Tom Cho

This is a collection of insane short stories that had me snorting with laughter. After a couple of beers with the narrator Auntie Wei ends up in a novelty shop in Swanston street where she buys an apron with attached breasts which she wears down to Flinders Street station and home on the train. Other people are seeing her differently, the narrator notices, and in fact, Auntie Wei has become possessed by the devil. I can't do justice to this; it's hysterically funny and you have to read it show more for yourselves.

In another story, Cho starts off as Maria, turns into Captain von Trapp, and fantasizes about Fonzie with the Mother Superior. When the Australian Government launches a program to turn low income earners into robots, he becomes a robotic protocol expert, working at the UN. He's a cock rock god, staked to the earth like Gulliver. He's Whitney Houston's bionic bodyguard, then a penguin muppet.

Comic lunacy. show less

Really enjoyed the read, particularly the literal relationship chemistry between Johnny and Bruce, and all the familial scenes--interrupted via orc raiders or not.
Some lovely moments, and Tom's voice comes through very clearly.
Unlike one of the reviews noted in the blurb, however, I wouldn't have been able to read this, all so greedily, in one go--the voice is too strong. Even with great divergence in the subject, it still sounds the same. I wouldn't characterise this as a problem, however, show more instead I would liken this to Gaiman's ever-present tone: overpowering in some ways, but also very likable, intimate. Very much a performance, in storyteller style. show less