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The One Stop Apocalypse Shop #1
The Apocalypse Shift
When darkness falls, the creatures of the night rise to wreak havoc. But first, they need a snack.
Caleb is clerk at the OneStop Mart, a convenience store in the center a neighborhood that is home to all manner of vampires, werewolves, zombies and other monsters. His nightly duties include ringing up customers, stocking the cooler and stopping the apocalypse, which comes a couple times a week. To Caleb it’s just a job, and a tedious one at that. When his former coworker Gloria, who moonlights as a monster hunter, comes back to the store and asks him on a date, he’s looking forward to the night of his life.
There’s just one problem–the end of the world is coming, and it’s all Caleb’s fault. Now Caleb and Gloria, along with his coworker Phil and Phil’s zombie girlfriend Sue need to work together to stop the apocalypse that Caleb started.
They will face werewolf street gangs, punk cyborgs and biker mad scientists. If things go wrong, this won’t just be Caleb’s last date with Gloria. It will the last date period.
Caleb is clerk at the OneStop Mart, a convenience store in the center a neighborhood that is home to all manner of vampires, werewolves, zombies and other monsters. His nightly duties include ringing up customers, stocking the cooler and stopping the apocalypse, which comes a couple times a week. To Caleb it’s just a job, and a tedious one at that. When his former coworker Gloria, who moonlights as a monster hunter, comes back to the store and asks him on a date, he’s looking forward to the night of his life.
There’s just one problem–the end of the world is coming, and it’s all Caleb’s fault. Now Caleb and Gloria, along with his coworker Phil and Phil’s zombie girlfriend Sue need to work together to stop the apocalypse that Caleb started.
They will face werewolf street gangs, punk cyborgs and biker mad scientists. If things go wrong, this won’t just be Caleb’s last date with Gloria. It will the last date period.
- GenresHorror
235 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 12, 2009
1 person is currently reading
340 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
August 6, 2015
I grabbed this to review for the Books, Beer and Bullshit podcast. The author, D.J. Goodman was an unknown to me. The title sold my co-host and I agreed it held some intrigue for me as well. That is where the excitement ended.
THE ONE STOP APOCALYPSE SHOP had me hoping for something like Clerks meets The Walking Dead. What I got was some convoluted Scooby-Doo caper. That's not to say it was a bad story, it wasn't. It wasn't a great story either. This dragged in far too many places. There were lots of tries at humor, some worked others really beat a joke into the ground. At other points in the book, I found the author wrote himself into a corner and did a poor job of writing his way out. Too many happy coincidences and conviences for me to appreciate.
Also, the world exists part time with monsters. One of those Harry Potter type worlds where the normal people can't see the quirky otherworld where vampires, werewolves and monsters walk the streets among us when the moon comes up. I wish the writer would have committed to a full time monster world, not the shadow one. I think it would have sold the story better and caused a few less of those pesky plot holes he kept writing himself into.
This book was a great idea but was poorly executed in my opinion. It felt like the story lost its way somewhere along the line and became something it shouldn't have been. It's a good enough story. Not great, barely good. That could just be my expectations going into the book for being one thing and getting treated to something else when reading past the cover.
THE ONE STOP APOCALYPSE SHOP had me hoping for something like Clerks meets The Walking Dead. What I got was some convoluted Scooby-Doo caper. That's not to say it was a bad story, it wasn't. It wasn't a great story either. This dragged in far too many places. There were lots of tries at humor, some worked others really beat a joke into the ground. At other points in the book, I found the author wrote himself into a corner and did a poor job of writing his way out. Too many happy coincidences and conviences for me to appreciate.
Also, the world exists part time with monsters. One of those Harry Potter type worlds where the normal people can't see the quirky otherworld where vampires, werewolves and monsters walk the streets among us when the moon comes up. I wish the writer would have committed to a full time monster world, not the shadow one. I think it would have sold the story better and caused a few less of those pesky plot holes he kept writing himself into.
This book was a great idea but was poorly executed in my opinion. It felt like the story lost its way somewhere along the line and became something it shouldn't have been. It's a good enough story. Not great, barely good. That could just be my expectations going into the book for being one thing and getting treated to something else when reading past the cover.
November 5, 2010
Apocalypse Shift is a strange and wonderful mix of an assortment of other fantasy realms I have had the pleasure of taking a trip to. Either ones that dip into this reality a bit but spend most of their time in the fantastical or ones that are not attached to our plane of reality in any recognizable way.
I see touches of Terry Pratchett and Glenn Cook here, with a dab of Simon Green. Oh, add in some Buffy the Vampire Slayer dry wit and bending of reality and you might have an idea of what this tale is all about. I am certainly missing some of the influences present here, but while I did see the author channeling some of those talents, this tale stands by itself as a fun and riotous ride to the realm of dark fantasy that is funny and devious at the same time.
Caleb is a convenience store clerk who works the apocalypse shift...the night shift to us normal folks. But because he works on the Hill, a place in our reality that is home to many strange creatures of nightmare and fantasy, making sure the Slurpee machine is full isn't the only issue he has to deal with. On many nights there is another apocalypse (small a, since there are tons of them) to deal with, but he has bigger problems. Gloria, a former employee/stripper/monster slayer has asked him out on a date. On top of that, one of his fellow co-workers is dating a zombie while the new guy seems to be freaking out at every new creature that walks through the door looking to buy a Slim Jim.
Derek Goodman has created an introduction to a fantasy realm that will be worth going back to, if for no other reason, to see how tough the Were Bunnies really are. The writing is smooth and the story flows by with ease and plenty of wit. Caleb is just the right mix of hero and working class schlub to keep a story like this on the right balance. He is not the guy you expect to save the day and even he really doesn't think he is, but he still somehow manages to figure out a way to survive against cyborgs, zombies, freaky god-like winged armadillos, and a endless assortment of other bizarre and hilariously devious creatures out to destroy the world...or to just get a pack of cigarettes and a Snickers Bar at the One Stop after a wild night out on the town.
I see touches of Terry Pratchett and Glenn Cook here, with a dab of Simon Green. Oh, add in some Buffy the Vampire Slayer dry wit and bending of reality and you might have an idea of what this tale is all about. I am certainly missing some of the influences present here, but while I did see the author channeling some of those talents, this tale stands by itself as a fun and riotous ride to the realm of dark fantasy that is funny and devious at the same time.
Caleb is a convenience store clerk who works the apocalypse shift...the night shift to us normal folks. But because he works on the Hill, a place in our reality that is home to many strange creatures of nightmare and fantasy, making sure the Slurpee machine is full isn't the only issue he has to deal with. On many nights there is another apocalypse (small a, since there are tons of them) to deal with, but he has bigger problems. Gloria, a former employee/stripper/monster slayer has asked him out on a date. On top of that, one of his fellow co-workers is dating a zombie while the new guy seems to be freaking out at every new creature that walks through the door looking to buy a Slim Jim.
Derek Goodman has created an introduction to a fantasy realm that will be worth going back to, if for no other reason, to see how tough the Were Bunnies really are. The writing is smooth and the story flows by with ease and plenty of wit. Caleb is just the right mix of hero and working class schlub to keep a story like this on the right balance. He is not the guy you expect to save the day and even he really doesn't think he is, but he still somehow manages to figure out a way to survive against cyborgs, zombies, freaky god-like winged armadillos, and a endless assortment of other bizarre and hilariously devious creatures out to destroy the world...or to just get a pack of cigarettes and a Snickers Bar at the One Stop after a wild night out on the town.
December 17, 2009
Read this book.
Now.
It is really hard to categorize this book. Yes, there are plenty of monsters and some pretty gross-out moments, but it is also very, very funny.
The world building is quite excellent. The author immediately establishes the rules of The Hill and explains the not so easy job of those unlucky workers on the Apocalypse Shift. He then seamlessly launches into the tale of a night gone very wrong and connects the reader instantly with our hapless, but not helpless lead characters.
Vampires, werewolves, demons and zombies all make an appearance. There are also new monsters tossed into the mix for good measure. Even iconic monsters from TV, movies and books make cameos. There are terrifyingly evil artifacts to be found (even if they do look like a Rubik’s Cube and donut crumbs) and the world must be saved.
The plot moves along very swiftly and is full of fun banter and solid action scenes.
My only complaint was it was too easy to figure out the mystery in the storyline. It was a fairly cliché plot, BUT the author makes it fun and fresh at the same time. If I could, I would give it 4.5 stars.
Honestly, I cannot wait for the sequel!
Now.
It is really hard to categorize this book. Yes, there are plenty of monsters and some pretty gross-out moments, but it is also very, very funny.
The world building is quite excellent. The author immediately establishes the rules of The Hill and explains the not so easy job of those unlucky workers on the Apocalypse Shift. He then seamlessly launches into the tale of a night gone very wrong and connects the reader instantly with our hapless, but not helpless lead characters.
Vampires, werewolves, demons and zombies all make an appearance. There are also new monsters tossed into the mix for good measure. Even iconic monsters from TV, movies and books make cameos. There are terrifyingly evil artifacts to be found (even if they do look like a Rubik’s Cube and donut crumbs) and the world must be saved.
The plot moves along very swiftly and is full of fun banter and solid action scenes.
My only complaint was it was too easy to figure out the mystery in the storyline. It was a fairly cliché plot, BUT the author makes it fun and fresh at the same time. If I could, I would give it 4.5 stars.
Honestly, I cannot wait for the sequel!
July 18, 2016
This was cuter and goofier than I expected. Fun, silly, ridiculous with many possible evil and/or nasty outcomes. I will continue on with the series when I need something impossible in so many ways.
November 11, 2016
This is a fun read with all sorts of crazy scenarios and wacky characters. It has some edge of your seat moments and some over the top silly moments, too. The ultimate rubix cube is my favorite part of the plot line. I will read the next as there is potential here.
June 6, 2011
A genuinely funny book. it made me laugh out loud in several places. Think Clerks meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer and you get the general idea.
June 20, 2015
Oh I found this book so funny. I love horror and comedy together! Some gory parts that I loved to!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews