Johnny Future

Johnny Future, the drugged-out narrator of Abee's abysmal latest, lives on a skuzzy stretch of Hollywood Boulevard. After a night of recreational Nyquil drinking, Johnny visits a friend and has the first of several hallucinations that will plague him throughout the novel. His wastoid adventures are the stuff of adolescent fantasy: he consumes many drugs, has many bizarre experiences, lands a job at a sex shop and ends up on a wild adventure with a stripper named America. Despite self-assessments like “I'm Johnny Future, small parking lot good creature of the sun, friend of man and beast, taco stand of love,” he remains a cipher, and the novel rests artlessly on his shoulders. The supporting characters fare no better and seldom rise above caricature: paraplegic transvestite Baby Juice is paraded for shock value, and America is a cliché vagabond Madonna whose sudden, soulful connection to Johnny is predicted by a fortune teller. This disorganized mess goes nowhere interesting and says nothing new. (Oct.)