Customer Reviews

Terra (Unabridged)

Mitch Benn. He's Proud Of The BBC, and he's a regular on The Now Show. And this is his first novel. It's about the abduction of a baby by an alien, but it's written from a fresh perspective: although the protagonist is human, we see things largely from an alien point of view. There's nothing scary about these aliens - they're diffident, slightly unsure of themselves, in fact they're just like you and me. Except they have grey skin and blue blood, and their language has no vowels, something which would make this book a little tricky to read out loud: "She would convert Fthfth's zmms into zdds, smashing frkts and forcing yk yks...".

I can't wait for the audiobook.

It's actually quite a gentle book, certainly warm-hearted, despite the quite fast-moving action sequences later on in the book. I was expecting a satire, but it's better than that. Being set in in space, the novel is able to draw parallels between the alien Mlml society and our own without being too obvious, but it's basically an exciting story with interesting characters. Vstj, for example, fills a Professor Snape shaped hole in this novel, and the pathos of his character is sketched out with just enough detail for us to understand his motivation and grow to like him.

It's a surprise for me just how good a storyteller Mitch Benn is. This first novel is intelligent and thought-provoking, but mainly it's just a really exciting adventure. Like the best stories, it's suitable for reading by anyone from age ten and above, and possibly for reading to younger children, if you feel up to the challenge of pronouncing "gshkth".

I did one of those awful things where you stay up until 2am to finish the book. Even so, I was quite sad to get to the end; I hope this won't be his last novel.

As other reviews have said, there is a bold quote on the front from Neil Gaiman, evoking comparisons with Pratchett, Adams and Dahl. While I don't think for a minute that Mitch Benn would consider that he has reached those heights with his debut novel, there's every suggestion that he could get close with future releases.

Suitable for children from 11 years upwards, but not by any means a "kids book", it's a story of an alien life form causing part chaos, part enlightenment, to another land. Except this time, the alien is the human, and the world is not our own.

Inventing a new world is part and parcel of the sci-fi genre. Creating one almost devoid of vowels is a very brave move. I wondered whether I would get along with a main protagonist called Lbbp, but it only grated on me in passing moments. When the plot is skipping along, the nonsense vocabulary passes by, because the writing is so good.

All knowledge can be downloaded from the Interface, there are open source technology and viral videos, and as a reader, I wondered where this was heading. Are we going down the 1984 route, or are we going with something more Utopian, like News from Gardenia? Benn expresses the doubts and the trust placed in such technology, and builds the story around them, rather than making them the story itself. I can see where the Adams comparison lies, with wonderful "improbability drive" moments, and there were times I wish those ideas had been explored a little deeper (the FaZoon for example).

At the heart of this story is a young girl, trying to find her way through life without truly knowing her identity. It also alludes to a world where people have evolved to remove all chance and imagination, and how wonderful, yet stifling, that world can be. It's slow and reflective where it needs to be, but fast and tense during the set pieces. I wanted the climax to take a little longer, for the denouement to play out a little less simply, but then I have to remind myself that a younger reader may not feel the same way. It ends in a way that leaves room for more, without leaving a cliff hanger.

I suspect this will appeal more to girls of a certain age, rather than boys, but I think that's a good thing. I've really enjoyed reading Terra, despite not being a Pratchett fanboy or a Hitch-hikers fanatic. If this is the future of science fiction writing, then I'm happy. So long as the future of reading isn't burying your head in The Interface.

In 'Terra' alien scientist Lbbp is on a research trip to Rrth (Earth)when he inadvertently causes a terrible car crash. In the wreckage he finds an abandoned baby girl and decides to rescue her, taking her back to his home planet of Fnrr. The people of Fnrr are not too sure about having a human baby grow up on their planet, humans after all are dangerous and destructive creatures, but the child is allowed to stay and the story picks up as the little girl, Terra, starts her first day at the Lyceum (secondary school).

Benn has created a fantastic world in 'Terra' peopled with engaging characters, cool gadgets and fascinating creatures! The story also has a good pace with short chapters, plenty of humour and a dash of adventure, making it a fun and exciting read. Terra makes a worthy protagonist and is supported by a colourful, well developed supporting cast. I also loved the descriptions of and interactions between the alien races and the often humorous conceptions they have of each other.

Although I enjoyed reading 'Terra', I would say it is perhaps more aimed at a younger audience as a great introduction to sci-fi.

Overall, a light-hearted, smart and funny read. Recommended!

I can't help wondering how hard it would have been for Mitch Benn to find a publisher for his first novel, "Terra", had he not already been an established radio and TV personality. This is not to suggest, of course, that the book is not indeed worthy of publication; I merely wonder how much any publisher would have been prepared to take a punt on it had the author not been a "name".

The book is a quirky children's story for adults (or possibly vice versa) which works in much the same way as a bumblebee flies -- by sheer blind ignorance of the fact that it really didn't ought to be capable of it. Mitch Benn has never been one for following rules or working within established norms, so it is perhaps not surprising that he doesn't show any sign of being constrained by any here. That said, the book follows a well-trodden morality tale pathway, tackling the issues of what it is to be a misfit and how love and trust can overcome prejudice and conditioning; in some regards it can be regarding as a modernised version of the story of the Ugly Duckling. Mitch Benn writes with an assurance and confidence which doesn't always feel well-placed but which nevertheless carries the sillier aspects of the story purely on the strength of its chutzpah.

I suspect most kids of the whackier kind will love it; many adults should also find much to laugh at within it. Fortunately, the story is probably of greatest appeal to mid-teens, well past the age of wanting to have things read to them, because heaven help any parent unfortunate enough to have to read it out loud!

I really wanted to like this book a lot.
And it was okay.
But although I was so encouraged by Neil Gaiman's endorsement it fell far short of what I was expecting.
It's rather pleasant but the writing isn't very good. It seemed to me like the Douglas Adams that Gaiman detected was a poor copy rather than part of the author's authentic style and I couldn't understand why the editors hadn't taken care of the many jarring instances of the use of the word 'sat' where it should be 'sitting', that's not style, it's just bad writing.

If you are a Sci Fi/Fantasy fan or a Mitch Benn fan why haven't you read this already? Just as in his musical ditties he nods at a number of Sci Fi's tropes and Masters while never becoming generic. It works on a number of levels, entranced this adult and I await Mitch's second book. I would happily put this alongside Helen Dunmore's Ingo series as "Great Titles to Introduce the Young to Fantasy (& hook them for life)" Cribbins, Jackanory, NOW!

What a simple innocent joyous thankful interesting playful pleasurable exciting book. Satire and observation has never been written with as tender a heart or as clarity of story

I don't feelthat Terra lived up to the reviews and I honestly expected something more from Mitch Benn. This is very much a children's book that as been pumped up to try to appeal to a teen market - but I'm not sure it succeeds

This alien abduction story is really good as it looks at the situation from the aliens race. It builds up a nice view of the alien world and the development of Terra, the stolen earth baby.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it was fun and the characters engaging, a charming read and can't wait for the next one.