I found this softcover in this Little Free Library in Nashua NH while dropping off some books of my own, and nabbed it for another release copy. (It bears a stamp from another regional LFL, this one in Hollis NH, so it's already done a little traveling.)

I first stumbled across this book via my Audible.com account, and enjoyed it very much. The premise: an Evil Overlord-type character, the Emperor Mollusk of the title, is a smallish cephalopod-like alien (with a variety of mechanical body-suits with which to get around easily) who has already conquered Earth (primarily by means of inventions that simply make all Earthlings want him to be their leader) - but now he's bored. So bored that he's retired as Warlord of Earth (though he left the make-them-love-me elements in place, for the time being). Now he wants to spend his time fiddling with dangerous scientific experiments (which, sometimes, result in the destruction of sizable cities, but what can you do?). However, he can't rest on his laurels. There are Venusian bounty-hunters after him, and the ever-present risk of invasion by other aliens - and as if that weren't enough, a mysterious character appears with some very personal-sounding threats towards our - hero?

I adored Mollusk, with all his snarky, I-know-best attitude and his delightfully clever schemes - and his growing concern for his adopted planet tends to make up (a little) for his previous disregard for collateral damage. He's not what one would call a nice guy, though, as his combat decisions make plain; still, he seldom gets nasty without a very good reason. Just don't annoy his pet ultrapede (a huge biomechanical centipede-like thing that's devoted to him and lethal to everybody else). And then there's Venusian officer Zala, a lizard-person who's dedicated herself to taking Mollusk down - but who, for various reasons and to her considerable annoyance, finds herself in the role of his bodyguard for much of the story. [Their conversations alone are worth the price of admission.]

I'd love to quote examples from the snarky dialogue and campy supervillain plans, but I don't know where to begin - or where to stop - so I'll just recommend reading the book!

And I would dearly love to see a decent film version of this story; modern CGI could certainly handle it. Hmm...

Guidelines for safely visiting and stocking Little Free Libraries during the COVID-19 pandemic, from the LFL site here.

I left this book in my Little Free Library on this rainy day; hope someone enjoys it!

[See other recent releases in NH here.]

*** Released for the 2021 You're Such an Animal challenge. ***

*** Released for the 2021 Science Fiction challenge. ***

I'm reclaiming this from my Little Free Library as it's gone unchosen for some time; will release it elsewhere in hopes of tempting a reader.

Guidelines for safely visiting and stocking Little Free Libraries during the COVID-19 pandemic, from the LFL site here.

I left this book in this new-to-me Little Free Library; hope someone enjoys it!

[See other recent releases in NH here.]

*** Released for the 2021 The The challenge. ***

*** Released for the 2021 Science Fiction challenge. ***