The Green Millennium

In this futuristic social satire, Phil Gish is a down and out loner who finds peace and contentment in the humble presence of a green cat. His pursuit of this feline takes him on a wild adventure that causes him to cross paths with a dazzling array of professional wrestlers, religious fanatics, parapsychologists, mobsters working for Fun, Inc., agents of the Federal Bureau of Loyalty, and a host of other eccentric individuals, all of whom seem determined to get their hands on the green cat. The colorful characters are the real strength of this unusually under-plotted book (the story is little more than a long chase after the elusive cat), but the action is breakneck-paced, and the surprises just don't stop, which makes this book almost impossible to put down. Equally unusual in science fiction are the strong female characters, who while by no means perfect or even always likable, manage to make their own decisions and frequently demonstrate their superiority to the weak and/or immoral men in the story. Especially memorable are June Jones, the lady wrestler who wrestles men for a living, but befriends the helpless Phil, and Mitzi Romadka, the courageous daughter of a sadistic doctor, who would rather die than give in to weakness, even while flaunting her femininity. While there are occasionally some brief lapses into sci-fi sophistry, this book is primarily a comedy: a fast moving, easy to read romp that should please readers young and old, but would not be recommended for those who take their science fiction seriously. The social satire is not especially pointed, and there are relatively few interesting ideas, scientific or otherwise, but for sheer escapist reading pleasure, this book certainly delivers top quality.