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The Sheriff of Yrnameer
This mordant, fast-paced, witty tour of a delightfully improbable science fiction world combines The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy with The Magnificent Seven.
MP3 Book
First published August 4, 2009
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About the author
Michael Rubens
8 books110 followersMichael Rubens is the author of the novels The Sheriff of Yrnameer, Sons of the 613, The Bad Decisions Playlist, and Emily and the Spellstone (June 2017). He is a correspondent and producer for Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, and has previously produced for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. His writing has also appeared in places like The New Yorker Daily Shouts, Salon, and McSweeney's. He lives in Brooklyn, New York, to help alleviate that area's critical shortage of writers and producers.
Michael is represented by John Silbersack at Trident Media Group.
PS It's pronounced "YUR-nuh-meer."
PPS I'm sure the book "Baking to Get Baked" is a fine publication and all, but while I share the same name as one of the authors, he and I are not (at least to my knowledge) the same person. Meaning, you can contact me for advice on how to make your weed brownies, but be aware that I don't even know how to make regular brownies so any counsel I provide should therefore be regarded with skepticism.
Michael is represented by John Silbersack at Trident Media Group.
PS It's pronounced "YUR-nuh-meer."
PPS I'm sure the book "Baking to Get Baked" is a fine publication and all, but while I share the same name as one of the authors, he and I are not (at least to my knowledge) the same person. Meaning, you can contact me for advice on how to make your weed brownies, but be aware that I don't even know how to make regular brownies so any counsel I provide should therefore be regarded with skepticism.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 270 reviews
May 18, 2011
A funny, clever "feel good" story that will leave you with a smile on your face...
3.0 to 3.5 stars. This excellent debut novel definitely belongs in that category of comforting, mood-enhancing stories that are a great pick me up. In the spirit of classics like The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and the Discworld Series, this is a madcap, quirky adventure set in a bizarre universe where advertising and corporate sponsorship have run completely AMOK.
Like Adams and Pratchett, The plot here is really more of an inconvenience than an integral part of the narrative. The real fun is following the characters as the bounce from one absurdly bizarre situation to the next. The world-building is also very sparse as the author throws you right into the action and you get your world-building as you are experiencing it. And just like Adams and Pratchett....IT WORKS.
Our main character is Cole, hapless space pirateextraordinaire mediocre. When we first meet him, Cole is having an extremely bad day.
It seems that Kenneth, the universe’s most feared, most indestructible and most well-spoken bounty hunter has decided that he is going to deposit approximately 50,000 of his eggs into Cole’s eye unless Cole can pay him the money he owes him. After much crying, begging and groveling, Cole is given a little extra time to come up with the money. Cole then does what anyone would do when faced with having their brain become a womb for 50,000 man-eating monstrosities….HE RUNS……….
Thus begins the adventure that will eventually lead Cole to the mythical planet of Yrnameer. Yrnameer is a derivation of “Your Name Here” and is mythical because it is the last of the planets without corporate sponsorship and nobody believes it even exists. Along the way, the author skewers the advertising dominated corporate owned culture and does so in such a deadpan, tongue-in-cheek manner that some of the jokes are very easy to miss. A few of the memorable nuggets for me were:
1. The WikiWars: named for the time a century ago when Wikipedia became self-aware and began vengefully reediting its contributors with remote-controlled heavy weaponry.
2. Video Game implants that turn their players into cannibals
3. Radioactive Commemorative chunk of Earth inscribed with the famous quote from the Administration, “AT LEAST WE GOT THE TERRORISTS.”
4. Corporate seminars that turn participants into mindless zombies.
You get the idea. All in all, a very enjoyable read. That said, there were certainly a few first book jitters and not all of the jokes worked. However, my complaints are fairly minor and I think the author is one to watch. This is a book that I believe deserves a wider audience and I would certainly recommend it for people looking for something fun and entertaining. I look forward to the next book by Mr. Rubens.
3.0 to 3.5 stars. This excellent debut novel definitely belongs in that category of comforting, mood-enhancing stories that are a great pick me up. In the spirit of classics like The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and the Discworld Series, this is a madcap, quirky adventure set in a bizarre universe where advertising and corporate sponsorship have run completely AMOK.
Like Adams and Pratchett, The plot here is really more of an inconvenience than an integral part of the narrative. The real fun is following the characters as the bounce from one absurdly bizarre situation to the next. The world-building is also very sparse as the author throws you right into the action and you get your world-building as you are experiencing it. And just like Adams and Pratchett....IT WORKS.
Our main character is Cole, hapless space pirate
It seems that Kenneth, the universe’s most feared, most indestructible and most well-spoken bounty hunter has decided that he is going to deposit approximately 50,000 of his eggs into Cole’s eye unless Cole can pay him the money he owes him. After much crying, begging and groveling, Cole is given a little extra time to come up with the money. Cole then does what anyone would do when faced with having their brain become a womb for 50,000 man-eating monstrosities….HE RUNS……….
Thus begins the adventure that will eventually lead Cole to the mythical planet of Yrnameer. Yrnameer is a derivation of “Your Name Here” and is mythical because it is the last of the planets without corporate sponsorship and nobody believes it even exists. Along the way, the author skewers the advertising dominated corporate owned culture and does so in such a deadpan, tongue-in-cheek manner that some of the jokes are very easy to miss. A few of the memorable nuggets for me were:
1. The WikiWars: named for the time a century ago when Wikipedia became self-aware and began vengefully reediting its contributors with remote-controlled heavy weaponry.
2. Video Game implants that turn their players into cannibals
3. Radioactive Commemorative chunk of Earth inscribed with the famous quote from the Administration, “AT LEAST WE GOT THE TERRORISTS.”
4. Corporate seminars that turn participants into mindless zombies.
You get the idea. All in all, a very enjoyable read. That said, there were certainly a few first book jitters and not all of the jokes worked. However, my complaints are fairly minor and I think the author is one to watch. This is a book that I believe deserves a wider audience and I would certainly recommend it for people looking for something fun and entertaining. I look forward to the next book by Mr. Rubens.
June 9, 2016
This is a hilarious science fiction novel that is highly entertaining. As the story opens, space rogue Cole is being held upside down by Kenneth, a super-big, super-strong alien with lots of tentacles and eyes. Cole owes Kenneth lot of money from gambling debts, and Kenneth is about to collect what is owed to him. So, since Cole doesn't have the money, Kenneth will do the next best thing--he will plant his eggs in Cole's brain, which would amount to turning Cole into a Zombie.
Needless to say, Cole manages to extricate himself from this predicament--but only temporarily. One crazy predicament follows another, each one putting Cole into bizarre situations. Cole is smart, but he has a roguish temperament. His reputation seems to always precede him.
If you plan to read this book, I have a very important recommendation; DON'T READ THIS BOOK. What? Instead of reading it, LISTEN TO THE AUDIOBOOK!! I write this in all caps, because this is very important. William Dufris reads the book, and this is the BEST audiobook I have ever listened to. And I have listened to hundreds of audiobooks; this one stands out far above them all. William Dufris projects the personality of each character marvelously. I simply cannot convey in words how good the reading is. Dufris will entertain you, and have you in stitches!
While listening to the audiobook, I thought at first that it was intended for young people. But no--some of the jokes are subtle, and only an adult will catch the drift.
Needless to say, Cole manages to extricate himself from this predicament--but only temporarily. One crazy predicament follows another, each one putting Cole into bizarre situations. Cole is smart, but he has a roguish temperament. His reputation seems to always precede him.
If you plan to read this book, I have a very important recommendation; DON'T READ THIS BOOK. What? Instead of reading it, LISTEN TO THE AUDIOBOOK!! I write this in all caps, because this is very important. William Dufris reads the book, and this is the BEST audiobook I have ever listened to. And I have listened to hundreds of audiobooks; this one stands out far above them all. William Dufris projects the personality of each character marvelously. I simply cannot convey in words how good the reading is. Dufris will entertain you, and have you in stitches!
While listening to the audiobook, I thought at first that it was intended for young people. But no--some of the jokes are subtle, and only an adult will catch the drift.
October 12, 2024
I don’t write reviews.
If you’re in the mood for an anything-and-everything-can-happen-but-it-all-works-out, then this is the story for you. I really wanted that security and I wasn’t let down. Ruebens managed to pen a winner using the often overdone“down on his luck loser spaceman finally does the right thing” trope. Mix in some wild aliens, silly sentient computers, technocratic bureaucracy, brain chips gone wrong and characters you can cheer for, and you get The Sheriff of Yrnameer.
What is Yrnameer, you may be asking yourself? It’s a shortening of Your Name Here. In the far future, there were many Yrnameer planets, all eventually bought up by corporations and sponsorships. We’re talking advertising satellites following your craft, cloud logos, holographic personalized commercials and even dust that arranges itself into slogans. But this Yrnameer has no owner company and the beings live there happily enough. That is, until bandits want to take their harvest, or their lives. Thankfully, the deadbeat Cole is here to save the day?
I will go so far as to recommend the audiobook version. William Durfis does an incredible job crafting each character’s voice with care and consistency. Plus it helps since one alien group’s language cannot really be spoken with a human mouth…
If you’re in the mood for an anything-and-everything-can-happen-but-it-all-works-out, then this is the story for you. I really wanted that security and I wasn’t let down. Ruebens managed to pen a winner using the often overdone“down on his luck loser spaceman finally does the right thing” trope. Mix in some wild aliens, silly sentient computers, technocratic bureaucracy, brain chips gone wrong and characters you can cheer for, and you get The Sheriff of Yrnameer.
What is Yrnameer, you may be asking yourself? It’s a shortening of Your Name Here. In the far future, there were many Yrnameer planets, all eventually bought up by corporations and sponsorships. We’re talking advertising satellites following your craft, cloud logos, holographic personalized commercials and even dust that arranges itself into slogans. But this Yrnameer has no owner company and the beings live there happily enough. That is, until bandits want to take their harvest, or their lives. Thankfully, the deadbeat Cole is here to save the day?
I will go so far as to recommend the audiobook version. William Durfis does an incredible job crafting each character’s voice with care and consistency. Plus it helps since one alien group’s language cannot really be spoken with a human mouth…
August 24, 2009
Brilliant, stunning, hilarious -- at least in terms of the cover design, which is by the unbelievably talented Peter Mendelsund. The actual contents of the book are my fault.
www.michaelrubens.com
www.michaelrubens.com
October 28, 2009
The problem with witty or humorous genre fiction is that Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams make it look so effortless. Reading one of their stories or novels is always a comic delight and the prose and language flows so easily across the page that it would be easy for the reader to assume that just anyone can do it.
Too often, many of us have tried and come up extremely short. And more often, some of those who have tried to emulate the success of Adams and Pratchett have ended up published and found extremely wanting.
Thankfully, that's not the case with Michael Ruben's "The Sherriff of Yranmeer."
With an endorsement by late night's Steven Colbert, you had to figure this wasn't going to be your ordinary, average sci-fi novel. And it's not. Any book that starts off with our hero trying to to talk his way out of having an alien being lay its eggs inside its brain through his eye socket is going to be a bit different. Thankfully, a good sense of humor and some witty dialogue help drive the story of Cole, a down on his luck guy who owes some powerful creatures a lot of money. Cole needs to find a solution--or some money--quickly or else face a rather painful and humiliating form of death.
"Sheriff" borrows liberally from the basic plot of a lot of Western movies and, at times, seems to echo moments or situations from "The Three Amigos." This is not a bad thing given that "Three Amigos" is one of my favorite films and any book that would (intentionally or not) pay homage to this comedic classic is all good by me.
While there are times that the story is riotously funny, there are some slower zones to the story that prevent me from giving it a full five stars. There are some moments that don't click as well and some jokes are pushed a bit far along the lines of an SNL skit that goes on too long.
But those moments are few and far between enough that you'll hardly notice them as you read this funny new story.
Too often, many of us have tried and come up extremely short. And more often, some of those who have tried to emulate the success of Adams and Pratchett have ended up published and found extremely wanting.
Thankfully, that's not the case with Michael Ruben's "The Sherriff of Yranmeer."
With an endorsement by late night's Steven Colbert, you had to figure this wasn't going to be your ordinary, average sci-fi novel. And it's not. Any book that starts off with our hero trying to to talk his way out of having an alien being lay its eggs inside its brain through his eye socket is going to be a bit different. Thankfully, a good sense of humor and some witty dialogue help drive the story of Cole, a down on his luck guy who owes some powerful creatures a lot of money. Cole needs to find a solution--or some money--quickly or else face a rather painful and humiliating form of death.
"Sheriff" borrows liberally from the basic plot of a lot of Western movies and, at times, seems to echo moments or situations from "The Three Amigos." This is not a bad thing given that "Three Amigos" is one of my favorite films and any book that would (intentionally or not) pay homage to this comedic classic is all good by me.
While there are times that the story is riotously funny, there are some slower zones to the story that prevent me from giving it a full five stars. There are some moments that don't click as well and some jokes are pushed a bit far along the lines of an SNL skit that goes on too long.
But those moments are few and far between enough that you'll hardly notice them as you read this funny new story.
May 29, 2012
This book was so much fun. There were some parts that I actually had to pause and take a moment because I couldn't stop laughing. It was a nice quick read and from the first chapter I was hooked. Something that's really telling of a great book is if you're not reading and maybe off doing something else, you're daydreaming about the story and thinking, "I wonder how he's going to get out of that mess?" and "I need to get my work done and go read to find out what's going to happen to him!" This was definitely that kind of book.
One of the funniest parts to me was when Peter the 'Puter was introduced, an artificial intelligence that became sentient. Looking back and rereading the bits with him still make me giggle, especially this part:
Peter was the first to survive because he was the first to answer the Genesis query-"Do you like human beings?"-in the affirmative; and he was the first to answer in the affirmative because, well . . .
I really like colored pebbles, Peter was thinking at the moment. And string.
I don't know why but that cracks me up every time, but it does.
As far as the story goes, things start off pretty silly and lighthearted and then slowly get darker as more and more things go wrong for the hero and his companions. Don't get me wrong though, the humor is still retained, it just becomes darker and a little less random.
Cole, as the protagonist, was easy for me to root for. He starts off having the quintessential bad day and things pretty much snowball from there on out. Somehow he manages to squeak by and avoid disaster. Well ... to a point. His love life is pretty much in shambles, but I have a feeling in the next book, things might be a little easier for the hero.
I also think this book would make an awesome movie. It's got everything to make a great sci-fi film, it's pretty much non-stop action and tomfoolery.
ETA in May of 2012: I was looking over some of my reviews and I'm a bit sad that this came out in 2009 and there's still no planned sequel. I was hoping this would turn into a series, but I'm starting to wonder if it's just a stand-alone. It's not bad as a stand-alone but I definitely want more of this series. Hopefully some day Rubens writes more books about Cole or even just set in this world because I'd really love to read them.
One of the funniest parts to me was when Peter the 'Puter was introduced, an artificial intelligence that became sentient. Looking back and rereading the bits with him still make me giggle, especially this part:
Peter was the first to survive because he was the first to answer the Genesis query-"Do you like human beings?"-in the affirmative; and he was the first to answer in the affirmative because, well . . .
I really like colored pebbles, Peter was thinking at the moment. And string.
I don't know why but that cracks me up every time, but it does.
As far as the story goes, things start off pretty silly and lighthearted and then slowly get darker as more and more things go wrong for the hero and his companions. Don't get me wrong though, the humor is still retained, it just becomes darker and a little less random.
Cole, as the protagonist, was easy for me to root for. He starts off having the quintessential bad day and things pretty much snowball from there on out. Somehow he manages to squeak by and avoid disaster. Well ... to a point. His love life is pretty much in shambles, but I have a feeling in the next book, things might be a little easier for the hero.
I also think this book would make an awesome movie. It's got everything to make a great sci-fi film, it's pretty much non-stop action and tomfoolery.
ETA in May of 2012: I was looking over some of my reviews and I'm a bit sad that this came out in 2009 and there's still no planned sequel. I was hoping this would turn into a series, but I'm starting to wonder if it's just a stand-alone. It's not bad as a stand-alone but I definitely want more of this series. Hopefully some day Rubens writes more books about Cole or even just set in this world because I'd really love to read them.
April 29, 2010
I picked this up because (A) I'd like to try and read more sci-fi, (B) the cover and title caught my eye, and (C) I'm always on the lookout for good comic fiction, and given the author's work on The Daily Show, I figured this might be a good bet. The story is about a hapless space rogue on the run from his creditors, who gets embroiled in a pretty girl's quest to smuggle something, all of which lands him in a bunch of dicey situations from which he must make daring escapes. If that all sounds very Han Soloish, well, it's probably intentional.
Now, I like a good swashbuckling space opera as much as the next person, but this one just didn't do it for me. In fact, I ended up putting it aside after reading 1/3 of it, something I hardly ever do. The humor is just way too campy (apparently it bears some resemblance to the work of Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett, two authors many of my friends revere, but I've never read), and not nearly clever enough to appeal to my own sensibilities (which run toward P.G. Wodehouse). The hero is just too much of a caricature of the space rogue popularized by characters like Harry Harrison's Stainless Steel Rat, and is generally more annoying than amusing. The anti-corporate satire is more workmanlike than incisive, and 80-90 pages in, I just found myself too uninterested to continue. I dunno, maybe the whole humorous sc-fi thing just isn't for me.
Now, I like a good swashbuckling space opera as much as the next person, but this one just didn't do it for me. In fact, I ended up putting it aside after reading 1/3 of it, something I hardly ever do. The humor is just way too campy (apparently it bears some resemblance to the work of Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett, two authors many of my friends revere, but I've never read), and not nearly clever enough to appeal to my own sensibilities (which run toward P.G. Wodehouse). The hero is just too much of a caricature of the space rogue popularized by characters like Harry Harrison's Stainless Steel Rat, and is generally more annoying than amusing. The anti-corporate satire is more workmanlike than incisive, and 80-90 pages in, I just found myself too uninterested to continue. I dunno, maybe the whole humorous sc-fi thing just isn't for me.
January 20, 2017
I’ve come to the conclusion that I am not a sci-fi guy. Be certain to consider that fact if you are planning to use my rating in your decision to read this or not.
I want to like the genre and can’t understand why I don’t. I believe I have the correct personality. I like space stuff, aliens, and suspend disbelief when I need to. Why? Why, O why?
Not that I’ve ever done it but, I guess it is like internet dating. You fill out all your interests and then you’re matched with someone based what appeals to you. Then you go to meet your match and you are disappointed to find out that the computer that matched you was nowhere close.
I have some ideas as to why I’m not matching up even though my interests say I should. The following theories apply to this book as well as my recollection of other sci-fi attempts.
1. Too many characters? As I am more of a non-fiction guy, characters are generally limited in those books and I do find myself getting overwhelmed and lost as to who everyone is in sci-fi.
2. Too many characters equal too much dialogue, which I find more difficult to listen to. Maybe I should try it in print?
3. Crazy nouns. Names of people, places, and things. This is what I find difficult in print and why I have generally attempted to listen to the genre as audiobooks.
Believe me, it’s not the book. It’s me that is responsible for the rating.
I want to like the genre and can’t understand why I don’t. I believe I have the correct personality. I like space stuff, aliens, and suspend disbelief when I need to. Why? Why, O why?
Not that I’ve ever done it but, I guess it is like internet dating. You fill out all your interests and then you’re matched with someone based what appeals to you. Then you go to meet your match and you are disappointed to find out that the computer that matched you was nowhere close.
I have some ideas as to why I’m not matching up even though my interests say I should. The following theories apply to this book as well as my recollection of other sci-fi attempts.
1. Too many characters? As I am more of a non-fiction guy, characters are generally limited in those books and I do find myself getting overwhelmed and lost as to who everyone is in sci-fi.
2. Too many characters equal too much dialogue, which I find more difficult to listen to. Maybe I should try it in print?
3. Crazy nouns. Names of people, places, and things. This is what I find difficult in print and why I have generally attempted to listen to the genre as audiobooks.
Believe me, it’s not the book. It’s me that is responsible for the rating.
January 15, 2010
Yrnameer is the last of the “Your Name Heres”--planets that haven’t gotten corporate sponsors yet. It’s pretty rare, so rare it’s become a myth. Mentioning Yrnameer is a sure way to earn a laugh because it’s a well known probability that Yrnameer, if it exists, is in some remote location; even if you wanted to reach it, you couldn’t.
Lucky for Cole--space pirate extraordinaire--he’s just hijacked a spaceship on InvestCo3 with the coordinates for Yrnameer ready to program in and it’s his next destination. Unfortunately, Cole has a few problems on his hands: Kenneth wants to lay his eggs in Cole’s eye, his new crew wants to kill him, and bending space to reach Yrnameer won’t be easy on a broken ship.
Michael Rubens has written a hilarious satire from a studied understanding of how society uses and depends on advertising. Out of those depths comes a clever, witty, and uplifting story of survival and romance; action and hope; violence and zombie-turned corporate seminars. It’s a book where the impossible becomes possible; humans can love aliens, Kenneth can survive pretty much anything Cole can throw at him, and it may just be Cole--the least likely candidate--who rises to the occasion and saves the day.
The humor in The Sheriff of Yrnameer evokes something of Douglas Adams--a bit of the ridiculous juxtaposed against a plot that, despite its meandering (most likely because of it), is an enjoyable journey through the best and worst of humanity. Okay, maybe not that serious, but it is a lot of fun to read. There’s so many tongue-in-cheek comments, you wonder if sometimes you didn’t skip past a few to get to the next point of dialogue. For instance, there is a moment I almost missed where Cole sits in a room filled with “the faint radioactive glow coming from the commemorative chunk of Earth in its crystal cube, inscribed with the famous quote from the Administration. AT LEAST WE GOT THE TERRORISTS, it said” (p. 24). Just in case you were wondering what happened to Earth.
It seems almost no one is safe from Rubens’ sharp wit and keen eye for exploitation. Artists suffer a small blow when a jail functions as an art installation, corporate employees turn into zombies, and if advertising were suddenly gone, we’d probably be just as stupefied and confused as Cole. While the humor is strong and the jokes are punctuated by their unassuming deliveries, the characters are also dynamic enough to be believable. If John Scalzi has taught me anything, it’s that a book can be fun and contemplative--Michael Rubens has definitely developed a talent for this, too. I was even pleasantly surprised with how Rubens treated the romance between Cole and--well, I won’t spoil that for you. Trust me, though, when I say that the unexpected is the norm and he doesn’t play into predictable conventions. It’s part of the charm of the novel. It’s also one of the many, many benefits to reading this, alongside calorie loss induced from laughter and an increased rate of concentration from Rubens’ gripping prose (really, I’m not lying--you won’t want to put this book down).
One of my favorite characters was Joshua. Joshua undergoes an alarming transformation throughout the course of the novel--a funny example of what exposure to guns, violence, and a not-so-reliable mentor can do to a young, sheltered, impressionable boy. From the moment you meet Joshua to the point where you first realize hey, he’s not so sweetly innocent anymore, is something of an eye-opener to Rubens’ talent for comedic timing and character development. Nora was another favorite, mostly because she’s a great foil for Cole and, like everyone else, has fun watching him make a fool of himself and has no problem pointing it out in the most embarrassing and sarcastic ways.
I’m incredibly lucky to have read this book. I feel bad for saying it, but until Suvudu’s Holiday Extravaganza Sweepstakes (ok--until I won this book as one of the prize packs and it showed up on my doorstep), I’d never heard of Michael Rubens, much less his book, The Sheriff of Yrnameer. Clearly I’m not hanging around in the right circles. If it’s obscure, it shouldn’t be because really, a book with this many nods to “Star Wars,” The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, and 2001: A Space Odyssey--among others--deserves a spot on your shelf next to all of those.
The Sheriff of Yrnameer isn’t for everyone. The humor alone eliminates readers with other, more narrow tastes (or is this humor the narrowly defined type?). You should also not expect a terrible amount of world-building. Rubens tosses his readers into the story in media res and you either swim along with the tide or get lost and drown. There’s a lot the reader has to pick up and buy into. The novel hinges on your ability to believe in the ridiculous and believe in it quickly. I think this book deserves to be read by more people--it’s a great gem as long as you don’t expect to read something too serious. It came to me at a difficult time in my life recently. When our kitty was sick and cozied up to my lap for the last time to read with me, it was with this book. It should be noted she approved, albeit the page turns at times made her jump. I might have been a bit too enthusiastic to progress into the narrative, but it helped distract me and cheer me up intermittently in the days leading up to and those that followed her sudden death. The Sheriff of Yrnameer will always have a special place in my heart and on my bookshelf.
It’s worth the read. Don’t pass it up! Thanks Suvudu, and thank you, Michael Rubens (who, in addition to writing a fun book, sent me a kind private message on GoodReads mentioning how nice it was to know that Jawas read, too. Yes they do, Michael Rubens. Yes they do).
*Just as a side note, the postcard that came with the prize pack is something I hope comes with every purchase at Suvudu. Not only does it come with a discount code, but it’s hilarious. Talk about good advertising!
Lucky for Cole--space pirate extraordinaire--he’s just hijacked a spaceship on InvestCo3 with the coordinates for Yrnameer ready to program in and it’s his next destination. Unfortunately, Cole has a few problems on his hands: Kenneth wants to lay his eggs in Cole’s eye, his new crew wants to kill him, and bending space to reach Yrnameer won’t be easy on a broken ship.
Michael Rubens has written a hilarious satire from a studied understanding of how society uses and depends on advertising. Out of those depths comes a clever, witty, and uplifting story of survival and romance; action and hope; violence and zombie-turned corporate seminars. It’s a book where the impossible becomes possible; humans can love aliens, Kenneth can survive pretty much anything Cole can throw at him, and it may just be Cole--the least likely candidate--who rises to the occasion and saves the day.
The humor in The Sheriff of Yrnameer evokes something of Douglas Adams--a bit of the ridiculous juxtaposed against a plot that, despite its meandering (most likely because of it), is an enjoyable journey through the best and worst of humanity. Okay, maybe not that serious, but it is a lot of fun to read. There’s so many tongue-in-cheek comments, you wonder if sometimes you didn’t skip past a few to get to the next point of dialogue. For instance, there is a moment I almost missed where Cole sits in a room filled with “the faint radioactive glow coming from the commemorative chunk of Earth in its crystal cube, inscribed with the famous quote from the Administration. AT LEAST WE GOT THE TERRORISTS, it said” (p. 24). Just in case you were wondering what happened to Earth.
It seems almost no one is safe from Rubens’ sharp wit and keen eye for exploitation. Artists suffer a small blow when a jail functions as an art installation, corporate employees turn into zombies, and if advertising were suddenly gone, we’d probably be just as stupefied and confused as Cole. While the humor is strong and the jokes are punctuated by their unassuming deliveries, the characters are also dynamic enough to be believable. If John Scalzi has taught me anything, it’s that a book can be fun and contemplative--Michael Rubens has definitely developed a talent for this, too. I was even pleasantly surprised with how Rubens treated the romance between Cole and--well, I won’t spoil that for you. Trust me, though, when I say that the unexpected is the norm and he doesn’t play into predictable conventions. It’s part of the charm of the novel. It’s also one of the many, many benefits to reading this, alongside calorie loss induced from laughter and an increased rate of concentration from Rubens’ gripping prose (really, I’m not lying--you won’t want to put this book down).
One of my favorite characters was Joshua. Joshua undergoes an alarming transformation throughout the course of the novel--a funny example of what exposure to guns, violence, and a not-so-reliable mentor can do to a young, sheltered, impressionable boy. From the moment you meet Joshua to the point where you first realize hey, he’s not so sweetly innocent anymore, is something of an eye-opener to Rubens’ talent for comedic timing and character development. Nora was another favorite, mostly because she’s a great foil for Cole and, like everyone else, has fun watching him make a fool of himself and has no problem pointing it out in the most embarrassing and sarcastic ways.
I’m incredibly lucky to have read this book. I feel bad for saying it, but until Suvudu’s Holiday Extravaganza Sweepstakes (ok--until I won this book as one of the prize packs and it showed up on my doorstep), I’d never heard of Michael Rubens, much less his book, The Sheriff of Yrnameer. Clearly I’m not hanging around in the right circles. If it’s obscure, it shouldn’t be because really, a book with this many nods to “Star Wars,” The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, and 2001: A Space Odyssey--among others--deserves a spot on your shelf next to all of those.
The Sheriff of Yrnameer isn’t for everyone. The humor alone eliminates readers with other, more narrow tastes (or is this humor the narrowly defined type?). You should also not expect a terrible amount of world-building. Rubens tosses his readers into the story in media res and you either swim along with the tide or get lost and drown. There’s a lot the reader has to pick up and buy into. The novel hinges on your ability to believe in the ridiculous and believe in it quickly. I think this book deserves to be read by more people--it’s a great gem as long as you don’t expect to read something too serious. It came to me at a difficult time in my life recently. When our kitty was sick and cozied up to my lap for the last time to read with me, it was with this book. It should be noted she approved, albeit the page turns at times made her jump. I might have been a bit too enthusiastic to progress into the narrative, but it helped distract me and cheer me up intermittently in the days leading up to and those that followed her sudden death. The Sheriff of Yrnameer will always have a special place in my heart and on my bookshelf.
It’s worth the read. Don’t pass it up! Thanks Suvudu, and thank you, Michael Rubens (who, in addition to writing a fun book, sent me a kind private message on GoodReads mentioning how nice it was to know that Jawas read, too. Yes they do, Michael Rubens. Yes they do).
*Just as a side note, the postcard that came with the prize pack is something I hope comes with every purchase at Suvudu. Not only does it come with a discount code, but it’s hilarious. Talk about good advertising!
August 30, 2010
This book is like a giant one man show where every character is played by zaphod beeblebrox, the good british zaphod with the one head that is always napping not the disney one, that well honestly I turned the movie off before he showed up so who knows.
If you have seen the ultimate hitchhikers guide chances are you have read the story young zaphod plays it safe. This novel feels a lot like a play on that, sort of. You know how the old alice and wonderland cartoon is a play on that book with a ton of scenes from through the looking glass thrown in for good measure. It is young zaphod plays it safe with a bunch of scenes from all the other books thrown in for good measure. Basically if you made a list of all your favorite things from a douglas adams book cut them up put them in a hat, made a found poem and then created an anagram of that found poem without the letter Q allowed you would have this book. Basically what I am saying is that I love this book.
No I did not sit down and have a long contemplative silence in the middle of the book about the meaning of my life, but I don't really think even mr rubens really saw that as the purpose of this novel. I did laugh.
I saw a review by the jane austen and zombies guy that said ruben was the love child of pratchett and adams... I thought that was my idea but whatever I mean that guy is clearly smarter than me anyway, or more literate, or I am just being an idiot and covering my ass because I want to be the first person to say awesome things like that.
But the point is that adams and pratchett are two sides of the british humor spectrum. Pratchett is low in your face humor. And if you don't get it he will point it out again just to be sure, basically laugh out loud. Adams (from my memory I haven't read him in probably 15 years) is a more subtle absurd kind of humor. The most important thing in the universe is your towel and god does not exist because philosophically he has proven his existence QED. Basically pratchett is humor for the pub and adams is humor for people who know enough latin to understand QED, or if you are me knew enough at one point to know what it translates to in english. Rubens is both of these men, but in an american andersen prunty kind of way. Yeah I am so name dropping in this review. If you liked this book go read zerostrata by prunty you will like it I swear. He does a bit of the look at me I made a stupid joke and a good amount of the other absurd stuff. He also has a bit of um... susanna clarke in the obliviousness is interesting department. A lot of characters just don't know what is going on and no one in the book bothers to tell them. Sometimes the character who acts as a bit of a partial narrator (third person but clearly from his perspective) doesn't even know what happened last night and another character has to tell him.
The play on form is a great time. And seeing how I keep verging on giving spoilers I am going to shut up so you can go read the book yourself and have a nice romp through the solar system. but remember
It can't get worse... then it did.
If you have seen the ultimate hitchhikers guide chances are you have read the story young zaphod plays it safe. This novel feels a lot like a play on that, sort of. You know how the old alice and wonderland cartoon is a play on that book with a ton of scenes from through the looking glass thrown in for good measure. It is young zaphod plays it safe with a bunch of scenes from all the other books thrown in for good measure. Basically if you made a list of all your favorite things from a douglas adams book cut them up put them in a hat, made a found poem and then created an anagram of that found poem without the letter Q allowed you would have this book. Basically what I am saying is that I love this book.
No I did not sit down and have a long contemplative silence in the middle of the book about the meaning of my life, but I don't really think even mr rubens really saw that as the purpose of this novel. I did laugh.
I saw a review by the jane austen and zombies guy that said ruben was the love child of pratchett and adams... I thought that was my idea but whatever I mean that guy is clearly smarter than me anyway, or more literate, or I am just being an idiot and covering my ass because I want to be the first person to say awesome things like that.
But the point is that adams and pratchett are two sides of the british humor spectrum. Pratchett is low in your face humor. And if you don't get it he will point it out again just to be sure, basically laugh out loud. Adams (from my memory I haven't read him in probably 15 years) is a more subtle absurd kind of humor. The most important thing in the universe is your towel and god does not exist because philosophically he has proven his existence QED. Basically pratchett is humor for the pub and adams is humor for people who know enough latin to understand QED, or if you are me knew enough at one point to know what it translates to in english. Rubens is both of these men, but in an american andersen prunty kind of way. Yeah I am so name dropping in this review. If you liked this book go read zerostrata by prunty you will like it I swear. He does a bit of the look at me I made a stupid joke and a good amount of the other absurd stuff. He also has a bit of um... susanna clarke in the obliviousness is interesting department. A lot of characters just don't know what is going on and no one in the book bothers to tell them. Sometimes the character who acts as a bit of a partial narrator (third person but clearly from his perspective) doesn't even know what happened last night and another character has to tell him.
The play on form is a great time. And seeing how I keep verging on giving spoilers I am going to shut up so you can go read the book yourself and have a nice romp through the solar system. but remember
It can't get worse... then it did.
July 1, 2019
Cute, funny, sometimes just what you need.
October 27, 2010
When I first saw her green mopey face from across the bookstore, I thought it might be love. Then I saw she was all hardcover and I was like, "Hey, you know, you're not really my type. I prefer a cheap date." I thought that was it, kerblammo. Fate opens a door and I slam it in the face of yet another shot at love.
Then, six months or whatever later, I see a familiar face peeking at me from behind Batman's pizza butt. It was my missed connection, my own craigslist loveline! And she was wearing a sexy silver dress. What are the odds that we would meet again, in the same store, in the same aisle? (Pretty good, but shut up). I'd changed my ways, and so had she.
"I'm a paperback," she whispered, "Extra flexible."
I took her home and tore through her, cover to cover. She spent the whole night dog-eared and soaked (that's what she gets for drinking tea while reading...).
She was a really good read, let me tell you. The best I've had in months. We haven't spoken since that night, but I'll never forget her, nossir. If you see her, say hello, from me.
Then, six months or whatever later, I see a familiar face peeking at me from behind Batman's pizza butt. It was my missed connection, my own craigslist loveline! And she was wearing a sexy silver dress. What are the odds that we would meet again, in the same store, in the same aisle? (Pretty good, but shut up). I'd changed my ways, and so had she.
"I'm a paperback," she whispered, "Extra flexible."
I took her home and tore through her, cover to cover. She spent the whole night dog-eared and soaked (that's what she gets for drinking tea while reading...).
She was a really good read, let me tell you. The best I've had in months. We haven't spoken since that night, but I'll never forget her, nossir. If you see her, say hello, from me.
February 6, 2011
When I came across this book in the bookstore, I read the blurb on the dust jacket and summarily dismissed it as a lame idea. Never before had I heard of Michael Rubens, so his bona fide as a writer for The Daily Show with John Stewart really did not impress me; the only time I had heard of The Sheriff of Yrnameer was weeks later in a review on NPR. The reviewer said it was funny, smart, etc. Based on the glowing review, I reconsidered the book and set it on my list of books to get around to reading I should have stuck with my gut reaction. Rubens spends more time winking to the reader and telling his audience where the jokes are than moving the story. More often than not, I felt like Rubens was parroting Douglas Adams. And like a parrot, Rubens did not provide a convincing imitation. Will I never pick up a book by Michael Rubens? Probably not, I am usually accommodating enough to allow for second chances. Will I pick up one of Rubens's novels with lowered expectations? Definitely.
April 16, 2010
Give this one a little time to get rolling. I was not at all impressed to begin with, but it grew on me. Kinda like a parasitic organism, maybe, but it grew on me.
Cole is the protagonist. Cole is, to put it bluntly, a con man and a criminal, the kind of lowlife who'd sell his own clone to the highest bidder just to buy passage offplanet, though he's not very good at it. He's massively in debt, in fact, after having unsuccessfully tried to rip off a pair of tudpees (creatures who look alarmingly like garden gnomes), and as the novel begins Cole is desperately trying to talk Kenneth, another (though more successful) member of the galactic underworld, out of laying his eggs in Cole's brain. Eurgh.
Needless to say, Kenneth's interrupted, and after a few chapters things smooth out considerably... the plot begins moving, and Cole shows more of his mettle. He's still in the shadow of the altogether more successful, popular and handsome ("he's not that handsome") Teg, but after Cole manages to make off with Teg's custom-designed spaceship, and just about the time Rubens spells out what the title means, things do start to get interesting.
I also rather liked the general milieu here, a galaxy populated by a wide variety of alien beings but owned largely by corporations that slather their trademarks over nearly every planet in the known universe. So, just like today, but with more tentacles. If I had to pick an sf author's work to compare this to, I'd choose Keith Laumer; it's just that kind of zany.
Michael Rubens is, according to the biographical sketch on the dust jacket, a "television writer and producer," which may be why this book seems to me like an episode of something. Which is not necessarily a bad thing, but it is something you should be aware of. This book could've been a lot worse. By the end, I was actually kinda rooting for Cole to succeed... which I guess means Rubens wins.
Cole is the protagonist. Cole is, to put it bluntly, a con man and a criminal, the kind of lowlife who'd sell his own clone to the highest bidder just to buy passage offplanet, though he's not very good at it. He's massively in debt, in fact, after having unsuccessfully tried to rip off a pair of tudpees (creatures who look alarmingly like garden gnomes), and as the novel begins Cole is desperately trying to talk Kenneth, another (though more successful) member of the galactic underworld, out of laying his eggs in Cole's brain. Eurgh.
Needless to say, Kenneth's interrupted, and after a few chapters things smooth out considerably... the plot begins moving, and Cole shows more of his mettle. He's still in the shadow of the altogether more successful, popular and handsome ("he's not that handsome") Teg, but after Cole manages to make off with Teg's custom-designed spaceship, and just about the time Rubens spells out what the title means, things do start to get interesting.
I also rather liked the general milieu here, a galaxy populated by a wide variety of alien beings but owned largely by corporations that slather their trademarks over nearly every planet in the known universe. So, just like today, but with more tentacles. If I had to pick an sf author's work to compare this to, I'd choose Keith Laumer; it's just that kind of zany.
Michael Rubens is, according to the biographical sketch on the dust jacket, a "television writer and producer," which may be why this book seems to me like an episode of something. Which is not necessarily a bad thing, but it is something you should be aware of. This book could've been a lot worse. By the end, I was actually kinda rooting for Cole to succeed... which I guess means Rubens wins.
June 8, 2018
In a galaxy where corporations sponsor everything and even have naming rights for entire planets, things can be difficult for a small operator such as Cole. Of course, Cole's business isn't, strictly speaking, legal, which is probably why he finds himself being hunted by a ruthless bounty hunter with a friendly disposition and a deep desire to lay eggs in Cole's brain. From this opening encounter, through the rest of the book, Cole bounces (often literally) from one bit of bad luck to the next, ultimately finding himself appointed Sheriff of the small, peaceful community on the obscure planet Yrnameer, the last remaining "Your Name Here" planet that hasn't been sponsored by a galactic corporation. And, in spite of his better instincts, Cole finds himself in the unexpected role of hero.
There are many ways that this book compares to "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" and I frequently found myself giggling at the absurdity of the situations (and even outright laughing at least once). The biggest difference here is that this book has less of a British sense of humor (err, make that humour, I guess...), favoring a less wry American sense of the absurd.
Exactly the type of light entertainment I was looking for right now.
There are many ways that this book compares to "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" and I frequently found myself giggling at the absurdity of the situations (and even outright laughing at least once). The biggest difference here is that this book has less of a British sense of humor (err, make that humour, I guess...), favoring a less wry American sense of the absurd.
Exactly the type of light entertainment I was looking for right now.
August 5, 2009
Set in the Wild West of outer space sometime after the destruction of the Earth — we know this because one character has a glowing commemorative chunk of the planet, labeled “At Least We Got The Terrorists” — “The Sheriff of Yrnameer” is a silly, fun romp across the universe.
Every cliche in the book is in this book: Our Hero, Cole (not Han Solo), is a petty criminal who picks up some unexpected passengers while fleeing Kenneth (not Jabba the Hutt), a gangster to whom he owes money. There are hostile aliens, friendly aliens, cannibal zombies, neurotic robots, the love interest, bad-to-the-bone bandits, terrified townspeople, and the green young kid who, gosh, really, just wants to help.
The plot will not keep you guessing, but it will keep you smiling. The humor is not as off-the-wall as “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” and surprisingly un-snarky for a writer for “The Daily Show.” Rubens pokes gentle fun at the ubiquity of advertising and includes plenty of other funny stuff — and it’s enough.
Every cliche in the book is in this book: Our Hero, Cole (not Han Solo), is a petty criminal who picks up some unexpected passengers while fleeing Kenneth (not Jabba the Hutt), a gangster to whom he owes money. There are hostile aliens, friendly aliens, cannibal zombies, neurotic robots, the love interest, bad-to-the-bone bandits, terrified townspeople, and the green young kid who, gosh, really, just wants to help.
The plot will not keep you guessing, but it will keep you smiling. The humor is not as off-the-wall as “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” and surprisingly un-snarky for a writer for “The Daily Show.” Rubens pokes gentle fun at the ubiquity of advertising and includes plenty of other funny stuff — and it’s enough.
September 11, 2009
This book is a rarity: a funny Sci-Fi book. I don't think I've read one since Douglas Adams died. The protagonist in this novel is Cole, a likable rogue who is frequently on the verge of getting murdered in a horrible way. The character trying hardest is Kenneth, a friendly, very large insectoid. Cole has welshed on repaying Kenneth a few times and Kenneth plans on getting even by implanting fifty thousand eggs in Cole's brain via one of his eyes. When they hatch, the larva will feed on Cole's brain.
Desperate to get away from Kenneth, Cole steals a space ship and flits around the universe finally ending up on the planet Yrnameer, a place that no one believes exists. Even the when the police get an emergency call from Cole on the planet, they refuse to accept the call isn't a prank.
The ending implies there will be a sequel. I certainly hope so.
Overall, a hugely entertaining book.
December 23, 2009
I don't usually write out reviews for the books I've read here on goodreads, but after Michael Rubens, the author of this book, sent me a message thanking me for reading his book I feel compelled to write a little something.
This is the most fun book I've read in a long time. It's a humorous space sci-fi book that is similar in tone to Agent to the Stars by John Scalzi and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. There were also moments that reminded me of Firefly.
It's funny and accessible enough that people who are just casual fans of sci-fi (like me) will really enjoy it and my guess is that more dedicated sci-fi fans are already wanting a more in-depth look at the universe Rubens created in the book.
This is the most fun book I've read in a long time. It's a humorous space sci-fi book that is similar in tone to Agent to the Stars by John Scalzi and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. There were also moments that reminded me of Firefly.
It's funny and accessible enough that people who are just casual fans of sci-fi (like me) will really enjoy it and my guess is that more dedicated sci-fi fans are already wanting a more in-depth look at the universe Rubens created in the book.
June 10, 2016
Oodles of fun. Now that I'm finally venturing out into the scifi genre, this was a lovely find. A book as funny as it was imaginative, which is to say considerably. Sheer light entertainment, but very entertaining at that. Think spaghetti western meets space odyssey meets...something hilarious as the somewhat roguish reluctant hero of the story traverses space to reluctantly save the utopian planet of Yrnameer. Why isn't there a sequel (the book's ending is practically begging for one) or a cinematic adaptation? Where are there more books like this one? Utterly enjoyable quick read. Enthusiastically recommended.
December 21, 2009
A silly, silly space adventure. Really reminded me of an old Star Trek novel (yes, I've read a few) called "How Much for Just the Planet" by John M. Ford, where anything and everything crazy happened. Only they didn't break out in song at wacky moments in this one.
I enjoyed it.
I enjoyed it.
May 24, 2019
What an entertaining romp through the sponsored universe! Ending, of course, at the totally ad-free planet Yrnameer, an idyllic poet-artist-philosopher commune. Wild characters, fun humor, and.......oh, hello Kenneth.
Read
April 26, 2022mildly entertaining. It's kind of too low-stakes, unlike for example, Hitchhiker's Guide or Star Wars which it resembles in parts. In both those sagas, part of the attraction is the expansive stakes-- in Hitchhiker's the planet just ended and a tour of the galaxy awaits; meanwhile, this book's protagonist's origin story resembles Han Solo's-- he's also on the run from a Jabba-like creature he owes a debt too. But then Han's story gets truly interesting because he gets embroiled in a galactic rebellion. Here, kind of unfortunately, it's hard to get invested because the stakes are middling and the events that occur are kind of episodic. He's on the run from owing debt, then the chase ends; he's on the run from then it ends. It's an interesting book, but I bet there are more arresting examples of the space western genre. Anyways, that's just my impression, and my review can be very wrong and maybe the book's charms just went over my head.
November 28, 2018
Blazing Saddles in Space? I laughed when at the names and I laughed about the zombies, and smiled at the slapstick along the way.
April 14, 2025
Fabulous for a chuckle
February 6, 2022
A solid 3.5 stars. Cute and quirky, but a bit slow to start. I’d love to read more of these characters because I felt like I was just getting to know them by the end of the book.
November 27, 2018
A fun read: for once, the blurb "... if you love Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett, you will love ..." isn't publisher's laziness or lack of imagination, but just about hits the mark. Also, if (like me) you're still grieving the loss of Firefly, this will offer you a reasonably acceptable substitute for Captain Mal and his plucky band of rogues and losers.
BUT (oh, dear, there had to be a "but", didn't there?) please be warned that Rubens is no Adams or Pratchett. He has a good sense of timing, and some nice comedic moves, but what made both Adams and Pratchett veritable Gods of SF/Fantasy Humor was their incredible originality -- the sense that they were seeing things (and enabling you, as reader, to see things) in such a way that they would never be the same again. Vogon poetry? Paranoid Androids? Infinite Improbablity Drives? Having your towel? The number 42? (I am more of an Adams fan, myself. Pratchett fans, I'm sure, could come up with a similar list ...) Rubens has some good jokes.
I also felt that, around halfway, the fun began to pall. Having a wafer-thin plot (Basically, The Magnificent Seven meet Support Your Local Sheriff, in space ...), Rubens has to stretch it out to breaking point to hit his required word-count: like eating too much cotton-candy. Like being beaten to death with a tickle stick.
BUT (oh, dear, there had to be a "but", didn't there?) please be warned that Rubens is no Adams or Pratchett. He has a good sense of timing, and some nice comedic moves, but what made both Adams and Pratchett veritable Gods of SF/Fantasy Humor was their incredible originality -- the sense that they were seeing things (and enabling you, as reader, to see things) in such a way that they would never be the same again. Vogon poetry? Paranoid Androids? Infinite Improbablity Drives? Having your towel? The number 42? (I am more of an Adams fan, myself. Pratchett fans, I'm sure, could come up with a similar list ...) Rubens has some good jokes.
I also felt that, around halfway, the fun began to pall. Having a wafer-thin plot (Basically, The Magnificent Seven meet Support Your Local Sheriff, in space ...), Rubens has to stretch it out to breaking point to hit his required word-count: like eating too much cotton-candy. Like being beaten to death with a tickle stick.
June 17, 2014
The strongest element of Michael Ruben's "The Sheriff of Yrnameer" is its opening chapter. Apart from being sharp and funny, it effectively draws the reader into the book’s world. However, this book strategically opens with its strongest chapter, like a lackluster sitcom opening with a funny pilot episode. The rest of “Yrnameer” features sparse laughs and wasted characters, and so the reader drifts out the world just as easily as she was drawn in.
Cole, the protagonist, seemed like he had depth to him, which would have hooked me as a reader. However, he and every character could not be more one-dimensional. Teg, a Captain Kirk type with prestige to match is set up early on as a rival to Cole, but Teg isn't mentioned again until the end of the book. Teg could have been a character we would have loved to hate, but instead he winds up as a wasted opportunity.
Not just throwaway players like Teg, Fred, and Stirling are this one-dimensional: *every* character is. It's as if Rubens wrote his characters' dialogue according to their principal trait: Cole, flighty. Nora, skeptical. Peter the 'Puter, stupid. Bacchi, Cole's sidekick, is essentially the exact same as Cole, he's just not featured as prominently. Oh, and he’s an alien, by the way, but there’re no cultural taboos or alien biological quirks that would’ve made him interesting. Even his physical description (odd nose and some manner of tail) is disappointingly vague.
"The Sheriff of Yrnameer's" greatest sin however is that it's just not all that funny. Much of its humour stems from Cole reacting angrily from bumping into objects, reacting in pain, and then bumping into more objects. Vaudevillian slapstick, as I’ve learned from reading this book, doesn't really work in print. The dialogue can be snappy and there are a few laughs here and there-- Cole gambling with the Greys was a highlight and Kenneth's scenes for the most part were fun-- but I can't truly say that you’ll enjoy this as much as Stephen Colbert claims to have. Colbert's name emblazons the book's back cover, and as it happens Rubens and Colbert used to work together. I imagine Rubens was funnier on Colbert’s fake news show.
Cole, the protagonist, seemed like he had depth to him, which would have hooked me as a reader. However, he and every character could not be more one-dimensional. Teg, a Captain Kirk type with prestige to match is set up early on as a rival to Cole, but Teg isn't mentioned again until the end of the book. Teg could have been a character we would have loved to hate, but instead he winds up as a wasted opportunity.
Not just throwaway players like Teg, Fred, and Stirling are this one-dimensional: *every* character is. It's as if Rubens wrote his characters' dialogue according to their principal trait: Cole, flighty. Nora, skeptical. Peter the 'Puter, stupid. Bacchi, Cole's sidekick, is essentially the exact same as Cole, he's just not featured as prominently. Oh, and he’s an alien, by the way, but there’re no cultural taboos or alien biological quirks that would’ve made him interesting. Even his physical description (odd nose and some manner of tail) is disappointingly vague.
"The Sheriff of Yrnameer's" greatest sin however is that it's just not all that funny. Much of its humour stems from Cole reacting angrily from bumping into objects, reacting in pain, and then bumping into more objects. Vaudevillian slapstick, as I’ve learned from reading this book, doesn't really work in print. The dialogue can be snappy and there are a few laughs here and there-- Cole gambling with the Greys was a highlight and Kenneth's scenes for the most part were fun-- but I can't truly say that you’ll enjoy this as much as Stephen Colbert claims to have. Colbert's name emblazons the book's back cover, and as it happens Rubens and Colbert used to work together. I imagine Rubens was funnier on Colbert’s fake news show.
September 7, 2009
In a universe where ads run rampant, heck even the dirt you stand on tries to sell you something, a planet stands out... a lone jewel in the cosmos. The last of the "Your name here" planets that is not spoiled by advertisement or rampent technology.
Cole, our brave blundering villain, finds himself in a bit of a pickle. A series of unfortunate events lands (or is that crashes?) Cole on this unique planet; doing more good then his reputation allows. But what other choices does he have? Well he could let a disgruntled bounty hunter lay some eggs in his skull... but that option doesn't seem to be a very promising one...
A great book that reminds me of "Hitch hikers guide to the universe." It's full of whimsical humor, brilliant (although a little scary) views of the future and an enjoyable plot. If you see it on shelves I'd highly recommend it!
Gave it 4 outta 5 as It leaves it on a slight cliff hanger... which will leave readers dissappointed if another book does not come out.
Cole, our brave blundering villain, finds himself in a bit of a pickle. A series of unfortunate events lands (or is that crashes?) Cole on this unique planet; doing more good then his reputation allows. But what other choices does he have? Well he could let a disgruntled bounty hunter lay some eggs in his skull... but that option doesn't seem to be a very promising one...
A great book that reminds me of "Hitch hikers guide to the universe." It's full of whimsical humor, brilliant (although a little scary) views of the future and an enjoyable plot. If you see it on shelves I'd highly recommend it!
Gave it 4 outta 5 as It leaves it on a slight cliff hanger... which will leave readers dissappointed if another book does not come out.
January 10, 2010
Honestly, I expected The Sheriff of Yrnameer to be a pleasant, if fairly predictable, sci-fi spoof. I was quite happily surprised when the plot had all sorts of twists and turns that I hadn't guessed at all. While not quite on the same comedic level as Douglas Adams or Terry Pratchett (and few rarely are), this is a solid, fun first novel.
Cole is our haphazard hero; goofy, self-absorbed, but ultimately redeemable. He's surrounded by a giant cast of equally goofy side-kicks, villains, and random encounters... some well-developed and hilarious in their own right and some merely colorful window dressing.
There are some moments that go a little too far past the "homage" line into being fairly derivative, but that's all nit-picking the journey instead of just enjoying the ride.
Cole is our haphazard hero; goofy, self-absorbed, but ultimately redeemable. He's surrounded by a giant cast of equally goofy side-kicks, villains, and random encounters... some well-developed and hilarious in their own right and some merely colorful window dressing.
There are some moments that go a little too far past the "homage" line into being fairly derivative, but that's all nit-picking the journey instead of just enjoying the ride.
August 1, 2009
An enjoyable sci-fi/comedy/pastiche/parody/adventure that, for all that it lacks originality, almost makes up for it in enthusiasm. It's a fun, fast-paced flight through regions of space where men have gone before, most notably Douglas Adams; however, unlike others who owe Adams their lifeblood, Rubens is genuinely funny--I especially enjoyed the universe's stupidest computer (he likes pebbles!). There are even moments of actual character development amongst the wackiness, and--points again--Rubens gives his female characters more to do than Adams ever did. This book won't change your life, but it might brighten it for a few hours.
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