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The Android's Dream by John Scalzi
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The Android's Dream

by John Scalzi

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It took me a couple of chapters to get into this, but once I did, it was a lot of fun. This is a comedy-action-adventure story, kind of along the lines of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, but not quite so goofy. This is set a couple hundred years in the future where aliens abound but Earth is still pretty low in the interstellar pecking order. Long story short, a specific and rare breed of sheep that only lives on Earth is essential to keeping the peace between Earth and a neighboring interstellar power. The race is on to find and control one of these sheep. Very entertaining and fun. My only complaint really is with the editing. This book is chock full of typos and missing/extra words. Was somebody in too much of a hurry to get this published to bother with proofreading? ( )
stubbyfingers | Jul 4, 2009 |  
The Android's Dream is a fast-moving humorous and satirical adventure about the fate of one sheep and two civilizations, including Earth. While the title is an allusion to Philip K. Dick's short story "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep" (made into the movie "Blade Runner"), perhaps to reach out to the right type of reader, the two stories have little in common, and "The Android's Dream" contains no androids, although it contains just about everything else imaginable, including The Church of the Evolved Lamb (a satire inspired by Scientology), con artists, genetically-engineered sheep, hackers, aliens with strange ways, blackmailers, intelligent computer programs, thugs, traitors, schemers, a cruise [space] ship full of veterans, and a diplomat who talks through his ass, literally.

My only complaint was that it was hard to keep track of the many characters and who was conspiring with whom (although my husband, who read the book aloud to me, managed to). A dramatis personae would have been helpful to me, and forgetful readers might want to jot down a few word's about each character's role. ( )
espertus | Jul 3, 2009 |  
The Android's Dream is a humorous science fiction story about a man and a woman, along with aliens, sentient computer programs, made-up religions, various government agencies, a visit to a mall, a space cruise, and, of course, sheep. The first chapter is rather crude humor, but don't let that throw you; it is a hilarious and wonderful book. ( )
bluesalamanders | Jul 3, 2009 |  
This book was a lot of fun, both funny and exciting; a clever take on intrigue, double-crossings, and conspiracies. ( )
spyderella | Jun 18, 2009 |  
Evolved Lamb story.

Artificial intelligences and sheep DNA, and some human-alien intergalactic diplomacy along the lines of Keith Laumer's Retief. You can see from the early line 'Dirk Moeller didn't know if he could fart his way into a major diplomatic incident. But he was ready to find out.' that perhaps this book may just not be completely serious, along these lines. Especially if the plot relies on finding the right lamb on the hoof, so to speak.

Time to play stay alive, outsmart the aliens, and try not to let their star destroyers blow up any planets, that sort of thing.

http://notfreesf.blogspot.com/2009/02... ( )
bluetyson | Feb 15, 2009 |  
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This book is dedicated to Kevin Stampfl, one of my best friends for years, and a good man to know before and after the collapse of civilization.
Also to Cory Doctorow, Justine Larbalestier, Nick Sagan, Charlie Stross, and Scott Westerfeld, my first live audience as a science fiction writer. Thanks for your attendance then, and your friendship now.
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Dirk Moeller didn't know if he could fart his way into a major diplomatic incident. But he was ready to find out.
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Amazon.com Product Description (ISBN 0765309416, Hardcover)

A human diplomat kills his alien counterpart. Earth is on the verge of war with a vastly superior alien race. A lone man races against time and a host of enemies to find the one object that can save our planet and our people from alien enslavement...

A sheep.

That's right, a sheep. And if you think that's the most surprising thing about this book, wait until you read Chapter One. Welcome to The Android's Dream.

For Harry Creek, it's quickly becoming a nightmare. All he wants is to do his uncomplicated mid-level diplomatic job with Earth's State Department. But his past training and skills get him tapped to save the planet--and to protect pet store owner Robin Baker, whose own past holds the key to the whereabouts of that lost sheep. Doing both will take him from lava-strewn battlefields to alien halls of power. All in a day's work. Maybe it's time for a raise.

Throw in two-timing freelance mercenaries, political lobbyists with megalomaniac tendencies, aliens on a religious quest, and an artificial intelligence with unusual backstory, and you've got more than just your usual science fiction adventure story. You've got The Android's Dream.

(retrieved from Amazon Fri, 24 Apr 2009 07:58:19 -0400)

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