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34th out of 225 books
—
298 voters
John Dies at the End (John Dies at the End #1)
by
David Wong
David Wong has updated the Lovecraft tradition and infused it with humor that rather than lessening the horror, increases it dramatically. Every time I set the book down down, I was wary that something really was afoot, that there were creatures I couldn't see, and that because I suspected this, I was next. Engaging, comic, and terrifying.-- Joe Garden, Features Editor, Th...more
ebook, 384 pages
Published
September 29th 2009
by Thomas Dunne Books
(first published August 15th 2007)
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Some years back, my BFF Anne and I would pass the long workdays scouring the Found Magazine archives and emailing each other the ones that made us laugh. By a huge margin, this little scrap of prose, found lying on the ground at a summer camp, was our favorite:
My clown is angry. He is angry because a criminal shot him while the clown entertaining the crowd. He is evil because the bullet turned him evil. He is sneaky because he sneaks up on people and kills them. He's a zombie because he came out...more
My clown is angry. He is angry because a criminal shot him while the clown entertaining the crowd. He is evil because the bullet turned him evil. He is sneaky because he sneaks up on people and kills them. He's a zombie because he came out...more
Put this book down and go read Wong's work at cracked.com, particularly his piece "6 Things Rich People Need to Stop Saying," a brilliant piece of humor, psychology and economics. http://www.cracked.com/blog/6-things-...
Back to John Dies. Yes, like the book blurb says, in some ways it resembles The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy--it's that strange blend of humor that occurs partially because of stacking two incongruencies in a slice of bread and calling it a sandwich. The heroes are similar...more
Back to John Dies. Yes, like the book blurb says, in some ways it resembles The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy--it's that strange blend of humor that occurs partially because of stacking two incongruencies in a slice of bread and calling it a sandwich. The heroes are similar...more
VERY HIP...
VERY BIZARRO...
VERY CREEPY...
AND VERY, VERY (EVEN BRILLIANTLY) FUNNY...IN A CRUDE, JUVENILE WAY...
I read a lot... I read everyday and go through a number of books every week. Reading as much as I do, I get a real jolly on when I come across a book like this because it is so different from the usual fare. I'm not sure I can adequately describe the book, but the phrase that seems most apt is "brilliantly stupid"…with "surreal,” "incredibly funny" and "dude that’s gross" close behind....more
VERY BIZARRO...
VERY CREEPY...
AND VERY, VERY (EVEN BRILLIANTLY) FUNNY...IN A CRUDE, JUVENILE WAY...
I read a lot... I read everyday and go through a number of books every week. Reading as much as I do, I get a real jolly on when I come across a book like this because it is so different from the usual fare. I'm not sure I can adequately describe the book, but the phrase that seems most apt is "brilliantly stupid"…with "surreal,” "incredibly funny" and "dude that’s gross" close behind....more
We all know that I have the sense of humor of a twelve year-old boy. I can't help it. Just yesterday my manager was talking to my coworkers and I about her new job at Whole Foods, explaining what she would be doing (which is working behind the specialty cheese counter) and she spoke this little gem that slipped passed everyone's attentions but mine: "...basically I'll be cutting the cheese all day." Trying to hide my giggles only made them come even more fitfully.
I'm laughing right now just thin...more
I'm laughing right now just thin...more
I really loved this book. I didn't know anything going into it, other than that it was weird, so that's all I'll give you.
I think it's worth your time.
I think it's worth your time.
5 Stars
This is a blast of a bizzaro piece of weird fiction. It is a blend of horror, new weird and psychological madness. David Wong is the name of the author, the name of the narrator, and the name of the main protagonist too (Not necessarily all the same!!!). This read is not for the faint of heart, nor is it intended for those that like things spelled out for them all nice and clear, and then drawn up with nothing but straight lines. The weirdness of this book can be challenging to read and t...more
This is a blast of a bizzaro piece of weird fiction. It is a blend of horror, new weird and psychological madness. David Wong is the name of the author, the name of the narrator, and the name of the main protagonist too (Not necessarily all the same!!!). This read is not for the faint of heart, nor is it intended for those that like things spelled out for them all nice and clear, and then drawn up with nothing but straight lines. The weirdness of this book can be challenging to read and t...more
**MILD SPOILERS IN THE FORM OF DIRECT QUOTES WHICH DON'T REALLY TELL YOU ANYTHING ABOUT THE STORY**
5 REASONS THIS MAY BE THE BEST BOOK YOU'LL EVER READ
#5. It's Literally Lough-Out-Loud Funny
I know it's not generally cool to slag off other people's book reviews. It's their subjective opinion, they're entitled, freedom of speech, blahdy blahdy blah. But the number of GR reviews for this book which contain the words "juvenile humour" and then proceed to dismiss the book's worth on that basis is jus...more
5 REASONS THIS MAY BE THE BEST BOOK YOU'LL EVER READ
#5. It's Literally Lough-Out-Loud Funny
I know it's not generally cool to slag off other people's book reviews. It's their subjective opinion, they're entitled, freedom of speech, blahdy blahdy blah. But the number of GR reviews for this book which contain the words "juvenile humour" and then proceed to dismiss the book's worth on that basis is jus...more
this is possibly the worst published book i have ever read. i'm sad to admit it was my ex-boyfriend's favorite book, so i read it to placate him. it took me all of about five minutes to get sick of the author's trite internet-meme-style wannabe-funny bullshit, which is sad because i believe he is the editor of cracked.com (where the writing, though sub-par at times, at least typically makes sense and is somewhat enjoyable to read). at first i thought i wasn't reading it closely enough to follow...more
Have you ever played that game when one person starts a story and then another person takes it over, and then another, and then...until the story gets to where you can't even remember how it started?
John Dies at the End is a little bit like that game.
Now picture Howard Philip Lovecraft and Robert E. Howard playing this game around a campfire after a crazy party.
Now picture Howard Philip Lovecraft and Robert E. Howard smoking pot and drinking cheap booze as they play the game.
And then they are...more
John Dies at the End is a little bit like that game.
Now picture Howard Philip Lovecraft and Robert E. Howard playing this game around a campfire after a crazy party.
Now picture Howard Philip Lovecraft and Robert E. Howard smoking pot and drinking cheap booze as they play the game.
And then they are...more
Um, yeah. It really draws you in, doesn't it? The old "stop, wait, don't do it" - which just guarantees that you will, of course, open the book and read it to the end. Which I did. And now I'm trying to determine just how I feel about said book.
The writing isn't bad, although at times this really does read a bit stream-of-consciousness-y. OK, let's be blunt: it rambles. There are also jumps forward in time that had me a bit confused, as well as wondering what really happened. There are a lot of...more
The writing isn't bad, although at times this really does read a bit stream-of-consciousness-y. OK, let's be blunt: it rambles. There are also jumps forward in time that had me a bit confused, as well as wondering what really happened. There are a lot of...more
There are really only so many things you can do with horror these days. I think we’ve all been somewhat desensitized by the ever-increasing variety and imaginativeness that has come with the horror genre in recent years, and so you know that sooner or later you’re going to find yourself yawning theatrically at someone being forced to devour their own brains with a spoon made from their still-living child’s hollowed-out sternum and say, “Seen it.”
As that moment approaches, the aspiring horror wri...more
As that moment approaches, the aspiring horror wri...more
So... Um... Well, that was, erm, something all right...
So I suppose I should start off by saying it's not quite what I was expecting but, of course, the logical follow-up to that would be "well, what were you expecting?", and I'd have to say "I'm not really sure. But that wasn't it."
But I think one thing I was expecting was a different kind of humor. Maybe something more along the lines of A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore, or even 'Army of Darkness' with Bruce Campbell.
Not to say it didn't have...more
So I suppose I should start off by saying it's not quite what I was expecting but, of course, the logical follow-up to that would be "well, what were you expecting?", and I'd have to say "I'm not really sure. But that wasn't it."
But I think one thing I was expecting was a different kind of humor. Maybe something more along the lines of A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore, or even 'Army of Darkness' with Bruce Campbell.
Not to say it didn't have...more
Mar 20, 2012
Mike (the Paladin)
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
horror,
urban-fantasy
I finished this book a couple of nights ago. As a side note I'm almost halfway through a book titled The Rook. Reading these books back to back, I've got to ask...am I the only person left in the world who doesn't use the great English "f" word (f**k) as a common part of my vocabulary?
Oh well...on to the review.
Over all I like this book and I think it's well written. I can partially agree with another reader who said that they "laughed out loud". On occasion I did to. I'll be giving a sort of "g...more
Oh well...on to the review.
Over all I like this book and I think it's well written. I can partially agree with another reader who said that they "laughed out loud". On occasion I did to. I'll be giving a sort of "g...more
Amazing, David Wong has created a fantastic book for the open minded. After reading it I then went out and got the Audible version so I could listen to it again on the way to work. The characters were original and engrossing. The story is a unique breath of fresh air that will make you say "WTF?!?!?" consistently as the plot progresses. If your in to seamless progression then this book will not appeal to you. If jumps, twists and turns in the air. Just when you think you have a handle on where t...more
Does this book deserve 5 stars? No, not in the slightest.
The book opens with a deliriously off-kilter parable and follows it up with a chapter that suggests the banality of evil is nothing compared to its outright stupidity. I caught that bit when it was still a fledgling online novel, and it was enough to hook me to buy the book.
This book promises to deliver a terrifying sermon on true insanity, as filtered through the incredibly crude viewpoint of its narrator. Well, it starts off strong in th...more
The book opens with a deliriously off-kilter parable and follows it up with a chapter that suggests the banality of evil is nothing compared to its outright stupidity. I caught that bit when it was still a fledgling online novel, and it was enough to hook me to buy the book.
This book promises to deliver a terrifying sermon on true insanity, as filtered through the incredibly crude viewpoint of its narrator. Well, it starts off strong in th...more
Jul 03, 2009
Daniel
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Daniel by:
Brian
Shelves:
2009
"'...And, well, that's my story,' I said. 'I'm sorry that it's so, you know. Retarded.'" -- David Wong, "John Dies at the End"
"John Dies at the End," originally published on the Internet, then self-published in book form by David Wong, and apparently being republished in September by St. Martin's Press, is kind of like "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies," but with five fewer Bennet sisters and six dozen more dick jokes. While "John" predates "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" by several years, it l...more
Simply put, I have never laughed harder at a horror book. This is less an attempt by "Wong" to write horror so much as it is for him to hone his humor chops on a genre that's been whipped to death by too much seriousness. It's appropriately gross, rolls out misadventure after misadventure, and ultimately satisfies on multiple levels. If you're into horror, you'll likely find it pretty smart. If you're into comedy, this on has great edge throughout. I don't know if I'd recommend it to anyone who...more
I must getting older. My tolerance for shit jokes and frat-boy humor is a lot less that it was a few years ago. John Dies at the End has a lot of that kind of humor. It also has a nifty alternate universe plot with yucky creatures trying to take over the earth. I laughed a lot while reading this but the disorganized structure and the huge amount of typos in this self-publicized ebook got a bit on my nerves. It's a very funny, very creative, but ultimately unsuccessful debut novel.
The (somewhat obtuse) review will begin by talking about Britney Spears, who has nothing whatsoever to do with this book. I only mention it in case it chases some people away. Bye!
I realized one day that when people buy a BS album, they’re not just getting a collection of songs, they’re also purchasing permission to participate in the whole BS zeitgeist. They get to talk BS and read BS online and at the grocery store checkstand. They get to enjoy BS movies on a whole different level, get to watc...more
I realized one day that when people buy a BS album, they’re not just getting a collection of songs, they’re also purchasing permission to participate in the whole BS zeitgeist. They get to talk BS and read BS online and at the grocery store checkstand. They get to enjoy BS movies on a whole different level, get to watc...more
It transcends its "Jay and Silent Bob versus Chuthulu" premise. It's scary, has some great scenes of body horror,and is really funny in places. But what I really came to love this book for is how it works to tie the weird horror from beyond time and space with the everyday horror of human cruelty. Lovecraft thought the old ones were scary because they were inhuman. With Wong, the old ones are scary because they are all too human.
Apr 18, 2013
Kana
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
audiobook,
science-fiction
Summary
I don't know how I end up getting the complete wrong impression of a book and yet still feel inclined to read it. This has happened several times. I went into this book thinking it was some drama book and what I found was a very compelling sci-fi/new version of Harry Dresden. (I love Harry Dresden and Sci-Fi). So it's not like I was disappointed, just confused how I keep doing that. Clearly something in my subconscious sees through my confusion and says, 'This is not what you think it is...more
I don't know how I end up getting the complete wrong impression of a book and yet still feel inclined to read it. This has happened several times. I went into this book thinking it was some drama book and what I found was a very compelling sci-fi/new version of Harry Dresden. (I love Harry Dresden and Sci-Fi). So it's not like I was disappointed, just confused how I keep doing that. Clearly something in my subconscious sees through my confusion and says, 'This is not what you think it is...more
This book is an entertaining look at what is real and what is really real. Laced with humor and vulgarity, these features merely cast a veneer over the fear and truths of the main character. Don't be fooled by what you see, and be careful of the soy sauce.
Wildly inappropriate horror/conspiracy-theory/action/sci-fi/mystery novel. I read it online. Very good modern adaptation of the old serial novels. I believe the internet might the new medium for such projects.
While this was mostly fascinating and fun, it grew tedious with its three or four separate climaxes (I'm usually all for multiple climaxes. In bed, not so much in books.) and endless blow-by-blow of David's actions (my favorite sentence: "Nothing interesting happened for the next four months." Better use of that technique could have spared us one hundred needless pages, easy.) There was also a severe lack of tension due to the framework of the story, with David relaying events and John set up no...more
It's midnight and I'm reading the Spanish translation of John Dies at the End, I only have 50 pages left but my eyes are starting to get heavy. The lead based mascara I sampled is taking its toll. Just when I think I have everything figured out it dawns on me that I can nether read nor speak Spanish. Furthermore, I got this book with some packets of soy sauce at the China Buffett and am wondering why they didn't give me Chinese translation. I was shopping with a Chihuahua but he always seemed mo...more
The last quarter of this book deserves 4 stars, the first three quarters deserve 2.
Firstly, the dialogue in this book (and sometimes the internal monologue) is very wry and generally hilarious. Easily its best quality, and kept me reading past the slow parts.
Unfortunately, the dialogue is often eclipsed by TONS of gruesome and gory visual descriptions, and though they are perfectly tolerable at first they do drag on after a while. After the 50th or 60th person whose entrails explode into a rain...more
Firstly, the dialogue in this book (and sometimes the internal monologue) is very wry and generally hilarious. Easily its best quality, and kept me reading past the slow parts.
Unfortunately, the dialogue is often eclipsed by TONS of gruesome and gory visual descriptions, and though they are perfectly tolerable at first they do drag on after a while. After the 50th or 60th person whose entrails explode into a rain...more
F'ing hilarious! Made me actually laugh out loud (as oppposed to the wry smile I usually employ when I find something amusing in a book.) I read it and then read all the hooplah (word of mouth recommendation, film rights being sold, etc.) about the book. Being somewhat a literary snob, I was a little embarrassed when I realized that the book was already so popular (like I alone had discovered it), but what-the-hell, I'm jumping on the bandwagon.
Copy this as my review for the second book as well,...more
Copy this as my review for the second book as well,...more
At times I found this book hilarious and enjoyable, and at other times I thought it went on for way too long. It tries to combine themes and tones from Hitchhiker's Guide, Ghostbusters, and cthulhu-style horror (note: i've never read any cthulhu.. yet), but doesn't really succeed at any of that. It also feels like the author wrote three or four shorter stories and then mashed them together into one book. I'm going to watch the movie primarily because I want to see just how they pull off some of...more
Mar 25, 2013
Matthew Hunter
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
horror-dark-fiction-ghosts,
humor
"John Dies at the End is like an H.P. Lovecraft tale if Lovecraft were into poop and fart jokes." --Fangoria
Throw in penis jokes, and Fangoria's assessment is accurate. Actually, this book's a mash-up of Lovecraft, Dick's A Scanner Darkly, Thompson's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure. It's bizarre, violent, juvenile, and funny. Cue the genitalia humor:
Throw in penis jokes, and Fangoria's assessment is accurate. Actually, this book's a mash-up of Lovecraft, Dick's A Scanner Darkly, Thompson's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure. It's bizarre, violent, juvenile, and funny. Cue the genitalia humor:
John, let me make one thing clear.... Every man is blessed with his gifts from the Lord. One of mine happens...more
I have seen the future...and it looks a lot like John Dies At The End by David Wong (aka Jason Pargin). For some, that will be reason to celebrate and for others, cause of despair. Honestly, I vacillate between the two reactions. Like, a lot.
On the one hand, Pargin's book is the success story of Literature 2.0. While a humble office shlub, he started writing this story on his website, built up a group of fans of the four years he spent continuing to write and share it, got it published, got an i...more
On the one hand, Pargin's book is the success story of Literature 2.0. While a humble office shlub, he started writing this story on his website, built up a group of fans of the four years he spent continuing to write and share it, got it published, got an i...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RAOA Bibliophiles: * FEB '13 BOOK IS: JOHN DIES AT THE END | 18 | 51 | Apr 09, 2013 11:12pm | |
| RAOA Bibliophiles: Discussion Thread: JDatE Chapters 1 thru 9 (Spoilers) | 6 | 18 | Feb 16, 2013 05:43am | |
| RAOA Bibliophiles: Discussion Thread: JDatE Chapters 10 thru End of Book (Spoilers) | 6 | 22 | Feb 16, 2013 05:41am |
David Wong is the pseudonym of Jason Pargin, online humorist, National Lampoon contributor, and editor in chief of Cracked.com. He is the author of John Dies at the End.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/davidwong
More about David Wong...
http://us.macmillan.com/author/davidwong
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“Son, the greatest trick the Devil pulled was convincing the world there was only one of him.”
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109 people liked it
“And watch out for Molly. See if she does anything unusual. There’s something I don’t trust about the way she exploded and then came back from the dead like that.”
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94 people liked it
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But my favorite part of my whole embarrassing adventure is that, after I told my parents ab...more
Sep 22, 2011 01:46pm
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