Fight Song

"Way out in a puzzling universe known as the suburbs, Bob Coffen rides his bike to work." That's the first sentence of Mohr's new novel, and the satire comes thick and fast on each page. Coffen is our hero, a likable schlemiel at a desperate crossroads. He designs video games and washes down vodka rather than connect with his wife and kids, even as his alpha-dog neighbor runs him off the road. While the territory may be a cliché, the writing itself is brisk and enjoyable. Mohr (Some Things That Meant the World to Me; Termite Parade) goes for slapstick rather than subtle emotional depths; a magician who does marriage counseling at a supper club, a football theme song played on bagpipes, and a world-record water-treading attempt are some of the many subplots. The effect, thankfully, is charming rather than cloying, and smart pacing (and chapters that each bear a headline) make this an easy weekend read.