Lost and Found: A Novel (The Taken Trilogy)

I love stories where the everyday man is thrown into extraordinary circumstances, and you can't get more extraordinary than being captured by a group of aliens to be sold on the market as a pet. This book is witty and full of suspense, but the key element to this book is Alan Dean Foster's ability to develop deeply flawed, likeable, realistic characters in bizarre yet believable settings. Excellent Book!

I generally like Foster's books, and this one was no exception. It was in all respects a thoroughly enjoyable, quick read. I particularly enjoyed the encounters with the many varieties of aliens who were abducted with Mark, the human, and George, the enhanced dog. The gang of four -- Mark, George, and two very dissimilar aliens -- make quite a group of conspirators as they plan and execute their escape from the aliens who are planning to sell them as novelties (i.e., slaves).

I'd just like to thank the malcontent above who put just about every spoiler in his review that he could and then proceeded to ruin the ending for those of us who hadn't read the book yet. I tried to report it as inappropriate but nobody took it off. Despite that...I thought this book was hilarious and funny and I couldn't put it down (and didn't until I was done). I can't wait for the rest of the books in the series. If they're as good as "The Damned" or the "Icerigger" trilogies I'm chomping at the bit for the next installment! I hope Foster keeps writing for a good long time!

Chicago commodity trader Marc Walker is planning to win a bet by spending a week camping by a beautiful California lake. The strange object in the sky is less initially less interesting than the attractive woman at the bar but when Marc wakes up to discover that his bit of California lakefront has been transported into an alien spaceship, he realizes that he's misplaced his priorities. With the assistance of a talking dog and a group of also-abducted aliens--intended for some sort of alien zoo or perversion--Marc battles despair. Still, what can one human, even if assisted by an overly smart dog, do against an entire spaceship full of alien-tamers? Some of the captive aliens are smarter than Marc. Some are much stronger. But Marc's drive for success made him a top commodity trader back in Chicago and it eggs him on--to do something rather than wait to be sold into slavery. Unfortunately, he must also deal with the reality that not all of the prisoners want to escape--and there are always some willing to betray him in exchange for food or simply out of cruelty. And even if he did escape, where, exactly would he go on a huge spaceship located billions of miles from the planet he once called home? Author Alan Dean Foster writes a charming story of alien abduction and human survival. The characters of George the dog, Braouk, the monster, and Sque the vain octopus-creature are amusing and well thought out. LOST AND FOUND is a bit of a throwback to the science fiction of the 1960s, with pure escapism at its heart. If you're looking to take a break from 'serious' SF and seeking for some pure escapist fun, LOST AND FOUND may be just the ticket.

Lost and Found is the first novel in The Taken trilogy. Marcus Walker was a commodities broker from Chicago. Somehow, he found himself camping near the miniature metropolis of Bug Jump, California, to win a bet that he could actually survive outside civilization. Aside from a close encounter with the relatives of a possibly pregnant maiden, Marcus was looking good going in to the home stretch. Then he heard some strange noises around his tent and opened the flap to shine his flashlight directly into the eyes of a very alien countenance. In this novel, Marcus wakes up the next day in a fairly convincing simulation of his campsite, but not in California. Instead, he is on a starship many lightyears away from home and putting even more distance from Chicago with each second. After some days of solitary confinement in his little diorama, one wall opens up to reveal the neighboring cell, an urban alley scene, and its inhabitant, a now talking dog of unknown ancestry. After some discussion, the dog lets Marcus address him as George. Strangely enough, he is also a native of Chicago and was taken directly from that city. George has not been as belligerent as Marcus, so he has had the run of the common area for several days and has met many of their fellow captives. Thanks to his universal translator implant, George has discovered much about their captors. Among other info, George has discovered that they were captured for the curiosities market by a mercantile company of Vilenjji. With some coaching by George, Marcus begins to mingle with the other captives and soon starts working on a plan to gain their freedom. He meets two other captives with exceptional mental and physical powers and brings them into the conspiracy. Despite their blatant disbelief in his goals, Marcus is determined at the least to strike back at their captors and, if remotely possible, to escape from the ship. In this story, Marcus learns that he is not very special. Only his ability to learn humility keeps him alive. However, he perseveres in his goals, despite all objections; some would say that he is just too dumb to understand his situation, but he doesn't agree ... most of the time (those midnight doubts are hell). The storyline combines the tale of the ignorant savage introduced to high society with that of the powerless slave escaping from the chains of a hellship. Of course, the author includes a clean, disease-free environment maintained by advanced automata, so the outward forms of this captivity are not as visible, but the psychological environment is just as miserable. Highly recommended for Foster fans and for anyone else who enjoys light tales of humans among advanced technological societies and sophisticated sapients. -Arthur W. Jordin