Home Feed
Home
Search
Search
Add Review, Blurb, Quote
Add
Activity
Activity
Profile
Profile
A Hundred Thousand Worlds
A Hundred Thousand Worlds | Bob Proehl
A Kavalier & Clay for the Comic-Con Age, this is a bighearted, inventive, exuberant debut. Eleanor Henderson, author of Ten Thousand SaintsValerie Torrey took her son Alex and fled Los Angeles six years agoleaving both her role on a cult sci-fiTV 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 lesbian comics writer 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 literary-meets-genre pleasure from an exciting new writer, A Hundred Thousand Worlds is a tribute to the fierce and complicated love between a mother and sonand to the way the stories we create come to shape us.From the Hardcover edition.
Amazon Indiebound Barnes and Noble WorldCat Goodreads LibraryThing
Pick icon
100%
review
michellelav
post image
Pickpick

I LOVED this book!!! Comicon meets family drama. It took me a little bit to understand where the story was going but once it clicked I couldn't stop reading it! 😊 The author made it so easy to see the story unfold in your mind ❤ Set mainly in the comicon world there were quite a few interesting characters 😁📖

Reggie I effing loved this book. When the dad tells the son the story of the episodes and you realize they are different from how the mom told them. Just so good and smart this book. 3y
michellelav @Reggie I had so many feelings when I was reading this book! It was such a beautiful story 😊 written so well! 3y
64 likes1 stack add2 comments
review
Decalino
post image
Pickpick

Another dollar store find, this book follows 9 year old Alex and his mom, former star of a time-travel series, as they journey from NY to LA, stopping at comic book conventions along the way. Comic book fans and convention goers will love the nerdy details, but at its heart this is a poignant story of loss and change, set in a world of stories.

blurb
michellelav
post image

My two new books from Dollar Tree today! How do you not get books when they're $1.25 each?? 😍 More books added to my TBR pile 😅📚

j.rye Dollar Tree has books?! 4y
michellelav @j.rye Mine has a whole aisle! There's a lot of cross words and sudoku, colouring books, cook books and kids books but also a pretty good selection of novels, memoirs, etc! 😊 4y
Megabooks Hundred Thousand is great! 4y
See All 6 Comments
michellelav @Megabooks Awesome! I look forward to reading it 😁 4y
Reggie I love 100k so much!!!! It‘s sooo good!!! 4y
michellelav @Reggie Wow, I feel like I got a steal of a deal with that one! 4y
83 likes2 stack adds6 comments
review
overtheedge
post image
Pickpick


Fun and imaginative, Proehl is an ambitious writer and quickly becoming a favorite author.
I really connected with Alex, the young son of Valerie Torrey, once on a popular, cult hit TV series called Anomaly.
It's the 10 year anniversary of Anomaly. Valerie is set to make guest appearances and sign autographs at comic conventions across the USA. Alex knows his mom is taking him on a trip to see his dad, but he doesnt realize for how long.

Reggie This book!!! The part when the dad tells the son the real ending to the series and not the one his mother told him. And the interludes with the cosplay women. The fridging discussion. This book was so good. Glad you liked it!!! 5y
overtheedge I really did, that was an amazing part. I liked when Brett took him to buy a book too.... the day after I finished it, I went to a Dollar Tree and found it for a dollar!! Sold!! 5y
overtheedge I just finished an ARC of his next book The Nobody People and I think it's even better. Amazing mind!! 5y
47 likes1 stack add3 comments
blurb
overtheedge
post image

Can anyone guess where I spent my morning??
I love this library....its not the closest to me, but always worth the trip. They have an observatory there also, and indoor walking area, since it's 100+ almost every day this time of year.
Anyone read any of these?

Reggie The tagged book is wonderful. It has something for everyone. It‘s a mother son story set against the backdrop of comicons. I loved it so much. 5y
48 likes1 comment
quote
Chronic_Reader
post image

#QuotsyMay18 • May 5|Comic • Great quote from an awesome book about comic book writers, comic cons, actors and the meaning behind the superheroes.

blurb
Reviewsbylola
post image

I didn‘t quite catch my major Litsy milestone, but that‘s ok. I truly never thought when I joined Litsy that I would have such an amazing outlet with like minded people that never fail to ignite my passion for reading and all things book related. I‘ve read more books this year than any other year of my life! Thank you all for being such a fun part of Litsy. I will be posting a giveaway later #. 💯💯🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻

Shemac77 Congratulations!! 6y
mrozzz Thanks for being here!! 💗 CONGRATS! 🎉 6y
Librarybelle Congratulations! 6y
See All 39 Comments
Riveted_Reader_Melissa Congratulations 🎉 6y
IamIamIam What an accomplishment!!! Congrats!!! 🎉🎈💝 6y
dariazeoli 🎉👏🏻🙌🏻 6y
99problemsbutabookaint1 Congrats 📖🎉🎉👏 6y
L_auren Yay @Reviewsbylola 🎉❤️🛀 6y
ElishaLovesBooks Congratulations!!! 🎉 🎉 Woohoo! I always look forward to your posts!💖 6y
BibliophileMomma Congrats!!! 6y
rubyslippersreads 🎉📚🎉📚🎉🎉🎉🌟 6y
Booksnchill Amazing!!!❤️❤️❤️ 6y
tournevis 👏🎉🎆🎇🎉🎆🎇🎉🎆🎇👏 6y
AmyG Wow. Beyond amazing!!!! 🎉🎉🎉 6y
Kaylamburson Wow!!! Congratulations!!!!!!!!🎊🎈🎉🍾 📚 6y
CindyMyLifeIsLit Congratulations!!! The best part is that it was fun getting there! 🎈🎉 6y
Kalalalatja Congratulations! 🎉🎉 6y
BookMaven407 Awesomeness! 6y
erzascarletbookgasm Wow! Congrats! 😃👏 6y
Reggie Congrats!!! 6y
Kaye 😮Great ! 6y
Andrew65 Great total! 🎉🎊🥂🍾😊👏 6y
BarbaraBB Yay! Keep posting those great reviews on your way to 200K 🥂 6y
Redwritinghood 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎊🎊🎊🎊 6y
Bookzombie Congratulations!!! 🎈👏🏻⭐️🦄 6y
megt Hooray! Congrats! 6y
niha923 Woooo! Congratulations ❤💕 6y
mrp27 Wooo hoooo!! 🎉👏🏻📚 6y
JazzFeathers Woooohooot 💪🎊🎊🎊🎉🎉🎉🎉👏👏👏What an awesome achievement 😁 6y
Cinfhen Yay 🎉💕🎉💕🎉💕🎉💕🎉💕 6y
jfalkens Congrats 🎊🎉🎊🎉 6y
Jas16 🙌🏽 6y
kspenmoll Yippeeeee! 🎉🎉🎉 6y
Gissy 🎉🎊🎉🎊👏👏👏👏📚😍👍 6y
erzascarletbookgasm Wohoo! Congrats 😀👍👏🎊 6y
britt_brooke Amazing!! I always enjoy what you have to say. 🙌🏻🙌🏻 6y
LeahBergen 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉 6y
ValerieAndBooks Congratulations 📚🎉📚🎊 📚!! I love your posts!! 6y
138 likes39 comments
blurb
AdeleReads
post image

When your library holds for vacation reading randomly come in around the same time, so you have to stare at most of them longingly for a couple weeks... (while feeling a tad guilty about checking them out for so long) 📚📚📚📚

bookloo There's a book on Mr. Rochester?! Adding now... ☺️ 7y
Churchlady Homegoing ❤️❤️❤️ Hope you love it as much as I did! 7y
See All 6 Comments
AdeleReads @bookloo thanks I've heard great things! 7y
Sydsavvy Excellent stack! 7y
54 likes6 comments
blurb
Peddler410
post image

I admit....bought it for the cover!

blurb
Reggie
post image

#sweetchildofmine Val, an actress, who took off 6 years ago with her son after tragedy struck, must take her son back to meet his estranged father. Val was once in a sci-fi show with her son's father. Its a beautiful book about a mother's love for her son set against the backdrop of comicons. There's some surprising but very entertaining interludes of feminism in here. Its also a story about endings becoming beginnings. Just a great book.

Cinfhen Sounds great, another @Reggie recommendation 😊 7y
Mccall0113 Great review ! 7y
minkyb Wow. I never would have found this without you! xxoo 7y
LauraBeth You need to stop making me add books I've never heard of to my TBR like! 😀 7y
30 likes6 stack adds4 comments
review
Alicia
post image
Pickpick

Read for Tucson Festival of Books! Overall an enjoyable read. I connected a lot with the story line and loved the ComicCon setting. Mainly it's just a book about families and what that means and how a child feels in a complicated family. A great novel, excited to hear Proehl discuss! #tfob

Mindyrecycles That cover! ❤ 7y
57 likes3 stack adds1 comment
blurb
Alicia
post image

Quick! Litsy! What book should I read next?!?

Soubhiville Akata witch, just because I've heard such good things. I haven't read any of these. 7y
Onlaughterandliteracy Oh gosh don't read 13 reasons why!! It's awful! And teenage angst at it's finest! 7y
CrowCAH 13 Reasons. Looks the most interesting. Haven't read any. 7y
See All 9 Comments
Keyoung Akata Witch is FABULOUS and it's sequel is finally due out this year! 7y
Alicia @Jessmarie you didn't like it? 😱 mainly I want to read it for the Netflix series but now I'm worried... 7y
maich I don't like thriteen reasons why. It's too much sad for me and first half is bored. ☺ 7y
samalot I haven't been able to stop thinking about Akata Witch. It's so good. 7y
Onlaughterandliteracy @Alicia I really didn't like it. It's too sad and just an awful topic. I can't believe Netflix is making it!! 7y
45 likes9 comments
blurb
Giabow
post image

Best parts of snow days. #readingandknitting

8 likes1 stack add
review
Audrey
post image
Mehso-so

Meh. This was fine. Loved the idea but a bit too choppy.

blurb
TheLibrarian
post image

So many good #ebookdeals today. Bought two other titles (Siracusa and Perfect Days) and would have purchased more if I didn't already own them. 💸💸

saguarosally 💸 is now on my frequent emoji list. 7y
Graciouswarriorprincess Thank you for sharing. I wanted the Wangs vs. the world and now I have it! 7y
See All 9 Comments
Alfoster Oh, Perfect Days is so good and creepy😱😱😱! 7y
TheLibrarian Now I'm really excited. I love creepy! @Alfoster 7y
Alfoster @TheLibrarian Have you read The Butterfly Garden? Another good creepy read! 7y
TheLibrarian On my #tbr @Alfoster Purchased so many great books lately I'm having a hard time keeping up! 7y
Alfoster Not to tempt you but it's on sale for$2 with Kindle Unlimited! 7y
night_shift All The Birds in the Sky was weird but pretty good! 7y
54 likes9 comments
blurb
LitHousewife
post image

I went a little crazy with the eBook sale today. I almost picked up Mischling, too, but I'm not sure I could handle the content. Good reads (I hope) ahead!

Yournewfriendsams So many good ones! 7y
KVanRead I loved A Doubter's Almanac! 7y
Reviewsbylola Siracusa made my best of 2016 list! 7y
See All 14 Comments
Pelican71 I'm debating on buying Harmony. I bought a few of those the last time that they were on sale. Great deals. 7y
Cinfhen Reading Siracusa now, loving it !!!! 7y
LitHousewife @Yournewfriendsams It's an embarrassment of riches! 7y
LitHousewife @KVanRead I'm so glad to hear that. I've been circling around it since it was first published. 7y
LitHousewife @Reviewsbylola @Cinfhen I can't wait to read Siracusa! 7y
LitHousewife @Pelican71 I've read the author's other books and I'm curious to see what she does here. Some of her work can really be out there. 7y
Zelma I filled my online book cart and then stopped away. Serious self-control right now. I don't need these books (I keep repeating to myself). 😳😬 7y
LitHousewife @Zelma I completely understand. I have contemplated buying all of these books in hardcover, so I figure I'm saving myself money. 😂😂😂😂 7y
Suetara Saving money and shelf space. At least, that's my excuse. 😉 7y
LitHousewife @Suetara I see we think alike. 😂😂😂 7y
Gleefulreader Great haul! 7y
61 likes14 comments
blurb
Redwritinghood
post image

I'm finding it impossible to stick to my bookish resolution not to buy more than 3 new books a month. Especially, with the Kindle deals today. Six new ones today alone! Send help (and money) 😄.

Joybishoptx You'll get no help from me. I bought five. 7y
Redwritinghood @Joybishoptx Yep - I'm probably looking to the wrong group for help. We're all book-mad here. 😉 7y
Zelma @Redwritinghood 😂 nicely said! 7y
44 likes1 stack add4 comments
review
Megabooks
post image
Pickpick

The beginning was amazing! The middle sizzled! The ending was disappointing. Still a pick, though. I kind of put off finishing it because I saw where it was headed, and it wasn't what I wanted for the characters.

#LitsyAtoZ Letter H

See 👇🏻 for some personal comments. 💜💜

Megabooks It's difficult to review this book right now. Definitely in need of some #selfcare. It's been a hard day as far as depression and anxiety. Getting involved with work today helped, but now that I'm home, I'm having a hard time. I know a lot of Littens can relate. Mental illness sucks! 7y
kalinichta Definitely can relate. Reading's what's getting me through right now. 7y
Notafraidofwords @Ebooksandcooks definitely sucks. I can relate. 7y
See All 19 Comments
saresmoore It both sucks and blows! The paradox that is anxiety + depression is its own special brand of suffering. Prayers and hopeful vibes to you. 7y
SharonGoforth Hugs to you 😊. Hope tomorrow is better. 7y
BookishMarginalia Relating here as well. Big hug and be especially nice to yourself (I prescribe some books and Litsy 💝) 7y
Megabooks @kalinichta I'm sorry. I wouldn't wish this one anyone! Audiobooks and 80s music are helping. 7y
Megabooks @Notafraidofwords I'm sorry you can relate! Definitely sucks! ☹️ 7y
Megabooks @saresmoore Thank you so much!! 💜💜 7y
Megabooks @SharonGoforth Thank you so much!! ❤️❤️ 7y
Megabooks @BookishMarginalia I'm sorry you can relate ☹️☹️ Definitely books, and randomly I watch QVC when I'm depressed! 😂😂 7y
B.Reader Sorry to hear you are struggling. Bibliotherapy is real, and self care should be a priority. I hope you get to feeling better soon! 7y
NovelGirl82 I can definitely relate. Take care of yourself. Sending you lots of love & hugs. 7y
DebinHawaii Hang in there! You have lots of support and love on Litsy. Good books and friends will pull you through. Hugs. ❤️❤️❤️ 7y
rachellayown Sending virtual hugs! 💛💚💙💜 7y
Megabooks @B.Reader thank you so much! I'm trying to follow my instincts to feel better. 7y
Megabooks @NovelGirl82 Thank you so much! 💜💜 I'm sorry you can relate. 7y
Megabooks @DebinHawaii Thank you so much! The Litsy love is very real!! ❤️❤️ 7y
Megabooks @rachellayown Thank you! 💕💕 7y
68 likes5 stack adds19 comments
quote
Megabooks
post image

❤️💜 Loving this book! I can't stop listening.

64 likes2 stack adds
quote
Megabooks
post image

This book is taking a turn for the quotable! I already have another one on deck, and I'm just two hours in. So far, definitely recommend!

95 likes5 stack adds
blurb
Megabooks
post image

Thanks to all of you who posted about The Tournament of Books and added to my TBR!! #blameitonlitsy

I picked this one up from that list with my last #audible credit this month. So far, I'm enjoying it! It's a story about comic cons and cos-play that is more my style. 😃👍🏻

DogMomIrene I've been delaying looking at the numerous Facebook posts about the Tournament of Books...to avoid a massive addition to my TBR shelf...but this one looks right up my alley! Looking forward to your posts about it! 7y
Megabooks @ocdIrene Thanks! At the rate I'm going, I'll end up finishing it tomorrow. 👍🏻 So good! 7y
56 likes2 stack adds2 comments
quote
Madeline
post image

Hold on, I have to think about this for a minute.

quote
Madeline
post image

There is some very beautiful writing mixed in with quirky cosplay and comics culture in this novel.

Reggie I like that he has these interludes of feminism with all the cosplayers. Its a pretty cool book. 7y
8 likes1 comment
review
Reggie
post image
Pickpick

This book was pure magic. A story of a mother's love for her son set against the world of comics. So much depth to this book. How time is precious. How endings can become beginnings. Such a beautiful book.

3 likes1 stack add
quote
Reggie
post image

He thinks back on all the other stories she‘s told him and wonders how many are real and how many she made up for him. It‘s like the masks the superheroes wear that become more important than the faces under them: the story hides something so it can reveal the thing more clearly.

quote
Reggie
post image

“It‘s a fridging. It‘s how you motivate a male character,” says Gail...."You kill off the woman he loves, then he swears revenge. Maybe her death keeps coming up in flashback, a kind of emotional touchstone moment. But after ten, twelve issues, he meets somebody new and moves on.” "They ever kill off a guy to give a female character motivation?” asks Red Emma.

3 likes1 stack add
blurb
mbakija
post image

Current commute read, almost missed my stop last night.

1 like1 stack add
blurb
Well-ReadNeck
post image

I hit the mother lode!!!

#LibraryHaul 📚📚📚📚📚📚📚

brendanmleonard Ron Rash for the win!! 7y
RanaElizabeth There is a lot of good stuff there. I loved the Proehl, wish it had got more buzz. 7y
AmyG I just got that Ron Rash...have heard good things. Nice pile of books you got there! 7y
See All 7 Comments
DebinHawaii Great haul! News of the World is wonderful! 📚❤️ 7y
Faibka Nice! 7y
BethFishReads Nice pile. I've read some. Others on my TBR 7y
Kazen You have some great stuff in there! Also good timing - Sorcerer to the Crown is the current @bookriot #riotread 👍💕 7y
164 likes1 stack add7 comments
review
Owlizabeth
post image
Pickpick

YASSSS THIS BOOK! Awesome dive into nerdom, with a Greek chorus of superhero models dissing the industry on its sexism. Heartbreaking, moving, beautiful story of love and loss and how quickly our lives change and how we react. Great characters and concepts. All around 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

BookishFeminist 😂 this gator? crocodile? is fabulous. 🐊🌺 7y
Owlizabeth @BookishFeminist sassy af reptiles are what the world needs 7y
BookishFeminist @Owlizabeth Damn straight. I want to make a cross stitch of this now 😂 7y
Well-ReadNeck ❤️📸 7y
Bette Love the pic 💕📷 7y
40 likes3 stack adds5 comments
quote
Owlizabeth
post image

I swear, this is such a peeve of mine. Also, I've been exercising an enormous amount of restraint when it comes to quotes from this book.

TheNextBook "They don't say anything and nothing gets fixed." If this isn't the truth. 7y
LauraBeth Someone put it to me this way once: "when you keep lifting up the carpet and sweeping the dirt underneath it - eventually it will get to the point where the door to the room won't open because of it and you'll have trapped yourself in that room with no way out." 7y
That-Bookish-Hiker Such good advice! This is something that drives me crazy about people. How is someone suppose to know what's important or how you feel if you don't communicate it? 7y
37 likes3 comments
quote
Owlizabeth
post image

Allllllll of this!!!!!!!!

31 likes2 stack adds
review
WoodyWoodson
post image
Pickpick

A Hundred Thousand Worlds is about the relationship between a mother and son as they head towards their destination via a circuit of Comic Book Conventions. For me, this book hit all the right notes: Some well- written commentary on the Comic Book biz, pop culture references galore, and most importantly, characters to root for.

quote
Owlizabeth
post image

You're my people. #litsylove

Twocougs And we Littens, ❤️ you! 8y
marixa Enthusiasm is a virtue 😀 8y
40 likes2 comments
blurb
Nellyrific

Currently reading!

quote
JessReads
post image

"That's stupid. It's one of the stupidest things adults do. Things are broken and things are important and they don't say anything. They don't say anything and nothing gets fixed."

We could all learn from this kid.

RanaElizabeth I loved this book! 8y
27 likes4 stack adds1 comment
blurb
JessReads
post image

I started a new project tonight - reading all of my co-workers' staff picks. (There aren't that many of them, so it's a fairly manageable project.) First up, A Hundred Thousand Worlds!

review
tracyramone
post image
Pickpick

Loved this book. I loved getting to feel like I was a part of the comic con world. I love the tv show created for the book too. This was a great read from my summer that I will revisit plenty in the future in sure. Totally one of my favorites from the 2016 releases list. Read: June 2016 #thatswhatsheread #2016readingchallenge #readhard #readharder #readingharderest #bibliomaniac #goodreads #booknerd #allthebooks

susanw I can't wait to get to this one! 8y
14 likes1 comment
blurb
Well-ReadNeck
post image

#somethingforsept #SeptemberPhotoChallenge

Here are the books on my TBR list with numbers!! May need to give these a bump!

Laura317 Looks good! Especially the Russia one. 👍🏼 8y
becausetrains Have heard good things about Sin and the Second City. Enjoy! 😎 8y
68 likes1 stack add2 comments
review
bookculture
post image
Pickpick

For #recommendsday, a staff pick from Scott at Book Culture on Broadway -
"With a penchant for the needy, Proehl captures so perfectly the creation of stories, the different ways in which those stories are told, and the worlds that they create and make real for us as consumers of stories. You don't need to be part of any fandom to love this book."

79 likes10 stack adds
review
releasekarma
Bailedbailed

I had to finally call it quits with this. I made it 234 pages in & there was never a moment where I felt excited to pick this up. There are some really lovely written passages in this, but the characters are unlikable. Not in an intentional way. You're supposed to like them...at least most of them..but I disliked all. When a plot twist came, I didn't care. I have no curiosity towards how life turns out for anyone. And I'm a very curious person.

blurb
saguarosally
post image

So I'm at the local indie bookstore (one of a few, thankfully) and I see this. Will I understand it if I'm not sufficiently geeky? #bookstore #changinghands

11 likes1 stack add
quote
Purplerosiepage
post image

I dislike crowds, so I've never felt compelled to go to any sort of Con. The world that the author is describing in this book makes me want to try one.

blurb
VAtheBookNerd
post image

Met Bob Proehl last night. He is such a cool guy to chat with and he's a fantastic writer too!

blurb
quietjenn
post image

today

13 likes1 stack add
review
krismlars
Pickpick

This was a great book. I loved the characters. My one complaint is that I had a difficult time keeping track of the men and their respective employers and books. I thought it interesting that this was written by a man. I had to keep reminding myself of this as I read.

quote
releasekarma
post image

"There is magic in opening doors, and the heavier the door, the greater the possibilities."

quote
krismlars
post image

"You don't want the answers. The answers are 'All of time is a mess, and we plod through our little section of it.'"

blurb
KirstenKikue
post image

Day 2 of the #24in48 #Readathon: A Hundred Thousand Worlds for reading. Death Star necklace for geek adornment. Pop culture action figure for irreverent motivation. Ready, set, go!

blurb
HedgeWhitney

@Litsy This is my favorite dysfunctional family novel. #24in48 #readathon

review
bookshopsc
post image
Pickpick

Nine-year-old Alex and his mom, Valerie — the ex-star of a superhero TV show — make their way across the country, Comic-Con by Comic-Con, toward a future of inevitable loss. They visit the fallen heroes, wise women, and wizards of pen-and-ink who have all shaped the story of their lives. Pushed and pulled by so many other people‘s stories, can Alex and Valerie learn to write their own? - Cat

jeff This sounds great! 8y
Titania Love the description. 8y
27 likes5 stack adds2 comments