Mr. Nova's men are out solo; they stumble along grim coastlines against which they seek nothing but to destroy themselves brightly—which seems only natural, amid the stench of hydrocarbons.

The world of "Incandescence," however, is considerably more hospitable than that of Mr. Nova's earlier novels, "The Geek" … and "Turkey Hash." Most of the action takes place in "the dark furrows of New York."…

Mr. Nova has never been unfunny, but "Incandescence" displays a sure grasp of the absurd. Much of the humor resides in metaphors that enliven the drab…. And Stargell himself actually gives evidence of having hope, of wanting, in his own queer way, to live and prosper. Not that the odds aren't against him. Formerly one of the whiz kids in a think tank, he now finds himself unemployed and, soon enough, heavily in debt to a loan shark.

Stargell's descent takes place mostly over...