- Shopping Bag ( 0 items )
Available on NOOK devices and apps
Want a NOOK? Explore Now
Want a NOOK? Explore Now
Martinez (Too Many Curses) pokes at big-picture questions, like the nature of the universe and the meaning of life, with abundant, zany humor in this charming tale. Monster, who works in cryptobiological containment, first encounters Judy when he rescues her from a yeti that's trashing the frozen foods aisle of the Food Plus Mart. They meet again when trolls infest her apartment. As an incognizant-someone whose mind can't acknowledge magic-Judy soon forgets the bizarre events, but Monster suspects she's somehow involved with the recent uptick in dangerous cryptobiological happenings. When Lotus, keeper of a stone mysteriously linked to Judy, spirits Judy away, Monster attempts to come to her rescue, only to discover that he's in way over his head. Scary monsters and hilarious scenarios embellish a convoluted plot that suggests even night-shift workers might have a destiny. (May)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.I think my headline says it all. A great easy read that leaves you looking for more books by the author.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.This is a fun read with lots of different mythical characters and a plot that was totally not expected. I enjoyed it and can't wait for the sequel, there has to be a sequel because the writer left me wanting more situations with the characters, I enjoyed them that much.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.kickasschf
Posted February 20, 2010
I Also Recommend:
i loved the concept of this book.the characters are beyond fascinating.i definitely wasn't disappointed by the other title gil's all fright diner and have plans to purchase other titles by this author!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.zombie_chic
Posted June 21, 2009
I Also Recommend:
Very entertaining and flat out funny with just a hint of deeper meaning. Love the off the wall plot twists!!!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted October 22, 2011
Really enjoyed this book, but can't recommend books that have the same nook price as the paperback version.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted March 24, 2011
I Also Recommend:
I picked up this book thinking I would give it a shot. It sounded a little silly, what with having a yeti eating ice cream on the back cover. Actually, within the FIRST PAGE, it dive right in with the humor. It was one of those books that had me smiling and laughing to myself through out it's entirety. I love the fact that the characters are actually fleshed out. They all have their flaws and nobody, not even the paper gnome, is perfect. The thing I think I liked most was the ending wasn't the stereotypical ending. I won't ruin it, but I was actually pleasantly surprised that Martinez didn't take the predictable route. I am definetly going to be picking up more of his books. Well worth the money and time put into reading it. Oh, and also, kudos on getting the mythologies right and not wimping out. All the creatures were spot on from their respective origins.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.OsteoNerd
Posted February 28, 2011
Great book for a rainy day read. Found myself laughing out loud a bunch of times.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.MimiEJ
Posted November 2, 2010
I'm a fan of A. Lee Martinez and this book delivered the humor, adventure and weirdness in style. If you are a fan of Hitchhiker's Guide, Christopher Moore and are looking for something similar this one is for you.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted May 6, 2010
Non-stop reading. Great author and, as usual, a great book. Once you read one of James Patterson's books, you will want to read them all. I can't wait for another one to come out.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted April 17, 2010
Not very original, terrible main character, Monster. Started out well and that was it. Cannot imagine reading another book by this author.
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted April 13, 2010
This book is offbeat and fun to read. I had a lot of fun with the characters and the world in which monsters and mythical creatures are an everyday occurrence, but one the average person does not remember! A great read for science fiction, mystery and fantasy lovers alike.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.-Storm-
Posted April 13, 2010
Definitely one of my favorite books. The fantastical stuff that goes on in the story is so well written, the elements just come off so non-chalant to the characters it makes it beleivable. This author's style has made me take a look at a couple of his other books, and they are just as great. The characters are very real and the explanations and interactions are just so cool. Definitely worth it. Go get it.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.gmoney7786GL
Posted March 23, 2010
striking cover caught my eye but i didnt buy it at that time, i think i was reading something else at the time. But i came back and bought it and read it in just a few days. WOW!!! what a great book. every one needs to read this.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.4.5 Stars
Watch out for deadly garden gnomes, yeti's that loathe vanilla, trolls, and possessed cats while the fate of the universe rests on the shoulders of three unlikely people: a disgruntled Cryptobiological Containment & Rescue Services (CCRC) worker, a paper gnome named Chester, and Judy, an incognizant mundane Food Plus Mart worker. (by the way, she's great at stacking cans of vegetables). Not exactly the A Team when saving our collective butts. But hey. it's all we've got.
Monster is not your ordinary kind of guy and in between his supernatural color changes, definitely brings new meaning to the word apathetic. But you'll adore him. The two failings of this incredibly interesting character are his conscience and his selfishness. These are a point of conflict for Martinez. Which is why Chester fills the role of sensei so nicely. Not that Monster listens that well to him. Will he end up doing the right thing? Will he help Judy step up to the plate and fulfill her destiny? Or will he just do his job, swig back a beer, and veg out in front of the TV while the universe collapses around him? Monster's man-cave guttural mentality is immensely endearing, and watching him stumble over basic rights and wrongs will bring a smile to your face.
Martinez has taken whimsy, humor, and sci-fi and melded it into one big Scooby sandwich of a story that you'll rub your belly and belch loudly after devouring. The efforts of Monster, Chester, and Judy to outwit their arch nemesis Lotus, snag the universe stone, and continually battle summoned cryptos is like riding The Colossus at Magic Mountain and having a few wheels break off mid-flight. Scary, but fun. I LOVED Monster. I was constantly amused and amazed at how Martinez makes his world building so effortless. How the heck does he do it?
The pace is continually zippy and entertaining, the text snappy as Martinez unabashedly gives us a window into his quick fire mind. I was strongly reminded of Christopher Moore, but I have to say it (don't kill me after the fact) that I think Martinez is hella funnier. Way. The Post-It's, the dialogue, And inventive. And I strongly suspect he ate up comic books as a young sprat. I now consider myself a lifelong devotee.
A Fiendishly Bookish Review
AirgoddessCG
Posted February 21, 2010
This was my first time reading Martinez's work. The writing style is very easy to read, the characters are engaging, and the story of a lot of fun. A good book to read if you are looking to escape for a bit.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Monster runs a specialized pest control agency that advertises he catches pesty yeti; what he catches is placed in special in cryptobiological containment facilities as these are not rodents. One night Monster stops at the Food Plus Mart where Judy eats Rocky Road ice cream while working the late shift. He saves her life from a runaway yeti who was running wild in the frozen foods aisle.-----------
Soon after that evening incident, Monster has to remove an infestation of trolls in Judy's apartment. As with the yeti, Judy almost immediately forgets the paranormal events, which proves she must be a person whose mind cannot accept the existence of magic so she dumps those encounters as not being real. However, Monster does not accept coincidence as Judy seems to be the foci in the rise of deadly cryptobiological activity. Not long after her denial, Lotus, who possesses a stone linked to Judy, abducts her. Used to battling dragons, trolls and ogres, Monster follows her to save her life, but quickly realizes he is in deep trouble even more when he fights with his girlfriend who is literally from hell.-------------
This humorous satire lampoons those street corner philosophers agonizing over how the universe began when people are malnourished, un-sheltered, and receiving no health care. The story line is fast-paced from the opening yeti assault and never slows down as Judy seems to have become the center of zany paranormal activity. Readers who believe in boiling the ocean to see what lives on ground below will pass, but the rest of the universe will enjoy Lee Martinez's biting thriller that amusingly mocks social cosmologists who fail to see a tree in the forest.----------
Harriet Klausner
Anonymous
Posted February 3, 2012
No text was provided for this review.
Anonymous
Posted February 15, 2010
No text was provided for this review.
Anonymous
Posted January 21, 2010
No text was provided for this review.
Anonymous
Posted March 20, 2010
No text was provided for this review.
Overview
Meet Monster. Meet Judy. Two humans who don't like each other much, but together must fight dragons, fire-breathing felines, trolls, Inuit walrus dogs, and a crazy cat lady - for the future of the universe.Monster runs a pest control agency. He's overworked and has domestic troubles - like having the girlfriend from hell.
Judy works the night shift at the local Food Plus Mart. Not the most glamorous life, but Judy is happy. No one bothers her and if she has to spell things out for the night-manager every now and ...