Latency Paradox of Barret Trufflehard

When Inspector Amelia Pillowspoon tells Eldridge Kane, Lord Chief Executive Officer of the Ekonomy, “We’re all feeling the Latency Paradox of Milton Grainjar,” Eldridge is as baffled as the reader. Still, Kwon’s debut is wonderfully imaginative, clever, and funny in a madcap, just-go-with-it sort of way. Protagonist Milton Grainjar, a disgruntled employee of the XYZ government agency, lives to track down members of the secretive and illegal Jade Association, who (mercifully offscreen) eat babies and sacrifice virgins. But it’s not clear who are the true Jadeites—or who Grainjar is. Kwon’s knack for giggle-worthy names and inventive gizmos (a plutonizer, the Zwylx Q-Ten gurgle machine) work well with mild romance and themes that include totalitarianism, rival dystopias, and the true purpose of Grainjar’s blighted life. The plot doesn’t entirely make sense, but the book is a fun read, and comic fantasy fans will look forward to more adventures in this world. (BookLife)