Kindle Edition Amazon LSPOPOVICH.com Category:  Humor Publisher: Black Rose Writing ISBN-10:  1684334012 Type: Fiction Pages: 248 Copyright: Jan 2, 2020 ISBN-13: 9781684334018 An all-animal jazz band takes on the mob and bites off more than it can chew. Dane was a reliable guitarist until he got addicted to ants. Now he’s just a giant anteater with an abysmal grade point average. On a date with lead singer, Serena, they witness a gruesome incident. Waking up in the hospital, Dane realizes Serena’s missing. Going to the police only gets him a felony for possession of ants. Now, forced to lick the habit while he tracks down Serena, he’s going to need a little help from the band. Investigating familiar watering holes (while stopping for one or two drinks) leads him to an underground criminal organization. Is it a coincidence that a feline fatale attempts to recruit him for the mob? Should he expose the dirty underbelly of their society, putting Serena and his band on the line, or try to take them down from the inside? Either way, it’s going to take more than the Komodo dragon on clarinet.

Review by George Salis
“A dirty undercurrent runs through this sparkling civilization. And Serena got swept away in it.”

If instead of writing fables Aesop wrote a kind of noir novel with a soft spot for jazz then Undertones might be just such a book. L.S. Popovich’s creation is a zoological romp through conspiracy and intrigue. The main character is a green-haired anteater who plays in a jazz band called Undertones and is struggling with an ant addiction problem. Like me, you might wonder, Why is it an addiction if it aligns with his nature? How are ants a ‘drug’? The protagonist himself says, ‘“It’s not like ants are an endangered species.”’ Well, it turns out that this question is related to the plot in an unexpected way and relates to the conspiracy that is laced throughout the pages of this singular novel. Perhaps it’s because I do not read mystery novels very often if ever, but I was reminded a bit of Thomas Pynchon’s Inherent Vice or his similar books in which a character is following a thread of plot that is much bigger than themselves. But, rather than being alone, the anteater, named Dane, is accompanied by a varied cast of other animals who help or hinder him, all with their own lives crafted by a talented writer.

Perhaps even more than mystery, this novel also has a generous dose of humor born from both the nature of the world and the nature of certain circumstances. Where else would you read about how a “huge baboon with a barbell screeched and thrust a mountain of titanium weights above his inclined torso.” In addition, Popovich has a knack for turning clichés into original jokes: When Dane goes to a meeting of addicts, something like an Antaholics Anonymous except it’s for all species, a croc says, ‘“I can tell it’s your first time.” “Oh really,” Dan sneered. “How’s that?” “You got ants in your pants!” the reptile burst into a cackling laugh, causing half the room to turn and stare.’ Or: ‘“If he were a giraffe he’d still be in over his head.”’ These moments only heighten an already pleasurable read.

This is a world populated by beings that literally lick their wounds, beings that have been wrenched from their original nature and now must adapt or die in the forced bipedal life that seems all too familiar to our own struggles as beings who once lived in the savannahs and trees and must know contend with speeding cars, dangerous electricity, and the other eccentricities of this Anthropocene age. And like our world, the animals also have to deal with pernicious racism and speciesism.

Popovich, our modern Aesop, has written an extended allegory that is as educating as it is entertaining

Review by Rebecca McNutt
This book is hard to describe exactly. It reminded me of a mix between the films Zootopia, Hard Core Logo and Pulp Fiction, but it's got its own brand of originality which can't really be placed in one particular category. Undertones is funny, riveting and avant-garde all at the same time, and follows the adventures of Dane, an anteater with a bad habit which is uprooting his whole life. While out with Serena, his lead singer, they come across a pool of blood and an attacked elephant, and he watches Serena get beaten, after which he wakes up in the hospital, only to be informed that Serena isn't there. The police don't believe him, so the only guy on his side is his friend, Gaston.

Dane gets in trouble for the possession of ants, and decides to look for his missing friend on his own, leading him to uncover something much bigger than just what happened during a day gone wrong near the skating rink. Investigating old hangouts and coming across a variety of strange and interesting characters. There's a dark underworld that this recovering addict anteater is about to fall into, and the story goes down a road I wasn't expecting at all.

I really loved Undertones for so many reasons. It has all the makings of a contemporary but timeless classic, a lot of good world-building, well-developed characters and a compelling mystery. Right off the bat, the book establishes the unique traits of each character and this society of multiple animals living together, and they way they are personified and how closely they resemble humans made for quite a fun experience and an uncanny setting. The book has great pacing, and doesn't rush through anything too fast while still managing to pull off many thrilling moments throughout. I especially loved the wit and comedy scattered throughout the story, and the comparison of ants to drugs along with the way this was handled in court. Dane argues that ants aren't even an endangered species, but this book impressively has a society with its own set of laws and values relating to that. It was a lot of fun reading through, and it's full of surprises at every turn.

From my understanding, this book is not yet released, but it's definitely one that readers will want to add to their to-read lists for when it comes out, because it's both unique and exciting, and a book which has something for everyone. I'm not big on animal stories but this is a lot more than just a story about animals. It's one of the most memorable books I've had this year, and I'm glad to have gotten the chance to read it.