Agent to the Stars by John Scalzi

Agent to the Stars was the 4th Scalzi book I've read and enjoyed. This is not hardcore science fiction like Old Man's War. It's a light farce in a sci fi setting, like The Android's Dream.

The Yherajk are an alien race that want to start diplomatic and trade relations with Earth. Except that they have a problem. They look like jell-o and smell like rotting fish. Scalzi's main character, Thomas Stein is a smart, ambitious and capable Hollywood talent agent. He's a rising star within the agency where he works. So he's the perfect choice to facilitate humanity's introduction to an alien race. He becomes their agent.

The action proceeds from 'a typical day in the life' to absurd, through tragedy, to even more absurd. The writing is smooth and engaging, the characters are very likeable. Scalzi also includes a bit of a philosophical discussion about the morality of the alien's ability to possess and control other sentient life forms; just enough to stimulate the reader's mind, but not so much as to distract from the characters or the enjoyable story.

This book is a fast, easy read. Anyone who enjoys sci fi or light farcical comedies will enjoy Agent to the Stars