Paul Reiser

A cheesy pseudo-sequel to James Cameron's Aliens film has cameos from the main cast in the opening scenes but then focuses on Paul Reiser's Carter Burke character, showing us what might have happened if he didn't die on LV-426.

Well, he sets into motion the events of Alien³ then peels off into corporate exile and thirty-five boring years of managing a remote asteroid mining colony. Even though he is a nearly broken man, he still has ambition and a scheme to retrieve and exploit a new alien show more egg.

The book does a real good job of capturing the character and voice of Burke -- I could hear Reiser delivering all his lines in my head -- but this hypothetical tale never quite makes him charming enough to redeem him or even offset a portion of the evil that he does and the havoc that his plans wreak. It never quite hits the balance between madcap humor and horror thriller that it is aiming for. And the story sort of ends on a cliffhanger, showing the creative team must be hoping for another go-round in the future, but leaving a reader frustrated if it never comes about. show less

As a parent, I found that the experiences Reiser uses in his book would have one of two reactions - either 'Nah, doesn't sound much like us at all' or 'That is SOOO like it really is'. I think every parent would have the same experience like this book - our little people are individuals, and while some things that happen in one family may be the same for you, other times, it is as though they are on another planet.
This is quite a funny book. However, I often found Reiser's style either twee show more and/or contrived. This could be the case, or it could be that after years of 'Mad About You' and other comedy that tried to copy it, what was fresh when it was first written has now passed its use by date. But it is well written enough that it can often overcome these things. show less

Chock full of classic 1990s observational humour this is a light book which is easily knocked over in an afternoon. Plenty of funny anecdotes about married life, friendship and life in general.

Whilst it's hardly a genre defining book which pushes new boundaries it's not a bad way to spend an afternoon either.

Fantastic! Great use of the character. Includes double crosses! The office workers building a blockade and using a paper cutter as a weapon was a treat.