The Simpleton

The Simpleton #1

by Mark Wayne McGinnis

First Assess humans with the flawed, rudimentary, mind … Unbeknownst to simpleton Cuddy Perkins, his dependable, uneventful, life was about to be turned completely upside down. It’s a moonless summer night when a severely damaged intergalactic spacecraft enters Earth’s upper orbit. The alien pilot is desperate. Needs to hold up long enough to make repairs—before his pursuers find him. Cuddy Perkins lives a simple life with his mother, his dog Rufus, and a scattering of farm animals that still inhabit their old, dilapidated, Woodbury Tennessee ranch. He was used to the insults; retard … simpleton … village idiot. Momma says to just ignore them … people can be heartless. But Cuddy already knew he had been different, ever since the accident back when he was seven. He didn’t know how long ago that was, exactly, but he did know he was pretty big now—taller than his older brother, Kyle … who was in prison, and the Woodbury Sherriff—the man who put him there. Love this author's books.I'm the biggest fan of Mark Wayne McGinnis. The Simpleton was impressive on a lot of levels... the multi-dimensional characters and the unusual and brilliant world he created, and just the science fiction and fantasy and mood he created.. it all blended together in one of the best books I've ever read. I read all of Mark's books. I recommend them all - Scrapyard Ship, Star Watch, Ship Wrecked Stranded on an Alien Planet, Boy Gone, The Hidden Ship, Gun Ship, Guardian Ship, USS Hamilton, and USS Jefferson. Please read this author's work, if you love action and adventure sci-fi or fun and entertaining space scifi space opera, McGinnis will not disappoint.- SterlingThe Simpleton by Mark Wayne McGinnis / Nice first contact novel!A very interesting story about a mentally challenged teen named Cuddy that discovers an alien spacecraft and its sole occupant near his rural family farm and forms a friendship and understanding with him. Cuddy, with the help of the alien Tow and his technology, transforms himself both mentally and physically, much to the surprise of his friends and family. This is the ultimate underdog story, with the former village idiot now empowered, teaming up with friends and an older brother to help protect Earth and then a distant alien culture, from a now common alien enemy. A very fun and easy read.- Eric in AZWhat an incredible space opera science fiction story !! Finding this book was awesome the plot twists and turns at an incredible pace, the ending will leave you wanting more. I enjoyed this book and can't wait to read the next bookI am very happy that the author has written more books in this series and I do hope he will continue doing so.- Bob K.Excellent space opera adventure scifi with cool alien first contactAs an avid SF reader, I was delighted to find this jewel. Cuddy is the "simpleton" who regains his abilities plus more through the efforts of the last member of a pacifist alien race. I was worried about a "Flowers for Algernon" ending. However, the author graciously gave a far more satisfying conclusion.- VivianThe Simpleton by Mark Wayne McGinnisGreat adventure science fiction book with lots of technical with believable next step Kinetic abilities I would love to see a next book based on the other life pods. -Robert EarnestGreat Read - believable characters. nice action adventure syfy novel.This is a great book. The protagonist gets something back and then some. I found it entertaining and a gentle easy read.

Genres: Science Fiction, Space Opera, Fiction, Aliens

314 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 21, 2016

Reviews

[Kathleen · Rating 1 out of 5]

3rd person. Set in present-day small town Tennessee and aboard a spaceship heading for a distant planet.

I nearly quit several times. Disappointing. Not heartwarming, interesting, suspenseful, scary, or funny. Just a bizarre mix of characters and relationships, plus unrealistic plot lines, an unresolved ending, and a nauseatingly vapid romance.

Example: One of the decisions the author made was to try to "make nice" with a hateful thug. Tony beats a harmless and cognitively impaired pedestrian to a bloody pulp, leaving him unconscious at side of road, shoots the windows out of an elderly couple's humble home, steals a car, and tries to frame an innocent man. But we should forget all that? Tony should become a hero, and a friend? No. Without rehabilitation and acts of contrition and redemption, one simply can not make a silk purse out of that sow's ear.

That's just one example of the characterization and relationship issues I had against this book.

[Paula Antoniou · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is one of the least imaginative, unskillfully written books I have ever read. Not all sci-fi books need to be written by astrophysics PhDs, but this book is so simplistic as to be absurd. Why even bother with sci-fi if you know zip about science? Pacing and characterization are also sub-par. I can't get over the fact that a character who commits a felony with a firearm against good, innocent people becomes a part of the gang of heroes without question! And a highly educated, well-trained neurosurgeon would never experiment on himself with alien medical equipment! C'mon!

I can't quite give the book one star even though part of me wants to. One star is reserved for books so bad that I don't finish them. I did finish this book. It was a very quick read. Still, I cannot in good conscience recommend this book. If this book is representative of this author's work, I will not read any more of his books.

[Mark Gouthro · Rating 1 out of 5]

Filled with stereotypes and cliches. The author starts character development and then ignores what they started. Eventually you conclude the characters are just card board pieces moved around. Feels like the book was written looking up random Tv Tropes pages.

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another good book

I really like his books almost feel my self there, as I believe you will. The simpleton certainly was not a simpleton. I will leave the rest for your discovery.

[O.S. Prime · Rating 1 out of 5]

YA (intentionally or not). First book read since middle school in which telekinesis could win a space battle. Started breezing through it, reading maybe one sentence in each paragraph. Pretty much everything about this book (plot, technology, characterization) is silly, though harmless. It had me thinking about Forbidden Planet; think I'll watch that again.

[Mark McGinnis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Stuart Church, who took the time to leave a nice review:

"McGinnis is one of my favorite sic-fi authors. This latest book, Simpleton, grabbed my interest right away. The story is fascinating as well as providing an interesting perspective on the human race. Very original and fun."

[NAY Young · Rating 1 out of 5]

A good example of the sort of attitudes that are destroying middle america. If you think that education 'sullies' smart people and women belong in the kitchen, then this book is probably for you.

[Chip · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book starts out as a cross between "Flowers for Algernon" and first contact. But as the human main character changes, it turns into a mostly enjoyable space opera. Some of the conflict resolution is unbelievable but the characters and story are fun. McGinnis doesn't write a very good female persona and it's has a lot of old school renaissance man plot. Good but light book.

[Andy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Simple characters so so plot

Plot was ok but this movie felt like a made for the SYFY channel book. Really one dimensional characters. Maybe they are developed more in the later books but I am not going to find out. This book feels like it could have spent some more time with an editor assisting.

[Davis Shellabarger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Did not want to put book down!

Wonderful story showing how an individual handicapped by childhood accident became the savior of a spices! Well written and characters believable.

[Frank Bertino · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Yin Yang of a Young Man

Cuddly Perkins is a sympathetic character. It is interesting to watch his development from a stalled seven years old mental and emotional level to far beyond his actual age of nineteen. His struggles as he adjusts to his increased capabilities are interesting to watch. His childhood friend Jackie, struggles to cope with her friend's development to what he might become. Tow the alien is a tragic yet strong character. He becomes Cuddy's friend and exhibits strengths of mental acuity and unshakable beliefs. I like the story as it deals with bullying, loss, change, and development. I look forward to another book.

[RaChelle Holmberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'll admit that I began this book with a jaundiced eye, because of the subject matter - I am the mother of an adult traumatically brain injured man - BUT I kept an open mind, because the concept was supremely interesting -
and now I will admit that I was pleasantly surprised. the story drew me in, it was quite a journey - enough to make me buy the second book - which is saying a LOT. I am a very avid reader and it takes a lot to snag me.
the subject matter was handled respectfully, actually quite truthfully - and I've always wondered.. "what IF......."

[D. E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A MWM. SYFY. Novel of Earth, Space, and Other Aliens

MWM. has. penned a very unusual SYFY novel about a young man with learning disabilities. The Alien Commander, the good one, brings the young man into their world by placing him in a machine designed to upgrade his mental and physical abilities. He sits through four sessions and has gone from a normal human status to super brilliant. This places the young man into a pre- advanced man who can do many things thar were considered impossible. This is an excellent resd for the genre

[KEVIN G · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unique and enjoyable read

I ran across the book doing general kindle search and the summary caught my attention. It is difficult at times to find sci-fi that focuses more on the human element than becoming technology bound. I found this to be a refreshingly unique story that I enjoyed. Going to read the second book now.

[Elizabeth Hamby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic

Witness a new world come into being .Journey with new friends inside a space craft to save a a dying planet .Although I usually read historical fiction,this book entertained me for hours. I didn't want to say goodbye to the character ,especially the dog.,A fun READ

[Holly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I mostly enjoyed reading this. It was a light read, and I was interested enough that I didn't want to put it down.

Some of the characters were great. I loved the main character, Cuddy. He was just so kind, innocent, and good. The relationship between Cuddy and his dog, Rufus, was endearing and very believable. I liked Tow the alien; patient, dedicated, and kind-hearted. Kyle was a good "bad boy" brother. Jackie was nice, but I didn't connect with her so much, and wasn't super worried about what would happen to her.

There was one thing that really bothered me a lot, though. One of the characters was a very bad person, and the group of protagonists just took him on as one of them. The only reason I can see that they did this is that he was simply in the right place at the right time. He still acted kind of jerky, and he never even apologized for the awful things he had done -- not only in general, but actually heinous acts committed against two of the people who are now accepting him into their group. Once he's with the group, he adds nothing to the story whatsoever. He doesn't do anything to help solve the problem they're facing, or anything to make it worse. He's just there. I kept waiting for him to say or do something to redeem himself, but that never happened. I would have liked for them to tell him to go jump in a lake right from the get-go.

I also thought it was a little odd how easily Cuddy's mom "let go" after having been his sole caregiver for so long, even to the point of needing to hold his hand so he didn't wander off from the car to the hospital. I guess I would expect her to object to him running off and doing these things, or maybe try to go with him. I'm not suggesting that the author actually keep Cuddy at home, but I'd have liked to see Mom dealing with the issue of having a 100% dependent on her adult child for 18 years and then suddenly that child undergoing these changes and embarking on this adventure. She just seemed really nonchalant about it all, and she and Cuddy had always been very close, so that just didn't flow well.

I didn't love the ending, but I can overlook that because it appears that the ending may be setting itself up for a sequel.

[Red Tide · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sad

It might have been a sweet story but confusing. The main character slot is filled by two people, one human and one alien. The stored souls or spiritual essence was confusion one. The extreme pacifism of aliens subjected to genocide, was confusion two. The return to the alien homeworld was confusion three.

Each of these points of confusion are sweet and drive the story but the writing did not do them justice. The two main characters remind me of "Flowers for Algernon" and that's not at all bad. The rest of the characters are pretty stock characters for the region and fit in the story well. Unfortunately, every woman in the story is marginalized. The premed student being passed from middle aged rich doctor to former developmentally challenged teen by way of the kitchen was pretty bad. I am embarrassed that I needed to read other reviews to see that.

The dialogue is breezy and moved the story along pretty well. For the most part it's the action that drives the story rather than the characters doing so. There is a little faux character development that undercuts any social commentary the writer seemed to be making.

It could have been a nice little story. The story is slow in the beginning and glosses over normalized viciousness from no social safety net for a widow to death threats against people who annoy a sheriff's son. They are cliches but I like to think that the writer included them purposefully as examples of evils we tolerate as a counterpoint to the humanity expressed by the aliens. I'm not sure that is the case, though.

It's a little story with an interesting premise that might be worth looking at. I won't read the sequel but I am thinking of trying one more book by this writer. His writing might be better in his other books.

[Kay · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had so many stereotypes that reading this was a cringe-worthy experience for me. When the action moved, it wasn't so bad. This book never rose above characterizations such as how rural folks, in this case Tennessee probably because there are some handy nuclear reactors, are down on their luck, living under the constant threat of local law enforcement brutality with the sheriff having an even more bullying son. I don't want to spoil this book so I won't provide a list, but it's a set of characters that don't get much character development other than the lead character whose chance encounter with a down on his luck alien changes everything for him. This book attempts to provide some uplifting ideas and maybe that's believable since real life shows it's very hard for even positive ideas to take. My rating is 2 stars because this was okay but certainly nothing I want to revisit.

[Karen J · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun story. The pace was fast enough. The main character Cuddy got a head injury when he was a boy and now as a grown man he encounters an alien and is eventually put into a healing chamber of sorts. He gets alien DNA mixed with his and evolves a bit. I'm reading book 2 The Simpleton Quest. Some of the reviews are a little too harsh. If you're looking for a fun Sci-Fi consider this story.

[Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

What would we do without crashed UFOs and friendly alien mentors? The big, bad aliens would get us for sure. Cuddy Perkins is a likable young man from rural Tennessee whose low IQ makes him the butt of local bullies. The autodoc of an alien spacecraft changes all that. At its best, The Simpleton is a readable mashup of Flowers for Algernon and The Last Starfighter, but as several reviewers have noted, it suffers from clichés that are hard to take. 3.5 stars.

[Nancy A. Dennis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Space......

I wasn't sure I'd really read this book. The first chapter had me questioning that thought. Then I read the next chapter and I had to finish the book. It was a good book. The characters, Cuddy, Jackie, Klye were believable, and helped the story flow. I enjoyed this book, and I will read book 2!! I am also a science fiction junkie!!

[Dr · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Simpleton is simply good

The book was a great palate cleanser from my typical syfy selections. I chose it as a stand-alone and it gave every indication of being just that until the very end where sequels or maybe more stories in this "universe" are hinted towards.

[JAMES THOMAS RICHARDSON II · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book for the most part

Enjoyed the sci-fi book. During most of it I felt as I was following along to a mini series in my imagination. If I could provide any criticism it would be the very end of the book that felt really rushed to come to a conclusion.

[Peggy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Simpleton

I was quite pleased with this book. I read a lot of SiFy books and this kept my interest in all. I assume it is a Y A book as it was a clean book, no graphic sex some violence but over all a really great read.

[Allen Hyre · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good story

Good, but not great. It was pretty slow to develop. A few editing errors diminish the feeling of a completed story. This seems a pretty common issue with books on Kindle unlimited though.

[Ruth Rivera · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imaginative. Creative. Kept me interested throughout. I would have liked more. I wanted them to continue he bringing my own heritage pods home.

Pods home. I also wanted to see what would hapIpen with Cuddy and his girl. I lo ed the story.

[Gaylynn Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!

We'll I've never left a review before but I really felt like I had to for this one. I'm just hoping now that the next one is half as good and that there is at least a trilogy if not a whole series comming.

[George Rilling · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fine author and a good book

McGinnis has a knack for putting the elements of a good story together. The story is about a damaged child given a gift from a persued alien and returning the favor. But it's more than just that.

[Heidi R. · Rating 3 out of 5]

For a SyFy story, this one was okay. It had its moments when I felt I couldn’t wait to find out what would happen next, but those moments were few. I’m tempted to read the second book, but will wait a bit before getting it.

[Jack Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

The ability to help others is great.

MWM is Always looking out for others. Using scientific abilities, imparted by Alien vessels that help others in their problems to overcome handicaps.