The Sheriff of Yrnameer

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The Sheriff of Yrnameer

Title:

The Sheriff of Yrnameer

Author:

Michael Rubens

Subject:

Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Period_date:

2009-08-24

Erc_format:

HOOPLA AUDIO BOOK

Summary

Meet Cole: hapless space rogue, part-time smuggler, on a path to being full-time dead. His sidekick just stole his girlfriend. The galaxy's most hideous and feared bounty hunter wants to lay eggs in his brain. And the luxury space yacht Cole just hijacked turns out of be filled with interstellar do-gooders, one especially loathsome stowaway, and a cargo of freeze-dried orphans.Reluctantly compelled to deliver these defenseless, fluidless children to safety, Cole gathers a misfit crew for a desperate journey to the far reaches of the galaxy. Their destination: the mysterious world of Yrnameer, the very last of the your-name-heres-planets without corporate sponsors. But little does Cole know that this legendary utopia is home to a murderous band of outlaws bent on destroying the planet's tiny, peaceful community.Follow Cole's adventures through a delightfully absurd science-fiction universe, where the artificial intelligence is stupid, dust motes carry branding messages, and middle-management zombies have overrun a corporate training satellite. In the spirit of Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett, The Sheriff of Yrnameer is sci-fi comedy at its best-mordant, raucously funny, and a thrilling must-listen.

Reviews (4)

Publisher's Weekly Review

A down-and-out space faring rogue finds himself the protector of a bunch of peacenik artisans in this lighthearted, adventure-filled debut from The Daily Show with Jon Stewart writer Rubens. Space adventurer Cole is a liar and a thief and a cheat, and he owes a lot of money to Kenneth, an alien who wants to incubate eggs in the deadbeat's brain. Cole's escape from Kenneth lands him in the middle of a scheme to deliver a batch of freeze-dried orphans to the backwater planet of Yrnameer, which turns out to be under attack from Cole's archenemy, the outlaw Runk. Cole's ludicrous exploits keep the laughs coming as Rubens grandly ignores the niceties of world building and coherent plotting in favor of clever pop culture references and a rocket-fast, knee-slapping narrative. (Aug.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

Kirkus Review

Picaresque first outing for former Daily Show writer/producer Rubens. Gambler and petty criminal Cole owes large amounts of money, and indestructible, tentacled alien lobster Kenneth is determined to collect it. To make matters worse, Cole's spaceship's been disintegrated by a punctilious robot traffic cop. Cole steals another vessel, though he's not at all sure he knows how to pilot it, and acquires the usual array of unwelcome passengers. Bacchi, one of Cole's alien rivals in crime, attractive but irritatingly self-righteous social worker Nora and her cargo of freeze-dried orphans must all be delivered to the nonaligned planet Yrnameer. Cole scrapes up a conscience from somewhere and heads for Yrnameer with Kenneth in hot pursuit. An unfortunate navigational error deposits them in orbit next to Success!Sat 1, a corporate seminar satellite whose inmates have been given illegal implants that have turned them into zombie cannibals. After various adventures aboard the satellite, Cole finally reaches Yrnameer, only to find that he's signed up to be the sheriff and defend the peace-loving colonists against a motley band of bloodthirsty bandits. Broadly amusing characters and situations, although the yarn never quite clicks as laugh-out-loud comedy. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Booklist Review

The galaxy has been branded. Every world has a sponsorship deal, or several. Yrnameer is a legend the last completely unbranded world and it's in trouble. Cole, leading man in the drama, has lost his girlfriend and his sidekick. He's being chased by a terrifying alien bounty hunter. He steals his rival's ship to escape after his own is vaporized by an overzealous meter-robot, only to discover that it's packed with dehydrated orphans and their guardians. Reluctantly, he agrees to help them get to Yrnameer, where they should be safe. Along the way, they meet a cast of fabulous characters, including a computer; aliens that are referred to as Greys (although they hate that); and even a few humans. The trouble isn't over when they reach Yrnameer. By a stunning coincidence, Cole's archnemesis, Runk, is at the head of a band of outlaws attacking the town. A lot of fun to read, full of hilarity and mishaps.--Schroeder, Regina Copyright 2009 Booklist

Library Journal Review

On the run from a tentacled bounty hunter with a macabre sense of humor and no mercy, space smuggler Cole steals a spaceship filled with a cargo of freeze-dried orphans and bound for the theoretically nonexistent planet of Yrnameer only to find, when he arrives, that this world is in need of a sheriff-a position that seemed doomed to failure. A former writer for Comedy Central's The Daily Show, Rubens hits the jackpot with a zanily humorous parody of sf adventure, with tributes to space-opera and Western classics along the way. Verdict Recalling the volatile and irreverent humor of Terry Pratchett's Discworld series, this madcap journey through space will appeal to Pratchett's readers and fans of such sf film parodies as Galaxy Quest and Space Balls. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Excerpts

A very different planet. Cole, in the most dignified, reasonable tone that he could muster, said, "Kenneth, seriously, you don't want to lay your eggs in my brain." Kenneth, who was dangling Cole upside down by one leg, said, "Stop squirming, Cole. You're making this very difficult." Kenneth had a truly wonderful voice--cultured, warm, soothing. "I don't mean to be a scold, Cole," he said in that voice, "but you shouldn't gamble if you can't pay your debts." "Kenneth, I can't even begin to tell you how well I've learned that lesson," said Cole. "In fact, I-- whoa ! Is that your ovipositor?!" "Mm-hmm. Oh, come now--you don't have to make faces." "No, no, it looks fantastic--have you had work done?" "Nope. Just clean living. Hold still, please." Kenneth's voice did not match his appearance. His appearance, while not precisely defying description, did manage to challenge it mightily. A casual observer would quickly note an overall design direction that leaned heavily on marineinspired elements--tentacles, claws, tentacles with claws; a fin here and there, hints of bioluminescence; plus an overall squishi- and squidginess. Added to the mix were subtle insectoid influences: boldly colored patches of exoskeleton; clumps of coarse, rigid hair. And eyes. Many, many eyes. Kenneth did, however, have a really sensational voice. "You've got a really sensational voice," said Cole. "You're too kind." Cole was in no way a casual observer. He was at the moment an exceedingly up-close and upside-down observer, face-to-face--or face-to-whatever--with Kenneth's complex mouthparts and impressive array of eyeballs, swaying on their lengthy stalks. Cole could see his own reflection in dozens of their shiny black surfaces. His overall design direction placed him squarely in the human category. His flight jacket was hanging around his ears, providing a backdrop for his dark hair and a face that rated a solid eight on the official Handsome Scale. Right now, however, his face merited about a 4.5, distorted as it was from gravity pulling it in the wrong direction, and from sheer terror. The most immediate cause of that terror was Kenneth's ovipositor, hovering just at the edge of Cole's peripheral vision, the hairy appendage ready to posit Kenneth's ovi where Cole very much did not want them posited. "You know, Kenneth, have you ever considered doing any VO work? I could probably put you in touch with some people," offered Cole. "You remember the Xhat's campaign? 'Xhat's Poog Sticks--' " " '--the poogiest sticks of all,' " finished Cole. "Of course! I love that one! I can't believe I didn't recognize it!" "Really? That's very gratifying to hear," said Kenneth. "Anyhoo, where were we. Oh, right. My brood." "Kenneth, stop! I can get Karg's money!" "That's what you told me on InVestCo Four, and InVestCo Seven, and FunWorld World." "No! I mean, yes! But this time I mean it--I can get it. I am getting it!" Cole gestured up, or rather down, at the assortment of coins and bills that lay strewn on the pavement of the alley. A few of Kenneth's eyeballs lazily extended down on their eyestalks to examine the money. "Wow. Four point three-seven percent of what you owe. I'm sorry I doubted you." They were alone in the alley. Just a few kilometers away were the towering buildings and broad, ordered street Excerpted from The Sheriff of Yrnameer by Michael Rubens All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.