What do you think?
Rate this book
Favor
Doug DeWitt is going to Hell. Actually, he's just visiting, because he needs to ask for a favor from his former nemesis, Al Bloom. Unfortunately, Doug has no idea how to find him, and the demons and damned souls aren't helping at all.
Doug's only ally is Mallory Gordon, a trigger-happy mercenary with a murky past and questionable motivation. While Mallory and Doug search for Al, they face obnoxious torture, including endless traffic jams, spontaneous fistfights, perpetual nightmares, and a crooked game of Go Fish.
As they delve deeper into Hell, Doug recounts the story of how he and Al established a revolutionary charity, only for Al to abandon him and eventually commit suicide. If Doug can't figure out what went wrong on Earth, he'll never be able to obtain Al's help. Even worse, there's a distinct possibility he might become trapped in Hell forever.
Doug's only ally is Mallory Gordon, a trigger-happy mercenary with a murky past and questionable motivation. While Mallory and Doug search for Al, they face obnoxious torture, including endless traffic jams, spontaneous fistfights, perpetual nightmares, and a crooked game of Go Fish.
As they delve deeper into Hell, Doug recounts the story of how he and Al established a revolutionary charity, only for Al to abandon him and eventually commit suicide. If Doug can't figure out what went wrong on Earth, he'll never be able to obtain Al's help. Even worse, there's a distinct possibility he might become trapped in Hell forever.
218 pages, Paperback
First published February 19, 2014
25 people want to read
About the author
Steven x Davis
4 books10 followersSteven x Davis was born in 1989 in Leavenworth, Kansas. He studied mathematics and computer science at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and eventually completed a bachelor's degree in math at the University of St. Mary in Leavenworth. He currently lives in Lawrence, Kansas.
Steven writes speculative fiction, drawing most of his ideas from science fiction, fantasy, and magic realism. His prose style is smart, sardonic, and slightly optimistic.
In addition to writing fiction (and this biography), Steven publishes cynical tirades and updates from his life at www.stevenxdavis.com.
Steven writes speculative fiction, drawing most of his ideas from science fiction, fantasy, and magic realism. His prose style is smart, sardonic, and slightly optimistic.
In addition to writing fiction (and this biography), Steven publishes cynical tirades and updates from his life at www.stevenxdavis.com.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
Read
April 6, 2014I don't think I'm going to rate this book. I'm not sure I can. Parts were funny, really funny, but it got about midway through and I felt like this wasn't the book I expected. That's not the author's fault. it's mine. I was expecting more bite and more snark and something darker.
The main character of the story is kind of a bland guy--which is done purposefully, but it makes some parts in the middle really drag. I was more interested in his 'nemesis' who seemed in the hypomanic stages of his bp cycle.(That's not snark, I really felt like that was a hypomanic stage: extremely energetic, big aggrandizing gestures, throwing money at things, hypersexual--I know these symptoms researching my own character). That character was very colorful and sucked the energy right out of the MC. When he left a scene, I was left with Doug--and frankly, he was boring the crap outta me.
The images of hell and the landscapes are pretty incredible. I love the author's imagination and I think this would make a really cool looking graphic comic. Little things like skullflowers are very vivid. I don't think i'll ever forget them. And the author did an amazing job of making Hell unique.
I'd give the five stars to the Hell bits of this book for sure. The story? Well, it's also unique, but just not what I was hoping for. Again, that's not the author's fault, so I choose not to rate it overall.
Would you want to read it? If you like morality stories and vivid scenery and want to read a unique take on hell with pretty funny bits between, this book is for you. If you want snark and and a really dark story, then probably not.
The main character of the story is kind of a bland guy--which is done purposefully, but it makes some parts in the middle really drag. I was more interested in his 'nemesis' who seemed in the hypomanic stages of his bp cycle.(That's not snark, I really felt like that was a hypomanic stage: extremely energetic, big aggrandizing gestures, throwing money at things, hypersexual--I know these symptoms researching my own character). That character was very colorful and sucked the energy right out of the MC. When he left a scene, I was left with Doug--and frankly, he was boring the crap outta me.
The images of hell and the landscapes are pretty incredible. I love the author's imagination and I think this would make a really cool looking graphic comic. Little things like skullflowers are very vivid. I don't think i'll ever forget them. And the author did an amazing job of making Hell unique.
I'd give the five stars to the Hell bits of this book for sure. The story? Well, it's also unique, but just not what I was hoping for. Again, that's not the author's fault, so I choose not to rate it overall.
Would you want to read it? If you like morality stories and vivid scenery and want to read a unique take on hell with pretty funny bits between, this book is for you. If you want snark and and a really dark story, then probably not.
March 24, 2014
Doug DeWitt is going to hell.
However Doug's visit is more of a temporary nature than an eternity. After filling in a form on hell's website, and visiting their office (which is in somewhere like Des Moines) he is granted a visitor's pass. He quickly finds out that hell isn't a flaming inferno of tormented souls. Instead, it's a bleak place of petty annoyances, souls who have given up or are indulging in pointless pursuits to pass the time.
From this attention-grabbing beginning, Steven x Davis weaves a gripping tale. The tale alternates between the present--Doug's journey through hell to find his nemesis, Al Bloom, his college friend and computer genius--and the past, in which we learn what brought Doug and Al to the point where Doug needs to visit hell to find him.
As well as Doug and Al, "Favor" is populated by characters such as theology professor, Dr Celestina Cherry, Mallory, who assists Doug on his journey through hell, and the skullflowers who are great characters in their own right.
"Favor" is well written, wryly funny, and very original. The story line moves along at a great pace, and the alternating timelines tease the reader, leaving you wanting more at the end of each chapter. It's very well put together and after several twists and turns, it all comes together beautifully to create a highly satisfying conclusion.
An excellent and engrossing read, that I loved from start to finish.
However Doug's visit is more of a temporary nature than an eternity. After filling in a form on hell's website, and visiting their office (which is in somewhere like Des Moines) he is granted a visitor's pass. He quickly finds out that hell isn't a flaming inferno of tormented souls. Instead, it's a bleak place of petty annoyances, souls who have given up or are indulging in pointless pursuits to pass the time.
From this attention-grabbing beginning, Steven x Davis weaves a gripping tale. The tale alternates between the present--Doug's journey through hell to find his nemesis, Al Bloom, his college friend and computer genius--and the past, in which we learn what brought Doug and Al to the point where Doug needs to visit hell to find him.
As well as Doug and Al, "Favor" is populated by characters such as theology professor, Dr Celestina Cherry, Mallory, who assists Doug on his journey through hell, and the skullflowers who are great characters in their own right.
"Favor" is well written, wryly funny, and very original. The story line moves along at a great pace, and the alternating timelines tease the reader, leaving you wanting more at the end of each chapter. It's very well put together and after several twists and turns, it all comes together beautifully to create a highly satisfying conclusion.
An excellent and engrossing read, that I loved from start to finish.
December 19, 2020
It was ok. It had its moments, and the mechanisms of Hell were amusingly mundane.
February 5, 2015
Favor was a fun read. The story maintains its pace via alternate chapters which bounce back and forth between hell, and the real world problems that drew neurotic Douglas Dewitt to visit hell in the first place. Both arcs are chock full of absurdly humorous moments which tend toward social satire and a mockery of bureaucracy. In tone and themes, Davis has similarities to the satirist Max Apple.
Davis delivered a polished product for his debut indie novel, and I look forward to reading his next work.
Davis delivered a polished product for his debut indie novel, and I look forward to reading his next work.
April 6, 2014
Great beginning, the pace slowed a bit in the middle, and the ending was a bit predictable, but nice.
May 17, 2015
Good quick read. Different aspect/direction on a popular theme.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews