Jack Fish

by J. Milligan

“A comedic noir [that] brims throughout with hyperspecific detail and hipster patois. . . . I was, uh, fairly hooked.”—Henry Alford, The New York Times Book Review

“Zany, bouncy, endlessly droll. . . . Through the eyes of a true foreigner New York seems more grimy, eccentric, and alive than ever.”— Publishers Weekly

“Greatly entertaining.”— San Francisco Chronicle

“A pure pleasure.”— Booklist

“A breezy romp through downtown’s metrosexual underbelly.”— The Village Voice

“A wild ride through a groovy new novelist’s imagination.”—James Ellroy

“An astonishing literary debut. . . . No doubt about it, Jack Fish will blow you out of the water.”—Eric Garcia

“Hard-boiled yet comedic, realistic yet absurd— Jack Fish is a noir story told in technicolor. It also puts in time as a real love letter to New York City. J Milligan is a great new writer, and this is a great new book.”—Jonathan Ames

Somewhere off Coney Island, paddling through the seaweed and Styrofoam, is secret agent Jack Fish. As an operative of the Elders of Atlantis, he is to locate their enemy and spear him.

Staggering out of the water, Jack begins his odyssey into the strange city of New York. He’s concerned about adjusting, but he discovers the Topworld is teeming with air-breathers who seem as alien as he feels. (“You’re from Atlanta?”) If he can make it here, he can make it anywhere.

Jack Fish is just another dude from out of town, hanging out at the Mermaid Diner, scratching the webbing between his toes.

Genres: Fiction, Fantasy, Science Fiction

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

Reviews

[Monica McLovin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite funny. Wanted a goofy, lighthearted book in between reads and this was a good break. Had the personality of a Van Wilder movie. Like a frat boy, who was also an English major, wrote it. I enjoyed it, but the absolute unnecessary use of slurs took away so much from the book... It's like the author was forcing a moment for himself to use those words. They added nothing to the story or humor (obviously). Sure this book is now 20 years old but urgrhhdltllt~ skin crawling. Guess it gives the same ick as watching a van wilder movie now. Anyyywaaays. Fun and ridiculous, but unfortunate.

[Myke Edwards · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this up a few years back and plowed through it when I reading 2 books a week. Quick and fun, there were parts when I had to set the book down I was laughing so hard (the man in the bar, for starters). Action was fast paced and exciting, despite it being hard to believe there was a high speed chase through NYC.
Book would get 4 stars if the ending wasn't so rushed and actually had a denouement. Since it was an ARC I snatched from the reject bin at the used book warehouse I was working in at the time, I thought it was an unfinished copy. Nope, it "ended" without an ending, and worst of all, no sequel. Seriously, 20 more pages would have done it, but alas, not all of us can get the book endings we deserve.

[H R Koelling · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was a very funny and well written book. I thoroughly enjoyed it, up until the dramatic finale in the penultimate chapter. I thought the big scene that finished the book was a little rushed, overly descriptive and a little hard to follow. And I wish I wasn't saying this because I thought the rest of the book had a great arc to the plot. Everything just happened so suddenly at the end that it felt like the author just wanted to end his book; I believe this is also the longest chapter in the book.

Otherwise, the protagonist is a funny character, as are many of the other characters in the book. The situations he finds himself in are pretty hilarious at times, too.

I also think the author is a very talented writer. I was impressed by some of the metaphors, similes and other turns of phrase that he used.

If you want to read a entertaining book that will give you a few laughs, then I recommend this book to the Christopher Moore crowd. He reminds me a little bit more of Bill Fitzhugh, which still follows in the vein of humorous fiction.

[Dave · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although this is noir in the same way that Wallace and Grommet's The Wrong Trousers is cinema noir, you have to like and know the genre to get the tongue in cheek tweaking Milligan serves up. He plays with the conventions in a funny story about a secret agent assassin from Atlantis on his first mission "Topside" and uses the back story to talk about transformation, personal risk and choice. It's also a book about New York City, written, it seems at times, for New Yorkers. There were some sideways NYC jokes that this uncool Midwesterner definitely did not get. Fun book all in all.

[Tana · Rating 4 out of 5]

An awesome romp through nautical New York, Jack Fish is a secret agent from Atlantis who explores the seedy "Overworld" of New York in the early 2000s. Great descriptions of Brooklyn, architecture firms and the Jersey Shore.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

this book is not unlike tom robbins with a poor-man's lobotomy: a snaptastic account of generation y, wanna-be import with a winding plot of assassination, secrets left unsaid, and moving-life (as opposed to still-life) imagery in new york city. i didn't not enjoy it, but like ariel in the little mermaid (isn't that just so aquatically appropriate!), 'i want more.'
by the way, don't think you're getting away unnoticed with all the delany references, mr. milligan.
well-written. yes.

[C. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good idea, who wouldn't want to read a neo-noir, satire, about Atlantis actually existing and a secret war between ocean dwelling "humans" at Coney Island?

I just felt that the book might have been too long, and also a little too quick to reference everything NYC. But, still a really great idea.

[Brody · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book kinda sucked. At time it was HILARIOUS, but i got a little lost between the psuedo love story with NY, and all the allusions to Atlantis folk-lore. If you don't know much or anything about either of those, I think you'll share my sentiments.

[Rube · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don't give up early. It took a couple chapters to realize the style was all part of the joke. Well done.

[S]

Review from the Thought Lost List of Books to Read: "icky"

[Brian · Rating 2 out of 5]

A lot of nonsense, and not even all that funny.

[dylan \ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hilarious read. So serious and yet so glaringly ridiculous.

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

An amusing tale, but the climax was the set up for a sequel and not very satifying.