Pollen (1996)

In a future world poised ''on a constant knife-edge between species,'' Jeff Noon pits mutants and telepaths against illusory creatures fighting for a foothold in reality. Noon demonstrated his singularly psychedelic imaginative powers in his first novel, Vurt, but this sequel makes that look tame by comparison. In Pollen, flowers have sex with humans; Manchester, England, is a living organism controlled by a cab dispatcher; and drug travelers visit Rio de Bobdeniro, where they access the violent visions of either a long-ago movie star, a real-life villain, or a mama's boy (no one quite remembers which). Dimensional characters are not Noon's strong suit, and his flip-flopping realities lose their logic toward the end when he attempts to fold too many mythical and literary references into this ambitious tale. Nonetheless, as a funny, heartfelt, and action-packed slice of cyberdelia, Pollen confirms that Noon's talent is nothing to sneeze at. A-