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Weirdos of the Universe Unite!
Book by Service, Pamela F.
Library Binding
First published January 1, 1992
3 people are currently reading
50 people want to read
About the author
Pamela F. Service
38 books48 followersBorn in Berkeley, California, Pamela F. Service grew up loving to hear, read, and tell stories - particularly about weird stuff. Pamela earned a BA in Political Science from UC Berkeley followed by an MA in history and archaeology from the University of London.
She spent many years living in Bloomington, Indiana, writing, serving on the city council, and being curator of a history museum. She has a grown daughter, Alex, who is also a museum curator. Pamela is now living in Eureka, California, where she writes, works as a museum curator, and acts in community theater.
She spent many years living in Bloomington, Indiana, writing, serving on the city council, and being curator of a history museum. She has a grown daughter, Alex, who is also a museum curator. Pamela is now living in Eureka, California, where she writes, works as a museum curator, and acts in community theater.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
August 6, 2009
This is an obscure author that I have loved since childhood, and this book is no exception. Of course, it didn't hurt that I was easily able to identify with Mandy and Owen: like them, I was the kid who gave up on fitting in with the "in" crowd at school and instead did my best to stand out (although with less dramatic results). *grin*
The plot is also a ton of fun: two outcast kids have to save the planet. Their only allies? A toy tribble and a rag-tag band of characters from various world mythologies. (Some of the same mythological figures also turn up in Service's later-written book, Yesterday's Magic: I suspect this is not entirely coincidental.) One thing I particularly loved is how the different mythologies coexist in the universe of the book, and how the author even managed to incorporate "modern" mythologies such as Star Trek and the near-religious veneration of celebrity.
Only real drawback is this was clearly written pre-Internet, which means modern kids might have trouble relating to the green-on-black-only computer screens and research that has to be done *exclusively* through books at the library. But hey, that can be a good history lesson in and of itself. ;-)
The plot is also a ton of fun: two outcast kids have to save the planet. Their only allies? A toy tribble and a rag-tag band of characters from various world mythologies. (Some of the same mythological figures also turn up in Service's later-written book, Yesterday's Magic: I suspect this is not entirely coincidental.) One thing I particularly loved is how the different mythologies coexist in the universe of the book, and how the author even managed to incorporate "modern" mythologies such as Star Trek and the near-religious veneration of celebrity.
Only real drawback is this was clearly written pre-Internet, which means modern kids might have trouble relating to the green-on-black-only computer screens and research that has to be done *exclusively* through books at the library. But hey, that can be a good history lesson in and of itself. ;-)
May 7, 2018
A pair of grade schoolers must team up with a group of mythological figures to defeat an invading alien army.
Seems to be well written, and the world-building background for the mythological figures is interesting. There are a few in-joke type references sprinkled throughout that I caught just while skimming - they live in a town called Hermes, and eventually have a few encounters with the god himself. Both characters live in Olympia towers. Little things like that, which are always entertaining. It would have been interesting to see something like this expanded into a full series.
Seems to be well written, and the world-building background for the mythological figures is interesting. There are a few in-joke type references sprinkled throughout that I caught just while skimming - they live in a town called Hermes, and eventually have a few encounters with the god himself. Both characters live in Olympia towers. Little things like that, which are always entertaining. It would have been interesting to see something like this expanded into a full series.
November 25, 2022
I first read this around the age of twelve in 1995, and my dim recollections of liking this book and Stinker from Space by the same author lead me to purchase both books to read to my children, aged seven and five, in the hopes that unlike so many of the chapter books written for kids their age, they would not make me want to die.
I'm happy to report that I remain among the living, and my two little degenerates both love this book as much as I did. It lends itself well to reading aloud, and aside from one reference to child molesters which I elided, and the fact that a character who's a Chinese dragon intermittently speaks in a manner that's cringeworthily stereotypical to modern eyes (though I think most kids won't pick up on that, or at least my own children are, through the miracle of heredity, as stupid and oblivious as I am), the book has aged fairly well. Even the fact that quite a substantial part of the book hinges on pop cultural references that would be infinitely more familiar to children born between, say, 1965 and 1990 proved little imposition, thanks in part to our obdurate refusal as a species to make anything new when we can just make new iterations of Star Wars and Star Trek (both, especially the latter, come up in the book) until the sun goes out. I'd venture to say that the extensive references to various mythologies in the book also offers a potential springboard for any Young Reader who's a real go-getter and just needs the slightest prompt to start learning something new.
I'm happy to report that I remain among the living, and my two little degenerates both love this book as much as I did. It lends itself well to reading aloud, and aside from one reference to child molesters which I elided, and the fact that a character who's a Chinese dragon intermittently speaks in a manner that's cringeworthily stereotypical to modern eyes (though I think most kids won't pick up on that, or at least my own children are, through the miracle of heredity, as stupid and oblivious as I am), the book has aged fairly well. Even the fact that quite a substantial part of the book hinges on pop cultural references that would be infinitely more familiar to children born between, say, 1965 and 1990 proved little imposition, thanks in part to our obdurate refusal as a species to make anything new when we can just make new iterations of Star Wars and Star Trek (both, especially the latter, come up in the book) until the sun goes out. I'd venture to say that the extensive references to various mythologies in the book also offers a potential springboard for any Young Reader who's a real go-getter and just needs the slightest prompt to start learning something new.
January 28, 2018
Mandy is determined to be weird. When she meets Owen, who is even weirder than she is, she's happy to have a friend who shares some of those ideals. But after a homework assignment goes strange, mythological creatures are suddenly invading their lives, the world is in danger, and their group of misfits seems to be chosen by the Fates to stop it . . .
This was an amusing mashup of various characters from several mythologies banding together to stop an alien menace, with plenty of Star Trek and Star Wars references sprinkled in. Unfortunately, the short length felt like a detriment, because no one ends up with a lot of depth. This is more about the absurdity of Coyote, Baba Yaga, Sigfried, Lung Nu, and the Wild Huntsman banding together (with a tribble!) to fight aliens whose main fault is that they have no imagination.
I suppose the main reason it didn't grab me was that with the exception of Lung Nu most of these characters were too familiar to feel weird, and the short length works against substantially adding to or deviating from some of the expectations. Knowing Coyote, the "dog" routine was obvious from the moment it showed up. Same with the rest. To people who aren't as familiar with mythology, the story probably flows better.
Overall this was another fast read, and amusing enough. It's a standalone story and ties up well by the end. I rate this book Neutral.
See my reviews and more at https://offtheshelfreviews.wordpress....
This was an amusing mashup of various characters from several mythologies banding together to stop an alien menace, with plenty of Star Trek and Star Wars references sprinkled in. Unfortunately, the short length felt like a detriment, because no one ends up with a lot of depth. This is more about the absurdity of Coyote, Baba Yaga, Sigfried, Lung Nu, and the Wild Huntsman banding together (with a tribble!) to fight aliens whose main fault is that they have no imagination.
I suppose the main reason it didn't grab me was that with the exception of Lung Nu most of these characters were too familiar to feel weird, and the short length works against substantially adding to or deviating from some of the expectations. Knowing Coyote, the "dog" routine was obvious from the moment it showed up. Same with the rest. To people who aren't as familiar with mythology, the story probably flows better.
Overall this was another fast read, and amusing enough. It's a standalone story and ties up well by the end. I rate this book Neutral.
See my reviews and more at https://offtheshelfreviews.wordpress....
March 20, 2021
Why be normal, when you can be weird? This fun sci-fi story introduced me to a lot of tropes and concepts back in the day, and it mostly holds up now. Two nerds get sucked into a mythological fight for the world, and there's lots of Star Trek references. Definitely worth a read.
August 6, 2017
Fun, worth a re-read
December 10, 2013
This book is like Rick Riordan and Gaiman's American Gods. There are children. They meet mythical creatures. They, the weirdos, are the only ones who can save the world. There are also aliens. They are the ones threatening the world. It has a bit of that technology versus magic stuff. You learn a bit about some of the lesser-known mythologies. The Earth technology is pretty dated, so you'll have to read it as historical fiction set no later than the early 90s in order to not laugh at how computers are talked about. Enjoyable. Makes me wonder why Pamela Service never became a really popular author. She does all the stuff people seem to like, and she did it decades before Percy Jackson.
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June 11, 2010I thought this book was really funny. The title really caught my eye and the book was even more interesting. It takes place In a small town named after the Greek god Hermes and in that town two young kids who are of course the weirdos meet. They create a club called weird and do everything weird. During some kind of mythology project they need to research a god or goddess of their choice and of course being weird they pick the atypical ones. Then a thunderstorm brings the town to life and all kinds of strange things begin to happen.
July 14, 2015
This was one those fancy as well as amazing factious books. i love the fact that one gets their mind off what the reality is and they get lost in an entirely fictional world. I love the fact this book makes you open minded to the idea that another world other than ours might exist. I also liked it because it talked the philosophical question as to whether "visitors"/aliens of another world would be friendly, brutal or even of a higher level of intelligence than we are. All in all it was a great book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 22, 2014
I'm not sure how well this would hold up rereading as an adult, but any book pitting Baba Yaga's powers against an alien spaceship will at the very least keep you interested (if shocked at the cheesiness).
September 18, 2015
An interesting premise. Two modern teenagers trying to be weird as possible. Add a bunch of mythological and legendary characters. It's quite a story. It's fun, exciting, and up-beat. The plot is interesting. The characters are fun to read.
April 1, 2010
This is a terrific sci/fi book for children and adults.
September 21, 2008
I'll have to re-read this. I only remember the start of the story.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews