Nuclear Jellyfish

November 3, 2008
Fasten your seatbelts: Serge A. Storms, Florida's manic tour and history guide as well as its most inventive and prolific serial killer, cruises at warp(ed) speed through bestseller Dorsey's 11th thriller (after Atomic Lobster
). Serge's primary target is a tattooed thug called Jellyfish (behind his back) or Eel (to his face), whose gang rips off diamond couriers. But along the frantic way, Serge and his pal, the always-buzzed Coleman, remove a variety of societal pests, including skinheads beating a homeless man, auto repair shysters preying on tourists and bargain motels that don't deliver on their bargains. Serge's instruments of vengeance include garden hoses, pigs, aerosol sprays and lots of duct tape. Dorsey's inspired insanity certainly won't appeal to everyone, but Serge's antics give vicarious satisfaction to those who too often see misdeeds go unpunished. In short, Serge continues to pummel convention and evildoers with exuberant abandon and wit. 9-city author tour.

Oliver Wyman's voice sounds like a chainsaw in a minor key in his latest turn as Serge A. Storms in Dorsey's eleventh Florida adventure. The lovable psychopath/hero, Serge, along with his trusty amigo, Coleman, who's always high, cruises tourist sites like the West Tavern, where Lynyrd Skynyrd was inspiration for the song "Three Steps." They're gathering material for a travel website to the weird. The villain, a small-time thug nicknamed "Jellyfish," and a gorgeous stripper who is dancing her way through college feature in a surreal plot. Wyman's mishmash of gravelly accents and Dorsey's off-the-wall jokes make listening to NUCLEAR JELLYFISH highly entertaining. R.O. (c) AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine