A Hundred Thousand Worlds

By: Bob Proehl

Narrated by: MacLeod Andrews

“A Kavalier & Clay for the Comic-Con Age, this is a bighearted, inventive, exuberant debut.” —Eleanor Henderson, author of Ten Thousand Saints

"Proehl creates worlds within worlds within worlds, all of them full of surprise and wonder."
—Charles Yu, author of How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe

Valerie Torrey took her son, Alex, and fled Los Angeles six years ago—leaving both her role on a cult sci-fi TV show and her costar husband after a tragedy blew their small family apart. Now Val must reunite nine-year-old Alex with his estranged father, so they set out on a road trip from New York, Val making appearances at comic book conventions along the way.

As they travel west, encountering superheroes, monsters, time travelers, and robots, Val and Alex are drawn into the orbit of the comic-con regulars, from a hapless twentysomething illustrator to a brilliant corporate comics writer stuggling with her industry's old-school ways to a group of cosplay women who provide a chorus of knowing commentary. For Alex, this world is a magical place where fiction becomes reality, but as they get closer to their destination, he begins to realize that the story his mother is telling him about their journey might have a very different ending than he imagined.

A knowing and affectionate portrait of the geeky pleasures of fandom, A Hundred Thousand Worlds is also a tribute to the fierce and complicated love between a mother and son—and to the way the stories we create come to shape us.

Critic reviews

"With enthralling characters and tons of heart, this read (much like a good con) has something for everyone."
—Bustle

"A perfect summer read for the Comic-Con crowd . . . Anybody up on superheroes and X-Files will have a lot to love here."
—USA Today

"Comic-Con age's definitive novel about a road trip through geek culture."
—The Wall Street Journal, Speakeasy Podcast

"Anyone who is a geek or a parent of a geek should read this novel. In these interesting times . . . books like A Hundred Thousand Worlds are doing the work of navigating a new reality, where work, family, and adulthood are all being redefined."
—Tor.com

"Who doesn’t like a good origin story? This delightful novel has a dozen of them, each sparking deftly off the next. A work of wit and heart, A Hundred Thousand Worlds is for anyone who craves a smart family saga. Especially one with superheroes. I loved it completely."
—Karen Joy Fowler, Booker Prize finalist and author of We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves

"Proehl creates worlds within worlds within worlds, all of them full of surprise and wonder. One of the best novels I have read in a while."
—Charles Yu, author of How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe

"For all its acrobatic wit and outsize charm, at its heart this is the love story of two everyday heroes—a mother and a son—who, like their author, possess the superpower of storytelling. A Kavalier & Clay for the Comic-Con age, A Hundred Thousand Worlds is a bighearted, inventive, exuberant debut."
—Eleanor Henderson, author of Ten Thousand Saints

Superb narrative performance

I enjoyed this audiobook. The story was interesting and I really rooted for 9 year old Alex. I could have done without Gloria's story arc, because it didn't add to my enjoyment.

I did find the mother's actions 6 years ago to be a bit over the top, so I wasn't overly sympathetic with her current day plight. I also felt the author didn't convincingly explain the father's complete transformation in personality and priorities. It was the impetus for the road trip, after all. The ending felt a bit rushed and confusing.

Despite my reservations on certain plot aspects, I gave this book 5 stars on the strength of the narrator's superb performance. He did an amazing job.

100 1000 Worlds

I didn't realize this was about comics and conventions so if that's not your thing don't ignore this story because there are people here and their story is fun. I loved Alec and his mother, which is what I thought the book was about. I was able to listen to other parts I wasn't interested in so I could learn Alec's story and it was worth a credit. I will also be looking for more books read by MacLeod Andrews. He did a very good job.

Excellent

This is a great story, wonderfully written and one of the best reading performances I've heard in a long time. I loved it. The setting and characters were beautifully developed, and I loved the insider Hollywood & comics references. Some of the comic book details went above my head, but it didn't matter, since the story was really about family, love and friendship.

cute story

it was a good combination of stories, all happy with twists and turns. I loved its path.

ehhhh

Got this book bc a review said it was "better than Reafy Player 1". I have now learned NOT to trust all reviews! The story was OK, didn't grab and hold my attention. Struggled to finish it. Won't listen to again.