The Road to Mars

A cross between Monty Python and the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Engaging story. Great characters. And some truly insightful thinking about the roots of comedy. Wonderful. Highly Recommended.

I must admit that I adore Eric Idle, so I am biased, but truly this is a fantastic piece of fiction. Idle weaves the story of two comedians, Alex and Lewis, who are trying to make it in a futuristic world of greed and sexuality. The human race is corrupt and Idle makes sure we realize it. Along their struggle for fame, Alex and Lewis meet up with a mega-diva Brenda Wolley (who represents the evils of fame) a mysterious, seductive young woman (isn't that always the case?) and various, notorious individuals. All of this is watched by Carlton, their curious android who has taken to studying comedy. Carlton provides many insights into why comedians do what they do, and the theories he creates are brilliant. One almost feels it's a pity Eric didn't just publish his theories so they'd be taken seriously. Narrating all of this is the most dynamic character of the book- William Reynolds. Reynolds takes an active narrator roles in telling of his own problems with his girlfriend. Reynolds eventual spiral into corruption provides the most compelling story of the novel.At the end, all of the story lines come together for a fantastic, albeit shattering, conclusion.Idle inserts several hilarious in-jokes, plenty of one-liners, and enough comedy to keep it from over-drama. Still, the book is dramatic and, in several places, can be quite shocking. Inserting a heart-breaking passage about himself (a forgotten comic from the 21st century) Idle creates a self-aware, and touching, commentary on comedians. Read this book. Twice. I didn't fully understand everything the first time, but I truly appreciate it on a re-reading. Anyone who wants to be a comedian should read this. In fact, you should just read this book when you get a chance. It's not flawless, but it is nearly so.

I love Douglas Adams. His work was remarkable, his death tragic, his place in history safe and secure. That said, I often wonder why readers and critics always pull out comparisons to Adams' Hitchhiker series whenever another author offers a work of sci-fi mixed with parody? Eric Idle's The Road to Mars is not a Hitchhiker book, nor is it intended to be. What it is, without a doubt, is its own fantastic inclusion to the long list of sci-fi comedy -- and it is, even more without a doubt, one of the best on that same long list.Idle, from the very beginning to the last page, shines with his marvelous (and well thought out) thesis on comedy. The fact that it is in the guise of a funny (very funny) and intelligent sci-fi comedy makes the whole 309-page ride that much better. I laughed throughout, yes, but I was struck silly by the intricate (and suprisingly complicated) detail Mr. Idle included in his discussions about the origins of comedy, not to mention its purpose and its importance to humankind (heck, its importance to androids, for that matter). I can honestly say my appreciation of the comedic arts has increased by leaps and bounds (gravity-free leaps and bounds, that is) after finishing The Road to Mars.Don't be swayed by these other reviewers; they are on a narrow-minded, Douglas Adams kick, refusing to see this book in its own special light. Like I said: I love Mr. Adams, and I love Hitchhiker. But, darnit all, I love Mr. Idle's great novel, too, and for so many different reasons. Read it folks!

Eric Idle's Road to Mars is bloody brilliant! Holy cow. Ithought it would be farce and nothing but (which I was looking forwardto). Instead, it's a sensitive, multilayered, real science-fiction story with a framing device and lots of points of interest. A planet gets blown up. Robots are frozen to the outside of spaceships. Truly realistic visions of the future (including very slow space travel) make it seem like, well, like what tomorrow will be more or less like, instead of what Star Trek paints it as. Good sex scenes, even, or at least hilarious ones. Highly recommended!

It must be sad to have such a personality you can't enjoy this book.It is not side splitting funny and was never meant to be. It is an amusing story about an andriod trying to understand the unique human trait of humour. Not just "comedy", but humour in all it complexities and variations. This part of the book is fascinating. Anybody who likes the plight of Data in STTNG will understand Carlton the androids journey of discovery.The terrorist side story is not epic stuff but amusing all the same.If most people just enjoyed a light read instead of analysing every paragraph then this books would score 5 stars more often!Very amusing and thought provoking book.