Daved Baker

This one will stay with you. Anyone raised in a middle class-ish nuclear family of 2.5 children in the 70's will relate to this story. Have you ever thought that your family was especialy strange and dis-functional? Ever wonder why they were that way? The amazing thing is, with so many strange goings on and un-emotionaly healthy situations, the narrator, Ruby Lennox, seems to make the best of it and just keeps moving on. Ultimately a very inspiring tale of overcoming one's parents unintended shortcomings. Oh yeah - it's wickedly funny too!

Great sequel to Saturn, if not quite as engaging. Most of the thrills and adventure were already covered in Saturn as well as the scientific concepts. But fans of Poncho rejoice - she's back in a big way in this book!

Impossible to get out of your mind - I read it 6 months ago and can't stop thinking about it. The story is so very sad, yet what remains with me most is the theme of redemption - the chance for it even when it seems impossible. A similiar theme is explored in "A Changed Man" (Francine Prose), though the plot is less tragic.

Good for a day when you want a short listen and have nothing better to listen to - kinda like watching a movie on the Hallmark channel.

I haven't seen the printed version, but the unique way the audible reading is structured (as well as the competence of the orator) surely makes the listening experience superior to reading it. Though the story changes directions midway through and seems to get lost at the end, listening to it was a pleasure.

In the interview at the end of this book the author says he wrote it for a teenage girl audience, unlike Wicked which was written for adults. Maybe that's why, after just having finished listening to Wicked, that I didn't find this more engaging.

Had I done a little more reasearch I wouldn't have tried to listen to this - had to shut it off after a n hour because it was to gory for me. Interesting premise, though.

This is a very rewarding novel that tackles the issues of gun control and animal rights so deftly and from so many points of view that you'll lose yourself in the inner workings of the characters and the plot, and not realize till you've finished reading it what the book is really about. The author leads you on a detailed journey through each characters inner and outer desires and motivations, interweaving story lines and perspectives seamlessly. If you liked "Behind the Scenes at the Museum" (Kate Atkinson) and "On Beauty" (Zadie Smith) you'll probably like this too.

Much like "The Kite Runner" (Khaled Hosseini) and "A Changed Man" (Francine Proset) there is also the theme of it never being to late to find redemtion, no matter the sins (real or imagined) commited.

I've now read or listened to all of Dr. Bova's "Grand Tour" series and "Mercury" is second only to "Saturn" in my book. It has all the great themes and characters you expect from Bova, deftly exploring what some see as the un-avoidable conflict between science and religion, and others may view as nut cases versus normal people (you decide which is which). It's a little faster paced than "Saturn", and there are a few of the same characters (unfortunately no Poncho Lane in this book). The recording technique of using 3 or 4 different voices really adds drama and atmosphere to the narration. Overall very entertaining as well as thought provoking.