Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Avoiding Space Madness

Free - 532 pages

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/avoiding-space-madness-leslie-k-ernest/1107485033?ean=2940032847175&itm=1&usri=avoiding+space+madness


In a semi-dystopian near future, Darwin is frittering away his time, working at a toll booth long after the sentence mandated by the terms of his parole.

Music is the only thing that gives his life any semblance of meaning, so when a mysterious turtle-like creature knocks him unconscious and steals his albums he gives chase. This lands him trapped in an ugly brown cell with a diverse assortment of fellow abductees, all the sort of people willing to chase after kleptomaniac turtles.

A sudden jailbreak gives Darwin free run of the strange building, and he encounters a world he never thought possible - including indications that magic may be real.

As he explores, he encounters a variety of aliens, a large pink bunny, a morally flexible politician, and a mysterious goddess who haunts his dreams and wants to discuss his fear of death. Darwin may even be falling in love with one of his ex-cellmates. Or is that just fear talking?

Hopefully the novel rises above its premise.

A list of authors: If this novel manages to convey a fraction of the compelling characterizations of Robin Hobb, the imagination of Neil Gaiman, or the clarity of Kurt Vonnegut, I will be happy.

If good artists borrow, then I have attempted to steal everything I can from Steven Brust.

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