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The Black Hole Travel Agency #1
Event Horizon: Black Hole Travel Agency, Book 1
Lucky Junknowitz, former theme-park actor and current directionless misfit, is abducted by the extraterrestrial megacorporation called the Black Hole Travel Agency. Lucky has to warn Earth of the multiplanetary company's nefarious plans, but his ticket was never meant to be roung-trip.
310 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 13, 1991
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87 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
October 1, 2010
If you are me or exactly like me, this is a near-perfect series of four books. If you are someone else or differ from me in a significant way, you may disagree.
November 12, 2014
As satire, this does not have the manic dialogue of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, rather, it parodies the trends in 1991:
' Twenty years back, Earth wasn't a bad spot to be stuck, Charlie could be counted on to say. You could at least eat well and travel just about anywhere you pleased. But the place had gone downhill ever since humankind had decided to clean up its act. Centuries of abusing the planet, and humans had suddenly become nature worshippers.
Charlie still thought of the movement as part of the madness that had swept the planet just prior to the Turn. But where there had been some genuine excitement to those early days-- geopolitical upheavals, Muslim Power, legalized drugs, condomania public executions, witch hunts and purges-- the craziness was gone from the air, and what remained was a climate of government-regulated sobriety.'
But this is the least of coming changes. Like Hitchhiker, there are outside forces planning to shock people like Lucky Junknowitz and pals Eddie, Willy, Ziggy, and girlfriend Harley. They are all coping with Earth in metamorphosis; more 'Green', less wasteful, more PC and crowded. Few residents are aware of hidden terminals like that in 'Stargate', run by the Black Hole Travel Agency. Against his will, Lucky is taken to meet these beings. At this point, the book becomes a comedy of the illogical travel and diet of extra-terrestrials (XTs). His translator module even treats us with silly puns during language translations. There are a few references to puzzle over (like 'condomania public executions') and some typos. The characters vary from titans of industry to thugs and even an AI counselor for Harley. They are drawn with enough detail to imagine, yet they still surprise us with quirky actions.
' Twenty years back, Earth wasn't a bad spot to be stuck, Charlie could be counted on to say. You could at least eat well and travel just about anywhere you pleased. But the place had gone downhill ever since humankind had decided to clean up its act. Centuries of abusing the planet, and humans had suddenly become nature worshippers.
Charlie still thought of the movement as part of the madness that had swept the planet just prior to the Turn. But where there had been some genuine excitement to those early days-- geopolitical upheavals, Muslim Power, legalized drugs, condomania public executions, witch hunts and purges-- the craziness was gone from the air, and what remained was a climate of government-regulated sobriety.'
But this is the least of coming changes. Like Hitchhiker, there are outside forces planning to shock people like Lucky Junknowitz and pals Eddie, Willy, Ziggy, and girlfriend Harley. They are all coping with Earth in metamorphosis; more 'Green', less wasteful, more PC and crowded. Few residents are aware of hidden terminals like that in 'Stargate', run by the Black Hole Travel Agency. Against his will, Lucky is taken to meet these beings. At this point, the book becomes a comedy of the illogical travel and diet of extra-terrestrials (XTs). His translator module even treats us with silly puns during language translations. There are a few references to puzzle over (like 'condomania public executions') and some typos. The characters vary from titans of industry to thugs and even an AI counselor for Harley. They are drawn with enough detail to imagine, yet they still surprise us with quirky actions.
April 12, 2025
It had its moments but it sure was hard to follow at times. It felt like a book in the middle of a series rather than the first one. It did a lot of setting up but many of the threads felt like I was missing some important context.
Some funny parts but way too many characters and far too hectic in how it jumped between perspectives. Oddly it felt like it would work better on video, though I doubt it would ever be optioned for a tv show.
Barely worth continuing the series, and I’m sure by the time I do I’ll have forgotten enough to make it even more confusing
Some funny parts but way too many characters and far too hectic in how it jumped between perspectives. Oddly it felt like it would work better on video, though I doubt it would ever be optioned for a tv show.
Barely worth continuing the series, and I’m sure by the time I do I’ll have forgotten enough to make it even more confusing
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 8, 2020
This was my Third time reading it. There is a lot going on, all of it interesting. What happens when a weird group of friends lose one of their friends to an alien abduction gone wrong? What happens when that friend, escapes. Odd, funny and engaging
December 19, 2021
How the fuck do you write something with a cover this fun and campy to be so boring?
December 29, 2022
I found this book in a used bookstore and bought because of the cool cover art. I loved it! I can’t believe I had never heard of this series, but I am definitely planning to read the 3 remaining books now. The universe created by McKinney feels a bit retro and a bit camp, but surprisingly relevant and it works. ❤️
Want to read
July 20, 2023Made a new shelf for this one. Just couldn't bring myself to keep reading. Maybe I'll pick it back up someday, but doesn't seem likely right now.
November 8, 2010
confusing at first and ends without any sense of resolution.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews