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Echoes of the Garfy Multiverse
An actor's obsession with rebooting a cartoon cat pushes his life to the brink.
Craig is a well-paid actor, but he can only seem to land embarrassing roles in gross pharmaceutical commercials. Also, he just turned thirty-four, and still has never had a real girlfriend… is there something wrong with him? His mom insists he’s very talented, but at this point, it seems like his dream of rebooting the most popular comic ever – Garfy, the orange cat – into a billion-dollar franchise of action movies may never come true.
Then again, this is Los Angeles, so with the help of a mysterious new life coach and plenty of herbal supplements, maybe anything is possible? Even a little romance? It’s just too bad an entire multiverse of evil alternate Garfys is coming to harvest Craig’s soul, but that’s probably not real, right?
If you too wonder about the purpose of your life and are sick of all the pointless reboot movies, register your discontent and be restored to your humanity when you read this hilarious and heartfelt coming-of-age (in your mid-30s) novel.
Craig is a well-paid actor, but he can only seem to land embarrassing roles in gross pharmaceutical commercials. Also, he just turned thirty-four, and still has never had a real girlfriend… is there something wrong with him? His mom insists he’s very talented, but at this point, it seems like his dream of rebooting the most popular comic ever – Garfy, the orange cat – into a billion-dollar franchise of action movies may never come true.
Then again, this is Los Angeles, so with the help of a mysterious new life coach and plenty of herbal supplements, maybe anything is possible? Even a little romance? It’s just too bad an entire multiverse of evil alternate Garfys is coming to harvest Craig’s soul, but that’s probably not real, right?
If you too wonder about the purpose of your life and are sick of all the pointless reboot movies, register your discontent and be restored to your humanity when you read this hilarious and heartfelt coming-of-age (in your mid-30s) novel.
301 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 15, 2024
17 people are currently reading
3222 people want to read
About the author
Aaron Pryka
1 book23 followersAaron Pryka is a failed screenwriter seeking revenge + redemption. Echoes of the Garfy Multiverse is his first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
July 17, 2024
I'm not sure what I just read...
Was it a commentary on the absurdity of Hollywood greed?
Was it a comedic Donnie Darko?
Was it a dark Everything Everywhere all at Once?
Was it just a really well documented acid trip by the author?
Honestly, not sure. But I was thoroughly entertained.
"It's sort of an unwritten rule that if you make something too funny, too feel-good, or something that people actually understand, you'll never get taken seriously by the sort of depressed and insecure academics who write about these things." (11)
Not sure that was the point, but this author absolutely applied this rule to this novel. It's well-balanced and should be taken seriously.
You know when you're not fully awake but still dreaming but it feels real? That's the feeling I had reading the second half of this.
You know when a character wakes up in a movie and they're actually still in a dream and they wake up again? That's what I was expecting to happen 90% of the time, but instead of breaking the weird with this cliché, the weird just gets weirder.
I really enjoyed the main character's inner dialogue, even though I was often discouraged or angered by his actions and reasoning.
I did not however enjoy the "coincidental" similarities to real people, cats or events. Changing one letter in a famous name should've made me feel like this was a parallel universe to my own, but it didn't feel that clever.
I'd recommend this to anyone who enjoys movies things get uncomfortably weird with little explanation. This one at least gets a satisfying resolution!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Was it a commentary on the absurdity of Hollywood greed?
Was it a comedic Donnie Darko?
Was it a dark Everything Everywhere all at Once?
Was it just a really well documented acid trip by the author?
Honestly, not sure. But I was thoroughly entertained.
"It's sort of an unwritten rule that if you make something too funny, too feel-good, or something that people actually understand, you'll never get taken seriously by the sort of depressed and insecure academics who write about these things." (11)
Not sure that was the point, but this author absolutely applied this rule to this novel. It's well-balanced and should be taken seriously.
You know when you're not fully awake but still dreaming but it feels real? That's the feeling I had reading the second half of this.
You know when a character wakes up in a movie and they're actually still in a dream and they wake up again? That's what I was expecting to happen 90% of the time, but instead of breaking the weird with this cliché, the weird just gets weirder.
I really enjoyed the main character's inner dialogue, even though I was often discouraged or angered by his actions and reasoning.
I did not however enjoy the "coincidental" similarities to real people, cats or events. Changing one letter in a famous name should've made me feel like this was a parallel universe to my own, but it didn't feel that clever.
I'd recommend this to anyone who enjoys movies things get uncomfortably weird with little explanation. This one at least gets a satisfying resolution!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 8, 2024
Craig Bunny is in his mid-thirties and lives at home with his overly attentive mother. His corpulence makes him good money from occasional but lucrative acting gigs in television commercials. In them he expends pride and dignity, but not a lot of effort, giving him ample free time to work on his—pardon the pun—pet project: a billion-dollar plus franchising idea based on a reboot of the popular and loosely fictionalized orange cartoon cat: Garfy.
It's not a straight up animation reboot banking on nostalgia, however, but one with a major, albeit still heavily commercial, twist. Craig re-envisions the lazy, domesticated, dependent, sedentary Garfy as a live action hero with evil alternate versions he must battle to preserve his soul on earth, in our universe and beyond in a multiverse. The human parallels between Craig and the original cartoon cat, as well as his identification with his hero, are not at all subtle.
He knows his vision has unlimited creative and marketing possibilities. Only he has to sell this concept to those with the resources to make it happen, a daunting leap that, through an epiphany, he realizes he begin by making himself more sellable.
Craig solicits a life coach who, through a comprehensive program of diet, exercise, and various supplements, transforms Craig. Our protagonist loses weight and acquires a girlfriend who's a screenwriter (not his strength) and shares his enthusiasm and confidence in Garfy. The new Craig develops the confidence to confront and compel his agent to arrange a pitch session with the owners of the copyright to the original cartoon character. But there's a Faustian undercurrent that ensures his gains do not come without personal sacrifices.
For any artist who's dedicated as much solo time and effort as Craig has on their epic creation, it can be a shock to bring it into the light of the real world. Any criticism, or affirmation, can be traumatic if it in any way misaligns with its creator's vision. For a serious artist like Craig, living what in every other way he sees as a banal, worthless existence, this can more easily lead to becoming consumed by his creation.
The novel does a fine, thorough job taking its time to establish Craig's world in parallel with his fictional Garfy world that remains insularly safe and distinct until it comes to a point of involving others. Such a steady build-up earns the payoff of (borrowing from Ghostbusters) crossing the streams of Craig's personal reality and his imaginary multiverse. And so the drama unfolds unpredictably between the real and fantastical.
The first person narrative reads smoothly to effectively maintain interest, not easy considering Craig's otherwise uninteresting and often depressing life. The irony of Craig's developing a reboot to end all reboots while criticizing current Hollywood practices is at the core of the story's humour. It's supplemented by digs on subjects such as screenwriting, or Craig's insisting a famous actor (cheekily fictionalized as Christopher Ratt), must be involved.
The ending (or denouement) adequately rounds out the narrative. But for me it's a bit of a letdown compared to the more startling, original weirdness leading to it. As if inventiveness has to take a back seat to a polished loos-endless finish. Nevertheless, this is a fun, focused, and sometimes touching character story anchored on what may be a silly premise, yet still works.
It's interesting that this novel comes out the same year as an actual animated reboot on Garfield, starring Christopher Pratt. I have no idea if that's a coincidence, or if this novel is a satirical commentary inspired by that reboot.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
It's not a straight up animation reboot banking on nostalgia, however, but one with a major, albeit still heavily commercial, twist. Craig re-envisions the lazy, domesticated, dependent, sedentary Garfy as a live action hero with evil alternate versions he must battle to preserve his soul on earth, in our universe and beyond in a multiverse. The human parallels between Craig and the original cartoon cat, as well as his identification with his hero, are not at all subtle.
He knows his vision has unlimited creative and marketing possibilities. Only he has to sell this concept to those with the resources to make it happen, a daunting leap that, through an epiphany, he realizes he begin by making himself more sellable.
Craig solicits a life coach who, through a comprehensive program of diet, exercise, and various supplements, transforms Craig. Our protagonist loses weight and acquires a girlfriend who's a screenwriter (not his strength) and shares his enthusiasm and confidence in Garfy. The new Craig develops the confidence to confront and compel his agent to arrange a pitch session with the owners of the copyright to the original cartoon character. But there's a Faustian undercurrent that ensures his gains do not come without personal sacrifices.
For any artist who's dedicated as much solo time and effort as Craig has on their epic creation, it can be a shock to bring it into the light of the real world. Any criticism, or affirmation, can be traumatic if it in any way misaligns with its creator's vision. For a serious artist like Craig, living what in every other way he sees as a banal, worthless existence, this can more easily lead to becoming consumed by his creation.
The novel does a fine, thorough job taking its time to establish Craig's world in parallel with his fictional Garfy world that remains insularly safe and distinct until it comes to a point of involving others. Such a steady build-up earns the payoff of (borrowing from Ghostbusters) crossing the streams of Craig's personal reality and his imaginary multiverse. And so the drama unfolds unpredictably between the real and fantastical.
The first person narrative reads smoothly to effectively maintain interest, not easy considering Craig's otherwise uninteresting and often depressing life. The irony of Craig's developing a reboot to end all reboots while criticizing current Hollywood practices is at the core of the story's humour. It's supplemented by digs on subjects such as screenwriting, or Craig's insisting a famous actor (cheekily fictionalized as Christopher Ratt), must be involved.
The ending (or denouement) adequately rounds out the narrative. But for me it's a bit of a letdown compared to the more startling, original weirdness leading to it. As if inventiveness has to take a back seat to a polished loos-endless finish. Nevertheless, this is a fun, focused, and sometimes touching character story anchored on what may be a silly premise, yet still works.
It's interesting that this novel comes out the same year as an actual animated reboot on Garfield, starring Christopher Pratt. I have no idea if that's a coincidence, or if this novel is a satirical commentary inspired by that reboot.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 19, 2024
This book was definitely different. Our main character is depressed 34 year old man who is hellbent on making his dream of rebooting a famous old comic (Garfy) with his own "special" twist a reality. He finds himself centering his entire life around this goal. Getting tired of being a laughing stock by the people he is surrounded by, he finds a personal trainer to help flip his life around. This life coach helps him with the many flawed aspects of his life: losing weight, gaining confidence, etc., but things don't always go as planned and the story takes a pretty wild turn.
The first half of this story is pretty relatable to people who share both autism and depression. Our main character really put all his eggs in one basket with the only project he ever thought was worth his attention. After years of making it his main focus, he has a bad depressive episode and realizes he has a problem but doesn't understand what it is. His therapist was useless and his mom obviously wouldn't belittle him or give him an answer. He soon discovers it's because he hates himself. After coming to this conclusion, he takes harsh measures to try to "fix" this problem, stumbling upon strange Garfy coincidences along the way.
Many parts of this book were pretty hilarious and for people with a basic ground level sense of humor. "Life comes at you" jokes are spread all through this book as well as some situational and "out there" comedy as well. The way these jokes are presented are very clever and I was wholly entertained.
It was an interesting read that kept me engaged the whole way and has a satisfactory ending. It may have had a slow start but picks up about half way through. I do have a trigger warning for this book though (A pet gets killed). I struggled to get through this chapter because I was crying and couldn't continue reading for a bit. I have cats so it struck me a little harder than I anticipated. If that's not an issue, I would recommend this book.
The first half of this story is pretty relatable to people who share both autism and depression. Our main character really put all his eggs in one basket with the only project he ever thought was worth his attention. After years of making it his main focus, he has a bad depressive episode and realizes he has a problem but doesn't understand what it is. His therapist was useless and his mom obviously wouldn't belittle him or give him an answer. He soon discovers it's because he hates himself. After coming to this conclusion, he takes harsh measures to try to "fix" this problem, stumbling upon strange Garfy coincidences along the way.
Many parts of this book were pretty hilarious and for people with a basic ground level sense of humor. "Life comes at you" jokes are spread all through this book as well as some situational and "out there" comedy as well. The way these jokes are presented are very clever and I was wholly entertained.
It was an interesting read that kept me engaged the whole way and has a satisfactory ending. It may have had a slow start but picks up about half way through. I do have a trigger warning for this book though (A pet gets killed). I struggled to get through this chapter because I was crying and couldn't continue reading for a bit. I have cats so it struck me a little harder than I anticipated. If that's not an issue, I would recommend this book.
April 16, 2025
How far down the rabbit hole would you go to make your dream come true?
Comparable: Survivor by Chuck Palahniuk, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, and any movie franchise having to do with the multiverse fad... like Marvel.
This book is ideal for guys who are into movies (especially like the MCU) and gaming, or REALLY into self-improvement, or want to be writers.
Echoes of the Garfy Multiverse was surprisingly deeper than I initially gave it credit for... in the best way. I expected a comedy, and it was hilarious, about some schmo (seriously, Craig's literally that morbidly obese guy in pharmaceutical commercials always suffering from some embarrassing ailment) trying to write a screen play for the worst adaptation imaginable - turning the comic strip "Garfy" (there is a joke in the book about changing things just enough to not get sued) into a billion-dollar, multiverse action movie franchise.
But that's just the hook, as I was drawn into that schmo's world, furthered by an extreme self-help guru / cult leader, to become the type of person that movie executives will take seriously when he pitches the Garfy franchise. It's a rollercoaster as I both rooted for Craig at times and wanted him to hit rock bottom at others.
With themes of obsession, self-improvement going too far, beauty in confidence, and finding what makes you truly happy, this book had everything I was looking for.
Written by a very talented indie author, you should absolutely buy this book.
Comparable: Survivor by Chuck Palahniuk, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, and any movie franchise having to do with the multiverse fad... like Marvel.
This book is ideal for guys who are into movies (especially like the MCU) and gaming, or REALLY into self-improvement, or want to be writers.
Echoes of the Garfy Multiverse was surprisingly deeper than I initially gave it credit for... in the best way. I expected a comedy, and it was hilarious, about some schmo (seriously, Craig's literally that morbidly obese guy in pharmaceutical commercials always suffering from some embarrassing ailment) trying to write a screen play for the worst adaptation imaginable - turning the comic strip "Garfy" (there is a joke in the book about changing things just enough to not get sued) into a billion-dollar, multiverse action movie franchise.
But that's just the hook, as I was drawn into that schmo's world, furthered by an extreme self-help guru / cult leader, to become the type of person that movie executives will take seriously when he pitches the Garfy franchise. It's a rollercoaster as I both rooted for Craig at times and wanted him to hit rock bottom at others.
With themes of obsession, self-improvement going too far, beauty in confidence, and finding what makes you truly happy, this book had everything I was looking for.
Written by a very talented indie author, you should absolutely buy this book.
March 11, 2025
I could not put it down. Don't let the subject matter fool you - this is serious literature, complete with recurring motifs, subtext, symbolism....if you can find it. The flawed protagonist Craig embarks on a journey of "self-improvement", but is he merely developing more flaws? I liked how the author presents kindness to animals as a virtue that indicates Craig's altruistic evolution. The "supernatural" elements are skillfully handled - I found myself wanting more of the "multiverse" throughout the book, and by the end I was not disappointed. Mostly PG-rated; the few PG-13 parts are not gratuitous but re-enforce underlying themes. There is nothing out there that compares to this book - highly original, thought-provoking perspective on the deep moral pits of "modern society". Best novel I've ever read - congratulations Aaron Pryka!
October 12, 2024
This is the story of Craig Bunny, aspiring screen play writer and commercial actor. While Craig works on his first Garfy multiverse script (which he hopes to spin off tons of movies and merchandise), he works as a commercial actor until his role in an unscripted IBS commercial makes him literally the butt of the joke. Humiliated but needing the good money he makes acting in commercials, he plods on until he decides to take on the services of Chad, a man's life coach who promises to turn his life around. As Craig works under Chad's tutelage, his life begins to change, and not all for the better. This surreal, crude tale that teeters between fantasy and reality was quite engaging. The book is probably not for everyone, as it seems to mostly be directed toward nerdy young men, but if you like twisted, somewhat inappropriate humor, I think you will like this book. I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author via Voracious Readers Only.
July 4, 2025
Echoes of the Garfy Multiverse
Not sure what I just read. One semi successful guy who is coddled by his mom finally breaks. Hanging out with the less popular crowd, getting teased and bullied by the kids next door, and having no luck in the romance department; he finally breaks. He completely changes his entire existence so he can get in front of the right people in Hollywood. Having spent his life working on writing a movie and planning for all follow-up endeavors, getting rejected is not in the realm of possibilities… right?
#GoodreadsGiveaways
Not sure what I just read. One semi successful guy who is coddled by his mom finally breaks. Hanging out with the less popular crowd, getting teased and bullied by the kids next door, and having no luck in the romance department; he finally breaks. He completely changes his entire existence so he can get in front of the right people in Hollywood. Having spent his life working on writing a movie and planning for all follow-up endeavors, getting rejected is not in the realm of possibilities… right?
#GoodreadsGiveaways
August 31, 2024
This was a fun, often funny book that left me wondering what I just read - in a (mostly) good way. It's part coming of age (as an adult), part Hollywood satire, all quirky and weird. I didn't really connect with it in any kind of emotional sense, but it was definitely entertaining.
I read an ARC of this book from BookSirens. All comments are my own.
I read an ARC of this book from BookSirens. All comments are my own.
October 7, 2024
Enter a world where things are not as they seem, tortured writers, unlikely romance, tik- tok obsessed neighbor kids, unimaginable total makeovers, Hollywood ( can you say Chris Rat?) and of course that famous orange cat. Follow many twists and turns in this funny, engrossing novel. I couldn't stop reading. I can't wait for Mr Pryka's next!
October 18, 2024
I’m not sure what this story was about but I was entertained. I never give plots but I do recommendations. I think is you are looking for something a little sideways, here you go. Give it a try. Its flows nice.
December 31, 2024
Fun/inspiring story about a less than desirable man obsessed with the 'Garfy' franchise and the twists and turns his life takes while trying to pursue his life goals.
I was given a complimentary copy of the book from the author via voracious readers only.
I was given a complimentary copy of the book from the author via voracious readers only.
December 3, 2024
What did I just read?
Strange book. Well written, though. I’m not sure what the point of it was, but I was down to go on that ride.
Strange book. Well written, though. I’m not sure what the point of it was, but I was down to go on that ride.
July 6, 2024
Very funny and clever.
What a delightful surprise this book was for me. It gave new meaning to “lol.” I actually had to try hard to restrain myself once sitting on a flight– laughing so hard it was embarrassing. Aaron Pryka is a new writer with a true gift for telling a fantastic yarn. I loved how he truly captured the human condition in tone and insight. The quality of the writing, in particular, for a self-published book was superb.
This book was an unpredictable joy ride. Highly recommend it!
What a delightful surprise this book was for me. It gave new meaning to “lol.” I actually had to try hard to restrain myself once sitting on a flight– laughing so hard it was embarrassing. Aaron Pryka is a new writer with a true gift for telling a fantastic yarn. I loved how he truly captured the human condition in tone and insight. The quality of the writing, in particular, for a self-published book was superb.
This book was an unpredictable joy ride. Highly recommend it!
November 28, 2024
Echoes of the Garfy Multiverse was a very interesting book. It changed my perspective on some things about life.
September 5, 2025
so much fucking fun! from Echoes of the Garfy Multiverse, we get wry observational humor, we get a satire of the Hollywood film industry, and we get an unlikely hero with an even more unlikely redemption arc that brings us to a sweetly satisfying conclusion. the timing of my receiving this ARC from a Goodreads giveaway was uncanny, as my kids are now obsessively watching the new animated Garfield reboot starring Chris Pratt. this, of course, has no influence on my review… i’m just surprised by how much i enjoyed this oddball of a book and look forward to more from Aaron Pryka. 4.5 stars!
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews