Review: Outrageous Fortune

Jonny X67 lived a fairly normal life as a dream architect living in Chillout. And then he woke up one morning to discover that his house was stolen. And that was just the beginning. From black ops encyclopedia salesmen to the Four Horsemen on motorcycle, Jonny finds himself beset by a cast of characters even he can’t believe, all of whom seem to want him for… something. But they aren’t telling. And he can’t for the life of him imagine why his entire life has gone out the window.

Outrageous Fortune is absurd—not comedic in a way that will necessarily make you laugh out loud, not constructed of jokes and punch-lines. It’s absurd in the vein of Dali, which I think becomes quite apparent in Tim Scott’s prose. He tends toward eccentric turns of phrase that burst from the page like a zombie’s hand spasming and clawing from its hard, cold grave. They’re always unique, sometimes vaguely inappropriate, and sometimes strangely masterful, like “porridge of madness.” Sometimes, it’s noticeably overwrought. But the intent, I think, is to make the book and the world it is set in seem light-hearted and all a little bit silly. And in this, at least, the style succeeds.

Jonny lives in a world in which the city of Santa Cruz is divided by musical taste. He lives in Chillout. His best friend Mat lives in Rave. And some really twisted people in Santa suits spend all their time in Christmas Single “Ho-ho-ho”ing and riding around in sleighs. And yet, as far as characteristics to define a community go, why not use music? As Jonny himself points out, at least it gives neighbors something in common, which is certainly more than most people living near one another have now. It is both a commentary on the disconnected nature of our society and a commentary on the future of capitalism, as the record companies in control of the music are also in control of everything else. Corporations taking control of politics? That’s science fiction… right? It may not be deep commentary, but it’s there.

Many of the details in Scott’s future share this quality. They’re outlandish, and yet… they could happen. Ads as viruses that people catch? They’re already viruses, that’s for sure. Communication devices embedded in your body? People are already discussing the idea of cell phone cochlear implants. It’s all vaguely possible, while still seeming like a daydream.

Wrapped around these futuristic inventions, however, is a very real story. And this is where I think the true strength of the book can be found. Jonny’s whole life is suddenly and inexplicably stolen, and all he really wants to know is why. It’s a question that we all struggle with, even if our houses haven’t been stolen. Why did this happen to me? Why do I suffer? And what can I possible do to change it? Faced with these questions, when everything seems simply like madness, Jonny turns to the only people he can: his friends Mat and Teb. Jonny and Mat share a friendship that is honest and deep from the start. They feel real. And their history feels real.

There is a subplot through the book concerning Jonny and Mat’s friend Jack, who died in an accident. It’s a painful subject for the both of them, but especially for Jonny. And the depth and pain of that loss haunts him. His descriptions of the events of Jack’s death left me in a bit of stunned silence, as though I had just shared a fragile moment with someone quite real.

And yet, that plot was only a small portion of Jonny’s adventure, which, it turns out, was as much about finding himself as it was about finding out who stole his house and why crazy men on motorcycles were trying to hunt him down. Try as I might, I couldn’t quite predict the ending of Outrageous Fortune, even if I got inklings as to where it was going. This is always a good thing. I won’t give away the ending, but suffice it to say that there is a Happily Ever After, which feels like just the perfect respite from the running and the wondering and the slogging through so much porridge of madness that you begin to wonder if life couldn’t somehow be easier.

However, if there is a place to complain about Outrageous Fortune, it is also to be found in this ending. Jonny preaches, and it’s a lesson we’ve all heard before. Be yourself. Live. Love. Try to figure out who you are and be that person the best way you can. As the summary to a wild adventure, it can seem like a let down, but I found myself satisfied enough to smile when I turned the final page.

On a scale of “Buy Copies for Others” to “Give Me Those Hours Back”, Outrageous Fortune ranks a solid “Enjoyable Light Reading”.

Lora Friedanthal

Outrageous Fortune by Tim Scott
Published by: Spectra (May 29, 2007)
ISBN-10: 0553384406
ISBN-13: 978-0553384406
Genre: Fantasy