Customer Reviews

After The Blue

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I found this book to be hilarious! The author shows an idyllic society living in the ruins of a world destroyed (accidentally) by an alien race. The Gruumsbaggians are silly and provide great laughs as they attempt to rebuild the 20th century world (more accurately, United States). Their views (misconceptions, one could hope) on modern life, and the human's responses, are interesting, clever, and thought provoking.

If there's one theme with which I'll take from Russel Like's novel, I would have to say his clever underlying of the absurdities of human nature and the goofiness of society's restraints. I'm not even so sure Russel knows how well he makes us see the reality of ourselves as slaves--slaves to fashion, money, standards. I would even go so far to say that the aliens here are more representative of human mockery than they are extraterrestrial. Like government officials down through the human ages, although these beings feel they are doing right by trying to inspire good order, they entrap people at the same time. In the style of George Orwell's "Animal Farm," Like represents man's desire for freedom at any cost by a group of renegade humans firebombing alien-created malls and restaurants--places where humans are ordered to work. Civilization is having a second chance, laughable at the expense of everyone involved. Russel also 'likens' today's overdone and unneccesary fashion to the clothing the aliens make humans wear to work--all day long! For example, one lead character I laughed at was forced to wear heavy clothing and a busby--a ridiculously enormous fur hat worn by Buckingham Palace guards. The poor idiot was the victim of well-meaning aliens who thought this the norm of the old world they had unconsciously destroyed. Like's imagination for such a plot is revelry in itself. I looked forward to reopening this book every night. Absurdity caused several good laughs.

Russel Like's story of sympathetic aliens and post-catastrophe humans is both hilarious and touching. The crux of the story is the irony caused by the aliens' desire to restore a civilization which humans, by dealing with the disaster, have already transcended. The book is both entertaining and thought-provoking, especially to anyone who has ever been stuck in a suburban rat-race. New Jersey residents will be especially amused by the all the local references.

Wow! Funny book! I had never heard of Russel Like nor his book, but saw a copy with a "Personally Autographed" sticker on it on the "Local Authors" shelf at a Princeton-area bookstore. Browsing the back cover, I was absolutely intrigued by the concept, so I bought it....

I think it is HILARIOUS! It really cuts to the heart of our rapacious, materialistic, acquisitive society! I've zipped through Jamesburg a few thousand times...even used to swim in Thompson Park lake back in the '60's (my best friend and I would ride our bikes there from Somerset, NJ!) when it was clean enough to do so (before the Blue). My wife's cousin owned a little store on Railroad Ave. for years.

However, I don't think I'll ever be able to transit the town again and feel quite the same way about it!

HUGELY enjoyed the attempts by the alien race to recreate the university milieu! Rutgers University gets what it deserves! (as a graduate I'm allowed to say that!) It is satire worthy of Douglas Adams.

Anyhow, I hope this book takes off and sells well. Mr. Like writes well IMHO, and he deserves success!

(BTW, has he written anything else that I might stumble across in my travels?)

The inscription in my book says "Hope you enjoy it! Best Wishes, <RL_sig>" I certainly did, and best wishes to Mr. Like. His book can be considered an immensely humorous manifesto on how we might react to an alien invasion....

I don't read science fiction books, but After the Blue by Russel Like converted me in short order! The author is an ingenious writer whose imaginative, quirky characters absolutely spring to life immediately and grab the reader's attention. Vivid description and fast-paced action combine to make this gem very difficult to put down once you start reading. Many of the lines made me actually laugh out loud and the fine writing highlights Mr. Like's satirical commentary. The only disappointment in this social satire is that it eventually ends. I hope there is a sequel in the offing.

I read this because it was compared (by Amazon reviews) to Adam's Hitchhiker series. It has a similar concept, but lacks the wit and style that made Adam's series so popular. For a guy from New Jersey, Like certainly lacks the keen sense of sarcasm that I expected from reading the reviews. The plot plods along and except for the basic concept which set up the story, there wasn't much that was truly humorous. Adam's aliens were funny because they exagerated certain human characteristics. Like's aliens are simply dull. It was funny enough to recommend, but not a 5-star book. For those hungry for more Adams-style humor, I would recommend "Starship Titanic" by Terry Jones, a former Python. It was more humorous and more like Adams.

I read this book and thought it was witty and clever.

This book is great. It's easy to read, funny and full of witty irony. Indeed, the road to Hell is paved with good intentions, as shown by the Gruumsbaggians' attempt to restore the human civilization.

This book made my day. Funny, inventive, satirical. It lets you take a look at your life from a different perspective. I would recommend it to everyone who likes intelligent reading

This is a great book! A must read for anyone who loves science fiction, humor, fun.