First, readers should know that this isn't a book but rather a short story. By this time in his career, John Scalzi has developed several writing styles. The first most people come across is the slightly weary but still upbeat tone of 'Old Man's War' - similar to Haldeman's 'Forever War'. The second, is the bouncy irreverent tone used in books 'Android's Dream' and 'Agent to the Stars'. The last is the grim dark tone some have encountered (often to their dismay) in 'The God Engines'.

This short story is clearly in the bouncy irreverent tone, but being a short story, it lacks the complexity of Scalzi's longer works in this tone. In fact, this is the story's or short book's or whatever's downfall. There isn't sufficient time to develop the complexity Scalzi uses in this sort of work so we're left with a rather empty buffet.

The story starts out with the president's higher staff learning his brain is missing but the president is still walking around functioning as usual. This initially lays a bit of a trap for the author as readers, based on their bents, will say either 'This is Bush' or 'This is Obama' something the author probably realized. To escape this, the story has a rather odd insertion of election circumstances which would lead one away from thinking this is either president, but I'm sure some readers will see either as a president without a brain.

In the end, the riddle of the functioning president without a brain is solved by a long speech from a player this violating the writing principle of 'show me, don't tell me'. Thus unlike any other Scalzi I've read, I left this one with a shrug.

Two and a half stars rounded up.
First, readers should know that this isn't a book but rather a short story. By this time in his career, John Scalzi has developed several writing styles. The first most people come across is the slightly weary but still upbeat tone of 'Old Man's War' - similar to Haldeman's 'Forever War'. The second, is the bouncy irreverent tone used in books 'Android's Dream' and 'Agent to the Stars'. The last is the grim dark tone some have encountered (often to their dismay) in 'The God Engines'. This short story is clearly in the bouncy irreverent tone, but being a short story, it lacks the complexity of Scalzi's longer works in this tone. In fact, this is the story's or short book's or whatever's downfall. There isn't sufficient time to develop the complexity Scalzi uses in this sort of work so we're left with a rather empty buffet. The story starts out with the president's higher staff learning his brain is missing but the president is still walking around functioning as usual. This initially lays a bit of a trap for the author as readers, based on their bents, will say either 'This is Bush' or 'This is Obama' something the author probably realized. To escape this, the story has a rather odd insertion of election circumstances which would lead one away from thinking this is either president, but I'm sure some readers will see either as a president without a brain. In the end, the riddle of the functioning president without a brain is solved by a long speech from a player this violating the writing principle of 'show me, don't tell me'. Thus unlike any other Scalzi I've read, I left this one with a shrug. Two and a half stars rounded up.