Kimchi McQuade is an American gerontologist and the titular ‘furious ginger’ looking to discover the proverbial fountain of youth through scientific research. Although brilliant, Kimchi lives a less than refined life with his pet robot, Flyboy, to keep him company. A clandestine group arranges for Kimchi to meet Dr. Daitsuke Endo. Intrigued by the secrecy (and a free trip), Kimchi heads to Tokyo to meet the doctor. Chaos ensues and the heedless Kimchi McQuade becomes mankind’s last hope.
The Cosmic Misfortunes of the Furious Ginger proves to be as loquacious as the title itself. The story’s setting is far in the future, in a world filled with flying cars and lifelike sex-robots. The landscape of the book reads like a scene in The Fifth Element. However, Kimchi McQuade is an underwhelming leading man. He is selfish and immature and generally irritating. The comedic supporting characters add a little freshness to a book that is burdened with backstory but overall light on plot. McQuade’s travels take him all over the globe which adds plenty of intrigue. If you can get past a lack of proofreading, you may enjoy the humorous globe-trotting and beyond.
S.J. Maddock has breathed fresh life into a well-worn genre. The surprise hero will delight comedy/sci-fi readers.
