Official Review: How I Saved a Planet! by Stephen Quatro

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[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "How I Saved a Planet!" by Stephen Quatro.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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I gathered from the publisher’s note that the manuscript for this book was discovered, handwritten and dog-eared, in an abandoned storage unit. The story was published as written, without any alterations. As a reader, this is the first of many intriguing discoveries about this utterly fascinating science-fantasy adventure novel.

After a rather dull and disappointing freshman year at college, our narrator returns to his small town to spend the summer at his mother's house. Dejected and less than excited about life after college, as well as the dreary summer ahead, he ponders how he can change his situation. The sudden appearance of a size-shifting blue alien at his bedroom window would open his world in ways he could never have imagined.

The alien introduces himself as Qarl (not Carl, he hates that) from the planet X@X (pronounced Zax). Planet X@X is in trouble, and Qarl has been sent by the Queen of the Cosmos to summon our narrator. He has been chosen by prophecy, and the fate of the alien planet is in his hands. Lured into acquiescence by the promise of candy, our narrator is soon on his way to X@X on a teletransportube piloted by Qarl. Thus, begins this wacky adventure of a lifetime.

First off, this is not a children's book despite the misleading cover art. How I Saved a Planet! is a fun, fast-paced, and highly entertaining story. Told in the first-person narrative, I was blown away by the authenticity of the plot. Other high points include the amazing character development, the clever play on words, the often satirical yet witty and impeccable writing, the exceptional grammar and editing, and the sharp dialogue. The concept of time was carefully examined and colorfully depicted. For reasons best known to the author, a bit of poetry was mixed into the plot here and there, another fun and unexpected discovery. The story flowed impressively well, with intriguing twists and turns that kept me engrossed and wanting more. Stephen Quatro is an incredibly imaginative author whose masterful writing has brought to life a magical universe, with charming and unforgettable characters.

I found the planet X@X and its inhabitants to be quite fascinating. Their perception of the value of money was intriguing. Planet X@X operated on a system where a currency’s perceived value was opposite its face value. In other words, the least amount of money you have the better because money is literally a burden. X@X coins are heavy and dirty, and the government taxed citizens by giving them coins. Shop owners set low prices to receive the least amount of coins possible, and consumers haggle up to get rid of as many coins as they can.

Additionally, humans were not exclusive to Earth, as there were X@X-Humans as well. However, unlike on Earth, the female gender was not as sexualized as the male gender. Consequently, while it was against the law for male humans to even go topless, female humans could go practically nude if they so wished. As you can imagine, this was a shocking concept that caused our narrator great anxiety, much to my amusement.

There is not a single thing that I dislike about this book. From the originality of the plot to the flawless writing and editing, How I Saved a Planet! was a brilliantly executed work of fiction worthy of a 4 out of 4 stars rating. While no violent or erotic scenes were depicted, the book did contain language and imagery not suitable for children. Science-fiction or science fantasy readers, and space adventure fans who enjoy a bit of humor and satire in their plot, will not be disappointed by this book.

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How I Saved a Planet!
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[AnnOgochukwu]

This is a mind blowing storyline! I'm really fascinated by the valuation of money in the X@X planet. Imagine not wanting more money! This book has got a really unique and amazing storyline. I hope I get the chance to read it.
You review is really intriguing and appetite-whetting. Great job.

[shreyagupta]

I think that being the chosen one to fulfill a prophecy is not a new opening for a novel but the
description of this alien planet made me want to read this book. Its kind of fun to read about man getting the same treatment as women. Thanks for the review.

[NetMassimo]

The found manuscript is a classic, and the story seems intriguing with its humorous and satirical elements that offer some food for thought. Thank you for your great review!

[Ify_Reviewer]

Did you say the manuscript of this interesting read was abandoned? We are really our worst critic. I hope this encourages someone to show the world what they've got even when they don't feel convinced about the worth. Thanks for the review.

[Ada Ling]

I thought it was a children's book. But looks this is going to be an interesting read. Thank you for the introduction!

[Fabulous mind]

Sci-Fi books intrigues me, and judging from this story's plot, this would be another interesting one. Thanks for an excellent review, and I hope to learn more about the adventures in this book.

[Nqobile Mashinini Tshabalala]

What a disappointment, I thought it was a children's book considering that the narrator was "Lured into acquiescence by the promise of candy". Nonetheles, the storyline sounds exciting. Thanks for the review!

[Tayejim1]

I appreciate the author's effort to produce a flawless work. I hope I get to read this book soon. Thanks for your recommendations.

[Echezonachukwu]

Wow, what a storyline. I mean I have seen lots of stories on sci-fi but I think this is a little out of the box. It's really intriguing. Thanks for sharing an amazing review

[ysfzch]

I think that being the chosen one to fulfill a prophecy is not a new opening for a novel but the
description of this alien planet made me want to read this book. Its kind of fun to read about man getting the same treatment as women. Thanks for the review.

[Pearl Akpan]

What an awe to realize that this book is absolutely not for children after imagining so . Blame it on the book cover, I guess.

I’m very intrigued by the storyline and I’d love to have for myself an experience of fascination from reading this book just like you.

Great review!

[Tru3483]

I think that the story line is really interesting and this book sounds its going to be amazing. I loved that he got chosen by a prophecy.

[Sou Hi]

Thanks for your interesting review. What a weird planet X@X is, totally opposite from our Earth. What's with rejecting money as much as they can, or allowing the females to be topless while forbidding males to do so ?