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Avon, Feb 2004, 5.99, 384 pp.
ISBN: 0060560797
In Button Creek, Texas, PhD astronomer Daniel Murphy shares looking at the stars with his eight year old son Will. The former Columbia University professor Daniel runs the local grocery/gas station as he hides from his deceased wife's parents who want to raise Will as their own. While on the rooftop with Will studying the heavens together, they notice strange lights in the sky with one splitting away from the others. In spite of his former credentials, Daniel cannot explain to Will what they saw.
Daniel meets Zara, the new waitress at Coombs Luncheonette. Like every other male including his son, Daniel cannot resist her lure. Zara feels the same way but it is also especially nice to his son. However, her desires are irrelevant as she comes from another planet in which the men are ill and assigned earthly breeding has occurred. She has been designated to mate with Robert Lotello, whom she has not been able to locate because her stud Robert Lotello is in hiding under the alias Daniel Murphy.
This is a whimsical science fiction romance that sounds like Starman, but has a heavier emphasis on the star crossed relationships than on the suspense. The lead couple is a delightful pair while his son is too precocious for this world. The Button Creek crowd adds warmth and emphasizes the differences between the two planetary species in a positive uplifting way so that readers enjoy a fine tale that should lead to the telling of the romances of several other Female ET lights too.
Harriet Klausner
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Harriet Klausner, Resident Judi McCoy Scholar
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Overall Review
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dozens of literary elements, all of which are searchable.
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Book Descript. of chases or violence - 10% planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 20% Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 50% Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 20%
Tone of book
- suspenseful (sophisticated fear)
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION?
- fantasy story on current Earth
Explore/1st contact/ enviro story
Yes
Plotlets:
- generally friendly contact with alien(s)
Romance
Yes
Is this an adult or child's book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Family relations
Yes
Human/magical couple?
Yes
Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Profession/status:
- scientist
Age:
- 20's-30's
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Strong but gentle sense of humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- very athletic
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 40's-50's
Profession/status:
- wealthy
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- almost none
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Setting
Earth setting:
- current (early 21st century)
Takes place on Earth?
Yes
Style
Person?
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
How much dialogue?
- significantly more dialog than descript
