A riveting, poignant satire of societal ills, with an added dose of fantasy, Every Boy Should Have a Man takes place in a post-human world where creatures called oafs keep humanlike ‘mans’ as beloved pets. Preston L. Allen’s picaresque journey into uncharted territory in earth, sky, and firmament features echoes of Jack and the Beanstalk and Gulliver’s Travels. Filled with surprising twists and turns, the novel is in part a morality tale that takes on many of today’s issues including poverty, the environment, sexism, racism, war and religion.