Book Review: Million Mile Road Trip by Rudy Rucker

Million Mile Road Trip by Rudy Rucker

Hardcover, 476 pages

Published May 2019 by Night Shade

The release of a new Rudy Rucker novel is always an exciting thing. Considering that this is his first one since 2013's amazing life after death novel Jim and the Flims I was super excited. Famous for his math and computer science Rudy Rucker is a founding of the original Cyberpunk gang and has been writing bizarro science fiction since before Bizarro was a genre. But this book is not all we have to be excited about. Nightshade is also doing matching cover editions for 9 other Rucker releases so you can collect the whole set.

If you are unfamiliar with Rucker's style he is a totally one of a kind author whose super intelligent and hype-weird fiction can not be compared to anyone. I know that sounds like Hyperbole but I promise you a Rucker novel can not be confused for anyone else. There is a level of weird creativity that has a flavor that can't be compared to any existing style. Rucker almost always has his tongue firmly planted in his cheek, also nothing is too weird or goofy.

Living and surfing in the Santa Cruz area for many years Rucker starts this novel in a town that is Rucker's NorCal fictional town, his Castle Rock. This from the beginning is a neat little look at this town and the odd-ball surf community that feels like it is based off people he knows. You hear the waves crashing on the shore, and almost feel the sand collecting in your shoes as you are giving a narrative tour of the setting.

The main characters Villy and Zoe are teenagers but this book is not a YA novel. Villy and Zoe make the decision they are leaving home and just want to travel. They are better than average fictional teenagers, they have the naturally annoying traits that come with a young brain, but it is clear they are special characters who you believe could go on this epic journey. They intend to just drive Villy's purple whale (Station Wagon) on a road trip with no real plan. Things change when Zoe uses her tuba to open a portal to a different dimension.

This is Mappyworld a flat land on millions of connected worlds inhabited by living flying saucers. All this is done in a station wagon jacked up on monster truck tires and alien technology. I have listened to and read many interviews with Rudy Rucker over the years and he often talks about playing with the power cords of science fiction. While there are hints of this, most notably in the alien invasion and flying saucers.

The journey is a fun one that will have you scratching your head wondering where Rucker goes to come up with these ideas. The writing of the strange stuff is one thing, but Rucker creates characters we care about and a journey we are invested in. The book felt a little long to me, but I have to admit that I was reading it during a trip home to Indiana for my father's funeral. I might not have been in the best state to read it. That said the humor was welcome and the distraction better.

I hope to get Rudy on Dickheads to talk about this book soon.