Zoey Punches the Future in the Dick

By: David Wong, Jason Pargin

Narrated by: Elizabeth Evans

New York Times best-selling author David Wong's Zoey Punches the Future in the Dick is the latest - and arguably greatest - sci-fi thriller in the Zoey Ashe series.

In the futuristic city of Tabula Ra$a, Zoey Ashe is like a fish so far out of water that it has achieved orbit. After inheriting a criminal empire, the 23-year-old finds herself under threat from all sides as a rogue's gallery of larger-than-life enemies think they smell weakness.

On the eve of the world's most lavish and ridiculous Halloween celebration, a steamer trunk-sized box arrives at Zoey's door, and she is shocked to find that it contains a disemboweled corpse. She is even more shocked when that corpse, controlled by an unknown party, rises and goes on a rampage through the house. Speaking in an electronic voice, it publicly accuses Zoey of being its murderer. This is the kind of thing that almost never happened at her old job.

The city was already a ticking time bomb of publicity-hungry vigilantes with superhuman enhancements, and Zoey knows this turn of events is unlikely to improve the situation. Now, she and her team of high-tech tricksters have to solve this bizarre murder while simultaneously keeping Tabula Ra$a from descending into chaos.

“Biting humor and blatant digs at modern society overlay a subtly brilliant and thoughtful plot” (Publishers Weekly) in John Dies at the End author David Wong’s first installment of the Zoey Ashe series, Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits. Now, “one of today’s great satirists” (Nerdist) is back with Zoey Punches the Future in the Dick, the second installment in a “Technicolor tomorrowland” (Kirkus Reviews).

©2020 David Wong, Jason Pargin (P)2020 Audible, Inc.

Fun story, solid sociological foundation

This was such a wild and fun and deeply silly story set on a framework of a lot of hours dedicated to thinking about the direction our culture is heading in. While it feels over-the-top at first blush, the more I think about it, the more realistic of an outcome “Tabula Rasa”, the city where the story takes place, feels.

The voices of each character, even the villains, feels honest and reflective of real people and viewpoints. They’re treated with nuance and depth. The female protagonist’s voice felt authentic and relatable. I especially like that there are multiple BIPOC people represented in ways that steers clear of stereotypes and standard overused tropes.

I have always enjoyed listening to “David Wong” speak about his viewpoints on society and culture and class and the future and it is so fun to read those thoughts come to life.

Only thing I disliked about this book is the fact that I will now have to wait for him to write the next one in this series.

Great book, hit and miss narration

Overall, a great story. However the narration is a little uneven. Elizabeth Evans does a decent job with the general exposition but, the voices and the vocal inflections that she chooses for the characters often distract me from the story. I realize that sort of thing is subjective so, your mileage may vary. Whether you like the narrator or not, you'll love the novel if you like Wong's other books. If you haven't read David Wong before, I don't recommend starting with this one. I'm going to start the book again within the week but, I'm actually going to read it this time, instead of listening to the audio version. Highly recommended despite those caveats.

Excellent book in a excellent series.

The book is well written, engaging, laugh out loud funny at points and it made me gasp a few times. Also a rather poinginant illustration of where aspects of the future may be pointing.

listen at 1.50

this was a really fun, well-written book. I love this narrator, and she didn't disappoint. I wish it hadn't ended!

Great book, great narration!

Funny ,interesting! A male author and a female character creating a unique experience. The author has a weird to say the least style that keeps you wrapped up in the story and waiting to see what happens next. I never leave reviews but I felt compelled to share.

I love Zoey…

Sure, she complains a lot… who doesn’t? And can you blame her? Her life is beyond crazy. She goes from being a normal, girl in a very boring, monotonous life to … complete chaos in a very short time. I can see why the other poster thinks she’s whiny, but I’ve listened to both books.. several times(David Wong’s books are my fave). I’ve come to the conclusion, after thinking how I would feel in her situation, that I totally understand her plight. I think the point in this book is that after the last story, she expects the worst… a lot .. and for good reason. She just expects everyone to be against her, and that’s also for obvious reasons. She has tried really hard to make things better for the city, and it seems to her that no one cares nor notices that she is trying! She, unfortunately, doesn’t realize until close to the end of the book that people do notice. She is just constantly bombarded by people that are whinier and more self-centered than she is. They just want her to feel like the world is against her… and it obviously works, but this is a story about growth and realization. To me, it’s obvious that she is supposed to be a little whiny at first… and that Will is constantly trying to make her see that she is actually a very strong person and that world is much bigger than the small group of people that try to put her down and make her feel horrible. Will doesn’t even realize that she is oblivious to the people that see her goodness and think highly of her. Zoey is 23… she is so young and her thought process is so common to young adults! Anyone who doesn’t see this… most likely had an easy coming of age. That’s great for them, but I get Zoey. Sure, there are many times in the story where I’m thinking.. “Come on girl! Just open your eyes!”… but I still get it. She is a typical young, insecure girl… that is growing(very quickly and in the worst way) into a strong, confident woman.. and it’s hard! There are alot of complications and a lot of grueling mental strains!.. but Zoey gets there. To me, Zoey is so very real.. she is exactly what I would expect from a 23 year old girl from her walk of life that is thrown into her situation. All of the characters add to the story and are just hilarious and well-developed. I love everything about this book and the first. Please keep writing ! 💕

better and not as good as the first one

I don't know what it is about this book. I loved it, it still has the creativity and wit and it feels like a logical progression from the previous book and the point it's trying to make is quite clear, but it feels like David Wong purposely tried to make the book anti-climatic, which doesn't really hurt the plot but it feels like in the end nothing really happened. additionally I feel the way the Suits were portrayed is not consistent with how the previous book ended. the only character in that group that gets some development is Wu and maybe Echo. But Will seems written as if the first book never happened.
All in all I loved the book and in ways it feels better written than the first one but it feels worse because it ignores the progress of the first one.

Much better than the first book

Wong has presented us a very enjoyable, clever and funny science fiction novel that comments on social constructs like those of virginity, money, capitalism, crime, misogyny and consumerism. The novel is also Wong mocking Incels which I can always get behind.

I Love David Wong

I love his style, his humor, worlds, and characters. The only “negative thing” was the main character at certain points became a little annoying or the situations she was in I should say. I just want Zoey to get her shit together by the next book ha Christ woman.

dayum

cyberpunk future all the way! like visiting a foreign country, the second time around was the best! highly recommended!