feetnotes posted:

This could be Borgel, by Daniel Pinkwater. Borgel is a tourist in "time-space-and-the-other," which he navigates using his broken down time machine of a car, the Dorbzeldge, manufactured in "the old country." He's the uncle of Melvin the main character, and the book is about them going on a road trip through space and other dimensions. They definitely visit Hell as part of this. And there’s an amoeba guy that works at an intergalactic root beer stand where they hang out for a while.

It's probably my favorite of Pinkwater's, but he wrote so many good ones. The Snarkout Boys is my "this should have been a 90s movie" pick. Also gotta love Lizard Music, Yobgorgle: Mystery Monster of Lake Ontario and Alan Mendelssohn: Boy From Mars.