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Pears and Perils
Most people would be overjoyed to win $50,000 and the chance to star in a nation-wide commercial, even if it was just for a fast food joint like Camelot Burger. Then again, Clint Tucker has never been like most people. Ushered to the tropical paradise of Kenowai, he and the other winners undertake an island tradition for the cameras, one meant to free a local imprisoned deity. One with very specific requirements that have yet to be met. One that might just be a bit more authentic than any of them expected. One that will begin a journey fraught with danger, excitement, and more beer than is wise or healthy.
What people are saying:
“Riveting. Ground Breaking. Truly Impressive.” – People talking about a shipment of tools in a hardware store.
“Dude, this digibook is so solid it four take powerlifting bros to budge it.” –Thunder
“It’s a masterful piece of fiction with laugh out loud humor and sparkling characters. There, I said it, now get the hell out of my house and leave me alone!” –Some guy we thought worked for the Wall Street Journal. (We were way wrong on that one)
What people are saying:
“Riveting. Ground Breaking. Truly Impressive.” – People talking about a shipment of tools in a hardware store.
“Dude, this digibook is so solid it four take powerlifting bros to budge it.” –Thunder
“It’s a masterful piece of fiction with laugh out loud humor and sparkling characters. There, I said it, now get the hell out of my house and leave me alone!” –Some guy we thought worked for the Wall Street Journal. (We were way wrong on that one)
286 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 7, 2013
157 people are currently reading
475 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews
December 24, 2021
A silly, fun read about an accidental quest to free a cursed god with a heartwarming ending. Can't go wrong when the king of the island is a cat and a shark that loves its dark beer. Great audio book narration by Matt Armstrong
June 3, 2014
Drew Hayes does it again! Another novel written in a completely unrelated genre to his other current works. I can’t imagine how he manages to do it, but he has a real winner with this one. If you like stories of reluctant heroes with fate dumping on them, then this is for you. It is an excellent piece of mystery and fantasy, but not excessive on the fantasy. Drew manages to keep it real.
I won’t go into any of the plot details; the book’s synopsis is excellent. The story is a lot of fun. Exploring various tropical paradises along with a growing knowledge of how the local legends of their gods work. All the troubles they encounter are stimulating, but how they are resolved is sheer genius. The king cat is cool, especially since I am a cat person with a king cat myself. (Just ask him and he will tell you himself.) I adore the hammerhead shark—outrageous!
Last, but not least, I can say this and not be embarrassed by it: I absolutely love the ending! It is actually very satisfying, if that is the right word. After reading it, I just had to go back and reread the last two chapters again—just can’t seem to get my fill. It feels as satisfying as though you have eaten a seven course meal. It’s not often that a story ending can satisfy my need for closure on so many levels, but this one has it in spades! For the ending alone, I would recommend this book.
I won’t go into any of the plot details; the book’s synopsis is excellent. The story is a lot of fun. Exploring various tropical paradises along with a growing knowledge of how the local legends of their gods work. All the troubles they encounter are stimulating, but how they are resolved is sheer genius. The king cat is cool, especially since I am a cat person with a king cat myself. (Just ask him and he will tell you himself.) I adore the hammerhead shark—outrageous!
Last, but not least, I can say this and not be embarrassed by it: I absolutely love the ending! It is actually very satisfying, if that is the right word. After reading it, I just had to go back and reread the last two chapters again—just can’t seem to get my fill. It feels as satisfying as though you have eaten a seven course meal. It’s not often that a story ending can satisfy my need for closure on so many levels, but this one has it in spades! For the ending alone, I would recommend this book.
February 7, 2020
Lots of fun! Especially the parts with the hammerhead shark. :-)
November 27, 2017
I think this would be perfect pair(pear?) with Divine Misfortune by A. Lee Martinez. Maybe space them out a bit though to avoid over comparing. Divine Misfortune is a lot more crazy stuff with those powers, while this is a little closer on the spectrum to American Gods. DM-----P&P--AG
I prefer both over American Gods by Neil Gaiman which while it is awesome not as fun as I would like my divine stories to be.
I really can't guess at how to write most of the character names as it was an audiobook. The main male character is meant to come off bland and Buddhist in nature in lines of non-materialistic like his family. I liked him before he developed into more though. I glimpsed at the reviews before buying and saw Thunder pointed out a few times. Thunder wasn't as cool as I was led to believe. That being said he is really just one of three I found to develop more than just a base outward appearance. The other being Kodi, the major god of our story who needs restoration. The women had less profound changes, Falcon is a spoiler turned mega hippie that was the closest runner up. That isn't saying much as this really isn't very long.
I had been avoiding buying the book as I have seen people say it just isn't as good as other Drew Hayes work. Just listening to the author mini-biography at the end, while I agree - that isn't a reason not to get it! I appreciate the humor and brief adventure letting everything tie up neatly and not feeling let down about the ending. No, I don't want a beer or cocktail with Mr. Hayes, and an English degree was actually obviously a good idea. I just appreciate the smiles and laughs =).
I prefer both over American Gods by Neil Gaiman which while it is awesome not as fun as I would like my divine stories to be.
I really can't guess at how to write most of the character names as it was an audiobook. The main male character is meant to come off bland and Buddhist in nature in lines of non-materialistic like his family. I liked him before he developed into more though. I glimpsed at the reviews before buying and saw Thunder pointed out a few times. Thunder wasn't as cool as I was led to believe. That being said he is really just one of three I found to develop more than just a base outward appearance. The other being Kodi, the major god of our story who needs restoration. The women had less profound changes, Falcon is a spoiler turned mega hippie that was the closest runner up. That isn't saying much as this really isn't very long.
I had been avoiding buying the book as I have seen people say it just isn't as good as other Drew Hayes work. Just listening to the author mini-biography at the end, while I agree - that isn't a reason not to get it! I appreciate the humor and brief adventure letting everything tie up neatly and not feeling let down about the ending. No, I don't want a beer or cocktail with Mr. Hayes, and an English degree was actually obviously a good idea. I just appreciate the smiles and laughs =).
March 23, 2019
This is a silly book, but it's fun. It doesn't take itself too seriously. I didn't know anything about it going into the book, and I think I'm glad. I might have come up with expectations for something it wasn't.
The book's plot deals with gods and power and quests. But all of that makes it seem a great deal more serious than it is. Don't get me wrong, there are serious themes that you can take away from this. But at its heart, this is more like a beach adventure featuring a cast surprisingly similar to the Scooby Doo gang. (Except in this case the supernatural isn't just a guy in a costume.)
The book's plot deals with gods and power and quests. But all of that makes it seem a great deal more serious than it is. Don't get me wrong, there are serious themes that you can take away from this. But at its heart, this is more like a beach adventure featuring a cast surprisingly similar to the Scooby Doo gang. (Except in this case the supernatural isn't just a guy in a costume.)
September 12, 2024
Good book
I enjoy Drew Hayes’ books. His sense of humor and character building is impressive to me. This one was good, but dragged in a few areas. Still worth reading.
I enjoy Drew Hayes’ books. His sense of humor and character building is impressive to me. This one was good, but dragged in a few areas. Still worth reading.
August 4, 2016
Sadly, I just could not bring myself to finish this book.
I really enjoyed Drew Hayes's other works, but this one lacked the focus the other books did. There just wasn't enough focus or cohesion with all the moving parts and jumping perspectives. The result is a book that I just couldn't get into no matter how I tried. Every time I picked it up, my mind just wandered.
So give this one a pass.
I really enjoyed Drew Hayes's other works, but this one lacked the focus the other books did. There just wasn't enough focus or cohesion with all the moving parts and jumping perspectives. The result is a book that I just couldn't get into no matter how I tried. Every time I picked it up, my mind just wandered.
So give this one a pass.
October 16, 2016
This was an entertaining an unexpected book about people finding the divine in an unexpected way. From the description I was afraid it was going to be like Joe versus the Volcano, but it was completely different. It was fun and sweet and smart. There was some sharp humor and there were goofy characters and I enjoyed the adventure.
January 8, 2016
Fun. In the first few pages, it seemed like Hayes could've used an editor, but once the story got going it didn't bother me anymore. So many great ideas that could be fleshed out into their own separate stories packed into this one tale.
April 17, 2018
Fun read, good story.
January 7, 2022
Loved the idea of a Professional Fall Guy... and the story was fun, too...
January 27, 2020
This was one of the second books that I read from the author and I have to say that while people don't give it enough credit I find myself listening to the audiobook every once in a while. It's a fun story, no murder, no graphic sex or violence, has some decent comedy elements, and 1 or 2 f-bombs. Overall, I think that it is a good novel.
I recommend this for people 13 and older.
Plot:
Several contestants win a trip to a tropical island where they accidentally free a god. From there they have to get a sacred pear and reach another island, but the fun is in the journey.
Characters:
Clint is the main character of the story. He works as a corporate scape goat and lives at a retirement home despite being young. He sees desires as a pathway into self-destruction and is the average guy in a group over achievers and weirdos.
Thunder is the frat boy life of the party character but there is more to his character than just that. In a book that could have just had him be a dumb 2-dimensional character he surprisingly has more depth to him.
Kaia is native of the island who gives the group a tour of her home. She provides much of the lore. She has something of a existential crisis when she discovers that there are gods in the world.
April is unfortunately the weak link in the characters. She's acts as the sceptic in the story.
Falcon acts like a hippie but like Thunder has a history.
What I like:
It's a good book, has some decent lore, and the author did a good job changing what could have been a bunch of 2D characters into people with fun back stories and fun motivations.
What I don't like:
I can't think of a moment that I didn't enjoy.
I recommend this for people 13 and older.
Plot:
Several contestants win a trip to a tropical island where they accidentally free a god. From there they have to get a sacred pear and reach another island, but the fun is in the journey.
Characters:
Clint is the main character of the story. He works as a corporate scape goat and lives at a retirement home despite being young. He sees desires as a pathway into self-destruction and is the average guy in a group over achievers and weirdos.
Thunder is the frat boy life of the party character but there is more to his character than just that. In a book that could have just had him be a dumb 2-dimensional character he surprisingly has more depth to him.
Kaia is native of the island who gives the group a tour of her home. She provides much of the lore. She has something of a existential crisis when she discovers that there are gods in the world.
April is unfortunately the weak link in the characters. She's acts as the sceptic in the story.
Falcon acts like a hippie but like Thunder has a history.
What I like:
It's a good book, has some decent lore, and the author did a good job changing what could have been a bunch of 2D characters into people with fun back stories and fun motivations.
What I don't like:
I can't think of a moment that I didn't enjoy.
September 9, 2020
3.5 *Stars*
What a quaint oddball of a book. But with a godling of a cat named 'Sprinkles', I didn't really expect anything less.
This is definitely unlike Hayes' other novels. The writing style seemed oddly detached, almost serene, which definitely matched the 'island-style' atmosphere and overall topsy-turvy effect of the plot. The writing is full of one-liners, rhetorical questions or observations that are subsequently answered and very close attention to detail. This, alongside the overall serene tone, allows the most mundane of artefacts and characters to truly shine in all their plain splendour. It also created a special brand of hilarity and gave it that bit of pizazz that sets this novel apart from Hayes' other works.
It is a fun and entertaining read. I gladly spent a couple of hours on it and don't regret it. It gave me a couple of laughs, a couple of eye-rolls and some wonderful new characters to treasure. A special shout-out to Thunder who was an absolute joy to read because of his seemingly endless energy and positivity. Of course, Clint, who "was a special kind of human" and "was simply Zen", wasn't too bad of a main character either and as the understated hero, he fulfilled his role.
My only critique is that some bits of the plot were left unexplained, such as the what and why of Clint's job, and I would have loved a bit more development or description regarding Clint and Kaia's plans for the future. But oh well, it was lighthearted fun so I won't go poking too many holes in it.
What a quaint oddball of a book. But with a godling of a cat named 'Sprinkles', I didn't really expect anything less.
This is definitely unlike Hayes' other novels. The writing style seemed oddly detached, almost serene, which definitely matched the 'island-style' atmosphere and overall topsy-turvy effect of the plot. The writing is full of one-liners, rhetorical questions or observations that are subsequently answered and very close attention to detail. This, alongside the overall serene tone, allows the most mundane of artefacts and characters to truly shine in all their plain splendour. It also created a special brand of hilarity and gave it that bit of pizazz that sets this novel apart from Hayes' other works.
It is a fun and entertaining read. I gladly spent a couple of hours on it and don't regret it. It gave me a couple of laughs, a couple of eye-rolls and some wonderful new characters to treasure. A special shout-out to Thunder who was an absolute joy to read because of his seemingly endless energy and positivity. Of course, Clint, who "was a special kind of human" and "was simply Zen", wasn't too bad of a main character either and as the understated hero, he fulfilled his role.
My only critique is that some bits of the plot were left unexplained, such as the what and why of Clint's job, and I would have loved a bit more development or description regarding Clint and Kaia's plans for the future. But oh well, it was lighthearted fun so I won't go poking too many holes in it.
May 17, 2023
Cheerful mayhem
While the story’s islands felt far more South Pacific/Oceania based than tropical Atlantic, the tale of their divinities and of the islanders who still worshipped them— and of the special pears— gave the book a fine fictional setting.
The diverse characters carried the rest of this comic tale of adventure. Three people, two young and one older, have won a major prize from Camelot Burgers (a McDonalds equivalent, only with a better sauce). Expecting to just receive their $50,000 prizes, they’re told that the money is contingent on their participation in an advertising shoot on the island of Kenowai, described as being some 200 miles south of the Caribbean.
The shoot would involve the prize winners reenacting a local coming-of-age religious ceremony, one which is supposed to free a deity, Kodiwandae. That local god had been tricked into offending a far more powerful goddess, and had been imprisoned in a pear tree to await being freed by a pure-hearted worshipper.
No one expected it to happen anytime soon— and certainly not by tourists shooting an ad. The result, which included the god temporarily sharing the body of one of the prize winners, was cheerful mayhem.
Recommended.
While the story’s islands felt far more South Pacific/Oceania based than tropical Atlantic, the tale of their divinities and of the islanders who still worshipped them— and of the special pears— gave the book a fine fictional setting.
The diverse characters carried the rest of this comic tale of adventure. Three people, two young and one older, have won a major prize from Camelot Burgers (a McDonalds equivalent, only with a better sauce). Expecting to just receive their $50,000 prizes, they’re told that the money is contingent on their participation in an advertising shoot on the island of Kenowai, described as being some 200 miles south of the Caribbean.
The shoot would involve the prize winners reenacting a local coming-of-age religious ceremony, one which is supposed to free a deity, Kodiwandae. That local god had been tricked into offending a far more powerful goddess, and had been imprisoned in a pear tree to await being freed by a pure-hearted worshipper.
No one expected it to happen anytime soon— and certainly not by tourists shooting an ad. The result, which included the god temporarily sharing the body of one of the prize winners, was cheerful mayhem.
Recommended.
October 26, 2019
An early Drew Hayes novel.
What do you get when you mix: a tropical island, local gods, a burger franchise, a bunch of contestants and an ancient island ritual.... Well???
Well you get Pears and Perils. A novel stuffed with Drew's favorite sense of offbeat humor, odd characters and a story that gets only more interesting as it goes along. The premise is as follows: Clint Tucker is one of the 'lucky' winners of a tropical cruise an the possibility of winning $50,000. All he has to do is 'compete' with his fellow contestants and feature in advertisements for the Burger Franchise organizing the whole thing.
Things however go positively weird when you do an ancient island ritual to free a god ... And accidentally really free said God.
And as for a reader recommendation:
If you've read the blurb an like the style it was written in then chances are you'll enjoy this novel just as much.
What do you get when you mix: a tropical island, local gods, a burger franchise, a bunch of contestants and an ancient island ritual.... Well???
Well you get Pears and Perils. A novel stuffed with Drew's favorite sense of offbeat humor, odd characters and a story that gets only more interesting as it goes along. The premise is as follows: Clint Tucker is one of the 'lucky' winners of a tropical cruise an the possibility of winning $50,000. All he has to do is 'compete' with his fellow contestants and feature in advertisements for the Burger Franchise organizing the whole thing.
Things however go positively weird when you do an ancient island ritual to free a god ... And accidentally really free said God.
And as for a reader recommendation:
If you've read the blurb an like the style it was written in then chances are you'll enjoy this novel just as much.
October 12, 2019
Excellent tale of mythological proportions!
I got into Drew Hayes (he’s not dead, just to be clear) when his first super powereds book was available on Amazon prime as a free book. Needless to say, I devoured it, plus the other three in rapid succession. I’ve also read his other major projects (Fred and NPCs) multiple times as I seem to find something new with each successive read. I picked up Pears and Perils since it was one of the only two things left in his non A&D related stuff (I’m saving those) and while I expected another good read, I was blown away by two things: one, Drew isn’t bound by genre; he writes excellent stories in a multitude of worlds and two, he’s a master at the come-from-nowhere-yet-still-completely-authentic twist that makes you want to go back and reread the story again to see how you missed the lead-up. Bravo Mr. Hayes. Bravo.
I got into Drew Hayes (he’s not dead, just to be clear) when his first super powereds book was available on Amazon prime as a free book. Needless to say, I devoured it, plus the other three in rapid succession. I’ve also read his other major projects (Fred and NPCs) multiple times as I seem to find something new with each successive read. I picked up Pears and Perils since it was one of the only two things left in his non A&D related stuff (I’m saving those) and while I expected another good read, I was blown away by two things: one, Drew isn’t bound by genre; he writes excellent stories in a multitude of worlds and two, he’s a master at the come-from-nowhere-yet-still-completely-authentic twist that makes you want to go back and reread the story again to see how you missed the lead-up. Bravo Mr. Hayes. Bravo.
January 8, 2019
I am a huge fan of Drew Hayes anyway, but this one is above and beyond anything I have read of his to date. I legit could not put it down. Hayes has an amazing way of creating worlds that feel so familiar while being incredibly fantastical and otherworldly. His writing deftly moves from eloquently philosophical and using viscerally vivid imagery to modern slang, colloquialisms, and hilariously used profanities. Hayes himself has said that if he had to pick one book for people to read of his first, this is it, and I agree wholeheartedly. This quickly became one of my favourite books
November 22, 2022
Pears and Perils is a fun, highly entertaining quick read that does not take itself too seriously. Drew Hayes has a great sense of humor that shines throughout the entire narrative. I literally laughed out loud several times.
So many characters are unique and likable. Even those I was not initially crazy about grew on me. Watching them grow and bond together during a zany adventure, gods and mere mortals alike, was amazing. Even the antagonists were hilarious.
The finale was very satisfying. Highly recommended for those seeking a fun pick-me-up escape.
So many characters are unique and likable. Even those I was not initially crazy about grew on me. Watching them grow and bond together during a zany adventure, gods and mere mortals alike, was amazing. Even the antagonists were hilarious.
The finale was very satisfying. Highly recommended for those seeking a fun pick-me-up escape.
March 5, 2024
DNF, stopping at 38%. Two stars because weird opening and interesting characters. Could've used a more thorough line-edit.
This one's omniscient narrator, multi-POV, with head-hopping, but is somehow not annoying. And yet, once again, I'm reminded that vanishingly few authors can write gods stories that keep me engaged. I can even tell you why. These are petty little gods doing petty things over vast amounts of time, and I have no patience with this level of oblivious sit-com-ness.
It's not the author's fault, plenty of people enjoy this sort of thing. I'm just not one of them.
This one's omniscient narrator, multi-POV, with head-hopping, but is somehow not annoying. And yet, once again, I'm reminded that vanishingly few authors can write gods stories that keep me engaged. I can even tell you why. These are petty little gods doing petty things over vast amounts of time, and I have no patience with this level of oblivious sit-com-ness.
It's not the author's fault, plenty of people enjoy this sort of thing. I'm just not one of them.
September 21, 2017
Well, that was different. I really like Drew Hayes' sense of whimsy.
I enjoyed the book, but hit a wall about half way through and forced myself to finish. For some reason, I kept getting the female characters confused and the underlying folklore seemed needlessly complicated. But I can't knock a book with a beer-drinking shark. This will be a good read for the right person in the right frame of mind. It might have been a better read for me at other times.
I enjoyed the book, but hit a wall about half way through and forced myself to finish. For some reason, I kept getting the female characters confused and the underlying folklore seemed needlessly complicated. But I can't knock a book with a beer-drinking shark. This will be a good read for the right person in the right frame of mind. It might have been a better read for me at other times.
September 14, 2024
This wasn't anything special as books go. A team of misfits work together to accomplish an objective. There is some mild humour and the plot mostly makes sense. I bought this because I like Drew Hayes books about 50% of the time and this one unfortunately fell on the wrong side. I have given it 3/5 because it is has enough good bits to not be completely average but I wouldn't recommend it. The narrator was fine.
September 17, 2025
Just might have given this three stars except for the last chapter (mainly). It was mostly too cheesy and Mills&Boon for my liking as well as the fact that the actions of Falcon left me totally nonplussed. Why was she doing what she did to someone who (as far as I could see) had done nothing wrong?
Anyway, all I know is that I will not read any more novels by this author. Sorry, Mr Hayes after The Damaged Detective I thought I had found a new favourite, but that did not prove the case.
Anyway, all I know is that I will not read any more novels by this author. Sorry, Mr Hayes after The Damaged Detective I thought I had found a new favourite, but that did not prove the case.
January 21, 2019
Definitely not my usual cup of tea, however, I grew to enjoy Drew Hayes' books so I went for it...and it was worth it. The book is short and filled with humorous moments and scenes. I especially loved the way the King of the island was portrayed and pretty much all scenes where he was included. Lots of fun :)
January 5, 2021
I love it I wish for book #2
Awesome as usual thank you very much and I loved it I think that if you're going to make 2 book and said this series that You should give him the power to give second chances to people so I she does when he's like the sacrificial Goat At all these companies and 1 of his power test to do something with pairs cause that would be awesome
Awesome as usual thank you very much and I loved it I think that if you're going to make 2 book and said this series that You should give him the power to give second chances to people so I she does when he's like the sacrificial Goat At all these companies and 1 of his power test to do something with pairs cause that would be awesome
November 29, 2021
Short, fun book that was overall pretty good. I wasn't a big fan of the epilogue as it just felt tacked on instead of a true ending to the character's stories. However, Drew Hayes continues to cement himself as my favorite current author as I've enjoyed every one of his books. This might have been my least favorite of all of them, but it's also his first, and he's grown as an author since then.
March 4, 2023
Fun!!!
Pears and Perils is a fun little romp of an adventure. It doesn't take itself too seriously, but isn't a jokefest either. It's fun, funny and wears it's heart on it's sleeve. Oddly, the thing it reminds me most of us Romancing the Stone. Bit weird, that, but it's exactly that same tone.
Pears and Perils is a fun little romp of an adventure. It doesn't take itself too seriously, but isn't a jokefest either. It's fun, funny and wears it's heart on it's sleeve. Oddly, the thing it reminds me most of us Romancing the Stone. Bit weird, that, but it's exactly that same tone.
April 20, 2023
I am a fan of Drew Hayes' books. Especially the Fred the Vamipre Accountant series.
This was my first Drew Hayes book that was a stand alone and not a part of a series> I somehow got the impression it would be a good book for 12-5 year olds. Somehow I felt a bit wanting being an adult reading this book.
This was my first Drew Hayes book that was a stand alone and not a part of a series> I somehow got the impression it would be a good book for 12-5 year olds. Somehow I felt a bit wanting being an adult reading this book.
January 2, 2019
A different path, and an awesome journey
This is not a book to fit nicely into a single category. It was charming and funny with great characters and a solid message. I loved this book.
This is not a book to fit nicely into a single category. It was charming and funny with great characters and a solid message. I loved this book.
April 27, 2019
A nice little stand alone story
A wacky comedy with corporate marketing, evil videographers, and mortals interfering in the affairs of gods. all set on the back drop of Caribbean islands.
A pleasant little book and a must read for Drew Hayes completest.
A wacky comedy with corporate marketing, evil videographers, and mortals interfering in the affairs of gods. all set on the back drop of Caribbean islands.
A pleasant little book and a must read for Drew Hayes completest.
June 27, 2019
I was a little sad that I didn't like Hayes' superhero series since I loved his Fred the Vampire books so much. But this was a delightful, light romp for me and I quite enjoyed it. It felt like he was leaving it open for a sequel so...we'll see.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews