I thought it captured the 1999 vibe pretty well, and a nostalgia-motivated reader will find something to appreciate
590369
I was never the actual audience for the book's plot - but that's not what I wanted to read it. I was more interested in how Joanna Novak would recreate 1999, and on that score I think she did a pretty admirable job.

I feel like the slang and cultural references were obvious - but that was sort of the point. I think the constant reminders of the "when" grounded it in that era - even with something as silly as "petite sophisticate," which for some reason feels of that era. So a reader who wants that nostaligic vibe is probably going to find something to enjoy here. On the other hand, this seems angled toward younger readers (20-somethings?) and they might not be looking for nostaligia - but that's an indivudual reader's decision.

As a reading experience, the premise was a little not my speed - so the story itself I didn't quite click with...but I knew I wouldn't, and that wasn't my interest in the book. I can't say I loved it as a story - which is a little unfair - but I DID like it for what I wanted, which was to see a literary recreation of 1999, which I argue is the last, best year in America, before it fell off the rails And the characters are sort of goofy and vapid in that 1990s style when things weren't that serious and we all thought good times would last forever. So their behavior - while absurd in present day context - makes sense for the storyline and again, the era. If you like novels with sort of dislikable characters, you'll have a good time.

So - if the PLOT seems appealing to you, AND you want the nostaligic vibe of a bygone era, then I think you'll like the book. So it was four stars for the nostaligia, but 2.5 for the actual story, again, which isn't the book's fault as far as ME as one reader.
1990144
If you were even mildly involved with pop culture and video games during the 80's, this is a great book to read.

Taking you down memory lane in an future world, there is enough pop culture references to make anyone smile, and it turns out it is a great page turner / adventure on it's own for a younger modern audience.
3670593
While my equally Christian friend found the book offensive, I loved the trip down memory lane. With well intended humor and a great deal of nostalgia, this book addresses the  fundamentalist Christian lifestyle as it existed in the mid 20th century.  For those of us who shared the Protestant childhood experience of this era, this book comes as a pleasant surprise, inviting readers to remember how things used to be.  Who among us did not sing "Sunshine Mountain" at vacation Bible school, or struggle with the burning moral question, "Is bowling a sin?"  Some aspects of the book are irreverent, and, if you are incapable of finding humor in traditions that no longer exist, this book may offend you.  However, I emerged from the experience exhilarated and experiencing fondness for a simpler time that I had long since forgotten.
4770488
It took a nimble mind with amazing organizational skills to write this tale. I played many of the video games mentioned, and listened to many of the '80's hits, so it was sort of a nostalgia trip as well as a futuristic story.
2791389
A book to make you smile and feel sadness at the same time, and perhaps bring back some memories of your own childhood
4391875
I'm not going to lie, I had a hard time when this book devolved into pages of gushing about classic video games, music and movies.  Maybe I'm too old for this book (or maybe I'm too young?) but the nostalgia just didn't do it for me -- but when I pushed past that the book actually offered some decent reading.  A compelling narrative, with some strong characters and excellent twists.  On top of all that, a somewhat realistic depiction of hacking.  All in all, if you either loved the 80s or never experienced it, maybe the nostalgia will work for you, and make this book even better.
3242873
I was a 12 year old with my allowance money burning a hole in my pocket when the alluring strains of "Do It Again" tempted me into buying this on sale for $2.99. (gasp..I'm so old...) Up till that date, my record collection consisted of some teen-pop stuff my mom had given me and some Beatles 45's that my Aunt gave me as hand me downs. Pardon me for waxing nostalgic, but I doubt if I could have possibly picked a finer record to introduce me to seventies rock and roll.
This was a band that took pride in their eccentricities, and still be musically forward enough that even my pre-teen brain could find a way to absorb the quirks. Songs like "Fire In The Hole" and "Kings" were enigmatic enough for me to understand the coolness of it all, and the still stunning guitar solos spiking "Reeling In The Years" satisfied my craving for loudness. Still, at whatever volume this was played at, "Can't Buy A Thrill" held a mysterous appeal that few other bands could match. Blues workouts, jazz influences, and a certain leering know-it-all rock and roll quality laid the groundwork for all the songs here.
"Can't Buy A Thrill" is a stunningly original album, and given where the Dan would eventually lead us, that says a lot.
1586710
Generally, an entertaining book. As an 80's kid, it was nice to relive some happy memories as it was described by the author. The characters were interesting and believable. The story was mostly solid...although the situations leading to the conclusion felt a little too 'Hero Stacked'. Some of the descriptions of the 80's lore also seemed over the top, but I suppose there are generations of people not from that Era that will need some extended explanations. I wonder how the movie will handle life the details.
4091037
Too young to be a fan from their first days, but remembereading themy from the early 70s. This book filled in some of the gaps, and reminded me of a lot of the shenanigans I had forgotten about. Which makes the current run of success even sweeter. Had never heard of the writer... the book is an easy, fun read.
4729201
great nostalgia and patriotism...more like this is much needed
556675
My good friend showed this book to me back in the late 90s.  I read and absorbed it back in the day and spent the next decade or so with thoughts of it popping into my head.  The drawings are crude and the writing is absolutely basic, but it is honest and tells a story with common themes that everyone in their 20s has experienced.  I can't say it's overwhelmingly deep, but it is poignant and will tap into the nostalgia that many of those born in the 70s and 80s carry deep inside.

If you can find a copy of this, I definitely recommend it.  You'll finish reading it in under an hour, but you'll remember it often and inevitably pick it up again...
4762627
As a child of the 70s and 80s, it was a great to walk down memory lane and see all of the great junk food I used to pig out on way back when, as well as the stories of how all of the different companies that used to make your favorites merged with each other.  It was really cool to see and read about candy I haven't heard about in ages, including Tart And Tinys and those little coffins, garbage cans, and other plastic containers of candy that I used to gorge on in my youth.  Not a large volume, but a fun read while it lasts.
1186158
Remember the 1970s?  I guess that those of us who do have to be in our forties and older.  Where did those years go?  And how and with whom did we spend them?

Sean Mullen has written on his experience of the 1970s when, as a Vietnam veteran, he and a group of other men, women with some children and a terrific collection of creatures lived on a farm outside the far western suburbs of Philadelphia.  Twenty five or so people called the farm home during the ten years that Shaun Mullen lived there: more a tribe than a commune.  There were eight people when he moved in, and two when he moved out.  And what interesting people they were: Doctor Duck, Doctor Doc, Bigfoot and Bix in particular.  I loved the animals, particularly Doctor Ducks dog Bart and Patties dog Ged.  Every tribe needs a massive white Great Pyrenees to keep watch.

If the farm were a ship, the kitchen would have been its engine room.

Among the vivid descriptions of the people, the idiosyncrasies of the building, the surroundings, the animals and the visitors, there is tragedy.  There are several tragic deaths, but it was the death of Pattie and her daughter Caitlin in a car accident that had the greatest impact on me.  People moved in and out, some stayed for years before moving on, others stopped briefly, already on their way somewhere else.

This book is in part a collection of sketches  of lives and events  but it also provides a depiction of some of the spirit of the 1970s.  Part of this is the restlessness that was part of life for so many at the end of the Vietnam War, and the escapism that sometimes took a creative form and sometimes a reliance on alcohol and other drugs.  Theres joy and tragedy in this tale, a sense of acceptance and of belonging.  Its not just a description of life and individuals, Shaun Mullen frequently provides insights into behaviours and motivations.  People do things for a reason, even if the reason isn't always obvious.

I had few illusions about life when I moved to the farm and none when I left.

I enjoyed reading Shaun Mullens account of life on Kiln Farm, home for a tribe during the 1970s, while they explored a range of economic ventures and made ready, individually, for the next steps in their lives.  If you remember the 1970s, you may enjoy this account of it.  If you don't remember the 1970s, you may enjoy reading about it.

Note: I was offered and accepted a copy of this book for review purposes.  Im glad that I did.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith
182163
Witty, irreverant and, at times, even inspirational, this book brought up warm feelings of nostalgia about past experiences, and gave me some (twisted) ideas about things I might try in the future. It's a quick, fun, punchy read. Nice mind candy.
4358967
I'm a middle-aged grump who loved YA books when I was a kid and still enjoys reading good YA books every once in a while. I've also got young relatives applying to colleges, so the good reviews of this book made me willing to take a chance on it. I'm glad I did: I found the characters to be well fleshed out, the situations very real-feeling, the writing sometimes chuckle-out-loud funny, and the story interesting enough to pull me along despite the fact that I'm in a totally different place in life than are the characters.

This particular absurd moment in higher education is clearly different than when I was in college in the mid-'80s. The disfunction won't last forever (and who knows what will replace it?), but this book is going to make a terrific snapshot piece of the ridiculousness of these times. Right now, it provides thoughtful insights into the world of college applicants . . . along with a nice little story. Nice work, Mr. Williams!
792847
I am probably only a tad older than the author, so much of what he looks back to really strikes a chord with me. But a goodly portion does NOT (or does so only peripherally). Where we -- and perhaps other readers of our age -- may divide, is in regard to certain media that his current job causes him to keep abreast of but which the average "senior citizen" like me (ouch!) may not. Let me mention only one such example: comic books. I loved them, grew up with them, and eagerly paid a dime for the newest issue of my favorites at the local candy store. But as the years went by and I grew older (and their cover prices steadily rose), my comic book purchasing days gradually became a fond part of my past. Today's comic book aficionados may be as knowledgeable as the author (given that he owns a comic book store) regarding reboots and drastic changes in the various series, but those lengthy portions of this book -- and others like them pertaining to other media -- displaying his expertise will likely not be as meaningful to the average older reader who is not so heavily into the current state of those arts. In other words, this is a mixed bag of memories and reflections, observations and insights, past and present, old and new,  parts of which will be more relevant and meaningful to some readers than to others. Still, I greatly enjoyed much of this book, and while it's free, you have nothing to lose by downloading it.
2377920
It was a really nice read of things I didn't appreciate when i was younger reading the same stories. Very nostalgia feeling.