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Zoey Punches the Future in the Dick

Book 2 in the series:Zoey Ashe

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David Wong creates a vision of the future that is both wondrous and depressing, ridiculous yet terrifying, and amazing yet familiarly banal. Into this he drops Zoey Ashe, a twenty three year old barista turned quasi criminal corporate boss who's so achingly relatable that she's very nearly a completely useless thriller protagonist. Facing an army of internet trolls who, distressingly, might also be an actual army armed with hellishly irresponsible future weaponry, she'll need to outmaneuver the cult like vitriol of people who hate her for being rich, powerful and female. And fat. Can Zoe triumph over the worst of humanity without becoming a monster herself. But there's a major problem. This book relies far too much on the device of hiding something from the reader that both Zoey who is supposed to be a viewpoint character and the other characters all know. No sooner do you get out of the first section which both does this and actively misrepresents the views characters have to hide the fact that they know things the reader doesn't then the book starts to mention Zoey's halloween costume multiple times while carefully avoiding mentioning what it is, which of course she and everyone else would know. Later, one of Zoey's staff gives her an item to take with her to protect her, apparently without telling her what it is It's frustrating, especially since it breaks the viewpoint relationship with the character. Ironically, the author write a Cracked article in 2016 which called out this device as meaning that movie TV writers were out of ideas.

Characters:

The characters include a relatable protagonist and a cast of dangerous, charming supporting characters, though the dynamics feel weaker than in the previous installment.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is engaging, humorous, and straightforward, with a satirical edge that addresses social issues.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot suffers from pacing issues, a weaker main relationship, and an overreliance on frustrating suspense devices, ultimately feeling smaller in scale than previously expected.

Setting:

The setting features a futuristic, cyberpunk world that vividly illustrates both wonder and despair, highlighting contemporary social issues.

Pacing:

The pacing is uneven, lacking the thrilling momentum of the first book and often leading to reader frustration.

Notes:

The main character, Zoey Ashe, is portrayed as a relatable but seemingly useless thriller protagonist.
Zoey inherits a massive criminal business empire in a cyberpunk world.
The book features societal commentary on toxic masculinity and online misogyny, although it's not deeply explored.
David Wong is known for blending action, humor, and social media satire in his writing.
Readers found the sequel, Zoey Punches the Future in the Dick, to be less well-paced than the first book.
Echo, another character, receives more focus in the sequel, but isn't as captivating as Zoey's previous partner, Will.
The book is described as both wonderful and depressing, with crazy, relatable elements.
One critique is its reliance on hiding information from the reader, which can be frustrating.
There are inconsistencies in the plot that some readers found distracting.
The book includes elements of dark humor and has been well received for its entertainment value.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings may include themes of harassment, misogyny, and violence, which could be triggering for some readers.

From The Publisher:

THE NATIONAL BESTSELLER

New York Times bestselling author David Wong's Zoey Punches the Future in the Dick is the latest-and arguably greatest-sci-fi thriller in the Zoey Ashe Series.

In the futuristic city of Tabula Ra$a, Zoey Ashe is like a fish so far out of water that it has achieved orbit. After inheriting a criminal empire, the twenty-three year-old finds herself under threat from all sides as a rogue's gallery of larger-than-life enemies think they smell weakness.

On the eve of the world's most lavish and ridiculous Halloween celebration, a steamer trunk-sized box arrives at Zoey's door and she is shocked to find that it contains a disemboweled corpse. She is even more shocked when that corpse, controlled by an unknown party, rises and goes on a rampage through the house. Speaking in an electronic voice, it publicly accuses Zoey of being its murderer. This is the kind of thing that almost never happened at her old job.

The city was already a ticking time bomb of publicity-hungry vigilantes with superhuman enhancements and Zoey knows this turn of events is unlikely to improve the situation. Now, she and her team of high-tech tricksters have to solve this bizarre murder while simultaneously keeping Tabula Ra$a from descending into chaos.

"Biting humor and blatant digs at modern society overlay a subtly brilliant and thoughtful plot" (Publishers Weekly) in John Dies at the End author David Wong's first installment of the Zoey Ashe Series, Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits. Now, "one of today's great satirists" (Nerdist) is back with Zoey Punches the Future in the Dick, the second installment in a "Technicolor tomorrowland." (Kirkus Reviews)

Ratings (8)

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Read It (8)
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