Book Review Newer-32nd

Review—Nuclear Jellyfish

Tim Dorsey wrote the novel Nuclear Jellyfish. William Morrow and Company published the book in February 2009; the novel has 320 pages.

            Florida; where vast history and tantalizing vistas abound, at least for Serge. He fears that many may never know the true bounty of this state. Serge’s interests and ideas of a good time vary from most people, as they tend to run to where Elvis’s favorite room in particular hotels, anything Lynard Skynard, many other little known bits of trivia, and various methods of murder and retribution. Is Serge a criminal, vigilante, or extreme psychopath?

            The travel magazines and internet travel sites seem to find Serge’s writings at the least, inappropriate and at the most, scary. He travels the Florida interstates and back roads with a stoned, generally unaware, and probably challenged friend, named Coleman. In between writing a blog about his travels, he seeks to right the wrongs done to random strangers that he meets along the way. Serge leaves a trail of various bodies in very unusual means of death. Being a lover of Florida trinkets and trivia, he meets and befriends a young salesman of such items. This young man has fallen victim to a robbery crew that is targeting convention sales people. He is one of their very few living witnesses and as Serge’s friend; a plan for their downfall consumes this man who feels he is the one to right this wrong. Along his travels, Serge finds a new friend to travel with, though she seems to have an ulterior motive for hooking up with this very strange pair. In addition, he seems to have attracted the attention of a rogue cop, one who seems to be just a few simple steps behind.

            Criminal, vigilante, or extreme psychopath? This question is never really answered in Tim Dorsey’s novel, though there is a lot of humor for those of a macabre nature and Floridian historical information. The stories come together nicely in the end, but it is a very twisty road, similar to Florida back roads, that leads it all together. This one writer left me a bit ambivalent. I may read him again and I may not. Serge is an interesting character, but his methods detract, as does this author.