The Sirens of Titan

Well when you are on a roll of not so good books, sometimes it continues…  Last week I read a great Vonnegut book, this week, not so much.  I listened to this one, The Sirens of Titan.  I guess the sci-fi genre is either really good or not so much.  Sometimes Martians are fun and exciting, well not here.  There is always an outrageousness to his stories and yes the political, the religious, and the sex usually thrown in too. Malachi Constant, our hero, the richest man in the land in the 22^nd century! He takes a journey from Earth to Mars as we prepare for an intergalactic experience in dealing with Winston Niles Rumfoord that ends at Saturn’s moon, Titan.  There are some funny moments, especially after Rumfoord establishes his new church, the Church of God the Utterly Indifferent, which serves to unite Earth after a Martian invasion!  Rumfoord can only seemingly exist on Titan where he works to help repair damaged spaceships.  Watch those small metal parts though… (I’ll save that for you to read).  And don’t forget Kazak, Rumfoord’s doggie.  Constant is transported back to Earth, where he ends up dying, in Indianapolis of all places.  There is a lot to this one, invasions, battles for superior being, and much more.  Hard to stay totally focused, maybe I need some attention medicine?  Between this one and The Sound and The Fury, damn!  These two don’t go together at all!  Preferred Cat’s Cradle, more humor and interest!  This is clearly a pre-cursor to Douglas Adams' books.  The influence of Vonnegut is easily seen here.  I’d take a pass, other Vonnegut books make the grade…