Inhuman Beings [Mass Market Paperback]

Jerry Jay Carroll (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 1999

Private eye Goodwin Armstrong doesn't need a psychic to tell him that when the whole population of a city turns into something else, the gun in his pocket and the brain in his head won't be enough to fight them.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Jerry Jay Carroll's second novel, Inhuman Beings, is a cynical, hilarious blend of Raymond Chandler and Philip K. Dick. Former cop Goodwin Armstrong finds his detective agency getting mysteriously muscled out of business, and his only lead is a wacky dame who calls herself Princess Dulay. The princess has detected psychic vibrations indicating that aliens--in a ship the size of a bowling ball--have invaded Earth. It's no joke to Armstrong, as first his fleabag hotel mysteriously explodes, and then his contacts begin to disappear--or worse, start acting very unlike themselves. He can't trust anyone, or anything, as elevators plummet, security cameras swivel to watch his movements, and kamikaze seagulls plunge through skylights to attack him. Carroll's dialogue is witty, his hero engaging, and his story swift-paced. Altogether, Inhuman Beings is a satisfying science fiction adventure that proves to be just as entertaining as Carroll's first novel, the lighthearted fantasy Top Dog. --Blaise Selby --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly

Former cop Goodwin Armstrong, 44, is a divorced San Francisco PI battling the forces of a chain franchise detective agency, Security Concerns, when psychic Ronda Rabin, aka Princess Dulay, hires him. She claims aliens have invaded the U.S. and are planning a hostile takeover. The rest of Carroll's second novel (after Top Dog) is a by-the-numbers run that uncovers the aliens among us in the San Francisco police chief and mayor and their missing wives. Mysterious communication failures, blackouts, a plunging elevator, a seagull attack and assorted arsons preceded by blue flashes bring Armstrong to reporter Gilmore Ford, who steps in to help when it appears the alien takeover is rapidly moving to the White House. Despite a few visually interesting scenes at a Renaissance Fair, and an exciting missile launching into the Atlanta headquarters of Security Concerns, Carroll's narrative loses energy long before its explosive conclusion. Moreover, too many echoes of cinematic/TV models?including Men in Black, Independence Day and The X-Files?drain the originality from this SF mystery/adventure.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 249 pages
• Publisher: Ace (April 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0441006124
• ISBN-13: 978-0441006120
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,595,223 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Author of TOP DOG takes on noir & aliens, May 22, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Inhuman Beings (Paperback)

The author of Top Dog - "Wall Street" meets "The Lord of the Rings" - this time blends film noir with an alien conspiracy theory. Again, he spices things up with a flashy manipulation of sarcasm. Goodwin Armstrong is a typical ex-cop/gumshoe, down on his luck. Just when he thought things could any worse, a survivor of a brutal divorce, Security Concerns, a "Private-Eyes-R-Us," begins to kill his business. His financial situation forces him to take on a case involving a psychic, Princess Dulay. She believes that aliens have invaded, and are taking over people in the San Francisco are. Also, they are killing psychics because they can sense the aliens' presence. Armstrong takes on the case, and through a long and painful process becomes a believer and fighter for the cause.

Carroll manages to take many elements and genres and skillfully blends them into an entertaining plot. Driving his tale is some strong and well-developed characters. Carroll's narrative has the traditional feel of a quest, but with modern dressings. His real strength lies in his ability to create substantial, believable characters that a reader can sink his teeth into. The story elements are not anything new, but he plays them off each other in a clever and invigorating style. Grounding his characters in reality allows his to take the reader deeper into reality. He structures the tale so that it unfolds as memories from Armstrong, whom they are holding in a government type facility. This device allows him to create mystery and build suspense. The result is a fast and fulfilling read.

Jerry Jay Carroll is the reining master of recombinative fiction, a refreshing voice. He not only makes everything old new again, but knows how to plot, develop characters and heat things up. INHUMAN BEINGS is what "The X-Files" should be, with a little "Dr. Strangelove" thrown in for good measure. Hey, somebody should get this guy to write for television.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Clever, suspenseful and witty! Couldn't put it down!, November 7, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Inhuman Beings (Paperback)

Carroll has a beautiful writing style. His characters are real, his dialogue is convincing and he knows how to keep you interested. I particularly enjoyed his sense of humor and his appreciation for the absurd. Some examples: "The bold scarf tied under his chin represented a rival theory of art"; ""Gloria had a tongue rough enough to sand floors"; "I told lawyers Mulhenny couldn't find his ass if he grew an extra hand back there"; "Feelings are important. Mr. Rogers says so"; "I feel like I've been here long enough for continents to form"; and "Anarchists don't pay parking tickets." (The trick to writing great metaphors is to not sound pretentious. Carroll has real style!) I can't recommend this book enough to science fiction fans who enjoy a good story and great writing.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Sometimes Less is More, June 10, 2007

By 

S. Michael Wilson "A Strange Hero to a Select... (Phillipsburg, NJ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Inhuman Beings (Mass Market Paperback)

Detective novels are nothing new, and neither are invaders from beyond stories, but you don't get many crossbreeds of the two outside of the hardcore futuristic sci-fi realm. In this regard, Inhuman Beings is an enjoyable treat.

Carroll's novel is tightly written, short and sweet the way detective novels should be. He doesn't skimp on the characters or back story, just the excessive pages of prose some authors veer off in to explain it.

It may seem unusual to complain about getting more than you asked for, but that is my major problem with the novel. The book description promises a lone detective suddenly involved in a subversive alien invasion, and Carroll delivers the goods right away, keeping a steady pace and developing the dangers at a quick and steady pace. However, the third part of the book changes gears with the involvement of government officials that eventually buy into the main character's claims of an alien attack, and a story of a lone man against insurmountable odds becomes a low-budget retelling of Independence Day or Invaders from Mars. It isn't exactly a bad change, but it was the former story I read the book for, not the latter.

Also, as good as the book is on keeping the reader interested in the main character, this is mainly due to the pace and tension his lone crusader status affords him. As soon as he becomes part of an underground force battling the aliens, the tone and feeling of the book is lost, along with a great deal of the tension.

In short, I enjoyed the book that I first picked up to read, but it wasn't the same book I eventually put down.