Agent to the Stars

By: John Scalzi

Narrated by: Wil Wheaton

Length: 8 hrs and 49 mins

Publisher's summary

The space-faring Yherajk have come to Earth to meet us and to begin humanity's first interstellar friendship. There's just one problem: They're hideously ugly and they smell like rotting fish. So getting humanity's trust is a challenge. The Yherajk need someone who can help them close the deal. Enter Thomas Stein, who knows something about closing deals. He's one of Hollywood's hottest young agents. But although Stein may have just concluded the biggest deal of his career, it's quite another thing to negotiate for an entire alien race. To earn his percentage this time, he's going to need all the smarts, skills, and wits he can muster.

©2005 John Scalzi (P)2010 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

“Narrator Wil Wheaton animates the slapstick text with a tone that is appropriate for the story of a young Tinsel Town agent whose other clients are either equally deranged or aren't making him much money.” ( AudioFile)

Humor and plot, performance - of course!

Wil, Wil! you and Scalzi are a combo that cannot be beat! Scalzi keep writing these quirky stories. They combine odd characters with really unexpected twists to get the storyline done.

outstanding story and performance

very imaginative story that kept my wife and I entertained. I was already a fan of Will Wheaton, but now I am a fan of Scalzi also.

everything you would expect from John Scalzi and Will Wheaton

so many stories that seem to be independent but rbeally aren't. you can't skip any chapters and get the whole story

Very funny

My first John Scalzi book, but it won't be my last. An alien race wants to meet us, but they know we won't find them pleasant, so they hire an agent from Hollywood. Thomas Stein the agent is extremely funny and the interactions between the aliens and humans are roll on the ground funny. The first 2/3 of the book is a five star novel. When JS gets down to actually solving his main problem of making these gelatinous and stinky aliens lovable to humans then the book gets less funny. The solution is very disappointing.

Will Wheaton gives a great performance, better then a lot of the more established readers. I had a couple of times when for an instance I was confused on which character was speaking. Some of the minor characters have the same voice as the main character. The voice for the alien is excellent. I believe WW's reading made the book a better experience then reading it in print.

All the wrong people are the best

"He said" and "She said" are the most common words... its kind of infuriating for that.

Otherwise the most likable characters are not the ones intended.

just listen to it, it get's into you

this story is so many things. wonderful, warming, inspiring, omg why did you make me cry, and witty, funny, clever.

Too Snarky For Its Own Good

Is there anything you would change about this book?

For a novel about aliens, there sure aren't many. It's mostly self-absorbed humans making deals that reward themselves and punish others. I guess if I wanted to engross myself in a novel about Hollywood, I'd read William Goldman, but I pick up a Scalzi novel to transport myself to another world. Scalzi has captured a different place (Hollywood), it's just not as fantastic, or memorable as outer space. Not that every book Scalzi writes should take place there, this just wasn't what I've grown accustomed to from him.

What do you think your next listen will be?

Dune. With only two credits a month, I have to listen to the same books over and over again, and I know that's one I can listen to umpteen times. Although, I constantly listen to Read Player One, by Ernest Cline, because it's brilliant.

Which character – as performed by Wil Wheaton – was your favorite?

Joshua: Honest and awkward. Pitch perfect, like everything he does.

Did Agent to the Stars inspire you to do anything?

Write the end of a novel first, so foreshadowing comes easier throughout. That's more than likely what Scalzi (a genius, all around), has done with the majority of his novels.

Any additional comments?

John Scalzi is incredibly talented, and writes books I love to listen to, but I didn't like this one. The snarky tone (which more than likely abounds in Hollywood) gets to be a bit much.

What do you do with Jell-O?

This is a fun read, but there are some very serious issues discussed. Isn't that what the best Science Fiction is about?

In the here and now, if you were an alien how would you present yourself to earth? You'd need an agent, right? That is the premise for this quirky book about Hollywood and aliens. Some things to think about: Is it okay to take over a dog's body who died of a heart attack? How about a human's?

Wil Wheaton, (John-boy of the Stars) is the narrator to this work and he does a stand-up job. He's funny when he needs to be and serious when it counts. Well done, Mr. Crusher!

I had never read any of John Scalzi's books and it looks like I will keep an eye out for more of his nerdy humor and timely stories.

Worth the time to listen!

So much more than an alien story

Listened to it as a fan of science fiction (and yes, Star Trek) but this is such a surprising deep novel and twisting story. There's always something new and unexpected happening. Plus it touches quite serious topics. Everything is light but not surficial. Maybe I'll buy that book and read it. That's how much I liked it. And it works really well with the (one) narrator. I'm kind of a fan of audio theater, but it does not affect this book at all.
Highly recommendable!

I think I'm burned out on Scalzi/Wheaton

After Redshirts and Fuzzy Nation, I was really looking forward to another Scalzi/Wheaton audiobook... but now I feel like someone who ate one-to-many handfuls marshmallows. It was delicious, until it wasn't, and now I feel like I never want to see a marshmallow ever again.

The problem for me is that I realized that Scalzi's characters all speak with the same voice. It doesn't help that Wil Wheaton is also literally reading them all in the same voice. Allow me to elaborate:

Scalzi's characters (if they aren't peripheral comic relief) all have a tendency to explain their thoughts in the same precise, snarky, overly-elaborate manner. What's worse, Scalzi's characters' monologues are clearly a crutch for the an author who has no idea how to use subtlety in his writing. He doesn't trust the readers at all, so he insults our intelligence by over-explaining everything to us. It is the classic mistake of TELLING rather than SHOWING.

Scalzi's novels are fun, and his premises are interesting, but Scalzi does all the thinking for you, and never challenges you. It's a meal without substance. It's junk food.

For all of Scalzi's flaws, he does have redeeming qualities. His novels are fun, and they have a sense of humor. I guess this one just had fewer redeeming qualities than the others, which has left me feeling disappointed.

If you've never listened to a Scalzi/Wheaton audiobook, don't let this review turn you off- but I would advise that you listen to Fuzzy Nation instead.