Half

by Doug Reed

Order directly from the publisher for only $14.00. If you’re immortal, when is the right time to have your midlife crisis?

This is the story of Phil Half, a vampire who works a soul-sucking second-shift job watching the servers for an insurance company. As humiliation piles upon humiliation, he finds his long-dormant vampire urges reawakening.

Fortunately, he can change into a bat and flit away from his troubles. Unfortunately, when he resumes his human form, he finds himself a long way away from his pants.

Available only at http://www.encpress.com/HALF.html

226 pages, Paperback

First published October 31, 2013

About the author

DOUG REED grew up in the far western suburbs of Richmond, Virginia. He received his BA in Theatre from Goshen College, where he set a school record for most chapels skipped.

Most of his so-called adult life has been spent in the Madison, Wisconsin, area where, in addition to raising a family, he was a playwright, improvisor, and actor. This life was rich and full of purpose. To support it, Doug spent years sitting in cubicles, watching clocks, fudging timesheets, and perfecting the Zen art of the Facebook status.

His most noted play, The Lamentable Tragedie of Scott Walker, sold out theatres around Madison for months. Other staged works include The Opiate of the Missus, Minglewood Blues, and Mask and Masculinity.

Half is his first novel.

Reviews

[Shelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This funny romp critiques politics, stinky teenagers, middle management, mini-golf courses ... You name it and it's made fun of here. The satire isn't sad though; its style is more like, "look at how we all somehow get through life," Vonnegut meets Anne Rice. This first-time novelist is lots of fun - I hope there's more to come from him, and soon.

[Emgokey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super fun for Madison folks to read as you get to see all of your favorite locations through the eyes of a snarky vampire! This book is a great cure to our culture's obsession with youth, so much so that we even make ancient characters act like high schoolers. No so with Phil Half, he's curmudgeonly through and through. If you are tired of vampires who are perfect, and instead would like one to yell at you to get off their lawn, read Half!

[Sanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was funny and just the right level of weird with a touch of sweetness. Definitely recommend!

[Andrew Breslin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A casket-full of fun from beginning to end! The writing style reminded me very much of my own, which Mr. Reed would recognize for the high praise that it is if he fully appreciated what a self-absorbed narcissist I am. Vampires beware: it may have you reading until the sun comes up.

[Andrew]

Strong start. Neat premise. Lots of snark. A bit dark.

[Aaron Mishler · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this book up from the local bookstore on the "Local Authors" shelve. I have no idea where Doug Reed is from, but the book doesn't take place anywhere need Indiana. The front artwork is a little clip art like, but you can't ever judge a book on it's cover right? Or it's lack of synopsis anywhere on the book.

I stood there and gave it the read test, if I can get more than three pages into it and still be interested, I'll pick it up. I quickly finished the first chapter and decided that I had to buy it. Plus it was signed, so if this Doug Reed fellow ever takes off, it would be nice to have.

The book follows Philip Half, a Vampire of the traditional Dracula style, he can turn into a bat, sleeps in a coffin. However, he is forced to work in an insurance agency, and has a tendency to forget things due to being alive for so long. He longs for the days of glory and hates modern technology.

The book follows him and splits off into the POV of another vampire at one point, and a leprechaun at another. The plot itself is strong in the beginning and through the middle, but tends to weaken a bit towards the end. With the ending itself leaving me satisfied if slightly disappointed. It had the feeling of a bit of a rushed ending, but that can be forgiven.

This book is incredibly funny. From the first chapter you will find yourself going from silent under your breath chuckles to can't contain it anymore laughter.

A few grammatical problems are sprinkled through the book, misspellings and the like, nothing too terrible though. It's edited moderately well.

It's a vampire book that doesn't take itself too seriously, often poking fun at twilight and true blood. I recommend it.