The offer from the space aliens seemed too good to be true.
When a race of extraterrestrials suddenly appeared on Earth, with an alien spokesperson named Bob, they approached a select group of countries and proposed a business deal. Allow us to access your natural resources, and do not interfere with our construction of mineral processing plants on the moon and Mars, and in return we will provide you with highly advanced technology.
Initially shocked by the unusual offer, the leaders of the selected countries quickly agreed. However, while states like the United States and Russia received fusion generators, cures for deadly diseases like AIDS, and the ability to travel faster than the speed of light, countries like China were ignored. This created not only a huge geopolitical imbalance, but also crazy market reactions, as previous untouchable industries like oil became worthless.
Despite the initial euphoria of the alien visit, some people sensed something fishy with this cosmic “business” deal. Determined to prove that the intergalactic visitors were nothing more than slimy used car salesmen, a wacky collection of characters set out to reveal the true motives behind the aliens desire to trade with the primitive humans.
This creative plot is the basis of Snake Oil, the debut science fiction novel by Ottawa writer Bruno Lombardi, which is published by Daverana Enterprises.
“When I first started the novel it was quite serious,” says Lombardi, who works as a federal civil servant during the day. “Then I wrote the first chapter and said, ‘Bruno, this would be a lot better as a straight-up comedy.”
The result is a story filled with rapid jokes, zany characters, and an cosmic twist on the slimy businessman persona. “The aliens are the used car salesmen of the galaxy, while we are the suckers,” says Lombardi, a native of Montreal who has lived in Ottawa since 2001.
With an eclectic cast that includes mercenaries, crazy bloggers, a paranoid schizophrenic and the President of the United States, this story echoes the fun joie de vivre in such comedic sci-fi classics as the The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy series.
Bruno Lombardi
Writing good comedy, however, can be difficult, as the search for laughs can sometimes interfere with the story narrative. Given all the pranks, stunts and jests in the novel, I asked how the humour in the story was crafted.
“Any jokes that are in the book come from the plot, from the characters,” replied Lombardi. Any superfluous comedy, he added, were not included.
Whether you think the book succeeded in its comedic objectives will depend on your sense of humour. If your the type of person who thinks that Douglas Adams is overrated, or who doesn’t understand what all the fuss is about with Monty Python, then this novel is probably not for you. Speaking only for myself, meanwhile, I found that certain parts of the book rambled a bit, undermining what was an otherwise great plot.
That being said, Lombardi clearly has talent. The premise behind Snake Oil is ingenious, while in several parts of the story I found myself laughing at his witty jokes.
He also has many good ideas. For instance, Lombardi is currently working on a novel manuscript about the 30 coins of silver that Judas received when he betrayed Jesus. This piece of speculative fiction imagines that these coins have become sentient beings and are scattered across the world. This launches a search by immortal creatures to find the coins for their own purposes. Caught in the middle of this fantastic quest is a character in a small town in Newfoundland.
When Lombardi described this work in progress, I realized that the flashes of brilliance in Snake Oil were no accident. If his novel about the silver coins is eventually published I intend to read it.
In the meantime, if you enjoy science fiction, and are not allergic to some goofy comedy, then I would recommend that you purchase an electronic copy of this novel. At a cost of $2.90, this e-book is cheaper than a regular one-way trip on an OC Transpo bus.
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