Mark A. Rayner

Disclaimer: I received this book as a Member Giveaway. No compensation was received other than the chance to read this book.

This work is about the adventures of Maximillian Tundra. All of the Max Tundra, really. The reason for so many? Multiverses, of course!

This book does tend to MacGuffin in several places, and there are some existential and philosophical discussions about the nature of existence and how time, dimensions and our place in that idea of a universe can have effects beyond existing, or not.

Some readers will not be always comfortable with this read, as it does tend to get into a convoluted grey area at times, so the plot is not as consistently linear as some readers are used to.

If you're up for an engaging read, and are willing to wade through some high-stakes philosophical and ideological discussions, all while the Maxes are looking for another bottle of bourbon, this is for you.

Recommended for those who enjoy Terry Pratchett, the Honor Harrington series of books, and a touch of Monty Python's Meaning of Life.… (plus d'informations)

Overall I enjoyed the adventures of Max and the rest of the Tundra gang but I'm not going to pretend I fully understood exactly what was going on with the plot.

The pieces following Max's jumps between realities had a Quantum Leap kind of vibe going on and were by far the best bits of the book.

By contrast the interactions with the books antagonists were a bit convoluted and confusing and didn't leave much scope for guessing what was going to happen

The best bits were really good (reality jumping & interaction between the Max's) but the headache inducing plot means I'd have to award 3 stars for the overall experience… (plus d'informations)

I knew I wanted to read this book when I heard the author read from it at last summer's WorldCon in Montreal. For one thing, the section he read from was set in a drugstore. Now, my husband is a pharmacist, and believe me, the vast comedic possibilities of drugstores are a gold mine most satire and humour writers seem to miss. The fact that Mark Rayner had recognized this made me respect him instantly. The reading only got better from there, by turns funny, absurd, and poignant, and I knew I wanted to know more.

I wasn't disppointed. This book is not going to be for everyone; you have to be open to the surreal, the absurd, and alarmingly incisive reflections of the corporate world, and be able to laugh at them all. Don't pick it up if you're opposed to some...er...ribaldry (let's just say I haven't lent this book to my mother or my 16-year-old daughter), or if you dislike reading about monkeys, lizards, cross-species genetic manuipulation, ghosts, corporate greed, or chaos theory.

However, if you do like the things listed above, as well as absurdist humour, fast-paced writing, clever wit, mockery of institutions, a bit of slap-and-tickle, loyalty, love, and a chronicling of the gradual descent from human to simian brain, then you should really enjoy Marvellous Hairy.… (plus d'informations)