Only You Can Save Mankind (The Johnny Maxwell Trilogy Book 1)

I enjoyed this book a great deal. It was an interesting "reply", in a way, to Card's "Ender's Game". In EG, Ender thought it was a game and killed all the aliens, and then felt really bad about it for a long time. In OYCSM, Johnny knew for a fact that it was a game, and then found out that maybe it wasn't, and helped the aliens escape, and felt pretty good about it.OYCSM explores some interesting themes. Game vs. dream vs. reality. Friend vs. foe. Alien vs. human. Many of these it twists inside out and makes you look at them differently than most of us do day-to-day (though admittedly this is kind of the point of sf).I dunno, I've read OYCSM and I've read the Tiffany Aching books, and frankly can't see that they're any more "children's books" than anything else Pratchett has done. I highlighted 24 lines in my Kindle edition, starting with the ad for the titular computer game, "Only You Can Save Mankind", whose ad copy says "suitable for IBM PC [etc]. Actual game shots taken from a version you haven't bought." Funny and endearing all the way through.

I’ve enjoyed Terry’s books for many years now. Most of those enjoyable experiences where in the Discworld. If you are a fan of Terry’s wit and style you will find plenty within these pages. All around good book.

The story was silly but the characters were cute and the action was nonstop. A page turner is an understatement as I read it in one day. Pure escapism but fun. Looking forward to the rest of the trilogy.

I downloaded "Only You Can Save Mankind" because it is a Terry Pratchett book, and I am one of his greatest fans. I knew it was not a Discworld series, but was willing to chance it. I know this is touted as a children's/young adult book, but honestly, I loved it.Johnny Maxwell is a typical kid, experiencing a typical life, except his parents are going through a separation and are 'being sensible' which Johnny hates. He spends most of his spare time playing video games and lets the adults get on with it. Wobbler, Johnny's friend and master hacker, gives Johnny a game which suddenly doesn't play the way it's meant to. The game starts sending him messages and at first he thinks he has lost his mind, but later discovers that someone else is in the same boat (or game) as him.Pratchett has created another winner with this book. All of the characters are true to life. The theme that war has become a bit like a video game is there, but not overtly so.Definitely a good read, whether you're 10 or 100!

Johnny is hard pressed by life. His family is falling apart, his friends are strange, but with endearing qualities which make them REAL friends. And then there is Kristy, who can do no wrong, but who's dreams are as strange and real as his. Together can they save an alien race and themselves as they grow up, reinterpret their world and come to new understandings of who they are in it?This Pratchett book help my attention throughout, I could hardly put it down. It's not a Discworld farce, but his insights into humanity and it's issues never cease to hold my interest.

Surprisingly so. At first I thought this would be a sort of “Ender’s Game” twist, but it’s not. But it is thought-provoking and, as I said, timely, as is anything that breaks down the concept of “them” and “us.” I’ll look for the other books in this trilogy.

This is the first book I've read of Terry Pratchett's that is set on earth. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Pratchett is so funny, so profound, and so good at making statements on society while cracking me up at the same time. I loved it. But then, I haven't found a Pratchett book I haven't loved ye.t

A super easy read, that ends up being quite an adventure as one young boy (12 years old, I believe) starts growing up and discerning fantasy from reality. It ended up developing in ways I didn't anticipate, which thrilled me. I read this right after Old Man's War, and the contrast between the 2 was quite rewarding and enlighting. I'll recommend it to my own son when he turns 12. It might be a bit heavy for younger readers as the home life of the characters in the book is rather unfortunate and depressing - although they might not quite pick up on that.

Bought this to read to my 7 year old stepson as a bedtime book, we are only a few chapters in and he's already asked if there's more books in the series and if we can read the next one as our next bedtime book, so safe to say it's been a success already!It's a funny, quirky book full of great characters - Johnny and all of his friends are all so well written and full of humour, it's a joy to read. I read it myself when I was a lot younger and it's been lovely so far to revisit it again and introduce it to the next generation!

Terry Pratchett triumphs again. What if that computer games was real? The aliens were alive and no longer wanted to die? Find out in this tale of an anti-hero who thinks differently to the normal. Too short a book, but ideal to introduce younger readers to Terry's warped views.

This is the first book in the Johnny Maxwell trilogy and is about a young boy obviously called Johnny Maxwell! Johnny obtains a video game called "Only You Can Save Mankind" from his friend however when he starts playing it a message comes across the screen saying "We Surrender". Confused as surely this isn't meant to happen in the game, Johnny accepts the surrender from the ScreeWee Empire. He then finds himself enlisting the help of another player to get the ScreeWee home as surprisingly they have disappeared from everyone else's copy of the game. Another hilarious and brilliantly thought out book from Terry Pratchett which was very much enjoyed when read over Christmas time and although aimed at the YA audience was a very enjoyable read.

Johnny Maxwell doesn't set out to be a hero. He's got school and friends to worry about and all he really wants to do is play computer games. But when the inhabitants of one of those games come to him for asylum, things take a turn for the strange.This is a book full of loveable characters and deep, powerful messages. One of Pratchett's most direct explorations of moral responsibility, it challenges us to be more empathetic towards others, without ever dropping the reader out of its fun, exciting narrative. This is a book I've come back to repeatedly over the decades and that I still love.

Bought all three Johnny Maxwells for my son. He left the first one at his uncles house - but at least he picked it up!I've read all of them - and they are brilliant. Johnny is an ordinary boy with ordinary friends who has extraordinary things happen to him. It's funny, not boring for an adult to read at bedtime, and at times, quite touching. I love Pratchett though, so am utterly biased - but then, so are all reviews I guess!