How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe

De: Charles Yu

Narrado por: James Yaegashi

Minor Universe 31 is a vast story-space on the outskirts of fiction, where paradox fluctuates like the stock market, lonely sexbots beckon failed protagonists, and time travel is serious business. Every day, people get into time machines and try to do the one thing they should never do: change the past. That’s where Charles Yu, time travel technician—part counselor, part gadget repair man—steps in. He helps save people from themselves. Literally. When he’s not taking client calls or consoling his boss, Phil, who could really use an upgrade, Yu visits his mother (stuck in a one-hour cycle of time, she makes dinner over and over and over) and searches for his father, who invented time travel and then vanished. Accompanied by TAMMY, an operating system with low self-esteem, and Ed, a nonexistent but ontologically valid dog, Yu sets out, and back, and beyond, in order to find the one day where he and his father can meet in memory. He learns that the key may be found in a book he got from his future self. It’s called How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe, and he’s the author. And somewhere inside it is the information that could help him—in fact it may even save his life.

©2010 Charles Yu (P)2011 Recorded Books, LLC

Hard to put into words

if you get it you get it. if you don't you'll be a 1star reviewer. I don't really feel like saying more, but just know if you get it, you'll be different after having consumed this book.

When it happens, this is what happens...

I think this is well worth a credit given the entertainment factor and that it's not an overly-long book. That said, I'm planted firmly in the *I adore this and no one can change my mind* side of things though, so I'm admittedly biased. I would recommend this novel for anyone who loves Vonnegut's "Slaughterhouse Five" or maybe even Douglas Adams' "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"

It has heart, humor, it makes you think about life and your mortality. It makes you think about how you view and experience the world. My absolute favorite gem from the book is this (paraphrased) bit about how "time heals ... time is a machine ... it will force you to move on and you have no choice in the matter" because it's stated so simply and yet, it had not occurred to me to be quite so aware that I should pay attention to actual in the moment feelings. Even the painful ones.

James Yaegashi is a wonderful narrator and I can't wait to listen to more from him. Likewise, I look forward to more novels from the author Charles Yu.

Surrealistic Fluff

The inner monologue of a not - too - exciting person in a surreal universe. I ended up feeling like very little actually happened.

High Hopes, Dashed

I love time travel stories, and I love science fiction... Those aspects of this book were great, and I really enjoyed the writing style. What I couldn't get past, was the lack of story. It's a worth while read/listen for the science fiction, but if you're looking for a story, it's just not there...

a surprise

What did you love best about How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe?

The book sneaks up on you, becoming an elegy for times past, family, relationships, self discovery and longing, all under the guise of a time traveler - as he says toward the end, we are all time travelers being just who we are.

Confusing and Unsatisfying Payoff

I was not blown away by this story. It felt like two different books smashed together. About aman trying to rekindle his relationship with his father and a hyper technical sci-fi time travel story. I was let down by the end.

Flat character, no plot

Feels amateurish, like a 'first book', and the narrator does little to inject humor or interest to his reading.

Interesting but weird

Very good read for science lovers. Also has interestingly weird take on things,I enjoyed the narration a lot

surviving a science fictional book

interesting premise for a story, but the ongoing philosophy takes an effort to get through.

Not for everyone

This is a fascinating, frustrating, and sometimes confusing mashup of quantum gravity theory, fiction theory, and a story (at least I think there is a story in here).
what happens when someone tries to step out of their own life story? This is a book about doing so explicitly through technology, rather than by pretending that you are not reallt living your own life.
Good luck making a movie out of this.