It's often legitimately challenging. The mind of co-protagonist Palmer slips into outlandish fantasies involving MONOM, a Jack Kriby-esque science-fiction character (“the ultimate zodiac maniac”), and blimps, presidents, and a mission to the center of the Earth. This (truncated) line from an undersea adventure is typical: “MONOM unfurls faster down a groin-socket deep pocket not with-stranding media zooms on a triple-me tickle-me talk-to-me lamp.” To suggest a mind spinning out of control, Kruxhammer crafts a narrative that does so, too, embracing nonsense and leaving it to readers to find meaning.

For all their heady speeches and run-on trains of thought, what the Johns—and Leonard Wilson, a philosophy professor—want is connection. (Asked early on by the therapist he has a crush on what he wants out of life, Palmer says “harmony.”) Prof. Wilson makes a “project” of human sexuality that calls for—and justifies—his own frequent patronage of sex workers. Accounts of these men’s daily lives, frustrations, and musings prove more gripping than their dalliances, which are playful but non-explicit, are neither outrageous (as in late 20th century literary fiction), heat-rousing (as in erotica), or documentary (as in Chester Brown’s Paying for It). Readers fascinated by johns’ thinking on and experience of sex work will find much to consider here, though Kruxhammer mounts seemingly intentional obstacles to casual readers.

Takeaway: This audacious novel follows (literal) Johns as they find pleasure and connection with sex workers.

Great for fans of: Chester Brown’s Paying for It, William T. Vollman’s Whores for Gloria.

Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: A-
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: B+
Marketing copy: C