Even Grues Get Full
Book Review by James M. GarnesEven Grues Get Full is the fourth collection of the hit geek comic strip User Friendly by J.D. "Illiad" Frazer. Written with fresh, dry humor and an amusing vividness that brings the cast of characters to life. The User Friendly Comic Strip is about the saga of a cast of characters who work at or are somehow involved with Columbia Internet, a fictional Internet Service Provider. The strip has been characterized “a light-hearted look at the world of the hard core geek”. (The three earlier books in the User Friendly series were about these same characters.)
As computer users, we are often overwhelmed by how-to-books, user manuals, hardware reviews and security concerns, however many tech types find refuge in the User Friendly strip. User Friendly is packed with references to geek interests, from obscure movies to old computer games, yet even non-geeks are able to enjoy the story lines and character quirks, from Erwin's acerbic humor to Miranda's constant angst; from the Smiling Man's Machiavellian machinations to A.J.'s dysfunctional naivete. Frolicking at the center of it all is the Dust Puppy, the strip's gentle-hearted mascot who has endeared himself to the reader.
The reader will enjoy the hilarious antics of Columbia Internet characters, as Stef contends with a giant tequila worm, Mike is tormented by Mr. Cola, Cthulhu returns feeling antsy after eons of deep sleep, and the techs move their shop into a maze of twisty passages all alike deep inside a missile silo. But even this friendly haven from real-world geek concerns brings caveats of its own. As Wil Wheaton cautions in his foreword to the book, "When your beloved wife just wants to go to sleep, it is the absolute worst time to explain Cthulhu saying, “You like that? So? What’s my name? Say my name, Mortal!” is so damn funny. His advice? Enjoy the book. Just don't read it in bed while your spouse is trying to
fall asleep.
The book has a great feel: many of Frazer's strips go on for a couple of pages, providing lots of space to get into the meat of his subjects and observations. For those who have yet to be initiated into the inner sanctum of geek-world, the book will give you some genuinely funny insights into the working minds of all those programmers, software and hardware engineers and related types out there, as well as a satirical look at Internet Service Providers and Information Technology departments behind the scenes.
Most people will agree that the tech world is a strange place. But who says it can't be funny too? You have to be a bona fided geek to truly appreciate the humor, but even beginner geeks will love the book. Whatever, this book is a sure hit with anyone who works with computers or for anyone who lives with someone who works with computers.
Even Grues Get Full
O’Reilly & Associates, Inc.
1005 Gravenstein Highway North
Sebastopol, California 95472-9910
$12.95
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