Rating: 
Summary: Fun science fiction with a good dose of satire.
Review: A scouting ship from another planet inadvertantly kills off most of the humans on the planet. After feeling guilty for one hundred years, the Gruumsbaggians attempt to restore human civilization to its former glory -- as evidenced by the books, videotapes, microfilms and magazines they were able to find on the mostly de-populated planet. The funniest sci-fi book I've read since "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy", this story takes an outsider's view of the way we live, and shows us just how ridiculous we are: from mass-produced strip malls to meaningless office work to endless traffic jams, all aspects of human life before the disaster are dutifully restored. Amazingly, all of this is done without profanity or adult situations. An ideal book for children at adult reading levels. The twist at the end leaves the door open for a sequel. Let's hope that Mr. Like continues.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent , easy reading book
Review: After the Blue is a funny, enjoyable, satire on the state of the environment and our attitudes today. It combines humor with an insight into present day human affairs as seen through alien eyes. An easy, worthwhile read which is thought provoking.
Rating:
Summary: Witty social commentary in a science fiction guise.
Review: I found this book to be hilarious! The author shows an idyllic society living in the ruins of a world destroyed (accidentally) by an alien race. The Gruumsbaggians are silly and provide great laughs as they attempt to rebuild the 20th century world (more accurately, United States). Their views (misconceptions, one could hope) on modern life, and the human's responses, are interesting, clever, and thought provoking.
Rating: 
Summary: Amusing concept, but not comparable to Adams
Review: I read this because it was compared (by Amazon reviews) to Adam's Hitchhiker series. It has a similar concept, but lacks the wit and style that made Adam's series so popular. For a guy from New Jersey, Like certainly lacks the keen sense of sarcasm that I expected from reading the reviews. The plot plods along and except for the basic concept which set up the story, there wasn't much that was truly humorous. Adam's aliens were funny because they exagerated certain human characteristics. Like's aliens are simply dull. It was funny enough to recommend, but not a 5-star book. For those hungry for more Adams-style humor, I would recommend "Starship Titanic" by Terry Jones, a former Python. It was more humorous and more like Adams.
Rating:
Summary: I loved it
Review: I read this book and thought it was witty and clever.
Rating:
Summary: Imaginative poke at human nature
Review: If there's one theme with which I'll take from Russel Like's novel, I would have to say his clever underlying of the absurdities of human nature and the goofiness of society's restraints. I'm not even so sure Russel knows how well he makes us see the reality of ourselves as slaves--slaves to fashion, money, standards. I would even go so far to say that the aliens here are more representative of human mockery than they are extraterrestrial. Like government officials down through the human ages, although these beings feel they are doing right by trying to inspire good order, they entrap people at the same time. In the style of George Orwell's "Animal Farm," Like represents man's desire for freedom at any cost by a group of renegade humans firebombing alien-created malls and restaurants--places where humans are ordered to work. Civilization is having a second chance, laughable at the expense of everyone involved. Russel also 'likens' today's overdone and unneccesary fashion to the clothing the aliens make humans wear to work--all day long! For example, one lead character I laughed at was forced to wear heavy clothing and a busby--a ridiculously enormous fur hat worn by Buckingham Palace guards. The poor idiot was the victim of well-meaning aliens who thought this the norm of the old world they had unconsciously destroyed. Like's imagination for such a plot is revelry in itself. I looked forward to reopening this book every night. Absurdity caused several good laughs.
Rating:
Summary: Puts Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchet to Shame!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Review: If you have ever even harbored the mildest notion ofreading an SF book then this is the book for you. This book ishilarious, thought provoking, nearly perfect.
An alien race resembling Cookie Monster's cousins inadvertently destroy much of the human race and life as we know it.. Feeling quite ashamed and rather guilty they decide to put us, our lifestyles, back together with info they've gathered from microfilms and the like that they have scrounged. The results have a lot to say about us all.
The only fault? I would've liked more explanation from the getgo. But that wouldn't have been this book. I'll hush up and write my own.
You have to read After The Blue. I laughed and laughed again. This book is a hoot. I cannot get it out of my head. This is on my list of lifetime favorites.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent, amusing sci-fi social commentary.
Review: Russel Like's story of sympathetic aliens and post-catastrophe humans is both hilarious and touching. The crux of the story is the irony caused by the aliens' desire to restore a civilization which humans, by dealing with the disaster, have already transcended. The book is both entertaining and thought-provoking, especially to anyone who has ever been stuck in a suburban rat-race. New Jersey residents will be especially amused by the all the local references.
Rating:
Summary: Amusing concept, but not comparable to Adams
Review: The premise behind this book sounded very interesting. After reading the reviews, I was all geared up to laugh out loud. I didn't at all. Some of the ideas were clever but the bad writing kept getting in the way. And, without giving away the ending, the solution just didn't make sense!
Rating: 
Summary: Concept: Good; Writing: Bad
Review: The premise behind this book sounded very interesting. After reading the reviews, I was all geared up to laugh out loud. I didn't at all. Some of the ideas were clever but the bad writing kept getting in the way. And, without giving away the ending, the solution just didn't make sense!
|
