A group of young strangers find themselves racing across America with an army of cops and journalists in hot pursuit, all for crimes they (largely) didn't commit. Set against a frenetic backdrop of race riots, well-armed zealots, discunt euthanasia, and sexual worship, Zeitgeist is an ambitious and darkly satirical portrayal of a nation glued to a screen and sky for salvation.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
A cautionary tale of Generation Z millenarianism, this intriguing first novel follows the cross-country travails of a ragtag assortment of unlikely desperadoes: a petit bourgeois black-nationalist hacker; a Welshman starving for media attention; a lesbian martial arts expert on the lam from her manipulative mother; the shell-shocked victim of a gang bang; and a schizophrenic Catholic priest turned armed robber. They come together by chance and, despite their faxed-in bomb threats, dustups in hayseed canteens and occasional chopper-jacking, are a generally decent lot. How can they be expected to know that their innocent actions will result in race riots, the suspension of the Bill of Rights and the coming of an avenging angel of the Lord? Interspersed throughout the narrative are the memoirs of the story's "author," one Dr. Venus Wicked, failed novelist and successful prostitute. Wiggins is a lucid writer with a true gift for puns, but he lets the story get away from him. The violent ending has some endearing cartoonish elements (a militia made up of Las Vegas showgirls, for instance), but it more often settles for an unpleasant mix of sentimentality and gristle. The novel's "Nabokovian intent," as Venus puts it, is also a disappointment, turning out to be, as Dr. Wicked herself might say, way obvious.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
The race to produce the great American fin-de-millenaire novel is in high gear. First novelist Wiggins approaches the starting gate with the appropriately heavy hand: It is December 31, 1999, and an execution is about to take place that will send a shaky political situation spiraling into chaos. Venus Wicked, prostitute, aspiring writer, and narrator, chronicles the events leading up to the tale's beginning. Four improbable characters (all young and educated) seize the nation's attention through a wild and violent car trip that takes them through the religous, racist backwaters of the nation's interior. In fact, much of Zeitgeist concerns the characters' experience prior to the events of the novel. These laborious passages are dense and packed with a good deal of irrelevant information. However, the story?when it can be found?is well paced, energetic, and compelling, and Venus Wicked is an exceptional character, full of paradox and contradiction, who will remain with readers after the story has been forgotten. Recommended, especially for the 18-24 demographic.?Adam Mazmanian, "Library Journal"
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A PreMillennial road trip that leaves the reader breathless,
By A Customer
This review is from: Zeitgeist (Hardcover)
This book is a fantastical voyage of discovery across a war-torn America in the grip of race war and the crumbling of it's society's infrastructure. The characters are all incredibly well-realised, and the plot twists and turns from fast-paced action to contemplative philosophy. A triumphant acheivement for Todd Wiggins, this is less of a recommended read, more of a compulsory one.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Where is Todd ?,
By yeuz (Köln) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Zeitgeist (Hardcover)
Love this crazy book !Could have been a cult novel, if anyone had read it. Who and where is Todd Wiggins ??? Never found any information or other books by him. Sad ... A fan from Germany
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent postmodern fiction!,
By D. Moler (Kansas City) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Zeitgeist (Paperback)
This is probably my most favorite book of all time. I picked it up at a bookstore one day, recommended by a friend. I have never heard of the author and have not been able to find any information on him. Apparently this is his only book.If you are into heavy characterization with a millenial, cyber-punk edge, then this book is for you. If you appreciate hard-edged, beat prose that will never slip into boredom, then you need to buy this book.
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
|
|
Tag this product(What's this?)Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organize and find favorite items. |
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
