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Only You Can Save Mankind (Johnny Maxwell) [Paperback]

Terry Pratchett
4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
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Book Description

29 April 2004 Johnny Maxwell (Book 1)

IF NOT YOU, WHO ELSE?

As the mighty alien fleet from the latest computer game thunders across the screen, Johnny prepares to blow them into the usual million pieces. And they send him a message: We surrender.

They're not supposed to do that! They're supposed to die. And computer joysticks don't have 'Don't Fire' buttons . . .

But it's only a game, isn't it. Isn't it?


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Only You Can Save Mankind (Johnny Maxwell) + Johnny and the Bomb (Johnny Maxwell) + Johnny and the Dead: A Johnny Maxwell story
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Product details

  • Paperback: 224 pages
  • Publisher: Corgi Childrens; New Ed edition (29 April 2004)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0552551031
  • ISBN-13: 978-0552551038
  • Product Dimensions: 12.7 x 1.3 x 19.7 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 15,711 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Review

"An impressively original book with its thrills and spills, its inventiveness, its wit and continuous readability" (Daily Telegraph )

"A wonderful new Pratchett-style fantasy: funny and thrilling enough for anyone who can read fluently" (Daily Mail )

"Funny and exciting" (Spectator )

"Terry Pratchett's funny, fast-moving story makes provocative reading for all computer game players . . . Makes a serious point out of a ridiculously comic example" (Children's Books of the Year )

"Everyone should read Terry Pratchett. Maybe it should be part of the National Curriculum?" (Families 20080301)

Book Description

The first of Terry Pratchett's terrific fantasy novels starring Johnny Maxwell - now with a brand-new look

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Customer Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
4.8 out of 5 stars
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
26 of 26 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars It's just a game--isn't it? 21 Aug 2003
By Daniel Jolley HALL OF FAME TOP 500 REVIEWER
Format:Paperback
Only You Can Save Mankind is the first book in Terry Pratchett's Johnny Maxwell trilogy. While this is considered juvenile or young adult fiction, it's a lot of fun for adults as well. It seems a little strange to journey with Terry Pratchett to a place other than the Discworld, but this little jaunt is quite enjoyable. Johnny Maxwell is a rather typical twelve year old boy; he's not smart or popular or rich, and he tends to prefer operating below the radar of those around him. He is living in Trying Times, basically having to take care of himself for the most part while his parents argue and come ever closer to splitting up. Like any kid, he enjoys a good computer game every now and then, and his friend Wobbler, born to be a hacker, supplies him with just about any illegally pirated game he could want. As earth's last remaining fighter, he has destroyed all but the last big alien ship in the game Only You Can Save Mankind when a message suddenly appears on the screen: We wish to talk. Thus begins a journey that takes him inside the game as the Chosen One, the human who will lead the alien ScreeWee race back to safety beyond The Boundary. The reptilian captain of the ScreeWee is tired of fighting; the human fighters appear out of nowhere, kill and destroy ships in her fleet, and keep coming back no matter how many times they are killed. She has seen what happened to the Space Invaders and would rather surrender than die fighting.

You don't have to remember playing Space Invaders to enjoy this book, but it does make the story a little more enjoyable. As always with Pratchett, the characters are well-developed and quite remarkable. I really liked Wobbler, the future hacker who designed a game of his own called Journey to Alpha Centauri to be played in real time, meaning all the thousands of years it would take to reach Alpha Centauri is how many years the game would take you to actually finish it. Beyond the comedy present in this story, there is also a message. The backdrop of the earth-based events of the book is the Persian Gulf War, and the juxtaposition of this war that is real but seems like a game with the computer game that becomes real for Johnny Maxwell conveys a message about violence and one's attitude toward it. It is not an overbearing theme, but it is there to some degree, helping make this short novel much more than just a juvenile read intended to entertain the reader and nothing else. This is a short book that never falters from beginning to end, and it houses much more in its pages than might be apparent at first glance. It is not as complicated or brilliant as the Discworld novels, but it is a fun read nonetheless, sure to entertain Pratchett fans while capturing the attention and interest of young readers.

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18 of 18 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding! 15 Feb 2001
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
I am only 15 years old but ANYONE of any age can and should read this book. There i was in my local (library that is!) looking through the sci-fi section and for some reason this book fell of the shelf. I picked it up and instead of putting it back it caught my eye so i loaned it out and to this day it is still my favourite book. This is the 7th time of reading this book after loaning it from my school library. A book you never want to put down. FANTASTIC!
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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
By R Jacob
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Having read all the Disc World series I was supprised to come across the Johnny Maxwell books, as much to my embarrasment I had not heard of them before.

With wonderful observation on life, Terry brings together a lovable group of characters, which in my opinion rival the wonderful Famous Five and Serect Seven creations of my childhood.

Humour (as always from TP), imagination, subltle social comment on both sexism, racism and deprivation, this book is a wonderful read. Who else but Mr. Pratchett himself could link the Geneva converntion with a surrendering alien force in a computer game?

Don't think, just buy it!

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Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars Audio book
Out of the Johnny books I always thought this one was the best as a kid. Got it for long car journeys with work, which it helped pass by quite quick. Read more
Published 15 days ago by Smally
5.0 out of 5 stars Only you can save mankind
Even though this book was wrote for younger readers it still holds its own if your older with a fun plot and strong story it is a joy to read and has more relavance now than when... Read more
Published 22 days ago by Morte
5.0 out of 5 stars Johnny books are the Tops
This completes my Johnny Maxwell series of books, they are for children BUT I love 'em, as I do all Mr Pratchett's books
Published 1 month ago by qaman1
5.0 out of 5 stars Terry Pratchett - Only You Can Save Mankind
I bought this because I am an avid Terry Pratchett fan and whilst I own all of the Discworld novels I have now bought all of his other books.
Published 2 months ago by Ned Ludgate
5.0 out of 5 stars great book
this book
gives me mixed feelings including worried ,happy, and thinking people are being silly! Read more
Published 3 months ago by James King
5.0 out of 5 stars I just love Pratchett!
I am a long time Pratchett fan and bought this for someone called Johnny! It was very well received despite being a children's book. Read more
Published 9 months ago by I am
5.0 out of 5 stars terry pratchett can you save man kind
fantastic reading for both my 8 year and 11 year old boys ... they read it over and over again at bedtimes. Great for peaceful evenings :)
Published 16 months ago by ricky
5.0 out of 5 stars Another Fine read from the maestro
A great little story meant for the younger reader but I enjoyed it as much as Terry's other Johnny series.
Arrived quick as usual and undamaged, well packaged.
Published 24 months ago by Mrs. F. Street
4.0 out of 5 stars Saving mankind
This is my least favourite of the "Johnny" books by Terry Pratchett but since it went on the bookshelf at school - 11 year olds - I've found it hard to keep track of it. Read more
Published on 2 Jan 2011 by M. Carstairs
5.0 out of 5 stars Simple, engaging fun.
Having read all the discworld novels and felt they were getting a little formulaic, this book came as delight. Read more
Published on 18 May 2009 by Mr. M. Jones
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