Agent to the Stars
by John Scalzi
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Book Summary Information
Author: John ScalziEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2008-10-28
ISBN: 0765317710
Number of pages: 365
Publisher: Tor Books
Book Reviews of Agent to the Stars
Book Review: . . . and a cast of thousands!
Summary: 5 Stars
Scalzi hit the science fiction authors' "A" list in 2005 with _Old Man's War_, and he's been going strong ever since, but before that one there was this one. By the mid-1990s, he had been making a living for some time slinging words around, but those were all short pieces -- columns and critical reviews. He wondered, as most of us wordsmiths do, whether he had it in him to write at length. So he decided to create a "practice novel," no pressure, no expectations of publication, just the experience for its own sake. Well, it turned out pretty good, so he decided to see if anyone *would* publish it. Nope. So Scalzi put it up on his website as a gift to his fans. They could send him a buck or two if they liked it, but he wasn't really expecting anything. (He's collected more than $5,000 to date on an entirely voluntary basis.) The plot is a classic sf trope: First contact between humanity and an alien race. But Scalzi does things with the theme I've never seen before. Tom Stein is a junior agent at a large and powerful firm in L.A. and he's doing pretty well. He has more integrity than usual for his profession, he tries his best to look out for his acting clients, and he's a good son. Then his boss, one of the movers and shakers of Hollywood, brings him in on a secret project. The Yherajk are here, 50,000 miles up in a re-tooled asteroid, but, unfortunately, they're physically rather unpleasant to be around. A little scary, in fact. So they've decided the best way to reveal themselves to our world without causing a general panic is have professional representation. And that's going to be Tom. The story takes off at a gallop from that point, featuring Joshua (part human, part alien, part golden retriever), Michelle (not overly bright, even for an actress, but a nice person), Miranda (without whom Tom couldn't work), and a cast of thousands. The characterization is first-rate, the humor is dry and quotable, and the author obviously knows his way around the moviemaking game. It's all great fun, leavened by the serious thoughts Scalzi wants you also to consider. All of which leaves me wondering why in the world no one would buy this book the first time around.
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