Duck Duck Wally by Gabe Rotter

by Gabe Rotter

GET SHORTY MEETS THE BIG LEBOWSKI IN THIS ROLLICKING MODERN COMEDY BY A CLEVER AND HILARIOUS NEWCOMER.Meet Wally Moscowitz. His day job is top secret. As ghostwriter for Oral B, the most famous gangsta rapper in the world, Wally is the real mastermind behind Godz-Illa Records' best-selling artist, and the best-kept secret in the Industry. But if word gets out about Wally's true profession, Godz-Illa's kajillion-dollar rap empire will be sunk, and Wally will be dead meat.When Wally comes home one particularly bizarre afternoon to find a ransom note and his best friend and dog, Dr. Barry Schwartzman, missing, Wally goes to great lengths to stop the dognappers while keeping the big secret under wraps. He must, if he wants to walk away with his job, not to mention his life, intact.The hunt for Dr. Schwartzman and the blackmailing thug who is trying to reveal hip-hop's biggest conspiracy becomes a wild-goose chase in which everyone becomes a Sue Schadenfreude, Wally's girlfriend, who makes a pretty penny massaging Barbra Streisand's papillon, Yenta; Pardeep Vishvatma, Wally's neighbor, who keeps a watchful eye on all the suspicious characters lurking about the hood; Jerry Silver, Wally's slick-rick, self-styled superagent; Abraham "Dandy" Lyons, Wally's boss and Godz-Illa's CEO-badass with Suge Knight's street cred and Tony Soprano's "friends"; Jem, the fiery, achingly familiar vixen who steals Wally's heart; Yo Yo Pa and Teddy Bizzle, Oral B's entourage; and the mysterious mob Five-two Lou, Six-seven Kevin, and Balsamic Vinny, who show up when Wally needs them most.Duck Duck Wally is a hilarious romp through the absurdities of Los Angeles, the bombastic details of hip-hop culture, and a day in the life of what was supposed to be the painfully ordinary existence of Wally Moscowitz.

Genres: Fiction, Humor

Hardcover

First published August 14, 2007

About the author

Gabe Rotter, who Publishers Weekly calls “a talented writer” and The X-Files creator Chris Carter calls “a clever storyteller and a smart one, too,” is the author of the novels Duck Duck Wally and The Human Bobby. A native of New York, Rotter now permanently resides in Los Angeles with his wife and daughter. He graduated from film school at the University of Southern California in 2000, and has since worked in television, produced a feature film, penned two novels, written a comic book, and is currently Director of Development for a film and television production company. He has several of his own projects in development for film and television.

Reviews

[Dennis Fischman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Yes, this is a very funny book, fast-paced and well-plotted. So why the low rating? Simple: the stereotypes. The Jewish schlub, the Jewish lawyer, the Black gangstas, the Italian mafia, the loyal dog. All women in the book were oversexed and some were disloyal. Only the dog was admirable.

[Sarah Stice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Witty, hilarious, over the top

[Lukasz Pruski · Rating 4 out of 5]

"That's a tasty beverage." This famous phrase from "Pulp Fiction" appears twice in Gabe Rotter's "Duck Duck Wally", which is quite a "tasty novel". The first half of the book is absolutely captivating and extremely funny.

I love the book for its sheer audacity of premise. An awkward Jewish man, meek and easily scared (to the point of wetting himself when confronted with a powerful opponent), works as a ghost author of "lyrics" for the world's most famous rap artist. All the gangsta rhymes sung by the rapper are penned by Wally Moscowitz, who in his private time is an aspiring author of very naughty children poetry books designed for adults.

Mr. Moscowitz trouble begins when he urinates on a badass gangster in a public lavatory (Coen brothers' wonderful "The Big Lebowski" comes to mind). The little incident unleashes an avalanche of consequences that include multiple murders and nationwide fascination with the case.

The passage about the genital herpes commercial is one of the most hilarious fragments of prose I have ever read. What's more, not only is it very funny, it is also pretty incisive in showing how deeply biased, prejudiced, and just plain stupid we, the humans, are, when we confuse the unreality of TV with the reality of life.

The plot sags quite substantially in its second half and the novel becomes pedestrian and boring when slowly inching toward the denouement. Still, with its utterly audacious (and wonderfully politically incorrect) premise and its magnificent genital herpes bit, I am unable to rate this book lower than

Four stars.

[Kel Sta · Rating 3 out of 5]

So what do you think: is the trend in publishing toward quirky novels? Or is it just my trend in reading? Lately when Em or M ask what the book I'm reading is about, and I briefly summarise, they usually go "Riiight." Anyway, I'm enjoying the fun that the writers are having! Gabe Rotter definitely had fun writing this book. It doesn't even have chapters, it has chizapters. See: quirky! That's entertainment.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was just coming off of several heartbreaking dog-oriented books, so I was looking for something funny. I FOUND IT!!! Once you get past the f-bombs (a la big lebowski)it is absolutely hilarious and I read it in about 5 hours. All chapters are titled "chizapters" and it revolves around a Jewish guy who writes for a popular (but fraudulent) gangsta-rapper. It was really well written, though I can't really compare it to anything I've ever read before.

Certainly not a thought-provoking, touching novel, but just what I needed. FUH-NEE.

PS this book contains stereotypes for all, be forewarned it is irreverent...

PPS - I came back and knocked this down to 4 stars ONLY b/c I usually save 5 stars for Harper Lee and Kurt Vonnegut, and realized I had put a bizarre gangsta comedy among their ranks. I wish I could give it an extra 1/2 :)

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

i usually don't even buy hardcovers (i'm pretty poor), but i bought this one because of recommendations from 2 separate friends who swore it would crack me up. man were they right - this was bar-none the funniest book i have ever read, and i say that without any hesitation. i found myself laughing out loud on the subway and embarrassing myself and not even caring! very quick read, and worth the price of admission. i bet this one will be made into a movie - it's practically written for the big screen.

[Carolina · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the most entertaining books I've read in a long time. The humor is outstanding and you will literally laugh out loud at times. Its very light-hearted and well written. I bought it because of the dog on the cover. When I read the inside cover, it didn't sound like something I would be interested in. But, I was wrong. I finished it so fast that I was disappointed with myself for rushing it.

[GD · Rating 4 out of 5]

Man this book is hysterical. There's the bad line here and there throughout. But most of it really made me laugh out loud, which is kind of embarassing in quiet, public places. The story's cool, making fun of rap is always funny, this book is like watching a movie like Get Shorty.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book tapered off from the excellent beginning. There's a lot of humor in it, but it got a little too "ghetto rapper" for me in the middle and end. Favorite sentence: "It was like getting an instant enema."

[Aubrey · Rating 2 out of 5]

This isn't the kind of book I normally pick up but I loved the characters, they felt authentic to me and I loved Wally for all of his qualities, flawed loyalty and all. I'm giving this 4 stars on the entertainment scale and if you need a light, funny read then this is the book for you.

[Alevine1 · Rating 5 out of 5]

gabe rotter is a genious. this book is absolutely hysterical. i was laughing out loud, very easy to read, you want to keep going.. some great crazy characters in it.. i cant wait for his next book to come out....

[Sully · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of laughs and a plot that keeps moving.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great book! My only regret is that I read it too quickly.

[Theo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is Gabe Rotter's first book. Gabe Rotter...you go Gabe!!!

[Erin Fox · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have never laughed so hard, and never felt guilty about it, as I have reading this gem. You'll never forget Wally.

[Ellen]

Recommended by Coworker Juliana.

[Brooks · Rating 2 out of 5]

Its humor is more than a little edgy and did my cross my offensive line.

[Patrice · Rating 2 out of 5]

a total trashy novel quick read book. Hey it passed the time and I read the whole thing.

[Shirley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun book to read.

[Robert · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a bad read. Enjoyable, but definitely not a literary classic. It's like the book equivalent to Pineapple Express. Seth Rogen should play Wally if the movie gets made.

[Gary · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a funny book. Rotter writes like a grouchy Christopher Moore with a bad hangover.

There are times when the plot wears thing--however, Rotter's style and wit are enough to save the story.

[Jessica Dougherty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eh.

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Refreshing. I would have given it 5 stars if it wasn't quite so predictable at the end.

[Karlie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining, funny, a quick and mindless read. The writing style isn't great but it was a nice distraction from the more serious/non-fiction that I usually read.