Atomic Lobster: A Novel (Serge a. Storms) | Tim Dorsey | More adventures of Serge Storms, and a...

Atomic Lobster: A Novel (Serge a. Storms) | Tim Dorsey | A Hilarious Romp Through Florida

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Atomic Lobster: A ...

	Atomic Lobster: A Novel (Serge a. Storms) Tim Dorsey William Morrow, 2008 - 352 pages average customer review:based on 38 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Why is everyone rushing to flee Tampa on a cruise ship to hell?

Serge is back with a bullet, torn between homicide and souvenirs. So is Coleman, torn between getting hammered and getting more hammered. Then there's good ol' Jim Davenport, the E-Team, the Diaz Brothers, and Johnny Vegas, the Accidental Virgin, cranking up the fevered action as the pot boils over on a street called Lobster Lane.

It's reunion time in the Sunshine State, and we're not just talking the family jamboree of that blood-soaked criminal clan, the McGraws, whose nastiest, meanest member is finally released from prison and heads south bent on revenge. On top of it all, the government is covering up a growing list of mysterious victims across Florida who may or may not be connected to a nefarious plot being hatched against national security.

But wait! There's more on the horizon! Who is the oddly familiar femme fatale named Rachael? Is Serge wrong that guns, drugs, and strippers don't mix? What sets the Non-Confrontationalists off on a rampage? What finally brings Coleman and Lenny together? Will they succeed in building the biggest bong ever? And can Serge surf a rogue wave to victory?

So batten the hatches, don the life jackets, and take cover as all these questions and more are answered in the latest adventure from the acclaimed author of Hurricane Punch.

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More adventures of Serge Storms, and a whole lot of fun for the reader...

With all the other books I've been reading of late, I missed that Tim Dorsey had come out with another Serge Storms novel... Atomic Lobster. So long as you know what you're getting into with a Dorsey novel, this is a lot of fun much as the others were.

It's nearly impossible to write a plot summary of a Dorsey novel. There are a number of things going on that seemingly have nothing to do with anything, only to have them intersect a hundred pages later. The main driving plot in this novel is Serge's "promise" to watch out for Jim Davenport, an extremely non-confrontational guy who doesn't want to do anything to rock the boat. Serge gets involved when he shows up at a support group for people who can't confront others. He hears Davenport's story about being ripped off by some movers, and he takes it upon himself to protect this guy. From there, it all gets crazy. The mover is disposed of in a rather creative fashion. His disappearance triggers some smugglers to go into overdrive to find a statue that he was supposed to deliver. They find Davenport's name and think Davenport has it. The smugglers have to hold off their bosses, so they attempt another job using grandmas on a cruise ship to unknowingly smuggle in ancient artifacts. The grandmas just think it's a piece of junk and dispose of it before they clear customs. A notorious killer is also after Davenport in order to take revenge for his jail time. All these plots (and a few others for fun) converge in a wild party in a house that Serge's supposed to be house-setting. Even then, things aren't done. All of this action takes place at a frenetic pace, with Serge hitting all the "historical" parts of Florida and reliving history long since past.

This really is a wild ride of a novel, in a bizarre way. Serge's means of dishing out justice is gruesome, yet oddly funny in its own way. For a character who is certifiably crazy, Serge has more logic than many other stereotyped Floridians. Fans of Dorsey will understand and enjoy. New readers of Dorsey will probably wonder what they got themselves in for. Just sit back, prepare for lunacy, and go with the flow...

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A Hilarious Romp Through Florida

When reading a Tim Dorsey book, a lot of things fall to the wayside; attention to family members, attempting to eat at lunch, blogging, and free time, among others. This is directly attributed to the desire to finish the book as quickly as possible. There are so many sub-plots in play, you just *have* to see how it all shakes out. With Atomic Lobster, Tim Dorsey has penned another excellent novel concerning the "serial killer with a wicked sense of humor," Serge Storms.

Serge continues his sightseeing around the state of Florida, hitting quite a few cities, including Tarpon Springs and Tampa. Along for the ride, as a faithful but drug addled sidekick is Coleman. Rounding out the immediate lunacy is Rachael, beautiful stripper and Coleman's equal in consuming large quantities of drugs and alcohol. In addition to those three, we have returning character Jim Davenport and his headstrong wife, Martha, a recently released convict and his murderous family, a drug smuggling ring, some elderly women on the prowl for men, some mobsters in the Witness Protection Program, a retired Pittsburgh Steeler great and some rabid fans, and a spy. There are more characters but those are the major characters. Everyone that is still alive come together on a cruise ship toward the end, which leads to some very interesting interactions.

It is very difficult to describe the plot, especially with so many story arcs, but the glue that holds this book together, like all of Dorsey's novels, is Serge. Dorsey thinks nothing of showing you an outcome, and then in the next chapter, explain how you arrived at that point. And usually it is due to Serge. While he may be a killer, it is the methods that he uses to dispatch his victims that are quite imaginative. You are usually given a small idea of the killing, but you have to wait for another chapter, or two, to really discover more about it. And then, you can't help but laugh at the setup, location, or method. Serge only shoots someone if he is in a hurry, and, as I recall, he doesn't shoot anyone in this novel. Adding to this, is Serge's love of all things Florida. You may travel to the state, but Serge will show you sights you have probably missed. And you will love him for it.

While there is a lot happening in this novel, don't let that distract you from the good time reading it. You will be able to keep up, as Dorsey makes it very difficult to put this book down. And, like his other novels, you might learn something about the sights in Florida and the cruise ship industry. Another top-notch novel from the wicked mind of Tim Dorsey.

Did I mention the Mimes and Clowns?

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Atomic Lobster by Tim Dorsey

Tim Dorsey's books are always a good read, Serge & Coleman are a hoot! Look forward to many more adventures.

Carl Hiassen without the political correctness

Just finished Atomic Lobster and agree with other positive reviewers. An enjoyable (and unplausible) black satire set in current day Florida. This is my first Dorsey book and as suggested by another reviewer will try to read the series starting at the beginning.

I mention Hiassen in the title of my review because both Dorsey and Hiassen set their satires in contemporary Florida. If, like me, you are somewhat turned off by Hiassen's PC approach you won't find that with Dorsey. He skewers both sides of the culture gap equally.

My favorite satires set in Florida are Elmore Leonard's Florida series. I would suggest a reader start with "Maximum Bob" "Out of sight" and go from there.

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The series isn't as fresh and original as it once was - but Atomic Lobster is still wildly convoluted fun

Tim Dorsey is something of a guilty pleasure. When he's firing on all cylinders, his novels are outrageously funny, wildly convoluted fun. Inevitably, his novels shift back and forth between high energy fun and jokes or story lines that fall flat. When his novels hit their peaks they feature moments that are laugh-out-loud funny. When they fall flat, they can be tedious. Fortunately Dorsey's rapid fire delivery hits more than it misses.

I wish I could tell you that Dorsey's humour is smart and sophisticated, but as funny as he can be; his humour is a pretty low-brow. In fact, much of it is sexist and juvenile. And yet it works - although admittedly, it's not going to appeal to everyone.

Atomic Lobster is not the best Dorsey novel, but I found it pretty entertaining. While it was entertaining enough, frankly the series is starting to get repetative. There is nothing in this novel that we haven't seen before in the previous nine & not just because the novel feels like a reunion tour. Dorsey brings back almost every character from his previous novels that Serge didn't kill in an earlier adventure, most notably drawing from Triggerfish Twist.

A good part of the fun of this novel is watching Dorsey weave together the storylines of a huge cast characters. There are CIA agents, a terrorist cell, a team of man hungry grannies, a group of men who resemble Wilfred Brimley, a desperate virgin, clowns, mimes, drug smugglers, and a likeable serial killer named Serge. (And that's just scatching the surface of the cast of characters).

If you're a fan of Dorsey: You should enjoy this novel but you won't find much new here. At some point Dorsey is going to have to do something to make the series feel fresh again. If you're new to Dorsey, this isn't necessarily the best place to start. I recommend Triggerfish Twist - my personal favourite or Florida Roadkill the first novel in the series.

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reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

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