Book Review: Glory Lane by Alan Dean Foster

The Brat Pack in Space

    Three young adults, who could’ve been in The Breakfast Club, get tangled up in intergalactic politics and are propelled into deep space. I found this book in the quarter section of the library used bookstore. Like most science fiction, the cover caught my attention first. After reading up on the author, Alan Dean Foster, I found him to be a trustworthy science fiction storyteller. The story looked entertaining, and I figured it would enrich the science fiction course I was teaching at the time. A punk anarchist, a nerd, and shopaholic valley girl are forced to put their differences aside to navigate the intricacies of alien culture, economy, and warfare. Somehow, their eccentricities are perfectly suited for getting them out of trouble when least expected.

The Good

    While I wouldn’t consider this an intellectual work of science fiction, it was entertaining. I ate it up in the way I enjoy a cheesy heist film with character actors or greasy late night fast food. The characters were witty and surprisingly unpredictable despite their stereotypical archetypes. The critique on technological advancements regressing human intelligence and aggression was subtle and interesting. The aliens got progressively more complex as the story went on. I couldn’t have figured out where the story was going to finish off, but it wraps everything up in a neat little bow.

The Bad

    When the author leaned too heavily on humor and snarky comments, the sophistication suffered. There were times when the writing was lazy, and the character squabbles became a bit annoying. It seemed like the author couldn’t decide if they would be lifelong friends or indifferent to each other once this was all over. When the story started getting deep or philosophical, Foster pulled out hard to avoid defending his view. The story introduced exciting potential at the very end that could ignite a new cosmological mythos but it’s too obscure to gain traction.

Who Should Read It?

    This book is for leisure readers who love the 80s. If you can’t get enough of films St Elmo’s Fire, Breakfast Club, and Space Balls, then this is the book for you. A soft science fiction story that falls short of Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy but not a complete train wreck. I could see as a TV movie adaptation. I enjoyed it and finished it within a week, but there are other SF books I’d recommend first.