What do you think?
Rate this book
Night of the Assholes
The Assholes are coming to get you, Barbara . . . From Wonderland Award Winner Kevin L. Donihe, comes a hilarious tribute to Night of the Living Dead A plague of assholes is infecting the countryside. Normal everyday people are transforming into jerks, snobs, dicks, and douchebags. And they all have only one purpose: to make your life a living hell. Today is the worst day of Barbara's life. The assholes are everywhere. They're picking fights, causing accidents, and even killing people. But she must remain calm. If you raise your temper to an asshole you'll become one of them. After losing her brother to the asshole onslaught, Barbara flees for her life. She finds safety in a desolate farmhouse with six other survivors. Cut off from the world and surrounded by a sea of assholes, they must figure out a way to last through the night. But more and more of those annoying bastards are gathering outside, preparing for the coming of something much worse. . .
175 pages, Paperback
First published October 17, 2010
7 people are currently reading
531 people want to read
About the author
Kevin L. Donihe
43 books99 followersKevin L. Donihe is one of the originators of the Bizarro Fiction literary movement. He is the author of the Wonderland Award-winning novels HOUSE OF HOUSES and SPACE WALRUS, among other books published by seminal Bizarro publisher Eraserhead Press. He was also the editor of the horror anthology series BARE BONE for Raw Dog Screaming Press. His work has appeared in THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF LEGAL THRILLERS and John Skipp's PSYCHOS: SERIAL KILLERS, DEPRAVED MADMEN, AND THE CRIMINALLY INSANE. Hailing from the mountains of Tennessee, he now lives in Astoria, OR.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
October 16, 2018
A horror parody/spoof that's perfect for the Halloween season.
Well, this was batshit crazy and funny as hell !It's also a parody novel with a very important underlying message. This novel is a bizarro, horror fiction parody of George Romero's Night of The Living Dead. In Romero's story, normal people try to escape from hordes of zombies, but in this story it's an asshole apocalypse that's the real threat. The heroine is Barbara and she's recently been seeing a shrink for help with her anger management issues. The story begins when Barbara and her brother Johnny ( who is also a Hare Rama Hare Krishna follower ) are driving to the mall. They soon start to encounter hordes of people who act like rude jerks:
Damn, what an asshole, Barbara thought as the black sedan veered into her lane and nearly scraped paint off the side of her car. The other driver held down his horn, like it was somehow her fault. It seemed to Barbara there were more assholes in the world now than when she was a kid, or even when she was in college.
Kevin L. Donihe. Night of the Assholes (Kindle Locations 7-9). Eraserhead Press. Kindle Edition.
Barbara stifles her anger because she doesn't want to give into it.
This Barbara, trying to control her anger when confronted with assholish drivers on the road:
Her brother, however, eventually succumbs when another Hare Krishna guy insults him. Johnny then morphs into an English football hooligan right in front Barbara's eyes. In this novel, normal people are turned into assholes only when they allow assholes to make them angry.
Barbara realizes that if she's nice and polite to an asshole then she won't turn into one of them.
Unfortunately, most people around her don't have the same patience with the assholes who antagonize them, so everyone starts fighting and turning into assholes !
All sorts of crazy, nightmarish shit starts to happen as Barbara runs for her life:
She ends up at an old farmhouse that's similar to the one in Romero's zombie film. She's joined there by an African-American guy called Todd. He's the male protagonist in the story.
This is Todd:
Todd is the one who tells Barbara that the only way to kill an asshole is to stake it in the ass with a wooden pole ! It's so silly and mind boggling at the same time. Lol.
I'm not going to go into the details of what actually happens, in the storyline, because it will spoil all the fun for readers of this type of novel. However, what I find more significant is the actual underlying message behind this parody novel: assholes are everywhere and most of us possess assholish traits but if we are aware of these flaws within us, then we're not the real assholes. The real assholes are people who are so caught up in their assholery that they're oblivious to how annoyingly F up they can be and they also love to impose their assholery on others. There's a huge difference between an asshole and just being someone who possesses assholish traits. There's also a distinction between harmless assholes and dangerous assholes. Harmless assholes are people who know they're assholes but they don't try to impose themselves, their belief systems, personal prejudices, habits or their ideology upon others. That's like me and my dog Harold Mongrelpup. Lol. We know we possess annoying assholish traits and can be assholes at times but we just mind our own business and avoid pushing ourselves into other people's faces or telling them what to do or how to live. A dangerous asshole is a person who is so caught up with his/her own egotistical sense of self importance that he/she thinks his/her ideas and beliefs are superior to everybody else's. That's why there's a also a big difference between someone who's merely vain, in a harmless superficial manner ( like myself and Harold M ), and a narcissist with a superiority complex a mile wide.
There are a lot of such oblivious assholes around and these people make it their life's work to coerce others into thinking the way they do. Sometimes, as seen in the novel, they can fool the normal folks by trying to hide their egotistical assholery with passive aggressive, condescending behaviour. Dangerous assholes are also bitter human beings who have lost track of what it means to be happy in life. That's why they spend all their time trying to spread their bitterness, but if others deflect that bitterness with happiness, then the assholes lose their power. The best way to avoid turning into a dangerous asshole is to maintain your dignity and calm even when an asshole is annoying you.
I really enjoyed this book and laughed a lot at all the wacky shit that kept happening to the MC's. This is the kind of novel that's fun to read when you want to have a grand old laugh while musing on the psyche of human assholery...
But please don't think I'm peer pressuring you into reading this book, because that would be an extremely assholish thing for me to do. Lol.
Well, this was batshit crazy and funny as hell !It's also a parody novel with a very important underlying message. This novel is a bizarro, horror fiction parody of George Romero's Night of The Living Dead. In Romero's story, normal people try to escape from hordes of zombies, but in this story it's an asshole apocalypse that's the real threat. The heroine is Barbara and she's recently been seeing a shrink for help with her anger management issues. The story begins when Barbara and her brother Johnny ( who is also a Hare Rama Hare Krishna follower ) are driving to the mall. They soon start to encounter hordes of people who act like rude jerks:
Damn, what an asshole, Barbara thought as the black sedan veered into her lane and nearly scraped paint off the side of her car. The other driver held down his horn, like it was somehow her fault. It seemed to Barbara there were more assholes in the world now than when she was a kid, or even when she was in college.
Kevin L. Donihe. Night of the Assholes (Kindle Locations 7-9). Eraserhead Press. Kindle Edition.
Barbara stifles her anger because she doesn't want to give into it.
This Barbara, trying to control her anger when confronted with assholish drivers on the road:
Her brother, however, eventually succumbs when another Hare Krishna guy insults him. Johnny then morphs into an English football hooligan right in front Barbara's eyes. In this novel, normal people are turned into assholes only when they allow assholes to make them angry.
Barbara realizes that if she's nice and polite to an asshole then she won't turn into one of them.
Unfortunately, most people around her don't have the same patience with the assholes who antagonize them, so everyone starts fighting and turning into assholes !
All sorts of crazy, nightmarish shit starts to happen as Barbara runs for her life:
She ends up at an old farmhouse that's similar to the one in Romero's zombie film. She's joined there by an African-American guy called Todd. He's the male protagonist in the story.
This is Todd:
Todd is the one who tells Barbara that the only way to kill an asshole is to stake it in the ass with a wooden pole ! It's so silly and mind boggling at the same time. Lol.
I'm not going to go into the details of what actually happens, in the storyline, because it will spoil all the fun for readers of this type of novel. However, what I find more significant is the actual underlying message behind this parody novel: assholes are everywhere and most of us possess assholish traits but if we are aware of these flaws within us, then we're not the real assholes. The real assholes are people who are so caught up in their assholery that they're oblivious to how annoyingly F up they can be and they also love to impose their assholery on others. There's a huge difference between an asshole and just being someone who possesses assholish traits. There's also a distinction between harmless assholes and dangerous assholes. Harmless assholes are people who know they're assholes but they don't try to impose themselves, their belief systems, personal prejudices, habits or their ideology upon others. That's like me and my dog Harold Mongrelpup. Lol. We know we possess annoying assholish traits and can be assholes at times but we just mind our own business and avoid pushing ourselves into other people's faces or telling them what to do or how to live. A dangerous asshole is a person who is so caught up with his/her own egotistical sense of self importance that he/she thinks his/her ideas and beliefs are superior to everybody else's. That's why there's a also a big difference between someone who's merely vain, in a harmless superficial manner ( like myself and Harold M ), and a narcissist with a superiority complex a mile wide.
There are a lot of such oblivious assholes around and these people make it their life's work to coerce others into thinking the way they do. Sometimes, as seen in the novel, they can fool the normal folks by trying to hide their egotistical assholery with passive aggressive, condescending behaviour. Dangerous assholes are also bitter human beings who have lost track of what it means to be happy in life. That's why they spend all their time trying to spread their bitterness, but if others deflect that bitterness with happiness, then the assholes lose their power. The best way to avoid turning into a dangerous asshole is to maintain your dignity and calm even when an asshole is annoying you.
I really enjoyed this book and laughed a lot at all the wacky shit that kept happening to the MC's. This is the kind of novel that's fun to read when you want to have a grand old laugh while musing on the psyche of human assholery...
But please don't think I'm peer pressuring you into reading this book, because that would be an extremely assholish thing for me to do. Lol.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 25, 2011
If this were to actually happen, a plague of assholes overrunning the world (a la Night of the Living Dead), I would be their king, or at least a Lt. Colonel. I'd have some kind of rank.
In this story, assholes are everywhere. If you're an asshole to an asshole, then you become an asshole as well. The only way to stop an asshole is to ram a pole up said asshole's asshole. But aim carefully, for if you miss the asshole's asshole, then you will become an asshole.
This book is a parody of George Romero's zombie classic, but this is not the kind of parody that would feature Leslie Nielsen in the film adaption. Beyond the humorous premise and outstanding cover art, there is little humor to be found in this story, which wonders if, in the face of a worldwide epidemic of douchebaggery, is it possible to remain civil? If the entire world was overrun by assholes, would there be any chance for kindness to survive?
Tough to answer, but I know one thing - I wouldn't last five minutes in that world. In fact, I fear I have already turned. So you better Like this review right now, or I'll come to your tiny little shithole apartment and superglue your locks shut and dump sugar in the gas tanks of your '94 Hyundai Excels. What are you waiting for, nimrod? CLICK THAT FUCKING LIKE BUTTON RIGHT NOW!!!!
(oh god... four exclamation points... I really am an ashole... please help me...)
In this story, assholes are everywhere. If you're an asshole to an asshole, then you become an asshole as well. The only way to stop an asshole is to ram a pole up said asshole's asshole. But aim carefully, for if you miss the asshole's asshole, then you will become an asshole.
This book is a parody of George Romero's zombie classic, but this is not the kind of parody that would feature Leslie Nielsen in the film adaption. Beyond the humorous premise and outstanding cover art, there is little humor to be found in this story, which wonders if, in the face of a worldwide epidemic of douchebaggery, is it possible to remain civil? If the entire world was overrun by assholes, would there be any chance for kindness to survive?
Tough to answer, but I know one thing - I wouldn't last five minutes in that world. In fact, I fear I have already turned. So you better Like this review right now, or I'll come to your tiny little shithole apartment and superglue your locks shut and dump sugar in the gas tanks of your '94 Hyundai Excels. What are you waiting for, nimrod? CLICK THAT FUCKING LIKE BUTTON RIGHT NOW!!!!
(oh god... four exclamation points... I really am an ashole... please help me...)
December 12, 2011
Night of the Assholes only confirmed something I all ready knew: the world is full of assholes.
Myself included.
It also confirmed that assholery is contagious. If you're an asshole to an asshole in Night of the Assholes, then you become an asshole yourself. I believe that in real life it is the other way around, but this formula works very well for Night of the assholes.
This book reminded me of our own race and how every one of us would probably be like the assholes in this book if we always acted out all the angry, lusty, greedy, inconsiderate thoughts and emotions every time we had them. Sometimes we do, but we also have what I like to call "the editor" in our heads. It makes us choose our battles, the appropriate times to make a pass on the opposite sex, where to defecate, etc. These assholes, however, do whatever it is that enters their minds.
I have met and known assholes who didn't seem to have an internal editor at all, which made this book feel somehow triumphant.
There are a lot of funny parts to this book, and the characters were a lot of fun to follow. The entire book was a fun read, in fact, and I felt that it worked really well as a parody of Night of the Living Dead.
A good, solid read. I highly recommend it.
Myself included.
It also confirmed that assholery is contagious. If you're an asshole to an asshole in Night of the Assholes, then you become an asshole yourself. I believe that in real life it is the other way around, but this formula works very well for Night of the assholes.
This book reminded me of our own race and how every one of us would probably be like the assholes in this book if we always acted out all the angry, lusty, greedy, inconsiderate thoughts and emotions every time we had them. Sometimes we do, but we also have what I like to call "the editor" in our heads. It makes us choose our battles, the appropriate times to make a pass on the opposite sex, where to defecate, etc. These assholes, however, do whatever it is that enters their minds.
I have met and known assholes who didn't seem to have an internal editor at all, which made this book feel somehow triumphant.
There are a lot of funny parts to this book, and the characters were a lot of fun to follow. The entire book was a fun read, in fact, and I felt that it worked really well as a parody of Night of the Living Dead.
A good, solid read. I highly recommend it.
June 29, 2011
Ever watch The Jersey Shore? Did it make you feel like boarding up your windows? Did it make you cry a little for the future? Maybe I'm just paranoid. Maybe it's okay for us to live in a world of anger, incivility and raging ids. Kevin Donihe doesn't think so. Zombies can be scary, sure, but there's something really scary in the person who's mean at you for no reason, the person who's contentious about everything and the person who just won't let you be. Compared to these critters, zombies are a cakewalk. This book deals with what would happen if all of society became this uncivil, if there were no place to turn to escape from one's irritants. The protagonist is going through anger management and it seems like the world is testing her by turning every person she meets into a mean spirited piece of human garbage. And she has seen that by sinking to their level, people turn into them, joining the rampaging hordes of the uncivil. Donihe makes a satirical, but deadly serious inquiry into what we can do as people start to lower their standards of behavior, education, rhetoric and humanity. Is there any way to resist the growing tide of random cruelty and unbridled ignorance? Read this book and think about it, think about the irritating people in your day to day life, think about how you treat others and how you would like to be treated and think about what you can do to make the future a little more civil. Moral fiction that's laughout loud funny. We don't see much of that.
January 26, 2011
The basic premise of this book is that the world is overrun by assholes. They are football hooligans, douchebags, cheerleaders, security guards, bitchy old women, rednecks, frat boys, date rapists, perverts (but I repeat myself), and just regular crazy fucks with road rage. In itself, this is not a profound idea. Writing a book about zombies is not especially clever either; everybody's doing it these days. What makes this book brilliant is taking this common daily expression "I'm surrounded by assholes" (okay, maybe I just say it every day) and turning it into a zombie book that simultaneously embraces and subverts the zombie genre and becomes a cautionary tale about etiquette.
In this story, the only way to become an asshole is to be rude to an asshole. The assholes seem to know this, so they are as provocative as possible. Because this story parallels the classic movie Night of the Living Dead, the protagonists wind up in a farmhouse miles from anything, trapped and surrounded by assholes who rudely invade the house and do their best to provoke the main characters into being rude back. It's a clever idea, but does the writing carry through?
Yes. While reading this book, I felt the sense of agoraphobia the protagonists were feeling. I kept looking at my windows. It was like that first time you watched a horror movie in the dark and knew there was some kind of monster just outside your line of sight. I was sure that the moment I walked out of my apartment I would be surrounded by assholes.
For someone with an INTP Meyers Briggs profile, this might smack of nonfiction. For everyone else, this is THE horror novel.
In this story, the only way to become an asshole is to be rude to an asshole. The assholes seem to know this, so they are as provocative as possible. Because this story parallels the classic movie Night of the Living Dead, the protagonists wind up in a farmhouse miles from anything, trapped and surrounded by assholes who rudely invade the house and do their best to provoke the main characters into being rude back. It's a clever idea, but does the writing carry through?
Yes. While reading this book, I felt the sense of agoraphobia the protagonists were feeling. I kept looking at my windows. It was like that first time you watched a horror movie in the dark and knew there was some kind of monster just outside your line of sight. I was sure that the moment I walked out of my apartment I would be surrounded by assholes.
For someone with an INTP Meyers Briggs profile, this might smack of nonfiction. For everyone else, this is THE horror novel.
June 2, 2022
This book is like an electric train set I got as a child. I was so excited when I first got it. I put it together and started it up. Watched it go round and round. Round and round. .......
round...... and.......... round. ........ Round...... and. Turned it off and put it in the closet. I did finish this book, though, and seeing how it's the 21st century, I didn't have to put this thing in the closet. All I had to do was push delete.
round...... and.......... round. ........ Round...... and. Turned it off and put it in the closet. I did finish this book, though, and seeing how it's the 21st century, I didn't have to put this thing in the closet. All I had to do was push delete.
May 3, 2012
I've spent most of my life in New Jersey, so I've probably encountered every type of asshole at least twice. Yeah, yeah, you all think you know something about something thanks to the intellectual wasteland of "The Jersey Shore" but that's just scratching the surface. (I mean, I assume. I've never watched the show because I don't feel like explaining to the emergency-room staff that I've punched out my television. Again.) Those are what we sneeringly call "Bennies," the overprivileged, overgrown children who storm the state's shore towns every summer to ooze their particular breed of slimeball all over a state that reached its capacity for flagrant douchebaggery back in the '80s. That's just one flavor of asshole we offer, and they're only available seasonally. Try venturing inland and bearing witness to our impressive array of disgruntled Philly rejects and self-entitled soccer moms who can't believe that a stranger had the audacity to not find it, like, utterly charming when their undisciplined rugrats turn a grocery store into a playground.
To survive in the self-proclaimed armpit of America, I've had to do as the assholes do and adopt a few of their tactics. The difference? I generally try to reserve my powers for solely defensive use, rather than construct my entire personality on a foundation of bitchiness -- of course, lesser days have seen my temper flare up without provocation. For the most part, though, being raised by assholes (do you have a better name for the kind of people who punish their children for the unimaginable transgression of wasting a quarter on a stranger's expired parking meter?) and pursuing a short-lived career in print journalism have taught me that the best weapon in the war against assholes is plastering on a big, unwavering smile and killin' 'em all with a sickeningly sweet kindness that just won't quit.
The few "normal" people swimming against the surging tide of assholes in "Night of the Assholes" cling to the same arsenal of impregnable politeness, and also any umbrella, pole, stick or anally penetrating weaponry within grabbing range. Because when the assholes spill from the local mall to congregate around the farmhouse in which a small cluster of survivors seek refuge, one cannot simply exchange barbs or blows with the masses of asses: To sink to their level is to become one of them. You can grin and bear it, or you can stake an asshole in the asshole and know that you did your part to make the world a better place. You know, if it mattered.
Is this starting to sound like a variation on the zombie theme? It probably should, as the book openly takes its inspiration from George A. Romero's "Night of the Living Dead." For people like me -- those weirdos who've had zombie-apocalypse survival strategies and go-bags at the ready for years -- the shuffling undead just aren't that scary anymore. A zombie somehow circumvented the booby traps littering my property? That's nice. Get out of my living room or prepare for a bullet to the forehead and a blade to the neck (thanks for the Nazi sword that not even eBay would consider touching, Uncle Walt). But a legion of assholes? You're not just one among a dwindling herd of brains to them: You're a target, and it's personal. They'll taunt you, pry the layers of boards off your windows, stuff a hot dog down your throat 'til you've choked, or charge your shelter with a fleet of molester vans just to hack away at the civility you're desperately trying to maintain for the sake of your humanity. Or, y'know, they'll just as soon kill you in the most demeaning way possible and rejoice that their laughter is the last thing you'll hear as your life seeps away. Because that's how assholes roll. At least zombies are limited in both methods of attack and motivation. Assholes dedicate their entire being to ruining yours and will keep plotting until they've won.
And, oh my God, are the assholes ever on parade in this book. If the barrage of high-octane jerks in the first 30 pages don't make you hate humanity even more than you usually do during your rush-hour commute home, then you're a better person than I am: The onslaught of persistent telemarketers, pushy salespeople, loudmouth racists, deliberately terrible drivers, stereotypically catty cheerleaders, ineffective mall-security stooges, and the holier-than-thou faux religious zealots had me seething with barely contained rage. Those kinds of people are insufferable on their own and in small doses. But en masse? I can't imagine reacting with anything less than full-on stabby rage. For the few times I had to put this book down in order to distance myself from the growing need to tell everyone to eat me raw and like it, I couldn't leave it alone for more than a few minutes. The story is compelling -- how, or WILL, the non-assholes free themselves? -- and the characters are so fully realized that you just have to root for them. Or root for them to meet with the kind of gruesome death you didn't know you could wish on another person, living or imaginary.
This is my introduction to Donihe's works, and it's my second helping of the bizarro genre: Reading "Night of the Assholes" made me want more of both. Immediately. The story would be campy and artificial in a lesser writer's hands but Donihe deftly navigates his reader through the seemingly hopeless tale he's spun. And the writing is really, really good! I can't emphasize that enough. I am one of those people who gets hyper-involved in a story and can't help putting myself in the characters' shoes, but the way I started getting too irritated at some of the displays of assholery featured in this book was on another level entirely -- and that's a testament to the talent that crafted the story, to make a reader feel what the characters are feeling. Barbara, the protagonist, struggles with anger issues all through the story, and I wished many, many times that she'd just admit defeat already and beat the bejeezus out of someone -- asshole transformation be damned -- because that's what I wanted to do and I needed some catharsis: Luckily, when the assholes get staked, it is satisfying in ways that should probably shame me.
In the end, I like to think that the moral of this story is exactly what my planned defense plea has always been: It's not enough to placidly tolerate the world's assholes; you must kill them to fix the problem. And anything that can justify well-meaning but extreme measures is okay with me. It just helps that it's a mighty good read, too.
To survive in the self-proclaimed armpit of America, I've had to do as the assholes do and adopt a few of their tactics. The difference? I generally try to reserve my powers for solely defensive use, rather than construct my entire personality on a foundation of bitchiness -- of course, lesser days have seen my temper flare up without provocation. For the most part, though, being raised by assholes (do you have a better name for the kind of people who punish their children for the unimaginable transgression of wasting a quarter on a stranger's expired parking meter?) and pursuing a short-lived career in print journalism have taught me that the best weapon in the war against assholes is plastering on a big, unwavering smile and killin' 'em all with a sickeningly sweet kindness that just won't quit.
The few "normal" people swimming against the surging tide of assholes in "Night of the Assholes" cling to the same arsenal of impregnable politeness, and also any umbrella, pole, stick or anally penetrating weaponry within grabbing range. Because when the assholes spill from the local mall to congregate around the farmhouse in which a small cluster of survivors seek refuge, one cannot simply exchange barbs or blows with the masses of asses: To sink to their level is to become one of them. You can grin and bear it, or you can stake an asshole in the asshole and know that you did your part to make the world a better place. You know, if it mattered.
Is this starting to sound like a variation on the zombie theme? It probably should, as the book openly takes its inspiration from George A. Romero's "Night of the Living Dead." For people like me -- those weirdos who've had zombie-apocalypse survival strategies and go-bags at the ready for years -- the shuffling undead just aren't that scary anymore. A zombie somehow circumvented the booby traps littering my property? That's nice. Get out of my living room or prepare for a bullet to the forehead and a blade to the neck (thanks for the Nazi sword that not even eBay would consider touching, Uncle Walt). But a legion of assholes? You're not just one among a dwindling herd of brains to them: You're a target, and it's personal. They'll taunt you, pry the layers of boards off your windows, stuff a hot dog down your throat 'til you've choked, or charge your shelter with a fleet of molester vans just to hack away at the civility you're desperately trying to maintain for the sake of your humanity. Or, y'know, they'll just as soon kill you in the most demeaning way possible and rejoice that their laughter is the last thing you'll hear as your life seeps away. Because that's how assholes roll. At least zombies are limited in both methods of attack and motivation. Assholes dedicate their entire being to ruining yours and will keep plotting until they've won.
And, oh my God, are the assholes ever on parade in this book. If the barrage of high-octane jerks in the first 30 pages don't make you hate humanity even more than you usually do during your rush-hour commute home, then you're a better person than I am: The onslaught of persistent telemarketers, pushy salespeople, loudmouth racists, deliberately terrible drivers, stereotypically catty cheerleaders, ineffective mall-security stooges, and the holier-than-thou faux religious zealots had me seething with barely contained rage. Those kinds of people are insufferable on their own and in small doses. But en masse? I can't imagine reacting with anything less than full-on stabby rage. For the few times I had to put this book down in order to distance myself from the growing need to tell everyone to eat me raw and like it, I couldn't leave it alone for more than a few minutes. The story is compelling -- how, or WILL, the non-assholes free themselves? -- and the characters are so fully realized that you just have to root for them. Or root for them to meet with the kind of gruesome death you didn't know you could wish on another person, living or imaginary.
This is my introduction to Donihe's works, and it's my second helping of the bizarro genre: Reading "Night of the Assholes" made me want more of both. Immediately. The story would be campy and artificial in a lesser writer's hands but Donihe deftly navigates his reader through the seemingly hopeless tale he's spun. And the writing is really, really good! I can't emphasize that enough. I am one of those people who gets hyper-involved in a story and can't help putting myself in the characters' shoes, but the way I started getting too irritated at some of the displays of assholery featured in this book was on another level entirely -- and that's a testament to the talent that crafted the story, to make a reader feel what the characters are feeling. Barbara, the protagonist, struggles with anger issues all through the story, and I wished many, many times that she'd just admit defeat already and beat the bejeezus out of someone -- asshole transformation be damned -- because that's what I wanted to do and I needed some catharsis: Luckily, when the assholes get staked, it is satisfying in ways that should probably shame me.
In the end, I like to think that the moral of this story is exactly what my planned defense plea has always been: It's not enough to placidly tolerate the world's assholes; you must kill them to fix the problem. And anything that can justify well-meaning but extreme measures is okay with me. It just helps that it's a mighty good read, too.
June 23, 2012
In an era when the peak of mainstream literary weirdness has been the addition of zombies to classic (and not-so-classic) texts (i.e. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, Pat the Zombie, Fifty Shades of Grey and Zombies, etc.), Kevin L. Donihe bucks the trend by taking the essential zombie text, George A. Romero's Night of the Living Dead, and removing the zombies, turning the threat instead to assholes. Yes, you heard me right, assholes--drunken soccer hooligans, Rohipnol-slipping jocks, catty cheerleaders, mean-spirited mall cops, flatulent old ladies, neo-Nazis, and so on--have overrun the earth in Donihe's Night of the Assholes, cornering a small cadre of survivors in a remote farm house (with a remarkable supply of lumber for boarding up windows). And the most terrifying part? You can't fight assholes, or you risk becoming an asshole yourself. Absurdist and hilarious, Night of the Assholes is ultimately a cathartic novel for anyone who has ever felt that they were surrounded by assholes. Recommended. You're either going to love this book, or... well, you know what you are.
April 17, 2011
Being a zombie lover, I thought this parody of Night of the Living Dead sounded like the book for me. I was partly right. There were moments that were hilarious and had me quoting lines to anyone sitting near me. But there were others that had me scratching my head and wondering what the hell was going on. Overall, it was interesting and funny, but I probably won't read it again.
Read
February 25, 2011This is a book for people who have seen Night Of The Living Dead. Last time I checked, that was everyone on earth but me.
Yup, yet another shameful facet of my colossal cultural illiteracy. I don't have anything against zombies -- although I do feel better when they're not around -- and I'm sure I'll see the movie someday. I don't hate movies either, I just don't put as much time into movie watching as ... everyone else on earth.
But enough about me! Let's talk about you! You've seen NOTLD, right? You probably understand all these references to hiding inside clocks and endlessly nailing wood over doors and smoking dope with strange men. I bet they will make this book awesome for you! Please read it and review it for me, and in your review describe the connection for those of us on planet Ignoramus.
Thing is, I thought the whole assholes-instead-of-zombies idea was comic geeeeeeenius. Yes, there's a lot of comic mileage gotten out of it. And while Kevin Donihe probably desires to be taken more seriously, I love his sense of humor. But as the book progresses it gets severely shackled to the concept of Assholes Replace Zombies In Close Retelling Of Famous Horror Film Well Known To Everyone On Earth Except Mykle Hansen.
What's maybe more interesting from a literary point of view is that it's told very internally, from the mind and heart of Barbara instead of from a camera POV. And maybe what Kevin is trying to do here is make fun of some things about the movie that really don't hold water if you have characters that actually think. So many movies have that problem. But then again i could be totally wrong about this because I NEVER SAW THE MOVIE aaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrr .....
So I am exactly the wrong person to review this book. I recuse myself. Please don't read this. Or this. No really, stop reading now! You're not doing yourself any favors, or Kevin Donihe netiher. Hey, I said go away! Don't make me make you all uncomfortable. Go! Go read someone else's review. There are no stars here anyway! No stars for books by my friends, that's the rule. Sorry, Super Mario.
But when I do finally watch NOTLD, I'll come back here and try to clean up this mess.
Yup, yet another shameful facet of my colossal cultural illiteracy. I don't have anything against zombies -- although I do feel better when they're not around -- and I'm sure I'll see the movie someday. I don't hate movies either, I just don't put as much time into movie watching as ... everyone else on earth.
But enough about me! Let's talk about you! You've seen NOTLD, right? You probably understand all these references to hiding inside clocks and endlessly nailing wood over doors and smoking dope with strange men. I bet they will make this book awesome for you! Please read it and review it for me, and in your review describe the connection for those of us on planet Ignoramus.
Thing is, I thought the whole assholes-instead-of-zombies idea was comic geeeeeeenius. Yes, there's a lot of comic mileage gotten out of it. And while Kevin Donihe probably desires to be taken more seriously, I love his sense of humor. But as the book progresses it gets severely shackled to the concept of Assholes Replace Zombies In Close Retelling Of Famous Horror Film Well Known To Everyone On Earth Except Mykle Hansen.
What's maybe more interesting from a literary point of view is that it's told very internally, from the mind and heart of Barbara instead of from a camera POV. And maybe what Kevin is trying to do here is make fun of some things about the movie that really don't hold water if you have characters that actually think. So many movies have that problem. But then again i could be totally wrong about this because I NEVER SAW THE MOVIE aaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrr .....
So I am exactly the wrong person to review this book. I recuse myself. Please don't read this. Or this. No really, stop reading now! You're not doing yourself any favors, or Kevin Donihe netiher. Hey, I said go away! Don't make me make you all uncomfortable. Go! Go read someone else's review. There are no stars here anyway! No stars for books by my friends, that's the rule. Sorry, Super Mario.
But when I do finally watch NOTLD, I'll come back here and try to clean up this mess.
December 23, 2010
You’re probably thinking: more zombies? C’mon! But Night of the Assholes is far more disturbing than any mere zombie story. Kevin Donihe takes a surreal perspective to Romero’s genre, as well as tons of gore and an emotional punch that takes the horror to another level. In this world, people are transforming into various types of assholes. They can be all sorts of things, from football players to frat boys. But they’re all obnoxious, rude, selfish, and aggressive. The asshole plague spreads fast because whenever a normal human loses their temper with an asshole, they become one themselves. The assholes are bent on chaos, are nearly indestructible, and there’s no escape from them.
The main character is Barbara. She sees her brother, who is a peaceful Buddhist, confronted by an asshole and transformed into a rugby hooligan. Barbara has anger issues, and if a Buddhist can become an asshole, what hope does she have? She goes on the run from the asshole horde, and finds sanctuary in an old house, where she meets other survivors. In true Romero style, they are trapped, supplies are limited, the horde is growing, and it’s only a matter of time before they break in and get you. Trapped inside are six people, and the house itself is just as strange as the asshole outbreak.
Night of the Assholes begins with Barbara’s brother quoting Buddhist philosophy. By the end, Donihe has ripped all of that away to show a world dominated by the worst kinds of people. Love proves to be the only weapon that can fight the assholes. It gives the story a romantic feel that’s honest, but still asks how far that can get you. The horror of this book is old-fashioned human nature: a world of insufferable and shallow Neanderthals. How does one survive that without being sucked into the abyss and becoming just another douche? The answer is terrifying in true Donihe style. Night of the Assholes is sort of a zombie book, but one that gets right to the heart of what makes the shambling hordes so scary. There are tons of them, few of us, and in the end we’re all dead anyway.
The main character is Barbara. She sees her brother, who is a peaceful Buddhist, confronted by an asshole and transformed into a rugby hooligan. Barbara has anger issues, and if a Buddhist can become an asshole, what hope does she have? She goes on the run from the asshole horde, and finds sanctuary in an old house, where she meets other survivors. In true Romero style, they are trapped, supplies are limited, the horde is growing, and it’s only a matter of time before they break in and get you. Trapped inside are six people, and the house itself is just as strange as the asshole outbreak.
Night of the Assholes begins with Barbara’s brother quoting Buddhist philosophy. By the end, Donihe has ripped all of that away to show a world dominated by the worst kinds of people. Love proves to be the only weapon that can fight the assholes. It gives the story a romantic feel that’s honest, but still asks how far that can get you. The horror of this book is old-fashioned human nature: a world of insufferable and shallow Neanderthals. How does one survive that without being sucked into the abyss and becoming just another douche? The answer is terrifying in true Donihe style. Night of the Assholes is sort of a zombie book, but one that gets right to the heart of what makes the shambling hordes so scary. There are tons of them, few of us, and in the end we’re all dead anyway.
July 10, 2011
This book definitely has a fun concept and the bizarro universe is the perfect place for it to run wild. I don’t want to be a party pooper here, because clearly people really enjoyed the book, and to a degree, I did as well. I just didn’t love it. I found a lot of repetition and random weirdness that didn’t seem to serve the story except to try and outdo the oddity that came before it. Many characters were annoying and quite a few scenes overstayed their welcome. The dialogue, also, was kind of blah. I also didn’t understand the confusing grandfather clock gimmick. However, there were some things I did enjoy -- the transformations, the role reversals, and the more intense action towards the finale, but ultimately, I wasn’t into the humor. For this type of material, I find Carlton Mellick more original with his ideas, dialogue, and style. “Night” is a mixed bag for me. Perhaps I was just expecting something else when I bought it.
September 10, 2014
While I found this book a wee bit slow at the beginning, I quickly became so enraptured by the damn thing, I ended up staying up 'til 6 a.m. to finish. I haven't gotten that into a book for quite some time, and it was nice. This book is my life, really. Assholes, assholes, EVERYWHERE! Its an epidemic, and its NOT funny, but Donihe busts out his mad satirical skills on this one, and makes the asshole apocalypse somewhat tolerable. Its super funny, and not very long. In other words, its a good way to kill a few hours. However, you can scratch the surface a little deeper and take some social commentary with you. Your choice. But ya gotta read it to make that choice! So hop to, already!
July 1, 2025
Night of the Assholes
Well, I guess I enjoyed this ridiculous book more than I expected to. Zombie horror fiction but instead of turning into the usual undead hordes people are turning into assholes - you do an assholes thing you turn into an asshole person for good. And the only way to despatch the assholes? Well that'd be shoving a pole right up their fundament - I mean, come on, what else were you expecting.
You have your usual eclectic, mismatched bunch of survivors and the story follows the usual path.
Good fun, plenty of laughs.
Well, I guess I enjoyed this ridiculous book more than I expected to. Zombie horror fiction but instead of turning into the usual undead hordes people are turning into assholes - you do an assholes thing you turn into an asshole person for good. And the only way to despatch the assholes? Well that'd be shoving a pole right up their fundament - I mean, come on, what else were you expecting.
You have your usual eclectic, mismatched bunch of survivors and the story follows the usual path.
Good fun, plenty of laughs.
April 1, 2014
As a big Zombie-fan and a enthusiast about the movie Night of the Living Dead I had to read this book.
If you have seen Night of the Living Dead you'll love this book, if you haven't get a copy of that flick.
Kevin L. Donihe said that it's not a 1 to 1 transfer of the movie into this book so don't be surprised if it starts more like Day of the Living Dead but you'll get to the house were the movie takes place.
I had fun reading it especially when parts of the movie were taken and transformed into something very awkward and the most giggles I had with the apperance of the world biggest asshole that was ever seen on this planet...A.H..
Very funny with "new" zombies (assholes):D
If you have seen Night of the Living Dead you'll love this book, if you haven't get a copy of that flick.
Kevin L. Donihe said that it's not a 1 to 1 transfer of the movie into this book so don't be surprised if it starts more like Day of the Living Dead but you'll get to the house were the movie takes place.
I had fun reading it especially when parts of the movie were taken and transformed into something very awkward and the most giggles I had with the apperance of the world biggest asshole that was ever seen on this planet...A.H..
Very funny with "new" zombies (assholes):D
October 14, 2011
This gem of Bizarro fiction is, of course, a parody of Romero's "Night of the Living Dead." Since I love Romero and love Bizarro, this novella gives me a really big happy. Instead of zombies, people are transforming into "jerks" (which is a benign euphemism for what they really are). The main characters, Barbara and Todd, must contend with hordes of snotty cheerleaders, drunken soccer fans and *egads* frat boys. The only way that these "jerks" can be killed is both disgusting and hilarious. This story shows exactly how close we are to letting our "inner jerk" out.
December 10, 2010
Night of the A**holes might be the first book of the a**hole apocalypse. The characters in this book are threatened not by the undead, but by a**holes. How you become an a**hole: being an a**hole to an a**hole. The only way to kill an a**hole: skewering an a**hole in the a**hole. It's a parody of Night of the Living Dead (awesome), it's written by Kevin L. Donihe (more awesome) and it features an invasion of a**holes (unimaginably awesome). This book has everything you could ever want, a**hole
January 8, 2011
Amazing! This is a book that had to be written. Reading this book reminded me of every trip I take to Wal-Mart. And despite being an absurd premise, all of the monsters are true to life. And that's what makes this book truly scary and relatable. Don't be an asshole, buy this book.
November 6, 2022
Assholes, assholes everywhere! Talking on speaker phone in the public bathroom, pushing to the front of the line screaming to see a manager or maybe there's even one behind you, right now. DON'T LOOK! Can't you hear the open-mouthed chewing? Feel the splatter spit and food gobbets hitting the back of your neck? Smell that belch that makes the room smell like expired shrimp left to burn on a dorm hotplate? If you argue with them or fight back, you'll turn into an asshole too so what can you do? All you can do, is run.
And that's what Barbara does after a terrifying trip to the mall. She finds herself trapped and besieged by assholes in a strange farmhouse with a few other survivors in this bizzaro take on Night of the Living Dead. Can she restrain her rage long enough to see the dawn? Will the assholes breach the house? There's only one way to find out and that is read this book.
And that's what Barbara does after a terrifying trip to the mall. She finds herself trapped and besieged by assholes in a strange farmhouse with a few other survivors in this bizzaro take on Night of the Living Dead. Can she restrain her rage long enough to see the dawn? Will the assholes breach the house? There's only one way to find out and that is read this book.
June 10, 2017
A crap ripoff of "Night of the living dead"
October 19, 2017
Review found here: https://www.facebook.com/Mandashorror...
April 23, 2018
Great premise, started to fall apart about half way. Too many errors in the text I had that really sucked me out of it.
March 8, 2020
It may sound weird to say that Night of the assholes really reached me, but it did.
December 8, 2021
Really hilarious book. Love the zany take on the zombie movement. Remember, if you are an asshole to an asshole, you become an asshole lol.
June 1, 2022
Not exactly sure what I read, but I'll say it was definitely odd. Funny none the less. A good parody of Night of the living dead.
December 1, 2010
There has NEVER been a better parody of a zombie film. And there’s definitely no one who has ever come up with something this creative before. (C’mon – Shaun of the Dead? They just changed “Dawn” to “Shaun” and filled it with ugly British people. It was funny, sure, but no where near the level of this.) Instead of zombies, an unexplained phenomenon turns people into assholes - the meanest, most vile and disgusting, rudest kind of asshole you can possibly imagine. And if you are an asshole to an asshole, you become one of them. I’ve never heard of a better premise. Assholes are already the scourge of the earth, who take many forms in people of all different walks of life, and this is a real problem. One asshole can make a bad name for a whole entire group – such as bikers or cowboys (trust me, every single last one of them are an asshole). And I'm sure everyone has had their feelings hurt by an asshole before. The frustration and anger they wake up in you is so damaging you might need therapy. There’s always going to be one somewhere, and if you’re really unlucky, you’ll encounter more than your fair share on a normal day. So, just imagine that times 5 billion - and you've got the most terrifying story of all time. It makes the horrible situation in a zombie film look like a non-issue. I'd rather deal with zombies than assholes, thank you.
And as for being a parody of the original Night of the Living Dead film, you've got something far more entertaining here. It has a better structure, there's more suspense, more action, and hell, levity and humor. There are tons of great laugh-out-loud moments in here. Things border on the absurd and bizarre, in delightfully comedic ways. I love how the characters get stoned every once in awhile to calm down. And how the book glorifies cigarettes as the best stress-countering tool there is. Thank you very much for someone finally speaking the truth about the wondrous healing powers of smoking. The only thing this book is going to preach to you about is not being an asshole, which is far worse than being a smoker. And most non-smokers are REAL assholes about the whole thing if you think about it. Just look at how THEY have already taken over the world.
As for the original characters (Spoiler Alerts) - you've still got Barbara as the lead here, but this time Johnny is an annoying Hare Krishna. The mall scene in the beginning is a million times more threatening than anything that happened in Dawn of the Dead. Everyone there is rude to the nth degree. It brings to mind the worst mall-going experiences of my life. Hell, one time I had a young punk run by me once and snatch my shopping bag (there was a limited edition CD in there!) The mall is pretty much the worst place to go, apocalypse or not. The black character in this, Todd, is far more likeable than the original story's character. He's the one who snaps into action again, definitely the strongest, but the only one who figures out the only way to kill an asshole - shove a hard long stake as far up their ass as humanely possible. The married couple are as big of assholes as they were in the original, but with a role reversal of the wife being the meanest b-i-t-c-h on earth. The kind that gets under your skin and makes you wonder if it would actually be OK to hit a woman. These two are not like the assholes in the book because they've ALWAYS been that way. There's a really creative twist of them hiding in a huge clock instead of a basement. And this time the naive young, teenaged couple are a football player and cheerleader. And there's nothing more annoying than those 2 kinds of people.
The book is an easy read. There are no boring moments. And hell, it's far more entertaining than anything you'll find on the boob tube currently, or in the theatre. Do yourself a favor and get this book if you want to have the best recreational experience of your day (and hell, your week, your month, and even your year). Kevin L. Donihe is one of the best writers in the genre, and he'll be there for you.
And as for being a parody of the original Night of the Living Dead film, you've got something far more entertaining here. It has a better structure, there's more suspense, more action, and hell, levity and humor. There are tons of great laugh-out-loud moments in here. Things border on the absurd and bizarre, in delightfully comedic ways. I love how the characters get stoned every once in awhile to calm down. And how the book glorifies cigarettes as the best stress-countering tool there is. Thank you very much for someone finally speaking the truth about the wondrous healing powers of smoking. The only thing this book is going to preach to you about is not being an asshole, which is far worse than being a smoker. And most non-smokers are REAL assholes about the whole thing if you think about it. Just look at how THEY have already taken over the world.
As for the original characters (Spoiler Alerts) - you've still got Barbara as the lead here, but this time Johnny is an annoying Hare Krishna. The mall scene in the beginning is a million times more threatening than anything that happened in Dawn of the Dead. Everyone there is rude to the nth degree. It brings to mind the worst mall-going experiences of my life. Hell, one time I had a young punk run by me once and snatch my shopping bag (there was a limited edition CD in there!) The mall is pretty much the worst place to go, apocalypse or not. The black character in this, Todd, is far more likeable than the original story's character. He's the one who snaps into action again, definitely the strongest, but the only one who figures out the only way to kill an asshole - shove a hard long stake as far up their ass as humanely possible. The married couple are as big of assholes as they were in the original, but with a role reversal of the wife being the meanest b-i-t-c-h on earth. The kind that gets under your skin and makes you wonder if it would actually be OK to hit a woman. These two are not like the assholes in the book because they've ALWAYS been that way. There's a really creative twist of them hiding in a huge clock instead of a basement. And this time the naive young, teenaged couple are a football player and cheerleader. And there's nothing more annoying than those 2 kinds of people.
The book is an easy read. There are no boring moments. And hell, it's far more entertaining than anything you'll find on the boob tube currently, or in the theatre. Do yourself a favor and get this book if you want to have the best recreational experience of your day (and hell, your week, your month, and even your year). Kevin L. Donihe is one of the best writers in the genre, and he'll be there for you.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 23, 2012
This is only the second piece of fiction I have read by Kevin L. Donihe, the first being the brilliant short story "The Greatest Effing Moment In Sports" featured in The Bizarro Starter Kit (Orange) - definitely another book worth checking out.
This work is a sublime parody of the film "Night Of The Living Dead", with references to other cult works being thrown into the mix too (the house & Leatherface from Texas Chainsaw Massacre get honourable mentions). The genius of this work lies in the fact that Kevin takes your typical, nay, archetypal zombie story, and radically renovates it. If youve seen the film then you will know the gist of it: an outbreak of unknown origin is turning people into monsters. Only, these monsters are assholes.
The characters from the film are all present and accounted for, with subtle changes to some of them, such as the heroine, Barbara - a whimpering mess who goes crazy in the film is recast as a righteous member of the public who is really trying to control her anger problems: We find that prior to meeting her annoying Hare Krishna brother, she beats up a life size stress doll!
Taking inspiration from Dawn Of The Dead, Barbara is first accosted by the assholes in the mall, rather than a graveyard, and it is established that she could easily become one, save for her human efforts to control the assholish side of her nature. You act as an asshole to an asshole, you end up an asshole.
From there the book delves into a humourous romp that promotes the benefits of smoking marijuana as a way of avoiding becoming an asshole, or failing that, just smoking a cigarette to chill out. Featuring funny exchanges between the characters and the assholes as well as the bickering between the small band of survivors, Kevin shows he knows how to write great dialogue that is full of fun and real zing.
The house the heroes are holed up in has a very surreal structure to it, which Kevin works smoothly into the narrative so the discrepancies in the logic of the building simply go unquestioned, there is no need to question them - the story is nightmarish enough that the bizarre nature of the house seems almost a given.
Ultimately, though this book is a parody, and is definitely not short on humour, it does ask a meaningful question, this time, not about race, but about love. As Todd, the charismatic hero of the book says "Forget black and white, I think there're only two races that have ever existed: assholes and non-assholes." We are asked if we must fight the assholes, if that is the only way - Is it not possible to beat them by love instead?
If you enjoyed the film, you'll really get a kick out of this book. If you read this book without having seen the film you'll get a kick out of this book and then go see the film because you enjoyed this book so much. Also, you'll probably want to read more of Kevin L. Donihe's work.
Read this book. Read it! No? wrong answer.
This work is a sublime parody of the film "Night Of The Living Dead", with references to other cult works being thrown into the mix too (the house & Leatherface from Texas Chainsaw Massacre get honourable mentions). The genius of this work lies in the fact that Kevin takes your typical, nay, archetypal zombie story, and radically renovates it. If youve seen the film then you will know the gist of it: an outbreak of unknown origin is turning people into monsters. Only, these monsters are assholes.
The characters from the film are all present and accounted for, with subtle changes to some of them, such as the heroine, Barbara - a whimpering mess who goes crazy in the film is recast as a righteous member of the public who is really trying to control her anger problems: We find that prior to meeting her annoying Hare Krishna brother, she beats up a life size stress doll!
Taking inspiration from Dawn Of The Dead, Barbara is first accosted by the assholes in the mall, rather than a graveyard, and it is established that she could easily become one, save for her human efforts to control the assholish side of her nature. You act as an asshole to an asshole, you end up an asshole.
From there the book delves into a humourous romp that promotes the benefits of smoking marijuana as a way of avoiding becoming an asshole, or failing that, just smoking a cigarette to chill out. Featuring funny exchanges between the characters and the assholes as well as the bickering between the small band of survivors, Kevin shows he knows how to write great dialogue that is full of fun and real zing.
The house the heroes are holed up in has a very surreal structure to it, which Kevin works smoothly into the narrative so the discrepancies in the logic of the building simply go unquestioned, there is no need to question them - the story is nightmarish enough that the bizarre nature of the house seems almost a given.
Ultimately, though this book is a parody, and is definitely not short on humour, it does ask a meaningful question, this time, not about race, but about love. As Todd, the charismatic hero of the book says "Forget black and white, I think there're only two races that have ever existed: assholes and non-assholes." We are asked if we must fight the assholes, if that is the only way - Is it not possible to beat them by love instead?
If you enjoyed the film, you'll really get a kick out of this book. If you read this book without having seen the film you'll get a kick out of this book and then go see the film because you enjoyed this book so much. Also, you'll probably want to read more of Kevin L. Donihe's work.
Read this book. Read it! No? wrong answer.
May 28, 2011
Rarely do I find a book that I cannot put down. Then I found Bizarro. THEN I found "Night of the A$$holes." Even more rarely do I read something that leaves me with a case of the heebie-jeebies afterwards (in a good way, that is.)
I have to say, I didn't know what to expect but held high expectations with this story because of all the positive reviews I had read. Those expectations were met, and exceeded, and those reviews were well deserved! It's twisted, comical, and I was able to pull out some deeper meaning from beneath the surreal nature of the story(the latter part I will leave up to the reader, as I don't want to give anything away.) I found what I construed to be some cleverly buried messages (quips, if you will) throughout the book that one might miss if they aren't paying attention, but certainly added to the comedic value. Much like a zombie movie, the book starts off with a slow roll and picks up pace rapidly, never to slow again. I liked the fact that the story didn't feel like it was dragging along at any point-I always wanted to know what happened next. The story itself is a good balance between horrific, comedic, and surrealist elements.
I'm always fascinated when I read surrealist fiction as I never know how I will relate to the characters (creatures), as they are all so unique. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I was able to both simultaneously love and hate some of the characters, really despise some of them (even though it made me feel sort of bad, and had me slightly concerned that I, too, was turning into an a$$hole as I read), and honestly care about others in this story.
I most certainly recommend this title to anyone interested in the Bizarro genre, on any level. While it is most certainly surrealist, it is a little less jarring (for lack of a better word, perhaps) than some of the other Bizarro fiction out there. So, if you are very familiar with the genre, this is a must-read! If you are just starting to get acquainted with Bizarro, and don't know if you want to delve into the incredibly graphic/strange stories headfirst, I believe that this would definitely be a good starting point for you. Not too over-the-top, but certainly not tame.
I have to say, I didn't know what to expect but held high expectations with this story because of all the positive reviews I had read. Those expectations were met, and exceeded, and those reviews were well deserved! It's twisted, comical, and I was able to pull out some deeper meaning from beneath the surreal nature of the story(the latter part I will leave up to the reader, as I don't want to give anything away.) I found what I construed to be some cleverly buried messages (quips, if you will) throughout the book that one might miss if they aren't paying attention, but certainly added to the comedic value. Much like a zombie movie, the book starts off with a slow roll and picks up pace rapidly, never to slow again. I liked the fact that the story didn't feel like it was dragging along at any point-I always wanted to know what happened next. The story itself is a good balance between horrific, comedic, and surrealist elements.
I'm always fascinated when I read surrealist fiction as I never know how I will relate to the characters (creatures), as they are all so unique. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I was able to both simultaneously love and hate some of the characters, really despise some of them (even though it made me feel sort of bad, and had me slightly concerned that I, too, was turning into an a$$hole as I read), and honestly care about others in this story.
I most certainly recommend this title to anyone interested in the Bizarro genre, on any level. While it is most certainly surrealist, it is a little less jarring (for lack of a better word, perhaps) than some of the other Bizarro fiction out there. So, if you are very familiar with the genre, this is a must-read! If you are just starting to get acquainted with Bizarro, and don't know if you want to delve into the incredibly graphic/strange stories headfirst, I believe that this would definitely be a good starting point for you. Not too over-the-top, but certainly not tame.
August 15, 2013
I don’t worry too much when I pick up a Kevin Donihe book, anymore. At this point, I know I’m going to have a pretty good read. When I saw that this was a parody of Night of the Living Dead, though, I worried about it just a little. Parodies can easily go wrong. Donihe didn’t care what I thought about any of that, though, and wrote a good book anyway.
Instead of zombies, we get assholes, which are probably more terrifying than the walking dead, especially considering how easy it is to become one. They don’t have to bite you, or even touch you. If you be an asshole to an asshole, you become an asshole. It’s that simple. Obviously, it would be difficult to resist, considering the myriad forms assholes come in. What’s worse is that you can’t always identify them immediately. Assholery manifests in so many ways…
This book is increasingly topical. It’s basically a worst case scenario version of the real world, using plot points from Night of the Living Dead as a skeleton, filtered through bizarro. As with its counterpart, we follow a woman named Barbara (as opposed to the poorly spelled Barbra) who finds herself fleeing to a house to hide out from an epidemic that seems to be sweeping through civilization. Here, she’s paired up with other survivors which all mirror Night of the Living Dead characters. One of my favorite parts is when Barbara first goes upstairs and finds the note. Barbara, by the way, is a highly relatable protagonist. Moreso than her NotLD inspiration. She may be the most relatable protagonist I’ve ever encountered in a book. I’m not even sure I’d have made it out of some of the situations she finds herself in.
While Night of the Assholes may not be my favorite Donihe story, it’s nice to see him break away from his previous works a little, and successfully tackle a parody.
Instead of zombies, we get assholes, which are probably more terrifying than the walking dead, especially considering how easy it is to become one. They don’t have to bite you, or even touch you. If you be an asshole to an asshole, you become an asshole. It’s that simple. Obviously, it would be difficult to resist, considering the myriad forms assholes come in. What’s worse is that you can’t always identify them immediately. Assholery manifests in so many ways…
This book is increasingly topical. It’s basically a worst case scenario version of the real world, using plot points from Night of the Living Dead as a skeleton, filtered through bizarro. As with its counterpart, we follow a woman named Barbara (as opposed to the poorly spelled Barbra) who finds herself fleeing to a house to hide out from an epidemic that seems to be sweeping through civilization. Here, she’s paired up with other survivors which all mirror Night of the Living Dead characters. One of my favorite parts is when Barbara first goes upstairs and finds the note. Barbara, by the way, is a highly relatable protagonist. Moreso than her NotLD inspiration. She may be the most relatable protagonist I’ve ever encountered in a book. I’m not even sure I’d have made it out of some of the situations she finds herself in.
While Night of the Assholes may not be my favorite Donihe story, it’s nice to see him break away from his previous works a little, and successfully tackle a parody.
February 24, 2014
4.5 stars, I guess because it wasn't quite life changing but was slightly more than a thrill ride. Maybe even a lot more than a thrill ride, because I have photos to prove that at page 109 my nose began bleeding. This could only have been from the rush of emotions and adrenaline pumping through my system as I devoured word after word. I was like Jason Statham in the movie Crank, except I'm not in shape and I was sitting down the whole time. I am bald, though.
So you more than likely know that this book is a parody of George Romero's Night of the Living Dead. But do not expect a scene by scene xerox with funny shit added. It's a lot more than that. Some things are different and some things are totally added in, but may have some symbolic value...or maybe I'm looking to much into things. I dunno, I tend to do that. I listened to Morrissey and The Cure a lot as a lonely teenager so I guess I just learned to let my mind try and be all poetic about stuff. Ya know? Too much clove smoke and sad shit. Sure, to some this book is just a parody, but to me it's some grade-A social commentary. Ya know? Testicles are bad.
The author makes a couple of references to his underwear. I'd recommend this book to anyone who is literate enough to read it and cultured enough to get that parody aspect. So if you haven't seen NOTLD, do not read this book. Go out and get a copy of the dvd, you nut. Then read the book. Unless you have no sense of humor. Then you should go listen to Morrissey and The Cure until you become sterile.
So you more than likely know that this book is a parody of George Romero's Night of the Living Dead. But do not expect a scene by scene xerox with funny shit added. It's a lot more than that. Some things are different and some things are totally added in, but may have some symbolic value...or maybe I'm looking to much into things. I dunno, I tend to do that. I listened to Morrissey and The Cure a lot as a lonely teenager so I guess I just learned to let my mind try and be all poetic about stuff. Ya know? Too much clove smoke and sad shit. Sure, to some this book is just a parody, but to me it's some grade-A social commentary. Ya know? Testicles are bad.
The author makes a couple of references to his underwear. I'd recommend this book to anyone who is literate enough to read it and cultured enough to get that parody aspect. So if you haven't seen NOTLD, do not read this book. Go out and get a copy of the dvd, you nut. Then read the book. Unless you have no sense of humor. Then you should go listen to Morrissey and The Cure until you become sterile.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews