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Serge Storms #7
Torpedo Juice
More mayhem, madness, and mystery ensue in Tim Dorsey's seventh entry in “Florida’s hottest helter-skelter, hallucinogenic freak show” ( Publishers Weekly ). Though he may not always show it, lovable serial killer Serge Storms has a romantic side. Sure, life as a fugitive on the Overseas Highway has been fun. But it’s been lonely too, especially now that he’s hit the beautiful Florida Keys. Serge wants a bride. And nothing will come between him and his soul mate ... when he finally hunts her down. On the road to finding Ms. Right, Serge will hook up with an astonishing array of scoundrels, schemers, and hoodlums, including an old accomplice he thought was long dead; a gaggle of irregular regulars at the No Name pub, a remote bar in the Keys’ back country; a drug kingpin with a penchant for solitude and brutality; and a notorious real estate swindler who sets Serge’s heart aflutter. And while the course of true love is never smooth, things soon go wildly out of control with a lovesick Serge hilariously leading the way.
322 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2005
201 people are currently reading
1184 people want to read
About the author
Tim Dorsey
36 books1,651 followersTim Dorsey was born in Indiana, moved to Florida at the age of 1, and grew up in a small town about an hour north of Miami called Riviera Beach. He graduated from Auburn University in 1983. While at Auburn, he was editor of the student newspaper, The Plainsman.
From 1983 to 1987, he was a police and courts reporter for The Alabama Journal, the now-defunct evening newspaper in Montgomery. He joined The Tampa Tribune in 1987 as a general assignment reporter. He also worked as a political reporter in the Tribune’s Tallahassee bureau and a copy desk editor. From 1994 to 1999, he was the Tribune’s night metro editor. He left the paper in August 1999 to write full time.
From 1983 to 1987, he was a police and courts reporter for The Alabama Journal, the now-defunct evening newspaper in Montgomery. He joined The Tampa Tribune in 1987 as a general assignment reporter. He also worked as a political reporter in the Tribune’s Tallahassee bureau and a copy desk editor. From 1994 to 1999, he was the Tribune’s night metro editor. He left the paper in August 1999 to write full time.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 203 reviews
March 15, 2019
His best friend is back and he's getting married! What can go wrong??
Meet Coleman. Serge's best friend. He's the most chilled guy you'd ever meet...and there is just about nothing he won't try as a drug. No, you don't have the full picture here: If you go to a Rockstar party, very late at night, Coleman would be the guy who out-drugs both Ozzy and Keith Richards...
In fact, Coleman is the friend that your wife/girlfriend will NEVER accept!
But he used to be dead, right?
No, the narrator will explain it in the beginning of the book. Kind of. When Serge points out that his return is like some bad writing in a soap opera, Coleman will point out: "That's television. This is real life."
Meet Serge. All round great guy. Fountain of knowledge about all things Florida. Giant ball of energy. Semi-genius. Friend to all...almost. Certifiably insane. Until he goes off his meds...
You can't really judge a guy by a few spree killings, can you? Especially if his heart is in the right place...
Let's put it this way:
If you need to picture Serge, think of Jim Carey, hanging upside down, throat cut, all the blood caught in a giant bowl, mixed with three Red Bulls. Now, give that bowl to Robin Williams to drink, wait five minutes, and TA-DA...there's just a glimpse of what I'm talking about.
Meet .... (the bride to be),
Serge might sense a soul-mate, but he has no idea what married life will be like. He's about to meet the kind of crazy his crazy can't even begin to understand, especially when it comes to the guest towels!!!. Not to mention his friendship with Coleman...
Meet the serial killer. Will Serge be the next victim?
Oh, yes, nearly forgot about him becoming an unwilling cult leader...
-----------------------------------------
What can I say? This guy makes me laugh my ass off, every single time!
Recommended to everybody who likes...well, this kind of humor.
Meet Coleman. Serge's best friend. He's the most chilled guy you'd ever meet...and there is just about nothing he won't try as a drug. No, you don't have the full picture here: If you go to a Rockstar party, very late at night, Coleman would be the guy who out-drugs both Ozzy and Keith Richards...
In fact, Coleman is the friend that your wife/girlfriend will NEVER accept!
But he used to be dead, right?
No, the narrator will explain it in the beginning of the book. Kind of. When Serge points out that his return is like some bad writing in a soap opera, Coleman will point out: "That's television. This is real life."
Meet Serge. All round great guy. Fountain of knowledge about all things Florida. Giant ball of energy. Semi-genius. Friend to all...almost. Certifiably insane. Until he goes off his meds...
You can't really judge a guy by a few spree killings, can you? Especially if his heart is in the right place...
Let's put it this way:
If you need to picture Serge, think of Jim Carey, hanging upside down, throat cut, all the blood caught in a giant bowl, mixed with three Red Bulls. Now, give that bowl to Robin Williams to drink, wait five minutes, and TA-DA...there's just a glimpse of what I'm talking about.
Meet .... (the bride to be),
Serge might sense a soul-mate, but he has no idea what married life will be like. He's about to meet the kind of crazy his crazy can't even begin to understand, especially when it comes to the guest towels!!!. Not to mention his friendship with Coleman...
Meet the serial killer. Will Serge be the next victim?
Oh, yes, nearly forgot about him becoming an unwilling cult leader...
-----------------------------------------
What can I say? This guy makes me laugh my ass off, every single time!
Recommended to everybody who likes...well, this kind of humor.
December 20, 2015
Another hilarious chapter in the life of Serge Storms by Tim Dorsey! If you like Hiaasen and Levine, you will enjoy Tim Dorsey. Entertaining from start to finish.
February 28, 2021
Another madcap romp with our serial killer/Floridaphile Serge Storms, this time through the Keys...Where the mottos are : "Nobody in the Keys is who they seem." and "Reinvent yourself"...Like a good soap opera, we also have the return of Coleman, who was killed off in "Florida Roadkill"...Marriage, a murderous drug lord, a great Keys' tavern and an evil developer all lead to another Dorsey screwball, comedy winner...Good Stuff!!!
July 29, 2023
This series is absolutely ridiculous, which is the point. I have no idea why I enjoy them so much because Serge and Coleman would drive me batshit crazy if I had to deal with them in person. However the stories are amusing from a distance and it’s a good break from some of the more serious and/or darker stuff I tend to read.
October 2, 2017
More mayhem and insanity as we follow the exploits of Serge Storms through Key West. There really is no strong plot to this one, other than a series of sub-stories and characters that are on a path towards the inevitable collision that marks Dorsey's works. The theme seems to be that the Keys are even more off the hook than mainland Florida; a place where no one is who they seem to be, or once were, and a place where one can go and reinvent themselves. No surprise that Serge feels right at home. As with most of Dorsey's novels, there is more than just the mayhem and sophomoric humor on the surface. Dorsey seems to have a cynical eye towards modern Florida and a nostalgic reverence for the 'old days' of Florida, and channels his feelings through the imbalanced spree killer/vigilante/Florida historian Serge. He does his research, and knows Florida like the back of his hand. After I read it, I googled some of the locations in the book and they are just as I pictured them to be. Thumbs up just for that. Hilarious, escapist fiction. Perfect for plane rides and pool sides.
March 3, 2011
What will DOrsey come up with Next? I am in Love with these books ans Serges memorys of Florida gone by.
August 30, 2017
I'd say Serge is unlikely to try marriage again.
July 19, 2009
If you're a Tim Dorsey fan, you probably won't be disappointed by "Torpedo Juice". I am a fan, and I didn't find this one nearly as amusing as some of his other efforts. Like most of his other books, this one's hijinks revolves around Serge Storms, Dorsey's Floridaphile/mass "murderer" ("murderer" clearly is used tongue in cheek, as the people he offs generally deserve their fate). He uses a slightly different style in this one to forward the plot along, with mixed results. He tells the story in a kind of "real time", which helps in following the labyrinthine story lines; the problem was that he really didn't have much of a story to follow in this one. The biggest (and strangest) developments to occur was the re-introduction of one of Serge's friends who was killed off in one of Dorsey's earlier novels; another is Serge's search for a wife. The rest of the book is kinda just thriller filler around these two events. Again, this is a must read if you're a real fan, but you might want to give it a pass if you are not familiar with Dorsey's work. Start with any of his other novels first.
December 15, 2016
This series is great for when you want to check out of your life and into the nut house that is Serge Storm's life.
Another hilarious book from Tim Dorsey. ☺
Spoiler alert: Tornado Juice is a drink - 1 part grain alcohol and 3 parts Red Bull
Another hilarious book from Tim Dorsey. ☺
Spoiler alert: Tornado Juice is a drink - 1 part grain alcohol and 3 parts Red Bull
January 3, 2016
Less slapstick with more plot twists than accustomed to. 6 of 10 stars
August 22, 2017
Just started this book only to discover I've already read it!! Missed getting it on both of my lists but I'm sure I loved it!!
October 16, 2017
As always very entertaining and exciting to read, as all in series has been.
October 14, 2011
"This novel is a good follow-up from the last and takes place in the Florida Keys where Serge A. Storms goes to reinvent himself and what better way to reinvent oneself than to get married. That is right, this novel is about Serge finally wanting to tie the knot. However, just because he is getting hitched doesn't mean he is settling down. Not with all the slimeballs and other nasty things in Florida that needs to be killed off, it is high-time for Serge to start the killing again.
What I liked about this novel is that there is finally someone who is the equal to Serge in the form of his wife to be. In many ways, she outthinks and even outsmarts Serge and it makes it such an entertaining read to the point that this was one of the best books I have read in a long time. What I like the most is how the pursuit for cash comes back but in the form of three million in a way that nobody knows is shown until the very end - in which Serge's wife gets. Not to mention, Serge's wife is also a serial killer just like her husband so following the formula that you attract who you are.
I personally thought this book to be a very good read and more than delivered what was expected. A very excellent add to the series with Storms in it and such a different story to be telling it was like reading a brand new book to some extent."
What I liked about this novel is that there is finally someone who is the equal to Serge in the form of his wife to be. In many ways, she outthinks and even outsmarts Serge and it makes it such an entertaining read to the point that this was one of the best books I have read in a long time. What I like the most is how the pursuit for cash comes back but in the form of three million in a way that nobody knows is shown until the very end - in which Serge's wife gets. Not to mention, Serge's wife is also a serial killer just like her husband so following the formula that you attract who you are.
I personally thought this book to be a very good read and more than delivered what was expected. A very excellent add to the series with Storms in it and such a different story to be telling it was like reading a brand new book to some extent."
August 9, 2011
Serge is back and funnier than ever when he goes to the Florida Keys to reinvent himself. The motto: nobody in the Keys is who they seem. On a quest to improve himself, Serge goes to a community center full of twelve-step meetings and runs into his old buddy Coleman, whom he thought had been murdered. Coleman is drinking his way through an AA meeting when Serge finds him. Serge inadvertently gains a group of followers, people who are prone to join cults. He starts conducting weekly meetings. He also decides to get married, and picks out a shy wallflower who’s a tiger in bed. Soon, he’s having marital problems for using the wrong towels, and winds up in counseling.
Meanwhile, Anna, a woman in a green Trans Am, is on the run from some gangsters who want to kill her. She hooks up with her bartender friend Jerry, who works at the No Name Bar, where everyone goes. Anna’s on the run from the guys in the white Mercedes with tinted windows. There’s also someone in a brown Plymouth Duster with Ohio plates who keeps trying to kill Serge. Rich loudmouth Gaskin Fussels, a weekend resident, rounds out the fun.
By the time it’s all said and done, no one is who they seem, and I was holding my sides with laughter. The only thing wrong with Tim Dorsey is that he doesn’t publish a book every month.
Meanwhile, Anna, a woman in a green Trans Am, is on the run from some gangsters who want to kill her. She hooks up with her bartender friend Jerry, who works at the No Name Bar, where everyone goes. Anna’s on the run from the guys in the white Mercedes with tinted windows. There’s also someone in a brown Plymouth Duster with Ohio plates who keeps trying to kill Serge. Rich loudmouth Gaskin Fussels, a weekend resident, rounds out the fun.
By the time it’s all said and done, no one is who they seem, and I was holding my sides with laughter. The only thing wrong with Tim Dorsey is that he doesn’t publish a book every month.
March 10, 2008
When I dove into this story I found myself tumbling in waves of confusion. I'm still not certain what the beginning of the book had to do with anything, but the deeper I went, the more amused I become. Dorsey's characters are lively and indeed addictive. The story itself is a bit awkward, but by the time I got to the end, I was not at all disappointed.
When our leading man, Serge decides he's getting married, the fact that he has no woman in his life is a minor techincality. There are ups and there are downs. There is romance and there is Coleman...oy Coleman. And Dorsey's fans won't be at all surpised by the level of murder and mayhem.
Serge's unique personality traits carry the readers through the story--more than the plot--but Dorsey's talent as a writer offers paydirt when almost everything is cleared up in a zinger of an ending.
When our leading man, Serge decides he's getting married, the fact that he has no woman in his life is a minor techincality. There are ups and there are downs. There is romance and there is Coleman...oy Coleman. And Dorsey's fans won't be at all surpised by the level of murder and mayhem.
Serge's unique personality traits carry the readers through the story--more than the plot--but Dorsey's talent as a writer offers paydirt when almost everything is cleared up in a zinger of an ending.
February 4, 2016
I have read 12 of Time Dorsey's novels, unfortunately I started at the end because my Library was limited. Than I found Audible, ClickDigital and Hoopla. So after finishing this book, Torpedo Juice the middle book and I will start Florida Road Kill, the first book next and work my way through the first 6 books, before getting the newest book Coconut Cowboy. Why did I tell you all this, so you will start with the first book, Florida Roadkill :) Yes the newer books are better, and yes you can enjoy them without the back stories, but really you need the back stories. As for Torpedo Juice, it was another fun ride through the Keys, Coleman, Serge and a cast of Characters that will make you smile. Very much enjoyed this book.
December 4, 2014
Serge is CrAzY!
Coleman is NuTz!
I read it naked!
Coleman is NuTz!
I read it naked!
May 19, 2021
Another hilarious episode in the Serge Storms saga. If you are easily offended, you may want to pass on these. If you like a well written, madcap group of characters, offbeat craziness, then you will love these books. This in book 7 in the series, and they are all great.
October 15, 2009
OK, it's a long, long time since I was a teenage undergrad and that really showed when I was reading this book. The humour is on the Bill and Ted's Bogus whatever level - unfunny to the point of being really, really irritating. Not recommended for anyone whose brain has passed puberty successfully. The plot (such as it is) takes 3/4 of the book to develop anywhere and never much gets beyond a series of farcical, fairly unconnected (until the end) events.
The really sad thing is that this guy can actually write, or could if he had the balls to try something less puerile. There are flashes of brilliance (and great affection) in his perceptive and sometimes beautiful descriptions of the Keys and their inhabitants (human and non-human). When I bother to pay attention to his use of dialogue it too has remarkable inventiveness and creativity.
So, how about it, Tim? When are you going to write a book for people whose brains are not solely focused on abysmal sex, theatrically contrived violence, smutty gags and stupid one-liners?
The really sad thing is that this guy can actually write, or could if he had the balls to try something less puerile. There are flashes of brilliance (and great affection) in his perceptive and sometimes beautiful descriptions of the Keys and their inhabitants (human and non-human). When I bother to pay attention to his use of dialogue it too has remarkable inventiveness and creativity.
So, how about it, Tim? When are you going to write a book for people whose brains are not solely focused on abysmal sex, theatrically contrived violence, smutty gags and stupid one-liners?
July 21, 2017
This is more humorous than the other Serge Storms books I've read, with interesting preface and even notes on the type used. The story, too has enough twists to keep things interesting.
Replete with as wide a field of wacky characters as in any book I've read the plot nonetheless holds together and moves well.
The one small thing I would criticize is the relative paucity of historic/cultural references. There are a few but others I've read have more of them and are more extensive when they're referenced. There are several mentions without expansion; it would have been nice to hear more.
But that's being very picky. It's a good, quick, enjoyable read. So humorous I read part of it aloud to my wife and shared it with a good friend (who now will also read this series.)
A good read.
Replete with as wide a field of wacky characters as in any book I've read the plot nonetheless holds together and moves well.
The one small thing I would criticize is the relative paucity of historic/cultural references. There are a few but others I've read have more of them and are more extensive when they're referenced. There are several mentions without expansion; it would have been nice to hear more.
But that's being very picky. It's a good, quick, enjoyable read. So humorous I read part of it aloud to my wife and shared it with a good friend (who now will also read this series.)
A good read.
February 26, 2011
Number seven in the ongoing adventures of Serge A. Storms and his events through Florida, this time in the Keys, what with his sudden urge to marry, miniature deer, a greedy land developer, weird themed weddings, and other such things.
For the longer review, please go here:
http://www.epinions.com/review/Torped...
For the longer review, please go here:
http://www.epinions.com/review/Torped...
September 15, 2014
Torpedo Juice by Tim Dorsey - I've given this book five stars because....well, it's Tim Dorsey. I didn't find it quite as funny as some of his others, but still a great book. Coleman's back, which is awesome, however rediculously it happened.This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 20, 2013
Overall, this is about a 3.75 out of 5. Tim Dorsey takes Serge on a bit of a different tale...it works, but it is different. As usual there are parts that make you snort and laugh until you cry, while other parts will make some blush or close the book. While there are better Serge Storms tales, this one is not a bad read, just a different one.
September 9, 2017
Another fun romp with Serge, and Coleman is back. This time most of the action is in the Keys. Not as brutal as some in the series, but I laughed out loud as our lovable psycho suddenly has to deal with wedded bliss. Or is it? Not the strongest volume in the series, but I don't care. They are all fun.
July 10, 2018
The seventh book in the Serge A. Storms series by Tim Dorsey. Serge loves history, trivia, and the state of Florida. He's also a psychopath. A wild and fast-paced story with interesting characters, violence, and humor.
August 1, 2012
Tim Dorsey? Check! Serge A. Storms series? Check! Okay, so you know the book is a laugh-a-minute thrill ride.
This time around Serge experiences "love at first sight" - that should be enough to get you reading. Recommended.
This time around Serge experiences "love at first sight" - that should be enough to get you reading. Recommended.
April 1, 2015
Wow! Serge finally finds peace in settling down, getting married and living the good life. Or does he? The tables are turned on Serge and Coleman as the hunters become the hunted, but will they slow down enough to notice? Quite a different tale than in the past but an enjoyable read.
May 9, 2017
Serge Married!
Headline says it all - Dorsey takes you on a wild ride that has Serge getting hitched and the commentary is priceless - guest towels? Typical Serge Storms - disjointed story all over the place that will keep you laughing and intrigued.
Headline says it all - Dorsey takes you on a wild ride that has Serge getting hitched and the commentary is priceless - guest towels? Typical Serge Storms - disjointed story all over the place that will keep you laughing and intrigued.
November 3, 2018
Goofiest characters imaginable!
Tim Dorsey is truly genius. In the middle of a paragraph, a sentence, , totally unrelated to anything else: "A drunk on a bicycle ran into a garbage can in front of the library."
Tim Dorsey is truly genius. In the middle of a paragraph, a sentence, , totally unrelated to anything else: "A drunk on a bicycle ran into a garbage can in front of the library."
March 28, 2009
More classic Tim Dorsey. Nice twists at the end of the book. I'm hoping that some of the characters from this book show up in future Dorsey books.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 203 reviews