Mr. Monk in Outer Space

Everything about the case seems ordinary. The man was shot outside a hotel. In fact, the assassin was captured on four different security cameras. Yet Monk was still called in to help the San Francisco police department solve the case. Why? Because the victim was Conrad Stipe, creator of the cult 70's TV show Beyond Earth. And the assassin was dressed as one of the aliens from the show.

Because Stipe was shot right outside a fan convention for his show, Captain Stottlemeyer knows there are too many suspects. He's hoping Monk's attention to detail will help them find the one fan who did it.

However, Monk is unnerved by the costumes everyone is wearing. The alien costumes are elaborate and unnatural. Monk just can't see how anyone would willing become devoted to something so unnatural.

And then he finds out his brother Ambrose is a devoted fan of the series.

Who shot Conrad Stipe? What clues does the costume provide? And will Monk ever look at Ambrose the same way again?

The Monk novels have proved to be plenty of fun, and this is no exception. I must admit I had pieces of the plot figured out before Monk, but I think that is because I have gotten used to author Lee Goldberg's plotting. Still, I enjoyed finding out if I was right and how Monk would piece it all together. I felt at times Monk slipped into caricature in this book, a charge I've leveled at the TV show a time or two as well. Still, I laughed out loud plenty. Fans and TV executives get a gentle skewing over the course of the book. I especially enjoyed one producers proposal to change the Monk series.

This isn't the strongest entry in the Monk novel series, but it is still absolutely worth reading. Fans of the TV show are in for another treat.

While I was rereading "Mr. Monk in Outer Space," I was reviewing entries in Amazon's novel contest, and I'm reminded once again how deceptively simple it is to tell a good story. It made me appreciate the "Monk" series more, even though I've been a fan of Lee Goldberg's work ever since I came across his "Star Trek" satire, "Beyond the Beyond," in the review pile nearly a decade ago.

In this book, Goldberg draws on "Beyond the Beyond," by borrowing his Gene Roddenberry-inspired character, Conrad Stipe, and killing him. When Stipe is shot to death outside a convention of "Beyond Earth" fans, Monk is forced into a subculture where people like to dress up in alien clothing and speak a fake language that one of the show's writers admits he made up in a drunken stupor.

Monk is disgusted, and later appalled when he discovers that one of the show's fans is his agoraphobic brother, Ambrose, who makes a living writing technical manuals.

Some of this is played for laughs. Monk is convinced that the Earther fans are on LSD, and his nicknames he uses for them -- "Boomers. Electric Kool-Aid. Purple Haze. Yellow Sunshine. Momma's Pudding." -- is reminiscent of a "Dragnet" episode. There's even a character inspired by Wil Wheaton, who's proud of his latest work: "The Odd Couple," played in his Confederation uniform with a dwarf who played an "interstellar slug" on the show. ("It could have gone to Broadway if only we'd found a producer with some vision and some guts," the midget says).

While this is a light-hearted puzzle mystery, shadows are allowed to creep in. Goldberg knows what deserves prodding with a sharp stick, such as fans who take TV shows way too seriously, and what should be played straight, such as Monk's inability to empathize with people around him, even those he love. It may be a frothy story, but there's dashes of bitterness throughout. It may look easy, but as the Amazon contest shows, it's not.

A small carpet stain in his apartment drives Monk to seek refuge at his brother Ambrose's house. This reunion with his brother has a beneficial side-effect: when a murder connected with cult television show `Beyond Earth' is committed, Monk discovers that Ambrose is a renowned expert on the show.

Having a sci-fi show as one of the backdrops to this novel gives the author plenty of scope for comedy. There's a wonderful scene at a `Beyond Earth' convention involving some priceless packets of thirty-year-old breakfast cereal. Monk also recoils at the sight of the attendees in their `Beyond Earth' regalia, particularly those dressed as Mr Snork, one of the show's lead characters complete with trunk-like snoot.

As ever, Monk's assistant and friend Natalie Teeger chronicles this adventure; the events are told in the first person from her point of view in easy-going, humorous prose. We share her exasperation at Monk's obsessiveness while at the same time marveling at his uniqueness.

One thing that has been missing from some of the previous novels in the series has been the lack of Captain Stottlemeyer and Lieutenant Disher in the stories. This is not the case with `Mr Monk in Outer Space', and, in my opinion, their presence in this story adds to the feeling that this could, and perhaps, should be turned into a television episode.

Lee Goldberg has really done the business with this latest Monk novel. Funny, clever and thoroughly compelling, this is the best in the series so far. Mind you, I think I might have said that about all the Monk novels.

I always enjoyed the series Monk and reading the books by Lee Goldberg, allows me to enjoy Monk again since the series ended. Enjoy the humor in the books as I did in the series.

The concept was engaging enough, but the execution left me wanting more. As a hard core Trekkie and a huge Monk fan, the thought of the defective detective turned loose at a sci-fi convention filled me with anticipation of numerous encounters between quirky characters, costumed fans, and Monk not understanding at all. It should have been riotous. And the addition of agoraphobic brother Ambrose Monk promised to sweeten the mix. Alas, the novel did not live up to the hype. I finished reading with the distinct impression that Mr. Goldberg ran out of plot before he ran out of pages, so he filled in with disjointed episodes of Monk's various phobias interfering with his investigations and personal interactions. For all that the Beyond Earth convention added to the mystery and the investigation, the story could have been as easily set in a quilting bee or a scrapbooking convention. Earlier novels like Mr. Monk Goes to the Firehouse and Mr. Monk Goes to Hawaii were much more engaging, and much more in keeping with the series we love. Oh, well, they can't all be hits. Maybe the Two Assistants will get him back on track.

While I didn't like this as well as other "Monk" books, this one is as funny as the TV show. If you like the show, you will like the book series, too.

Mr. Monk is the 5th novel tied to the TV show and just like the 4 preceding ones, is a enjoyable read. Monk in Outer Space gives more back story to Monk's childhood, and his relationship with his brother, Ambrose. The only possible shortcoming is that Julie Teeger doesn't show up in the book. Lee Goldberg has a great grasp of the relationship between the characters. This one is definitely worth buying the hardcover. If you enjoyed the other Monk books, you will definitely like this one.

I really enjoy the Monk series, and the books are just as good. While Lee Goldberg's books seem to remind me of some of the TV episodes, they still are very enjoyable. A nice quick read that just continues to drive how well of a series Monk really is.

In this novel, Mr. Monk is very afraid of revolving door.

However in episode 4-10 "Mr. Monk Goes to a Fashion Show", Mr. Monk and Natalie ran through a revolving door into a fashion show.

Also in episode 3-1 "Mr. Monk Takes Manhattan", Mr. Monk went through a revolving door when he and Sharona left their hotel at the end of the story.

Maybe also in episode 1-8 "Mr. Monk and the Marathon Man", when Mr. Monk and Sharona left Tonday's hotel, they went through a revolving door. (I can't remember this one clearly.)

Anyway, this is inconsistency between the TV character and the novel's.

P.S.
Since we are on this subject, just point out other inconsistencies I've noticed in the TV episodes (sorry I didn't bring my list with me, a lot more):
1.
In "Mr. Monk Goes to the Carnival", Mr. Monk guessed the number of Jelly beans in the jar. He noticed 6 Jelly bean boxes in the trash earlier, each of which was used to pack 1400 beans. So there were 8400 beans going into the jar. As an approximation, he told Benji to guess the number 8385, reasoning that someone could have eaten a dozen.

This number 8385 wasn't rounded to 10, which Mr. Monk is obsessed with. I remember he used to buy 10 eggs, instead of a dozen from the store. It is not even an even number, which represents symmetry that is also important to Mr. Monk.

So it is barely a number that real Mr. Monk would have told Benji to guess.

2.
In episode 2-1 "Mr. Monk Goes Back to School", there is something written on the blackboard. As Mr. Monk left the classroom, he noticed that the "i" in the word "Reminder" wasn't dotted. So he dotted the "i".

But the "i" in the word "Quiz" was also not dotted. He missed that one.

Such is a mistake the real Mr. Monk will never commit.

I bought this and three others of the Monk mystery novels. Written in first person by "Natalie" -- they are a really good read. I like to just relax with a book and re-read. Love the show but the books are just as pleasant. The humor comes right through, and you can see Mr. Monk as he rolls his shoulders....Lee Goldberg is obviously part of the writing team for the show. Even references in the books to past shows! Super! A++++