Title: “Year Zero”

Author: Rob Reid

About the author: Rob Reid is perhaps better known as founder of the online music service Rhapsody than as an author, but he’s hit a home run with this hilarious sci-fi novel.

Synopsis: Earth is a backwater, unknown planet in an enormous galaxy, with only one claim to fame. Unbeknown to us, our music is better than anything produced by any other civilization. But when the Galactic Union discovers that because of Earth’s onerous music licensing laws, they owe humanity all the money in Universe, they show up on attorney Nick Carter’s doorstep, looking to lawyer up.

Dennis Green

Reviewer: Dennis Green is general manager of Iowa’s Jazz Station, 88.3 KCCK, and a longtime sci-fi and mystery junkie.

Reid’s inside knowledge of the music business, gained from his years as a Silicon Valley entrepreneur, make him uniquely qualified to skewer the industry in his first fiction novel. Featuring a cast of characters, both human and alien (not to mention a cat that seems to know a little more than it should), this book will particularly appeal to fans of books like “Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.” It makes a great companion with another outstanding comic sci-fi novel of 2012, John Scalzi’s “Redshirts.”

What books are on your nightstand?

• “Kill Decision” by Daniel Suarez
• “Double Cross: The True Story of the D-Day Spies” by Ben MacIntyre
• “Star Island” by Carl Hiaasen
• “Cold Days” by Jim Butcher

What are you reading now? What are you looking forward to reading? Share your lists at features@sourcemedia.net