Book reviews

Cowboy Feng's Space Bar and Grille
Steven Brust Book Review

Read a book review online (click here to search reviews)
Books Movies  
Sci-Fi/Fantasy Mystery/Thriller Literature Romance Biography Video
Steven Brust Books
New book search
Steven Brust Message Board
Get more information about this book
Plot Summary of Cowboy Feng's Space Bar and Grille
"

Tor, Mar 2003, 13.95, 288 pp.
ISBN: 0765306646

Billy and the rest of the band were within a mile of Jerrysport, Mars when someone turned the town into ashes with a nuclear strike. Billy was knocked unconscious, but besides a headache was fortunate to be alive as he was just beyond the ground zero meltdown range.

Galaxy society is in trouble as nuclear strikes like that which recently shook Mars is becoming the norm even with the Trekkies a thing of the past and the Enterprise a thing of the future. Perhaps the last bastion of sanctuary (not the butt of all those Venus to Jupiter jokes) remains Cowboy Feng's establishment where someone can get a gourmet meal consisting of matzoth ball soup and tamales and hear Irish musicians play mostly not so Irish music. Can the galaxy survive if Cowboy Feng's Space Bar and Grille is destroyed? Probably not, but in the time-space continuum, Feng's place seems to be one large step for mankind ahead of those nuking this sector, but can the regulars take the small steps to keep man safe?

COWBOY FENG'S SPACE BAR AND GRILLE is a wild satirical futuristic space adventure that is for readers who appreciate the zany wrapped inside a witty tale or perhaps a witty tale wrapped outside the zany. Billy and the band and the mysterious Cowboy Feng seem like the last choices for the magnificent heroes trying to stop a murderous conspiracy. This amusing story contains enough action to keep the Trekkies contended, but mostly rips the skin off those who use weapons of mass destruction to cleanse those who possess weapons of mass destruction.

Harriet Klausner
"

Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar



Review Analysis of Cowboy Feng's Space Bar and Grille
Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot

Composition of Book
Descript. of chases or violence - 10%
planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 50%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 20%
Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 20%




Tone of book - humorous or laughable
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - science fiction story
If an invasion, from Earth/human POV: - fighting overt invasion (attacking aliens)
War or Invasion Yes
Parody Yes
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book

Main Character
Identity: - Male
Profession/status: - musician
Age: - 20's-30's
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - very athletic

Main Adversary
Identity: - an entire race

Setting
Spaceship setting: - a space station
Takes place in spaceship? Yes

Style
Person? - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
scientific jargon? (SF only) - none/very little science jargon needed
How much dialogue? - significantly more dialog than descript
Most similar books to Cowboy Feng's Space Bar and Grille
Numbers Don't Lie by Terry Bisson
Cycling the Moon by Ron Baxley
Men in Black: The Green Saliva Blues by Dean Wesley Smith
Rarity from the Hollow by Robert Eggleton
Frek and the Elixir by Rudy Rucker


Click here for more information about this book


Steven Brust Resident Scholar Profiles

TOP SCHOLAR:
  
Ty F.  

SCHOLARS:
Christopher Ware  


Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).
Three ways to search for Science Fiction books!

1) One-click plot searches! Simply click on a plot or subplot below!

Animal Story

Clones

Coming of age

Cultural problems, alien culture

Explore/1st contact/ enviro story

Family relations

GIANT monster(s)

Horror story?

Inner Struggle

Lifeform altered?

Mental/magical powers focus

Parody

Political power play

Religious overtones?

Repressive society story

Robots, Computers, VR

Romance

Spying & Investigations

Tech./$$$/Info hunt

Time Travel story?

Training/Apprent.

War or Invasion



or 2) Simple lookup
(title or author)

or
3) Even more search options available with a Detailed Booksearch (click here)

Use our site!
17 FREE Sci-Fi Ebooks!
FREE "How to be happy" Ebook!
Feedback


Most recent discussions:

General Book Talk
Book writing discussion
Off-topic message board
Norah Lofts 12:50:53 AM
Suzanne Weyn 4:47:34 PM
Wilma Counts 1:23:32 PM
George W. Bush 5:33:46 PM
Kin Platt 12:58:29 AM
Anonymous 12:47:34 PM
Lilian Jackson Braun 10:05:52 PM
Jane Rubino 10:04:38 PM
LaVyrle Spencer 10:04:00 PM
G.A. McKevett 10:03:31 PM
David Williams 10:03:01 PM
Steven Pressfield 10:02:30 PM
Jeanette Walls 10:00:19 PM
Darryl Ponicsan 9:59:27 PM
Ann Rinaldi 9:58:30 PM
R.L. Stine 9:57:34 PM
Geoffrey Huntington 9:57:14 PM
Betty Mahmoody 9:56:38 PM
Deric Longden 9:56:11 PM
Mary Downing Hahn 9:55:48 PM

More message boards