Emperor Mollusk Versus the Sinister Brain

By: A. Lee Martinez

Narrated by: Scott Aiello

Length: 7 hrs and 21 mins

Publisher's summary

Emperor Mollusk. Intergalactic Menace. Destroyer of Worlds. Conqueror of Other Worlds. Mad Genius. Ex-Warlord of Earth. Not bad for a guy without a spine. But what's a villain to do after he's done... everything.

With no new ambitions, he's happy to pitch in and solve the energy crisis or repel aliens invaders should the need arise, but if he had his way, he'd prefer to be left alone to explore the boundaries of dangerous science. Just as a hobby, of course. Retirement isn't easy though. If the boredom doesn't get him, there's always the Venusians. Or the Saturnites. Or the Mercurials. Or... well, you get the idea. If that wasn't bad enough, there's also the assassins of a legendary death cult and an up-and-coming megalomaniac (as brilliant as he is bodiless) who have marked Emperor for their own nefarious purposes.

But Mollusk isn't about to let the Earth slip out of his own tentacles and into the less capable clutches of another. So it's time to dust off the old death ray and come out of retirement. Except this time, he's not out to rule the world. He's out to save it from the peril of the Sinister Brain!

©2012 A. Lee Martinez (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

Invertebrate overlord ? Fun!

Where does Emperor Mollusk Versus the Sinister Brain rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Oh gosh! It tickled me so much. I've only been hooked by a few books so easily. Totally in the top 20. Sounds like a lot...but you know lists can be huge with bibliophiles!

What did you like best about this story?

It's more like what didn't I like ? Which I really can't think of any. A. Lee Martinez has tickled me ever since I found him in a barnes and noble during a part time job. So read it!

What about Scott Aiello’s performance did you like?

Oh god he does Emperor perfectly...and the intellectual banter oh my!

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Oh when Snarg cuddled Zala. As animal companions go she;s better then lassie.

Any additional comments?

I always say this cause it's true. Buy it, if ya don't like it return it. Now for my other point. This book is funny, the narrator plays his roles perfectly. He plays off the gags between characters perfectly that you can't help but smile and the story is outlandish and silly and works just so well!

Weird wacky fun!

Which character – as performed by Scott Aiello – was your favorite?

Zala, I loved how she was the perfect counterfoil for Mollusk. She was so sarcastic

Great Book!

Would you listen to Emperor Mollusk Versus the Sinister Brain again? Why?

Yes, it was fun and easy to follow.

What did you like best about this story?

Fun and entertaining book. A great look into a potential future lead by science, but with enough of a senor of humor not to take itself too seriously.

What about Scott Aiello’s performance did you like?

He did a great job with the voices making it seem like different people were talking.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No, just enjoyed it.

Every '50s SF pulp monster included

The ex-conqueror of Earth, super genius Emperor Mollusk, comes out of retirement to defend his helpless subjects from the threat of villain just as brilliant and squishy as himself. Fans of John Scalzi or Douglas Adams will appreciate the genre-lampooning humor of this story, with it’s character archetypes, deus ex machina tropes, and send-ups of classic 1950’s pulp SF monster rouge’s gallery. In a truly brilliant twist, the narrating first-person protagonist is the ultimate villain, strangely relatable as a bored guy who just wants to move on to the next great challenge in life. While the narrative structure gets to be a little repetitive- basically a series of location-hopping quests designed to introduce odder and odder settings and characters, but without meaningfully advancing the plot, I still appreciated every word if only for the fantastic dialog. And although the pacing did become a bit predictable, the action was quite fun, and includes something for everyone: Lizard men aliens, time-travel, rock men aliens, mutated dinosaurs, city-ravaging monsters and robots, Atlantis, history re-interpreted, and more.

Such a fun book

A friend sent me this book and although I was not sure about it, I gave it a try and I loved it! It was action-packed, hilarious, witty and just overall entertaining! I highly recommend it if you're just looking to have some fun with a book. I will definitely be listening to it again.

Absolute delight!!

Between the fantastical adventure story, Snog, and the AMAZING narrator, this made for a fun road trip read. Definitely a good laugh among the way.

Tasty Confection

Sometimes you just want Mars Attacks or some similarly outlandish story. This is light and funny and well performed. It's a few parts Flash Gordon, a little Adult Swim, and every every super genius story ever, all in one.

Morality mores & time decay of brilliance

I am a sucker for absurd sci fi with a sense of humor. And as this story features a cephalopod who may have suckers but refuses to be one himself, I really enjoyed it. It features a question of what must a villain do to prove he is not such a bad guy. Lord Mollusk is not interested in a morality he can't prove scientifically exists. He cares only for the experimental process & satisfying his professional curiosity of no longer being vindictively evil. Being a genius, he is gracious in his condescension because he is secure in his own superior intelligence. But when the Sinister Brain shows up & challenges his curiosity with a grand mystery, it is a battle of wills & wits to unravel what is really going on. Oh, and the universe is often in the brink of doomsday along the way due to the collateral damage caused by the conflict.

Faux british accent

I don't like the actor's false accent. Every time he over applies british pronunciation I cringe. It's a fine story though. Good ending

Excellent narration

The voices were spot-on, and the dry humor came through clearly. A really fun read!