Customer Reviews

Sushi Never Sleeps (Neoreality Series)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I love Sushi Never Sleeps! This is the book in Pickover's Neorealty series that describes fractal sex. The main character, Garth, is a professor and expert in insects. His life is rather ordinary until, at the start of the novel, he purchases a lovely android woman named Neuron. I don't want give too much away, but together they discover a hidden fractal society, with inhabitants living at different size scales. The book takes place in a parallel-universe Westcheter County, New York -- in towns like Peekskill and Yorktown. The book has something for everyone: mathematics, fractals, romance, strange creatures, and the concept of parallel universes.

The book makes me wonder: Is God omniscient in all universes? I've read the four books in this Neoreality set (they can be read in any order) and recommend this book. Does anyone know what molecule is depicted on the cover by Neuron's shoulder?

This book is very broad in its concepts and imagery, covering such delights as: androids, flying stingrays, human sexuality, spider beings, fractal trains, and more. I found that once I started the book, I could not put it down. Excellent pace. Deep thoughts. Absurd and unusual mind benders. I'd call it "Alice in Wonderland meets a mathematical LSD trip." Hop on board the Fractal Express for the mind-bending ride of your life!

The book starts with a guy most would consider a geek, in a shop, either renting or buying a custom girlfriend. She can come fully equipped with all the latest options, including complete knowledge of Shakespeare, cosmology, the old and new testaments and extra orifices. At extra expense of course. His name is Garth and it is obvious that his love life leaves a lot to be desired. The girlfriend, Neuron, arrives at his residence and she is beautiful, intelligent and they begin getting to know each other.
Garth's specialty is biology, and he is an expert in spiders. This is advantageous, as they are suddenly transported to an alternate Earth where the inhabitants are in a vicious war with sentient spiders (Mygalomorphs). The alternate Earth is called Fractalia, as the inhabitants are duplicated in many sizes, from the normal down to the microscopic. The queen of Fractalia is Azalandra, who is naked with rainbow colored pubic hair, a trait quickly noticed by Garth. She turns out to be very talented, as her breasts are photosynthetic and produce a very nutritious fluid, consumed by both Garth and Neuron.
They travel with Azalandra across Fractalia by train, occasionally fighting the spiders, but mostly interacting and learning more about Fractalia and how it has been devastated in the unequal war. There is a climactic battle where the Fractalians and Mygalomorphs fly on aerial stingrays, where the Fractalians emerge victorious with Garth and Neuron returning to their version of Earth.
The story moves along fairly quickly, it is well written and has many original elements. Pickover proves once again that his mind is a storehouse of new ideas. Mathematics makes an occasional appearance, Fractalia is of course based on fractal objects and Garth recites the factorial of twenty whenever he wants to prove to himself that he is not dreaming. Throwing weapons in the form of Koch curves are one of the most effective weapons used against the spiders and a large river in Fractalia is called the Mandelbrot river. An unusual story, I found it fun to read and completed it in two sittings.

Published in the recreational mathematics e-mail newsletter, reprinted with permission.

Pickfords style is a little disjointed at times and stops the book from flowing. My other gripe is the book is full of typos, letters missing or sometimes whole words.
The story is entertaining, but I feel it would be an average read if it was set in the real world and did not include fantastic creatures.
I loved the concept of the Fractal Express which is a main feature of the book.

Pickover did an excellent job in "Sushi Never Sleeps". You will be pulled into the storyline and unable to put the book down. Be sure to include this in your personal reading material.

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John D. Moore
Author of Confusing Love with Obsession