the_original_shelf_monkey 's review for:

Alpha Max: An Existential Romp through an Absurd Multiverse by Mark A. Rayner

4.25

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Mark Rayner has long been one of Canada's great unsung literary satirists/parodists/funnyguyists, and Alpha Max proves it. Arguably his most cohesive and mature work, Rayner deftly weaves a daft and daffy tapestry of quantum physics, dimensional theories, ridiculous punwork, pulp sci-fi adventure tropes, Philip K. Dickensian plot devices, Kurt Vonneugtiann asides, sublime silliness, and more Maximilian Tundras than you could ever hope to shake a stick at (assuming, of course, that you'd even want to undertake such a hopeless task).

In other words: great brain-squeezing fun.