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The End of the World Is Rye by Brett Cottrell (1-Jun-2015) Paperback
What would you do for the perfect sandwich? Kill? Die?Well, if you were a rogue angel, you might just cause the Apocalypse. And it looks like that's just what he's about to do when he lands in a polygamist cult in Utah. So, now it's up to the rest of God's divine posse, including Jesus and Lucifer, to save all of existence from certain destruction.The End of the World is Rye takes you on a provocative, celestial roller coaster ride that will have you laughing on the edge of your seat all the way to the gates of hell.
Paperback
First published October 1, 2014
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About the author
Brett Cottrell
2 books18 followersBrett Cottrell was born and bred in Las Vegas. His writings blend religious and political satire with whimsical, action-packed absurdity. He’s been a bartender, drummer in a rock and roll band, legislative intern, and attorney. He studied political theory at Boise State University and graduated from The George Washington University Law School. Cottrell lives in Washington, DC, with his wife and their opinionated dog, Tico.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
dnf
July 1, 2015This book just wasn't for me.
If you liked the writing style of The Darkness That Comes Before then maybe this book will be for you.
If you liked the writing style of The Darkness That Comes Before then maybe this book will be for you.
July 5, 2015
God's Insanity is on the loose, using his incalculable abilities to warp the people around him into murder, madness, and a sandwich-based cult. It's up to a number of other aspects of God's personality to bring him back before he does too much harm. But when you're talking about Insanity, running without reins, is such a thing even possible?
This is one of those books that I had a hard time trying to decide how to review. It's a good book. It has its own unique mythos and feel, a great premise, and a good sense of humor. But for some reason, it just didn't work for me.
The back of the print copy compares it to "Sandman" and I think tonally, that's a great comparison. It's not as masterfully written, but it does have a similar vibe. It also reminded me a fair bit of Crimson, or aspects of Crimson at least. But I think it lacks some of the pacing that drove that book forward.
Ultimately, I think maybe this book is just a little overwritten. It can get showy and it can run off on tangents that had me wishing it would just get ON with things already. And then in the next chapter, it might be firing on all cylinders and I couldn't put it down. The end result was that I enjoyed reading this book, I REALLY did, but I also took far longer to read it than a book of this length has any business needing. Maybe it's just that the philosophy wasn't to my taste? I'm not sure.
The characters are a little flat, by necessity. They are the embodiment of an aspect of a personality. I think in a way, it's surprising they're as well-rounded and engaging as they are, given the inherent limitation of the conceit. But they are - I really liked them, even the ones I'd never want to spend time with in real life, and I thought the characters were a highlight of the story.
All in all, I can't recommend this book without reservation, but I can say it's good, it's got some real strengths, and if the premise sounds interesting to you, it's probably worth checking out.
This is one of those books that I had a hard time trying to decide how to review. It's a good book. It has its own unique mythos and feel, a great premise, and a good sense of humor. But for some reason, it just didn't work for me.
The back of the print copy compares it to "Sandman" and I think tonally, that's a great comparison. It's not as masterfully written, but it does have a similar vibe. It also reminded me a fair bit of Crimson, or aspects of Crimson at least. But I think it lacks some of the pacing that drove that book forward.
Ultimately, I think maybe this book is just a little overwritten. It can get showy and it can run off on tangents that had me wishing it would just get ON with things already. And then in the next chapter, it might be firing on all cylinders and I couldn't put it down. The end result was that I enjoyed reading this book, I REALLY did, but I also took far longer to read it than a book of this length has any business needing. Maybe it's just that the philosophy wasn't to my taste? I'm not sure.
The characters are a little flat, by necessity. They are the embodiment of an aspect of a personality. I think in a way, it's surprising they're as well-rounded and engaging as they are, given the inherent limitation of the conceit. But they are - I really liked them, even the ones I'd never want to spend time with in real life, and I thought the characters were a highlight of the story.
All in all, I can't recommend this book without reservation, but I can say it's good, it's got some real strengths, and if the premise sounds interesting to you, it's probably worth checking out.
July 13, 2015
https://koeur.wordpress.com/2015/07/1...
Publisher: Rosarium
Publishing Date: June 2015
ISBN: 9780990319108
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 4.5/5
Publisher Description: What would you do for the perfect sandwich? Kill? Die? Well, if you were a rogue angel, you might cause the Apocalypse. And it looks like that’s just what this darkly funny fantasy’s rogue angel is about to do when he lands in a polygamist cult in Utah. Now it’s up to the rest of God’s divine posse, including Jesus and Lucifer, to save all of existence from certain destruction.
Review: The title should have been….”on Rye”, but don’t want to give it all away. lol. This was a real entertaining and provocative novel. It really gets you thinking about all things biblical and why the author has his own set of unique perspectives on, well, everything. His delivery is at once satirical and verging on the sardonic.
I enjoyed the authors witticisms, especially between Leviticus, the Devil and Jesus. Really an excellent novel with great movement coupled to a multitude of interesting characters .GET IT!
Publisher: Rosarium
Publishing Date: June 2015
ISBN: 9780990319108
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 4.5/5
Publisher Description: What would you do for the perfect sandwich? Kill? Die? Well, if you were a rogue angel, you might cause the Apocalypse. And it looks like that’s just what this darkly funny fantasy’s rogue angel is about to do when he lands in a polygamist cult in Utah. Now it’s up to the rest of God’s divine posse, including Jesus and Lucifer, to save all of existence from certain destruction.
Review: The title should have been….”on Rye”, but don’t want to give it all away. lol. This was a real entertaining and provocative novel. It really gets you thinking about all things biblical and why the author has his own set of unique perspectives on, well, everything. His delivery is at once satirical and verging on the sardonic.
I enjoyed the authors witticisms, especially between Leviticus, the Devil and Jesus. Really an excellent novel with great movement coupled to a multitude of interesting characters .GET IT!
August 17, 2015
Christian theological adventure/comedy in the American West. It's weirder and more philosophical than American Gods. getting close to Philip K Dick. I can see that not every would like this but it's right up my alley. Sort of the feel of Constantine. The sandwiches make me so hungry.
July 14, 2015
Today, I am reviewing the Paranormal/Urban Fantasy story The End of the World is Rye by Brett Cottrell. Another debut novel and the first in a series, this book asks us to believe in different beings that each embody one particular aspect, or thought, of God – His Genius, Inspiration, Wrath, and Love are all in attendance, each with their own personas and characters. The story is in first person, narrated from the perspective of Contradiction, or Cognitive Dissonance, whose job is to help people reconcile the disparate aspects of God’s being. Unfortunately, Insanity escapes his chains, and heads out to cause trouble as only he can.
Naturally, this doesn’t bode well for the rest.
I received this book as an Advance Review Copy (ARC), so the final version may be slightly different from what I’ve reviewed here. This review is, as always, honest in its entirety.
This was a fun romp through a very interesting fantasy world that Mr. Cottrell has created. I enjoyed the book very much, and, overall, give it a 4/5 rating. Here is my breakdown.
Characters: 5/5. Definitely the strongest point of this book. I loved the interaction between the various aspects of God’s psyche, the thoughts given form, and the variety and interplay made the book for me. Each one was unique, but tied together, unable to dismiss the others but locked into their own points of view. Fantastic.
Plot/Storyline: 4/5. Expertly executed. It starts out small, with a “hey, Insanity’s gone, that’s a problem,” and escalating into the “Oh, crap, what now?” type of thing. Classic threads are interwoven with those of Cottrell’s own design, creating an original, unique event. I was curious about the limitations of the character’s ability to “zap” themselves through time; it’s stated that they can, unless restrained, but I didn’t see them use it very much. Would it have been helpful? I don’t know.
Flow: 4/5. Clean and easy to read. I had no trouble convincing my fingers to turn pages (yes, this was a physical book this time!) and they went by very quickly. There are no major stumbling blocks, and, indeed, I thought that the story moved from beat to beat very well.
Spelling/Grammar: 3/5. I hope that Rosarium Publishing runs through this book one more time. It’s not bad, by any means, but there were enough small errors that I noticed them. Little things, small typos and misplaced punctuation, maybe a dropped word or two.
Overall: 4/5. A very enjoyable read, filled with fun, danger, excitement, and intriguing possibilities. I had a great time in Mr. Cottrell’s world, and I’m looking forward to the sequel!
Naturally, this doesn’t bode well for the rest.
I received this book as an Advance Review Copy (ARC), so the final version may be slightly different from what I’ve reviewed here. This review is, as always, honest in its entirety.
This was a fun romp through a very interesting fantasy world that Mr. Cottrell has created. I enjoyed the book very much, and, overall, give it a 4/5 rating. Here is my breakdown.
Characters: 5/5. Definitely the strongest point of this book. I loved the interaction between the various aspects of God’s psyche, the thoughts given form, and the variety and interplay made the book for me. Each one was unique, but tied together, unable to dismiss the others but locked into their own points of view. Fantastic.
Plot/Storyline: 4/5. Expertly executed. It starts out small, with a “hey, Insanity’s gone, that’s a problem,” and escalating into the “Oh, crap, what now?” type of thing. Classic threads are interwoven with those of Cottrell’s own design, creating an original, unique event. I was curious about the limitations of the character’s ability to “zap” themselves through time; it’s stated that they can, unless restrained, but I didn’t see them use it very much. Would it have been helpful? I don’t know.
Flow: 4/5. Clean and easy to read. I had no trouble convincing my fingers to turn pages (yes, this was a physical book this time!) and they went by very quickly. There are no major stumbling blocks, and, indeed, I thought that the story moved from beat to beat very well.
Spelling/Grammar: 3/5. I hope that Rosarium Publishing runs through this book one more time. It’s not bad, by any means, but there were enough small errors that I noticed them. Little things, small typos and misplaced punctuation, maybe a dropped word or two.
Overall: 4/5. A very enjoyable read, filled with fun, danger, excitement, and intriguing possibilities. I had a great time in Mr. Cottrell’s world, and I’m looking forward to the sequel!
July 7, 2015
Overall I would have to admit this book probably wasn't for me. I'll even admit that I chose it from Netgalley because the cover pic reminded me of Daryl from The Walking Dead. Looking at it now I know that was a stretch but what can I say, the new season doesn't start until October and I am going through withdrawal.
Basically this book is best summed up as religious and political satire. Insanity has escaped Jesus' hold on him and is causing havoc somewhere in 1978, all the while looking for the perfect sandwich makers. Several of God's servants/personalities, such as The Muse, Contradiction, Leviticus and Satan assist in locating him, and while doing so, unleash 3 of the 4 Horses of the Apocalypse. I doubt I am able to sum it up much better than that, so I won't even try.
I enjoyed that the book was a fresh concept and unlike the books I usually read. I also really enjoy a "weird" book from time to time, and this definitely fit the bill. It was a rather short book, which I thought meant I would finish it quickly, but it took me some time to slough through it.
The book was rather wordy and at times, the author rambled on and on about matters I didn't really find interesting. Also, I am sure the book would offend some, but not me. I don't know that I would recommend this book to many, but I believe there is a market out there for it somewhere.
Disclaimer: I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Basically this book is best summed up as religious and political satire. Insanity has escaped Jesus' hold on him and is causing havoc somewhere in 1978, all the while looking for the perfect sandwich makers. Several of God's servants/personalities, such as The Muse, Contradiction, Leviticus and Satan assist in locating him, and while doing so, unleash 3 of the 4 Horses of the Apocalypse. I doubt I am able to sum it up much better than that, so I won't even try.
I enjoyed that the book was a fresh concept and unlike the books I usually read. I also really enjoy a "weird" book from time to time, and this definitely fit the bill. It was a rather short book, which I thought meant I would finish it quickly, but it took me some time to slough through it.
The book was rather wordy and at times, the author rambled on and on about matters I didn't really find interesting. Also, I am sure the book would offend some, but not me. I don't know that I would recommend this book to many, but I believe there is a market out there for it somewhere.
Disclaimer: I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews