Review: Cheese Ravioli, Beefaroni, or Spaghetti-O's anyone?
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 05 6, 2014
When a writer can open a book with the line: "Cheese Ravioli, Beefaroni, or SpaghettiOs?" you know you have got a winner on your hands. After a Coronal Mass Ejection hits Earth, humanity is in for a very bad time. In Mike Kilroy's 'Nine Meals', we get to come along on a journey through a post-apocalyptic Earth where the main character's cuisine choice is an interesting metaphor. The book has a unique and humorous take on the end of the world as we know it for sure. It is dystopian or speculative fiction with a humorous slant. The humor and writing is reminiscent of the best of Douglas Adams, Christopher Moore, and some of Asimov's funnier moments in the Foundation Books.Nine Meals is at its heart a journey story with something special going on beneath the surface. While the plot is definitely engaging, the best part of th e book for me were the characters. The book has thoughtful moments that sneak up on you and the plot is multifaceted and layered. I enjoyed the the way the author organized the book by breaking out the flashbacks in a way that did not confuse me. Getting back-story into a book can kill it, but Kilroy does a phenomenal job of seamlessly weaving essential back-story in.As I noted previously, the characters are what set this book apart from other dystopian novels I have read. None of the characters are cookie-cutter and the world they inhabit becomes a character itself.  When the book opens, "Shep" Shepard, is living pretty well in a bunker in a post-apocalyptic world when  he rescues Antigone "Tig". She is an unlikely companion for Shep, andconvinces him to help her undertake a perilous journey to a "paradise" to try and reunite with her brother. While the journey would be hazardous in any case, no post apocalyptic journey is complete without a madman who is out for revenge. In addition to the major characters who are finely drawn, numerous minor characters are developed well and add a lot to the story. I found myself identifying with the characters and it was easy to visualize myself as being there with them and pondering how I would have handled a similar situation. The dialogue between characters is priceless.I started reading the book with no real expectations but found myself caught up in the story. By the book's middle, a place that often bogs down in books, I was completely sucked in. While the story is delivered in present time the flashbacks fill in the gaps and provide the reader with all the information they need. As I mentioned, using flashbacks is not easy to pull off. I would plan to read for a few minutes and found myself repeatedly stealing more reading time because I wanted to see what was going to happen next.The bottom line: If you are a fan of post-apocalyptic stories with great characters you will love this book. I never lost interest in the story and wanted it to keep going. There were twists and surprises that I just did not see coming and I loved that aspect of the book. Highly recommended and I am looking forward to reading more of Mike Kilroy's work in  the future. I am now officially a fan.