Antichrist Supertaster

by Shannon Barracato, Shannon Barracato

Eli Roth is a self-loathing adolescent savior living in a Washington, D.C. concentration camp with his terminally ill mother and the little brother he brought back to life. When Eli’s mother dies, he must fulfill the promise he made to her to escape with Daniel and show him that life can be good, even in their bleak and treacherous post-apocalyptic world. But when things don’t work out at their grandmother’s house, Eli and Daniel hit the road and are taken in by a tennis-obsessed cult of lesser gods, who interpret Eli’s epileptic seizures and overly sensitive palate as sure signs that the boy is the Antichrist and must be destroyed.

229 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 6, 2024

About the author

This author is also published under Shannon Barracato.

Shannon Barracato is a writer of literary, transgressive, and dark fiction. She has lived abroad, traveled widely, jumped out of an airplane, and driven a race car. She has worked in film and television.

"ANTICHRIST SUPERTASTER is a powerful book, so original, filled with both wonder and horror, hope and fear. It's a funny, moving, scathing commentary - shades of MAUS and JOJO RABBIT, the bastard love child of Chuck Palahniuk and Irvine Welsh."
- Richard Thomas, Bram Stoker, Shirley Jackson, and Thriller Award finalist

"Ally Forman, a young woman with Down syndrome and a burnt-out guardian angel, wins the lottery in this unusual work from horror scribe Giglio (Revival House). Twenty-four-year-old grocery bagger Ally is obsessed with pro wrestling, so when she finds out she’s won $314 million she vows to bring her favorite wrestler, the recently booted Stryker Nash, back into the ring. Determined to use her riches to finally make her own decisions, Ally—with the help of a few whispered words from her cynical spirit guide—fights for independence from a family that’s just as determined to convince her she can’t. And as the choices Ally makes take hold, she learns that being normal isn’t exactly what she thought it would be. In less sensitive hands, Ally’s story could have devolved into something unsatisfying and distasteful. But it never veers in that direction. Instead, what Giglio has presented is a compassionately written and uplifting tale of forgiveness and redemption." — Publishers Weekly

"...No spoilers, but reading this book will make your heart a little lighter and your belief in karma a little stronger, especially after the plot twists. Also, you may stop on wrestling for a few seconds more when changing the channel, just to see all the drama that makes Ally smile." -- Huffington Post

“SHORT BUS HERO has it all: Down syndrome, hoarding, suicide attempts, heart attacks, betrayal, redemption, angels, winning lottery numbers, and big time professional wrestling. A dark, sweet, and poignant tale about what happens when you follow your dreams.”
— S. G. Browne, author of BREATHERS, BIG EGOS, and FATED

“If you were the big Lottery winner, what would you do first? Why, resurrect the career of your favorite professional wrestler, of course. Touching, violent, hilarious, tragic and surreal—Short Bus Hero is an inspiring and emotional story.”
— Richard Thomas, author of STARING INTO THE ABYSS, co-editor of BURNT TONGUES

“From a mind-bending cornucopia of eclectic ingredients–troubled lottery winners, pro wrestlers on the skids, and restless angels are just the tip of the iceberg–Shannon Giglio has expertly crafted one of the strangest, cleverest, and, yes, sweetest, tales I have ever read. This wonderful novel has it all: ingeniously imagined characters, rousing and poignant adventures, and, perhaps most importantly, the true heart of a champion. Anyone who enjoys great storytelling will love this book.”
— Bill Breedlove, author of HOW TO DIE WELL

"In REVIVAL HOUSE, S.S. Michaels treads the dangerous ground between real passion and dangerous obsession. A wonderfully twisted tale of undying love, true evil and zombies." —Jonathan Maberry, New York Times best-selling author of ASSASSIN'S CODE and FLESH & BONE

"If you liked the coal-smeared hell that was Pollock's Devil All the Time, or the high octane horror of Brian Keene, or Lansdale when he's got all his razors out, then I have got a surprise for you. With Revival House, S.S. Michaels has penned a nightmare-infused blood letting that left me awe struck from the very first page. I don't scare easily, but this book was an all out assault on the senses. A first rate book. S.S. Michaels was my big find of the year, and I can't wait to see what comes next!" —Joe McKinney, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of FLESH EATERS and INHERITANCE

Reviews

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great post-apocalyptic story that kept me on the edge of my seat. The writing style made me love, hate, worry for and fear the characters, all while making the situations completely believable. Looking forward to more from Shannon Barracato.

[John Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

In today's radical socio-political climate, this is an almost prophetic story about 2 brother's trek through cannibalistic societies, fanatic religious cults, and toxic environments. Elements of the supernatural and some stomach churning gore thrown in for good measure. Dark, sometimes humorous, and a quick easy read.