Boyd Halverson has had enough. Enough of just about everything. So Boyd, once a reputable and respected journalist turned online troll and failed retail manager, walks into the Community National Bank with his .38 Special and walks out with $81,000 and the bank teller.

Now Boyd and the teller, Angie Bing, are on the run. Boyd's only goal is to escape capture long enough to get even with the man he believes ruined his life. Chasing the duo are members of Boyd's ex-wife's family, and Angie's ex-fiancé. Who is NOT chasing the pair is the police. The bank trustees, who've been slowly liberating the bank of funds have not filed a report of the robbery.
From California to Mexico to California again to Minnesota, Boyd and Angie, who's making the absolute most of being a 'hostage':

When they settled in, Angie said, "I'll need fresh clothes tomorrow. Underwear and jeans and shirts and socks. And an electric toothbrush. And a new nose stud and probably a camera. And a good wristwatch."
Boyd grunted and closed his eyes. Angie Bing exhausted him.
"I'll need shoes, too," she said. "Casual ones, maybe sandals, and a couple pairs of decent heels - I like those spiky ones - and if we'll be eating out all the time - you know, like in restaurants - I'll need dresses and skirts and stuff, and a shawl for when it gets chilly at night, and a manicure set. And spending money."
An unpleasant taste rose in Boyd's throat. "What about going home? ... Don't you want that?"
"Of course I do. But until then - whenever 'then' is - I'll need things. I'll need an ankle bracelet."
This book is, as you might guess, a character-driven novel and oh boy, what great characters!

Author Tim O'Brien sets the tone early with his outlandish description of a contagion, the notice of a man who declares he's been crowned King of America, and the challenge of highway speed limits as an infringements on core liberties. Outlandish. And yet, is it?

It is only in this America, this America Fantastica, that Boyd and Angie could be 'real' people in a real situation, as absurd as that may be. And that's a huge part of the fun. What happens to them - what they create themselves - is no stranger than most of the rest of the country.

I've written before about 'liking' a character or set of characters in a book and how important that is to me. And I like these characters. They are not likeable as real world people - I wouldn't want to be around any of them - but characters in a book, 'real' to the story and the world, they are colorful, funny, annoying as hell, and I looked forward to turning the page to see what would happen next.

This is only my second Tim O'Brien book but it was a clever and charming (in its way) read.
Looking for a good book? America Fantastica by Tim O'Brien might be dark satire, might be realism - it depends on the world around you when you read it, but you should definitely read it.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Oh how I wanted to love this. I’m such a huge fan of the author and the Vietnam stories but I just didn’t seem to care about this plot. I’m disappointed I didn’t love it.

Tim O’Brien continues to be a fantastica writer- and this book will delight many readers— as long as they’re not expecting the tone of The Things They Carried or Lake in the Woods. It’s an over-the-top hilarious satirical romp! I appreciate his versatility, and the story wasn’t bad either.

Like many others, I became familiar with Tim O’Brien through his short story collection The Things They Carried and have continued to follow his writing since that exposure.

Knowing how Tim O’Brien takes his time with his offerings, I was quite excited upon learning of the publication of America Fantastica, especially since he mentioned in a contemporary interview how he believed his next book would be his last.

America Fantastica was a pleasant surprise almost from start to finish. I have to admit, upon reading the very opening to the novel, mostly out of bewilderment, I questioned what was to follow. As I went on, O’Brien’s writing flourished in ways I did not anticipate. Reading America Fantastica was like stepping into an old muscle car being driven by that one relative you could not always predict what was going to come next.

It is also a novel one laments if read in electronic form because there are so many wonderfully crafted sentences throughout the book that one might just want to highlight many of them for future recollection.

The novel follows Boyd Halverson in the time of COVID and of decent people trying to simply exist in times of the explosion of myth as fact in modern-day America. Halverson, quite the milquetoast and sad sack, has caused a wild pursuit because of an act he committed that was both impulsive and well thought out. With him on this chase and at first against her will, is Angie Bing. Bing, a fireball of a petite and attractive good-hearted woman who is in search of a normal life of picket fences and green lawns, has been scooped up in Boyd’s life, which now involves the two being chased across America by an odd-ball collection of killers, gangsters, and other amusing gadflies.

Halverson, a compulsive liar of the highest order, was once a respected journalist until his lies caught up with him eventually sending him on an amusing downward spiral where a soft landing is anticipated by no one, including himself.

America Fantastica is like Tom Wolfe’s Bonfire of the Vanities mixed in with the dour witticism of Charles Bukowski and with dashes of the madness of James Ellroy and Hunter Thompson.

America Fantastica is highly recommended to readers who enjoy novels with flawlessly crafted sentences, flowering words, and one a reader is not in too big of a hurry to finish.

America Fantastica is an oddly interesting book that readers will finish only if they become engaged with the personalities of Boyd and Angie and Randy. Boyd, a former news writer who works at a JC Penney, decides to rob a local bank, Angie, the teller, is voluntarily kidnapped by Boyd, and they escape, but Angie sends a postcard to Randy to tell him where she is. Overall, O'Brien's long novel is a comment on Americans and their lies, politics, schemes, and mental instability.

This is the first thing I’ve read from Tim O’Brien since The Things They Carried (which I read way back in something like the eighth grade), and it was such a pleasant surprise.

The book is an interesting commentary on the arbitration of truth and how misinformation spreads, but mostly it’s just a really good story.

I love a good bank heist, especially the kind where you end up rooting for the bank robber, and this book achieved that perfectly. The story is exceptionally well plotted and well paced, and the characters are wonderfully drawn.

I loved the humor of this, and the subtly sweet feel good nature of the story. One of my favorite reads of 2023.

Boyd and Angie embark on a journey from northern California, down to Mexico, back to California, and later across a variety of Midwest and Pacific states. With a less than substantial stash of cash from a bank heist, Boyd seeks answers and perhaps redemption from the troubles and bad decisions of his youth. Angie appears to simply be along for the ride, but draws a trail of of interested and malevolent parties in her wake. As the duo traverse the country, Boyd's backstory is revealed in reverse chronological order and we learn an important but disturbing fact about Boyd: he's a liar. Boyd's relationship with the truth is as distant as a long-lost relative, in fact, we learn that Boyd isn't even the man's real name.
America Fantastica alternates between an exciting and entertaining ride, and an existential, political satire. In both scenarios the writing of Tim O'Brien carries the story and makes the book an overall success. A fantastic return and new release from an author of much renown.

What a gripping concept! To me, the style is like if Hunter S. Thompson and Denis Johnson wrote a book together. I enjoyed the variety of characters, all of whom are shades of gray when it comes to morals and reliable narration. At times, the observational interjections about society are a jolt away from the narrative but nonetheless provide much needed context for the journey.

I forgot how much I love Tim OBrien.

The Things We Carried was one of my favorite books for so long and this reminded me to read it again..

I don’t even know how to describe his writing style. It’s fascinating. Metaphorical satire? But hilarious? I love it.

Favorite line: “who needs to learn history when you can just make it up?”

Boyd Halverson leaves his Kiwais meeting one day and robs a bank. Then he chases his ex-father-in law across the county and is chased by others who are after him. This satire is set in the days leading up to the 2020 covid outbreak. I listened to the audio version for part of this book and read part. The audio is really well done. Enjoyed this book.

not my usual cup of tea, but like everyone i loved the things they carried and decided to pick this one up. unfortunately and honestly, i just felt there was too much going on — too many tropes, too many points to make, and too many attempts at dark humor trying to stick it all together.

I've never read anything by Tim O'Brien before so I wasn't predisposed to love this book. That said, when I'm not feeling a book sometimes I read the reviews (so I know what other people think about it) and I love all the authors referenced therein (Vonnegut, Hiaasen, John Irving, Hunter Thompson, Pynchon, even) and yet. Interminable. This book was interminable.

A big thanks to the wonderful folk at NetGalley for allowing me the privilege of reading an ARC.

What a long, strange trip….is America Fantastica. At least with the Dead there was a lot of pot that dulled or enhanced the landscape (and there is still some in this book). But here the trip is mostly fueled with O’Brien’s concept and construct of America’s current mythomania. If there is an option to believe the truth (whatever that is) or a rumor, info troll, website, conjured political, medical or science theory…. always ditch the truth. Travelling this landscape is Boyd Halverson. He has seen all hopes of happiness fade, a relentless haunted past, and a future without a future. Of course, his best recourse is to rob a smalltown bank and take Angie, a willing hostage with issues of her own and a yearning for something new. This act sets in motion a trail of people out to find them and get vengeance, satisfaction, or riches. None of this goes well or as expected. All the characters are disconnected from the truth but still want to find something to hold onto. They are both tragic and funny. Didn’t know whether to laugh, cry or just sigh and commiserate with their outlandish viewpoints. If Tarantino wants to come out of his “retirement,” he should look here. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this title.

This book is maybe just not my sort of thing, though I do enjoy reading satire and crime books and fast-paced capers. I simply couldn't get a handle on the characters in this book, what they were doing or why. None of it felt exactly real, which sort of makes sense with satire, but it has to feel real enough that it hits the mark. Again, maybe I'm too literal for this one. There were some evocative passages, when we get the narrator's interpretation of the MC's past, for example.

Think of the most satire-y satire you’ve ever read, add in a whole slate of the most (purposefully) unlikeable characters you’ve ever encountered, and then crank it all up a couple notches.

The book’s humor is dark and dry, and its reflections on dishonesty and distrust are timely and piercing. The core of the story is focused on a nationwide “epidemic” of lying and complacency towards violence and prejudice — a highly exaggerated but nonetheless relevant concept for the moment.

I’ve seen this book compared to a Tarantino or a Coen brothers film, and that absolutely makes sense to me. For me personally, it was kind of a lot. The irony and satire (not to mention the violence, language, and sexual content) was fairly aggressive and could get repetitive for my taste. But I think folks who are more into the Tarantino/Coen style than I am would end up REALLY enjoying this one! If that’s not really your thing, this particular read might not be your cup of tea.

Thanks to the author, Mariner, and NetGalley for my digital copy. America Fantastica publishes on TUESDAY (10/24)!

I wanted to love this as much as The Things They Carried, but that book is on such a high pedestal for me, it's probably impossible. But this is great and funny and well-written. I just didn't love any of the characters, but it is hard not to at least root for Boyd.

What an enjoyable (and biting) read. Here’s a story entirely made up of truths, partial truths, and lies. Playing off of this nation’s current fixation of anything said by anyone must be true if it is hurtful, far-fetched, or furthers something we want to believe is true. The author calls it “mythomania” and it has swept this country and much of the world. He uses satire very effectively so it delivers a lot of smiles and head shaking when you understand what his actual meaning is.

This is also a commentary on identity: who think we are, who we want to be, and the lengths we will go to avoid a painful past. Mixed into the book are lots of gems: a conservative religious girl who doesn’t blink at murder, uber rich moguls who deal in nerve gas, bankers who cheat everyone—even themselves, and the star—a master liar who means no harm. I enjoyed every page and often found myself reading parts aloud to my husband!

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers for the ARC to read and review.

This wild tale follows middle aged white man Boyd Halverson just after he robs a bank and takes off with the teller to Mexico. The high-paced, over-the-top road trip story just keeps going - even the start of the Covid pandemic doesn't slow the pace of the book down. Readers who love Coen brothers movies will be drawn to this book.

A meandering tale following the hapless Boyd Halverson... for the most part, and his comedy of errors and companions after robbing a bank and beating it for parts unknown.
At once a sweeping, scathing criticism for the "mythomania", or compusive lying, that seems to have swept the nation, if not the world, America Fantastica is ultimately about our broken, troubled pasts and how... if we get lucky... we may just be able to find another broken, trouble past that fits with ours to make a whole.

My thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

"America Fantastica" by Tim O'Brien is a satirical and rollicking odyssey that offers a biting commentary on the state of contemporary America. In a world filled with deceit and disinformation, O'Brien weaves a captivating narrative that explores the consequences of living in a society plagued by fantasy.

The story kicks off with an audacious bank robbery, committed by Boyd Halverson, a former star journalist turned notorious online disinformation troll turned unlikely hero. Boyd's hostage, Angie Bing, a diminutive redhead with boundless energy, becomes an integral part of this adventure. Together, they embark on a journey filled with unexpected twists and turns, pursued by hitmen, jealous lovers, and the ghosts of Boyd's past.

O'Brien's prose is sharp and witty, reminiscent of the great satirists like Jonathan Swift and Mark Twain. Through Boyd and Angie's escapades, he delves deep into the causes and costs of embracing outlandish fantasies. In a world where truth is elusive, "America Fantastica" challenges readers to question the delusions and disinformation that shape our reality.

The characters in the novel are a diverse and eccentric cast, each with their own quirks and motivations. Angie Bing, in particular, shines as an exuberant and unforgettable character who provides a counterbalance to Boyd's penitent and compulsive nature. Their dynamic is a highlight of the story.

O'Brien's narrative skillfully navigates the complexities of contemporary America, touching on themes of media manipulation, the consequences of unchecked fantasy, and the erosion of truth. The novel's exploration of Boyd's transformation from a disinformation troll to a reluctant hero adds depth to the story and invites readers to consider the consequences of their own choices.

"America Fantastica" marks the triumphant return of Tim O'Brien, a master storyteller known for his thought-provoking and incisive works. In a time when truth is elusive and delusion is rampant, O'Brien's novel serves as a timely and insightful reflection on the state of the nation. It's a must-read for those who appreciate sharp satire and literary fiction that challenges the status quo.