“Sick Puppy” by Carl Hiaasen, published by Alfred A. Knopf, is a captivating mystery/humor novel. It was released in February 2000. How could anyone resist a story that features a dog, specifically a Labrador retriever, as one of its main characters? Hiaasen has once again crafted a book that delves into the corrupt politics of Florida, driven by a voracious greed for oceanfront property and a disregard for littering. The characters in this novel are outrageously entertaining. There's Clinton Tyree, the former Governor of Florida, who is as eccentric as they come. He lives in the wilds of Florida, dressed in a kilt made of a checkered flag. Twilly Spree, a multi-millionaire college dropout, has a vendetta against litter bugs. Palmer Stoat, a lobbyist with a passion for big game hunting under special conditions, is hired to ensure the construction of a new bridge to Toad Island, which is being eyed for a new upscale Florida community. And then there's the adorable Lab, Boddle/McGuinn. Twilly and Clinton, also known as Skink, take on the mission of setting Florida right as they battle not only litter bugs but also those who are ruining the state's natural beauty. Hiaasen has once again created a novel that is not only highly entertaining but also has significant social and economic value. It will make readers laugh while also prompting them to take a hard look at the issue of political corruption.

Sick Puppy is the second novel by Hiaasen that I have read.

It earns 3 Stars of great fun. He doesn't always make you laugh out loud, but he manages to keep you smiling throughout the story. His deep love for Florida and his strong passion for minimizing the environmental impact caused by civilization are vividly on full display here.

Hiaasen uses caricatures to depict his characters, and they are truly excellent. There is the wacko environmentalist, the cynical Democrat, the smarmy and unserious Republican, the sleazy lobbyist, the slimy ex-smuggler who is now a real-estate developer, and thugs, among others. All of these characters keep you glued to the story, making it a great deal of fun.

The lobbyist, Palmer Stoat, slept past noon and woke up with a grim hangover and in a silent house. Spears of sunlight slanted through the Bahamas shutters. He buried his face in a pillow and thought again of the voluble prostitute at Swain’s. In his line of work as a lobbyist, he had long ago concluded that there was no difference in how Democrats and Republicans conducted the business of government. The game always remained the same: it was always about favors and friends, and who controlled the money. Party labels were merely a way to keep track of the teams, and issues were mostly smoke and vaudeville. Nobody believed in anything except hanging on to power, whatever it took. So, at election time, Stoat always advised his clients to hedge generously by donating large sums to all sides. This strategy was as immensely pragmatic as it was cynical. Stoat himself was registered independent, but he hadn't stepped inside a voting booth in fourteen years. He couldn't take the concept seriously as he knew too much.

The "Sick Puppy" is a Labrador retriever who is having a grand time. That's the thing about being a Labrador retriever; you are born for fun. Seldom is your loopy, free-wheeling mind cluttered by contemplation, and never at all by somber worry. Every day is a romp. What else could there possibly be to life? Eating is a thrill, pissing is a treat, shitting is a joy, and licking your own balls is bliss. And everywhere you go, there are gullible humans who hug and fuss over you. So the dog is having a blast, cruising in the station wagon with Twilly Spree and Desirata Stoat. The new name, McGuinn, is just fine. Boodle was also okay. Truthfully, the dog doesn't care what they call him; he would have answered to anything. "Come on, Butt-face, it's dinnertime!" - and he would have come galloping just as rapturously, his truncheon of a tail wagging just as fast. He can't help it. Labradors operate by a philosophy that life is too brief for anything but mischief and spontaneous carnality.

This was one of my Dad's favorite authors.

I discovered his copy while going through some old boxes.

It's definitely a guy's kind of story.

The narrative seems to be filled with adventure and excitement, elements that typically appeal to men.

The characters are likely to be strong and heroic, facing various challenges and overcoming them with courage and determination.

I can understand why my Dad liked it so much.

Maybe it reminded him of his own youthful dreams and aspirations, or perhaps it was the sense of escapism that the story provided.

Either way, it's clear that this author had a talent for creating engaging and thrilling tales that captured the imagination of his readers.

As I hold this old copy in my hands, I can't help but feel a sense of connection to my Dad and his love for this particular author.

It makes me wonder what other hidden gems I might discover as I continue to explore these old boxes.

Perhaps there are more stories that will transport me to another time and place, just as this one did for my Dad.

Carl Hiaasen is extremely funny, on several occasions.

He has a penchant for reconfiguring the same book repeatedly. However, I was unaware of this when I read this particular work, and I still consider it to be among his finest endeavors.

He shares a dread of environmental despoilment and domestic violence with writer Stephen King, perhaps in the reverse order for the latter.

If you are a devotee of Florida wildlife preservation and possess a dark sense of humor, then this is the book for you.

He writes what could be termed as "crime capers", a phrase that, as far as I know, was originally applied to Donald Westlake's books.

His touch isn't quite as skillful as Westlake's, but then again, that's a difficult standard to measure up to.

I truly relished this book along with its implicit sentiments.

This was truly a fun book.

It had me laughing aloud on numerous occasions. The humor and the engaging plot made it a delight to read.

What made it even more special was that I was already familiar with Skink from a previous story.

Known for his eccentricity and unique charm, Skink added an extra layer of interest to this new adventure.

His actions and words were both entertaining and endearing.

As I turned the pages, I found myself completely immersed in the story, eagerly following Skink's exploits.

The author did a great job of bringing the characters and the setting to life.

The vivid descriptions made it easy to picture everything in my mind.

Overall, this book was a great read that I would highly recommend to others.

Whether you're a fan of Skink or just looking for a good laugh, this book is sure to please.

As much as I loved this book, I found it kind of depressing at times.

I think that was the point. The loss of the beach and the birds, as well as the slick and sick depiction of politicians and how they get what they want, is a little too close to the truth.

It makes me wish that they all could get what they deserve, just like in Carl Hiaasen's books.

The author really did a great job of showing the darker side of our society and the consequences of our actions.

Despite the depressing aspects, I still found the book to be engaging and thought-provoking.

It made me think about the world we live in and how we can make it a better place.

I would definitely recommend this book to others, especially those who are interested in social commentary and political satire.

Overall, it was a great read that left a lasting impression on me.

All the Hiaasen books that I read were before the existence of Goodreads. So, when I added books back in 2008, I simply rated them and then moved on.

This particular book is one of my absolute favorites in the Skink series. And all that I can say, because the delightfully funny scenes should not be spoiled for anyone, is that my hubby and I still frequently reference the title of this book. If you know, you know.

Do you love an absurdist mystery that revolves around greedy people and has truly poetic endings? Then this book is definitely for you!!

Note - I just gave it a fifth star

This is the first - and so far only - Carl Hiaasen book that I have ever read.

It was a rather entertaining read, to say the least. I found myself quite charmed by all the idiosyncrasies that he incorporated into the story.

Yes, there is an overall narrative that ties everything together, but the real beauty of this book lies in the details.

You have a whole cast of characters with their own unique quarks. Take, for example, the portly senator who prefers to take pictures of himself while engaged in intimate moments with his wife and is a strange kind of neat freak.

Or the thug who sports girdles made of reptile skin. Goodness gracious!

There were also numerous instances where I couldn't help but smile to myself as I came across a particularly amusing part in this engaging tale of environmentalists pitted against greedy rich and political men.

If the rest of this author's books are anything like this one, then I would be more than eager to read more.

I'm definitely looking forward to exploring more of Carl Hiaasen's literary works in the future.

Hmmm... Jesse Ventura or Hulk Hogan as Skink?

This is an interesting question to ponder. Jesse Ventura, with his tough and no-nonsense persona, could bring a certain authenticity to the role of Skink. His background in wrestling and his larger-than-life presence might make him a suitable choice.

On the other hand, Hulk Hogan is also a well-known figure with a strong fan following. His charisma and physicality could potentially add a different dimension to the character.

Both Ventura and Hogan have the potential to bring something unique to the role of Skink. However, the final decision would likely depend on various factors such as their acting skills, availability, and the vision of the filmmakers.

It would be fascinating to see how either of them would interpret and bring to life this iconic character.

This book is approximately a hundred pages longer than it should be. It presents a poorly developed story. The protagonist is an unstable environmentalist who stalks an asshole lobbyist and exotic game hunter simply because he witnessed the latter toss trash out of the window of his car.

What makes this book most frustrating is its untapped potential. It could have transformed into an interesting narrative, but instead, it meanders in a plethora of roundabout directions and fails to deliver a satisfying conclusion.

Worst of all, it appears that the author aimed to cram every strange character he had ever created into a single book. There's a big game hunter/lobbyist, a former Toyota salesman who has become a governor, a former governor now living wild in the Everglades, a developer with a Barbie fetish, a young and reckless yet super-rich environmentalist, a biologist who has sold his appreciation for nature for quick cash, and so on. Sometimes, this approach is not the correct one.

The only reason I placed this book on my shelf is that I felt I had an excessive number of books I liked already. It seems to be more of a space-filler than a truly engaging read.

This was not Carl Hiaasen's best book, but it was still an enjoyable read.

Twilly Spree, the hero of this story, is an eco-warrior with anger management problems. He has a penchant for going after litterbugs and ensuring they understand the严重性 of harming the environment or animals. State lobbyist Palmer Stoat catches his attention when he litters on the Florida highway. Twilly's attempts to pursue Stoat land him in the middle of a scheme where Stoat is collaborating with Governor Dick Artemus and a few legislators to transform a beautiful island into a modern tourist destination, destroying its natural beauty in the process.

Along the way, Twilly befriends Stoat's dog and wife and finds an ally in the recurring character Skink. There are also encounters with two Barbie doll lookalikes, a hit man, an ancient rhino, and a plethora of quirky characters.

The concept of the book is truly fascinating, and the characters are as entertaining as those in Hiaasen's other Florida-based books. However, the book does seem to struggle a bit in maintaining the momentum of the story. It feels as if events pass by, and Hiaasen has to introduce additional subplots to extend the book to its current length. This allows him to bring in Skink and other elements, but it also makes the book feel a bit sluggish at times.

Overall, while not Hiaasen's finest work, it still offers an engaging and humorous look at environmental issues and the absurdities of human behavior.

Hiaasen is one of my long-time favorites. I first started reading his works because of the Florida connection. The vivid descriptions of the Florida landscapes and the unique culture there immediately caught my attention. As I delved deeper into his books, I found myself completely falling in love with his characters. Each character is so well-developed and has their own distinct personality and backstory. They are not just one-dimensional figures but complex individuals with their own dreams, fears, and flaws. Hiaasen's writing style is also very engaging, filled with humor and satire that makes the reading experience both entertaining and thought-provoking. I highly recommend his books to anyone who loves a good story with great characters and a unique setting.