John Dies at the End

2,5 stars, somewhere between I didn't like it and I still couldn't put it down... translation: why didn't someone stop me from finishing this? (note, the 2nd half is better than the first which saved this from being one of my biggest DNF's of all time!!) Have you ever worked in a bar? Not a nice one mind you but more like just a beer joint. Remember what it felt like listening to those folks you'd call 'regulars' and you were the only mildly sober person in the place? Well, read their books instead. Now imagine someone out there who has been doing a lot of illegal and mind-altering drugs has been charged with turning some kind of B-grade horror anthology into a screenplay. Or even someone is doing their best to summarize 'The Illustrated Man' despite loosing their medication for severe schizophrenia. Oh and they occasionally make the mistake of picking up the wrong book while working on their thesis. This is about the best way I can describe the experience (in italics please) of reading 'John Dies At the End'. I hesitate to use the word 'read' in this case. Good gravy, what was that? I mean, there are some good parts in this book. And you can even get by some of the glaring mistakes (some of which are lamely excused by the author himself) and missing and/or gaping plot holes. But the haphazard and blind connections that are tossed about and praised by many (just read the reviews) made for more frustration than enlightenment. I was very very close (pinch your fingers together for the effect... no, even closer than that) to putting this down and not finishing .... but as it gets a bit more science fictiony in the 2nd half and one of the two main characters somehow finds a personality, well, let's just be thankful the weather was lousy today and I didn't feel like doing laundry. I'm not going to recommend this to anyone. If you decide to read it, find a copy at the used book store and then only if it's on sale there. Just don't blame me.

From begining to the end, this book is not for anyone looking for the old-fashioned styles. It delivers great thoughts wrapped in dick jokes and stupid tales of the grotesque.

A fantastic diversion from regular horror, if you like end of the world scenarios coupled with dude where's my car humour this book is for you.