Oogie Boogie Central

This was an easy, entertaining read. Not that I want to take away from the author's work; I would describe J.K. Rowling (Harry Potter) and Jim Butcher (The Dresden Files) in the same manner. In fact, I would say that if you enjoy Butcher, Lukac should be right up your alley. I read this book a few years ago and still tell people about it. Can't wait to get the new sequel, "Oogie Boogie Bounce".

I read Steve Lukac's "But Then Again, You'll Have This..." before reading this book, so I was already familiar with his dry wit and pleasantly off-kilter way of looking at the world. In his first novel, "Oogie Boogie Central", this talent is applied to the telling of a story that is in turns intriguing, amusing, unsettling, but at all times entertaining. Lukac transports us to a universe where Charleston, WV, has a subway system and people have a tendency to get into other people's heads...literally. His characters--especially store detective Milo, his wife Sharon, his friend Keith, the villain of the story (who goes through several metamorphoses over the course of the novel), and the gang of mental entities that leap from person to person as the story goes on--jump off the page and make you wonder if you haven't met them somewhere before. The interplay between these characters is what made this story so appealing to me...this interaction indicates that Lukac has spent a lot of time observing people from all backgrounds and noting how they react to one another and to various situations. The story, which defies categorization (Horror? Adventure? Mystery? Satire? A little of everything, really...) is like a roller-coaster: anticipation mixed with a little trepidation, followed by a wild ride with ups and down and more than one unexpected twist, and at the end those who have truly enjoyed the ride are yelling for more. Count me in that group!

Don't let its warped title stop you from taking a hellacious ride through insanity and back! OOGIE BOOGIE CENTRAL is an awesome debut: a complex, gripping novel that turns Multiple Personality Disorder into a psychic battlefield. There is an undeniable 'splatterpunk' influence (in the style of Schow, Skipp and Spector)--a good deal of strong graphic violence, but it's no mere slash-fest. Milo Tucker and Ted Munsch are the most offbeat hero and villain seen in quite some time. A fascinating premise and unique characters make OOGIE BOOGIE CENTRAL well worth the read.

Lukac, wow! Where did he come from! OBC is a must read! A world of suspense, horror and fantasy ... or is it? Edge of your seat page turner, once you start you won't be able to stop until you've read the last sentence. And when you finish, you'll turn to the beginning and read it again. A piece of literary art that will leave you breathless, looking over your shoulder and begging for more.

At various times OBC is a horror novel,a thriller, a fantasy piece and a disturbing ride through the territory of mental illness. WOW!Lukac has created his own world with its own weird rules, and somehow it all works. Impossible to fully describe, OBC is just an outright blast and a real chiller. Recommended.