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Boom, Boom, Boom
2022 RPLA GOLD for Satire
Hello, Boomers!
Meet Ukraine's most popular explosives channel, JananananaXD!
Jan Bagan is a Ukrainian YouTuber living in the small, rural town of Nide, which leans against the Russian border. Though he stocks shelves at the only local grocery store at night, his true love is all things combustible. Explosive experiments fuel his modest YouTube channel where his only goal is to make art in the sky. Without any sort of classical training, he uses his senses to recognize and mix the chemicals to reach a satisfying ending.
Though few in his hometown understand his passion, Jan's life changes when a couple of mysterious sponsors appear at his door. With a box of military-grade explosives and the confidence of these foreigners, Jan's channel is about to blow up like never before.
[This book was written in Summer of 2021 and has nothing to do with any current events.]
Hello, Boomers!
Meet Ukraine's most popular explosives channel, JananananaXD!
Jan Bagan is a Ukrainian YouTuber living in the small, rural town of Nide, which leans against the Russian border. Though he stocks shelves at the only local grocery store at night, his true love is all things combustible. Explosive experiments fuel his modest YouTube channel where his only goal is to make art in the sky. Without any sort of classical training, he uses his senses to recognize and mix the chemicals to reach a satisfying ending.
Though few in his hometown understand his passion, Jan's life changes when a couple of mysterious sponsors appear at his door. With a box of military-grade explosives and the confidence of these foreigners, Jan's channel is about to blow up like never before.
[This book was written in Summer of 2021 and has nothing to do with any current events.]
- GenresSatire
310 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2022
1 person is currently reading
19 people want to read
About the author
Ian Kirkpatrick
10 books129 followersIan Kirkpatrick is an award-winning author and Majima stan.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
August 16, 2022
The world would be a better place if everyone listened to Jan’s mom.
Seriously, though, this book has heart. It’s like one of those movies you randomly catch on the TV on your day off and, even though it wasn’t in your plans, you stay till the end because you can feel the love that went into creating the thing. In case it isn’t clear, I had fun reading Boom, Boom, Boom and already I’m nostalgically fond of this book.
The story is about an eccentric kid named Jan who likes to create explosions. This passion of his gets him into international troubles, but he’s oblivious to it because he’s too pure for this world. Jan isn’t the only character that’s peculiar. Pretty much the entire cast is caricatured and ridiculous, but it works for a satire.
I suppose the suspension of disbelief this story requires at times might be an issue for some readers, but I can’t say anything really bothered me. There were some really convenient coincidences and chance encounters in the latter half of the book, but even those were easy to forgive on account of Jan deserving every bit of luck that’s out there. (Despite his nasty habits which I will not spoil!)
Anyway, this is now the third book that I’ve read from Ian, and it’s easily my favorite one. I heartily recommend it to anyone who wants to celebrate childlike innocence, mock the feds and warmongering governments, and have a chill time.
Salute!
Seriously, though, this book has heart. It’s like one of those movies you randomly catch on the TV on your day off and, even though it wasn’t in your plans, you stay till the end because you can feel the love that went into creating the thing. In case it isn’t clear, I had fun reading Boom, Boom, Boom and already I’m nostalgically fond of this book.
The story is about an eccentric kid named Jan who likes to create explosions. This passion of his gets him into international troubles, but he’s oblivious to it because he’s too pure for this world. Jan isn’t the only character that’s peculiar. Pretty much the entire cast is caricatured and ridiculous, but it works for a satire.
I suppose the suspension of disbelief this story requires at times might be an issue for some readers, but I can’t say anything really bothered me. There were some really convenient coincidences and chance encounters in the latter half of the book, but even those were easy to forgive on account of Jan deserving every bit of luck that’s out there. (Despite his nasty habits which I will not spoil!)
Anyway, this is now the third book that I’ve read from Ian, and it’s easily my favorite one. I heartily recommend it to anyone who wants to celebrate childlike innocence, mock the feds and warmongering governments, and have a chill time.
Salute!
January 12, 2023
Overall I enjoyed Boom, Boom, Boom. It was a quick and fun read.
Reading the first-person POV of a character as naive as Jan was a trip, to say the least. His innocence combined with his single-minded passion for his hobby (often to the exclusion of common sense) made him a fascinating character. I think the author did a masterful job of navigating the story from Jan's unique point of view, especially when the reader knows and/or understands things that Jan doesn't.
Being a mom, I wanted to tell Jan to keep his fingers out of his mouth for goodness sake!, but therein lies one of the defining traits of his character and talents, so...carry on.
Another defining trait is his love for his family. It's so deeply rooted that even throughout his bad decisions, his instinct of missing them never wavers. He seems to love people and the world in general--perhaps that's part of his naivete but it's also part of his charm.
The character of Aleks is a perfect foil to Jan. Despite their different personalities, it's apparent that their friendship runs deep. Aleks provides a needed bit of grounding among the chaos. There is a great sense of buildup to this character before he (somewhat serendipitously) appears in person--I like how that creates a nice payoff for the reader.
(EDIT: Previously I shared some lengthy thoughts about the character of Blake. I have edited this portion for brevity's sake.)
The character of Blake is very different from Jan, especially in how they relate to their families. After reading the book, I was left with many questions about Blake's background. I hope her character will be explored more in Book 2. I enjoyed Aleks's dry banter with her in this first book. Jan's fascination with her and his descriptions of her are downright adorable.
I'd recommend this book for readers who might like a contemporary, slightly absurdist(?) satire of meddling government. The story and especially the main character are unique (in a good way) and the writing is smooth.
Reading the first-person POV of a character as naive as Jan was a trip, to say the least. His innocence combined with his single-minded passion for his hobby (often to the exclusion of common sense) made him a fascinating character. I think the author did a masterful job of navigating the story from Jan's unique point of view, especially when the reader knows and/or understands things that Jan doesn't.
Being a mom, I wanted to tell Jan to keep his fingers out of his mouth for goodness sake!, but therein lies one of the defining traits of his character and talents, so...carry on.
Another defining trait is his love for his family. It's so deeply rooted that even throughout his bad decisions, his instinct of missing them never wavers. He seems to love people and the world in general--perhaps that's part of his naivete but it's also part of his charm.
The character of Aleks is a perfect foil to Jan. Despite their different personalities, it's apparent that their friendship runs deep. Aleks provides a needed bit of grounding among the chaos. There is a great sense of buildup to this character before he (somewhat serendipitously) appears in person--I like how that creates a nice payoff for the reader.
(EDIT: Previously I shared some lengthy thoughts about the character of Blake. I have edited this portion for brevity's sake.)
The character of Blake is very different from Jan, especially in how they relate to their families. After reading the book, I was left with many questions about Blake's background. I hope her character will be explored more in Book 2. I enjoyed Aleks's dry banter with her in this first book. Jan's fascination with her and his descriptions of her are downright adorable.
I'd recommend this book for readers who might like a contemporary, slightly absurdist(?) satire of meddling government. The story and especially the main character are unique (in a good way) and the writing is smooth.
April 9, 2024
3.6
Jan (pronounced “Yan”) lives in the middle of nowhere Ukraine and makes bombs for his YouTube channel until he detonates a particularly large one that catches the attention of all of the local powers. Young, excessively naive, and aspiring to show the world the beauty of fiery explosions, Jan doesn’t think anything of what his actions might provoke in the governments he cannot escape living under no matter how hard he tries to pretend they mean no harm. He wants to live in a world where people are just people, but the world has other plans for him as a homegrown “bomb manufacturing domestic terrorist”.
After easily being lured into a scam by the American federal government with the promise of fame and fortune, he leaps directly into the hands of his manipulators and leaves Ukraine. Only once it’s too late does he realize he’s been tricked and has to find a way home.
This is a very satirical story that mostly focuses on governmental politics between Russia, Ukraine, and America, so make sure your expectations are set for overblown stereotypes and general political jabs.
I don’t normally read satire, so this book is not really up my alley, but with that said, I did enjoy it for what it was. It’s not easy for me to finish a satirical novel, so the fact that this one kept me through to the end is a sign of its entertainment value. It’s simple, straightforward, and doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s a light, mostly upbeat narrative given that it’s told through Jan’s POV, who is himself a very airy and naively optimistic character. If you enjoy poking at the absurdity of world governments and their routine brands of BS, you’ll probably like BBB.
And on the off chance that there’s anyone left still wondering: No, this book was not written to profit from the Russia/Ukraine war. It was written before the initial attacks began (I read snippets and was present for story discussions many months prior to the attacks), and was simply completed with some bad luck timing. Don’t let ongoing political spats and timing ruin this book for you (even though it brushes over many hot issues), it deserves better than that. The book might be a political satire, but Jan is just a kid that likes things that go boom.
———————————— Spoiler Section ————————————
Favorite Scene:
Maybe I’m just cruel, but I enjoy the moments when naive characters are finally faced with reality and forced to cope with what they tried to run from. There are two good examples of this in Jan’s case. The first is when the Russians are all over town and he’s trying to use American chemicals to set off a huge bomb — and then succeeds. He put himself and his country in grave danger by leaving a crater in the ground and being cut/burned/concussed by the explosion. Actions have consequences; stupidity, punishments.
The second is when he’s been stuck in a “hotel” for weeks on end and finally loses it in the face of his obvious imprisonment. He’s a very stubborn character, so it takes him forever to finally accept he was wrong and flee.
Thoughts:
It was weird to me that Jan so easily let go of his stubbornness in believing that the federal agents were filming agents. It’s the only part of the story that felt disjointed and glossed over given that he was in so deep in this self delusion. I get that this is comedic and satire, but still. He bought Blake’s explanation very easily. It feels like there should have been more mental displacement and time spent reorienting to the new reality he found himself in than there was.
Jan (pronounced “Yan”) lives in the middle of nowhere Ukraine and makes bombs for his YouTube channel until he detonates a particularly large one that catches the attention of all of the local powers. Young, excessively naive, and aspiring to show the world the beauty of fiery explosions, Jan doesn’t think anything of what his actions might provoke in the governments he cannot escape living under no matter how hard he tries to pretend they mean no harm. He wants to live in a world where people are just people, but the world has other plans for him as a homegrown “bomb manufacturing domestic terrorist”.
After easily being lured into a scam by the American federal government with the promise of fame and fortune, he leaps directly into the hands of his manipulators and leaves Ukraine. Only once it’s too late does he realize he’s been tricked and has to find a way home.
This is a very satirical story that mostly focuses on governmental politics between Russia, Ukraine, and America, so make sure your expectations are set for overblown stereotypes and general political jabs.
I don’t normally read satire, so this book is not really up my alley, but with that said, I did enjoy it for what it was. It’s not easy for me to finish a satirical novel, so the fact that this one kept me through to the end is a sign of its entertainment value. It’s simple, straightforward, and doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s a light, mostly upbeat narrative given that it’s told through Jan’s POV, who is himself a very airy and naively optimistic character. If you enjoy poking at the absurdity of world governments and their routine brands of BS, you’ll probably like BBB.
And on the off chance that there’s anyone left still wondering: No, this book was not written to profit from the Russia/Ukraine war. It was written before the initial attacks began (I read snippets and was present for story discussions many months prior to the attacks), and was simply completed with some bad luck timing. Don’t let ongoing political spats and timing ruin this book for you (even though it brushes over many hot issues), it deserves better than that. The book might be a political satire, but Jan is just a kid that likes things that go boom.
———————————— Spoiler Section ————————————
Favorite Scene:
Maybe I’m just cruel, but I enjoy the moments when naive characters are finally faced with reality and forced to cope with what they tried to run from. There are two good examples of this in Jan’s case. The first is when the Russians are all over town and he’s trying to use American chemicals to set off a huge bomb — and then succeeds. He put himself and his country in grave danger by leaving a crater in the ground and being cut/burned/concussed by the explosion. Actions have consequences; stupidity, punishments.
The second is when he’s been stuck in a “hotel” for weeks on end and finally loses it in the face of his obvious imprisonment. He’s a very stubborn character, so it takes him forever to finally accept he was wrong and flee.
Thoughts:
It was weird to me that Jan so easily let go of his stubbornness in believing that the federal agents were filming agents. It’s the only part of the story that felt disjointed and glossed over given that he was in so deep in this self delusion. I get that this is comedic and satire, but still. He bought Blake’s explanation very easily. It feels like there should have been more mental displacement and time spent reorienting to the new reality he found himself in than there was.
April 7, 2022
Jan Bagan is young, lonely, and has a dead end job stocking shelves in the small Ukrainian village of Nide. But he does have a gift. He can concoct beautiful, loud explosions, which he records on YouTube for a handful of subscribers. American security agents whisk him away to Washington, DC, where they intend to use his gift for their own geo-political purposes. Fortunately Jan's good friend Aleks comes to the rescue. And then there's the American girl with blue hair who catches Jan's eye, and his heart....
This novel has the feel of a light hearted YA novel, minus the dangerous chemicals. The main character, Jan, is incredibly naïve but likeable; boy does indeed get girl in the end. But it lacks any real dramatic tension and isn't a satire. There are some intriguing descriptions of Jan's taste (literally) for chemicals. Jan's yearning for companionship is also well described. But, while the set up is interesting, the novel fails to deliver. I read it hoping to learn more about Ukraine, which I didn't. The relationships between the Russian characters and Jan and his friends is problematic, given the current war. If I had had bigger expectations of the book, I would have been disappointed. Thank you to the publishers and BookSirens for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This novel has the feel of a light hearted YA novel, minus the dangerous chemicals. The main character, Jan, is incredibly naïve but likeable; boy does indeed get girl in the end. But it lacks any real dramatic tension and isn't a satire. There are some intriguing descriptions of Jan's taste (literally) for chemicals. Jan's yearning for companionship is also well described. But, while the set up is interesting, the novel fails to deliver. I read it hoping to learn more about Ukraine, which I didn't. The relationships between the Russian characters and Jan and his friends is problematic, given the current war. If I had had bigger expectations of the book, I would have been disappointed. Thank you to the publishers and BookSirens for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 5, 2026
This is an interesting satire that doesn't take itself too seriously. I love the characters, especially the over-the-top, clueless protagonist, Jan. The plot is a strange mish-mash of political and social commentary that is amusing as long as you are not expecting a realistic take on the tensions between Russia and Ukraine.
I wish the author took a bit more time in portraying the details of Jan's daily life because I had a difficult time envisioning Ukraine in a way that seemed realistic or authentic. However, after reading the book through, I can appreciate the author's lighthearted tone and their willingness to take a chance with this kind of approach to a type of subject matter that normally demands a high-degree of seriousness.
If you are in the mood to poke fun of the modern social media phenomenon and can deal with a plot that minimizes a realistic portrayal of the tragedies and complexities of the Russo-Ukrainian conflict, then I highly recommend this book. If there is a chance this kind of portrayal might be triggering or offensive to you, I suggest that you give this a pass and read one of Kirkpatrick's other books instead.
Please note that I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Ian Kirkpatrick is one of my favorite indie authors. I highly recommend any of this writer's books.
I wish the author took a bit more time in portraying the details of Jan's daily life because I had a difficult time envisioning Ukraine in a way that seemed realistic or authentic. However, after reading the book through, I can appreciate the author's lighthearted tone and their willingness to take a chance with this kind of approach to a type of subject matter that normally demands a high-degree of seriousness.
If you are in the mood to poke fun of the modern social media phenomenon and can deal with a plot that minimizes a realistic portrayal of the tragedies and complexities of the Russo-Ukrainian conflict, then I highly recommend this book. If there is a chance this kind of portrayal might be triggering or offensive to you, I suggest that you give this a pass and read one of Kirkpatrick's other books instead.
Please note that I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Ian Kirkpatrick is one of my favorite indie authors. I highly recommend any of this writer's books.
March 2, 2022
Wow. That was wild. I don't know what I was expecting going into this. The federal agents were hilariously bad and Jan was just... the kind of character you want to care about. He's not really smart, but he's really passionate.
This book is about, Jan, a Ukrainian Youtuber who is visited one day by a couple of Americans acting as sponsors. They give him explosives because he runs an experimental, explosives channel on YouTube. There's something off about the sponsors though. They've got weird signaling, matching glasses, straw hats, and they're wearing Hawaiian shirts without jackets in snowy Ukraine! Jan takes the explosives, makes something so big it alerts his neighbors, the Russians, and all Hell breaks loose.
This is a political satire that pokes more fun at the federal government than anything.
I only wish the love interest had been brought in sooner, because once she hit the page, the book just flew by so fast. She's a firecracker. I could also see her getting with someone else in the story if it doesn't work out with Jan.
This book is about, Jan, a Ukrainian Youtuber who is visited one day by a couple of Americans acting as sponsors. They give him explosives because he runs an experimental, explosives channel on YouTube. There's something off about the sponsors though. They've got weird signaling, matching glasses, straw hats, and they're wearing Hawaiian shirts without jackets in snowy Ukraine! Jan takes the explosives, makes something so big it alerts his neighbors, the Russians, and all Hell breaks loose.
This is a political satire that pokes more fun at the federal government than anything.
I only wish the love interest had been brought in sooner, because once she hit the page, the book just flew by so fast. She's a firecracker. I could also see her getting with someone else in the story if it doesn't work out with Jan.
November 15, 2024
I didn't know what to expect when I read this crazy thing. I subbed to Ian's Youtube so I said fuggit I'll check out her work.
I was pleasantly surprised tho.
Jan is a real go getter. An explosion lover who taught me that we are always surrounded by a plethora of combustible materials. His journey from a tiny vlogger to a government sanctioned scapegoat is very unique and jarring at times. I liked Ian's 1st person narrative and could easily see this book becoming a straight up saga with at least 3 books.
Didn't like the middle section a lot to be honest it kinda dragged... but it picked up again around the end. No spoilers, read it for ya self yo.
All in all I really dug it.
HELLO BOOMERS!
(Full disclosure, I listened to the full audiobook after reading the sample on amazon and liked it better because Ian's voice is awesome. Highly recommend checking it out that way.)
I was pleasantly surprised tho.
Jan is a real go getter. An explosion lover who taught me that we are always surrounded by a plethora of combustible materials. His journey from a tiny vlogger to a government sanctioned scapegoat is very unique and jarring at times. I liked Ian's 1st person narrative and could easily see this book becoming a straight up saga with at least 3 books.
Didn't like the middle section a lot to be honest it kinda dragged... but it picked up again around the end. No spoilers, read it for ya self yo.
All in all I really dug it.
HELLO BOOMERS!
(Full disclosure, I listened to the full audiobook after reading the sample on amazon and liked it better because Ian's voice is awesome. Highly recommend checking it out that way.)
April 7, 2024
This was an utter delight to read. I really enjoyed the first person perspective of Jan, and I think this tale would not have been the same through anyone else's eyes. I appreciate a good relatable weirdo, and he is definitely that. He has a strong and endearing voice that's very well written. It helped to offset some of the things that made me tilt my head, like some of the coincidences (which seemed a bit much even for such a crazy world), and the pacing towards the middle and end, which could have been just a difference in personal preference. Overall it was a very fun story with good themes and a protagonist I almost instantly loved, and there's not too many stories I've read recently about which I could say the same. I'm looking forward to checking out the author's other works.
4.5 Stars, rounded up for firestarting shenanigans
4.5 Stars, rounded up for firestarting shenanigans
December 24, 2023
I did a full, in-depth review of this book on Youtube:
Full Review: Boom Boom Boom
I really liked the character of Jan. I found his sort of "country wisdom" very sweet, and it made him incredibly endearing. I also really enjoyed the intentionally over-the-top way both the CIA agents and the operations of the capitol were portrayed.
I understand that humour is subjective and not everybody laughs at the same things, but if you like books that poke fun at things other people might take a little too seriously, this might be the book for you.
Full Review: Boom Boom Boom
I really liked the character of Jan. I found his sort of "country wisdom" very sweet, and it made him incredibly endearing. I also really enjoyed the intentionally over-the-top way both the CIA agents and the operations of the capitol were portrayed.
I understand that humour is subjective and not everybody laughs at the same things, but if you like books that poke fun at things other people might take a little too seriously, this might be the book for you.
March 17, 2022
This book was well written with a engaging and often hilarious storyline and relatable, well developed characters. I read this book really wuickly I couldn't put it doqwn and I fell in love with Jan.
This book reminded me of animal farm in its form and satire but aimed at the federal goverment rather than a regime. I really liked it.
This book reminded me of animal farm in its form and satire but aimed at the federal goverment rather than a regime. I really liked it.
March 1, 2022
To be constructive, I wonder if this book would have been more appealing/interesting in graphic novel format (like a bande dessinée or Japanese anime style)? Regrettably I can find nothing more positive to say about this book.
February 15, 2023
I really like the main character who seems to succeed in spite of himself at times. The middle was a little odd but I think it worked for what the author was going for, and I had fun throughout, and any book that makes fun of the feds gets extra points in my book. Would recommend.
December 17, 2022
Easy, fun, quick.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews