The
Road to Mars
To be honest, although Road to Mars didn't quite
make the cut to the Best list, I was actually quite pleasantly
surprised by this book. Those who know me know that I am a huge
comedy buff, with many of my favorites including Robin Williams,
Billy Connolly, and, of course, Monty Python. So I was hesitant
to buy this book when I first saw it for fear that it would turn
out to be bad (as so many celebrity books are), and then I would
have to feel guilty for not liking it.
On the whole, though, the story is enjoyable and original - I certainly can't think of a science fiction book offhand that is mostly about comedians - and Idle turns out to be a pretty good writer. The cutting between the 'editor' character and the storyline itself can be a bit disjoined at times, and I actually felt like that character was the most inconsistent - the main characters in the story I actually enjoyed quite a bit.
However, the part that I enjoyed the best (and the reason why I would hesitate to recommend the book to everyone) was the fact that the book claims to be and ultimately is a fairly interesting discussion of the nature of comedy and comedians. I, with my lifelong fascination with comedians, found that quite enjoyable and interesting (particularly the bit where he divides many famous comedians up into 'White Faces' and 'Red Noses'), but I expect it would not be everyone's cup of tea.
On the whole, it's a fun book, a quick read, and is a great book to pick up in the airport for some light reading on the plane. (Between then, the Python boys have done quite a bit of cool stuff in the post-Monty Python era. With Cleese in several good shows and films, Palin's excellent travel/adventure shows (which I highly recommend, although I've only read/seen two of them so far), Gilliam's filmmaking genius, and now Idle's entrance into the world of science fiction, here's hoping they continue doing such great work.)