Customer Reviews

Glory Lane

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

One of Foster's greatest works, Glory Lane, equally enjoyable for adults or YAs, has a wonderfully retro sense of wonder to it. The colorful aliens and majestic backdrop of a densely settled space mesh nicely with well drawn, yet easily identifiable, almost stock, characters. It's a joy to read and re-read.

I bought this book many years ago when I was a teanager. It is still realevent to me today. The chacters in this book show us all sides our own humanity. Seeth the angry punk is our own anger at what is wrong in the world. The nerd Kerwin is our desire to fit in and find our place. Miranda our princess is just that our vanity and desires. Even Rail the lawn colored alien is us in the sense that we some times get caught in situations that just grow out of control. And finally there is little Izmir who is alot more than he or we seem. I highly recomend this book to anyone who has ever looked up at the night sky and wonder if there is more out there than we think.

My best friend gave me this book years ago and I loved it so much I wore it out! I lost it recently and had to get a new copy. You will enjoy this hilarious romp through the universe. It was everything I'd want in a science fiction novel!

From all walks of life in a New Mexico city come a seething punk rocker, a cynical college student who's totally devoted to his assignments, and an arrogant blonde sexpot. They all meet by a sudden chance with a strange bowler with seven fingers on one hand and he happens to be on the lam from the police who look and behave quite oddly as well. And he's greatly protective of his own bowling ball - and for a very good reason! For this innocent-looking ball holds a very SURPRISING secret within that will never ever be revealed until the VERY END of the whole bizarre tale!

In great gratitude for his rescue from the weird cops, the mysterious bowler throws aside his disguise to take the three kids for a very dizzying spin in his flying saucer to a great sprawling megapolis far into outer space that is quite full of every species imaginable, including the ones from Alan Dean Foster's other book! Then the unlikely trio suddenly gets abandoned amongst luxuries at a very fancy alien hotel! So they must fend for themselves out on the streets...and protect the strange bowling ball from the pursuing alien monsters who are on a VERY HOT trail!

A very fast-paced fantasy adventure with such exciting action and unexpected turns at every corner! A very colorful experience that a sci-fi nut would truly relish in while he's on a little break from all that hi-tech mumbo-jumbo he's usually accustomed to! Oh, and you'd love all the very creative lewd names that Seeth so tenderly gives the lovely young "barbie doll" of Miranda!

I first read Glory Lane about five or six years ago and then resurrected it for my teen-age son. This book has become one of the few books that he and I both liked immensly. That the action takes place in our hometown makes it more fun than ever. Every aspect of it is believable. Assuming that aliens exist, every part of this adventure could actually happen. This is what makes it great. You can take this leap into fantasy, knowing that it could become a reality.

its strange, when i found out the paperback copy of Glory Lane was out of print I was quickly at second hand book stores buy every copy so i could give it out as gifts to everyone I know. So far abut 20 copies have passed through my hands. Glory Lane is by far the best of Foster's work. Not to say his others are not great, just no where near the degree of Glory Lane. Granted its not the greatest work in literture on a scholarly level, but on a pure human emotional level you can't get any better.

I have read Alan Dean Foster's Star Wars books and was told to try out some of his non-Star Wars books. I tried Codgerspace but was unimpressed. Nonetheless, I decided to plug through this highly rated book.

Plot:
Seeth is a punk rocker. Kerwin is a college student. Miranda is a blonde bombshell. This trio meets up with Arthwit Rail, an alien in possession of Izmir, a strange being that no one is quite sure of. When Rail is chased by Oomenians who want Izmir back, the three humans are whisked away to a wide expansive world possessing more aliens than imaginable, shopping sprees beyond imagination, science this world has only dreamed of, and a five-way war over the strange thing that keeps tagging along. Will these three humans survive and who will gain control over Izmir?

Good:
AMAZING! This is a positively awesome book. From the characters, to the plot, to the pacing, to the science, there is very little that is wrong with this book.
From the moment that we meet Seeth, I was hooked. Seeth was an absolutely awesome character, portrayed perfectly. Not quite good and completely different from the middle-class ideal, Seeth is such a convincing persona, he outshines his other two counterparts. Miranda actually acts like a ditz (most of the time--see below) and Kerwin is a nerd in a new sense--non-science (i.e. physics, math, that kind of stuff).
Next, the plot was perfect! Each action led to the next, was unique but not confusing and was overall amusing. Watching how the three are introduced (Kerwin and Seeth in the bowling alley, Miranda and the two in the car Rail steals), how they land on an alien world, how they shop, what they have to do to make money, all these little incidents are absolutely perfectly intertwined to make a completely satisfying story.
The pacing was also perfect. Not too much time is spent on Earth, no large gaps occur in time, and Foster doesn't get bogged down in long expository scenes that serve only to explain every detail that the audience doesn't get (which, by the way, Foster again does perfectly). I enjoyed how they understood so much more than the humans (although I did get tired of the human downplaying).
Lastly, the science! And boy, is there a world of science. From new alien species that defy the almost-human aliens to the new spaceships to the unique spacetime wormholes used by the Halets, the aliens actually are aliens! I loved the new battle warfare (between computers!) and the hard-core explanations (like the missing 30 - 40% mass of the universe). But the science isn't so concentrated and focused that the story is missed.

Bad:
Two characters are absolutely plain. Miranda took a freshman physics course and talks like she can compete with alien knowledge? Yeah, right. I have taken sophomore physics, and I wouldn't hold my own next to an alien's superior knowledge of physics. And I am supposed to believe this ditz can spout freshman physics and sound intelligent? This just undermines the shallowness of her character.
Next, I loved Seeth's viewpoint. I was so disappointed when the view went to boring Kerwin. Yes, it is interesting that he is a sociology (I think) major, but really, not much goes on in his head other than being jealous of Seeth over Miranda or mad at Seeth for something he said. What about Seeth? What about Miranda? What about Rail for goodness sake? Why would I want most of the book, which concentrates on three, not one, major character to be told solely from one being's point of view?

Dialogue/Sexual Situations/Violence:
Seeth has quite a foul mouth (being a punk and anarchist after all) and so do several other characters, but "fortunately" the language is reserved to da**, he**, and sh**. Miranda is sleeping with her boyfriend in the back of the van. Seeth can think only of sleeping with Miranda. Violence is very tame, with the exception of the Oomenians shooting at fleeing Kerwin, Seeth, and Rail.

Overall:
After reading Codgerspace and being only minimally impressed with the story, I really did not want to read another book from the author for a while. But, it sounded interesting and my sister told me I should, so I did. And that was a great choice. I was impressed--I was more than impressed, I was shocked. Even with a few minor qualms (the viewpoint change and some characterizations), Glory Lane is an awesome, awesome science fiction book and I think that all sci-fi fans should read this one. Five stars easily.

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*C.S. Light*

The book is about three misfit Earthlings that unwittingly get caught up in a chase around the universe to obtain a very mysterious object.

This book is a wild ride and its actually funny! It has great characters and a story that gets bigger and more intriguing with every page. It is one of a handful of books I've read more than once. Don't let the cartoonish cover scare you away... though the book is quite silly, it is actually very thought-provoking and will open your eyes to the lighter side of contemplating the universe and our place within it... something we all really need a bit of. Great for kids or adults.

About 6 or so years ago, my brother read this book, and loved it. And lately, I have been in a reading slump (don't ya hate that?) and he recommended me to read this one. So, recently I found it again at a used book store. (I had no idea it was still available, I thought it was out of print.) And I have to tell you. You can't go wrong with this one. It was fun reading, with never a dull moment. Just your basic old fashioned page turner. But it isn't exactly brain candy either, in fact, the book offers some interesting concepts on our vast universe. And the ending line will leave you with a laugh (it did for me anyway) So big brother was right. The book was great. You are in for a real treat! I highly recommend this one to all.

Happy Reading!

...all three human characters. They do not grow. They remain petty, impudent little pests and I found myself wondering why the other races tolerated the human species if this was all the better that they were going to meet!

Seriously, the actual sci-fi was top-notch. There were a multitude of worlds and species that were well-done. But, it was marred by the inclusion of a punk rocker, a geek and a ditzy blond who continued to bicker, and sometimes actually fistfight with one another, no matter the situation. I wish he'd haven given that aspect of the story a rest.