All for Naught

by John E. Stith

ALL FOR NAUGHT collects a novella and a "Naught for Hire" and "Naught Again." "Naught for Hire" is a quirky, action-packed, comedy set just a few years from now. Nick Naught, private eye, walks down some strange mean streets as he tries to stay ahead of the killers on his tail and tries to cope in a world where all the irritations we have with technology are magnified. Gadgets act up in big ways, including voice operated machines that talk back to people. Nick Naught winds up on a hit list, but he doesn't even realize it at first, because the "accidents" are so much like his normal hazardous life. Annette Taylor, Nick's former lover, shows up in his office shortly after she runs into trouble too. "Naught Again" follows Nick's adventures as he looks into trouble at the local cryogenics lab. ALL FOR NAUGHT satirizes the daily frustrations with malfunctioning technology, devices that always seems to fail right when we need them most, and machinery that must have been designed by committee. It lampoons everything from pompous lawyers and the IRS to digital watches and endless lines at the drivers license bureau. It's filled with laugh-out-loud situations that everyone can identify with. Dilbert could relate.

Look for the upcoming webisode series Naught for Hire , starring Ben Browder.

Genres: Science Fiction, Ebooks

140 pages, Paperback

First published April 28, 2005

About the author

PUSHBACK , a mystery-suspense novel, was published in November 2018 and is a finalist for the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense, mainstream category.

PUSHBACK : At his ten-year high-school reunion, an investment counselor finds he doesn't know one person there, and soon realizes he must outwit an unknown antagonist who wants him dead.

"...unsettling Hitchcockian thriller...Judicious use of humor provides some relief from the dark plot line. Fans of Daniel Palmer-esque intelligent suspense will be pleased." -- Publishers Weekly

"Ordinary Hijacked by Extraordinary, With Comedy... what’s most captivating about PUSHBACK is that even with people like Dave Barlow—just an average guy doing average things—life can take a shocking turn for the worse. But the book reminds us that, also like Dave, we have the power to turn it right-side up again, with humor at the center of our inner strength." -- The Big Thrill, magazine of International Thriller Writers

Science-fiction author John E. Stith's works include REDSHIFT RENDEZVOUS (Nebula Award nominee from Ace Books), MANHATTAN TRANSFER (Hugo Award Honorable Mention from Tor Books), REUNION ON NEVEREND, and RECKONING INFINITY (on Science Fiction Chronicle's Best Science Fiction Novels list for its publication year, on the Nebula Award preliminary ballot).

His other novels are SCAPESCOPE, MEMORY BLANK, DEATH TOLLS, and DEEP QUARRY.

He's the author of ALL FOR NAUGHT, which collects "Naught for Hire," and "Naught Again" both first appearing in ANALOG. If you hear about "Naught for Hire" verbally, you might think the title is "Not for Hire" but it's not. Check out the Naught for Hire website for even more info on the upcoming webisode series starring Ben Browder.

Reviews

[Lilla Smee · Rating 1 out of 5]

[damn goodreads lost my original review of this - will try to say it all again ...:]

Okay - I was inspired to get this book after reading about the webisodes in development based on the eponymous PI Nick Naught. 'All for Naught' collects the two earliest stories (novellas/novelettes) featuring Naught. Alas, I am so far unimpressed: the humour is not to my taste, and the tech seems incredibly dated - I couldn't say whether this is due to a lack of knowledge and imagination on the part of Stith, or simply to the fact that the stories are old, by the measure of technological development (first published in 1990 and 1992).

Maybe the webisodes will be better: http://www.naughtforhire.com/

I predict the books' going end up being donated to charity ...

[Brian Rubin · Rating 1 out of 5]

I tried reading this book because it sounded right up my alley...but I couldn't. It was too convolutely and tried way, way too hard to be funny and clever. This is the first book I actually honest regret buying on the Kindle.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book includes two stories. The first, Naught for Hire, was hilarious and I'd give that story 5 stars. The second story has humor, but not as much. Many of the gags in Naught for Hire have to do with machines not doing what the person wants them to do - sometimes malfunctioning, sometimes being mischievous and sometimes just bargaining to do things the way they prefer. Depending on whether that's to your taste will affect your enjoyment.

Meanwhile, you get a private detective dealing with issues that may be arising in the coming years of our society.

[Nicole Luiken · Rating 4 out of 5]

As promised, quirky and humourous SF world of defective/moody/talking appliances mixed with Noir detective. I was in the mood for a quick, fun read and this delivered.

Note: the novella and novelette were originally published some years ago, so some of the extrapolation doesn't quite work anymore (such as digital watches) but if you mentally sub in smartphone it's still funny.

[MARK F RUTH · Rating 3 out of 5]

Such a fun story! I loved the humor due to naughty AI!

[Tomasz · Rating 1 out of 5]

Why do I do this to myself? These stories might POSSIBLY be up your alley, people, if you like bowling with cast-iron balls while wearing full plate armor. I mean, they are plodding, and clunky, and utterly graceless, and if the author ever thought them funny, he'd need some major readjustment, stat. (The novella is especially atrocious, the novelette is a bit better, not just because it's a lot shorter, although this factors in, too).

[Howard Brazee]

I normally love the books of John Stith. But we don't have the same sense of humor. This book has every paragraph something else breaking, either from automated stupidity or human stupidity or on purpose. I didn't finish the book.