The Plutonium Blonde (Daw Book Collectors) [Paperback]

John Zakour (Author), Lawrence Ganem (Author)

Book Description

Series: Daw Book Collectors | Publication Date: September 5, 2001

"My name is Zachary Nixion Johnson. I am the last private detective on Earth...not exactly one hundred percent true, but it sounds good."

"The year is 2057 and, after a handful of species-altering upheavals, earth-shatteringc cataclysms, history changing extra-terrestrial contacts, and pop-culture disasters, the world is now a pretty safe place..."

"But every once in a while some crazy thing happens that threatens all of society, all of humanity, or the entire space-time continuum."

"And for some reason it always happens on my watch."

So begins the first installment of this all-new, all-hilarious trilogy that pokes fun at the pulps, and skewers sci-fi, as a private dick of the future goes after the most dangerous prey of all...The Plutonium Blonde.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Zachary Nixon Johnson, the last private detective on Earth, is hired by the beautiful B.B. Starr, CEO of ExShell (and ex-exotic dancer), to find her missing robot double. The plutonium-powered android is far smarter and stronger than humans, doesn't want to be found, and is a homicidal maniac. As if that's not trouble enough, an unknown enemy keeps trying to assassinate Zach. And HARV, the intelligent computer implanted in Zach's brain, will not shut up.

Yes, The Plutonium Blonde is a parody of science fiction and hardboiled detective fiction. It is also an affectionate homage to the pulps. Perhaps unsurprisingly, its prose inclines to a pulp clunkiness. But the authors, John Zakour and Lawrence Ganem, are deeply knowledgeable of both genres, and they create some new twists in both the science fiction and the mystery. The plot is breathtakingly paced, and the jokes and wisecracks fly thick and fast (and, like the creators of the Airplane and Naked Gun movies, the authors have no fear of a bad joke). The Plutonium Blonde is recommended to fans of science fiction and of hard-boiled mystery. --Cynthia Ward

Review

Zachary Nixon Johnson, the last private detective on Earth, is hired by the beautiful B.B. Starr, CEO of ExShell (and ex-exotic dancer), to find her missing robot double. The plutonium-powered android is far smarter and stronger than humans, doesn't want to be found, and is a homicidal maniac. As if that's not trouble enough, an unknown enemy keeps trying to assassinate Zach. And HARV, the intelligent computer implanted in Zach's brain, will not shut up.

Yes, The Plutonium Blonde is a parody of science fiction and hardboiled detective fiction. It is also an affectionate homage to the pulps. Perhaps unsurprisingly, its prose inclines to a pulp clunkiness. But the authors, John Zakour and Lawrence Ganem, are deeply knowledgeable of both genres, and they create some new twists in both the science fiction and the mystery. The plot is breathtakingly paced, and the jokes and wisecracks fly thick and fast (and, like the creators of the Airplane and Naked Gun movies, the authors have no fear of a bad joke). The Plutonium Blonde is recommended to fans of science fiction and of hard-boiled mystery.

--Cynthia Ward, from Amazon.com

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: DAW (September 5, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0756400066
• ISBN-13: 978-0756400064
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,371,556 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A zany updated version of Abbott and Costello-sf style, September 5, 2001

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Plutonium Blonde (Daw Book Collectors) (Paperback)

By 2057, technology enables people to drive hovercrafts and teleport to different places. The last private detective in the world Zachary Nixon Johnson, knows that HARV is a computer projection. However, that does not stop him from playing backgammon with it, talking with it or listening to it.

When HARV informs Zach that they need an infusion of capital to pay the rent, he reluctantly takes on the case of BB Star, ex stripper and now the CEO of ExShell, one of the most powerful conglomerates in the world. BB has a doppelganger named BB-2 an artificially intelligent android that is angry, psychotic and dangerous. She has a plutonium core, which makes her a powerful weapon that must be deactivated if BB is to survive. Even knowing that the press will hounded him, thugs will beat him, and he will look like a fool, Zach takes on the case rather than face living on the street.

Abbott and Costello meet a futuristic crime noir is the context underlying the amusing THE PLUTONIUM BLONDE. When HARV and Zach are talking to each other, especially during their numerous crisis, readers will laugh until they cry. It is impossible to believe HARV, the real star of the book, is only a hologram projected by Zachs computer because he seems so human. The mystery is fun too, but the entertainment and uniqueness of this tale are the relationship between the two stars (that is Zach and HARV not BB and BB-2).

Harriet Klausner

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fun read!, August 13, 2004

By 

Jeff M. "Not your avg reader" (Southern California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Plutonium Blonde (Daw Book Collectors) (Paperback)

I've been jaded towards most of the genre sci-fi books lately. So many books are copies of LOTR, Star Wars, Foundation, et al, that I almost gave up sci-fi in general. Then I found this unusually titled book, The Plutonium Blonde. Catchy title, great content!

After reading the back cover, my interest was sufficiently piqued. So I plunked down my $6.99, opened the book when I got home, and a few days later, was very happy that I bought this book.
The book is a great blend of science fiction and pulp detective novel. I can actually hear(my actor choice for a movie role) Harry Connick Jr utter the main character, Zach Johnson, line, "And for some reason it always happens on my watch."
You'll feel for Zach when he gets pummeled by the bad guys, say "Ouch!" or "Oooh, that's gotta hurt" when HARV pumps up Zach's Kirlian Aura to save his life, and fall for his sexy Doctor/kickboxing champ girlfriend, Electra Gevada (shades of Salma Hayek!).

What are reading this review for? Go out and buy this book!!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting comedy/adventure/sci fi, September 17, 2005

By 

Gary R. Dexter "gary dexter" (Kingston, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Plutonium Blonde (Daw Book Collectors) (Paperback)

I picked this up as a extra book to read while on vacation. Once I started reading, I had a hard time putting it down. The dialog and interactions between the characters, and amazingly enough the computers, were hilarious. And the action in the sci fi setting kept me reading to discover what happened next. I will definitely be purchasing the next book, which seems to be "The Radioactive Redhead".