Startgame

by Andy Secombe

At a cocktail party to launch his latest creations, called Adam and Eve, God is challenged to a bet by the Devil (who crashed the party). The fallen angel, unimpressed by the Boss`s new toys, wagers that, far from being the custodians of Earth that God has created them to be, mankind will instead destroy itself. God, a golfing enthusiast with a fragile ego, can`t refuse in front of all his guests, and so accepts. If Satan wins, he gets his place back in Heaven and control of what`s left of the Earth. If he loses, he will retire into outer darkness and never bother Him more. But the key momentum of this story is the relationship between Martin Gray, a simple dentist whose life is unravelling, and the angel Gabriel, a mack-wearing Danish pastry fan, and their attempts to stop the Devil laying waste to the Earth. In which they are aided by Martin`s son Luke, the angel Michael, and by Luke`s sometime friend Henry, thrash-metal fan and conspiracy theorist. ‘Secombe occupies his ground with confidence and never lets logic get in the way of his plot’ Guardian ‘Terry Pratchett, beware’ Brighton Argus

Genres: Humor, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Fiction

326 pages, Paperback

First published April 28, 2007

Reviews

[Nepreading · Rating 1 out of 5]

Rätt poänglös läsning för min del. Oengagerande, förutsägbart, stereotypt, med osympatiska manschauvinistiska karaktärer, och dessutom oinspirerad historia. Bara verkligen inte en bok för mig.
Om det inte var så att jag hade fått den i present och tänkte att jag förväntas kunna säga att jag läst den hade jag kanske inte brytt mig om att ens bläddra igenom den.

[Shirley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book and definitely had some laugh-out-loud moments - which I went on to read out to my long-suffering partner, (although he did sometimes ask what was making me laugh so much...)

Loved the humour, loved the premise of the story line and really enjoyed all the characters, which is surprising because sometimes it is difficult to love all the characters in a book, but on this occasion, I did.

Will certainly look out for some more books by the author.

[Joel Gomes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Uma história cativante, interessante e hilariante escrita de forma brilhante. Há muito tempo que não lia um livro tão bom. Ideal para pessoas que apreciam uma boa gargalhada; não recomendado a pessoas que levam a sério aquela história de Deus e do Diabo. E daí não sei. Pode ser que aprendam alguma coisa.

[Lai Siong · Rating 3 out of 5]

it is funny but so blasphemous my church friends will not be amused.

[Tori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not terribly original (wargames meets good omens?), but very funny and a good read.

[Story · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny

[Lacey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not nearly as amusing as Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman, but still interesting.

[Abby · Rating 2 out of 5]

Was ok... quite funny in parts linking various world developments to ideas that representatives from heaven or hell 'gave' people eg Amnesty International or Microsoft.