Fiction Review

Xanthan Gumm
by Robin Reed
ISBN-10: 159113899X
Review by Heather Froeschl

What could creatures in outer space really know about us here on Earth? If they took their information from the various radio waves and television satellite signals bouncing around in the atmosphere, their opinions of us would be rather misconstrued. In Robin Reed's novel, "Xanthan Gumm," this is exactly what has happened, leaving one alien very confused that all of Earth is not really a movie set.

Earth is a forbidden planet but that doesn't really stop visitors from "out there." Xanth has decided that he desperately wants to become a movie star, joining the ranks of E.T. and Chewbacca. Hoping to find the ruler of Earth, Steven Spielberg, Xanth attempts to find Hollywood. Unfortunately, the gravity in Chicago pulls him out of the sky first. Meeting a reporter for a tabloid, Xanth is greeted as an alien in a nonchalant way. Apparently the reporter has met other aliens and isn't all that interested in Xanth's story. Then Xanth meets Al, a homeless man with a passion for the bottle.

Al isn't convinced that Xanth is an alien until a demonstration is given. After that, the two become friends and a mutual learning experience is gained through discovering that some of society's ideas of aliens are actually true if not a little off. It turns out that Vulcans do exist, the creatures in the Aliens movies are really the most mild mannered things in the galaxy, and those large headed extraterrestrials we always seem to describe when relaying an encounter of the third kind are really big pranksters with very nasally laughs.

The culture exchange is very funny and as readers follow Xanth's adventure in trying to get to Hollywood, the story carries on in a most entertaining way. Foiling a robbery, aggravating a military General and his "Commie" suspecting mother to no end, and appearing in a student film are just some of the hijinks Xanth gets into. Every chapter is packed with fun.

This hysterical book is so well done that I can't imagine it not becoming a movie - and wouldn't it be wonderful if Xanth finally found his dream in working with Spielberg? Robin Reed has produced a well thought out, affective plot that is filled with cultural icons, intricate characters, and laugh out loud humor. I loved this book and cannot wait to hear more from this author.