BrandieC wrote:
Today's NOOK Daily Find is The Invaders Plan, by L. Ron Hubbard, the first book in his Mission Earth series. Does anyone have an opinion regarding either this book or the series in general? There seem to be very mixed reviews, and although the book is only $1.99 today, I don't want to buy it without a better feeling as to whether it's worth my time and money.
The product page contains a blurb which purports to be part of a review by Paul Goat Allen, but I can't find the full review anywhere, even though it supposedly was published in B&N's own Barnes and Noble Review.
Here it is, Brandie – from a looooong time ago!
Mission Earth is the first book in L. Ron Hubbard’s landmark ten-volume Mission Earth saga: a blockbuster science fiction epic about a race of aliens’ elaborate scheme to invade Earth and infiltrate human society to bring about its ultimate downfall.
The story of Mission Earth is actually the prison confession of Soltan Gris, a former mid-level manager of the mysterious Coordinated Information Apparatus (CIA) on the planet Voltar. When chosen by his menacing boss, Lombar Hisst, to head a secret – and potentially lucrative – mission to Blito-P3 (Earth), Soltan soon realizes his opportunity of a lifetime could spell his imminent demise. Although the mission is supposed to infiltrate advanced technology into the Earthlings’ culture to preserve the planet for future use, Soltan’s real charge is to make sure it fails. His egomaniacal boss has grand – and nefarious – plans for Earth…
But when Jettero Heller, a handsome military hero practically oozing charisma, is conscripted into the top-secret operation, Soltan’s already loose grip on the mission unravels completely – with hilarious results!
A timeless satire packed with biting political and social commentary that has been called Hubbard’s magnum opus, there is a reason why the Mission Earth decalogy has sold more than 7.5 million copies in 14 languages worldwide. Witty, insightful and utterly readable, this grand saga is just as timely today as it was when it was initially released in 1985. Hubbard’s classic Battlefield Earth is like a short story compared to this ambitious – and historic – ten volume, 1.2-million word chronicle. – Paul Goat Allen
MacMcK1957 wrote:
It seems Paul and I will have to agree to disagree on this one.
I'm not totally disagreeing with you here – but I think as a professional reviewer, I perceive books a bit differently. I read this series and Battlefield Earth because of their "historic" (ie: commercial) significance but, that aside, I do agree – it's a huge commitment and frankly there are more entertaining releases out there. I m glad that I did read it, however.
paulgoatallen wrote:
MacMcK1957 wrote:It seems Paul and I will have to agree to disagree on this one.
I'm not totally disagreeing with you here – but I think as a professional reviewer, I perceive books a bit differently. I read this series and Battlefield Earth because of their "historic" (ie: commercial) significance but, that aside, I do agree – it's a huge commitment and frankly there are more entertaining releases out there. I m glad that I did read it, however.
As to any of the Hubbard books being a "commercial" success:
There were unsubstantiated rumors going around the bookselling community in the early 90s that the CoS (i.e. Bridge Publications) was manipulating their sales figures.
The gist of these, again, unsubstantiated rumors being that CoS members were instructed to buy the books, turn them into the church, and they were then re-sold to retailers. The figuring being, stores bought more of books they sold (re-orders) that Bridge could fulfill with a much smaller print run as they were just recirculating copies.
I will emphasize that these were rumors. (I don't want the aggressive CoS lawyers to come after me.) But there was always something a bit odd about the customers who bought those books. They were not the usual SF/Fantasy readers. And with an eclectic experience of some decades with SF/Fantasy readers, I've met very few who've read Hubbards later work.
Some have read Battlefield Earth; almost all have regretted it.
Just my experience. I know there's a whole world of fans out there. But you'd think in over 30 years, I might have met one Hubbard fan.
RHWright wrote:...Some have read Battlefield Earth; almost all have regretted it.
...
Not as much as those who saw the movie. 
I have to agree that I know very few SF fans who are fans of these books. Most people I know have read maybe one of them, more out of curiosity than anything else. I don't know anyone who's read several.
