I've watched too much TNT from my sickbed, and that preview makes me larf and larf. The destiny of the world is in his hands. And the hands of the boring chick from Coupling.

after earning 22 degrees

You know what? At age 30, assuming continuous education since kindergarten, Carsen should be in the 24th grade. That is not nearly enough for 22 degrees, even if several of the degrees were joint/double master's programs or special certificates. This guy is clearly counting every time he graduates from a "How to Use Excel" course to pad his resume.

Also, his college loans have to be astronomical. He'll never manage to pay them back on a librarian's salary, even a law librarian's.

I'm guessing it's the old "Daddy left me a trust fund to put me through college, and nothing else" schtick. If you ever get enough credits to graduate, the money is cut off.

I figure if you can get 22 degrees, you can get scholarships.

Roger Zelazny wrote a book called Doorways in the Sand about a perpetual student. The protagonist had an old rich uncle who stipulated in his will that the hero's expenses would be paid for during his education. Part of the backstory of the novel involved the hero performing fairly complicated collegiate bureaucratic work to avoid qualifying for a degree, while still remaining in a program. Published in 1975, it is a light and fun read.

ETA: It has aliens masquerading as Australian wildlife. It is practically written for the Buffistas, 25 years early.

Aha! I knew I'd read that somewhere. Zelazny it is.

Plus, he reverses himself! And he likes to climb things.

Roger Zelazny wrote a book called Doorways in the Sand about a perpetual student. The protagonist had an old rich uncle who stipulated in his will that the hero's expenses would be paid for during his education. Part of the backstory of the novel involved the hero performing fairly complicated collegiate bureaucratic work to avoid qualifying for a degree, while still remaining in a program. Published in 1975, it is a light and fun read.

Love that book. Definitely light, but still one of my favorite Zelazny books.

Each chapter is like a chapter from an old serial, opening with a cliff-hanger, then you have to backtrack to find out how he got in that predicament, then he gets out of it.

Each chapter is like a chapter from an old serial, opening with a cliff-hanger, then you have to backtrack to find out how he got in that predicament, then he gets out of it.

Huh, I never noticed that before (I've read it at least twice). Guess I'll have to dig out that book again.

I always thought that DOORWAYS would make a good movie, but sadly I don't Zelazny carries much cache in Hollywood.