The Improbable Theory of Ana & Zak by Brian Katcher (review)

Perfect student Ana Watson has never broken a rule, and with the end of senior year quickly approaching, she’s nearly out from under the thumb of her terrifyingly strict parents. Slacker Zak Duquette has never met a rule worth following, unless it was part of a favorite role-playing game, and his plans for the future are amorphous at best. Their worlds collide when Ana’s younger brother runs away during an overnight school trip and ends up at Washingcon, a teeming fan convention Zak knows intimately, and Ana enlists Zak’s help. They chase Ana’s wayward brother through the costumed crowds, and over the course of a riotous, disaster-and-romance-filled night that includes fistfights with drunken Vikings, medieval battle reenactments, encounters with a drug dealer, and late-night karaoke, they learn that love might just be a reason to step outside your comfort zone. Reading like Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist (BCCB 6/06) for the sci-fi set, this both hilarious and touching novel overflows with geek-savvy insider jokes and fandom-celebrating allusions. The narrative follows the formula of opposites who bring out the best in each other, but it’s executed well, and Zak emerges as goofy-geeky hero worth swooning over. Readers will enjoy watching Ana learn to appreciate all that the comic-con world and its inhabitants have to offer. The fast-paced, rollicking all-night escapade may be improbable indeed, but for readers willing to roll with the fun, a solid nerd-friendly adventure story with a gooey, sweet romance center awaits.