In this outrageously funny, outrageously inventive debut, one of the most outrageously talented new writers to break onto the sci-fi scene in decad...
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reviews
Dec 16, 2011
Amy
rated it: 
I remember liking this book more than my Library Journal review implies:
Scott's sf debut envisions a future where cities are segregated into neighborhoods based on musical style. Our hero, Jonny, lives in Chillout; however, his adventures are anything but relaxing. Coming home with a hangover after a drunken fight with his girlfriend, he finds his house stolen (that's right, not the contents, but the whole house) and a card left for him saying, "Don't you hate it when this happens?"More...
Jan 10, 2010
Booknerd
rated it: 
I have a new source of internal cerebral itching, and its name is Outrageous Fortune by Tim Scott.
The chief problem is that this guy is trying very hard and very consciously to be the bastard child of Douglas Adams and Nick Hornby. Much too hard, IMHO. And it isn't even funny. It's just self-consciously quirky. Oooh, people live in music zones and the your phone talks back to you and the traffic cops are the strongest force and stuff people in pneumatic tubes! Isn't that crazy, man? More...
The chief problem is that this guy is trying very hard and very consciously to be the bastard child of Douglas Adams and Nick Hornby. Much too hard, IMHO. And it isn't even funny. It's just self-consciously quirky. Oooh, people live in music zones and the your phone talks back to you and the traffic cops are the strongest force and stuff people in pneumatic tubes! Isn't that crazy, man? More...
Jul 22, 2009
Chris
rated it:
There's a sad thing that happens to books like this--they get labeled as being like Pratchett, or Douglas Adams. Then fans of those books show up and read them, and get mad b/c "This guy's no Douglas Adams or Terry Pratchett!"
It's kind of unfair to describe a book by comparing it to another writer for this reason, but marketing departments need to sell books and those writers sell, so why not make the comparison?
This was not the funniest book I've read, but it d More...
It's kind of unfair to describe a book by comparing it to another writer for this reason, but marketing departments need to sell books and those writers sell, so why not make the comparison?
This was not the funniest book I've read, but it d More...
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Jul 17, 2009
Nate
rated it:
I had to stop reading this about a quarter of the way through. This book was written like an 8th grader's short story or a poor piece of fan fiction. The writer has plenty of imagination and is clearly excited about his subject, but no ability to execute. Don't get me wrong - I love wacky books, but the writer has to be able to pull it off, and this is no Terry Pratchett or Douglas Adams.
One other reviewer here likened it to someone scribbling down a dream that makes little sense, More...
One other reviewer here likened it to someone scribbling down a dream that makes little sense, More...
Feb 21, 2010
Genie
rated it: 
A tale set in a future time in a city where neighborhoods are named according to music types and residents dress and act in accordance to the assigned musical theme. The story begins as Jonny X, a dream architect, goes home only to discover his house is missing. It has been stolen by a gang of thugs who left a calling card with the slogan “Don’t you hate it when this happens?” and a phone number. Moments later he's latched onto by a limpet encyclopedia saleswoman who insists he must buy a set
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Jan 01, 2012
Ron
rated it:
I picked up this book because the cover reminded me of the cover of John Scalzi's "Andromeda's Dream". I kept it because Michael Marshall (another favorite author) endorsed it - on the front cover. It's a first novel. The plot is intricate, funny, and self-propelling. Like any thoughtful work it asks important questions without giving any EASY answers in the end. It has a healthy sense of dread like any good horror novel.It has a California love of the laid back life. That life gets in
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Jul 30, 2011
CD
rated it:
Well, based on other reviews, I went back to try and finish it, but still I couldn't. It lacks a certain connection. It is funny, with lots of unexpected pairings and word choices, but slick writing can only carry a stoy so far and without an emotional connection to the characters, I'm afraid the story fails. I was never able to piece all the friends connections together because there wasn't enough depth or detail there. The one little bit of romance, was so far fetched. It is a silly book.
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Feb 14, 2008
Mark
rated it:
I knew going in that trying a "zany" book from an unknown author was a crap shoot. "Outrageously funny" usually translates into "very mildly funny without much of a plot". Because, ya know, near random events are so much funnier than having a plot.
The first page uses the f-word three times. Not a good sign.
At 10 pages in I was ready to throw it against the wall, but I didn't feel that 10 pages was enough for a fair review.
At 15 More...
The first page uses the f-word three times. Not a good sign.
At 10 pages in I was ready to throw it against the wall, but I didn't feel that 10 pages was enough for a fair review.
At 15 More...
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Jul 27, 2011
Nicholas
rated it:
Such a fun book! I laughed out loud several times while reading it. The book reminded me of something that Douglas Adams might have written after spending an evening drinking and brainstorming with Neal Stephenson. The plot is an crazy sequence of increasingly over the top events and just when i was sure there was no way to end it satisfactorily, Scott pulled it all together neatly. I am going to need to check out his 2nd novel (Love in the Time of Fridges) soon.
Dec 17, 2009
awesome book. science fiction, but it doesn't really feel like science fiction. there's all kinds of futuristic gizmos and big brother governments and all that, but the book is really... human. the narrator is totally human and you can totally sympathize with him; there's a lot of actual human emotional stuff going on in this book which you can really get into, so it's not like total space alien techno. Also, it's really, really funny. The guy seems to be paying homage to Douglas Adams in s
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Jun 02, 2011
Bryson
rated it: 
I had to drop the rating down after finishing the book. The ending of this ruins what was a good attempt at a really cool idea for a story. Too bad so much of the story is confusing as hell and the only way it is all explained is in the bad, cheap, over-used ending that they came up with. And the one page sermon at the end that seemed to be the whole reason the book was written in the first place cheapened the ideas even more.
From the explanation of the book on the back and to the More...
From the explanation of the book on the back and to the More...
Sep 16, 2009
Tory
rated it:
Joke telling elevators and areas of the city broken up into musical genre. The Record Companies running the government and kidnapping encyclopedia salesmen.
What's not to love?
I didn't see the end coming. And I didn't like how it was very British but set in California. I also found it easy to put down and it took me ages to finish.
Overall, I liked.
What's not to love?
I didn't see the end coming. And I didn't like how it was very British but set in California. I also found it easy to put down and it took me ages to finish.
Overall, I liked.
Aug 09, 2009
Victoria
rated it:
I seldom/rarely read science fiction and picked this book up out of curiosity. It was a delight, full of quirkiness. The world is run by record companies--really! Scott's writing is slyly, low-key wit, e.g., "I didn't want to blunder into his office like a bull in a china shop---or indeed, like any kind of dairy animal visiting any sort of consumer outlet."
Jul 25, 2008
Joel
rated it:
Tim Scott's Outrageous Fortune is a quirky adventure set in an almost recognizable tomorrow. The characters are funny and adventurous and the plot is full of action and suspense. In fact, the only real negative for me, were the moments of deep introspection that the lead character indulged in.
Those moments, frankly, felt like something the publisher insisted on fearing that a modern audience with a thirty second attention span may lose the plot. Or perhaps the author just needed t More...
Those moments, frankly, felt like something the publisher insisted on fearing that a modern audience with a thirty second attention span may lose the plot. Or perhaps the author just needed t More...
Apr 04, 2008
Alicia
rated it: 
Outrageously Funny! If you like British Humor and Crazy Science Fiction, then you'll love Outrageous Fortune. I would give this book an R rating only for the very strong language--the first word of the book is F***ers! But it is one crazy roller coaster ride. The main character is having a really F***-Up day (forgive my asterisks). He is chased around a Southern California that is divided up into musical genre themed neighborhoods including Christmas Carols, Punk, Easy-listening, White Noise--ju
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Dec 04, 2010
Tom
rated it:
Its a difficult read. Very stream of fractured consciousness, some of the short chapters are achingly beautiful And some are absurd. The story is a combination of tim powers and douglas adams and on the whole it works. I enjoyed it.
Sep 30, 2009
Steven
rated it:
I didn't like this book at all and only finished it b/c I was on a trip with nothing else to read. A year later I can still remember the entire thing, amazing staying power for something so bad...
Aug 10, 2011
This was a funny, entertaining book. It reminded me of Douglas Adams. If you like British humor or if you have a sense of humor you should like this book.
Jun 23, 2010
RoseAnn
rated it:
Wow this was a bit weird. I had trouble following it until chapter 37 and then things sort of fell into place.
Nov 16, 2009
Ray
rated it:
I barely held on to the end. Yes, it all was just a dream. Fitting, because the book put me to sleep more than once.
Dec 19, 2008
Linda
rated it:
Bizarre, dystopian, madcap, disconcerting. Interesting, but doesn't inspire me to read his next book.
Nov 21, 2010
Shaun
rated it:
Interesting overall concept, but the detailed storyline was very scattered and disconnected. I ended up getting restless and skimmed through many of the passages.
Feb 23, 2011
Lacey
rated it:
It was definitely an interesting take on the world. It kept me interested in it enough throughout the two weeks of meal-only reading that it took me to finish it, but I wasn't interested enough to keep reading it outside of my mealtimes. I was just as baffled throughout the entire book as the main character was, and the ending/what caused the craziness seemed a little out of left field.
Apr 01, 2008
Aj
rated it:
Outrageous Fortune by Tim Scott is a rare blend of action, humor, absurdity, science-fiction and personal insight. You know things are going to be interesting when the first word of Outrageous Fortune is ‘Fuckers’, uttered by main character, Johnny X67. He has every right to be pissed. His house has just been stolen. But that’s not even in the Top 10 of strange things that Johnny encounters in this non-stop adventure.
Read my full review on the Used Books Blog:
http://usedbooksblog.com/blog/outrageous... More...
Read my full review on the Used Books Blog:
http://usedbooksblog.com/blog/outrageous... More...
Dec 03, 2008
annebeth
rated it:
Funny, goofy, Douglas-Adamsy, but kind of a lame ending. Still interested in his recent book, though.
Aug 26, 2008
Tim
rated it:
I think that I enjoyed this book mostly because I really had no idea what was going on until the end. Also I really enjoy what I call "absurdist" humor where the situation or conversation is so absurd that it is hilarious. The only criticism that I have for this book is that it supposedly takes place in California, but do to the dialogue and overall feel it should be based in England.
