Quofum

Author: Alan Dean Foster
Completed Date: 7/31/09

This book is a continuation of the Commonwealth series of books by Alan Dean Foster. They provide additional stories that take place in the same universe as his most popular characters, Pip and Flinx. While they have their own series, they do not make an appearance in this book. However, this book is supposed to be crucial to the final book in the Pip and Flinx series.

This book has a science team going off to explore a newly-discovered planet that tends to pop in and out of existence on the Commonwealth's maps. Once they get past their first obstacle of actually finding the planet, they discover an ecosystem that has never been seen anywhere else in the universe. Things go from unusual to horrific when a murderer is discovered in their midst. They are left abandoned with no means of transportation or communication.

I can see why this is said to be crucial to the final book in the Pip and Flinx series. However, I was rather disappointed with this book. It was a really slow book until the last 50 pages, which actually started to move a bit faster. The last 15 pages were where all of the key action happened. Then it just ended. It practically felt like it ended in the middle of a sentence, even though it was a complete paragraph. In fact, I was so upset with how it ended that I tossed the book away from me right after completion so I wouldn't have to hold it any more.

Hopefully this will truly be the lead up to the final book like it is being hyped to be. If not, I will be very upset.

10 words or less: Better be worth it.