Atomic Lobster by Tim Dorsey - Have you read any other books in the series?

[PraiseGod13]

I have to admit I pre-ordered Atomic Lobster because it was free.  There was no description or (obviously) reviews.  I've been reading it this week and can't put it down.  It's like Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series on steroids.  With dozens of "sub-stories" going on - that are all related - it keeps the action hopping and the reader laughing (in spite of a pretty good dose of violence/drugs/and sex).  I can't believe it, but I'm loving this book!!  Tim Dorsey is masterful in his writing.... and I love good writing in many different genres.  Now, I discover that this book is #10 in a series with the same "unique" main character, Serge Storms, and his collection of acquaintances.  
     It looks like the other books in the series (even the very first ones) are $7.99 for Kindle and #12 comes out in February.  So, it's going to cost almost $100 (a lot for me) to buy the series.  I even checked my library's catalog online even though I really hate having to read a DTB now that I have my Kindle.... but they only have two of the 12 books - #5 & #8 - which makes no sense.  I could inter-library loan request them but that now costs $$ - plus my gas and time to go get them and then return them.  So, if I want to read them, I might as well buy them for my Kindle.
     Has anyone else read books from this series and is it worth my $100 to buy it??  I'm a person who really tries to read a book series in the order that it was written... does that work best for this series??  Thanks for your help and advice!  I'd love to hear what others think about this surprising book/series!!

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[MariaESchneider]

I got it when it was free too...but I only made it a few pages. Chaotic.  Weird.  Didn't exactly pull me in.  I'll probably give it another try, but the first run was less than compelling for me...

[summerteeth]

I have not read any of the other ones - but Atomic Lobster was really good.  It was REALLY funny.  I would seriously consider reading the other ones... but I am watching to see if the price goes down.

[PraiseGod13]

I got it when it was free too...but I only made it a few pages. Chaotic.  Weird.  Didn't exactly pull me in.  I'll probably give it another try, but the first run was less than compelling for me...

I definitely had to stick with it for a while at first.  There are so many sub-stories going on... but they do connect eventually which required some very skillful writing by the author.  It also didn't help that this was book #10 in the series because I hadn't read what had happened with these characters previously.  It's still a stand-alone book - but I would have benefitted from reading the earlier books.  It can be chaotic.... but in an enjoyable way IMHO.  What seemed to me to be chaotic at first evolved into "fast-paced" as I got used to this author's style.  I'm sure, just like any book, that it's not for everyone.... but I'd recommend reading far enough into it so that things start "connecting".  I had been given the same advice with The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and, even though it took me quite a while to get into it.... I was really glad I had stuck with it.  The same is true with this book for me.

[MariaESchneider]

That's what turned me away.  I'm a big fan of single-point-of-view books.  Two POV, I can do.  Three is REALLY pushing it. If I'm really enjoying one or another substory, I'll continue or if I know the author's work...but I tend to have a lot of DNF that have 3 POVs...

[Digital Tempest]

Yeah, I've read others in the series. One of my good friends is a fan of the series and she sent me two of the books for Christmas in fact. It's a fun series. A suggestion: Why not just buy them as you go so you don't spend $100 all at one time? It's fun, but reading the rest of the books back to back to back can be tiresome. Read a couple or a few and give yourself a break, buy a few more and read them. Wash, rinse, repeat.

[mlewis78]

I agree with the buy one at a time concept.  It's not so much money when it's a little at a time.  I have this one but haven't started it yet.  It would probably be a refreshing change from what I've been reading lately.

[PraiseGod13]

Yeah, I've read others in the series. One of my good friends is a fan of the series and she sent me two of the books for Christmas in fact. It's a fun series. A suggestion: Why not just buy them as you go so you don't spend $100 all at one time? It's fun, but reading the rest of the books back to back to back can be tiresome. Read a couple or a few and give yourself a break, buy a few more and read them. Wash, rinse, repeat.

Good suggestion - that's what I was thinking I'd do.  $7.99 from my current gift card to buy the first book in the series so I can read it.  Then, read several more books from my TBR library... then buy the second book in the series.... and so on.  Helps to soften the finances and spread them out over a time.  I've been using the same strategy with the "In Death" series by interspersing them with books from my TBR list.  I'm getting the "In Death" books from the library, though.  I think there are something like 36 or 37 books so far in that series and that was just more $$ than I could afford.  Plus, the series is still being added to.
     Thanks so much for the info on the Serge & Coleman series..... what a hoot they are!!  Enjoy your new books!

[corkyb]

i downloaded Atomic Lobster when I saw it free as my boss absolutely loves these books.  One I know he recommended to me was Cadillac Beach.  I don't know where it is in the series though.
Paula ny

[Capri142]

      I think Tim Dorsey has access to some REALLY GOOD drugs 

[TC Beacham]

Dorsey's are the only ones I can think of that I'd rather read in print than on my Kindle - because of the cool little drawings on the pages!

[PraiseGod13]

Dorsey's are the only ones I can think of that I'd rather read in print than on my Kindle - because of the cool little drawings on the pages!

Cool little drawings??  Now I'm going to have to go to the library so I can actually see a Dorsey DTB and check out the little drawings.....  thanks for the new info!!

[segsurfer]

I know, I'm bringing a thread up from the dead, but dorsey's one of my favorite authors so I can't help but reply.  I've read the entire series, and I would advise you to start from the beginning.  Although the books can be read individually there's an over arching story order going on, and if you read the books in order you pick up on tie ins to the previous books that make it all the more interesting.  I started on dorsey after I read all of hiaasen's books and loved them just as much if not more so than hiaasen.

[Carolyn J. Rose, Mystery Writer]

I've read a few and enjoyed them, but the pace is often manic, so I could never read them in a row unless I had paramedics standing by.

[hsuthard]

For a series like this, I'd recommend using a used book store or Paperbackswap.com. It's great for books that are older! If you have credits, you can get the books for free at paperbackswap.

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