Running From the Deity by Alan Dean Foster

Title:  Running From the Deity
Author:  Alan Dean Foster
Pages:  280
Genre:  Science Fiction
Publisher:  Ballantine, 2006

Synopsis:  In the outer depths of the universe lies the Great Emptiness, behind which lurks something dreadful -- something that is now raging straight for the Commonwealth.  To avert catastrophe, Flinx must find a conscious planet-sized weapons system and, using his heightened mental powers, coax it into joining the battle against the behemoth from beyond.  So Pip and Flinx sail their little spaceship into the unknown, only to be forced down for emergency repairs on planet Arrawd,  home to primitive sentients and therefore off-limits to space travelers.  But rules never applied to Flinx.  Upon his arrival, Flinx is besieged by hordes bent on worshipping him as a god.  Escaping this fate will be as impossible as fulfilling his dire mission.  What's a deity to do?

Review:  I knew I had time for one, last book this year.  I decided to go with something that I knew would be a fun, easy read.  This latest installment of the Pip and Flinx adventures was just the ticket.  These books all have pretty much the same formula:  Flinx gets into trouble, comes very close to dying, and then gets away in the nick of time.

It doesn't matter though.  The books are still good.  Flinx is a lovable young man even if he is a bit of a troublemaker.  The aliens are always different and unusual.  The planets are well-described and fairly believable.  Flinx's ship is awesome and Pip is a flying dragon.  What's not to love?

It ended in a bit of a cliff-hanger, but they usually do.  I probably won't have time to visit with these characters for a while, but the books aren't going anywhere and I know I'll get back to them eventually.

Rating:  7.5 / 10