - Jai Ferenhal and Lord Essien, as I feel that they are a bit two-dimensional. Lord Essien, especially, seems to be nothing more than a caricature of a Sci-Fi villain, filled with hate and anger and little else. I like these villains, but they seem to only be there to prod Max and the others along and there is little development for them. I hope that they are given a chance to grow and become more developed in the next book.
I highly recommend this book for anybody who is a fan of Douglas Adams and the worlds he created in his Hitchhiker's Guide series. Max, like Arthur Dent, is whisked along for the ride of his life, and is just as hapless most of the time. (Luckily, Max doesn't have to worry about keeping track of his towel or understand Vogon poetry.) Pick up a copy of Max and enjoy the ride.
July 18, 2018
Not your average teen gamer coming of age story.
Reminiscent of stories like The Last Starfighter this story starts with Max, a bored teen that lives most of his life around his computer gaming. And unlike typical loner gamers, Max both has a girlfriend (from the opposite side of the social spectrum) and a reasonable grasp of social interactions.
But then the universe (multiverse?) throws him a curve, and like a cross between Sam Becket in Quantum Leap and the gang in Sliders Max finds himself inhabiting alternative versions of himself on different versions of Earth.
Intertwined is the story of a special delivery courier (and her girlfriend) that seems to combine the resourcefulness of Friday Jones and a much more efficient Planet Express.
Let's say that the plots come together in an explosive way and not give any real spoilers.
A real fun read (and one that made my daughter upset because we don't live in a world "saved by a slap" - read it you will understand).
Reminiscent of stories like The Last Starfighter this story starts with Max, a bored teen that lives most of his life around his computer gaming. And unlike typical loner gamers, Max both has a girlfriend (from the opposite side of the social spectrum) and a reasonable grasp of social interactions.
But then the universe (multiverse?) throws him a curve, and like a cross between Sam Becket in Quantum Leap and the gang in Sliders Max finds himself inhabiting alternative versions of himself on different versions of Earth.
Intertwined is the story of a special delivery courier (and her girlfriend) that seems to combine the resourcefulness of Friday Jones and a much more efficient Planet Express.
Let's say that the plots come together in an explosive way and not give any real spoilers.
A real fun read (and one that made my daughter upset because we don't live in a world "saved by a slap" - read it you will understand).
February 4, 2018
kindle unlimited, also has book 2 out Max and the SnoodleCock, Interesting enough that if had the time, maybe will later, to check out the next.
Max is a teenage gamer with an exceptionally dull life. That is, until a bizarre accident leaves him with the ability to shift between parallel universes, but only when he falls asleep. Every time he wakes, he confronts a distressing new reality, be it talking cats or '80s pop culture.
But then one day he awakes to a hyper-advanced version of Earth where humans have colonized space. Determined to escape his mundane existence, Max and his cyborg cat venture into the black, only to entangle themselves in an intergalactic conflict.
A ruthless criminal overlord, a corrupt planetary system, an ornery walrus, a secret society of super nerds, and a pair of plucky orange lesbians round out this crazy, clumsy adventure.
Max is a teenage gamer with an exceptionally dull life. That is, until a bizarre accident leaves him with the ability to shift between parallel universes, but only when he falls asleep. Every time he wakes, he confronts a distressing new reality, be it talking cats or '80s pop culture.
But then one day he awakes to a hyper-advanced version of Earth where humans have colonized space. Determined to escape his mundane existence, Max and his cyborg cat venture into the black, only to entangle themselves in an intergalactic conflict.
A ruthless criminal overlord, a corrupt planetary system, an ornery walrus, a secret society of super nerds, and a pair of plucky orange lesbians round out this crazy, clumsy adventure.
October 12, 2017
A delightful tour de farce! Brilliantly absurd and absurdly brilliant. Another fine work from this talented author. The mind of Zachry Wheeler has clearly been vectored in from some distant part of the multiverse where comic genius runs rompingly rampant in frivolous frivolity. However, notwithstanding the fine humor, thoughtful social commentary gets the reader to think. Highly recommended! In the hallowed words of Douglas Adams from the Hitchhiker's Guide Sirius Cybernetics Corporation, "Share and enjoy..."
March 31, 2018
This story starts out with a young gamer all but hiding from the real world and ends up on the other side of the Universe. An edge of your seat adventure that provides from small chuckles all the way to deep belly laughs, as well as some heartfelt moments of friendship and joy. Fun for gamers and adventure seekers alike!!
March 11, 2020
What if you have the chance to leave earth
Max keeps having weird dreams. But one dream becomes reality and he and his cat Ross have a chance to leave Earth. Mayhem ensues but ultimately Max realizes his is living his life. Great fun. Just the proper amount of references to other works, such as The Star Wars cantina.
Max keeps having weird dreams. But one dream becomes reality and he and his cat Ross have a chance to leave Earth. Mayhem ensues but ultimately Max realizes his is living his life. Great fun. Just the proper amount of references to other works, such as The Star Wars cantina.
October 27, 2019
Wonderful fun!
I very much enjoyed this story. It is unique and funny and sweet. I felt that the characters were well developed and felt real. I look forward to reading the rest of the series. 😄
I very much enjoyed this story. It is unique and funny and sweet. I felt that the characters were well developed and felt real. I look forward to reading the rest of the series. 😄
February 5, 2020
A bit of this, a bit of that but all good!!
Reminiscent of both Douglas Adams and Monty Python. Keeps a breakneck speed while dropping in unexpected bits of humor that made me have to re-read what just jumped out at me. Highly recommended if you like humor in your sci-fi
Reminiscent of both Douglas Adams and Monty Python. Keeps a breakneck speed while dropping in unexpected bits of humor that made me have to re-read what just jumped out at me. Highly recommended if you like humor in your sci-fi
May 15, 2020
Fun and light-hearted read that rates the comparison to Douglas Adams
We (husband and wife) especially liked the mash up of multi-verse sci-fi with hitchhikers-guide-esque fantasy sequences. Loved Halim and especially posh Ross in all his Brit accented incarnations.💫💫💫💫
We (husband and wife) especially liked the mash up of multi-verse sci-fi with hitchhikers-guide-esque fantasy sequences. Loved Halim and especially posh Ross in all his Brit accented incarnations.💫💫💫💫
February 9, 2017
Yes, I read this and saw echoes of Douglas Adams, of David Liss, of Matthew Kadish. Delightfully fun, if not to be taken too seriously.
October 10, 2017
A romp of a space adventure with hints of Douglas Adams. Great characters.
June 22, 2018
A fun read, not perfect, but tons of fun.
March 8, 2019
Zany and fun
I love the multiverse, and I love that Max is coming into his own and having an adventure. So well written and the jokes are wry and hilarious.
I love the multiverse, and I love that Max is coming into his own and having an adventure. So well written and the jokes are wry and hilarious.
August 20, 2019
Loved this book. It may not be the next, great American novel, but it's a really fun read.
October 21, 2019
Silly ridiculous, juvenile humor combined with really improbable space travel sci-fi.
And more fun than a barrel of cats.
And more fun than a barrel of cats.
December 7, 2019
Cute
What a cute book. I did enjoy this short read. Made you think about, "be careful what you wish for" .
What a cute book. I did enjoy this short read. Made you think about, "be careful what you wish for" .
August 25, 2020
Max is basically the epitome of why I hesitate to read books with male protagonists these days. He is an arrogant, ignorant, aimless slacker, completely oblivious to how his life is made easy for him by the work of people he despises (including his parents, whose role in the story consists entirely of their absence). The narrative voice manages to add more ignorance (of the complex role of religion in the development of society and technology; of the religious origin of names like "Veronica" - the AI in the non-religious utopia; of how you need a whole society, not just an intellectual elite, for anything to function), and contempt, notably for fat people, "stupid" people, and religious people - who are equated with stupid people. The descriptions of the space lesbians having amorous interludes are creepily enthusiastic. It's no wonder that he several times depicts people in service professions being rude to the protagonist because of how annoyingly ignorant and boorish he is; most of us have not had that experience, but I wouldn't be surprised if the author had.
Though most (not all) of the sentences are punctuated correctly, if one ignores the interrobangs, far too many of them have words accidentally left out; there is a profusion of dangling modifiers; and the author affects a high-flown vocabulary and several times stumbles over it. "Don", for example, means "put on clothing" (it was originally "do on"); it does not mean to wear clothing. It's used incorrectly four times and, oddly, correctly once. "Visage" means face, not sight. The prose has an unfortunate tendency in a purplish direction, overall, which eventually becomes wearing.
Part of the schtick, which is important early on but loses all relevance later, is that Max shifts universes when he falls asleep. But, as often happens in alternate-world novels, the most arbitrary things about his life, the things that are most likely to change - his very existence, his address, his cat, the identity of his girlfriend, his parents happening to be absent - are exactly the things that remain constant. Events even flow from universe to universe, so he breaks up with his girlfriend in one universe and in the next universe that was also something that happened, even though so much else has changed.
In the end, the multiverse shifting has absolutely no relevance to the plot whatsoever, except that it enables Max to get into space (in an advanced utopian version of the world that changed completely 20,000 years earlier and yet still somehow has Max in it). Space in an alternate universe is astonishingly like contemporary America, but with funnier-looking people and the usual whiz-bang technological furniture space adventures tend to share. It's lacking in imagination; it may be intended as part of the satire, but satire needs to be a bit more... satirical than this.
I promised myself that if the mediocre white guy ended up sleeping with the space lesbians essentially because he was the mediocre white guy, I would ding it another star, but happily that didn't happen. I should probably ding it half a star for the fact that he saved the day in the crucial moment when the otherwise competent women were helpless, and did so by pretending he was sleeping with the space lesbians and making them act like brainless bimbos. So it's two and a half stars, which I'm inclined to round down to two because there were a lot of issues, after all. Anyway, I will definitely not be reading another book in the series or another book by this author.
The cat was good, though.
Though most (not all) of the sentences are punctuated correctly, if one ignores the interrobangs, far too many of them have words accidentally left out; there is a profusion of dangling modifiers; and the author affects a high-flown vocabulary and several times stumbles over it. "Don", for example, means "put on clothing" (it was originally "do on"); it does not mean to wear clothing. It's used incorrectly four times and, oddly, correctly once. "Visage" means face, not sight. The prose has an unfortunate tendency in a purplish direction, overall, which eventually becomes wearing.
Part of the schtick, which is important early on but loses all relevance later, is that Max shifts universes when he falls asleep. But, as often happens in alternate-world novels, the most arbitrary things about his life, the things that are most likely to change - his very existence, his address, his cat, the identity of his girlfriend, his parents happening to be absent - are exactly the things that remain constant. Events even flow from universe to universe, so he breaks up with his girlfriend in one universe and in the next universe that was also something that happened, even though so much else has changed.
In the end, the multiverse shifting has absolutely no relevance to the plot whatsoever, except that it enables Max to get into space (in an advanced utopian version of the world that changed completely 20,000 years earlier and yet still somehow has Max in it). Space in an alternate universe is astonishingly like contemporary America, but with funnier-looking people and the usual whiz-bang technological furniture space adventures tend to share. It's lacking in imagination; it may be intended as part of the satire, but satire needs to be a bit more... satirical than this.
I promised myself that if the mediocre white guy ended up sleeping with the space lesbians essentially because he was the mediocre white guy, I would ding it another star, but happily that didn't happen. I should probably ding it half a star for the fact that he saved the day in the crucial moment when the otherwise competent women were helpless, and did so by pretending he was sleeping with the space lesbians and making them act like brainless bimbos. So it's two and a half stars, which I'm inclined to round down to two because there were a lot of issues, after all. Anyway, I will definitely not be reading another book in the series or another book by this author.
The cat was good, though.
March 6, 2018
With his parents leaving for vacation, Max is excited to have the entire house to himself, well he still has to put up with the family cat, Ross, but still, he can play his video games without interruption. The very first morning, Max wakes up after having fallen asleep on his keyboard while gaming. What has changed is the darn cat. Ross is speaking to him in a British accent, no less and making all sorts of demands for food and litter box cleaning. Then, Max gets another surprise when the neighbor cat, Gerald is also speaking. Each morning when Max wakes up, he finds a different parallel universe. One morning he gets up close and personal with a Pterodactyl named Stumpy and becomes the laughing stock among his friends. Eventually, Max wakes to a fantastic futuristic Universe he wants to experience before he loses the chance. He books a flight into outer space, where his destiny awaits.
Zoey Bryx is a commander of a rugged space vessel and has a reputation for always delivering. She works for the Precious Cargo Delivery Service, which seems similar to the USPS only with dependable service standards. Along with her lover, a mechanic named Perra, they plan to deliver the parcel but first want to spend a romantic holiday in one of the galaxy’s famous spa retreats. This is where their enemies find them along with a certain awkward, nerdy, human named Max and his talking cat.
The writing was excellent and the world-building and character development were outstanding. I’m looking forward to continuing on with Max’s adventures! Highly Recommended!
Zoey Bryx is a commander of a rugged space vessel and has a reputation for always delivering. She works for the Precious Cargo Delivery Service, which seems similar to the USPS only with dependable service standards. Along with her lover, a mechanic named Perra, they plan to deliver the parcel but first want to spend a romantic holiday in one of the galaxy’s famous spa retreats. This is where their enemies find them along with a certain awkward, nerdy, human named Max and his talking cat.
The writing was excellent and the world-building and character development were outstanding. I’m looking forward to continuing on with Max’s adventures! Highly Recommended!
March 25, 2020
The premise is fun and the main characters are delightful. I particularly enjoyed Zoey & Perra and Ross the cat. I think a few tweaks to the plot and few changes in the scenes would take this from a 'fun' read to a 'wow, everybody needs to read this!' read.
The plot is going in a good direction, but would've been even better if the specific danger was established early on. This could have been done through a scene or two with Zoey picking up the package for delivery. She could have been warned in some way about the danger, she could have been threatened, been followed, or encountered some other kind of shady behavior that foreshadowed the specific type of danger she (and her companions) would be in later in the story.
Some of the biggest plot twists don't feel as impactful as they could be, because the change is conveyed through dialogue, not action. It's totally legit to use dialogue for plot twists, but if you use it exclusively, it can feel like the changes are coming out of nowhere. I think if there was more foreshadowing, it would've also been possible to make some of the plot twists clear from character action and make the twists seem more surprising, yet an inevitable step in the story.
Overall, a fun read with great characters.
The plot is going in a good direction, but would've been even better if the specific danger was established early on. This could have been done through a scene or two with Zoey picking up the package for delivery. She could have been warned in some way about the danger, she could have been threatened, been followed, or encountered some other kind of shady behavior that foreshadowed the specific type of danger she (and her companions) would be in later in the story.
Some of the biggest plot twists don't feel as impactful as they could be, because the change is conveyed through dialogue, not action. It's totally legit to use dialogue for plot twists, but if you use it exclusively, it can feel like the changes are coming out of nowhere. I think if there was more foreshadowing, it would've also been possible to make some of the plot twists clear from character action and make the twists seem more surprising, yet an inevitable step in the story.
Overall, a fun read with great characters.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 3, 2019
Bit of fun
It took a fair while to get to the action but it was worth the wait.
This is light hearted sci-fi so if you are a die hard fan and want logic and consistency you will be disappointed.
The characters never quite gain contour they are more archetypes than real but despite my faint praise I enjoyed it. I may even buy another.
It took a fair while to get to the action but it was worth the wait.
This is light hearted sci-fi so if you are a die hard fan and want logic and consistency you will be disappointed.
The characters never quite gain contour they are more archetypes than real but despite my faint praise I enjoyed it. I may even buy another.
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