Thinning the Herd

Absurd situations starring a bumbler with delusions of adequacy make for a far-fetched, yet uproariously funny urban fantasy in Phoenix’s vision of Eugene, Ore. Hal Rupert is, ostensibly, an animal control officer. Yet that isn’t all he does. He sees it as his sworn duty to protect the good people of Oregon from the rogue were-creatures that walk among them. He is quite content to handle drunk lycans on his own, until hippies and fortune tellers begin disappearing at an alarming rate, and Desdemona—who’s not so much his love interest as the woman he’s outright stalking—might be next. Gathering what few friends he has, Hal is forced to confront the darkest of nightmares, with only his companions and a catch pole. The predicaments encountered by the heroic band range from giggle inducing to flat-out bananas. Hal’s delusional charm has a surprising poignancy, which makes this utterly ludicrous story all the more enjoyable. Agent: Matt Bialer, Sanford J. Greenburger Associates. (Jan.)