Android’s Dream (2006)  John Scalzi

Do Android’s Dream of Electric Sleep? – Phillip k. Dick

Scalzi is channeling Heinlein in this fun book that includes aliens (multiple), artificial intelligence, genetic experimentation, religious cults, and corrupt government officials (what’s new?). 

Harry Creek is a war hero who now works delivering bad news to unruly aliens.  He is now asked to find a special sheep (Android’s Dream) that is necessary for an alien ceremony.  If he cannot find one the aliens will wage war on the Earth with their superior battleships.  Fortunately, the sheep DNA is found in the junk DNA in a pet shop owner.  Watch Harry and his best friend Brian (now an AI) maneuver to a possible solution to keep sheep-girl (Robin Baker) alive and protect the human race. 

The Collapsing Empire (2017) John Scalzi

The Collapsing Empire (2017) John Scalzi

John Scalzi does it again.  Reels me in with great characters and plot.  Not quite as interesting as the Old Man’s War but the premise of the “Flow” and how its demise might spell the demise of the 1000 year old interdependency.  The new Empiro – Carthinia – Is up against it and she needs all the help she can get since her best friend and confidant is killed in a bomb at her inauguration.   The dead empiros are stored on computer for her to talk to and Flow Physicist Mars Claremont comes from the last planet in the Empire (conveniently named End) with the information that will change everything  -  and lead to many more Interdependency books for Scalzi.  Oh brother   -not another series!

The Dispatcher (2016). John Scalzi

The Dispatcher (2016)  John Scalzi

Alright.  For the record I like reading John Scalzi.  I particularly like the Old Man’s War series.  The Dispatcher is a bit different.  Imagine a world where any death caused intentionally does not "stick".  People come back.  So if someone is about to die from natural causes you could hire someone to intentionally kill them and they will come back at a point where something different could be tried.  This is where our hero Tony Valdez comes in.  He is just this sort of person who intentionally kills someone to avoid their dying from natural causes.  Who hires such a person?  Well,  hospitals, of course,  for one.  If you are a surgeon who is about to lose someone on the table Tony can pull out his “gun” and off the person before they die a natural death and same the hospital the explanation. Another candidate might be a couple of college boys who decide to play at being medieval knights for real with swords and ball and hammers.  Once they have chopped off a few limbs the dispatcher can kill them and they will reappear in one piece. You can still kill someone if you are patient -  it is a little gruesome but ingenious.  You will need to read it to see how.

In this novella he must figure out why his friend and dispatcher has gone missing and why his last client did not come back as planned. It is an interesting premise that brings up a lot of questions – some of which Scalzi tackles.  Seems like an easy set up for a B-level Sci fi movie or short run series.  Wouldn’t surprise me.  It is sort of like Looper in a way but with a different premise.