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Bob
After 27 years as a newspaper man, Peter Anderson’s career is slipping away, at least it was, until he stumbled upon the story of a lifetime. Sent to do a fluff piece about lights in the night sky over Arizona, he discovers far more than he ever expected when he comes upon a mysterious young woman held prisoner in a basement. After helping her to escape, she disappears before he can learn the truth about who she is or where she came from. His search for her leads him back to the lights in the sky and leaves him with more questions than answers. The only thing he knows for certain . . . the only thing he can count on are the two words offered repeatedly by his friend and guide . . . “IS BELT.”
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First published September 3, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
May 12, 2020
I am new to audiobooks and it took me a very long time to listen to the entire book. I feel my review may not reflect my true feelings about the story, because of my brain wanting to wander all the time. Anyway….
I did spend a lot of time laughing, especially with the dialogue. Jonathon Cook did an awesome job with the narration. He had me laughing my head off with Bob’s accent and made it easy to determine who was talking. Tegon Maus has created an interesting storyline and the missing girl is much more than she seems. Peter Anderson’s search for her leads him on a wild adventure, filled with danger and new friends.
I voluntarily reviewed a free ecopy of the audible for Bob by Tegon Maus.
See more at fundinmental
I did spend a lot of time laughing, especially with the dialogue. Jonathon Cook did an awesome job with the narration. He had me laughing my head off with Bob’s accent and made it easy to determine who was talking. Tegon Maus has created an interesting storyline and the missing girl is much more than she seems. Peter Anderson’s search for her leads him on a wild adventure, filled with danger and new friends.
I voluntarily reviewed a free ecopy of the audible for Bob by Tegon Maus.
See more at fundinmental
January 6, 2016
The star protagonist in this story is Peter Anderson. Or is he? He used to be a top reporter. Just needs that one great story to get back there. Maybe the piece about strange lights in the sky will do it for him.
It wasn’t long before I was thinking, “What about Bob?” The title is Bob. Who is Bob? I found out soon.
Peter gets his story when he discovers the girl, her hands nailed down to a table. With the help of the mysterious Bob, they rescue her, she quickly vanishes, and things go sideways.
Bob. What can I say about Bob. The easy things – he’s a Russian immigrant, now an American citizen (I think), and a taxi driver.
But there’s something fishy about Bob. He has these cousins. Different ones for different situations, from breaking and entering, to muscle, to aliens. He sure has a lot of “cousins.” And lots of connections.
Not only is Bob a mystery, so is his beat up taxi. To look at it, you’d think it was junk. That’s what Peter thinks when he gets in and the car won’t start. These two simply words from Bob, “Is Belt”, get them out of more than one sticky situation. Like Bob, the car is more than meets the eye.
When my brain wasn’t spinning trying to figure out who was what, I was laughing. There’s so much humor. Bob has some rituals that he uses repeatedly throughout the story, and they never get old. I found myself waiting for each one, and had some fits of giggles.
Aside from the humor, there’s a deep plot. It starts simply and soon develops into a fascinating mystery fraught with action and danger. There is a science fiction aspect to it, but nothing too complicated, and it adds to the intrigue.
There’s a mish mash of colorful characters to meet, plenty of humor, and lots of action and mystery. I was quickly drawn into the story and held hostage until the last page. The end makes me think more books will be coming. I sure hope so, as I’m still wondering about Bob, and…..and so many other things.
I received this book for my honest and unbiased review.
It wasn’t long before I was thinking, “What about Bob?” The title is Bob. Who is Bob? I found out soon.
Peter gets his story when he discovers the girl, her hands nailed down to a table. With the help of the mysterious Bob, they rescue her, she quickly vanishes, and things go sideways.
Bob. What can I say about Bob. The easy things – he’s a Russian immigrant, now an American citizen (I think), and a taxi driver.
But there’s something fishy about Bob. He has these cousins. Different ones for different situations, from breaking and entering, to muscle, to aliens. He sure has a lot of “cousins.” And lots of connections.
Not only is Bob a mystery, so is his beat up taxi. To look at it, you’d think it was junk. That’s what Peter thinks when he gets in and the car won’t start. These two simply words from Bob, “Is Belt”, get them out of more than one sticky situation. Like Bob, the car is more than meets the eye.
When my brain wasn’t spinning trying to figure out who was what, I was laughing. There’s so much humor. Bob has some rituals that he uses repeatedly throughout the story, and they never get old. I found myself waiting for each one, and had some fits of giggles.
Aside from the humor, there’s a deep plot. It starts simply and soon develops into a fascinating mystery fraught with action and danger. There is a science fiction aspect to it, but nothing too complicated, and it adds to the intrigue.
There’s a mish mash of colorful characters to meet, plenty of humor, and lots of action and mystery. I was quickly drawn into the story and held hostage until the last page. The end makes me think more books will be coming. I sure hope so, as I’m still wondering about Bob, and…..and so many other things.
I received this book for my honest and unbiased review.
September 1, 2017
Well tickle me pink!! This was so not what I was expecting. Having never heard of this author before, I was hesitant to start, but it was intriguing enough that I agreed to review it. And I'm so glad I did, it was such fun! Don't let the cover fool you, this is a book with such heart and soul.
I'm not going to go into much detail about the plot because there is a lot packed into such a shortish read. There's aliens, there's chocolate, there's a watch maker, there's nearly an orgy in a mall, there's a girl, there's a reporter looking for a story,there's a seemingly never ending gas tank and then there's Bob!!
You would think that Bob is our protagonist, but he's not. Peter Anderson is, he's a reporter looking for a great story to revive his career. That's how he meets Bob, and that's how he is taken on an unforgettable story that will bring Peter back to his childhood. The plot was fairly fast paced and entertaining. It held my attention throughout and was enjoyable, and that's all thanks to Bob.
Bob was awesome!! He brought some much needed levity to the story and had me sniggering a lot. He is such a memorable character too!! I don't want to say too much about him either because since I went in to the book blind, I found I loved Bob, and I think everyone should go in blind!! All I'll say about him is... "Is Belt".... "Is Ok, Bob have Cousin"!!! Also his wiggling fingers ;) Lol.
In all, a truly surprising little gem!! It was such a fun and easy book to read and I will have to check out more from this author. Seriously, go try it,....is good!!
I was impressed with Jonathan Cook's narration. He had a lot of different tones and cadences and read the story well. He gave the right infection at the right time and made it enjoyable. He did a great Bob!! His Russian accent was really good, though it did fall a few times and the quality of the recording wasn't perfectly clear, which is why he got 4 stars! Still he brought the story to life and I enjoyed his performance overall.
I was voluntarily provided this audiobook for free from the author, narrator, or publisher. This in no way affected nor influenced my thoughts.
I'm not going to go into much detail about the plot because there is a lot packed into such a shortish read. There's aliens, there's chocolate, there's a watch maker, there's nearly an orgy in a mall, there's a girl, there's a reporter looking for a story,there's a seemingly never ending gas tank and then there's Bob!!
You would think that Bob is our protagonist, but he's not. Peter Anderson is, he's a reporter looking for a great story to revive his career. That's how he meets Bob, and that's how he is taken on an unforgettable story that will bring Peter back to his childhood. The plot was fairly fast paced and entertaining. It held my attention throughout and was enjoyable, and that's all thanks to Bob.
Bob was awesome!! He brought some much needed levity to the story and had me sniggering a lot. He is such a memorable character too!! I don't want to say too much about him either because since I went in to the book blind, I found I loved Bob, and I think everyone should go in blind!! All I'll say about him is... "Is Belt".... "Is Ok, Bob have Cousin"!!! Also his wiggling fingers ;) Lol.
In all, a truly surprising little gem!! It was such a fun and easy book to read and I will have to check out more from this author. Seriously, go try it,....is good!!
I was impressed with Jonathan Cook's narration. He had a lot of different tones and cadences and read the story well. He gave the right infection at the right time and made it enjoyable. He did a great Bob!! His Russian accent was really good, though it did fall a few times and the quality of the recording wasn't perfectly clear, which is why he got 4 stars! Still he brought the story to life and I enjoyed his performance overall.
I was voluntarily provided this audiobook for free from the author, narrator, or publisher. This in no way affected nor influenced my thoughts.
January 11, 2018
My original Bob audiobook review and many others can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.
Journalist Peter Anderson is after a great story: some strange sky lights and the possible abduction of some people. But word gets out and there are some agents that want to silence Peter, and chase him and his friends.
I didn't know what to expect from this book, but it has been a great surprise. The story is nothing out of the ordinary, but it's told in a very funny way, and the characters are unique and charismatic. I especially enjoyed Bob and his multiple cousins. Curiously, Bob is not the main character in this book, Peter is, but Bob is who interconnects everybody in this story.
Bob's cousins, and Bob himself, are all very colorful characters, but I think Fred is one of my favorites. There are some hilarious scenes between Fred and Peter that would just justify reading this book.
We get an open ending, that is not my favorite thing, but I think it works well with the rest of the book. It's just a light reading so even though the ending didn't leave me thinking about it, I consider the book a success. It made me laugh out hard, and I think this was Maus' main goal.
Jonathan Cook delivered excellent and very expressive characters' interpretations, making Bob and his cousins shine. I had troubles several times though, distinguishing Peter from other characters, even female. As there are several scenes with more than two or three characters, this made the dialogs a bit confusing. I also noticed a bit more reverberation than what I am used to, and it bothered me a bit at the beginning of the audiobook, but I got used to it after a while.
I really enjoyed this book, and as I was in need of a pick me up, it was the ideal one for it: hilarious, light, and with charismatic characters.
Journalist Peter Anderson is after a great story: some strange sky lights and the possible abduction of some people. But word gets out and there are some agents that want to silence Peter, and chase him and his friends.
I didn't know what to expect from this book, but it has been a great surprise. The story is nothing out of the ordinary, but it's told in a very funny way, and the characters are unique and charismatic. I especially enjoyed Bob and his multiple cousins. Curiously, Bob is not the main character in this book, Peter is, but Bob is who interconnects everybody in this story.
Bob's cousins, and Bob himself, are all very colorful characters, but I think Fred is one of my favorites. There are some hilarious scenes between Fred and Peter that would just justify reading this book.
We get an open ending, that is not my favorite thing, but I think it works well with the rest of the book. It's just a light reading so even though the ending didn't leave me thinking about it, I consider the book a success. It made me laugh out hard, and I think this was Maus' main goal.
Jonathan Cook delivered excellent and very expressive characters' interpretations, making Bob and his cousins shine. I had troubles several times though, distinguishing Peter from other characters, even female. As there are several scenes with more than two or three characters, this made the dialogs a bit confusing. I also noticed a bit more reverberation than what I am used to, and it bothered me a bit at the beginning of the audiobook, but I got used to it after a while.
I really enjoyed this book, and as I was in need of a pick me up, it was the ideal one for it: hilarious, light, and with charismatic characters.
November 15, 2014
Peter Anderson is a reporter in a pretty desolate town, staying in a rundown hotel in Arizona. He asks for a driver to take him around and that is when Bob shows up in a rundown car. Peter doesn't hold out much hope in making it to his appointment but he makes it.
Thus begins his journey with Bob. The story he is covering takes on way more than he bargains for and there are many "roadblocks" along the way, including people who will stop at nothing to silence Peter. Peter soon finds out how good it is to have Bob with him.
'Bob' is a delightful book and a delightful character. The book is soft science fiction and can be enjoyed by readers of thrillers, action/adventure, and humor. Be sure to buckle in for this faced paced read, or as Bob would say, "Is Belt"!
Highly recommended!
Thus begins his journey with Bob. The story he is covering takes on way more than he bargains for and there are many "roadblocks" along the way, including people who will stop at nothing to silence Peter. Peter soon finds out how good it is to have Bob with him.
'Bob' is a delightful book and a delightful character. The book is soft science fiction and can be enjoyed by readers of thrillers, action/adventure, and humor. Be sure to buckle in for this faced paced read, or as Bob would say, "Is Belt"!
Highly recommended!
September 13, 2016
I’ll begin this review of the novel BOB by quickly relating that its publisher, Tirgearr Publishing, needs to hire new editors. There were multiple typos and punctuation mistakes scattered throughout the script, as well as missing punctuation in key places. While it wasn’t enough to seriously deter my enjoyment of the story itself, it was a bit distracting. And next, *this review contains major spoilers.*
That part out of the way, BOB, the novel, is a fairly quick read. At only 168 pages, this is a shorter novel, or perhaps it should be viewed more as a longer novella. I found the overall execution of the story to be lacking on several different levels, the first being that this novel introduces multiple sci-fi concepts, and readers are more or less bonked over the head with the various theories and revelations of the main character, journalist Pete Anderson, with little time for the plot line to develop or simmer properly. The various plot developments in this book are all just sort of dumped into the mix at a rate that doesn’t allow readers to revel in any single aspect long enough to fully digest it. As a result, the novel, by the mid-way point, begins to feel forced; it’s a hodge-podge of various sci-fi clichés, and not a single one offers anything new or creative.
You’ve got the reporter, Pete Anderson who used to be on top, but hasn’t had a hit story in four years, so now is being sent to investigate only fluff pieces. Of course, the latest fluff piece is some professor claiming to have undeniable proof of UFOs. For some unknown reason, Pete needs to hire a driver to take him to meet the professor, instead of just renting a car with a GPS and driving to the interview destination himself. This is where the character of Bob is introduced, a Russian-American who speaks broken English in fragmented sentences that are cutesy and funny for a short while, but soon become a bit grating, especially after a hundred pages or so. Bob is arguably the best character in the book, however. He’s likable, anyhow, and he has a LOT of cousins. He immediately befriends Pete (who ends up being referred to as Andy about halfway through the book), and glues himself loyally to him (despite being paid to drive him around). The best parts of the entire book are the repeated lines by Bob of, “Is belt”, and “Is okay, I have cousin.”
But the clichés soon begin piling up. The professor has a disk of “lights in the sky” and two women disappearing, which is supposed to be the undeniable proof of the story. Yet, Pete and Bob go back in the middle of the night to snoop in the basement of the meeting house, because Pete intuitively suspects that the professor might be hiding something. In the basement, Bob and Pete discover a woman named Emma, whose hands are nailed to a table. They rescue her, only to have her disappear into thin air inside their moving car. From there, the reader is dumped rather unceremoniously into X-Files type drama, involving meetings with abductees spouting about little gray men, being kidnapped and experimented on, probed, and implanted with tracking devices for unknown reasons.
Our reporter, Pete, discovers that he has a tracking device inside his own sinus cavity. He is taken by Bob to some kind of hypnotherapist, and Pete suddenly remembers being abducted at age twelve. Later, Emma shows up, because, SHOCK, she’s not an alien, she’s from the future, and being kidnapped by the professor has screwed up her rendezvous with fellow travelers involved in the Star Drift Project, so she needs someplace to hang out for a few days until they can all catch up to each other.
But Emma then spouts some strange story that involves the Mayan calendar and 2012 (the story is set in 2009), only the Mayans were actually marking a date in August of 2015 (the day the world as humans know it ends), since, according to Emma, that is the day that aliens make open contact with the human race. It’s not just one race, however. There are the grays (your clichéd little grey men) and another race called the Harloc (humanoid aliens with lizard skin, a.k.a. ‘V’), who steal humans to use as slave labor and then later, as a ground-up food source. And then there’s the humans, like Emma, from roughly 170 years in the future, who are “mostly tourists” simply wanting to see what the old era was like before this monumental and Mayan-predicted world change.
Except for Emma and her Star Drift team, whose job it is to identify the most diverse and healthy humans in the pre-2015 genome to implant and track for future extraction, because in the future, human beings are having difficulty getting into the mood. Females have grown scarce, and even more rare are the women who can actually achieve getting pregnant. Emma reveals that she is an “Enhancer”. Her job? She’s a hybrid human/android, with the ability to ‘enhance’ the sexual experience of humans in the future who just can’t seem to figure out how to court, flirt, enact proper foreplay, or procreate, without her ‘help’.
In a scene reminiscent of a Roswell episode, Emma has an adverse reaction to chocolate, and loses control of her powers inside a mall filled with people. The ensuing scene involves all the innocent shoppers around Emma and Pete, who immediately grab the closest stranger, strip naked, and have an orgy. Conveniently, the mall contains only adults, no brothers and sisters, or (double THANK GOD) fathers and daughters, or mothers and sons. How that scene was explained on the nightly news is never mentioned, as Pete rushes Emma away, and she directs him to a watch repair shop, run by a man named Tobias, who is also from the future. There are other aliens inside of tanks, for some unknown reason or purpose. Tobias saves Emma’s life from the nearly fatal overdose on chocolate, which he explains “short-circuited her wiring” in some strange fashion.
Meanwhile, a kiss that Emma and Pete shared during the mall fiasco is apparently enough to adequately pass off as the two ‘falling in love’. Emma is eventually found in Pete’s apartment and whisked away by MIBs. They tell Pete that Emma is actually an escaped mental patient with heavy delusions, but Pete isn’t going to fall for that, since he’s already seen enough to know that aliens are real. Anyways, turns out that the professor kidnapped Emma because he wanted to trade with the Harloc for one of their spaceships, so he will finally have the undeniable proof that aliens exist.
By the end of the story, Pete, Bob, Tobias and ‘Shi-La’ (an androgynous alien from one of the tanks in Tobias’s watch shop) go to a shack in the woods to rescue Emma. Here, the story becomes a jumbled and confusing mess. The lizard-skinned Harloc are there, and the human/android people from the future, plus regular humans from the current time, as well as modern government MIBs, grays, and some other unknown ship. The professor is there, and so is Emma, held prisoner.
Anyhow, a big, intergalactic shootout ensues, with bullets, lasers, and other alien gun-weapon-things, lots of people/aliens/androids get killed. The professor gets shot and lets go of Emma, and we finally learn why she was nailed to the table at the beginning. She makes some sort of purplish ball of light with her hands and lets it go, and it takes every single Harloc out, by zooming around and through them all, leaving gaping three-foot holes in all their chests. Not only is Emma an Enhancer, she’s got mad killing skills.
Bob stops Pete from running to get Emma off the shack’s porch, because there are more things shooting at each other, and now something from a ship hovering above them all is shooting laser-bullet-things down from the sky. Pete goes down, and Bob retrieves Emma instead. Emma, Bob and Shi-La, along with Tobias, all disappear into some green fog, ahead of Pete, who gets hit over the head by an unknown person or thing.
The immediate next sentence, Pete picks up where he left off, re-telling this entire story to his psychiatrist for the umpteenth time over the last two years… Huh? Yep, the story inexplicably jumps, right on the last page, to confuse the reader, with no warning. Two paragraphs later, some dude named Dr. Boyd reveals that he is on Mr. Anderson’s side, and gives Pete proof that he not only believes him, but is in touch with Emma and Bob. For whatever reason, they had to leave him behind, in a nut-house for two years, but they’ll be coming to get him ‘soon’.
And BAM, the story simply ends there. The last two pages of the book are extremely jarring and disjointed, and the rest of the plot is thrown together and dumped on the reader far too quickly, when the various developments should have been given more time to reveal themselves (through Pete’s handy-dandy investigative journalism skills), so that readers could digest each, separate new sci-fi mechanism in its own turn.
Perhaps if readers were given more time for the separate pieces to come together in a more natural flow of events, things wouldn’t have felt so forced and artificial, but in BOB, that is not the case, and that’s a shame, because the story doesn’t feel like it ever had the chance to naturally develop and take readers along for the ride. There’s no showing in this book, only telling, and far too much of it, like having ten different episodes from one season of The Outer Limits played simultaneously.
It’s just too much, too fast, and not nearly enough character or relationship development in between. There IS no in between. Therefore, what could have been a much better read, becomes a story that simply wasn’t executed properly. It would have also been nice if some new concepts had been introduced, or at least a new spin on some old concepts, but that also is not the case here. But if you like sci-fi, you probably will still enjoy this read.
After all, I have seen every episode of The Outer Limits at least three times. It’s still a fun read. And Bob is an enjoyable character. However, everything, including the ending, feels only half-finished, utterly hollow and incomplete, and ultimately unsatisfying. But, if you do find yourself in the mood for a shallow sci-fi romp that can be read in only one or two evenings, you might still want to pick this one up. I can’t fully recommend this book, but I can’t condemn it, either. The book isn’t bad, and despite feeling rushed and crowded, the writing is still competent. If you like science fiction, you’ll probably still enjoy this story enough to justify the couple of afternoons or evenings spent reading it.
That part out of the way, BOB, the novel, is a fairly quick read. At only 168 pages, this is a shorter novel, or perhaps it should be viewed more as a longer novella. I found the overall execution of the story to be lacking on several different levels, the first being that this novel introduces multiple sci-fi concepts, and readers are more or less bonked over the head with the various theories and revelations of the main character, journalist Pete Anderson, with little time for the plot line to develop or simmer properly. The various plot developments in this book are all just sort of dumped into the mix at a rate that doesn’t allow readers to revel in any single aspect long enough to fully digest it. As a result, the novel, by the mid-way point, begins to feel forced; it’s a hodge-podge of various sci-fi clichés, and not a single one offers anything new or creative.
You’ve got the reporter, Pete Anderson who used to be on top, but hasn’t had a hit story in four years, so now is being sent to investigate only fluff pieces. Of course, the latest fluff piece is some professor claiming to have undeniable proof of UFOs. For some unknown reason, Pete needs to hire a driver to take him to meet the professor, instead of just renting a car with a GPS and driving to the interview destination himself. This is where the character of Bob is introduced, a Russian-American who speaks broken English in fragmented sentences that are cutesy and funny for a short while, but soon become a bit grating, especially after a hundred pages or so. Bob is arguably the best character in the book, however. He’s likable, anyhow, and he has a LOT of cousins. He immediately befriends Pete (who ends up being referred to as Andy about halfway through the book), and glues himself loyally to him (despite being paid to drive him around). The best parts of the entire book are the repeated lines by Bob of, “Is belt”, and “Is okay, I have cousin.”
But the clichés soon begin piling up. The professor has a disk of “lights in the sky” and two women disappearing, which is supposed to be the undeniable proof of the story. Yet, Pete and Bob go back in the middle of the night to snoop in the basement of the meeting house, because Pete intuitively suspects that the professor might be hiding something. In the basement, Bob and Pete discover a woman named Emma, whose hands are nailed to a table. They rescue her, only to have her disappear into thin air inside their moving car. From there, the reader is dumped rather unceremoniously into X-Files type drama, involving meetings with abductees spouting about little gray men, being kidnapped and experimented on, probed, and implanted with tracking devices for unknown reasons.
Our reporter, Pete, discovers that he has a tracking device inside his own sinus cavity. He is taken by Bob to some kind of hypnotherapist, and Pete suddenly remembers being abducted at age twelve. Later, Emma shows up, because, SHOCK, she’s not an alien, she’s from the future, and being kidnapped by the professor has screwed up her rendezvous with fellow travelers involved in the Star Drift Project, so she needs someplace to hang out for a few days until they can all catch up to each other.
But Emma then spouts some strange story that involves the Mayan calendar and 2012 (the story is set in 2009), only the Mayans were actually marking a date in August of 2015 (the day the world as humans know it ends), since, according to Emma, that is the day that aliens make open contact with the human race. It’s not just one race, however. There are the grays (your clichéd little grey men) and another race called the Harloc (humanoid aliens with lizard skin, a.k.a. ‘V’), who steal humans to use as slave labor and then later, as a ground-up food source. And then there’s the humans, like Emma, from roughly 170 years in the future, who are “mostly tourists” simply wanting to see what the old era was like before this monumental and Mayan-predicted world change.
Except for Emma and her Star Drift team, whose job it is to identify the most diverse and healthy humans in the pre-2015 genome to implant and track for future extraction, because in the future, human beings are having difficulty getting into the mood. Females have grown scarce, and even more rare are the women who can actually achieve getting pregnant. Emma reveals that she is an “Enhancer”. Her job? She’s a hybrid human/android, with the ability to ‘enhance’ the sexual experience of humans in the future who just can’t seem to figure out how to court, flirt, enact proper foreplay, or procreate, without her ‘help’.
In a scene reminiscent of a Roswell episode, Emma has an adverse reaction to chocolate, and loses control of her powers inside a mall filled with people. The ensuing scene involves all the innocent shoppers around Emma and Pete, who immediately grab the closest stranger, strip naked, and have an orgy. Conveniently, the mall contains only adults, no brothers and sisters, or (double THANK GOD) fathers and daughters, or mothers and sons. How that scene was explained on the nightly news is never mentioned, as Pete rushes Emma away, and she directs him to a watch repair shop, run by a man named Tobias, who is also from the future. There are other aliens inside of tanks, for some unknown reason or purpose. Tobias saves Emma’s life from the nearly fatal overdose on chocolate, which he explains “short-circuited her wiring” in some strange fashion.
Meanwhile, a kiss that Emma and Pete shared during the mall fiasco is apparently enough to adequately pass off as the two ‘falling in love’. Emma is eventually found in Pete’s apartment and whisked away by MIBs. They tell Pete that Emma is actually an escaped mental patient with heavy delusions, but Pete isn’t going to fall for that, since he’s already seen enough to know that aliens are real. Anyways, turns out that the professor kidnapped Emma because he wanted to trade with the Harloc for one of their spaceships, so he will finally have the undeniable proof that aliens exist.
By the end of the story, Pete, Bob, Tobias and ‘Shi-La’ (an androgynous alien from one of the tanks in Tobias’s watch shop) go to a shack in the woods to rescue Emma. Here, the story becomes a jumbled and confusing mess. The lizard-skinned Harloc are there, and the human/android people from the future, plus regular humans from the current time, as well as modern government MIBs, grays, and some other unknown ship. The professor is there, and so is Emma, held prisoner.
Anyhow, a big, intergalactic shootout ensues, with bullets, lasers, and other alien gun-weapon-things, lots of people/aliens/androids get killed. The professor gets shot and lets go of Emma, and we finally learn why she was nailed to the table at the beginning. She makes some sort of purplish ball of light with her hands and lets it go, and it takes every single Harloc out, by zooming around and through them all, leaving gaping three-foot holes in all their chests. Not only is Emma an Enhancer, she’s got mad killing skills.
Bob stops Pete from running to get Emma off the shack’s porch, because there are more things shooting at each other, and now something from a ship hovering above them all is shooting laser-bullet-things down from the sky. Pete goes down, and Bob retrieves Emma instead. Emma, Bob and Shi-La, along with Tobias, all disappear into some green fog, ahead of Pete, who gets hit over the head by an unknown person or thing.
The immediate next sentence, Pete picks up where he left off, re-telling this entire story to his psychiatrist for the umpteenth time over the last two years… Huh? Yep, the story inexplicably jumps, right on the last page, to confuse the reader, with no warning. Two paragraphs later, some dude named Dr. Boyd reveals that he is on Mr. Anderson’s side, and gives Pete proof that he not only believes him, but is in touch with Emma and Bob. For whatever reason, they had to leave him behind, in a nut-house for two years, but they’ll be coming to get him ‘soon’.
And BAM, the story simply ends there. The last two pages of the book are extremely jarring and disjointed, and the rest of the plot is thrown together and dumped on the reader far too quickly, when the various developments should have been given more time to reveal themselves (through Pete’s handy-dandy investigative journalism skills), so that readers could digest each, separate new sci-fi mechanism in its own turn.
Perhaps if readers were given more time for the separate pieces to come together in a more natural flow of events, things wouldn’t have felt so forced and artificial, but in BOB, that is not the case, and that’s a shame, because the story doesn’t feel like it ever had the chance to naturally develop and take readers along for the ride. There’s no showing in this book, only telling, and far too much of it, like having ten different episodes from one season of The Outer Limits played simultaneously.
It’s just too much, too fast, and not nearly enough character or relationship development in between. There IS no in between. Therefore, what could have been a much better read, becomes a story that simply wasn’t executed properly. It would have also been nice if some new concepts had been introduced, or at least a new spin on some old concepts, but that also is not the case here. But if you like sci-fi, you probably will still enjoy this read.
After all, I have seen every episode of The Outer Limits at least three times. It’s still a fun read. And Bob is an enjoyable character. However, everything, including the ending, feels only half-finished, utterly hollow and incomplete, and ultimately unsatisfying. But, if you do find yourself in the mood for a shallow sci-fi romp that can be read in only one or two evenings, you might still want to pick this one up. I can’t fully recommend this book, but I can’t condemn it, either. The book isn’t bad, and despite feeling rushed and crowded, the writing is still competent. If you like science fiction, you’ll probably still enjoy this story enough to justify the couple of afternoons or evenings spent reading it.
July 10, 2018
This is the first book I have read from this author and she blew me away. I have not read a good Science Fiction in a long time. I fell in love with this talented author’s writing style right away. I was in shock how much this book made me think. The title of this book didn’t grab my attention but I’m so glad I read it. I could not put this book down until the end. It only took me a day to devour this incredible story.
Peter Anderson is in his late twenties and he loves his job. He is a newspaper reporter for a very well known paper. Peter loves his job so much he has no love life. He is told one day at work that he needs to find a great story or he will have to look for another job. Peter leaves to follow an up and coming story in Arizona. He then finds this beautiful young woman that has been held against her will for a long time. Peter is shocked when this woman just disappears. It is now his mission to find her. His search takes him back to the night sky in Arizona. Peter knows only one thing that was told by his friend Is Belt. He now has more questions than answers. Will Peter find this woman or will he find something else that it out of this world?
I absolutely loved this book. The storyline has it all humor, suspense, mystery, and with a little bit of Sci-Fi. You will fall in love with these characters right from the start. Peter is a good guy that loves his job. He will do anything to get the best story he can. There are other characters that make this story come to life. My favorite was Bob. He had a great sense of humor that made me laugh. This talented author will have you at the edge of your seat until the very end. I can’t wait to see what this author will write next.
Peter Anderson is in his late twenties and he loves his job. He is a newspaper reporter for a very well known paper. Peter loves his job so much he has no love life. He is told one day at work that he needs to find a great story or he will have to look for another job. Peter leaves to follow an up and coming story in Arizona. He then finds this beautiful young woman that has been held against her will for a long time. Peter is shocked when this woman just disappears. It is now his mission to find her. His search takes him back to the night sky in Arizona. Peter knows only one thing that was told by his friend Is Belt. He now has more questions than answers. Will Peter find this woman or will he find something else that it out of this world?
I absolutely loved this book. The storyline has it all humor, suspense, mystery, and with a little bit of Sci-Fi. You will fall in love with these characters right from the start. Peter is a good guy that loves his job. He will do anything to get the best story he can. There are other characters that make this story come to life. My favorite was Bob. He had a great sense of humor that made me laugh. This talented author will have you at the edge of your seat until the very end. I can’t wait to see what this author will write next.
November 19, 2015
I love Tegon Maus' writing.
Mainstream fiction has not been my thing since I was probably twelve years old. I'm not saying that to be sound superior--I just don't find much of it enjoyable. At a certain point, the formulas and cliches, to say nothing of the language itself, becomes tiresome--it's safe, by-the-numbers writing that is often good but fails to excite the reader.
So what is it about Tegon Maus that I so enjoy? His novels are quite clearly mainstream works intended for a mass audience, and his storylines are frequently the kind I roll my eyes at. So why? Why did I leap at the opportunity to read more of his work? Why did I go out and purchase a copy of Bob immediately after finishing Service Before Self? Why did I invest the time to read the first book in a series when I know--more often than not--it'll be a disappointment, nothing more than a setup for the next book in the series?
And, most importantly, why the hell was I grinning like a twelve-year-old sneaking his first glimpse at a Playboy?
And now for Bob. Let's get this out of the way: Bob is the epitome of a Tegon Maus novel. It is everything I have come to expect from the author, all polished to perfection and presented with a sparkle in his eye and a sly wink.
From the dust jacket: "After 27 years as a newspaper man, Peter Anderson’s career is slipping away, at least it was, until he stumbled upon the story of a lifetime. Sent to do a fluff piece about lights in the night sky over Arizona, he discovers far more than he ever expected when he comes upon a mysterious young woman held prisoner in a basement. After helping her to escape, she disappears before he can learn the truth about who she is or where she came from. His search for her leads him back to the lights in the sky and leaves him with more questions than answers. The only thing he knows for certain . . . the only thing he can count on are the two words offered repeatedly by his friend and guide . . . 'IS BELT.'"
And that, dear readers, doesn't even begin to touch on the level of absurdity in this novel. We have a car with a supernatural sense of safety for its occupants. We have a man of many, many cousins. We have a woman who nearly gets off when she eats eggs for the first time. And we have, just for good measure, a mall orgy. Seriously.
The novel is a cornucopia of absurd moments and situations, and once again, the delight is in knowing that with every new page will come a new absurdity. And the glee with which Maus writes shines throughout. This is an author deeply invested in his audience. He has asked for our time and money, and in return he not only tells us an enjoyable story but tells it in such a way that we lose ourselves in the novel.
Giving too many details would be spoiling the novel, so I'm going to stop here. In terms of flaws... well... it's dialogue-heavy, if you still consider that a flaw. Other than that, it's about as good a mainstream book as I've ever read.
Who knew the first novel I'd officially give 5 stars to would be a mainstream novel about UFOs and a weird dude named Bob? But I do hereby give Bob by Tegon Maus 5 out of 5 stars. Utterly fantastic.
Mainstream fiction has not been my thing since I was probably twelve years old. I'm not saying that to be sound superior--I just don't find much of it enjoyable. At a certain point, the formulas and cliches, to say nothing of the language itself, becomes tiresome--it's safe, by-the-numbers writing that is often good but fails to excite the reader.
So what is it about Tegon Maus that I so enjoy? His novels are quite clearly mainstream works intended for a mass audience, and his storylines are frequently the kind I roll my eyes at. So why? Why did I leap at the opportunity to read more of his work? Why did I go out and purchase a copy of Bob immediately after finishing Service Before Self? Why did I invest the time to read the first book in a series when I know--more often than not--it'll be a disappointment, nothing more than a setup for the next book in the series?
And, most importantly, why the hell was I grinning like a twelve-year-old sneaking his first glimpse at a Playboy?
And now for Bob. Let's get this out of the way: Bob is the epitome of a Tegon Maus novel. It is everything I have come to expect from the author, all polished to perfection and presented with a sparkle in his eye and a sly wink.
From the dust jacket: "After 27 years as a newspaper man, Peter Anderson’s career is slipping away, at least it was, until he stumbled upon the story of a lifetime. Sent to do a fluff piece about lights in the night sky over Arizona, he discovers far more than he ever expected when he comes upon a mysterious young woman held prisoner in a basement. After helping her to escape, she disappears before he can learn the truth about who she is or where she came from. His search for her leads him back to the lights in the sky and leaves him with more questions than answers. The only thing he knows for certain . . . the only thing he can count on are the two words offered repeatedly by his friend and guide . . . 'IS BELT.'"
And that, dear readers, doesn't even begin to touch on the level of absurdity in this novel. We have a car with a supernatural sense of safety for its occupants. We have a man of many, many cousins. We have a woman who nearly gets off when she eats eggs for the first time. And we have, just for good measure, a mall orgy. Seriously.
The novel is a cornucopia of absurd moments and situations, and once again, the delight is in knowing that with every new page will come a new absurdity. And the glee with which Maus writes shines throughout. This is an author deeply invested in his audience. He has asked for our time and money, and in return he not only tells us an enjoyable story but tells it in such a way that we lose ourselves in the novel.
Giving too many details would be spoiling the novel, so I'm going to stop here. In terms of flaws... well... it's dialogue-heavy, if you still consider that a flaw. Other than that, it's about as good a mainstream book as I've ever read.
Who knew the first novel I'd officially give 5 stars to would be a mainstream novel about UFOs and a weird dude named Bob? But I do hereby give Bob by Tegon Maus 5 out of 5 stars. Utterly fantastic.
October 14, 2015
"Bob" is the first work I have read by author Tegon Maus. It is a stand-alone soft sci-fi novel, presented from the first person point of view of Peter Anderson, a journalist, using a linear timeline.
If you like complex science fiction, full of mind boggling concepts and terms, as well as long convoluted explanations and descriptions, be warned this is not that type of book.
The storyline is simple and complex at the same time; the science fiction concepts are there in force but they are not overbearing. Tegon Maus has the ability to present it all in a manner that is very easy to deal with, and with a good dose of humour which permeates the entire adventure. And this is most definitely an adventure - right from the very beginning it is pretty much non-stop action, with twists, turns and a plethora of zany, very vivid and individual characters. Of course the star player is Dimitri Rurik Petrova, a.k.a. Bob. He is truly something special -- but you will have to read the book and find out for yourselves!
At 168 pages, Bob is a quick read; the most surprising part for me was just how much it entertained me and made me smile! I cannot think of a single reason why someone may not enjoy this story.
I suppose the one comment I might have is that you can pretty much play a drinking game based on the word "dully", and at times I felt that the term "duly" would have been more appropriate.
I also think that the author knows more than he is letting on about Bob and some of the other characters (Emma and Tobias in particular) and that a sequel should be in order (please, Mr Maus...), as by the end of this novel we are still none the wiser about who they really are, and I certainly would like to discover more!
[ARC received via Reading Addiction Virtual Book Tours]
BooksChatter
If you like complex science fiction, full of mind boggling concepts and terms, as well as long convoluted explanations and descriptions, be warned this is not that type of book.
The storyline is simple and complex at the same time; the science fiction concepts are there in force but they are not overbearing. Tegon Maus has the ability to present it all in a manner that is very easy to deal with, and with a good dose of humour which permeates the entire adventure. And this is most definitely an adventure - right from the very beginning it is pretty much non-stop action, with twists, turns and a plethora of zany, very vivid and individual characters. Of course the star player is Dimitri Rurik Petrova, a.k.a. Bob. He is truly something special -- but you will have to read the book and find out for yourselves!
At 168 pages, Bob is a quick read; the most surprising part for me was just how much it entertained me and made me smile! I cannot think of a single reason why someone may not enjoy this story.
I suppose the one comment I might have is that you can pretty much play a drinking game based on the word "dully", and at times I felt that the term "duly" would have been more appropriate.
I also think that the author knows more than he is letting on about Bob and some of the other characters (Emma and Tobias in particular) and that a sequel should be in order (please, Mr Maus...), as by the end of this novel we are still none the wiser about who they really are, and I certainly would like to discover more!
[ARC received via Reading Addiction Virtual Book Tours]
BooksChatter
February 16, 2016
Bob is a modern day SciFi story. Set in contemporary Arizona, the plot delivers both dramatic alien and human encounters against the backdrop of a truth-seeking reporter who discovers more than just a good story.
Bob is great, when you meet him you will simultaneously want to run away from him and use him as a shield to ward off evil. I believe everyone should have a Bob in their lives, especially any intrepid reporters who will relentlessly pursue a story against the odds. You are drawn into the action in the same way as Bob drives his 1987 Lincoln and I would recommend buckling up before reading this book.
If you have watched the X-Files you will quickly grasp the references to aliens and ‘greys’ but this book, unlike the TV series, is much more conclusive in revealing the conspiracy. The pace of the book is fast, keeping the reader fully involved in uncovering the mystery and at times you wonder if Peter Anderson has time to draw a breath before the next onslaught.
Sprinkled throughout the book are some great, throwaway, humorous references such as the AC/DC track playing during Peter’s first car journey with Bob and jokes about mistrusting the Government from Thorpe. As the story develops and characters are introduced, the pressure builds on Mr Anderson to quit and although you know he is struggling, you are willing him to keep on chasing the truth.
Even though I came to expect the silent request for money communicated via a hand gesture, I enjoyed the banter of the relationship between Peter and Bob. They save each other’s lives and develop a mutual respect. Their relationship is the soul of this book - the author left me wanting to know more about Bob (and his numerous cousins).
I reviewed this book as part of Rosie Amber's book review team.
Bob is great, when you meet him you will simultaneously want to run away from him and use him as a shield to ward off evil. I believe everyone should have a Bob in their lives, especially any intrepid reporters who will relentlessly pursue a story against the odds. You are drawn into the action in the same way as Bob drives his 1987 Lincoln and I would recommend buckling up before reading this book.
If you have watched the X-Files you will quickly grasp the references to aliens and ‘greys’ but this book, unlike the TV series, is much more conclusive in revealing the conspiracy. The pace of the book is fast, keeping the reader fully involved in uncovering the mystery and at times you wonder if Peter Anderson has time to draw a breath before the next onslaught.
Sprinkled throughout the book are some great, throwaway, humorous references such as the AC/DC track playing during Peter’s first car journey with Bob and jokes about mistrusting the Government from Thorpe. As the story develops and characters are introduced, the pressure builds on Mr Anderson to quit and although you know he is struggling, you are willing him to keep on chasing the truth.
Even though I came to expect the silent request for money communicated via a hand gesture, I enjoyed the banter of the relationship between Peter and Bob. They save each other’s lives and develop a mutual respect. Their relationship is the soul of this book - the author left me wanting to know more about Bob (and his numerous cousins).
I reviewed this book as part of Rosie Amber's book review team.
September 23, 2014
Great Science-fiction Story.
After twenty seven years in the business, who wouldn’t want an exclusive story, especially when “It’s the BIG one?” The one which answers questions which has been asked my millions.
“Are there really aliens out there, and have they ever visited Earth?”
Well, journalist Peter Anderson is given the opportunity to find the answers to these questions, a journalists dream. However first he must travel to Payson, Arizona and interview Professor Donald Thorpe, luckily the doorman at the hotel has a ‘friend’ who can drive him. Meet Dimitri Rurik Petrova otherwise known as Bob!
The Professor says he has proof that the lights in the sky are real, and, what Peter sees that day, changes his life forever.
Soon, Peter and Bob find themselves rescuing Emma, a beautiful woman they discover being horribly tortured in a basement.
Then the fun begins as we discover the answers to many questions. If you’ve always wondered about those lights in the desert, if little green men have visited earth, and if spaceships exist the answers could be here….
Whether or not you believe the outcome, there is no denying that you will have great fun reading this very enjoyable science fiction story. It has all the essential components, good characters, a great plot and plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing, right up until the end.
Oh, and mustn’t forget to mention Bob’s numerous cousins, without whom this story couldn’t have been written.
After twenty seven years in the business, who wouldn’t want an exclusive story, especially when “It’s the BIG one?” The one which answers questions which has been asked my millions.
“Are there really aliens out there, and have they ever visited Earth?”
Well, journalist Peter Anderson is given the opportunity to find the answers to these questions, a journalists dream. However first he must travel to Payson, Arizona and interview Professor Donald Thorpe, luckily the doorman at the hotel has a ‘friend’ who can drive him. Meet Dimitri Rurik Petrova otherwise known as Bob!
The Professor says he has proof that the lights in the sky are real, and, what Peter sees that day, changes his life forever.
Soon, Peter and Bob find themselves rescuing Emma, a beautiful woman they discover being horribly tortured in a basement.
Then the fun begins as we discover the answers to many questions. If you’ve always wondered about those lights in the desert, if little green men have visited earth, and if spaceships exist the answers could be here….
Whether or not you believe the outcome, there is no denying that you will have great fun reading this very enjoyable science fiction story. It has all the essential components, good characters, a great plot and plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing, right up until the end.
Oh, and mustn’t forget to mention Bob’s numerous cousins, without whom this story couldn’t have been written.
February 18, 2016
It’s been quite a few years since I read a sci-fi novel and I was looking forward to getting my extra-terrestrial teeth into reading Tegan Maus’s, BOB.
We are introduced to main character and journalist, Peter Anderson as he is bundled into a car with a large Russian called Bob. You get a good sense of Peter’s angst at being driven around town at high speed by this unusual character. Maus opts to write Bob’s dialogue with a Russian accent. In my head, I was rolling over the speech as if I was a member of the KGB. After a while, it did start to slow my reading down as I tried to ‘get into character’. Fortunately, Bob is a fun chap to read about, although he remains a mystery for the most part. I did begin to chuckle at the ‘Bob have cousin’ line.
Any sci-fi fan holds out hope that aliens are real, and Maus uses this to great effect in his book by portraying the other-worldly visitors as ‘human-like’. Emma is a complex character who finds a place in Peter’s heart, but is this the real thing or just an illusion?
The storyline is quite complex but full of action, humour, government conspiracies, and suspense. I had to re-read a couple of sections as I did get lost occasionally.
All in all, Bob was an enjoyable read.
I received an copy of BOB in exchange for an honest review via Rosie’s Book Review Team #RBRT and rated this book 3.5 stars.
We are introduced to main character and journalist, Peter Anderson as he is bundled into a car with a large Russian called Bob. You get a good sense of Peter’s angst at being driven around town at high speed by this unusual character. Maus opts to write Bob’s dialogue with a Russian accent. In my head, I was rolling over the speech as if I was a member of the KGB. After a while, it did start to slow my reading down as I tried to ‘get into character’. Fortunately, Bob is a fun chap to read about, although he remains a mystery for the most part. I did begin to chuckle at the ‘Bob have cousin’ line.
Any sci-fi fan holds out hope that aliens are real, and Maus uses this to great effect in his book by portraying the other-worldly visitors as ‘human-like’. Emma is a complex character who finds a place in Peter’s heart, but is this the real thing or just an illusion?
The storyline is quite complex but full of action, humour, government conspiracies, and suspense. I had to re-read a couple of sections as I did get lost occasionally.
All in all, Bob was an enjoyable read.
I received an copy of BOB in exchange for an honest review via Rosie’s Book Review Team #RBRT and rated this book 3.5 stars.
November 13, 2014
I received an ecopy of this book free for an honest review which I've given. This review originally appeared on my blog Christy's Cozy Corners.
I love Bob! And I love Bob. Both the character and the book left me wishing for more. Bob, the character is great. His character had me cracking up for most of the book. Not that Bob is trying to be funny. It's just that he is. And Bob the book is better because of Bob the character.
When the newspaper sends Pete to investigate a UFO sighting, little does he know what lies ahead. He figures the trip will be a bust and his career will be over, but he's got to go. It's an assignment. When Pete needs a ride to his assignment, the hotel hooks him up with Bob. Thank goodness they do because Bob has the "connections" that Pete is going to need throughout this assignment. Whenever a problem arises, Bob tells Pete not to worry....he's "got cousin."
This book is great. You will be both laughing during and enthralled by the story. The characters are perfectly written and the dialog is wonderful. The way the story flows keeps you reading quickly and you'll find yourself at the end of Bob way too soon. The story is a must read for any sci-fi lovers, but even if you aren't a sci-fi person, you'll enjoy the story....mostly because of Bob.
I love Bob! And I love Bob. Both the character and the book left me wishing for more. Bob, the character is great. His character had me cracking up for most of the book. Not that Bob is trying to be funny. It's just that he is. And Bob the book is better because of Bob the character.
When the newspaper sends Pete to investigate a UFO sighting, little does he know what lies ahead. He figures the trip will be a bust and his career will be over, but he's got to go. It's an assignment. When Pete needs a ride to his assignment, the hotel hooks him up with Bob. Thank goodness they do because Bob has the "connections" that Pete is going to need throughout this assignment. Whenever a problem arises, Bob tells Pete not to worry....he's "got cousin."
This book is great. You will be both laughing during and enthralled by the story. The characters are perfectly written and the dialog is wonderful. The way the story flows keeps you reading quickly and you'll find yourself at the end of Bob way too soon. The story is a must read for any sci-fi lovers, but even if you aren't a sci-fi person, you'll enjoy the story....mostly because of Bob.
April 19, 2019
What a rush! Three Stooges meets The 5th Element. And throw in some Back to the Future I, II, and III. It’s one thing after another when BOB and “Andy” get together. The story kept me guessing more than, perhaps, any other novel I’ve ever read! And in fantastically fun, sometimes extraterrestrially jarring and/or just plain weird, or all-out insanely creative ways, the author managed to surprise and SHOCK my imagination. I thought my brain was going to blow out the top of my head from the vivid imagery! I had been bolted to, no less, an earthquake!
If you like a tale that has a bit of everything, then this one is for you. If you like fun science-fiction, sexy ladies and strange aliens, and a strange possible future, and the outlook from it, back to now, written by wielding clever perspectives that teeter-totter between downright hilarious and plausibly possible, then this story is for you!
There’s the cliche “Grays,” those skinny and short aliens with large eyes, but you won’t find a single other platitude in *this* adventure. There’s mall fiascos that’ll make your face a red-hot chili-pepper—and BOB, with his borderline absurd accent, and all of his ‘cousins,’ and Peter “Andy” Anderson, who the story is centered around. Andy is basically normal guy, who’s entering a madhouse, a nonstop, quixotic, ludicrous, even a *chimerical* concatenation of events! (Yes, I actually said chimerical—you’ll see). And of course, there’s the one and only…awesome Emma. She is my favorite. She’s beautiful and smart, but ignorant; well, partly, because of where she’s from. And she has quite the power, too, being from ____ (don’t want to spoil it). But, I will teeter the line a tad: being an ‘enchancer’ allows for that great shopping-mall fun I spilled the beans about earlier (yet still, not telling you what actually happened). And Emma’s curious about her ‘trip’ to the ____(still not spoiling it!); it’s a chance to, as the author put it, “witness the orgy of commercialism.” HA! I loved that one! Describes our ‘now’ perfectly and hilariously, and the book is filled dozens of clever quips, just like that one.
BOB puts a clever new spin on the concept of time travel (just that, that’s all you’re gettin’), which is what drew me in to reading it in the first place (so, you already knew).
The writer has a unique style of writing that, I must admit, took me some time to get used to, but once I got to about 40% in, I found myself unable to put the book down. Warning, though, spontaneous laughter may occur as the clothes come off in this fantastical, fun, and out-of-this-world chronicle. With Bob behind the wheel, Andy in the back seat, Emma causing havoc across both seats, and as if they’d swallowed a gallon of oysters each, the aphrodisiac kicks in hard. So, quickly head to the secret ‘watch-repair’ shop, into other dimensions and exotically more, with some of the coolest and craziest people you’ll ever meet.
Yep, new characters are introduced almost continually, and continually they dazzle the imagination. And there’s the author’s wonderfully colorful, ingenious descriptions. Reading BOB is running up the stairwell, sometimes creeping up one step, sometimes three at a time, sometimes double even that or rocket-ship speed, and never knowing what’s going to pop out and get you as you round each corner. Five stars solid! Three for FUN, FUN, and more FABULOUS FUN. One for clever twists and turns. And finally, one star for the diverse and entertaining medley of cool characters, who surely jolted this story into a category of its own. Don’t pass on BOB, but maybe, pass on the chocolates…
If you like a tale that has a bit of everything, then this one is for you. If you like fun science-fiction, sexy ladies and strange aliens, and a strange possible future, and the outlook from it, back to now, written by wielding clever perspectives that teeter-totter between downright hilarious and plausibly possible, then this story is for you!
There’s the cliche “Grays,” those skinny and short aliens with large eyes, but you won’t find a single other platitude in *this* adventure. There’s mall fiascos that’ll make your face a red-hot chili-pepper—and BOB, with his borderline absurd accent, and all of his ‘cousins,’ and Peter “Andy” Anderson, who the story is centered around. Andy is basically normal guy, who’s entering a madhouse, a nonstop, quixotic, ludicrous, even a *chimerical* concatenation of events! (Yes, I actually said chimerical—you’ll see). And of course, there’s the one and only…awesome Emma. She is my favorite. She’s beautiful and smart, but ignorant; well, partly, because of where she’s from. And she has quite the power, too, being from ____ (don’t want to spoil it). But, I will teeter the line a tad: being an ‘enchancer’ allows for that great shopping-mall fun I spilled the beans about earlier (yet still, not telling you what actually happened). And Emma’s curious about her ‘trip’ to the ____(still not spoiling it!); it’s a chance to, as the author put it, “witness the orgy of commercialism.” HA! I loved that one! Describes our ‘now’ perfectly and hilariously, and the book is filled dozens of clever quips, just like that one.
BOB puts a clever new spin on the concept of time travel (just that, that’s all you’re gettin’), which is what drew me in to reading it in the first place (so, you already knew).
The writer has a unique style of writing that, I must admit, took me some time to get used to, but once I got to about 40% in, I found myself unable to put the book down. Warning, though, spontaneous laughter may occur as the clothes come off in this fantastical, fun, and out-of-this-world chronicle. With Bob behind the wheel, Andy in the back seat, Emma causing havoc across both seats, and as if they’d swallowed a gallon of oysters each, the aphrodisiac kicks in hard. So, quickly head to the secret ‘watch-repair’ shop, into other dimensions and exotically more, with some of the coolest and craziest people you’ll ever meet.
Yep, new characters are introduced almost continually, and continually they dazzle the imagination. And there’s the author’s wonderfully colorful, ingenious descriptions. Reading BOB is running up the stairwell, sometimes creeping up one step, sometimes three at a time, sometimes double even that or rocket-ship speed, and never knowing what’s going to pop out and get you as you round each corner. Five stars solid! Three for FUN, FUN, and more FABULOUS FUN. One for clever twists and turns. And finally, one star for the diverse and entertaining medley of cool characters, who surely jolted this story into a category of its own. Don’t pass on BOB, but maybe, pass on the chocolates…
June 27, 2018
Bob
By: Tegon Maus
5 out of 5 stars
The story Bob by Tegon Maus is a science fiction/fantasy book. It is the first story that I have read by the author and I truly enjoyed it. It has action, danger, and mystery. It is a book that has a storyline that grabbed my attention from the very beginning and has me turning pages to find out what happened next. Not only is the story wonderful I also loved the characters that you are introduced to. Peter Anderson is a character that is finding that he may not know everything about the world that he lives in. He finds himself caught up in a mystery that has more questions than answers. What he is seeing has him wondering what is going on and also has him determined to find the truth. Will Peter discover the truth regarding the story he is working on? How much danger is he in as he pushes forward with his investigation? Who is the young woman that Peter meets and is she important to his investigation? There are also other characters that you are introduced to in this story. I enjoyed reading about them and there are times when the interactions between everyone had me with a smile on my face and laughing out loud. Peter finds himself in situations that he never thought he would be in and having to quickly adapt. Read this story to find out how it all works out. I found this to be a well-written story that has characters that you will not soon forget. It is a book that I would recommend reading.
By: Tegon Maus
5 out of 5 stars
The story Bob by Tegon Maus is a science fiction/fantasy book. It is the first story that I have read by the author and I truly enjoyed it. It has action, danger, and mystery. It is a book that has a storyline that grabbed my attention from the very beginning and has me turning pages to find out what happened next. Not only is the story wonderful I also loved the characters that you are introduced to. Peter Anderson is a character that is finding that he may not know everything about the world that he lives in. He finds himself caught up in a mystery that has more questions than answers. What he is seeing has him wondering what is going on and also has him determined to find the truth. Will Peter discover the truth regarding the story he is working on? How much danger is he in as he pushes forward with his investigation? Who is the young woman that Peter meets and is she important to his investigation? There are also other characters that you are introduced to in this story. I enjoyed reading about them and there are times when the interactions between everyone had me with a smile on my face and laughing out loud. Peter finds himself in situations that he never thought he would be in and having to quickly adapt. Read this story to find out how it all works out. I found this to be a well-written story that has characters that you will not soon forget. It is a book that I would recommend reading.
July 8, 2018
Bob by Tegon Maus was a fun, complex read that will have you spinning in circles, while laughing out loud.
My first read by this author in a genera that I don't venture in that often, I was pleased and impressed with not only the writing but, the mix of mystery, humour and seriousness.
Lets start with the writing. It was engaging, easy to follow and it had a weird tone that just pulled you in. It was almost eerie, like you could feel something strange was going on, but with the easy and off beat why Bob turned situations around, you're not quite sure if anything otherworldly is going on. That gave this unique read that extra something special that really drove the hooks home.
I could not stop reading this book, and being that it's only 168 pages, before I knew it, I was at the last page, and trying to flip for more.. no seriously I thought my reader was broken. Now I'm not saying the ending wasn't closing, but it felt opened, and I was all already for another chapter.. You got me Tengon Maus.. PS I want another book..
Overall this is a high recommend from me. This book is quirky, different, and it's fun as hell. There is so much going on, the plot starts to build from the first shocking chapter, right on wards, and as more weird and strange character are added, it just adds to the complexity of this freaking amazing read. You really don't know what's what, until it hits you in the face. Get this book, you will love it!
Happy Reading
-E.A. Walsh
My first read by this author in a genera that I don't venture in that often, I was pleased and impressed with not only the writing but, the mix of mystery, humour and seriousness.
Lets start with the writing. It was engaging, easy to follow and it had a weird tone that just pulled you in. It was almost eerie, like you could feel something strange was going on, but with the easy and off beat why Bob turned situations around, you're not quite sure if anything otherworldly is going on. That gave this unique read that extra something special that really drove the hooks home.
I could not stop reading this book, and being that it's only 168 pages, before I knew it, I was at the last page, and trying to flip for more.. no seriously I thought my reader was broken. Now I'm not saying the ending wasn't closing, but it felt opened, and I was all already for another chapter.. You got me Tengon Maus.. PS I want another book..
Overall this is a high recommend from me. This book is quirky, different, and it's fun as hell. There is so much going on, the plot starts to build from the first shocking chapter, right on wards, and as more weird and strange character are added, it just adds to the complexity of this freaking amazing read. You really don't know what's what, until it hits you in the face. Get this book, you will love it!
Happy Reading
-E.A. Walsh
July 7, 2018
4 Stars
BOB by Tegon Maus is a great Sci-fi story that has so much more going for it that you would expect from such an unassuming name. As soon as I saw this title pop up in my feed I was tempted to ignore it because, well, BOB didn’t really inspire anything in me- but I decided to read the blurb anyway and that sparked my curiosity as I really enjoy a good science fiction/fantasy story. I am happy that I took a chance on this book, because it was really entertaining! Tegon Maus has created a very original story that is full of imagination and wonder. The story is different from a lot of others in this genre and I found it very intriguing- it definitely kept me guessing the whole way through. I don’t want to reveal too much or give away spoilers, I really think this book is one of those ones you should dive into blind and let the author and storyline surprise you.
The characters are fully developed, interesting, somewhat quirky, and likeable individuals. They definitely weren’t what I was expecting when I first started the book. It was a pleasure getting to know them along the way.
Tegon Maus has a bold, vivid, descriptive and inviting style- which made this story come alive.
I am very interested in reading more of this author’s work!
Thank you, Tegon Maus!
BOB by Tegon Maus is a great Sci-fi story that has so much more going for it that you would expect from such an unassuming name. As soon as I saw this title pop up in my feed I was tempted to ignore it because, well, BOB didn’t really inspire anything in me- but I decided to read the blurb anyway and that sparked my curiosity as I really enjoy a good science fiction/fantasy story. I am happy that I took a chance on this book, because it was really entertaining! Tegon Maus has created a very original story that is full of imagination and wonder. The story is different from a lot of others in this genre and I found it very intriguing- it definitely kept me guessing the whole way through. I don’t want to reveal too much or give away spoilers, I really think this book is one of those ones you should dive into blind and let the author and storyline surprise you.
The characters are fully developed, interesting, somewhat quirky, and likeable individuals. They definitely weren’t what I was expecting when I first started the book. It was a pleasure getting to know them along the way.
Tegon Maus has a bold, vivid, descriptive and inviting style- which made this story come alive.
I am very interested in reading more of this author’s work!
Thank you, Tegon Maus!
June 30, 2018
Bob by Tegon Maus is an intriguing story of one mans attempt to keep his career alive and his discovery beyond anything he could have imagined.
Peter has been a reporter for a number of years. With his career dwindling before his eyes he knows he has to do something about it. And quick.
When he is sent to investigate some lights in Arizona he knows that it is just a fluff piece. Little did he know he would discover the story that would resurrect his failing career.
Stumbling on a young woman held captive in a basement he knows he has for his hands on something juicy. Until she vanishes before he can find out anything. His search leads him down a path he never could have imagined and into the realm so the strange and unexplained.
This book was really interesting. I was intrigued from the moment I read the blurb and the book certainly followed this up. The story was very well done - well thought out and well written. I loved Peters character. It was so easy to relate to him and his struggles. This is a new author for me and I can definitely say I have been pleasantly surprised by their work. I will be following them more closely here on out.
Peter has been a reporter for a number of years. With his career dwindling before his eyes he knows he has to do something about it. And quick.
When he is sent to investigate some lights in Arizona he knows that it is just a fluff piece. Little did he know he would discover the story that would resurrect his failing career.
Stumbling on a young woman held captive in a basement he knows he has for his hands on something juicy. Until she vanishes before he can find out anything. His search leads him down a path he never could have imagined and into the realm so the strange and unexplained.
This book was really interesting. I was intrigued from the moment I read the blurb and the book certainly followed this up. The story was very well done - well thought out and well written. I loved Peters character. It was so easy to relate to him and his struggles. This is a new author for me and I can definitely say I have been pleasantly surprised by their work. I will be following them more closely here on out.
July 11, 2018
Bob is the first book I have read by Tegon Maus, but it was good and I would consider reading others by him. It is a sci-fi story that follows Peter Anderson, a newspaper reporter, chasing down a story. He doesn't know what exactly to expect, but soon finds himself surrounded by strangers, who soon become friends, while on the chase of a UFO story, he isn't even sure he believes. He finds a woman prisoner in the basement of the man he is interviewing, and after helping her escape, things turn from weird to just plain strange. With his new friend Bob, and all of Bob's friends, or cousins, he chases the story and the girl.
I was kind of confused during parts of the book, and even after finishing, I'm not sure I fully understand what happened! While it was intriguing, and kept my interest, it left me questioning so much at the end. But the writing is brilliant. The characters are good, if you can get beyond the broken English. While I don't read a lot of sci-fi, I really thought the ideas in this book were well written and original. I recommend this to others who want to enjoy a quick fun read about UFOs.
I was kind of confused during parts of the book, and even after finishing, I'm not sure I fully understand what happened! While it was intriguing, and kept my interest, it left me questioning so much at the end. But the writing is brilliant. The characters are good, if you can get beyond the broken English. While I don't read a lot of sci-fi, I really thought the ideas in this book were well written and original. I recommend this to others who want to enjoy a quick fun read about UFOs.
May 8, 2021
Bob by Tegon Maus is the story of Peter Anderson and his new friend Bob and their adventures that consists of a lot of turns and twists and thrills.
Peter Anderson is on his way to interview Professor Thorpe, a person claiming he his trying to save the world, but from what? AMD why does he needed protection for as he had many bodyguards around him. The story takes a turn when Peter discovers a lady locked up in the basement and when he, with the help of Bob frees her she vanishes.
Bob the center of the story is a cab driver and instantly befriends Peter his new customer, when he comes to know that he is his friend's friend. He is really a unique and mysterious character and his way of speaking and everything about him is interesting. Bob helps Peter discover the truth behind the basement with help of his cousins, one cousin for one work and he has a lot of cousins.
The story is really intriguing and hilarious at points everything about this book is nice and everyone should give it a read.
Peter Anderson is on his way to interview Professor Thorpe, a person claiming he his trying to save the world, but from what? AMD why does he needed protection for as he had many bodyguards around him. The story takes a turn when Peter discovers a lady locked up in the basement and when he, with the help of Bob frees her she vanishes.
Bob the center of the story is a cab driver and instantly befriends Peter his new customer, when he comes to know that he is his friend's friend. He is really a unique and mysterious character and his way of speaking and everything about him is interesting. Bob helps Peter discover the truth behind the basement with help of his cousins, one cousin for one work and he has a lot of cousins.
The story is really intriguing and hilarious at points everything about this book is nice and everyone should give it a read.
July 11, 2018
This is the first book I have read by Tegon Maus and to be fair this is not normally the genre I read but with that said I enjoyed this book and thought it was a well written story.
The book revolves around a reporter called Peter and with him chasing the one news story which will catapult him back into the fore front of his career but he did not anticipate a character called Bob being involved in his life.
I think I enjoyed this book as it is not your typical science fiction story, it a simple story which I read within a day but it was the humour element of the story I did not except, Bob was a great character and put some context to the story that Peter was in search of. The mystery element had you gripped in every page and had me turning the pages rapidly to try and get to the end of the story to see what happened.
I would certainly recommend this story and would certainly read other books by this author in the future.
The book revolves around a reporter called Peter and with him chasing the one news story which will catapult him back into the fore front of his career but he did not anticipate a character called Bob being involved in his life.
I think I enjoyed this book as it is not your typical science fiction story, it a simple story which I read within a day but it was the humour element of the story I did not except, Bob was a great character and put some context to the story that Peter was in search of. The mystery element had you gripped in every page and had me turning the pages rapidly to try and get to the end of the story to see what happened.
I would certainly recommend this story and would certainly read other books by this author in the future.
July 13, 2018
Bob
By Tegon Maus
Bob by Tegon Maus is my first book by this author. This book is a quick read and has an open ending. Peter Anderson has been a reporter for twenty-seven years and now to save his career he must find a relevant story and hopefully save his career. In the skies of Arizona there has been reports of strange lights. At first Peter thought the story he was sent to report would be nothing much. However what Peter didn’t know was that this would be the story of a life time and would hopefully save his dying career. When Peter finds some one held captive in a basement he wonders if he could be onto something. Unfortunately for Peter before he can investigate this further the person in the basement is gone. Not only is Peter fighting to save his career but now he finds out that there are agents out there that want him to be quiet. Will Peter be able to avoid these agents? And will this story save his career?
By Tegon Maus
Bob by Tegon Maus is my first book by this author. This book is a quick read and has an open ending. Peter Anderson has been a reporter for twenty-seven years and now to save his career he must find a relevant story and hopefully save his career. In the skies of Arizona there has been reports of strange lights. At first Peter thought the story he was sent to report would be nothing much. However what Peter didn’t know was that this would be the story of a life time and would hopefully save his dying career. When Peter finds some one held captive in a basement he wonders if he could be onto something. Unfortunately for Peter before he can investigate this further the person in the basement is gone. Not only is Peter fighting to save his career but now he finds out that there are agents out there that want him to be quiet. Will Peter be able to avoid these agents? And will this story save his career?
November 16, 2017
Is ok.
Ha! Okay? More than. I really enjoyed this book. Science Fiction along the lines of old favorites from the 80s. Written by Tegon Maus this is a fun read, and a fun adventure. Full of humor, this is a read that flows easily from scene to scene. We follow main character Peter Anderson investigating a strange story with potential to be a career maker... or breaker. It all depends on if he is believed.
Bob, the titular character is just that. Such a character. Full of warmth, mystery and loyalty. I wanted to know more about him. Him and his cousins!
Spaceships, ray guns, time travel and little grey aliens. Bob has it all and then some. Androids, mysterious pods, dancing lights... If you are after a fun, scifi read. Then Bob is a great book to open.
But be warned... people may not believe you. :-)
Ha! Okay? More than. I really enjoyed this book. Science Fiction along the lines of old favorites from the 80s. Written by Tegon Maus this is a fun read, and a fun adventure. Full of humor, this is a read that flows easily from scene to scene. We follow main character Peter Anderson investigating a strange story with potential to be a career maker... or breaker. It all depends on if he is believed.
Bob, the titular character is just that. Such a character. Full of warmth, mystery and loyalty. I wanted to know more about him. Him and his cousins!
Spaceships, ray guns, time travel and little grey aliens. Bob has it all and then some. Androids, mysterious pods, dancing lights... If you are after a fun, scifi read. Then Bob is a great book to open.
But be warned... people may not believe you. :-)
July 8, 2018
BOB by Teagon Maus was a very fast read. It is a science fiction story that I have to admit was confusing and a little hard to follow. BOB was born in Russia and while I completely understand the need for certain accents, his was just hard to read and made most of the story uninteresting to me. As for the rest of the story, in the beginning, Pete and I seemed to be just as confused in all situations. It seems like there could have been a lot more explanation on things and then maybe I would have understood. There were a lot of concepts that were new to me as I’m not an avid Syfi reader but they were hard to understand and get into. Now although everything seemed jumbled and confusing, I did see a lot of potential in the story so I’m sure people who read this genre more would understand and enjoy better than I did.
July 10, 2018
Wow! What a story! I devoured this novella in about 2 hours nonstop since I could not put it down! “BOB” grips you from the first page and then takes you for one wild ride! Peter Anderson is a newspaper reporter on a mysterious case in the Arizona desert. With a story shrouded in mystery and more questions than answers, Peter sets out to figure out the mystery of the lights in the sky. With the help of a local named Bob, Peter’s story gets more and more complicated with every passing moment. I don’t want to give anything away, but this story was really interesting! I really enjoyed the concept and hope there are more books to follow because I didn’t love the ending. I was captivated with the story until the end, which left me feeling less than satisfied. However, given the nature of the book, I can see how the ending was appropriate to the story. So, I’ll still give “BOB” five stars!
January 21, 2019
I would like to give it 3.5 stars.
“BOB” by Tegon Maus is my first read by this author.
It is a sci-fi, telling the extraordinary adventure of Pete Anderson, a reporter, who thinks the story of his unusual encounter with something out of this world would land his career on a successful path.
During his course of pursuing his story, he has made acquaintance with Bob, an Americanized Russian, who says he can assist Pete through his exploration.
Together, are they able to cross path with the “aliens”? Would they be in danger? Can they save themselves, and others?
Overall, I like the plot, the protagonists (Pete and Bob), as well as the humors between them. It is an interesting sci-fi yet easy to follow. Nonetheless, the flow of the story is a bit choppy; at some points, the story-telling lacks some strength.
“BOB” by Tegon Maus is my first read by this author.
It is a sci-fi, telling the extraordinary adventure of Pete Anderson, a reporter, who thinks the story of his unusual encounter with something out of this world would land his career on a successful path.
During his course of pursuing his story, he has made acquaintance with Bob, an Americanized Russian, who says he can assist Pete through his exploration.
Together, are they able to cross path with the “aliens”? Would they be in danger? Can they save themselves, and others?
Overall, I like the plot, the protagonists (Pete and Bob), as well as the humors between them. It is an interesting sci-fi yet easy to follow. Nonetheless, the flow of the story is a bit choppy; at some points, the story-telling lacks some strength.
July 6, 2018
BOB
By Tegon Maus
4 stars
I have to be honest and say I wasn’t sure I was going to enjoy this book, Science Fiction isn’t a genre I usually read but the blurb seemed intriguing so I thought that I would give it a go and I’m glad I did. It was a really good story and really well written. I haven’t read anything by this author before and I think I would definitely recommend this book to reader who like Science Fiction but also to readers who are looking for something a little different to read.
I liked that the story wasn’t quite what I was expected and therefore made it unpredictable and actually quite refreshing to read. The storyline was very creative and quite unique. Whilst I didn’t connect with the characters I still thoroughly enjoyed reading about them.
By Tegon Maus
4 stars
I have to be honest and say I wasn’t sure I was going to enjoy this book, Science Fiction isn’t a genre I usually read but the blurb seemed intriguing so I thought that I would give it a go and I’m glad I did. It was a really good story and really well written. I haven’t read anything by this author before and I think I would definitely recommend this book to reader who like Science Fiction but also to readers who are looking for something a little different to read.
I liked that the story wasn’t quite what I was expected and therefore made it unpredictable and actually quite refreshing to read. The storyline was very creative and quite unique. Whilst I didn’t connect with the characters I still thoroughly enjoyed reading about them.
July 11, 2018
Bob by Tegon Maus is an interesting read to say the least. Filled to the brim with crazy moments and even crazier characters this book took me on one insane ride. The title character, Bob, is one of those characters that can do the most insane things and get away with it simply because they are who they are. Add in his host of cousins and you are in for one wild ride. This book has just about every science fiction trope you can imagine stuffed into a neat little package. It is filled with aliens, time travel, space ships, a mystery woman, and so much more. While this isn’t normally something I enjoy I still got plenty of laughs at the shear absurdity that was this book so I am giving it a solid four out of five stars.
October 2, 2017
"It's O.K. I have cousin."
Hoping to revive his flagging career, long time journalist Peter Anderson, is in persute of a story - just he isn't quite sure what it is. In need of a taxi to take him to his lead interview somewhere in the wilds, he is introduced to Mr.Petrova - "Just call me Bob". And from that moment Peter, and the reader, is hooked into the crazy and dangerous story of many lifetimes. But don't worry, Bob has a cousin ...
Mad, funny and totally un-put-downable. If you like great characters, incomprehensible thrills,, fantastic adventure and lots of laughs along the way, this could well be the book for you.
Hoping to revive his flagging career, long time journalist Peter Anderson, is in persute of a story - just he isn't quite sure what it is. In need of a taxi to take him to his lead interview somewhere in the wilds, he is introduced to Mr.Petrova - "Just call me Bob". And from that moment Peter, and the reader, is hooked into the crazy and dangerous story of many lifetimes. But don't worry, Bob has a cousin ...
Mad, funny and totally un-put-downable. If you like great characters, incomprehensible thrills,, fantastic adventure and lots of laughs along the way, this could well be the book for you.
June 30, 2018
I was asked to review this by the author. When I first started the book, I wasn't sure what to think. It is very different from anything I've reviewed lately. In fact, I would say that's one of the strengths of Bob: its uniqueness. But at times the story line seemed a bit too forced. I'm not sure I would have stuck with the entire book except ... the strange and funny characters kept me reading to the end. I was eager to find out what they would do next.
There are plenty of twists and turns in Peter Anderson's adventure. But the biggest one comes at the end of the book. The reader is left wondering what is truth and what is fiction. A fun read!
There are plenty of twists and turns in Peter Anderson's adventure. But the biggest one comes at the end of the book. The reader is left wondering what is truth and what is fiction. A fun read!
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