A curious story that includes deep philosophical musings.
Tommy Pharoni is approaching middle-age with about as much enthusiasm as a patient waiting to get a root canal. His job as a copywriter at an unremarkable ad agency is a stopgap until he can finish a quality screenplay. Inspiration ebbs and flows for any writer, but when a good friend’s body washes ashore in an apparent suicide, Tommy is motivated like never before to put pen to paper. A giant star explodes synchronically, portending great changes in the lives of Tommy and his close friends. The body of Harry Injurides is already yesterday’s news when a presumably resurrected Harry casually joins the group for a couple of beers. This auspicious meeting sets into motion a chain of events that will irrevocably alter how Tommy relates to the world, how he navigates personal relationships, and how he sees the universe. When you are party to a miracle, you can’t help but question everything in your life and the path you’re traveling. For Tommy, this means finally finishing that screenplay, falling in love, and even starting a new religion. But momentum and enthusiasm have a way of transforming good intentions into something unrecognizable.
Literary fiction with a sharp science-fiction flavor, Pharoni is a curious story that includes deep philosophical musings on pain, greed, idolatry, consumerism, and the grand illusion of power. Our ever-increasing dependence on technology is challenged and manipulated as intrusive software is developed that causes users to feel pain. Combined with bizarre and unpredictable plotting, Pharoni is a novel that really stands out through its intense and thorough character development. One subtly dominating character wisely noted, “People need a lot of caring for. They are vulnerable, neurotic, full of fears.” Colin Dodds gives these players enough attention and care to make a lasting impression on readers. Completely fresh and utterly surprising, Pharoni is an off-the-wall novel that will keep you scratching your head until the last unpredictable scene.
