Book Review: "Mothership" and "A Stranger Thing" by Martin Leicht and Isla Neal

What do you get when you combine a gender-swapped 60’s pulp sci-fi novel with a young adult book about teen motherhood and a John Hughes film?  You get The Ever-Expanding Universe series by Martin Leicht and Isla Neal.  This review is the first two books in the series, entitled "Mothership" and “A Stranger Thing.”  It is a hilariously fun read with a great deal of quirkiness and wit, though it is not without its pitfalls.

3.5/5 Shiny Ray Guns

Gordon’s Ratings Guide:

1/5 - Blech!  Don't bother

2/5 - Nothing special

3/5 - Entertaining and worth a read

4/5 - Amazing.  You should definitely read.

5/5 - Truly an outstanding title. MUST read!

Read an in depth review after the jump.

“A Stranger Thing” is the second book in “The Ever-Expanding Universe” series by Martin Leicht and Isla Neal and picks up immediately after the events of “Mothership.”  As a result of this, there may be some things deemed spoilery in this review, though I will do my best to avoid any serious breaches on that front.  That said, you have been warned!

The Ever-Expanding Universe is a fun setting for a series.  It takes all the amazingly campy and hilarious aspects of pulp sci-fi - from the chromed out ray guns to flawlessly beautiful alien races and mixes them with the witty banter and drama of a John Hughes film.  The twist is found in the gender swapped roles: our protagonist isn't a buff and confident man, rippling with muscles and bravery while sporting an immaculate blonde pompadour.  Instead our protagonist is a quirky and witty teen girl who is first pregnant (in the first book, “Mothership”) and then a teen mother (in “A Stranger Thing”) of an alien-human hybrid.  Instead of our protagonist saving the galaxy for a race of buxom and gorgeous female aliens from the threat of yet another race of buxom and gorgeous female aliens, our protagonist is stuck in the middle of a race war between two buff and hunky male alien races.  This makes for a setting that is just as ridiculous and fun as the original pulp sci-fi formula, but infinitely more accessible to non-male readers. Adding in the witty banter, sarcasm, and drama from “The Breakfast Club” and more-than-a-little “Pretty in Pink” and you have The Ever Expanding Universe.

Our protagonist is played by Elvie Nara, a plucky and sassy heroine who, as a result of a one-night tryst with local hunk-cum-space-alien, Cole Archer, has ended up pregnant.  She is competent, brave, and smart, yet not without her teen dramas and concerns.  Cole Archer is a buffoon of a character, all brawn, looks, and no brain.  They both play well against one another, with Elvie’s whip-smart thoughts, jokes, and insults contrasting nicely with Cole’s sheer well-meaning idiocy.  Along the ride with Elvie is her ever-loyal sidekick, Donald, who is more often referred to as “Ducky.”  Ducky, just like his namesake from “Pretty in Pink,” is steadfast in his support of Elvie – even when that support is to his own detriment.  We also have Elvie’s dad who is an absent-minded genius and has a habit of over planning.  Conspiring against, sometimes for, and always attempting to control Elvie and the human race are the Almiri and the Jin-Kai.  The Almiri and the Jin-Kai are both alien races who require females from another species in order to reproduce.  Every child born in such a pairing results in a purely Almiri or Jin-Kai child, always male, without any residual trace of the host’s DNA.  “We come from Mars, we need your women.”  Yeah, kinda like that.  Not a very happy arrangement, to be sure . . .  That said, the Almiri aren’t ALL bad, though it is tough to really like an alien race that sneakily uses you to propagate their species.  They have endeavored to assist humanity and heighten our science and artistic endeavors, doing so by living among us and posing as human.  Mozart, James Dean, Einstein . . . all Almiri.  The Jin-Kai, on the other hand, just want to breed until the human race is extinct.

                The characters are fun and engaging, even if they are somewhat flat in places.  The story, much like the John Hughes inspiration is buoyed by fresh and quick dialog.  Sometimes the slang (both created by the authors and real-world) can be a bit cringe worthy in its clumsy use; but, one quickly becomes inoculated to this failing.  The series' humor and quick pace extends beyond the dialog and into the narrative, as well, resulting in a comfy and funny read.  The plot itself is rather slim with rather predictable highs and lows; which to be perfectly honest, is quite fitting with the pulp sci-fi inspiration.  Though the general flow of the story is rather predictable, there are many smaller surprises along the way that will keep you engaged, should the dialog fail you.  Those twists get larger as the series progresses, coming hard and fast in the second book, some are anticipated and some really smack you in the gut . . . the final few had my blood boiling.

One thing Leicht and Neal really seem to have a handle on is pacing.  Once the narrative gets rolling it barely pauses for a breath, each chapter ending on a cliff hanger, leaving you tearing through the books.  The action is quickly paced, yet fluid.  Whether the characters are fleeing from a pod of hungry orca or battling alien boarding parties and strange alien beasts, the reader feels right in the thick of it.  When the pacing or the action does slow a touch, the humor and dry wit does more than enough to help buoy any flagging interest.

And now you’re asking, “Okay, this is all well and good; but, why are you reviewing a YA novel for an adult blog?”  Well, a book is a book.  And a fun book is fun regardless of the age group it was written for, which brings me to my next concern with this series: What age group IS it written for?  Here we have a series steeped heavily in the tropes and feel of 60’s and 70’s pulp sci-fi along with character interaction and humor from 80’s teen movies.  This makes me think this book is ideally read by people born in the late seventies and early 80’s.  The kids who grew up singing along with Queen while watching “Flash Gordon” and “Mystery Science Theater 3000,” the girls who  wanted to be Molly Ringwald and had crushes on Judd Nelson and the guys who wanted to be like Emilio Estevez or River Phoenix.  Basically, we’re talking people in their thirties.  So, why is it a teen novel?  Well, campy is making a comeback and smart and witty teen banter is back in a big way thanks to Young Adult authors like John Green.  In addition, John Hughes films seem to capture more than the zeitgeist of their time, but also the realities of teen life and drama in any generation.  So, in the end I think this is a cross-over book.  It is a book that can be read and enjoyed by teens as well as adults.  We’ll both appreciate different things out of it and laugh uproariously.  It is a fun series that illustrates well that there are no age boundaries to a fun reading experience.

One thing that DOES make this book perfect for the Young Adult demographic is the fact that the heroine is unflinchingly, unabashedly, and unapologetically pregnant and then a mother.  There are literally tons of YA books that feature a teen mother or mother-to-be; but, so many of these titles are overly moralizing, shaming, or downright depressing.  Elvie embraces her situation and LIVES LIFE!  It doesn't hold her back or hamper her in any way.  She kicks butt with the best of them and continues to do whatever it is she may want to pursue.  She fears what it means to be a mother, but she doesn't flinch from that responsibility, nor does it subsume her personality.  Her friends and family are supportive and never nay-say or cluck their tongues in quiet disapproval.  All-in all, Elvie is a representation of teen motherhood that we could use more of.  The simple reality is teen pregnancy happens and we should not denigrate these women or shame them for “such a stupid mistake.”   Leicht and Neal get this right and they should be lauded for their efforts.

All-in all, the series is extremely entertaining and absolutely hilarious.  I would suggest it to anyone, teen or adult, who loves cheesy vintage sci-fi and “The Breakfast Club” as well those just looking for a darn good time.