BOOK REVIEW

Syrup by Maxx Barry (aka Max Barry).

(Brought to you by kat impatientreader.com)  Scat is a 23 year-old business school grad who longs to be rich and famous.  He comes up with a brilliant marketing idea that he wants to sell to Coca Cola Company: a new soda in a black can called Fukk (don't try to pronounce this out loud).  Coke is intrigued and sends one of their marketing managers to meet with him: a gorgeous young woman named 6.  Scat is immediately smitten with her cold demeanor, but she regards him with ruthless indifference.

Crushed, he tries to turn his thoughts back to Fukk. Coca Cola Company decides it wants to launch the new soda as its next big drink.  Scat and 6 start working together only to find out that Scat forgot to register the trademark and his slimy roommate Sneaky Pete has stolen the idea! Scat ends up homeless. Sneaky Pete gets the three million dollars that should have belonged to Scat. Our hero has gone from millionaire to broke in the first 34 pages!

But there's more.  Sneaky Pete gets a job with Coca Cola Company!  He insinuates himself onto the Fukk campaign, and takes it away from 6.  She gets the insulting demotion of having to implement the summer Classic Coke ad campaign, which has already been planned out and just needs a babysitter to mind the details.

Scat hears about this from 6 who contacts him with the magic words:  "I need you." She wants to disregard the already-planned Classic Coke campaign, and launch something new that will be the greatest campaign in the history of advertising.  She knows that Scat, like her, must be itching for revenge on Sneaky Pete.

Well, no.  Scat is a gentle soul who is more attracted to the chance to work with 6 again. She even lets him move into her apartment (he has to sleep on the sofa). It is here where he actually gets to sample a can of the much-hyped Fukk.  We, the readers, hope that it satisfies the huge buildup it has been given so far -- and it does!

From page 55:  "I pop the top and it hisses angrily. 'Extra carbonation,' 6 explains. 'When you pop a Fukk, everybody around you knows it'."

The two get to work, but wouldn't you know that Sneaky Pete, whose talent lies in stealing ideas, would stay two steps ahead of them.  Soon they are facing the challenge of making an adventure movie centered on Coke -- and Sneaky Pete is, too.  The difference is that he has a movie-star cast and a budget of millions, and they have their film school friends and a measly ten thousand dollars. They have their work cut out for them, but it also gives them a chance to bond together in the trenches of marketing, and perhaps to fall in love.

Syrup is a light and fizzy satire:  fun to read, full of laughs, and sprinkled with what feels like insider details about advertising and film-making.  You care about Scat and 6, so it never feels superficial. Plus the action moves at terrific break-neck speed! 

You can find Syrup on Amazon through this link: 

Syrup

Noteworthy Links:   Wonderquest - Science Q/A! The Connection - Tech blog! Author site - John the Eunuch Historical Mystery series, Cozy Mystery List for all your cozy mystery needs, Obsidian Bookshelf - reviews of gay-themed fiction.
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