Scat is young, confused, underemployed, and in Los Angeles. So when he comes up with the idea for the hottest new soda ever, he's sure he'll retire as the next overnight sensation. But in the treacherous waters of corporate America there is no sure thing - and suddenly Scat has to save not only his idea but his yet-to-be-realised career. With the help of scarily beautiful and brainy 6 - who has all the angles Scat so desperately desires - he sets out on a mission to reclaim the fame and fortune that, time and again, elude him. This brilliant debut is a hilarious send-up of celebrity, sexual politics, and the lengths to which a young man will go to get ahead and get a date. 'One of the best books of the year.' Los Angeles Times 'A perfectly executed triple play.' Kirkus Reviews

Author Biography

Max Barry is an Australian who pretended to sell high-end computer systems for Hewlett-Packard while secretly writing his first novel, Syrup. In fact, he still has the laptop he wrote it on because HP forgot to ask for it back, but keep that to yourself. He put an extra X in his name for Syrup because he thought it was a funny joke about marketing and failed to realize everyone would assume he was a pretentious asshole. Jennifer Government, his second novel, was published without any superfluous Xs and sold much better.To help promote his novels, Max wrote the online political game NationStates, which has been played by over half a million people and is currently causing him to drown in e-mail from people who want new features. His third novel, Company, will be published in early 2005. Max was born March 18, 1973, and lives in Melbourne, Australia, where he writes full-time, the advantage being that he can do it while wearing only boxer shorts.