Kings of Infinite Space

By: James Hynes

Narrated by: Adam Grupper

James Hynes is the author of three New York Times Notable Books of the Year. That same publication praises Kings of Infinite Space as “unspeakably funny!” This offbeat novel satirizes an experience ubiquitous to modern times—office life. With a defeated sigh, ex-college professor Paul Trilby faces the downward spiral that is his existence. After his wife and three subsequent girlfriends dump him, and he loses just as many jobs, he’s sure he’s a pawn in some vast conspiracy. Worse still, he may be losing the only thing he has left—his mind.

©2004 James Hynes (P)2006 Recorded Books, LLC

Office Space Meets Shaun of the Dead

What did you love best about Kings of Infinite Space?

The description of the daily grind of the office was great, the petty rivalries, different personality types, ridiculous policies, and so on.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

The last part of the book was my least favorite as it is no longer satire but just wild . That part was too long.

Which character – as performed by Adam Grupper – was your favorite?

I liked Callie who is feisty and independent and is willing to try anything.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

The office satires made me laugh because they were so close to the truth.

90% heaven, 10% hell.

I had never heard of either this author or the narrator. I bought the book in the $5 sale, so my expectations were low. The book blew me away. Most of it is so well written that it is a shame that the ending sucks so badly. This is the story of Paul and Callie, and other people (and un-people) who work at TEXDOGS, the Texas Department of Governmental Services. There is plenty of fun to be had throughout the book, and the love story between Callie and Paul is incredibly sweet and tender. There are also a couple of really great sex scenes. The story descends into science fiction, which only bothered me a little until the end. There is waaaay too much hell at the end. I know, it is often very hard for a great book to have a great ending, but still. What you want is for these two lovers to walk hand in hand off into the Texas sunset. What happens, though, is what seems like days of the underworld and its nefarious doings. I must admit that I am not a fan of science fiction: it seems to me a genre in which authors can make up their own rules, which makes the books flabby and utterly impossible. If anything goes, then you can make up absolutely anything, and it has to be OK. Personal preference. In any case, you can get hours of wonderful pleasure from the book. The author can write like mad, and the narrator is fantastic.

I don't get it

Glowing reviews but I found this book slow. Took forever to get where it was going. It was reviewed as being hilarious. Nope. Don't think so.

infinitely SLOW - poor production quality

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

No. I am half way through this book and very little has happened. Also, I am tiring of the 'tin can" quality of the sound.

What could James Hynes have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Tighten it up. I feel there is far too much description and not enough plot.

How could the performance have been better?

the Emotion is ok. I don't like the sound quality of the voice, though.

Did Kings of Infinite Space inspire you to do anything?

Bail and find a better book.

Tedium tedium tedium

It started out well but it played out too long to keep me very interested in the outcome...unfortunately all the female characters sounded pretty much the same, annoying and vapid.

Boring

What disappointed you about Kings of Infinite Space?

I have read all oh Hynes' academic themed novels, and lived them. This one is pointless and borring. I couldn't finish it.

Kings of Infinite Space was very Interesting

Where does Kings of Infinite Space rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I didn't know what to expect when listening to Kings of Infinite Space. I really enjoyed the listen and had a few 'out loud' laughs that were unexpected. The narrator did an excellent job, made the story come alive. Good listen!

What did you like best about this story?

The narrator

Which scene was your favorite?

When the girlfriend was singing.... pretty funny

Who was the most memorable character of Kings of Infinite Space and why?

The main character

Any additional comments?

Great listen!

Yes, it is a struggle to be human

Any additional comments?

The blurb calls this book oddball. I think it is actually an allegory and also a bit of a morality tale, warning us to be careful what we wish for.

An odd story but an interesting read

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would recommend this audiobook to anyone who works in an office/at a cubicle and is interested in dark fiction. It is difficult to empathize with the hero (anti-hero) of the story, but the scenario is relatable despite the supernatural overtones. The narrator - Adam Grupper - does a fantastic job bringing the characters to life.

Would you be willing to try another book from James Hynes? Why or why not?

I probably wouldn't read another James Hynes book, but that does not mean I regret taking a chance on Kings of Infinite Space. The book lies outside of my usual reading zone, but I enjoyed listening to the development of the main characters.

Loved the surprise nuttiness

Just when I thought I knew the characters and knew where the story was going, it would take a hairpin turn--and it did that several times. I decided to just hold on for the ride and I really enjoyed it. Dig deep for your suspended disbelief for this one. It's a kick. It's a fun listen.