Monster

A. Lee Martinez

May 2009 · Sold by Orbit

About this ebook

Meet Monster. Meet Judy. Two humans who don't like each other much, but together must fight dragons, fire-breathing felines, trolls, Inuit walrus dogs, and a crazy cat lady -- for the future of the universe.

Monster runs a pest control agency. He's overworked and has domestic troubles -- like having the girlfriend from hell.

Judy works the night shift at the local Food Plus Mart. Not the most glamorous life, but Judy is happy. No one bothers her and if she has to spell things out for the night-manager every now and again, so be it.

But when Judy finds a Yeti in the freezer aisle eating all the Rocky Road, her life collides with Monster's in a rather alarming fashion. Because Monster doesn't catch raccoons; he catches the things that go bump in the night. Things like ogres, trolls, and dragons.

Oh, and his girlfriend from Hell? She actually is from Hell.

Ratings and reviews

I downloaded the sample on a whim and bought the book a few days later. It's a very easy read and the idea of monsters and magic being among us is easy to get into. There's a lot of silliness and action and I found I really liked the story once we found out what was really going on. It got a little sappy at the end but the author manages to pull it back around on the last page. I'll be checking out his other books.

This author should be a spiritual successor to the likes of Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams. He expertly blends fantasy and mythology with the real world, and tosses in a lot of humor to sweeten the story. From the beginning Yeti in the freezer all the way to the end he leaves you in stitches and yearning for more. If you like Disc World or Hitchhikers Guide, you'll love this.

A Lee Martinez is a master at his craft, telling tales of fantasy that are entirely too relatable. I love his relentless humor and inclusion of nearly every mythological creature I've ever heard of (and some I haven't). If you like Jason Pargin (David Wong), you'll love A Lee Martinez.

About the author

A. Lee Martinez was born in El Paso, Texas. At the age of eighteen, for no apparent reason, he started writing novels. Thirteen short years (and a little over a dozen manuscripts) later, his first novel, Gil's All Fright Diner, was published. His hobbies include juggling, games of all sorts, and astral projecting. Also, he likes to sing along with the radio when he's in the car by himself. For more information on the author, check out www.aleemartinez.com