"
Daw, Sept 2001, 6.99, 352 pp.
ISBN: 0756400066
By 2057, technology enables people to drive hovercrafts and teleport to different places. The last private detective in the world Zachary Nixon Johnson, knows that HARV is a computer projection. However, that does not stop him from playing backgammon with it, talking with it or listening to it.
When HARV informs Zach that they need an infusion of capital to pay the rent, he reluctantly takes on the case of BB Star, ex stripper and now the CEO of ExShell, one of the most powerful conglomerates in the world. BB has a doppelganger named BB-2 an artificially intelligent android that is angry, psychotic and dangerous. She has a plutonium core, which makes her a powerful weapon that must be deactivated if BB is to survive. Even knowing that the press will hounded him, thugs will beat him, and he will look like a fool, Zach takes on the case rather than face living on the street.
Abbott and Costello meet a futuristic crime noir is the context underlying the amusing THE PLUTONIUM BLONDE. When HARV and Zach are talking to each other, especially during their numerous crisis, readers will laugh until they cry. It is impossible to believe HARV, the real star of the book, is only a hologram projected by Zach's computer because he seems so human. The mystery is fun too, but the entertainment and uniqueness of this tale are the relationship between the two stars (that is Zach and HARV not BB and BB-2).
Harriet Klausner
"
Harriet Klausner, Resident John Zakour and Lawrence Ganem Scholar
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Overall Review
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dozens of literary elements, all of which are searchable.
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Book Descript. of chases or violence - 20% planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 60% Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 10% Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 10%
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION?
- science fiction story
Spying & Investigations
Yes
What is main char. doing?
- finding a killer (criminal)
Tech./$$$/Info hunt
Yes
Stealing/recovering/destroying
- bomb
Story involving clones/duplicates?
- bad clones/duplicates
Is this an adult or child's book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Clones
Yes
Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Profession/status:
- private investigator
Age:
- 40's-50's
How sensitive is this character?
- middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Robot
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- a little/some
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- very athletic
Setting
Earth setting:
- near future (later in 21st century)
Takes place on Earth?
Yes
Style
Person?
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
scientific jargon? (SF only)
- a moderate amount of scientific explanation
How much dialogue?
- roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
