Only You Can Save Mankind (Johnny Maxwell Trilogy)
by Terry Pratchett
List Price:
Our Price: $3.60
You Save: $3.39 (48%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $0.20 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions
Book Summary Information
Author: Terry PratchettEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2006-07-25
ISBN: 0060541873
Number of pages: 224
Publisher: HarperCollins
Book Reviews of Only You Can Save Mankind (Johnny Maxwell Trilogy)
Book Review: Space Aliens Unite!
Summary: 5 Stars
The Johnny Maxwell books are not Terry Pratchett's usual Discworld books. They are set in a very ordinary run down town in England, centering around Johnny Maxwell and his three friends.
In this book, the first of the trilogy, Johnny, whose parents are going through Trying Times, is playing his favorite video game when the aliens suddenly surrender to him instead of fighting back. He and his friends suspect a computer virus but things get even stranger when Johnny finds himself in incredibly lifelike dreams piloting a star fighter, leading the alien fleet home where they will be safe from mankind, and communicating with a girl who also is dreaming of the alien fleet. Pratchett adds those extra touches that regular readers love such as when they go by the ruined hulks of Space Invader ships tumbling in space and the aliens then use them as examples to show each other what happens when you take a stand against the humans. His special genius, to my way of thinking, comes in how he treats the conversations and thinking of the kids, along with those little unexpected twists. There is no one for Pratchett at reminding us what it is like to be young like Johnny and his friends, as well as commenting on the human condition and our mindless attitudes at the same time. As we can see in this excerpt:
It was a very small ScreeWee. Most of its scales were grey. Its crest was nearly worn away. Its tail just dragged behind it. When it opened its mouth, there were three teeth left and they were huddling together at the back.
It blinked owlishly at them over the top of the trolley it had been pushing. Apart from everything else, Kirsty had been aiming the gun well above its head.
There was one of those awkward silences.
"Around this time," said the Captain behind them, "the crew on the bridge have a snack brought to them."
Johnny leaned forward, nodded at the little old alien, and lifted the lid of the tray that was on the trolley. There were a few bowls of something green and bubbling. He gently lowered the lid again.
"I think you were going to shoot the tea lady," he said.
"How was I to know?" Kirsty demanded, "It could have been anything! This is an alien spaceship! You're not supposed to get tea ladies!"
The Captain said something in ScreeWee to the old alien, who shuffled around slowly and went off back down the corridor. One wheel of the trolley kept squeaking.
Kirsty was furious.
"This isn't going right!" she hissed.
"Come on," said Johnny, "Let's go to the bridge and get it over with."
"I didn't know it was a tea lady!" That's your dreaming!"
"Yes, all right."
"She had no right to be there!"
"I suppose even aliens get a bit thirsty in the afternoons."
"That's not what I meant! They're supposed to be alien! That means slavering and claws! It doesn't mean sending out for ... for a coffee and a jam doughnut!"
Summary of Only You Can Save Mankind (Johnny Maxwell Trilogy)
It's just a game . . . isn't it?
The alien spaceship is in his sights. His finger is on the Fire button. Johnny Maxwell is about to set the new high score on the computer game Only You Can Save Mankind.
Suddenly, a message appears:
We wish to talk. We surrender.
But the aliens aren't supposed to surrender—they're supposed to die!
Literature Books
Book Subjects
- Arts & Photography
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Business & Investing
- Children's Books
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Internet
- Cooking, Food & Wine
- Entertainment
- Gay & Lesbian
- Health, Mind & Body
- History
- Home & Garden
- Horror
- Law
- Literature & Fiction
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Nonfiction
- Outdoors & Nature
- Parenting & Families
- Professional & Technical
- Reference
- Religion & Spirituality
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports
- Teens
- Travel
Most talked about in Literature Books
A Beautiful Feast for a Big King Catby John Archambault, Bill, Jr. Martin
HarperCollins Publishers; Published: 2000-11; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $19.95
Racso and the Rats of NIMHby Jane Leslie Conly
HarperCollins Publishers; Published: 1986-05; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $48.99
Goodnight Moonby Margaret Wise Brown
HarperCollins; Published: 1947-09-03; Library Binding; Book
Best price: $84.72
A Fine, Fine Schoolby Sharon Creech
HarperCollins; Published: 2003-12-23; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.44
Price in other shops:
Listening for Lionsby Gloria Whelan
HarperCollins; Published: 2006-10-10; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.58
Price in other shops:
Ruby Hollerby Sharon Creech
HarperCollins; Published: 2003-12-23; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.99
Price in other shops:
The Winnie-the-Poohby A.A. Milne
HarperFestival; Published: 2003-09-23; Audio Cassette; Book
Best price: $4.00
Price in other shops:
Christmas in the Barnby Margaret Wise Brown
HarperCollins; Published: 2007-10-09; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.49
Price in other shops:
The Whipping Boyby Sid Fleischman
Harper Collins Publishers; Greenwillow Books; Published: 2003-04-15; Paperback; Book
Best price: $1.97
Price in other shops:
FOX IN SOCKS - A Tongue Twister for Super Childrenby DR SEUSS
Collins & Harvill Press; Published: 1966; Hardcover; Book
Similar Books and other products
Unadulterated Catby Terry Pratchett
Orion Publishing; Published: 2002-09-26; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $10.49
A Hat Full of Sky: The Continuing Adventures of Tiffany Aching and the Wee Free Menby Terry Pratchett
Harper Trophy; Published: 2005-06-14; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.44
Price in other shops:
Johnny and the Dead (Johnny Maxwell Trilogy)by Terry Pratchett
HarperCollins; Published: 2007-04-03; Paperback; Book
Best price: $112.94
I Shall Wear Midnight (Discworld)by Terry Pratchett
HarperCollins; Published: 2010-09-28; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $8.01
Price in other shops:
The Wee Free Men (Discworld)by Terry Pratchett
HarperCollins; Published: 2004-05-25; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.55
Price in other shops:
Nationby Terry Pratchett
HarperCollins; Published: 2009-09-22; Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.23
Price in other shops:
Wintersmith (Discworld)by Terry Pratchett
HarperCollins; Published: 2007-10-02; Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.41
Price in other shops:
The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodentsby Terry Pratchett
HarperCollins; Published: 2003-04-29; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.50
Price in other shops:
The Bromeliad Trilogy: Truckers, Diggers, and Wingsby Terry Pratchett
HarperCollins; Published: 2003-09-30; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $11.29
Price in other shops:
Snuff: A Novel of Discworld (Discworld Novels)by Terry Pratchett
Harper; Published: 2011-10-11; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $11.74
Price in other shops: