The Android's Dream is a delightfully weird book. There's foul-mouthed spider judges, diplomats farting each other to death, people being declared sheep, etc. etc. Underneath it all is a genuinely compelling story of interplanetary intrigue and a bunch of excellent action sequences. Highly recommended!

If you've ever wondered what the DaVinci Code would be like if it had been written by John Scalzi, wonder no more. This book is silly, ridiculous, full of juvenile humor, and it's also completely awesome. There's a bit of Die Hard mixed in there too, because why not? It also helps that it's heavily lampooning a book that I absolutely despise (not because of the content, but because Dan Brown is a TERRIBLE writer, and also not that great a human being either). It's a mishmash of ideas that really have no right to work together as well as they do. If you're a Scalzi fan, you've probably already read it, but if you haven't, it's kind of along the same vein of Redshirts. If you're not a Scalzi fan, it's a fun and imaginative sci-fi book written by a sentient dad joke.

This is my 15th book by John Scalzi and it definitely won’t be the last. What can I say, this man knows how to write a great science fiction story. He creates amazing worlds, and characters that you care about and villains that do just about anything to succeed. They are a really great mystery thrillers, or who done it stories that falls within a science fiction narrative. There is always an action adventure, and the women are amazing, they are strong and so well written, as opposed to the men. This story is very character driven. Highly recommend

I listened to this book on audible.com. Fun read, but don't expect androids. As usual, John Scalzi delivers an entertaining adventure story with wit. In this world, all information is available to the diligent and talented hacker. The gathering of this information (while stretching the limits of willing suspension of disbelief) drives the storyline. The storyline is filled with scenarios found nowhere else in science fiction. It is low on SF tropes and high on new fresh and imaginative situations. It is Mr. Scalzi's imagination of plot and character that makes it so fun. His crisp and witty dialogue made me chuckle many times. Of course, Wil Wheaton (who has narrated for John Scalzi before) cannot be beat for bringing the dialogue to life. He has comedic timing and strong clear narrative voice. His characterizations of the different characters were well chosen and artfully performed. I recommend that you buy it, put it in your car while you drive and turn that morning commute into your favorite part of your day.

Oddly, in Feb. / March of 2024, I read this entire book without realizing I had read it before. Goodreads shows that in 2011 I listed the book as read (not necessarily when I read it.) At that time, I gave it 3 stars. I'll give it 4 stars today.

A combination of SF, action, intrigue and humor.

Since Scalzi has written books (such as Red Shirts) that are derived from other authors' SF, this book's title might suggest this is Scalzi's variant on Philip K. Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. This book actually starts as an internal conflict in Earth's diplomatic relations with an alien race. A group of Earth officials are secretly trying to cause a break in diplomatic relations, while the current administration wants to maintain them. Trying to quietly uncover who is doing what involves computer hacking and other "independent" investigating. The book's title does refer to Dick's book in one way: The aliens need to get a sheep of a special breed which has electric blue fleece. The breed is called Android's Dream.

The twists and turns involve: different clans in the alien race and the selection process of a new race ruler; the different Earth government forces and criminals working for one side; a religion / business based on invented quasi-prophetic poems; an AI created from the backup of the mind of a soldier killed in an infamous battle who was / is friends with the key investigator; etc.

O…M…G

That is it.

That’s my review.

Where in the wild, wild word of sports did John Scalzi come up with this plot?
Ok - you can read a summary elsewhere.
I won’t describe what happens because I don’t believe that half of what he has written really WAS WRITTEN.
I mean the words go together; sentences are formed; there are paragraphs and chapters.
The man has combined so many crazy elements to form a cohesive story.
Characterization - wow - again, well done
Action - there’s a lot of it
Plot - involved but clear and understandable
Actual writing - again, a superb job of pacing.
Aliens - war - political intrigue - bad guys - good guys - and a very special sheep
I was very, very pleased with this book.

Scalzi has this knack for conjuring up crazy SF scenarios, and then back filling through info-dumps to make them seem possible, or at least suspend disbelief for the duration of a read. The Android's Dream is as crazy as it gets. It starts with an assasin's killer fart and just goes on from there.

It is entertaining, quite so, and the mix of comedy, action and soliloquizes are just enough to keep one engaged. Of course somewhere midway until the end, I am just dumbfounded at where all these ideas are coming from.

This is SF but a very different SF from the style that builds up from central idea/s and constructs the scenario in a sequential fashion until the reader is presented with a fleshed out science-based extrapolation. Scalzi just leaps over this process and gets right to the meat. He seesm to have done the same trick with the Hugo-winning Redshirts.

A quick read, a wild ride, say 4 stars.

Another nice, fun, quick summer read.

Universe: 4*
Characters: 4*
Plot: 3*

Not a lot to say about this one, but it was a very fun read that doesn't take itself too seriously. I read this while relaxing by a pool in Florida - the perfect spot for a book like this.

Es una novela de ciencia ficción escrita en clave de humor.
Me lo he pasado fenomenal leyéndola, consigue sacarte más de una sonrisa con una ironía que a veces es fina y otras de lo más basta.
Tiene mis nueves porque pese a que ha sido muy bueno, no me ha enganchado como otros libros de los que es imposible despegarse, y creo que eso es un factor a tener en cuenta.

Una historia de ciencia ficción con ciertas dosis de humor y un final inesperado. Me encantan los finales sorprendentes :).
Mi primera "Cita a ciegas" ha sido todo un éxito.

This was my first Scalzi book and now I'm certainly on the lookout for more! This novel has everything. Spies, AIs, politics, spaceships, intergalactic war, alien races, strange technologies, religious cults and, of course.. sheep. Mix in there a bit of cynical humor and you have a hell of a ride!

Strange, I would never call Scalzi a good writer and yet I generally like his novels. His work is filled with clichés and stereotypes, but he throws lots of ideas and humor in a story and knows how to keep the plot moving. I was never bored with The Android's Dream and looked forward to what was coming next. There were a few plot twists that kept me guessing. Recommended for sci fi readers looking for something entertaining and not too deep.