Rating: 
Summary: Let's get ready to rumble!
Review: Which would win in a fight?A bear, or a shark? What if we set them up in the ultimate level playing field - water deep enough for a shark, but shallow enough for a bear - and let them go at it? That's the main concept in "Bear V. Shark: The Novel," by Chris Bachelder. I think. Or maybe it's not. See, that's the thing about Bachelder's book. It's so complex and intricate that you might think you know what it's about, but you're probably wrong. The real hero of the book is Mr. Norman (maybe), a father in an "American Beauty" -style suburban family who feels incomplete in a world full of rampant commericalism. (We first meet Mr. Norman as he snuggles up to his vibrating pillow, not available in stores, order today.) Mr. Norman packs up his family and moves them to Las Vegas to watch the Bear V. Shark fight, part II. Apparently the simulation of the animals the first go-round (real animals would look too fake) left the bear's head looking so big, and created such a fervor that similar match-ups are happening across the country. Among them: Owl v. Deer, Squid v. Monkey, Scorpion v. Pigeon, Hitler v. Elvis "Bear V. Shark" is an oddball commentary on our life and times, our quest for entertainment, our search for meaning and substance, the way our society works. It's heavy stuff presented in a light style that's presented in a mixture of stream of consciousness, social commentary and grocery list. In other words, it's a marriage of completely unrelated things all thrown together, and the results are flawless.
Rating: 
Summary: Hilarious and Hits Home
Review: Who would win in a fight between a bear and a shark taking place in water deep enough for the shark to maneuver but shallow enough for the bear to maintain its dexterity? If you've read any reviews, than you should already know that this is the main theme of Bear V. Shark. This book is a satire...it doesn't take place in the future or past, but instead in a setting that's...well...kind of like "reality" but not really. Everyone drives SUVs, televisions have no off buttons, and there's no need for the remote control in a world where you have ESP TV! I really enjoyed this book. Bachelder seems to carry a theme throughout Bear V. Shark where his characters exist in a world where they are unable to separate themselves from their roles of consumers in a society obsessed by unanswerable hypothetical questions (ie bear v. shark). People speak in slogans, scientists/authors/newsproviders provide soundbytes but refuse to give real evidence, and the (by now) familiar ideas of Ocham's Razor and the Gordian Knot are key. If you're looking for a "lighter read" with satire, then I'd recommend Bear V. Shark. If you're done with it and want something more "substantial," you'd likely enjoy Philip Dick's "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep"...
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