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Terra #1
Terra: The Terra Trilogy Book One
FOR TERRA, THE HUMAN ALIEN, FITTING IN WAS NEVER AN OPTION.
'Terra is delightful ... wise, funny, and above all, human.' NEIL GAIMAN
Abducted from Earth as a baby by a well-meaning alien, Terra has grown up far across the galaxy on planet Fnrr. Terra has always known she was different. Her skin isn’t grey. Her eyes are a weird blue colour. She has ... ears.
And now Terra is starting high school. A daunting prospect, even without being the only human in class.
There’s lots to like about life on Fnrr. Society is ordered and peaceful; founded on reason, logic and the pursuit of knowledge. However, its inhabitants are blissfully unaware of the impending invasion that could destroy their way of life forever ...
Before long, Terra will find herself propelled into a fierce battle to save the world she calls home.
A story for young readers - or adults who remember being one - Mitch Benn’s Terra is a warm and witty coming-of-age Sci-Fi adventure for anyone who has ever felt like an outsider. Escape into a story of hope, discovery and the unbreakable bonds we naively refer to as ‘humanity’.
PRAISE FOR TERRA:
'Terra is delightful ... I found myself thinking of Roald Dahl, Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett, but the voice and story are uniquely Mitch Benn’s. Wise, funny, and above all, human.' NEIL GAIMAN
'Mitch Benn is a very fine writer and Terra is a very fine book.' THE INDEPENDENT
'High-end deadpan Sci-Fi silliness ... with added warmth. For a story set light years away, it feels wonderfully human.' MATT HAIG
'Terra is delightful ... wise, funny, and above all, human.' NEIL GAIMAN
Abducted from Earth as a baby by a well-meaning alien, Terra has grown up far across the galaxy on planet Fnrr. Terra has always known she was different. Her skin isn’t grey. Her eyes are a weird blue colour. She has ... ears.
And now Terra is starting high school. A daunting prospect, even without being the only human in class.
There’s lots to like about life on Fnrr. Society is ordered and peaceful; founded on reason, logic and the pursuit of knowledge. However, its inhabitants are blissfully unaware of the impending invasion that could destroy their way of life forever ...
Before long, Terra will find herself propelled into a fierce battle to save the world she calls home.
A story for young readers - or adults who remember being one - Mitch Benn’s Terra is a warm and witty coming-of-age Sci-Fi adventure for anyone who has ever felt like an outsider. Escape into a story of hope, discovery and the unbreakable bonds we naively refer to as ‘humanity’.
PRAISE FOR TERRA:
'Terra is delightful ... I found myself thinking of Roald Dahl, Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett, but the voice and story are uniquely Mitch Benn’s. Wise, funny, and above all, human.' NEIL GAIMAN
'Mitch Benn is a very fine writer and Terra is a very fine book.' THE INDEPENDENT
'High-end deadpan Sci-Fi silliness ... with added warmth. For a story set light years away, it feels wonderfully human.' MATT HAIG
312 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 18, 2013
27 people are currently reading
909 people want to read
About the author
Mitch Benn
23 books40 followersMitch Benn is a British stand-up comedian, author, satirical songwriter, musician and actor. He is perhaps best known as the resident comic songwriter on BBC Radio 4's The Now Show from 1999 to 2016. As a comedian, Mitch has toured extensively in the UK and internationally over the last 20 years. Mitch's voice acting credits include Neil Gaiman's Good Omens TV series and the Sandman audiobooks. He also writes a weekly column in The New European newspaper.
Mitch has written three Sci-Fi novels. The Terra Trilogy is aimed at young readers (or adults who remember being one) and follows Terra, a human girl raised by aliens, on her adventures across the galaxy. The first two books, Terra and Terra's World, were originally published in 2013 and 2014 to wide acclaim, including glowing reviews in The Times and The Independent. Terra was also listed in The Guardian's Top 10 Sci-Fi books of the year.
The long-awaited conclusion to the trilogy, Terra's War, is available now. The first two books have also been relaunched with new cover art. The trilogy is available in paperback and ebook formats, with audiobooks to follow in the summer of 2021.
Profile picture by Steve Ullathorne.
Mitch has written three Sci-Fi novels. The Terra Trilogy is aimed at young readers (or adults who remember being one) and follows Terra, a human girl raised by aliens, on her adventures across the galaxy. The first two books, Terra and Terra's World, were originally published in 2013 and 2014 to wide acclaim, including glowing reviews in The Times and The Independent. Terra was also listed in The Guardian's Top 10 Sci-Fi books of the year.
The long-awaited conclusion to the trilogy, Terra's War, is available now. The first two books have also been relaunched with new cover art. The trilogy is available in paperback and ebook formats, with audiobooks to follow in the summer of 2021.
Profile picture by Steve Ullathorne.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 143 reviews
May 4, 2016
Most aliens think that the earth is doomed. None of them can understand why we are so intent on ruining our only planet, especially as we haven’t developed the technology to get of it safely They are not going to help us either; can you imagine the chaos that would cause! One alien thinks that the earth is worth studying, partly for the places and partly for the other creatures; just not for the humans.
The Bradbury's were driving home whilst mid argument, as usual, and really weren’t expecting the lemon coloured and shaped spaceship to suddenly appear in front of them. Terrified, Mr Bradbury crashes the car. The parent’s climb out and run away as fast as they can. The alien discovers a child in the car. He decides that she need rescuing; from there, from Rrth and from humanity, and he decides to break every rule in the non-contact recommendations and takes her home.
Eight orbits later, Terra was about to enter formal education. As the only human on the planet Fnrr this was going to be very strange, very strange indeed. This is a time of change too, as the extraordinary world ofFnrr spirals into a terrible war.
Mitch Benn is best known for his funny songs and stand-up comedy, and this is his first venture into the realm of the novel. He has drawn on inspiration from various people, including Gaiman, Pratchett and Douglas Adams, whilst still ensuring that his own humour and voice stands out strongly. The concept of the human being the alien is a great one, and he has given her a plot that works really well too. It is definitely aimed at the younger audience, but that doesn’t make it any less readable or enjoyable. Great debut.
The Bradbury's were driving home whilst mid argument, as usual, and really weren’t expecting the lemon coloured and shaped spaceship to suddenly appear in front of them. Terrified, Mr Bradbury crashes the car. The parent’s climb out and run away as fast as they can. The alien discovers a child in the car. He decides that she need rescuing; from there, from Rrth and from humanity, and he decides to break every rule in the non-contact recommendations and takes her home.
Eight orbits later, Terra was about to enter formal education. As the only human on the planet Fnrr this was going to be very strange, very strange indeed. This is a time of change too, as the extraordinary world ofFnrr spirals into a terrible war.
Mitch Benn is best known for his funny songs and stand-up comedy, and this is his first venture into the realm of the novel. He has drawn on inspiration from various people, including Gaiman, Pratchett and Douglas Adams, whilst still ensuring that his own humour and voice stands out strongly. The concept of the human being the alien is a great one, and he has given her a plot that works really well too. It is definitely aimed at the younger audience, but that doesn’t make it any less readable or enjoyable. Great debut.
February 6, 2017
This was the perfect read for me at the point when I got hold of it. It’s funny, sometimes silly, but it also has a lot of heart. It’s sceptical about humanity and the way we behave, but hopeful too. There’s all kinds of fun glimpses at the alien culture Terra becomes part of, with its different norms and expectations. And goodness knows, if my dad weren’t pretty awesome and probably a space alien anyway, I’d want Lbbp to be my father-figure.
It’s relatively simplistic and light, written more for a young adult audience, but it was exactly what I needed at the moment I read it. It’s well written, well paced, and has a refreshingly nice take on human (and alien) nature.
I don’t know what to say about it, except that I found it a delight, and my wife had better read it soon.
Originally posted here.
It’s relatively simplistic and light, written more for a young adult audience, but it was exactly what I needed at the moment I read it. It’s well written, well paced, and has a refreshingly nice take on human (and alien) nature.
I don’t know what to say about it, except that I found it a delight, and my wife had better read it soon.
Originally posted here.
March 25, 2021
Lbbp is a Fnrr’n scientist. He’s fascinated by what he knows as Rrth, but despises the humans that inhabit it. Like a true scientist, however, he’s about to bring home a specimen.
That specimen is the baby that he names Terra, and this is the story of her childhood.
Mitch Benn; talented comedian, masterful songwriter, bloody nice bloke, and now gifted author. It’s just not fair. I have none of these talents, let alone a mastery of all of them.
On the one hand, Terra is a kids book; my 9 year old son has read it, and loved it . On the other hand, it’s hugely enjoyable by all; I read it in the space of a few hours, and am chomping at the bit for part two (out next year). Terra isn’t a perfect book by any means - Benn romps through the story at a fair rate of knots when the action picks up towards the end, and there’s more than a little bit of deus ex machina at times - but it *is* fundamentally a kids book. Kids couldn’t give a shit if things are resolved in a sudden way, as long as they’re resolved in a satisfying way.
And that’s the key to Terra; it’s satisfying.
We find ourselves in a world where authors are only too keen to kill off major characters (Martin and Rowling, I’m glaring at you), which perhaps makes for an emotional reaction, but doesn’t give the reader a sense of justice. Mitch follows a pleasing, familiar, unchallenging route. This sounds a little like a criticism, but it’s really not. Sometimes you want a story that pans out how you’re expecting it to. That’s not to say there aren’t peril and hiccups along the way though. Not everything is hunky dory on Fnrr.
As a kids book, Terra is a roaring success. It teaches kids that it’s ok to feel different, that however you may be on the outside, inside we’re all the same. To an adult, that may feel like a preachy lesson, because we take it for granted. Kids aren’t blessed with that knowledge, so have to learn it from somewhere. Crucially, despite being different from her classmates, Terra is popular. You have no idea how important this sense of self-esteem is to kids. Mitch doesn’t treat kids as stupid either. He’s got two young daughters, he knows how bloody sharp they are, so he’s written this accordingly. Fnrr has a clock based on colour shades, he doesn’t take the time to explain how it works, he lets the reader figure it out, adding to that feeling of satisfaction.
Above all, the feeling I got from Terra is that Mitch Benn loves people. Yes, we’re flawed in so many ways, and yes, we’re more than a little bit stupid, but deep down we’re good people. We’ll get there in the end.
Terra is a worthwhile addition to your collection, whether you have kids or not. Pick up a copy and escape to Fnrr, you won’t regret it.
Do yourself a favour and get Terra from your local, independent book shop.
That specimen is the baby that he names Terra, and this is the story of her childhood.
Mitch Benn; talented comedian, masterful songwriter, bloody nice bloke, and now gifted author. It’s just not fair. I have none of these talents, let alone a mastery of all of them.
On the one hand, Terra is a kids book; my 9 year old son has read it, and loved it . On the other hand, it’s hugely enjoyable by all; I read it in the space of a few hours, and am chomping at the bit for part two (out next year). Terra isn’t a perfect book by any means - Benn romps through the story at a fair rate of knots when the action picks up towards the end, and there’s more than a little bit of deus ex machina at times - but it *is* fundamentally a kids book. Kids couldn’t give a shit if things are resolved in a sudden way, as long as they’re resolved in a satisfying way.
And that’s the key to Terra; it’s satisfying.
We find ourselves in a world where authors are only too keen to kill off major characters (Martin and Rowling, I’m glaring at you), which perhaps makes for an emotional reaction, but doesn’t give the reader a sense of justice. Mitch follows a pleasing, familiar, unchallenging route. This sounds a little like a criticism, but it’s really not. Sometimes you want a story that pans out how you’re expecting it to. That’s not to say there aren’t peril and hiccups along the way though. Not everything is hunky dory on Fnrr.
As a kids book, Terra is a roaring success. It teaches kids that it’s ok to feel different, that however you may be on the outside, inside we’re all the same. To an adult, that may feel like a preachy lesson, because we take it for granted. Kids aren’t blessed with that knowledge, so have to learn it from somewhere. Crucially, despite being different from her classmates, Terra is popular. You have no idea how important this sense of self-esteem is to kids. Mitch doesn’t treat kids as stupid either. He’s got two young daughters, he knows how bloody sharp they are, so he’s written this accordingly. Fnrr has a clock based on colour shades, he doesn’t take the time to explain how it works, he lets the reader figure it out, adding to that feeling of satisfaction.
Above all, the feeling I got from Terra is that Mitch Benn loves people. Yes, we’re flawed in so many ways, and yes, we’re more than a little bit stupid, but deep down we’re good people. We’ll get there in the end.
Terra is a worthwhile addition to your collection, whether you have kids or not. Pick up a copy and escape to Fnrr, you won’t regret it.
Do yourself a favour and get Terra from your local, independent book shop.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 2, 2013
Two stars seems a little low, to be honest, but Goodreads has a very skewed rating system. I laughed out loud quite a few times listening to this, but it's got its faults.
The basic plot is pretty simple. An alien visiting Earth finds what he believes to be an abandoned baby and takes the little girl home with him where she will eventually save the world (aged 12) and bring about the introduction of Humanity to the rest of the galactic community. There's probably going to be a sequel.
Mitch Benn (who wrote the book and narrated the audiobook) is apparently a comedian and so should know how to write funny. And he can. And because the book's supposed to be funny I'm inclined to let him get away with a few things which would make me wince a lot more in a straight book. Still, I kind of come away with the feeling that I've just read a book meant for Mr Benn's young daughter which he managed to get published, rather than something which was really designed to be a published book. I could go on about the constant use of made-up words which just blur into "Benn thinks he's being clever again" after a while, but my real gripe is with the villains.
Terra is obviously a morality tale about how humans are destroying the planet, and themselves, and how we all should just learn to get along with each other and then the world would be a better place. Which is really cute. If I had read this book rather than listened to it, I could have given the villains Scottish accents, or no accent at all. Benn gives his religious zealot, bigoted, child-enslaving, loud, obnoxious, and very stupid villains comedy Arabic accents. If they were comedic characters that would be okay, but this is one of the few serious bits of the book. It's verging on racist, though I have no doubt that was not Benn's intention. The resolution of their plotline is also so trite as to be annoying. It's a really bad stretch in an otherwise amusing book. There's no serious point behind it either; simply put the point he's making is so blatantly obvious there's no point in making it.
So I likely won't pick up the sequel. Unless he turns it into a comedy space opera and Terra becomes a badass space babe when she grows up. I feel this is unlikely.
The basic plot is pretty simple. An alien visiting Earth finds what he believes to be an abandoned baby and takes the little girl home with him where she will eventually save the world (aged 12) and bring about the introduction of Humanity to the rest of the galactic community. There's probably going to be a sequel.
Mitch Benn (who wrote the book and narrated the audiobook) is apparently a comedian and so should know how to write funny. And he can. And because the book's supposed to be funny I'm inclined to let him get away with a few things which would make me wince a lot more in a straight book. Still, I kind of come away with the feeling that I've just read a book meant for Mr Benn's young daughter which he managed to get published, rather than something which was really designed to be a published book. I could go on about the constant use of made-up words which just blur into "Benn thinks he's being clever again" after a while, but my real gripe is with the villains.
Terra is obviously a morality tale about how humans are destroying the planet, and themselves, and how we all should just learn to get along with each other and then the world would be a better place. Which is really cute. If I had read this book rather than listened to it, I could have given the villains Scottish accents, or no accent at all. Benn gives his religious zealot, bigoted, child-enslaving, loud, obnoxious, and very stupid villains comedy Arabic accents. If they were comedic characters that would be okay, but this is one of the few serious bits of the book. It's verging on racist, though I have no doubt that was not Benn's intention. The resolution of their plotline is also so trite as to be annoying. It's a really bad stretch in an otherwise amusing book. There's no serious point behind it either; simply put the point he's making is so blatantly obvious there's no point in making it.
So I likely won't pick up the sequel. Unless he turns it into a comedy space opera and Terra becomes a badass space babe when she grows up. I feel this is unlikely.
August 12, 2014
For the first 3/4ths of the book, the most condemning thing I would have said was that it was cute. But thanks to the ending, I'm going with tacky. It's boringly human-centric (good old humans-being-the-best-and-most-creative-and-loving wins the day!), and with a weird emphasis on biological parentage. Terra is raised from infancy, even named, by an alien who everybody insists is NOT her father (even though that's what fathers are), and when instead reunited with her biological parents on Earth (who she was with for the first 3 weeks of her life or so, and that's it) launches right into calling them "mom" and "dad" and loving them to bits. It's weird. Gaiman and I have some DIFFERENCES, I wish his quotes were not so often smacked across the front of books, because that is not a helpful or reliable guide.
May 23, 2017
I found this an entertaining enough read. There is some good humour in it and I liked the characters too. Not certain I'd read the follow up but I might - probably 3.5/5 I guess.
November 23, 2014
The plot of this book is really simple to describe. An alien takes a human baby back to his home planet and brings her up there. Somehow Benn has made such a simple idea something really magical.
Firstly, the idea of setting a book almost entirely on an alien world is always a little worrying. Benn manages to make planet of Fnrr somehow plausible. The thing is, the aliens are so very human and to the aliens humans seem so very alien. They see us as primitive, always fighting each other and destroying their planet. But it gradually becomes clear that they don't have the wonderful things that we do, like imagination and stories. I think Mitch Benn manages to capture what it is to be human and remind us what we should strive to be.
As well as all the moral stuff, Benn has a lot of fun. The legendary Neil Gaiman says he is reminded of Douglas Adams, Roald Dahl and Terry Pratchett when reading the book and that's a fair comment. Like those authors, and despite the moral messages, Benn doesn't take it all too seriously. It's good fun and full of warmth. Whilst this isn't generally laugh out loud funny it is very witty and has some lines that are so clever you want to shake the author's hand in congratulations.
The only downside is the names on Fnrr. The alien language has no vowels and that is frustrating, making it hard to voice the text in your head. My technique was pretty much just to add a vowel where I reckon one should be. A little annoying as it may be, I think the alien names did serve to remind you that these are aliens and not human beings.
It's quite a short book and I don't want to give much away but the thing I should really stress here is that I damned well loved it. There are good books which are worth five stars and on a rare occasion there is an excellent book which is worth at least five stars. This is the latter.
Firstly, the idea of setting a book almost entirely on an alien world is always a little worrying. Benn manages to make planet of Fnrr somehow plausible. The thing is, the aliens are so very human and to the aliens humans seem so very alien. They see us as primitive, always fighting each other and destroying their planet. But it gradually becomes clear that they don't have the wonderful things that we do, like imagination and stories. I think Mitch Benn manages to capture what it is to be human and remind us what we should strive to be.
As well as all the moral stuff, Benn has a lot of fun. The legendary Neil Gaiman says he is reminded of Douglas Adams, Roald Dahl and Terry Pratchett when reading the book and that's a fair comment. Like those authors, and despite the moral messages, Benn doesn't take it all too seriously. It's good fun and full of warmth. Whilst this isn't generally laugh out loud funny it is very witty and has some lines that are so clever you want to shake the author's hand in congratulations.
The only downside is the names on Fnrr. The alien language has no vowels and that is frustrating, making it hard to voice the text in your head. My technique was pretty much just to add a vowel where I reckon one should be. A little annoying as it may be, I think the alien names did serve to remind you that these are aliens and not human beings.
It's quite a short book and I don't want to give much away but the thing I should really stress here is that I damned well loved it. There are good books which are worth five stars and on a rare occasion there is an excellent book which is worth at least five stars. This is the latter.
March 20, 2021
Thank you Netgalley and Mitch Benn for sending me an e-copy of Terra in exchange for an honest review.
Unfortunately, I had a really hard time getting through this story. I found it to be really boring and it only started to get better when the war began. I tried so hard to love it, but Terra just wasn't it for me.
There were some great elements though. I loved how the Mlml people had their own language and it was spoken throughout the book. I also like how the author explains to us at the beginning the ways we can tell what language the characters are speaking. The writing style was very fun and light-hearted. The story reminds me so much of Lilo and Stitch but reversed, where Lilo is on Stitch's planet instead of the other way around.
In conclusion, though the book wasn't everything I was hoping for, it was fun and creative. The humour was fantastic and the world building was really beautiful and different. Terra is so unlike any book and that's what made it unique. I just wish I was able to love it as much as I wanted to when I first saw what it was about.
Unfortunately, I had a really hard time getting through this story. I found it to be really boring and it only started to get better when the war began. I tried so hard to love it, but Terra just wasn't it for me.
There were some great elements though. I loved how the Mlml people had their own language and it was spoken throughout the book. I also like how the author explains to us at the beginning the ways we can tell what language the characters are speaking. The writing style was very fun and light-hearted. The story reminds me so much of Lilo and Stitch but reversed, where Lilo is on Stitch's planet instead of the other way around.
In conclusion, though the book wasn't everything I was hoping for, it was fun and creative. The humour was fantastic and the world building was really beautiful and different. Terra is so unlike any book and that's what made it unique. I just wish I was able to love it as much as I wanted to when I first saw what it was about.
December 20, 2013
i fucking cried like a goddamn baby at the end of this book. in public. sitting on the floor in Robarts.
just tears streaming down my damn face.
that being said, the story itself was ...okay...cliche at moments but it's hard not to be and the resolution of the conflict was...quickly over to say the least. There were a few moments where I teared up, Vstj was one of them. I LOL'ed a few times too, that's always a plus.
I look forward to reading Benn's next work.
just tears streaming down my damn face.
that being said, the story itself was ...okay...cliche at moments but it's hard not to be and the resolution of the conflict was...quickly over to say the least. There were a few moments where I teared up, Vstj was one of them. I LOL'ed a few times too, that's always a plus.
I look forward to reading Benn's next work.
May 7, 2017
“At 5.45 a.m. the important scientists finished their coffee and played rock paper scissors to see who had to phone the government.”
I didn't think I was going to enjoy this book at all when I read the book, I then went to loving to thinking it was good, the story itself is pretty basic, an Alien who has come to Earth one night see's a baby abandoned in a car, he decides to rescue said baby and take it back to his home planet where he raises the baby as his own, when we meet said baby again she is 8 Orbits old (or 12 years old) and is completely different from all the other beings on the planet, she has to come to terms with who she is and deal with what it is to be "Alien" in the world she has grown up in.
When this book started off I really thought I was going to love it, the writing style was witty and right up my street but the wit soon dried up for me, I really struggled with the fact that on the planet they don't use vowels and sometimes this made certain words and passage indecipherable which let the story down a lot for me I think, the story was very slow to get going but when it did get going it was very fast paced, there was a few touching moments towards the end of the book where I had a lump in my throat.
I really wanted to give this book four stars but I just couldn't due to the writing style.
Overall one I would recommend to the right type of person.
I didn't think I was going to enjoy this book at all when I read the book, I then went to loving to thinking it was good, the story itself is pretty basic, an Alien who has come to Earth one night see's a baby abandoned in a car, he decides to rescue said baby and take it back to his home planet where he raises the baby as his own, when we meet said baby again she is 8 Orbits old (or 12 years old) and is completely different from all the other beings on the planet, she has to come to terms with who she is and deal with what it is to be "Alien" in the world she has grown up in.
When this book started off I really thought I was going to love it, the writing style was witty and right up my street but the wit soon dried up for me, I really struggled with the fact that on the planet they don't use vowels and sometimes this made certain words and passage indecipherable which let the story down a lot for me I think, the story was very slow to get going but when it did get going it was very fast paced, there was a few touching moments towards the end of the book where I had a lump in my throat.
I really wanted to give this book four stars but I just couldn't due to the writing style.
Overall one I would recommend to the right type of person.
August 10, 2014
I enjoyed this book. Benn delivers his tale with wit and satire. The book does not take itself too seriously, but still got something important to say too.
It's a book about Terra. She was born on earth, but grew up on Fnrr. How she came there, well that you will have to read. Fnrr is a society of science, and sports. Nothing else is needed. And Terra is very different, we see her struggle, and we see her laugh. She may not always fit in but it's still her world too. Now, the whole book is not just about Terra growing up. Her world will soon be in danger.
It was a highly enjoyable sci-fi book. It was amusing, but it had also those thoughtful moments. Yes how would aliens see our planets? We do seem very stupid at times. You know, destroying the planet we live on.
If you want a bit of sci-fi that is not just about space and tech, then this is the book for you. A book about a girl growing about on an alien planet, a planet that is different but still not that different from ours.
I already started the next book.
It's a book about Terra. She was born on earth, but grew up on Fnrr. How she came there, well that you will have to read. Fnrr is a society of science, and sports. Nothing else is needed. And Terra is very different, we see her struggle, and we see her laugh. She may not always fit in but it's still her world too. Now, the whole book is not just about Terra growing up. Her world will soon be in danger.
It was a highly enjoyable sci-fi book. It was amusing, but it had also those thoughtful moments. Yes how would aliens see our planets? We do seem very stupid at times. You know, destroying the planet we live on.
If you want a bit of sci-fi that is not just about space and tech, then this is the book for you. A book about a girl growing about on an alien planet, a planet that is different but still not that different from ours.
I already started the next book.
October 10, 2014
This was mildly cute. That's it. It had a handful of funny moments but certainly nowhere near enough to warrant calling the book "funny" or "hilarious" or comparing it to Adams or Dahl.
The relentlessness of the made-up, vowel-less words got on my nerves but it was the human-centric banality of the plotline that had me speeding toward the end. The glowing reviews puzzled me until I came to some fairly insulting conclusions about humans. Nothing new there.
The relentlessness of the made-up, vowel-less words got on my nerves but it was the human-centric banality of the plotline that had me speeding toward the end. The glowing reviews puzzled me until I came to some fairly insulting conclusions about humans. Nothing new there.
February 22, 2021
I enjoyed Benn’s writing style, which is direct and confiding with slices of omniscient viewpoint, which tends to happen in children’s fiction. But it is also shot through with a wry humour, which is handy in diffusing the horror of some of the more shocking scenes in this book. This is far from being a cosy read – it deals very directly with prejudice on all sorts of levels, guilt, regret and loss. And it doesn’t necessarily offer any comforting answers, which is fine by me. I think that fiction is very good at demonstrating that the world is frequently a violent, messy, unjust place to be – and maybe offering some coping strategies, or clear warnings. That goes for adults as well as children.
What caught me was the poignant passage about Mr and Mrs Bradbury right at the start of this book, which contrasted starkly with Lbbp’s take on what is going on, and leads to him taking the baby home with him. It isn’t a long book and the pace motors along at a good clip, which is what you want for younger readers. If I have any grizzles, I felt Terra was just a bit too calm and up together, given that she is always the exception and oddity – but it wasn’t a dealbreaker. There were moments when I sniggered aloud – particularly at the reaction of the human scientists when they realise there is actually a spaceship headed their way.
Overall, this is a thoroughly enjoyable, entertaining science fiction adventure aimed at pre-teens, though this granny also found it great fun. While I obtained an arc of Terra from the publishers via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
8/10
What caught me was the poignant passage about Mr and Mrs Bradbury right at the start of this book, which contrasted starkly with Lbbp’s take on what is going on, and leads to him taking the baby home with him. It isn’t a long book and the pace motors along at a good clip, which is what you want for younger readers. If I have any grizzles, I felt Terra was just a bit too calm and up together, given that she is always the exception and oddity – but it wasn’t a dealbreaker. There were moments when I sniggered aloud – particularly at the reaction of the human scientists when they realise there is actually a spaceship headed their way.
Overall, this is a thoroughly enjoyable, entertaining science fiction adventure aimed at pre-teens, though this granny also found it great fun. While I obtained an arc of Terra from the publishers via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
8/10
March 19, 2017
Light and funny but engaging SF - I'd say for people aged about 11 and up? A very easy read, and I'll happily read the sequel.
March 8, 2019
I liked this book. It's very enjoyable. The plot is rather simple, but that's not a bad thing and the POV switching is refreshing. The narrator of the audiobook was also good. Maybe... too good? (weird Fnrr-ian diction was hurtful to my ears).
January 23, 2022
The first chapter broke my heart, I was relieved it got a little lighter for a while!
Terra, Fnrr, and the world she grew up in is perfectly realised. Alien, but relatable. I want to be Fthfth when I grow up.
Terra, Fnrr, and the world she grew up in is perfectly realised. Alien, but relatable. I want to be Fthfth when I grow up.
May 20, 2018
This was a fun, easy read. The central ideas weren't groundbreaking, whether that is an alien race without fiction or outsider who changes their whole society. The twist is that the outsider is not an alien in human society (ala Spock or ET) rather it is a human girl in an alien society. Unfortunately, this does have the effect of making humans super-special as one young girl teaches a whole plant how to which have some unfortunate overtones only softened by the fact that the alien society is generally a peaceful, properous and advanced place to live.
Something I particularly enjoyed was how reasonable most of the characters were, and how they talked to each other, felt guilty for mistakes and tried to make things better, especially noteworthy was the rival scientist who,
I would recommend this for anyone who likes SF that is fun, not grim-dark or dystopian but rather is a celebration of communication and family (found and real).
Something I particularly enjoyed was how reasonable most of the characters were, and how they talked to each other, felt guilty for mistakes and tried to make things better, especially noteworthy was the rival scientist who,
I would recommend this for anyone who likes SF that is fun, not grim-dark or dystopian but rather is a celebration of communication and family (found and real).
March 14, 2021
Well I was unaware of this book's existence until the seven-year old novel was reprinted back in 2020 by the author – the well-known satirical songsmith, loud stand-up comedian, and noted Only Connect contestant, Mitch Benn. It would appear to be self-published now, so with added patreon adverts and suchlike, his fans can see what he can do in the world of whimsical sci-fi.
And he makes a pretty good go of it. Our lead alien, Lbbp, gets witnessed by two horrid human parents by mistake, and when they scarper, leaving their new-born in their car, he decides to rescue her, take her home and – if his superiors will let him – bring her up as his own. And of course they do, leaving Terra as he calls her the sole alien in a world of anti-grav thingy-things, brain-implanting educational devices, and occasional contact with the most aged, most supreme and most knowledgeable species in the entire universe.
Seeing as copious people have said this has the DNA of Douglas Adams, I'll have to respond to that. It doesn't really, but probably has more than that Eoin Colfer effort did. The vowel-less multisyllabic nomenclature of the alien species that Lbbp belongs to doesn't ever feel welcome enough to be sustained over a whole trilogy of novels. And I remain unsure how vital a teenaged me would have felt finishing the three books to have been (this is deemed 12 and up, and didn't really strike me as hitting the target of a young audience or the adult reader).
But there is certainly merit here, even if the book remains a little too woolly and punch-free to get that across. We have something much more like authorial foreshadowing than the comedic call-backs I might have expected, and tangents such as the way culture crosses the galaxies on the whole seem just that – tangents and no more. Some of the characters have quite peculiar arcs (is one of the teachers a baddy as you're led to think, or what?!) but when it boils down to it the emotional path Terra and Lbbp have is quite strong – just about strong enough to get across the themes of belonging, family, and acceptance.
In summary I'm not surprised the original publishers passed on Book Three here, thinking the red ink would probably run out in the editing, but I'm also quite glad the author has managed in his stand-up-free year to write the conclusion and get what he wanted out there. There is a little too much of these pages that show this to be a labour of love as opposed to a universally-loveable book, but I didn't regret reading them. Three and a half stars.
And he makes a pretty good go of it. Our lead alien, Lbbp, gets witnessed by two horrid human parents by mistake, and when they scarper, leaving their new-born in their car, he decides to rescue her, take her home and – if his superiors will let him – bring her up as his own. And of course they do, leaving Terra as he calls her the sole alien in a world of anti-grav thingy-things, brain-implanting educational devices, and occasional contact with the most aged, most supreme and most knowledgeable species in the entire universe.
Seeing as copious people have said this has the DNA of Douglas Adams, I'll have to respond to that. It doesn't really, but probably has more than that Eoin Colfer effort did. The vowel-less multisyllabic nomenclature of the alien species that Lbbp belongs to doesn't ever feel welcome enough to be sustained over a whole trilogy of novels. And I remain unsure how vital a teenaged me would have felt finishing the three books to have been (this is deemed 12 and up, and didn't really strike me as hitting the target of a young audience or the adult reader).
But there is certainly merit here, even if the book remains a little too woolly and punch-free to get that across. We have something much more like authorial foreshadowing than the comedic call-backs I might have expected, and tangents such as the way culture crosses the galaxies on the whole seem just that – tangents and no more. Some of the characters have quite peculiar arcs (is one of the teachers a baddy as you're led to think, or what?!) but when it boils down to it the emotional path Terra and Lbbp have is quite strong – just about strong enough to get across the themes of belonging, family, and acceptance.
In summary I'm not surprised the original publishers passed on Book Three here, thinking the red ink would probably run out in the editing, but I'm also quite glad the author has managed in his stand-up-free year to write the conclusion and get what he wanted out there. There is a little too much of these pages that show this to be a labour of love as opposed to a universally-loveable book, but I didn't regret reading them. Three and a half stars.
July 28, 2016
While I was on holiday in Orkney I stayed in one of those old-school, cosy hotels that puts the books guests leave behind on a shelf in the corridor for other people to read. Despite always travelling with my Kindle and buying several books from independent bookshops in Kirkwall and Stromness while I was away, I still can't resist browsing these shelves and this time I picked up a copy of Mitch Benn's Terra to read during my stay.
If you're familiar with Mitch Benn's work as a comedian and musician you'll probably know that he's a science-fiction fan, and this book falls into the comic sci-fi genre. It's is the story of a baby girl, Terra, who is taken from Earth to the distant planet Fnnr and brought up by Lbbp, her alien foster-father. Except, of course, on Fnrr it's Terra who's the alien, and while she has no recollection of living anywhere else, she's always acutely aware of being different. As the only human on Fnrr, she's physically unlike her friends - she has ears, hair and vocal chords capable of producing vowel sounds, for a start - but are there other, less obvious differences in the way she thinks and feels? And are her fellow humans back on Earth really so destructive and primitive in comparison to the gentle, technologically advanced Fnrrns?
Inevitably, people have compared Terra to the work of Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett, but while I agree it has echoes of both, Benn has found his own voice as a novelist. There's a satirical thread running through the book, but it has a gentle warmth to it too. Benn's prose style has a simple clarity to it, even when the ideas and themes being discussed are large and complex, and the book overall has a charming, fable-like quality to it that I enjoyed. Terra is funny and entertaining, but there are many serious and often touching moments too and the main characters are well-drawn - the supporting characters are perhaps less three-dimensional, but this works well for the purposes of the story and its style and helps us to focus on the main players.
From what I can gather, Terra was marketed as a book for adults, but its style, themes and child protagonist would make it equally suitable for kids of, say, ten and upwards.
If you're familiar with Mitch Benn's work as a comedian and musician you'll probably know that he's a science-fiction fan, and this book falls into the comic sci-fi genre. It's is the story of a baby girl, Terra, who is taken from Earth to the distant planet Fnnr and brought up by Lbbp, her alien foster-father. Except, of course, on Fnrr it's Terra who's the alien, and while she has no recollection of living anywhere else, she's always acutely aware of being different. As the only human on Fnrr, she's physically unlike her friends - she has ears, hair and vocal chords capable of producing vowel sounds, for a start - but are there other, less obvious differences in the way she thinks and feels? And are her fellow humans back on Earth really so destructive and primitive in comparison to the gentle, technologically advanced Fnrrns?
Inevitably, people have compared Terra to the work of Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett, but while I agree it has echoes of both, Benn has found his own voice as a novelist. There's a satirical thread running through the book, but it has a gentle warmth to it too. Benn's prose style has a simple clarity to it, even when the ideas and themes being discussed are large and complex, and the book overall has a charming, fable-like quality to it that I enjoyed. Terra is funny and entertaining, but there are many serious and often touching moments too and the main characters are well-drawn - the supporting characters are perhaps less three-dimensional, but this works well for the purposes of the story and its style and helps us to focus on the main players.
From what I can gather, Terra was marketed as a book for adults, but its style, themes and child protagonist would make it equally suitable for kids of, say, ten and upwards.
July 21, 2013
I've long been a fan of Mitch Benn as a musician/comedian, so was looking forward to reading this, his debut novel. I was not disappointed.
This is comedy sci-fi, with a target audience of children/young adults, but there's also plenty in the book for an adult to understand.
It follows the story of a baby girl accidentally abducted by a well-meaning alien,who names her 'Terra' after her home planet and adopts and brings her up as his own child.
The style of the books suggests that Douglas Adams and Roald Dahl are influences, and there are lots of nods to classic sci-fi - Fnrr (the alien race) are small, grey-skinned, ear-less aliens, for instance,and their views of the potentially dangerous and frightening 'alien' 'Ymns' of 'Ryth' (Fnrr appear to have no vowels).
Although the story is about aliens and space, it's also very much about growing up, fitting in, and about families, not to mention issues around reliance on technology, and around conflict and its resolution. The world Benn has created is a well and consistently imagined one, and despite their grey skin and blue blood, the supporting characters are human (and flawed) enough to be interesting.
I personally found the vowel-less names and words slightly irritating, but not enough so to spoil my enjoyment of the book, and I suspect that for the younger reader they may well add to the fun.
I think the book would be particularly enjoyed by readers of 11-13, but there is enough in it to be enjoyed by adults too. The book ends with tantalizing hints of a sequel, and I understand that there is a second book in the pipeline. I for one shall be buying it when it arrives.
This is comedy sci-fi, with a target audience of children/young adults, but there's also plenty in the book for an adult to understand.
It follows the story of a baby girl accidentally abducted by a well-meaning alien,who names her 'Terra' after her home planet and adopts and brings her up as his own child.
The style of the books suggests that Douglas Adams and Roald Dahl are influences, and there are lots of nods to classic sci-fi - Fnrr (the alien race) are small, grey-skinned, ear-less aliens, for instance,and their views of the potentially dangerous and frightening 'alien' 'Ymns' of 'Ryth' (Fnrr appear to have no vowels).
Although the story is about aliens and space, it's also very much about growing up, fitting in, and about families, not to mention issues around reliance on technology, and around conflict and its resolution. The world Benn has created is a well and consistently imagined one, and despite their grey skin and blue blood, the supporting characters are human (and flawed) enough to be interesting.
I personally found the vowel-less names and words slightly irritating, but not enough so to spoil my enjoyment of the book, and I suspect that for the younger reader they may well add to the fun.
I think the book would be particularly enjoyed by readers of 11-13, but there is enough in it to be enjoyed by adults too. The book ends with tantalizing hints of a sequel, and I understand that there is a second book in the pipeline. I for one shall be buying it when it arrives.
May 7, 2015
I was stuck in the station with half an hour to wait for a train. So as usual I wandered around the English section of the bookshop and stumbled on this. If I'm honest I was looking for something light and fluffy to read, nothing too taxing. The comment by Neil Gaiman on the front that "I found myself thinking of Roald Dahl, Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett" made me think that it might be just the thing I was looking for, since I have loved books by all three of those authors, plus Gaiman himself.
Well it sort of started well. Bringing up an alien (in this case human) on a different planet is a well tried plot, but it can be done well. But this left me wanting a whole lot more. What plot there was (Terra - the human girl - growing up on an alien planet that is completely different to Earth with aliens who are, I think, akin to the Roswell aliens, or the Asgard in Stargate SG-1... oh and an invasion shoe horned into the last quarter of the book) was thin on the ground.
The writing was ok, certainly Benn went for the "show don't tell" method with gusto and it worked very well for the most part. The flow of the thin plot(s) wasn't at all disturbed by irritating descriptions of everything.
A core of characters was set up, and the story jogged around showing us the important characters / places for the other books in what is boringly and inevitably going to be a series.
But what really put me off giving it anything other than 2 stars (and they are mostly for the writing) was the part when the aliens went to earth. Oh dear. No.
all in all I can't recommend this for anyone who is looking for the kind of wit and skill offered by Dahl, Pratchett and above all Adams.
Well it sort of started well. Bringing up an alien (in this case human) on a different planet is a well tried plot, but it can be done well. But this left me wanting a whole lot more. What plot there was (Terra - the human girl - growing up on an alien planet that is completely different to Earth with aliens who are, I think, akin to the Roswell aliens, or the Asgard in Stargate SG-1... oh and an invasion shoe horned into the last quarter of the book) was thin on the ground.
The writing was ok, certainly Benn went for the "show don't tell" method with gusto and it worked very well for the most part. The flow of the thin plot(s) wasn't at all disturbed by irritating descriptions of everything.
A core of characters was set up, and the story jogged around showing us the important characters / places for the other books in what is boringly and inevitably going to be a series.
But what really put me off giving it anything other than 2 stars (and they are mostly for the writing) was the part when the aliens went to earth. Oh dear. No.
all in all I can't recommend this for anyone who is looking for the kind of wit and skill offered by Dahl, Pratchett and above all Adams.
August 6, 2013
I stumbled upon this book through a tweeted recommendation by Neil Gaiman and am very happy to have made its acquaintance. New author Mitch Benn’s Terra is an original tale of a benevolent alien abduction—yes, benevolent. An alien scientist named Lbbp from the distant planet Fnrr (whose inhabitants speak a language entirely devoid of vowels) makes a routine field visit to planet Rth (that’s Earth for us humans) and discovers a human baby who has been abandoned by her frightened parents after sighting Lbbp’s spaceship hovering above their car. Lbbp, who loves Rth wildlife but has a deep mistrust of Ymns (humans), decides to take the baby home with him, as the parents obviously are not fit to raise her. What follows is a humorous and heartwarming account of the Ymn girl Terra’s experience growing up as an alien on another planet whose (mostly) peace-loving inhabitants vaguely resemble Squidward (at least, that’s how I picture them). The extraterrestrial stories of pop culture all too often depict aliens as ruthless invaders who just want to harvest our planet. Terra is a refreshingly optimistic story in which the main character and her alien friends discover that their similarities are stronger than their differences.
August 24, 2013
Really enjoyed this book. Terra is a little girl full of heart, abducted by an alien as a baby Terra is raised on a distant planet by aliens. Embracing her differences she brings a lovely side of humanity to an alien race.
Couldn't put it down towards the end. So many twists and turns and a moment when I actually put my hand over my mouth. And another moment when I couldn't read any further because my eyes were full of tears.
I loved the way language was portrayed. And I did get a bit of a Harry Potter feel from Terra's friends with Fthfth being super smart and Pktk being loyal and Ron like :-) also there was a sporting game which I didn't understand. But the book was unique enough to stand up against these similarities.
I do want to know how Terra gets on in the future. The last sentence leaves it open for a possible sequel which would be amazing.
Couldn't put it down towards the end. So many twists and turns and a moment when I actually put my hand over my mouth. And another moment when I couldn't read any further because my eyes were full of tears.
I loved the way language was portrayed. And I did get a bit of a Harry Potter feel from Terra's friends with Fthfth being super smart and Pktk being loyal and Ron like :-) also there was a sporting game which I didn't understand. But the book was unique enough to stand up against these similarities.
I do want to know how Terra gets on in the future. The last sentence leaves it open for a possible sequel which would be amazing.
May 14, 2024
I enjoy Mitch Benn's work as a comedy song writer, so I was curious what a novel of his would be like. This is the story of a human girl who is abducted from Earth as a baby and raised on an alien planet. Beyond that I can't really summarise the plot because I found it rather vague. By a third of the way through, I still wasn't sure what the book was actually about, and after that there were multiple points in the story when I thought, 'ah now the plot is really beginning,' only for whatever I thought was going to be the plot to be quickly moved on from. There are many different ways to structure a story, but I just found this particular one not to be the kind of structure that I enjoy. It was really just a list of stuff that happens that involves the fact that a human child is living on an alien planet. There weren't even any well-defined characters. Also the various SF ideas were all things I have seen done elsewhere, so none of it felt that interesting to me. All that said, it was still readable and entertaining, even compelling at times. It just lacked the kind of focus that I prefer in a novel.
December 1, 2020
I originally listened to the audiobook of this, when it was first published. Now that it’s back in print, with its sequel following shortly, and the final volume of the trilogy out in March 2021, I decided to reread it as an ebook.
It’s the story of an Earth baby abducted by an alien, and brought up by him on his home world. It’s funny, touching, suspenseful and very, very inventive. The alien world is fully imagined, and easy to see in your mind’s eye as you read.
I love the characters of Terra (the abducted child), her father Lbbp, and her best friends Fthfth and Pktk. They were so real to me as I was reading. If you want more information about the other two volumes, about pronunciation of the alien names, or just to find out more about Mitch Benn, go to mitchbenn.com and click on “The Terra Trilogy”.
I’m a massive fan - I was not paid, or given a free book, as inducement to write this review. And frankly, if Neil Gaiman says the book’s brilliant, who am I to disagree?
It’s the story of an Earth baby abducted by an alien, and brought up by him on his home world. It’s funny, touching, suspenseful and very, very inventive. The alien world is fully imagined, and easy to see in your mind’s eye as you read.
I love the characters of Terra (the abducted child), her father Lbbp, and her best friends Fthfth and Pktk. They were so real to me as I was reading. If you want more information about the other two volumes, about pronunciation of the alien names, or just to find out more about Mitch Benn, go to mitchbenn.com and click on “The Terra Trilogy”.
I’m a massive fan - I was not paid, or given a free book, as inducement to write this review. And frankly, if Neil Gaiman says the book’s brilliant, who am I to disagree?
September 4, 2013
After reading reviews and a recommendation from Neil Gaiman (no less), comparing 'Terra' to Douglas Adams, Roald Dahl and Terry Pratchett, I have to say I was a teensy bit disappointed when I read the actual book. I was hoping to laugh out loud but Benn only managed to pull the odd wry smile. That said, I make allowances for the fact this is a book aimed largely at a young adult audience and, as a piece of science fiction written for that market, this novel works extremely well. You can tell what many of Benn's influences might be (and certainly I'd be very suprised if Adams isn't one of them) and yet he does manage to find a voice of his own and, amongst some common tropes of the SF genre, there are also plenty of original ideas to be found. 'Terra' works well as a starting point and I'd be interested to see how the story develops with next year's sequel.
December 10, 2013
This is an undemanding and rather predictable book, even for something aimed at children. The length and some of the language suggested it was aimed at older children, but the plot and characterisation seems aimed at much younger children. This made it hard for me to place the target audience. The plot was rather predictable, and what conflict there was (and there wasn't much) was quickly resolved in a way that didn't seem terribly believable. The anti-war/environmental theme was done with a rather heavy hand.
This is far from a terrible book, it just isn't as developed as it could be.
This is far from a terrible book, it just isn't as developed as it could be.
March 30, 2018
The Neil Gaiman quote on the rear of this book saying that it reminded him of Douglas Adams, Terry Pratchett and Roald Dahl does Mitch Benn no favours. It sets an unnecessary very high bar that to me the book doesn’t reach. It’s a decent young adult text but it struggles to also be engaging or funny to adults in the way Pratchett or Dahl’s young adult works do, and I saw no hint at all of Adam’s insanely funny universes. Mitch is a great comedian, and the book is a decent book, but his publisher needs to reign in the damaging hyperbole and focus more on what’s great about Mitch and his writing.
July 20, 2013
The video trailer on YouTube made me think this would be an excellent book. Sadly not. I know it's written for younger readers so I'm not it's audience. But I found it a bit patronising and it would be impossible to read out aloud to a child, with names such as Lppb and Ymn and Shm. It's like old-style SF which used to be full of unpronounceable words. Sorry, I couldn't finish it.
Mitch Benn is a comic who appears on Radio 4 comedy shows -- and he's brilliant there!
Mitch Benn is a comic who appears on Radio 4 comedy shows -- and he's brilliant there!
January 20, 2014
Terra is likeable enough to merit a reading. A few throwaway plot disappointments aside, the first half of the book is absolutely magical: effortless and charming reading; it more than makes up for the lame conclusion. Benn's writing is pitched just right for children while remaining whimsical enough for adults. I'd say I enjoyed the whole thing plenty. Just, you know, I wish that the narrative had been a little more even and planned.
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