Martinez first had a series of books (Anonymous Rex, etc.) revolving around the notion that dinosaurs had evolved and hidden themselves among humans. The tone was comic, and the books are an example of genre-melding, as comic sci-fi private eye books, with the central character a Marlowe-like private dick.
Stupid jumping to conclusions. Anyway, per the erudite comment below, my intro was incorrect. So…
Martinez has written a couple of genre comedies in the past, including the zany redneck supernatural farce Gil’s All Fright Diner, as well as an earlier series of comic fantasies. This latest genre melding heads into sci-fi territory, however. The story takes place in a world that is basically the ’30s sci-fi, super-tech world come to life, with mutants, aliens, mad scientists, the whole shebang. (Think a more light-hearted Sky Captain kind of thing.)
The hero here is Mack Megaton, a robot designed to destroy the world, but who somehow achieved sentience and decided that wasn’t his bag. Now a cab driver, he finds himself tracking down a missing neighbor, and learns that private detecting may give him a satisfying and more socially exceptable outlet for his programmed destructive urges. Needless to say, the first-person (or robot) narration is highly and amusingly Chandleresque.
This is hardly deep literature, but its fun fluff. Although I kind of gave up on the Rex books, I look forward to the next chapter of the Megaton saga.
