Meet Cole: hapless space rogue, part-time smuggler, on a path to being full-time dead. His sidekick just stole his girlfriend. The galaxy's most hideous and feared bounty hunter wants to lay eggs in his brain. And the luxury space yacht Cole just hijacked turns out of be filled with interstellar do-gooders, one especially loathsome stowaway, and a cargo of freeze-dried orphans.
Reluctantly compelled to deliver these defenseless, fluidless children to safety, Cole gathers a misfit crew for a desperate journey to the far reaches of the galaxy. Their destination: the mysterious world of Yrnameer, the very last of the your-name-heres—planets without corporate sponsors. But little does Cole know that this legendary utopia is home to a murderous band of outlaws bent on destroying the planet's tiny, peaceful community.
Follow Cole's adventures through a delightfully absurd science-fiction universe, where the artificial intelligence is stupid, dust motes carry branding messages, and middle-management zombies have overrun a corporate training satellite. In the spirit of Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett, The Sheriff of Yrnameer is sci-fi comedy at its best—mordant, raucously funny, and a thrilling must-listen.
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"If you like science fiction and comedy combined, this is a fabulous book to read. The characters were whimsical and enjoyable to follow throughout their adventures before and after you arrive at Yrnameer. The dialogue is very funny and sarcastic--loaded with humorous one-liners. The bad guys were a trip...definitely. Fantastic book...I would definitely read a sequel if it came out."
— Kirk (4 out of 5 stars)
A science fiction book your grandmother will love---if she's a lustful, violent lady.
— Stephen Colbert" Funny, silly, and very strange. "
— Allie, 2/20/2014" This is a truly fun book, with non-stop pacing. I keep vacillating between 3 & 4 stars, because while many of the tropes were tired and the gags groan-worthy, I honestly couldn't put it down. For a first effort, it was impressive indeed. "
— Genevieve, 1/31/2014" Quite funny! I recommend the audio book for a real treat. The narrator and production are one of the liveliest and well done in my audio library. "
— Dg, 1/27/2014" An enjoyable sci-fi/comedy/pastiche/parody/adventure that, for all that it lacks originality, almost makes up for it in enthusiasm. It's a fun, fast-paced flight through regions of space where men have gone before, most notably Douglas Adams; however, unlike others who owe Adams their lifeblood, Rubens is genuinely funny--I especially enjoyed the universe's stupidest computer (he likes pebbles!). There are even moments of actual character development amongst the wackiness, and--points again--Rubens gives his female characters more to do than Adams ever did. This book won't change your life, but it might brighten it for a few hours. "
— Trin, 1/17/2014" I'm abandoning this one. Full of individually witty exchanges and scenes that just refuse to add up to anything. "
— Rebecca, 1/11/2014" I have to say, this sci-fi-on-crack stuff wasn't for me. Maybe a better writer would have handled the addled, frenzied style with a defter touch, but as it stands Yrnameer is mediocre. The ad-supported future has been done, and better. "
— Antipigeons, 1/2/2014" It was cute! Reluctant hero, rag-tag bunch, a quest into the unknown, lots of quips and plenty of action. It's a good formula done well. "
— Manami, 12/27/2013" Funny and had some really cool scenes, but I felt like it was trying too hard to amuse me. "
— Kathy, 11/28/2013" A couple of years ago I read a book that kind of reminded me of Doug Adams, except it wasn't nearly as good, and it just ended up being depressing. I should have read The Sheriff of Yrnameer instead. OK, it wasn't published yet, but you get my drift. "
— Erica, 11/7/2013" Read this essentially in one sitting during jury duty. Pretty bad. Comparing this guy to Adams and Pratchett is silly, person who wrote the back of the book. He even put a poetry loving race in there. Come on! "
— Josh, 11/4/2013" Firefly meets Douglas Adams. Highly entertaining! "
— Brian, 11/2/2013" Mostly funny and smart. Kind of a Father Goose meets Hitchhiker's Guide. I hate to do comparisons, but it's unavoidable here. If you like frantic, satirical humor, you'll enjoy this. "
— Cathy, 10/30/2013" Pedantic. Cliched. Maybe 8-10 year old boys will get a giggle. I will never read anything by Michael Rubens ever again. "
— Veach, 10/28/2013" Worth 3.5 stars, couldn't quite go to 4. Entertaining. Hitchhiker's Guide meets Han Salo. Nods to the Alien series, corporate zombie culture and ads on *everything.* "
— Mel, 8/19/2013" Satirical sci-fi that tries really, really hard to be Douglas Adams or Tom Holt, but just doesn't make it. Regardless, this is a fun book with some clever elements. I'll give the author another try... "
— James, 8/18/2013" Very fun light reading. All the mentions of similarities to Pratchet are right on in my opinion. If you like his work there's a good chance you'll like this as well. "
— Justin, 6/27/2013" Comedy is hard to write. Rubens does a good job "
— John, 6/2/2013" Very silly but I enjoyed it a lot. The characters are charming, even some of the "bad guys". It's a fun read and I'll look for more by Michael Rubens. "
— MeLisa, 1/13/2013" A satiric gambol thru the future with lots of tongue in cheek jabs at life/society as we know it. Science fiction in the Buck Rogers mode, if Buck Rogers was a smart aleck. "
— Karl, 1/5/2013" I liked it. It was light and silly, and I mean that in a good way. Very entertaining story and characters. "
— Beth, 7/24/2012" Like Han Solo in a Hitchhiker Universe. And a great dust jacket. "
— Paul, 1/30/2012" This book is hilarious and creative. "
— Cj, 5/16/2011" Haha. Not laugh-out loud funny, but more of a silly book. If you love Douglas Adams' books, then you should like this. A fast read for sure. "
— Patrick, 4/16/2011" Like Han Solo in a Hitchhiker Universe. And a great dust jacket. "
— Paul, 3/10/2011" It is like a really bad Disney movie but still a bit fun all the same. Not a bad read when you are home sick with the flu. "
— Sheila, 2/22/2011" It's sort of funny like "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy," but lacking the je ne sais quoi. It wasn't a chore to read nor did I ever feel compelled to pick it up. As a result, it took a long time to get through. "
— Keith, 2/21/2011" Ok for an airplane read, but yet another book by a TV/ comedy writer who seems embarrassed to be writing a long-form piece. "
— Tom, 1/31/2011" 3.5 stars. It's like reading a sitcom. The reader, William Dufris, does a great job and gives this book the goofy comic voicing it needs. "
— Tom, 1/21/2011" I felt like this book couldn't decide whether it wanted to be a homage to Terry Prachett or to Douglas Adams - in the end it did neither one justice. "
— Andee, 1/9/2011" plot graph like a sine wave. <br/><br/><br/><s>* currently 80% through the book<br/><br/>funny at times, but I'm not engaged. It's taken me weeks to get through and i stopped before the climax to read something else. </s> "
— Manda, 1/2/2011" Four stars because it made me laugh outloud in spots. Funny, good light reading with a lovely edge of sarcasm and a touch of social/commercial commentary (nothing too heavy, just a jab here and there). "
— Eris, 11/27/2010" The review I read said it was really funny and comparable to Hitchhiker's Guide, it wasn't that good. I think when a book is compared to the Hitchhiker's Guide it should be very funny. I did enjoy the story though, it was entertaining. "
— Myk, 11/20/2010" Sort of embarrassed to admit it but I was thoroughly entertained by this book even though the humor is pretty silly I giggled out loud anyway. "
— Heidi, 10/7/2010" I enjoyed this book. I ended up finishing it in less than 24 hours after I bought it. The story is good and the jokes are good. "
— Geoff, 9/28/2010Michael Rubens is a television writer and producer whose credits include work for Oxygen, the Travel Channel, CNN, and Comedy Central’s The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. He lives in Brooklyn.
William Dufris attended the University of Southern Maine in Portland-Gorham before pursuing a career in voice work in London and then the United States. He has won more than twenty AudioFile Earphones Awards, was voted one of the Best Voices at the End of the Century by AudioFile magazine, and won the prestigious Audie Award in 2012 for best nonfiction narration. He lives with his family in Maine.