Big Top (The Astonishing Tale of the Underground Circus)

Sparked by the sight of a homeless man on the day of his son's birth, Paul O'Brien, Sr. is inspired to form a foundation for people lacking community. When his son is born later that day with eight arms - yes, eight - Octopus Man is destined to run and caretake the eventual Underground Circus.

Eight arms notwithstanding, Paul O'Brien, Jr. is no doubt the coolest dude you will ever meet. Surgery offered to him as a child to make him more like the other kids? "No thank you," he would politely answer.

The reader is offered a look into the lives of this group, which includes Titleist, a badass yet noble hero who just happens to have a head the size of a golf ball - not literally, but in contrast to his XXL body it may as well be; Ben - or, Gentle Ben - the sweetest 9'9" tall man you could ever meet; Giraffe Man - or "G" to his friends - a neurotic soul with high blood pressure. But then again having a 15" neck would tend to affect one's blood pressure, wouldn't it?

The fly in the ointment comes when a reality TV producer weasels his way into their community. Hence, we get the modern-day phenomenon of exploitation, degradation, and humiliation - whatever it takes to make lots of money.

The juxtaposition of our kind souls deep in the forest amidst the dubious forces that saturate our pop culture poses the essential question: Who are the real freaks?

Big Top (The Astonishing Tale of the Underground Circus) shows what would happen if The Night Circus met A Confederacy of Dunces and they went on a date deep into the woods for a midnight screening of the cult classic Freaks.