Of Zots and Xoodles by Zarqnon the Embarrassed explores the idea that an architect designed the universe. If that is the case, where did the architect live? And does his design have an end date? Theodil is that architect, and we meet him in his world, where he presents his ideas for the universe to a committee. Theodil shows that decisions can be made by a roll of the dice. One roll shows spots, and the committee names them Zots. When Theodil distorts a Zot to look like a noodle, the committee says it is a Xoodle. Where Xoodles collide, light is formed. A child enters the room and begins to play with the Zots and Xoodles. As they continue to clash and divide, they become Super-Zots, Mega-Zots, etc. What happens if you decimate a Zot or a Xoodle? What happens when energy collides? Will the committee accept Theodil's plan?
The creator of Of Zots and Xoodles is JW McLaughlin. He chose Zarqnon the Embarrassed as his nom de plume because it made him laugh. McLaughlin discovered he was on the autistic spectrum in his forties, which explained his eccentricities. McLaughlin says he challenges the norm because he usually doesn't understand it. I liked the way Of Zots, and Xoodles challenges everything we have been taught about the creation of the universe.
The Illustrator of Of Zots and Xoodles, Frank Louis Allen, is also on the autistic spectrum and, amazingly, is legally blind! Allen's approach to art is to let his brain roam freely. His illustrations work well with McLaughlin's storytelling, being both beautiful and chaotic!
I loved the way the members of the committee were described. From experience, only a tiny percentage of any committee pays attention at a meeting. The rest will be planning what to have for dinner. The best route to drive home. And what they are going to wear to the next party. McLaughlin gets this across in a paragraph of madness giving life to those thoughts, for example, on page ten "Has anyone seen my loofah? These chairs stink! They're the wrong color, the wrong size, the wrong shape, and padded completely incorrectly ( note: most of them brought their own chair)"
I didn't always understand this book despite reading it three times. It is very scientific in places, almost describing atoms and charged particles. I don't know if there is any scientific value in the book or if it is just the workings of an eccentric brain. I liked that the committee in the book starts to become agitated and annoyed when they don't understand what Theodil is doing. Also, I didn't particularly appreciate that the page numbers on the contents page do not match the numbers at the bottom of the pages. There are a lot of grammatical errors, and I feel the editing should have been better.
This book is weird and whacky and would appeal to anyone who enjoys the bizarre. I think it would mainly be enjoyed by Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy and Monty Python fans. I appreciate a lot of work has gone into the writing and presentation of this book. There are no swearing or sexual references, but I would still recommend that adults read it, and it would probably be more enjoyable to someone with a scientific background.
Because of the errors in grammar and spelling and because I found it very difficult to follow, I rate this book 2 out of 5 stars.
The creator of Of Zots and Xoodles is JW McLaughlin. He chose Zarqnon the Embarrassed as his nom de plume because it made him laugh. McLaughlin discovered he was on the autistic spectrum in his forties, which explained his eccentricities. McLaughlin says he challenges the norm because he usually doesn't understand it. I liked the way Of Zots, and Xoodles challenges everything we have been taught about the creation of the universe.
The Illustrator of Of Zots and Xoodles, Frank Louis Allen, is also on the autistic spectrum and, amazingly, is legally blind! Allen's approach to art is to let his brain roam freely. His illustrations work well with McLaughlin's storytelling, being both beautiful and chaotic!
I loved the way the members of the committee were described. From experience, only a tiny percentage of any committee pays attention at a meeting. The rest will be planning what to have for dinner. The best route to drive home. And what they are going to wear to the next party. McLaughlin gets this across in a paragraph of madness giving life to those thoughts, for example, on page ten "Has anyone seen my loofah? These chairs stink! They're the wrong color, the wrong size, the wrong shape, and padded completely incorrectly ( note: most of them brought their own chair)"
I didn't always understand this book despite reading it three times. It is very scientific in places, almost describing atoms and charged particles. I don't know if there is any scientific value in the book or if it is just the workings of an eccentric brain. I liked that the committee in the book starts to become agitated and annoyed when they don't understand what Theodil is doing. Also, I didn't particularly appreciate that the page numbers on the contents page do not match the numbers at the bottom of the pages. There are a lot of grammatical errors, and I feel the editing should have been better.
This book is weird and whacky and would appeal to anyone who enjoys the bizarre. I think it would mainly be enjoyed by Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy and Monty Python fans. I appreciate a lot of work has gone into the writing and presentation of this book. There are no swearing or sexual references, but I would still recommend that adults read it, and it would probably be more enjoyable to someone with a scientific background.
Because of the errors in grammar and spelling and because I found it very difficult to follow, I rate this book 2 out of 5 stars.
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