meilufay’s #CBR4 review #56 Redshirts by John Scalzi
I discovered this book thanks to #narfna’s review so thanks for that because I LOVED it.
I almost don’t know how to write a review of this book without giving away spoilers so I’m just going to say that if you know what a redshirt is, you’ll probably love this book. And if you don’t know what a redshirt is, but you love really good books, you’ll love this book. Something for everyone! (Or at least everyone who likes to read…)
Like the movie Galaxy Quest, Redshirts lovingly skewers the television show Star Trek and all the sub-standard science fiction shows that Star Trek‘s success spawned. It’s a very squared meta book. I don’t want to say more because I think to say more would be to spoil you and you do NOT want to be spoiled. There are dozens and dozens of laugh out loud funny lines in this book and I can’t post any of them here because posting them would kind of spoil you. So what you have to do, if you’re a friend of mine, is read this book already so we can talk about it and how great it is. And if you’re not a friend of mine, you should read the book because it deserves your attention. This book loves you and I think if you give it a chance, you will love it back.
What really surprised me about the book was that in the end it was far, far more than the sum of its parts. It’s not just an exercise in meta comedy. It’s about stuff. Big stuff. Like the meaning of life and the choices we make. It manages to do that and still be rollickingly funny. I am in awe of John Scalzi. Part of me hates him for being so talented but most of me is just happy he exists because I loved this book so much.
Cannonball Read IV 
Yay!