Clones, l33t p1gz and Space, OH MY!!
That's right kids, once again it's time for me to put on my reviewer hat and talk about something! Duck your head, OPINIONS ARE COMING YOUR WAY!!!
This past weekend, I finished up reading Clones to the Left of Me, book one of Seven Worlds Will Collide by me good buddy Leonie Smith. I started laughing at the first page, and didn't stop too often as I read through the other 309 pages of Leonie's book.
I've always felt that there was a definite skill to doing sci-fi in a funny way and making it GENUINELY funny. Leonie deftly manages to do just that in this book, and mad props to her for that. It's been awhile since I read a sci-fi book that had me guffawing, and to be honest, I'd missed the experience.
The story centers on a girl that calls herself Stormbringer. She's pretty ordinary, apart from the agoraphobia, but aside from that, she does many of the usual things that everyone does. Hangs out, surfs the net, reads, eats, etc. You know, a pretty normal person. Until, that is, one day for no apparent reason, her little finger drops off and proceeds to grow into a double of her. That's right, a clone grew from her little finger. Now THAT'S a neat trick. There are times where I wish I could do that myself and have someone else to go to work for me. Heh. And that's just the first couple of chapters. The resulting book turns into a grand adventure across the galaxy, providing thrills, chills, spills, and many laughs. Stormbringer eventually finds herself in space, where not too many humans have gone before, and if you thought the pinky clones were weird, you ain't seen nothin' yet bub. Just you wait until the l33t hacker guinea p1gz show up.
I didn't really read this book so much as I devoured it. I found it very hard to put down, largely as a result of the writing style, which is excellent. Leonie is definitely a fellow worshipper at the shrine of Douglas Adams. That's not to say that she's pinching his style, because it's definitely written in a style that's all hers. Actually, I think she's a bit more twisted than Adams was, and that's definitely a compliment. She takes a lot of elements from many classic sci-fi sagas and blends them all together in an extremely enjoyable soup. Wait, would that be right? I don't know. Maybe it's more of a sci-fi fruit salad? No, that's not right either, because that conjures up images of sentient strawberries begging for thier lives as you reach for the spoon and the whipped cream. Perhaps a casserole full of varied sci-fi goodness? I don't know. However you want to describe it, Clones to the Left of Me is a damn fine read. Of course, I'm now left waiting impatiently for Leonie to write the next volume. I'm really hoping she doesn't pull any Stephen King/Dark Tower shennanigans and keep us waiting for 5 years. heh. =)
Another thing that's impressive is the fact that Leonie decided to publish it herself through LuLu.com. Rawk on, I say!
So, if you're not an intractible stick in the mud, and you like a good funny sci-fi read, head on over HERE and pick yourself up a copy. You won't regret it.
Now, if I could only figure out where the hell my left big toe went. Wait a minute...AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! *DRAMATIC MUSIC STING*
Hehe.
This past weekend, I finished up reading Clones to the Left of Me, book one of Seven Worlds Will Collide by me good buddy Leonie Smith. I started laughing at the first page, and didn't stop too often as I read through the other 309 pages of Leonie's book.
I've always felt that there was a definite skill to doing sci-fi in a funny way and making it GENUINELY funny. Leonie deftly manages to do just that in this book, and mad props to her for that. It's been awhile since I read a sci-fi book that had me guffawing, and to be honest, I'd missed the experience.
The story centers on a girl that calls herself Stormbringer. She's pretty ordinary, apart from the agoraphobia, but aside from that, she does many of the usual things that everyone does. Hangs out, surfs the net, reads, eats, etc. You know, a pretty normal person. Until, that is, one day for no apparent reason, her little finger drops off and proceeds to grow into a double of her. That's right, a clone grew from her little finger. Now THAT'S a neat trick. There are times where I wish I could do that myself and have someone else to go to work for me. Heh. And that's just the first couple of chapters. The resulting book turns into a grand adventure across the galaxy, providing thrills, chills, spills, and many laughs. Stormbringer eventually finds herself in space, where not too many humans have gone before, and if you thought the pinky clones were weird, you ain't seen nothin' yet bub. Just you wait until the l33t hacker guinea p1gz show up.
I didn't really read this book so much as I devoured it. I found it very hard to put down, largely as a result of the writing style, which is excellent. Leonie is definitely a fellow worshipper at the shrine of Douglas Adams. That's not to say that she's pinching his style, because it's definitely written in a style that's all hers. Actually, I think she's a bit more twisted than Adams was, and that's definitely a compliment. She takes a lot of elements from many classic sci-fi sagas and blends them all together in an extremely enjoyable soup. Wait, would that be right? I don't know. Maybe it's more of a sci-fi fruit salad? No, that's not right either, because that conjures up images of sentient strawberries begging for thier lives as you reach for the spoon and the whipped cream. Perhaps a casserole full of varied sci-fi goodness? I don't know. However you want to describe it, Clones to the Left of Me is a damn fine read. Of course, I'm now left waiting impatiently for Leonie to write the next volume. I'm really hoping she doesn't pull any Stephen King/Dark Tower shennanigans and keep us waiting for 5 years. heh. =)
Another thing that's impressive is the fact that Leonie decided to publish it herself through LuLu.com. Rawk on, I say!
So, if you're not an intractible stick in the mud, and you like a good funny sci-fi read, head on over HERE and pick yourself up a copy. You won't regret it.
Now, if I could only figure out where the hell my left big toe went. Wait a minute...AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! *DRAMATIC MUSIC STING*
Hehe.