The Big Bamboo (Serge Storms, 8)

The Big Bamboo is the eighth in Tim Dorsey's far-out series centered around one of the most bizarre characters in contemporary fiction. If you haven't had your sensibilities dulled by one of his earlier installments, this one will probably be a tad off-putting. You have to get to know Serge before trying this one; I recommend you recover from "Cadillac Beach" or "Torpedo Juice" first. Nontheless, I have to give this 5-stars. Not because it was funnier that Cadillac Beach, (which almost made me crash my car while listening to it on audiobook), but because Dorsey's prose has evolved from rapid-fire pellet gun to 12-gauge shotgun blast. Dorsey isn't as "at home" in Hollywood CA as he is in Hollywood FL, as others have noted, but that doesn't mean he doesn't deserve 5-stars in tribute to his devastating expose of all the lunacy in our corroded culture that we embrace as if it were perfectly normal. I don't consider myself well-read, but Serge Storms is one of the most evocative fictional characters outside the established literary classics that I know of. He makes my skin crawl and assaults my funnybone all in the same paragraph. Sometimes I wish I were him and the rest of time I praise God that he isn't real. (He isn't, is he?). The truth is, there usually isn't anyone in a Dorsey novel that you can relate to without feeling horribly sorry for, and I sometimes wonder if Serge would find me "one of those people who just need killing." You just have to let go and appreciate the essence of his satire: that the sane are the cursed ones and the insane have all the charm. By that measure, most of us are cruelly sane. I reluctantly acknowledge Dorsey's brilliant skill at illustrating that fine point.

If you, too, are annoyed by the guy on the radio who pronounces jaguar like "jag-you-are", then Tim Dorsey's "The Big Bamboo" is likely the ride for you. Sure, Dorsey, like South Park, Family Guy, bungee jumping is an acquired taste, but go ahead and get addicted - he's the funniest thing to hit print since Gutenberg. I've got to take issue with those reviews who'd rate "The Big Bamboo" a notch below "Hammerhead Ranch" or "Triggerfish Twist". I found "Bamboo" one of his best: a clever and biting parody that playfully skewers Hollywood's plastic pretentious culture and the movies it spews, reality shows, and pop thriller fiction. Back of course is the manic Serge A. Storms, the hyperactive front man set with Coleman, his near-comatose partner - Cheech and Chong for the 21st Century. Not that the plot really matters, but seemingly unconnected capers involving the abduction of a movie starlet, a big budget film disaster, Harvey and Bob Weinstein cloned into Ian and Mel Glick, and an Alabama oil scam mash together in the brand of black humor climax that's by now a Dorsey hallmark. And Dorsey again struts his Olympian command of useless facts and trivia, proving that should you ever show up on Jeopardy, Tim Dorsey is the last smiling idiot you'll want to see standing across from you. So if you enjoy Carl Hiaasen's biting satire, and find yourself laughing out loud at Dave Barry's slapstick social satire - go demented, go rabid, get unhinged - read Tim Dorsey.

Tim Dorsey does it again. This summer, Serge and Coleman are on a road trip to Hollyweird - and their perfect madness will have you laughing out loud on the beach during your read. If you've never read anything by Tim before - buy them all up and read them for a summer of fun - hey, it's only the middle of July - still lots of time to read all 8 and fall in love with crazy Serge and his loveable stoned sidekick Coleman.

This whole series of books by Tim Dorsey can be described as a twisted and funny study on the dark side in all of human beings. Tim Dorsey manages to take everyday situations and make them incredibly funny. Based in Florida, the series follows the twisted life of Serge Storms (one of the best characters ever created) and all his sick, violent and disturbed adventures. Of course, along the way you will get to meet every kind of character you can imagine. The interesting thing about this series is that behind all the funny stories, there are tons of social and political criticisms. I have read all the books in the series, and each one keeps getting better. If you are a fan of Quentin Tarantino movies, Family Guy cartoons or South Park cartoons, you will love these books. A MUST BUY.

I'd have to agree that there aren't as many 'laugh out loud' parts, as in previous novels, but this novel is still hilarious, especially the dialogue. Tim Dorsey is, and will remain, one of my favorite authors. His novels entertain to the maximum. I can truly say that I always seem to get a little disappointed when I come to the end, only because I know the ride is over. Keep'em coming. Highly recommended.