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I Am the New God
Only a few in the world know the real truth about what happened more than two decades ago. While religions continue to covet their chosen deities, the gods we once worshipped were destroyed in the fall of 1989.
In their place, a troubled teenager named Greg Bryce assumed control—and he's been presiding over and judging humanity ever since.
This is the tale of what happened before the world as we knew it came to an end, how Greg was driven by truth and lies, divinity and insanity, punishment and mercy, resurrection and murder, to assume his rightful place as The New God.
"Audacious, original and gleefully offensive, a broadside against the entire notion of divinity, with an ending you'll never see coming. Nicole Cushing is somebody to watch." —Jack Ketchum
In their place, a troubled teenager named Greg Bryce assumed control—and he's been presiding over and judging humanity ever since.
This is the tale of what happened before the world as we knew it came to an end, how Greg was driven by truth and lies, divinity and insanity, punishment and mercy, resurrection and murder, to assume his rightful place as The New God.
"Audacious, original and gleefully offensive, a broadside against the entire notion of divinity, with an ending you'll never see coming. Nicole Cushing is somebody to watch." —Jack Ketchum
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First published April 8, 2014
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About the author
Nicole Cushing
41 books346 followersNicole Cushing is the Bram Stoker Award® winning author of Mr. Suicide and a two-time nominee for the Shirley Jackson Award.
Various reviewers have described her work as “brutal”, “cerebral”, “transgressive”, "wickedly funny", “taboo”, “groundbreaking” and “mind-bending”.
Rue Morgue magazine included Nicole in its list of 13 Wicked Women to Watch, praising her as an “an intense and uncompromising literary voice”. She has also garnered praise from Jack Ketchum, Thomas Ligotti, and Poppy Z. Brite (aka, Billy Martin).
Her second novel, A Sick Gray Laugh (2019) was named to LitReactor’s Best Horror Novels of the Last Decade list and the Locus Recommended Reading List. She has recently completed and polished her third novel.
She lives in Indiana.
Various reviewers have described her work as “brutal”, “cerebral”, “transgressive”, "wickedly funny", “taboo”, “groundbreaking” and “mind-bending”.
Rue Morgue magazine included Nicole in its list of 13 Wicked Women to Watch, praising her as an “an intense and uncompromising literary voice”. She has also garnered praise from Jack Ketchum, Thomas Ligotti, and Poppy Z. Brite (aka, Billy Martin).
Her second novel, A Sick Gray Laugh (2019) was named to LitReactor’s Best Horror Novels of the Last Decade list and the Locus Recommended Reading List. She has recently completed and polished her third novel.
She lives in Indiana.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
February 10, 2014
When Gregory Bryce starts receiving letters in the mail proclaiming that he will soon be a god, he has very little trouble believing them...
I got this from the fine folks at DarkFuse via Netgalley.
So what happens when one religious fanatic starts sending an unhinged college boy letters? Nothing good, that's what! I am the New God is a disturbing tale of delusion, mutilation, and murder. Gregory Bryce goes off his meds and goes on a one way ride to crazy town, with the mysterious hierophant at the wheel. Horror ensues.
Nicole Cushing's prose has come a long way since the last book of hers I read, How to Eat Fried Furries. Bryce's cold logic as he descends further and further into the catacombs of madness was even more chilling than the horrible things he did, and yet I still felt a little sorry for him.
Since it's a novella, there's not a lot else I can say about the plot without revealing all the good bits. There's a fair amount of gore but I'd say the most horrifying part is the psychological aspect and the fact that it could all really happen. 3.5 out of 5 stars.
I got this from the fine folks at DarkFuse via Netgalley.
So what happens when one religious fanatic starts sending an unhinged college boy letters? Nothing good, that's what! I am the New God is a disturbing tale of delusion, mutilation, and murder. Gregory Bryce goes off his meds and goes on a one way ride to crazy town, with the mysterious hierophant at the wheel. Horror ensues.
Nicole Cushing's prose has come a long way since the last book of hers I read, How to Eat Fried Furries. Bryce's cold logic as he descends further and further into the catacombs of madness was even more chilling than the horrible things he did, and yet I still felt a little sorry for him.
Since it's a novella, there's not a lot else I can say about the plot without revealing all the good bits. There's a fair amount of gore but I'd say the most horrifying part is the psychological aspect and the fact that it could all really happen. 3.5 out of 5 stars.
April 3, 2014
This was quite a dark novella and I feel that I can't say too much without giving most of it away, but I will say that it was a disturbing read for me. If you ever think that you are going insane, I would say that using this read as a comparison would make you feel pretty good about yourself (hopefully).
I don't normally read books about psychotics and I just remembered why. This book has left an icky taste in my mouth that I hope to wash off as the day goes along.
With my personal tastes put aside, I think that the novella was written well with a little gore, but mostly deals with a couple of whack jobs. I couldn't relate to them, thank God (pun, intended), but not because the writer didn't develop them well, but because they were nuts.
I recommend this book for those who like psychological mind benders.
Thank you Netgalley and DarkFuse for the advanced copy.
I don't normally read books about psychotics and I just remembered why. This book has left an icky taste in my mouth that I hope to wash off as the day goes along.
With my personal tastes put aside, I think that the novella was written well with a little gore, but mostly deals with a couple of whack jobs. I couldn't relate to them, thank God (pun, intended), but not because the writer didn't develop them well, but because they were nuts.
I recommend this book for those who like psychological mind benders.
Thank you Netgalley and DarkFuse for the advanced copy.
March 23, 2014
I Am The New God is my first read by Nicole Cushing and I have to say I quite enjoyed it, found it a little bit different than anything I've read before and the story is a great idea told really well.
Gregory Bryce has mental health issues, which is an important point, he’s now on medication and starting a new life at college away from the comfort zone provided by his parents. Everything’s going swimmingly until he receives the first letter from the hierophant, a religious man who is convinced Gregory is the new God put on this earth to replace the one coming to the end of his life, that or a devil if he fails.
The hierophant in his unshaking belief has convened with John the Baptiste, the guide of the original god and has the seven steps of Godhood, the steps that Gregory must pass to take his rightful place as the new God.
Gregory starts on his path, a descent into the madness of a disturbed mind and attempts to convert his roommate into a disciple. His journey plunges into a brutal violence that has him on the run desperately seeking the hierophant to complete his seven steps.
This is a dark tale of twisted and easily impressionable minds, how easy it is to resort to violence when it is your belief it is right and just. The author tells both the hierophant’s and the young student’s story in first person, which gives a certain intimacy with the characters and a closeness to two minds, seemingly contorted or maybe not, food for thought, definitely.
Gregory Bryce has mental health issues, which is an important point, he’s now on medication and starting a new life at college away from the comfort zone provided by his parents. Everything’s going swimmingly until he receives the first letter from the hierophant, a religious man who is convinced Gregory is the new God put on this earth to replace the one coming to the end of his life, that or a devil if he fails.
The hierophant in his unshaking belief has convened with John the Baptiste, the guide of the original god and has the seven steps of Godhood, the steps that Gregory must pass to take his rightful place as the new God.
Gregory starts on his path, a descent into the madness of a disturbed mind and attempts to convert his roommate into a disciple. His journey plunges into a brutal violence that has him on the run desperately seeking the hierophant to complete his seven steps.
This is a dark tale of twisted and easily impressionable minds, how easy it is to resort to violence when it is your belief it is right and just. The author tells both the hierophant’s and the young student’s story in first person, which gives a certain intimacy with the characters and a closeness to two minds, seemingly contorted or maybe not, food for thought, definitely.
March 18, 2014
I was so floored with Nicole Cushing's first Dark Fuse novella, CHILDREN OF NO ONE, that perhaps I was just expecting too much out of her latest, I AM THE NEW GOD.
The story itself was well written, with some comic relief (especially in the beginning), that I really enjoyed. There was plenty of action in the mid to later parts of the novella.
I think it was a little difficult to see where this one was going as far as the mentality of the main character was concerned. Due to that issue, I was never quite certain what was "really" happening. The ending is going strike different chords with each reader--some will love it, some won't. I don't want to give any spoilers away, but this is one that I just found rather difficult to classify in terms of genre.
The story itself was well written, with some comic relief (especially in the beginning), that I really enjoyed. There was plenty of action in the mid to later parts of the novella.
I think it was a little difficult to see where this one was going as far as the mentality of the main character was concerned. Due to that issue, I was never quite certain what was "really" happening. The ending is going strike different chords with each reader--some will love it, some won't. I don't want to give any spoilers away, but this is one that I just found rather difficult to classify in terms of genre.
August 20, 2014
I wasn't sure what to expect when I started reading this one but after a few pages, I knew it was going to be good. Cushing has an excellent style of writing that flows so well into a story that I couldn't help but be drawn into. Her cast of characters ranged from disturbing to outright adorable (Hop Frog!) and are very memorable. It's been a week since I read this book and I'm still thinking about it daily and liking it more and more, especially with how real it feels. Highly recommended!
April 13, 2014
Review copy
Darkfuse Publishers continues to put out some of the best dark fiction available for today's market and they've done so once again with this novella from Nicole Cushing.
I Am the New God tells the strange story of two, young, disturbed individuals who become inexplicably linked, with one as a heirophant and the other, the object of his instruction and adoration.
OK, allow me to save you the trouble of having to look up the word heirophant. It is an interpreter of ancient mysteries and arcane principles. In this story, it's one who is tasked with encouraging a new god in preparation for his becoming.
Hard to tell which of the two primary characters is more crazy, the heirophant who believes he's in communication with, and following in the footsteps of, John the Baptist or the young man he is trying to metamorphose.
The author does a great job of allowing the reader to see that even though the premise of her story may be out there, given the circumstances this is entirely plausible and the outcome is believable and inevitable.
I Am the New God is available now from Darkfuse, for the kindle, at Amazon.com and, if you are an Amazon Prime member, you can read it for FREE through the Kindle Lending Library.
Strongly recommended.
Darkfuse Publishers continues to put out some of the best dark fiction available for today's market and they've done so once again with this novella from Nicole Cushing.
I Am the New God tells the strange story of two, young, disturbed individuals who become inexplicably linked, with one as a heirophant and the other, the object of his instruction and adoration.
OK, allow me to save you the trouble of having to look up the word heirophant. It is an interpreter of ancient mysteries and arcane principles. In this story, it's one who is tasked with encouraging a new god in preparation for his becoming.
Hard to tell which of the two primary characters is more crazy, the heirophant who believes he's in communication with, and following in the footsteps of, John the Baptist or the young man he is trying to metamorphose.
The author does a great job of allowing the reader to see that even though the premise of her story may be out there, given the circumstances this is entirely plausible and the outcome is believable and inevitable.
I Am the New God is available now from Darkfuse, for the kindle, at Amazon.com and, if you are an Amazon Prime member, you can read it for FREE through the Kindle Lending Library.
Strongly recommended.
March 18, 2014
Started reading 3.13.14
I am the New God is a new novella from Dark Fuse. Nicole Cushing is the author.
At the beginning and throughout the book I enjoyed the introduction back and forth correspondence between the hierophant and Gregory Bryce. These letters were comical. The author held my interest as I was wondering what the heck was going on.
I began to think the whole book was a study of severe mental illness. Just how long would a sick mind justify grotesque actions carried out in the name of their own impending deity?
As a Christian, I suppose I should have been a bit more upset by this book. However, I read it for what it was, a fantasy. I realized the story ending was perhaps more of a horror for me than a non-believer.
I gave this story 3 stars.
I am the New God is a new novella from Dark Fuse. Nicole Cushing is the author.
At the beginning and throughout the book I enjoyed the introduction back and forth correspondence between the hierophant and Gregory Bryce. These letters were comical. The author held my interest as I was wondering what the heck was going on.
I began to think the whole book was a study of severe mental illness. Just how long would a sick mind justify grotesque actions carried out in the name of their own impending deity?
As a Christian, I suppose I should have been a bit more upset by this book. However, I read it for what it was, a fantasy. I realized the story ending was perhaps more of a horror for me than a non-believer.
I gave this story 3 stars.
March 28, 2014
College can be trying enough, but it's exponentially harder when your roommate is a psychopath. During my second year of college, I wound up sharing an apartment with a couple fellas who each turned out to be a couple fries short of a Happy Meal. Their ... eccentricities--a diplomatic word if ever their was one--escalated over the months to the point that I had to move out for my own safety and warn the landlord she might not be safe either. Fun stuff.
As insane as those two were, they pale compared to the escalating mania of Nicole Cushing's protagonist, Gregory Bryce. In the beginning, he's doing well in college, after a stint in a mental health facility, but after receiving a string of letters from a mysterious idolater claiming Gregory is destined to become the new god.
Always nice to receive an ego stroke, but quite another to be revered by a total stranger as a deity. Gregory dismisses it at first, but as he reveals he has stopped taking his medication, he begins to take the correspondence seriously, eventually replying and thus inviting a downward spiral into madness as he pursues the idea of becoming a god.
While the story progresses with a clear psychological thriller bent, there is the underlying and quite surreal notion that Gregory is not insane, but may actually be a god in the making. It's not overwhelming, but given Cushing's flare for turning the mundane on its head with her writing, that disturbing possibility stands in the shadows like a bogeyman.
The switching each chapter between Gregory and his would-be acolyte offers a fun juxtaposition to the escalating madness. As tensions grow and Gregory's mania worsens, the language deteriorates a little bit, too. Purposeful in highlighting Gregory's mindset, sure, but there are passages that are a bit of a slog on account of it.
Nicole Cushing really knows how to weave the weird into an unassuming character. She did it last year with Children of No One, and has done it again with I Am the New God. If she wasn't already a horror writer to watch in the coming years, she is now.
As insane as those two were, they pale compared to the escalating mania of Nicole Cushing's protagonist, Gregory Bryce. In the beginning, he's doing well in college, after a stint in a mental health facility, but after receiving a string of letters from a mysterious idolater claiming Gregory is destined to become the new god.
Always nice to receive an ego stroke, but quite another to be revered by a total stranger as a deity. Gregory dismisses it at first, but as he reveals he has stopped taking his medication, he begins to take the correspondence seriously, eventually replying and thus inviting a downward spiral into madness as he pursues the idea of becoming a god.
While the story progresses with a clear psychological thriller bent, there is the underlying and quite surreal notion that Gregory is not insane, but may actually be a god in the making. It's not overwhelming, but given Cushing's flare for turning the mundane on its head with her writing, that disturbing possibility stands in the shadows like a bogeyman.
The switching each chapter between Gregory and his would-be acolyte offers a fun juxtaposition to the escalating madness. As tensions grow and Gregory's mania worsens, the language deteriorates a little bit, too. Purposeful in highlighting Gregory's mindset, sure, but there are passages that are a bit of a slog on account of it.
Nicole Cushing really knows how to weave the weird into an unassuming character. She did it last year with Children of No One, and has done it again with I Am the New God. If she wasn't already a horror writer to watch in the coming years, she is now.
August 17, 2014
This is quite a disturbing story told through two characters, Greg and the Hierophant. The Hierophant believes that mentally disturbed college kid, Greg, is the new God and must complete 7 tasks to show that he is worthy of being so. Greg starts to receive letters from the Hierophant and gradually begins to believe that he may indeed be a God. As his belief grows, his mental stability decreases and he soon resorts to horrific violence to 'convert' his roommate into the new religion, once set on this path he decides to go meet the Hierophant in person.
Nicole Cushing places her readers right into the minds of two highly disturbed individuals, giving you insight into their actions. More worryingly it makes you question whether or not the things you are reading are true or if they are just the downward spiral of the mentally disturbed. Mind bending fiction that gives plenty of food for thought.
Nicole Cushing places her readers right into the minds of two highly disturbed individuals, giving you insight into their actions. More worryingly it makes you question whether or not the things you are reading are true or if they are just the downward spiral of the mentally disturbed. Mind bending fiction that gives plenty of food for thought.
July 5, 2014
This is the story of Greg Bryce. A disgraced priest has been writing to him, believing him to be a new God. At first Greg dismisses the idea and ignores him, but as he continues to write, Greg begins to come around to the idea. This sends his life into a catastrophic spiral that he has no control over, and no way back from.
I enjoyed this so much. It was a very different, quirky idea that read really easily. Greg's back story was interesting, and I liked the way we were given little snippets along the way, almost as teasers to the main events. Told predominantly in the two voices of Greg and the hierophant, everything raced along until the catastrophic finale, and the best twist in a book I have read for ages. This is the second book of Nicole's I have read, and I really enjoy her style. I recommend this as a quick, unusual read that may just leave you breathless at the end.
I enjoyed this so much. It was a very different, quirky idea that read really easily. Greg's back story was interesting, and I liked the way we were given little snippets along the way, almost as teasers to the main events. Told predominantly in the two voices of Greg and the hierophant, everything raced along until the catastrophic finale, and the best twist in a book I have read for ages. This is the second book of Nicole's I have read, and I really enjoy her style. I recommend this as a quick, unusual read that may just leave you breathless at the end.
April 3, 2014
This was my second book by Nicole I have read and enjoyed. Both by DarkFuse, the first being Children Of No One. Like the first, I Am the New God was well written and had a good flow to the story. This book is going to be hard to review without giving to much away. The story is centered around two characters, The Hierophant and Gregory Bryce. It starts out with The Hierophant finding the right person to become the New God. Then he starts writing letters to him to show him the steps he needs to take to become the New God. The story was a little comical at times and a little strange at other times. I'm going to stop here, I don't want to give away to much. I have to say that I did enjoy reading this, but I liked Children of No One a little more. So I gave I Am the New God 3 1/2 stars.
August 6, 2016
I'd only read Nicole Cushing's story in “The Grimscribe's Puppets” before jumping into to this. And I liked it. It has some very interesting ideas with dashes of pessimist philosophy, some quite disturbing passages, and one great conclusion. I felt the story fumbled a couple times, but as is the usual case in weird fiction, the plot itself is somewhat of a skeleton to support the ideas and themes, and not the 'main attraction' so to speak. Thus, this title still achieves its purpose at providing a scary tale with some eerie implications. Nice read-
April 1, 2014
You have to respect (fear? question?) an author that writes such insane thoughts and ideas and then justifies them.
Are you well, Ms. Cushing?
5 STARS
Are you well, Ms. Cushing?
5 STARS
December 11, 2024
I Am the New God is a compelling and unsettling read that delves into the psychological descent of Greg Bryce, a troubled teenager who receives mysterious letters proclaiming his destiny as a new god. The narrative is both smooth and disturbing, effectively drawing readers into Greg's increasingly warped reality. However, the ending feels somewhat rushed, lacking the depth and resolution present in the earlier, well-crafted development. Despite this, Nicole Cushing's bold storytelling marks her as an author to watch, and I'm eager to explore more of her work.
March 9, 2014
Twisted, dark and very disturbing, I Am the New God by Nicole Cushing pushes the reader’s comfort zone as a delusional religious fanatic, who has “spoken with the saints,” becomes the one to prepare the new god to take over from the current God, Yep, THAT God. Gregory is an unbalanced college student on medications, which he discontinues as he begins to believe the letters of a stranger, begins to believe that he is the new god, able to change the world that will learn to fear and adore him. Even his failed attempt to walk on water has been rationalized as being because water as we know it is the product of the old God. Are we in for epic change?
Nicole Cushing boldly makes strong, black strokes through this story that includes mutilation and murder. There is no character that she asks us to like or relate to, but rather fear, because if they exist in the real world, all Hell could literally break loose. Ms. Cushing has a gift for writing, she is able to create a highly tense world that feels ominous and skewed.
Publication Date: April 8, 2014
Publisher: DarkFuse
ISBN: 9781940544304
Genre: Adult Dark Mystery/Thriller
Number of Pages: 256
Available from: Amazon
Nicole Cushing boldly makes strong, black strokes through this story that includes mutilation and murder. There is no character that she asks us to like or relate to, but rather fear, because if they exist in the real world, all Hell could literally break loose. Ms. Cushing has a gift for writing, she is able to create a highly tense world that feels ominous and skewed.
Publication Date: April 8, 2014
Publisher: DarkFuse
ISBN: 9781940544304
Genre: Adult Dark Mystery/Thriller
Number of Pages: 256
Available from: Amazon
April 10, 2014
Book Review originally published here: http://www.iheartreading.net/reviews/...
I Am the New God is an intriguing story about a troubled teenager named Greg Bryce, who believes, after some mysterious letters, that he is a new god. Greg Bryce was already pretty troubled before the letters started, but they push him over the edge. He’s more than willing to believe this new reality, and to interpret everything that happens in light of this. He mutilates his roommate, claiming the boy needs new eyes, to see Greg as the God he is. For his eyes have been given to him by the previous God, the false God…
He starts a journey to the hierophant, the man who sent him the letters, descending more and more into madness. Bryce is an interesting character, who obviously suffers from psychopathic tendencies, and who has trouble relating to anyone. He’s all too eager to believe the illusion he is the new God, even going beyond reasonable lengths to prove he is. The hierophant suffers from an equally challenged personality, and his own series of mental troubles.
The writing was excellent, and allowed a glimpse into the mind of psychopath Greg Bryce. His thoughts, reasons, and actions seemed very logical – at least for a mind as messed up as his. He rationalized all his wrong-doings.
The story is dark, twisted, and just the way I like it. This shows how dangerous and terrifying the human mind can be, and how it is equally horrifying as any supernatural threat could ever be.
I Am the New God is an intriguing story about a troubled teenager named Greg Bryce, who believes, after some mysterious letters, that he is a new god. Greg Bryce was already pretty troubled before the letters started, but they push him over the edge. He’s more than willing to believe this new reality, and to interpret everything that happens in light of this. He mutilates his roommate, claiming the boy needs new eyes, to see Greg as the God he is. For his eyes have been given to him by the previous God, the false God…
He starts a journey to the hierophant, the man who sent him the letters, descending more and more into madness. Bryce is an interesting character, who obviously suffers from psychopathic tendencies, and who has trouble relating to anyone. He’s all too eager to believe the illusion he is the new God, even going beyond reasonable lengths to prove he is. The hierophant suffers from an equally challenged personality, and his own series of mental troubles.
The writing was excellent, and allowed a glimpse into the mind of psychopath Greg Bryce. His thoughts, reasons, and actions seemed very logical – at least for a mind as messed up as his. He rationalized all his wrong-doings.
The story is dark, twisted, and just the way I like it. This shows how dangerous and terrifying the human mind can be, and how it is equally horrifying as any supernatural threat could ever be.
April 12, 2014
This book will make you a believer. Read it or Nicole will chase you down, pluck out your eyes and keep you tied up in a closet dosed on Stelazine between bursts of awkward laughter!
Greg is an unstable guy receiving very real letters from an individual dubbed The Hierophant. These documents are grandiose transmissions of what Greg must do in order to topple the regime of the old God and become the new one. Along the way, he takes his Japanese roommate captive, creates a new form of life sans consciousness (with unintentionally adorable results as he names it 'Hop Frog', an obvious nod to fellow horror author W.H. Pugmire).
I appreciated Nicole's eye for the rich history of New Harmony, where a labyrinth was erected with a cabin at the center for weary travelers to recover and pray. New Harmony seems to have been a hotbed of religious fanaticism of various kinds dating back to the 1800's with the original settlers.
The ending will wow everyone so jaded as to think that there is nothing left to say in horror. Nicole is getting so good that we might have to stop calling her a rising star and get comfortable with just the word 'star'.
Greg is an unstable guy receiving very real letters from an individual dubbed The Hierophant. These documents are grandiose transmissions of what Greg must do in order to topple the regime of the old God and become the new one. Along the way, he takes his Japanese roommate captive, creates a new form of life sans consciousness (with unintentionally adorable results as he names it 'Hop Frog', an obvious nod to fellow horror author W.H. Pugmire).
I appreciated Nicole's eye for the rich history of New Harmony, where a labyrinth was erected with a cabin at the center for weary travelers to recover and pray. New Harmony seems to have been a hotbed of religious fanaticism of various kinds dating back to the 1800's with the original settlers.
The ending will wow everyone so jaded as to think that there is nothing left to say in horror. Nicole is getting so good that we might have to stop calling her a rising star and get comfortable with just the word 'star'.
August 13, 2016
The Hierophant, The Hop-frog and a New God.
I Am The New God by Nicole Cushing is a very good and strange trip into madness and delusional divinity. Or is it real? I guess that is the question. You will have to read it to find out.
This one is written well, in the first person narrative, and moves pretty quickly. I thought I had this one figured out by the 25% point and by 75% I was convinced. I was wrong, but pleasantly surprised so.
A religious fanatic, shooed out of church ministry, must find a way to convince and guide a disturbed college student toward his ascension into being the New God. A few letters later, it is all going exactly as planned…
I Am The New God by Nicole Cushing is a very good and strange trip into madness and delusional divinity. Or is it real? I guess that is the question. You will have to read it to find out.
This one is written well, in the first person narrative, and moves pretty quickly. I thought I had this one figured out by the 25% point and by 75% I was convinced. I was wrong, but pleasantly surprised so.
A religious fanatic, shooed out of church ministry, must find a way to convince and guide a disturbed college student toward his ascension into being the New God. A few letters later, it is all going exactly as planned…
November 11, 2020
Wanna hear a joke?
“What’s the difference between a god and a devil?”
“About two thousand years.”
Rim shot.
Who said that a god couldn’t have a sense of humor? Who said that a punch line couldn’t communicate an epiphany?
The little nugget of edification inside that joke is, of course, that “devil” is just the name given to a recently dethroned god. There is no essential difference between the two. Yes, heaven operates in much the same way as a banana republic. You denounce your predecessor and condemn him to infamy.
Take the Christian devil, for example. Beelzebub. Before he was the Christian devil, he was a Philistine god. Ba’al Zebub.
Devils are simply defeated gods. Gods are nothing more than future devils. It doesn’t matter if a transcendent force is considered benevolent or malevolent. All that matters is the transcendence.
“What’s the difference between a god and a devil?”
“About two thousand years.”
Rim shot.
Who said that a god couldn’t have a sense of humor? Who said that a punch line couldn’t communicate an epiphany?
The little nugget of edification inside that joke is, of course, that “devil” is just the name given to a recently dethroned god. There is no essential difference between the two. Yes, heaven operates in much the same way as a banana republic. You denounce your predecessor and condemn him to infamy.
Take the Christian devil, for example. Beelzebub. Before he was the Christian devil, he was a Philistine god. Ba’al Zebub.
Devils are simply defeated gods. Gods are nothing more than future devils. It doesn’t matter if a transcendent force is considered benevolent or malevolent. All that matters is the transcendence.
February 12, 2014
A religious fanatic called the hierophant searches for a new god and comes across Gregory Bryce, a college student with a history of mental problems. From the letters the hierophant sends, Gregory promptly embraces his destiny as the new god and stops taking his medications. This is a novella about Bryce's journey into his delusion. Fast-moving and engaging, but also creepy, violent, and gory.
I received this book from Dark Fuse via Netgalley.
I received this book from Dark Fuse via Netgalley.
May 5, 2016
It's hard to judge this book. The plot is original and engaging but disturbing, just the way I like it. The writing execution could have been better, but this book won't be leaving my head anytime soon.
January 4, 2015
Not quite my brand of horror (gore is not really my thing), but it is well written. I know I'll be giving Ms. Cushing another visit in the future.
July 1, 2022
I had almost given up hope on getting my hands on a copy of this book. I was enthralled to not only procure a copy, but purchase a signed, limited edition, hardcover copy.
Once again, Nicole Cushing delivers gold. Disturbing, twisted gold. She has such a unique way of writing that I would dub "almost cosmic horror". The reader can interpret the situation in many ways throughout most of the book. Is Greg crazy? Is the Hierophant delusional? Is something sinister happening? Is something heavenly happening? The wheels were turning constantly as I rapidly turned the pages of this compact, but thrilling book. I enjoyed being kept on my toes, but in the end, she tells a complete story with a coherent point and no questions left unanswered, which is crucial for this type of storytelling to be effective.
Once again, Nicole Cushing delivers gold. Disturbing, twisted gold. She has such a unique way of writing that I would dub "almost cosmic horror". The reader can interpret the situation in many ways throughout most of the book. Is Greg crazy? Is the Hierophant delusional? Is something sinister happening? Is something heavenly happening? The wheels were turning constantly as I rapidly turned the pages of this compact, but thrilling book. I enjoyed being kept on my toes, but in the end, she tells a complete story with a coherent point and no questions left unanswered, which is crucial for this type of storytelling to be effective.
August 26, 2015
Gregory Bryce is a typical college student in the 1980s, dealing with school, his roommate, and his impending apotheosis. Wait, what? That's right. Gregory has been receiving correspondence from someone known as the Hierophant claiming knowledge that Gregory's destiny is to become the new God, rising up to usurp the old and weakened Christian God and take control of creation. You know: Typical college hijinks.
In Nicole Cushing's I Am the New God this is exactly what we get. Slowly, things are revealed about Gregory's background, such as his stint in a mental institution, that he's been on medication, and that he's recently stopped taking that medication. Gregory at first does not believe the Hierophant, but slowly begins to warm up to the idea as he begin to complete the seven tasks the Hierophant has laid out for him to complete his rise to become the new God. But the question becomes whether this is real or if this is all part of Gregory's (and the Hierophant's) madness.
That's what was so fascinating about it. The reader is genuinely left in the dark through most of the book about whether this is real or if we are simply reading the mind of a certifiable madman. From the violent mutilation of his roommate to his creation of a new life form named Hop Frog (clearly a tribute to W.H. Pugmire), we don't know what's real and what's not, especially given that it's written mostly from a shifting first person perspective. It becomes both fascinating and disturbing to see into the mind of the potentially insane.
The book is still a horror novel and there are many incidents of violence and gore, so reader be warned. Admittedly, the gory violence is not as much as it could have been, and Cushing seems to have exercised some restraint in order to put a greater focus on the story. In fact, I can't say that any of it is gratuitous. All the violence, while creepy and horrifying, actually serves a point and furthers the plot. Like a slaughtered buffalo, nothing is wasted. The text has a good flow and the story ramps up to the ending at a pretty smooth pace.
If I have a criticism, it would be the changing perspective. While it can be interesting switching first person narratives between Gregory and the Hierophant, as well as the third person perspective of police investigators, at the same time the effect is also jarring and can pull the reader out of the book with the sudden shift. I respect Cushing for this bold choice, but I don't think that it quite had the effect she was looking for.
A sublime piece of horror fiction, I Am the New God is definitely worth a read. With only minor quibbles, I can heartily recommend this book, especially for horror fans for a unique take that leaves the reader guessing until the end, even if they think they've figured it out.
I Am the New God by Nicole Cushing earns 4.5 completed tasks out of 5 (because, really, who's got the time for 7 tasks).
Note: This review is based on a review copy sent for free from the publisher through NetGalley. This did not affect the content of the review in any way.
In Nicole Cushing's I Am the New God this is exactly what we get. Slowly, things are revealed about Gregory's background, such as his stint in a mental institution, that he's been on medication, and that he's recently stopped taking that medication. Gregory at first does not believe the Hierophant, but slowly begins to warm up to the idea as he begin to complete the seven tasks the Hierophant has laid out for him to complete his rise to become the new God. But the question becomes whether this is real or if this is all part of Gregory's (and the Hierophant's) madness.
That's what was so fascinating about it. The reader is genuinely left in the dark through most of the book about whether this is real or if we are simply reading the mind of a certifiable madman. From the violent mutilation of his roommate to his creation of a new life form named Hop Frog (clearly a tribute to W.H. Pugmire), we don't know what's real and what's not, especially given that it's written mostly from a shifting first person perspective. It becomes both fascinating and disturbing to see into the mind of the potentially insane.
The book is still a horror novel and there are many incidents of violence and gore, so reader be warned. Admittedly, the gory violence is not as much as it could have been, and Cushing seems to have exercised some restraint in order to put a greater focus on the story. In fact, I can't say that any of it is gratuitous. All the violence, while creepy and horrifying, actually serves a point and furthers the plot. Like a slaughtered buffalo, nothing is wasted. The text has a good flow and the story ramps up to the ending at a pretty smooth pace.
If I have a criticism, it would be the changing perspective. While it can be interesting switching first person narratives between Gregory and the Hierophant, as well as the third person perspective of police investigators, at the same time the effect is also jarring and can pull the reader out of the book with the sudden shift. I respect Cushing for this bold choice, but I don't think that it quite had the effect she was looking for.
A sublime piece of horror fiction, I Am the New God is definitely worth a read. With only minor quibbles, I can heartily recommend this book, especially for horror fans for a unique take that leaves the reader guessing until the end, even if they think they've figured it out.
I Am the New God by Nicole Cushing earns 4.5 completed tasks out of 5 (because, really, who's got the time for 7 tasks).
Note: This review is based on a review copy sent for free from the publisher through NetGalley. This did not affect the content of the review in any way.
March 27, 2014
This is a DarkFuse novella by Nicole Cushing, who found acclaim with her previous book, Children of No One. I haven’t read it yet, but do have it on my shelf. I Am The New God is about a college student, Greg Bryce, who out of the blue begins to receive letters from a person known as the hierophant. These letters state that Greg is the titular new god and that he will replace the current Christian God. After receiving a few of these letters, as a distraction from an uncomfortable college life, he writes back and engages the hierophant.
Greg is homophobic, refers to his disabled little brother as retarded, and is all-around unlikable so he doesn’t garner much sympathy. Then again, the author doesn’t really ask for any on his behalf. Cushing does a nice job conveying Greg’s feelings of being an outsider and being different, although having pretty girls laughing at him on the beach is a little cliché. Greg seems to go from mild amusement at receiving the letters to buying fully into the idea that he is a god in the blink of an eye. Watching him go from curious to screaming at God, completely mad, and planning to vanquish him is a bit hard to swallow. We learn he has Christian fundamentalist parents so rejecting them and what they stand for might help to explain Greg’s behavior, but it still didn’t seem to be a natural progression. There are questions over Greg’s history of mental illness and medication. It seems that going off his meds is the bridge to his acceptance of the idea that he is becoming a god. It’s not explicit. The potential of using mental illness as a reason for his belief, and then casting the mentally ill in such a negative light, almost as a symptom of evil, doesn’t sit well with me. I might be looking too much into it, but it’s an uncomfortable idea, and although events further in the book provide more explanation, it still felt like a cold plot device.
The hierophant is a far more interesting character, a defrocked minister, who believed he was given the divine task of assisting the new god after talking with a vision of John the Baptist. It would have been good to have more of the focus on him and his backstory. He is more sympathetic than Greg, selfless to Greg’s selfishness. The hierophant has to give the new god seven tasks one at a time that must be completed before he becomes a deity. The first of these is to create a life. It was fascinating seeing his creation, the amusing Hop-frog, sentient in his eyes, interacting with the normal world. In fact, Greg’s discussions of reality were the most imaginative and captivating parts of the book. The destruction of the Hop-frog brought some quite unexpected and graphic violence to the transgressor, his college roommate, Japanese exchange student Arihiro, who becomes his first unwilling disciple. This set Greg’s descent or rather “ascent,” for the rest of the book.
The novella has a very strong conclusion, and the story takes a turn which I really enjoyed. Overall I Am the New God is an unusual but captivating novella. Providing a fresh storyline that keeps away from the traditional, expected tropes of the genre is refreshing. It’s definitely worth a read.
Greg is homophobic, refers to his disabled little brother as retarded, and is all-around unlikable so he doesn’t garner much sympathy. Then again, the author doesn’t really ask for any on his behalf. Cushing does a nice job conveying Greg’s feelings of being an outsider and being different, although having pretty girls laughing at him on the beach is a little cliché. Greg seems to go from mild amusement at receiving the letters to buying fully into the idea that he is a god in the blink of an eye. Watching him go from curious to screaming at God, completely mad, and planning to vanquish him is a bit hard to swallow. We learn he has Christian fundamentalist parents so rejecting them and what they stand for might help to explain Greg’s behavior, but it still didn’t seem to be a natural progression. There are questions over Greg’s history of mental illness and medication. It seems that going off his meds is the bridge to his acceptance of the idea that he is becoming a god. It’s not explicit. The potential of using mental illness as a reason for his belief, and then casting the mentally ill in such a negative light, almost as a symptom of evil, doesn’t sit well with me. I might be looking too much into it, but it’s an uncomfortable idea, and although events further in the book provide more explanation, it still felt like a cold plot device.
The hierophant is a far more interesting character, a defrocked minister, who believed he was given the divine task of assisting the new god after talking with a vision of John the Baptist. It would have been good to have more of the focus on him and his backstory. He is more sympathetic than Greg, selfless to Greg’s selfishness. The hierophant has to give the new god seven tasks one at a time that must be completed before he becomes a deity. The first of these is to create a life. It was fascinating seeing his creation, the amusing Hop-frog, sentient in his eyes, interacting with the normal world. In fact, Greg’s discussions of reality were the most imaginative and captivating parts of the book. The destruction of the Hop-frog brought some quite unexpected and graphic violence to the transgressor, his college roommate, Japanese exchange student Arihiro, who becomes his first unwilling disciple. This set Greg’s descent or rather “ascent,” for the rest of the book.
The novella has a very strong conclusion, and the story takes a turn which I really enjoyed. Overall I Am the New God is an unusual but captivating novella. Providing a fresh storyline that keeps away from the traditional, expected tropes of the genre is refreshing. It’s definitely worth a read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 26, 2014
I have no clue if I am correct on this assumption, but I think that Nicole Cushing has managed to push the boundaries of the horror genre a bit with her new novel I Am the New God. My feeling is that the same could be true with her debut work, Children of No One, an unsettling tale of child abuse and exploitation. I Am the New God is equally as unsettling but more distorted or dysfunctional, if that is possible.
In the early weeks of his freshman year in college, Greg Bryce is contacted by a secret admirer who claims that Greg has been ordained as the new god. The old Christian God is weakening, and the new god must rise to power and assume control. While most 18 year olds would be on the phone to their parents with the first letter proposing their divinity from a stranger (the action takes place in the 1980s – hence communication occurs only via phone and snail mail), Greg is intrigued. Greg, we gradually learn, has had his share of psychiatric issues in his adolescence, and gosh-darn it, this new god-thing plays right into his mental illness. As the apostle/high priest becomes bolder in his indoctrination of Greg, he (a defrocked minister in Indiana) explains to Greg the various tasks – through letters – the young man must complete in order to make the transformation to the Supreme Being. The minister, by the way, is getting these instructions from none other than John the Baptist, who inexplicably seems to have switched allegiances from Jesus to the new god, Greg.
Follow this thus far? Actually, the progression throughout the novel makes perfect sense – which is a credit to Ms. Cushing’s writing. Anyhow, the tasks involve a series of sordid activities, not the least of which is the gruesome torture of Greg’s college roommate. I won’t elaborate any more on the plot. What’s important to note, however, is that the narrative goes in directions I did not see coming. And, things do get quite creepy.
Ms. Cushing uses a rather unique point of view. Alternative chapters, with some exceptions, are told in the first person from either the defrocked minister’s perspective or Greg’s perspective. The mental illness of the two characters is quite evident, and I found myself rather unnerved by seeing the world from these points-of-view. So, that aspect of the story is quite effective. If I have any criticism, it would be that after a while the two characters were sounding too much alike. I suspect that trying to maintain two distinct but different psychotic perspectives is a tough act to pull off. Also, Ms. Cushing wisely chooses to insert some third person narratives, mostly from the omniscient perspective of police investigators. This grounded the narrative in a sense of reality that helps anchor the story.
Overall, this is an effective horror story about not one, but two, descents into madness – with a cool twist at the end. It doesn’t always work, but the effort is a marvel to read.
In the early weeks of his freshman year in college, Greg Bryce is contacted by a secret admirer who claims that Greg has been ordained as the new god. The old Christian God is weakening, and the new god must rise to power and assume control. While most 18 year olds would be on the phone to their parents with the first letter proposing their divinity from a stranger (the action takes place in the 1980s – hence communication occurs only via phone and snail mail), Greg is intrigued. Greg, we gradually learn, has had his share of psychiatric issues in his adolescence, and gosh-darn it, this new god-thing plays right into his mental illness. As the apostle/high priest becomes bolder in his indoctrination of Greg, he (a defrocked minister in Indiana) explains to Greg the various tasks – through letters – the young man must complete in order to make the transformation to the Supreme Being. The minister, by the way, is getting these instructions from none other than John the Baptist, who inexplicably seems to have switched allegiances from Jesus to the new god, Greg.
Follow this thus far? Actually, the progression throughout the novel makes perfect sense – which is a credit to Ms. Cushing’s writing. Anyhow, the tasks involve a series of sordid activities, not the least of which is the gruesome torture of Greg’s college roommate. I won’t elaborate any more on the plot. What’s important to note, however, is that the narrative goes in directions I did not see coming. And, things do get quite creepy.
Ms. Cushing uses a rather unique point of view. Alternative chapters, with some exceptions, are told in the first person from either the defrocked minister’s perspective or Greg’s perspective. The mental illness of the two characters is quite evident, and I found myself rather unnerved by seeing the world from these points-of-view. So, that aspect of the story is quite effective. If I have any criticism, it would be that after a while the two characters were sounding too much alike. I suspect that trying to maintain two distinct but different psychotic perspectives is a tough act to pull off. Also, Ms. Cushing wisely chooses to insert some third person narratives, mostly from the omniscient perspective of police investigators. This grounded the narrative in a sense of reality that helps anchor the story.
Overall, this is an effective horror story about not one, but two, descents into madness – with a cool twist at the end. It doesn’t always work, but the effort is a marvel to read.
March 25, 2014
A divinely (or diabolically) gleeful novella, I Am the New God follows a young man named Greg as he receives a letter telling him he's going to be the new God. Sent by "a hierophant", the correspondence culminates in a list of tasks Greg needs to follow on his path to godhood. It's all a bit of a lark until the reader realizes Greg was a bit unhinged to begin with. Soon he's all aboard with the idea of becoming the new God; he sets off on a search for the hierophant, making converts along the way by gouging out their eyes, their vision having long been poisoned by the reality of the old God.
Loonies always make the best characters, and the pair here are no exception; Greg's descent from an ordinary, very identifiable cynic to a psychopath serial killer happens gradually, throwing the reader into a nice loop of surprises. The hierophant, a defrocked priest, is also insane, but more subtly so, almost as a parody of blind faith; his attempt to explain away how Greg is unable to walk on water is hilarious, and it's his faulty logic which eventually pushes Greg over the edge. Greg's crazy because he's off his meds, but the hierophant really has no excuse.
There's a lot of brutal, sudden violence in the novella; it works well with the spiky, dark humour. The theological aspects of the story are conveyed smoothly, none of it getting too theoretical or in the way of a good story.
The novella shares some similarities with T.E.D. Klein's brilliant short story Nadelman's God; both stories are about the nature of god(s), and feature letters going back and forth between a skeptic and a believer. The rest is different, but the results are equally impressive.
Read all my reviews at mikareadshorrorfiction.com
Loonies always make the best characters, and the pair here are no exception; Greg's descent from an ordinary, very identifiable cynic to a psychopath serial killer happens gradually, throwing the reader into a nice loop of surprises. The hierophant, a defrocked priest, is also insane, but more subtly so, almost as a parody of blind faith; his attempt to explain away how Greg is unable to walk on water is hilarious, and it's his faulty logic which eventually pushes Greg over the edge. Greg's crazy because he's off his meds, but the hierophant really has no excuse.
There's a lot of brutal, sudden violence in the novella; it works well with the spiky, dark humour. The theological aspects of the story are conveyed smoothly, none of it getting too theoretical or in the way of a good story.
The novella shares some similarities with T.E.D. Klein's brilliant short story Nadelman's God; both stories are about the nature of god(s), and feature letters going back and forth between a skeptic and a believer. The rest is different, but the results are equally impressive.
Read all my reviews at mikareadshorrorfiction.com
May 12, 2014
This book is just balls-to-the-wall crazy. The blurb indicates that we're going to read the story of how Greg Bryce took the place of the gods and, while that's exactly what happens at the most basic level, you have no idea the insane ride you're in for.
Greg Bryce is insane. There's really no way around that. A troubled teen, he beings receiving letters telling him that he is destined to become a new god. He ignores them at first, but, after a whole, begins corresponding with the person behind the letters and starts to believe that he is, in fact, a god-in-training. Only an insane person would do that.
From there, Greg embarks on a quest to ascend to his rightful place as a god. The journey is one of pure horror, both for Greg and for everyone around him. His motivations are questionable at best, but the acts he commits in the name of becoming a god are straight out of nightmare. As the story continues, you're reading as much to see what horrible thing he'll do next as to see whether he'll actually become a god.
I Am the New God is a deeply disturbing story; I had trouble continuing at parts, but I'm glad I did because once the initial shock wears off, what's left is an interesting and novel story.
Greg Bryce is insane. There's really no way around that. A troubled teen, he beings receiving letters telling him that he is destined to become a new god. He ignores them at first, but, after a whole, begins corresponding with the person behind the letters and starts to believe that he is, in fact, a god-in-training. Only an insane person would do that.
From there, Greg embarks on a quest to ascend to his rightful place as a god. The journey is one of pure horror, both for Greg and for everyone around him. His motivations are questionable at best, but the acts he commits in the name of becoming a god are straight out of nightmare. As the story continues, you're reading as much to see what horrible thing he'll do next as to see whether he'll actually become a god.
I Am the New God is a deeply disturbing story; I had trouble continuing at parts, but I'm glad I did because once the initial shock wears off, what's left is an interesting and novel story.
April 13, 2014
Review copy
Darkfuse Publishers continues to put out some of the best dark fiction available for today's market and they've done so once again with this novella from Nicole Cushing.
I Am the New God tells the strange story of two, young, disturbed individuals who become inexplicably linked, with one as a heirophant and the other, the object of his instruction and adoration.
OK, allow me to save you the trouble of having to look up the word heirophant. It is an interpreter of ancient mysteries and arcane principles. In this story, it's one who is tasked with encouraging a new god in preparation for his becoming.
Hard to tell which of the two primary characters is more crazy, the heirophant who believes he's in communication with, and following in the footsteps of, John the Baptist or the young man he is trying to metamorphose.
The author does a great job of allowing the reader to see that even though the premise of her story may be out there, given the circumstances this is entirely plausible and the outcome is believable and inevitable.
I Am the New God is available now from Darkfuse, for the kindle, at Amazon.com and, if you are an Amazon Prime member, you can read it for FREE through the Kindle Lending Library.
Strongly recommended.
Darkfuse Publishers continues to put out some of the best dark fiction available for today's market and they've done so once again with this novella from Nicole Cushing.
I Am the New God tells the strange story of two, young, disturbed individuals who become inexplicably linked, with one as a heirophant and the other, the object of his instruction and adoration.
OK, allow me to save you the trouble of having to look up the word heirophant. It is an interpreter of ancient mysteries and arcane principles. In this story, it's one who is tasked with encouraging a new god in preparation for his becoming.
Hard to tell which of the two primary characters is more crazy, the heirophant who believes he's in communication with, and following in the footsteps of, John the Baptist or the young man he is trying to metamorphose.
The author does a great job of allowing the reader to see that even though the premise of her story may be out there, given the circumstances this is entirely plausible and the outcome is believable and inevitable.
I Am the New God is available now from Darkfuse, for the kindle, at Amazon.com and, if you are an Amazon Prime member, you can read it for FREE through the Kindle Lending Library.
Strongly recommended.
July 19, 2014
Wow what a weird book - and I mean that in a good way. This was very original and creative, and I really found myself drawn into the story. Throughout the book it really wasn't clear what "reality" was, vs. what was happening only in the mind of the main character, who is a deeply disturbed individual, and we definitely get inside his head and go along for the ride. He is pushed over the edge by another individual who is equally disturbed, and the combination is pretty explosive. The book has a lot to say on a number of subjects, but the commentary is integral to the story, and never feels overbearing or forced. I really debated between 4 and 5 stars, but in places the writing was just a little rough, and for me 5 stars is the gold standard. With the level of creativity on display here, I very much look forward to more work from Nicole, and I definitely need to read her first book.
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