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borderlinebookish's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
thewallflower00's review against another edition
4.0
Cory Doctorow cited it as one of the great books he was handing out in his early days in the bookstore. It sounded interesting, and luckily, a few days later, it was released under a CC license. I'm glad it was - it's a good read.
At some point during the late eighties, every television is America is hijacked by Buddy Holly, apparently broadcasting from some sort of biodome on Ganymede meant to look like "The Ed Sullivan Show". No one knows why this is happening, how, or what it means, but when Buddy Holly reads one of the signs in the studio "Call Oliver Vale for assistance", our main character who shares the same name knows he's in a heap of trouble.
My beef with the book is that it's not science-fiction. Humor, yes. Sci-fi, no. There's a strange broadcast, yes, but its existence is simply a macguffin to get characters moving. There are aliens, yes, but they never figure into the main plot. They don't act like aliens or do alien things. There are robots, yes, but its a robot dog who no one seems to care much about, especially when it regurgitates a beer can as a gift. There are no spaceships, lasers, xenobiotic life forms, or different planets. So why call this science-fiction? This is a chase novel with a science-fictiony-like thing at the beginning. It could be the same story without it.
At some point during the late eighties, every television is America is hijacked by Buddy Holly, apparently broadcasting from some sort of biodome on Ganymede meant to look like "The Ed Sullivan Show". No one knows why this is happening, how, or what it means, but when Buddy Holly reads one of the signs in the studio "Call Oliver Vale for assistance", our main character who shares the same name knows he's in a heap of trouble.
My beef with the book is that it's not science-fiction. Humor, yes. Sci-fi, no. There's a strange broadcast, yes, but its existence is simply a macguffin to get characters moving. There are aliens, yes, but they never figure into the main plot. They don't act like aliens or do alien things. There are robots, yes, but its a robot dog who no one seems to care much about, especially when it regurgitates a beer can as a gift. There are no spaceships, lasers, xenobiotic life forms, or different planets. So why call this science-fiction? This is a chase novel with a science-fictiony-like thing at the beginning. It could be the same story without it.
slooker's review against another edition
5.0
I was a little skeptical when I first read the title, but I figured what the heck... This was a fantastic book. It was definitely a little odd, but entertaining from beginning to end.
verkisto's review against another edition
3.0
Before you read this novel, you should ask yourself, Does that sound like the kind of novel I would like?, because honestly, the title tells you a whole heck of a lot about the book. I don’t feel like I need to spoiler the fact that the story starts off with confirmation that Buddy Holly is, in fact, alive on Ganymede, but I figure I should make it clear that if that doesn’t sound like your kind of story, you’re probably better off avoiding it all together.
Avoiding the novel would be a shame, though, because while it’s certainly a science fiction/1950s music novel, it’s also a pretty good story about strength, perseverance, fate, and relationships. That shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise if you’re familiar with Denton’s work (Lunatics and Laughing Boy were, too), but if you’re not, and if the title of the story appeals to you, this is as good a place as any to start.
I really like the way that Denton approached the story. The story is ultimately about Oliver Vale, a young man who was conceived the night that Buddy Holly died, and had an odd relationship with his mother for much of his life. When Buddy Holly broadcasts a message back to Earth (from Ganymede, just in case you weren’t paying attention before) saying that Oliver has the answers, it sets off a series of chain reactions that gets him on the run, trying to find the answers that Buddy says he has. By the time the story begins, Oliver’s mother has been dead for a few years, and the story is told partly through sequential flashbacks, and partly through events that are taking place in the present. The flashbacks fit in somewhat with what’s happening in the present time, and I thought it was an effective way to tell the tale.
This was Denton’s first novel, but you’d be hard pressed to find the usual foibles that one might find in a first novel. The good guys are likeable, the bad guys are despicable, and then there are the characters who fall in between the two extremes, and you feel for them about how you’re supposed to. The plot comes together well, and the writing has the right strength and depth without coming across as arrogant or overly intellectual. It’s the perfect blend of form and function, with a loopy premise that makes sense and works within the confines of the story.
Just remember: If you’re not sure what to make of this novel, ask yourself what you think of the title. That should tell you enough to get you started.
Avoiding the novel would be a shame, though, because while it’s certainly a science fiction/1950s music novel, it’s also a pretty good story about strength, perseverance, fate, and relationships. That shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise if you’re familiar with Denton’s work (Lunatics and Laughing Boy were, too), but if you’re not, and if the title of the story appeals to you, this is as good a place as any to start.
I really like the way that Denton approached the story. The story is ultimately about Oliver Vale, a young man who was conceived the night that Buddy Holly died, and had an odd relationship with his mother for much of his life. When Buddy Holly broadcasts a message back to Earth (from Ganymede, just in case you weren’t paying attention before) saying that Oliver has the answers, it sets off a series of chain reactions that gets him on the run, trying to find the answers that Buddy says he has. By the time the story begins, Oliver’s mother has been dead for a few years, and the story is told partly through sequential flashbacks, and partly through events that are taking place in the present. The flashbacks fit in somewhat with what’s happening in the present time, and I thought it was an effective way to tell the tale.
This was Denton’s first novel, but you’d be hard pressed to find the usual foibles that one might find in a first novel. The good guys are likeable, the bad guys are despicable, and then there are the characters who fall in between the two extremes, and you feel for them about how you’re supposed to. The plot comes together well, and the writing has the right strength and depth without coming across as arrogant or overly intellectual. It’s the perfect blend of form and function, with a loopy premise that makes sense and works within the confines of the story.
Just remember: If you’re not sure what to make of this novel, ask yourself what you think of the title. That should tell you enough to get you started.
pj_grasshopper's review against another edition
4.0
In between the randomness of this book and Michelle‘s diary entries, this was a weirdly good book if you are into sci-fi and can handle Rock ‘n’ roll references every turn of the page. Even though I side-eyed some of the dialogue of this book, I love Oliver and his mother’s relationship and at some points made me want to cry.
I don’t know if it was tended by the author but between Oliver reading Michelle’s (his mother) diary entries you get to see her perspective during the 60s,70s, and 80s up till her death.
I feel bad for both Michelle and Oliver because Michelle was never able to cope with the death of her boyfriend and Oliver’s father, she ended up fixating on predominant rock and roll figures (like Buddy Holly obviously) to UFOs and aliens. This was also her downfall because she ended up projecting this to Oliver who later stated in one chapter when he was getting glasses that he didn’t want to be the spitting image of Buddy Holly and just wanted to be himself which Michelle wasn’t helping with that ( she compares him to Buddy Holly when he was getting picked on because of the glasses).
But it’s not her fault because she was 17 and pregnant with Oliver and her boyfriend killed himself after he impregnate her, it could have been traumatizing for her and a lack of support from her family wasn’t helping, so she turns to rock and roll and spiritualism as a coping mechanism so she doesn’t have to face the reality that everyone dies (including herself and Oliver).
In my perspective Oliver, while also being on the run from the police and trying to figure out how to stop the aliens, he’s also trying to figure out if his mother had been right about all of this happing or was she disturbed as a person.
Either way, this is just my theory but the main point Is that I enjoyed the book.
Alternative title for a book: Buddy Holly comes back from the dead and doxed a 20-year-old man because of aliens.
I don’t know if it was tended by the author but between Oliver reading Michelle’s (his mother) diary entries you get to see her perspective during the 60s,70s, and 80s up till her death.
I feel bad for both Michelle and Oliver because Michelle was never able to cope with the death of her boyfriend and Oliver’s father, she ended up fixating on predominant rock and roll figures (like Buddy Holly obviously) to UFOs and aliens. This was also her downfall because she ended up projecting this to Oliver who later stated in one chapter when he was getting glasses that he didn’t want to be the spitting image of Buddy Holly and just wanted to be himself which Michelle wasn’t helping with that ( she compares him to Buddy Holly when he was getting picked on because of the glasses).
But it’s not her fault because she was 17 and pregnant with Oliver and her boyfriend killed himself after he impregnate her, it could have been traumatizing for her and a lack of support from her family wasn’t helping, so she turns to rock and roll and spiritualism as a coping mechanism so she doesn’t have to face the reality that everyone dies (including herself and Oliver).
In my perspective Oliver, while also being on the run from the police and trying to figure out how to stop the aliens, he’s also trying to figure out if his mother had been right about all of this happing or was she disturbed as a person.
Either way, this is just my theory but the main point Is that I enjoyed the book.
Alternative title for a book: Buddy Holly comes back from the dead and doxed a 20-year-old man because of aliens.
miniaturephilosopher's review
4.0
It's funny, exciting, and I like the way it seamlessly blends golden age sc-fi, new wave sci-fi, and new-age themes into something wholly unique. It would have been a five-star book if not for two things:
1. Gretchen. I don't appreciate her characterization at all.
2. Sharon's POV chapters. I didn't really see the significance. While everything else came together really well, hers seemed like outliers. I didn't have a problem with her as a character, but her POV chapters seemed unnecessary.
1. Gretchen. I don't appreciate her characterization at all.
2. Sharon's POV chapters. I didn't really see the significance. While everything else came together really well, hers seemed like outliers. I didn't have a problem with her as a character, but her POV chapters seemed unnecessary.
twoheadedboy91's review
adventurous
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
It's a very fun read.
ajsdf's review
4.0
Twenty years ago, I happened upon this book at a public library and found it to be delightfully entertaining: science fiction, comedy, rock and roll and cultural history all mushed together. For this read, I had to buy a copy, it not existing in the library system. I'll no doubt read it again; it's just plain fun.
miloblue's review
4.0
I loved this. Without giving too much away, it's basically a chase scene from start to finish with lots of high weirdness thrown in.
rgombert's review
1.0
Was this supposed to be a good book? A funny book? An enjoyable book?
Fell way off the mark.
Fell way off the mark.