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Last Call
"When God and the Devil make a bet, one man’s soul—and the fate of the world—are caught in the middle in this debut thriller. Former carpenter James Ryan has a life as close to idyllic as any typical American retiree: a nice house, a wonderful wife, a successful son, a part-time job to keep himself busy and contented. But this peaceful existence shatters one morning when a group of intruders break into James’ house, locking him out while his wife, Amanda, is still asleep inside. The outcome shatters James, but his misfortune doesn’t end there. God and the Devil have taken notice of him, and claiming that the modern world has no place for God, who has lately taken the form of an old woman named Verna, the Devil, taking the form of slick bar owner Ethan, challenges God to once again put a believer through a Joblike test of faith. The wagers outcome could in fact deliver hell on earth. As the unlucky target James sees his life fall apart around him, Ethan opens a combination bar and arcade to lure the small town’s vulnerable teenagers into his orbit and put them to use in his crusade of evil, which ultimately results in an all-out war between the teens and adults of the town.
“Debut author Parisi crafts a plot reminiscent of the film Dogma, in which demons are wise to the desires
and temptations of the modern world, God disguises herself in unexpected ways, and good people are shown both the fl aws and strengths of humanity. The novel is more fast-paced thrill ride than philosophical discussion, which prevents it from becoming preachy and keeps the reader hooked,” Kirkus Reviews"
“Debut author Parisi crafts a plot reminiscent of the film Dogma, in which demons are wise to the desires
and temptations of the modern world, God disguises herself in unexpected ways, and good people are shown both the fl aws and strengths of humanity. The novel is more fast-paced thrill ride than philosophical discussion, which prevents it from becoming preachy and keeps the reader hooked,” Kirkus Reviews"
254 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
May 14, 2015
I was worried for P.J. when he asked me to read and review his book "Last Call". It's a dangerous and possibly humbling thing to get me to critique something that has serious Biblical and Theological overtones. And P.J. eagerly told me NOT to hold back... as if there's anything else I could do.
Now on to the good stuff.
As far as a fun story goes "This deserves a 5 star rating", But I generally look for Religious and Biblical leanings in every book I read. And I only gave this book 1 star for it's God content (sorry P.J.: but you did make God an elderly woman named Verna. That's a no no. Reminds me of the Dogma movie of course.). The challenge with putting God in any fiction is not messing up scriptural perfection: If God is speaking (or Jesus) then every word is eternally significant and Absolute Truth. Many authors attempt to get out of this by just quoting tried and true Bible verses - you should try that next time P.J.. Challenging but fun. I think the Left Behind Series did this.
...but Satan can say anything of course - Who cares. If He's talking: it's all lies most likely. Reminds me of a funny experience: I was chatting with a Muslim guy who proudly told me even Demons respect and fear Islam - He then showed me an Islamic demon Possession video. Hint: If a demon is talking - assume you are being played...but this Muslim fellow took everything to be obvious truth. Sad really. Never trust a demon to deliver honest theology.
The deal of all existence is on the table in this tale. A modern day Book of JOB experience. But with a wobbly deity who states, as P.J. claims "Though she was far wiser and more goodhearted than any other being in the universe, she still was NOT perfect and would openly admit she had buttons he (Satan) could press...her one failure throughout existence was letting Ethan (Satan) leave her on such troubled terms. She desperately wanted him to come back home..."
Ummmh? Not even close to what the Bible claims. Is That what Catholic Priests are teaching at the moment? So that is my main problem with this action packed horror story. And here's the deal:
"You (God) rule your kingdom in heaven; I will stay down here on Earth. They will consider me a stepfather!...then you will have to consider me an equal, for even just this once, I (Satan) would be right and you were to be wrong."
Based on the Biblical plan - that all of existence is about Jesus being eternally the King of Kings - this deal would not even jokingly be offered. And the book of Job offers no deal (for Satan already knows his job description):
Job 1
12And the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.
Job 2:
3And the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?... 6And the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your hand; only spare his life.”
Sorry, but God doesn't make deals. I hate to poo poo on someones story - but the God of the Bible needs to always be properly and carefully understood. WE have 1,000's of Movie's and books that corrupt and mislead about the true nature of the Biblical God. Watch The movie "Noah" or the tv show "Supernatural" or anything religious on the History channel for a liberal twist on the core of Christianity. How do all of these entertainment related mishaps function: by ignoring or belittling the Glory of Jesus. Which is similar to what Islam does through the Quran.
But like a Good Catholic: P.J. didn't dismiss Jesus - He just left him mostly out of the story. Which is somewhat fair when dealing with the Book of Job setting. So I understand. But even Job knew of the essential need for Jesus:
Job 19:
25For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth.
26And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God,
27whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another.
My heart faints within me!
28If you say, ‘How we will pursue him!’ and, ‘The root of the matter is found in him,’
29be afraid of the sword, for wrath brings the punishment of the sword,
that you may know there is a judgment.”
So on to more of the good stuff:
I loved how P.J. put an essential Bible verse at the beginning of every chapter. That had my attention everytime. He dug deep on some of these - I particularly enjoyed: Job 4:15
"Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up"
Very interesting. Which reminds me of a flaw in almost every nightmare related religious mishap: People in the Bible really don't fear demons. The Bible never mentions that people get creepy feelings when demons are near by. If Anything - PEOPLE are HORRIFIED when angels appear...which is often followed by a hearty "Fear NOT!". But this is just a pet peeve of mine.
____________________________________________________
The characters in Last Call instantly had my attention. lovable and flawed they were - just like in real life. Good and Bad gets all jumbled up and Hope appears where it earlier wasn't. That was exciting. Thankfully - until death, there's always hope. Although when it comes to salvation: the God of this story is definitely NOT a Calvinist with any kind of predestination. Very liberal toward all of HER children:
God says, "A great, vast majority of them do choose the path of light...but ultimately all roads lead to my assistance in some way...trust me, a great majority do spend eternity with me after their time here ends.
Of course the Bible says: Matthew 7:
13"Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14"For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.
The best part of P.J.'s book is his ability to show evil and how it devours. Brilliant! And disturbing. So disturbing that I don't recommend any Christian read this book. Sorry P.J. - but many times it crossed the line between educational and just plain debaucherous entertainment. Even God edited the Bible amazingly when it came to sin and decency. You went a bit overboard on the sex, violence, and bad language. It's so obvious - you must have known what you were choosing. I don't approve. Call me an old fuddy-duddy. I don't mind.
This book is a great conversation starter and may lead to some great discussions. But I couldn't recommend this to any Saints (brothers and sisters in Christ).
And now I eagerly await P.J.'s next book. I do enjoy any book with serious Biblical and Theological overtones. But I insist that Biblical truth trumps ALL. I'll go back to my E.S.V. study Bible now.
God Bless you P.J.. Thanks for the reading experience, and the signed copy. I'll treasure it.
Now on to the good stuff.
As far as a fun story goes "This deserves a 5 star rating", But I generally look for Religious and Biblical leanings in every book I read. And I only gave this book 1 star for it's God content (sorry P.J.: but you did make God an elderly woman named Verna. That's a no no. Reminds me of the Dogma movie of course.). The challenge with putting God in any fiction is not messing up scriptural perfection: If God is speaking (or Jesus) then every word is eternally significant and Absolute Truth. Many authors attempt to get out of this by just quoting tried and true Bible verses - you should try that next time P.J.. Challenging but fun. I think the Left Behind Series did this.
...but Satan can say anything of course - Who cares. If He's talking: it's all lies most likely. Reminds me of a funny experience: I was chatting with a Muslim guy who proudly told me even Demons respect and fear Islam - He then showed me an Islamic demon Possession video. Hint: If a demon is talking - assume you are being played...but this Muslim fellow took everything to be obvious truth. Sad really. Never trust a demon to deliver honest theology.
The deal of all existence is on the table in this tale. A modern day Book of JOB experience. But with a wobbly deity who states, as P.J. claims "Though she was far wiser and more goodhearted than any other being in the universe, she still was NOT perfect and would openly admit she had buttons he (Satan) could press...her one failure throughout existence was letting Ethan (Satan) leave her on such troubled terms. She desperately wanted him to come back home..."
Ummmh? Not even close to what the Bible claims. Is That what Catholic Priests are teaching at the moment? So that is my main problem with this action packed horror story. And here's the deal:
"You (God) rule your kingdom in heaven; I will stay down here on Earth. They will consider me a stepfather!...then you will have to consider me an equal, for even just this once, I (Satan) would be right and you were to be wrong."
Based on the Biblical plan - that all of existence is about Jesus being eternally the King of Kings - this deal would not even jokingly be offered. And the book of Job offers no deal (for Satan already knows his job description):
Job 1
12And the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.
Job 2:
3And the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?... 6And the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your hand; only spare his life.”
Sorry, but God doesn't make deals. I hate to poo poo on someones story - but the God of the Bible needs to always be properly and carefully understood. WE have 1,000's of Movie's and books that corrupt and mislead about the true nature of the Biblical God. Watch The movie "Noah" or the tv show "Supernatural" or anything religious on the History channel for a liberal twist on the core of Christianity. How do all of these entertainment related mishaps function: by ignoring or belittling the Glory of Jesus. Which is similar to what Islam does through the Quran.
But like a Good Catholic: P.J. didn't dismiss Jesus - He just left him mostly out of the story. Which is somewhat fair when dealing with the Book of Job setting. So I understand. But even Job knew of the essential need for Jesus:
Job 19:
25For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth.
26And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God,
27whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another.
My heart faints within me!
28If you say, ‘How we will pursue him!’ and, ‘The root of the matter is found in him,’
29be afraid of the sword, for wrath brings the punishment of the sword,
that you may know there is a judgment.”
So on to more of the good stuff:
I loved how P.J. put an essential Bible verse at the beginning of every chapter. That had my attention everytime. He dug deep on some of these - I particularly enjoyed: Job 4:15
"Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up"
Very interesting. Which reminds me of a flaw in almost every nightmare related religious mishap: People in the Bible really don't fear demons. The Bible never mentions that people get creepy feelings when demons are near by. If Anything - PEOPLE are HORRIFIED when angels appear...which is often followed by a hearty "Fear NOT!". But this is just a pet peeve of mine.
____________________________________________________
The characters in Last Call instantly had my attention. lovable and flawed they were - just like in real life. Good and Bad gets all jumbled up and Hope appears where it earlier wasn't. That was exciting. Thankfully - until death, there's always hope. Although when it comes to salvation: the God of this story is definitely NOT a Calvinist with any kind of predestination. Very liberal toward all of HER children:
God says, "A great, vast majority of them do choose the path of light...but ultimately all roads lead to my assistance in some way...trust me, a great majority do spend eternity with me after their time here ends.
Of course the Bible says: Matthew 7:
13"Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14"For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.
The best part of P.J.'s book is his ability to show evil and how it devours. Brilliant! And disturbing. So disturbing that I don't recommend any Christian read this book. Sorry P.J. - but many times it crossed the line between educational and just plain debaucherous entertainment. Even God edited the Bible amazingly when it came to sin and decency. You went a bit overboard on the sex, violence, and bad language. It's so obvious - you must have known what you were choosing. I don't approve. Call me an old fuddy-duddy. I don't mind.
This book is a great conversation starter and may lead to some great discussions. But I couldn't recommend this to any Saints (brothers and sisters in Christ).
And now I eagerly await P.J.'s next book. I do enjoy any book with serious Biblical and Theological overtones. But I insist that Biblical truth trumps ALL. I'll go back to my E.S.V. study Bible now.
God Bless you P.J.. Thanks for the reading experience, and the signed copy. I'll treasure it.
May 8, 2015
Verna, Ethan and Job - a trying trio
New York author PJ Parisi, born and raised on Long island, gained an Executive MBA and works in the field of finance. This, uncannily, is his debut novel - something that will come as a surprise to those who simply begin reading LAST CALL without prior introduction. He is a polished word sculptor and add dot that his ability to strike into a territory many would consider dangerously controversial (especially around election time when religious bents take on a more strong shadow).
Before repeating a synopsis, it should be noted that this book - a bifurcation of God and Devil - opens each chapter with a verse reference from the Bible, and less you think this is merely a gimmick then read on and reflect. And before getting involved in a story line, taste the temper of PJ's language. As the book opens, he grabs us with the following: 'He couldn't run like he used to. Like a dagger, he cut through the night in search of the bastards, but his will was not enough to overcome their youth as they eloped past the horizon. The decision was his-- Amanda lay unconscious, bleeding from her head; he needed to help her, but their escape consumed him. Everything stopped for a split second, then resumed in fast forward. Now his mind was only on rewind as James attempted to catch his breath in a cold, vacant park with the only important facet of his life equally alone three blocks away, dying. It was decisions like these that defined a man's life toward failure and success. Relying solely on emotions, James knew that on this night he had chosen poorly. The cold night breeze recharged him; the chill coursing through James's body pinched his insides like tiny thorns. Staggering and bleeding, he retreated back to their home where she, his wife Amanda, waited for him, surrounded by shattered plates and broken spirits as her eyes remained tightly closed. So it appeared Amanda's last kiss would not be pressed against James ' lips, but rather her bloody face would rest upon a disheveled kitchen tile.' That, dear reader, is finely wrought writing: it fills every page.
But yes, the story: When God and the Devil make a bet, one man's soul--and the fate of the world--are caught in the middle. Former carpenter James Ryan has a life as close to idyllic as any typical American retiree: a nice house, a wonderful wife, a successful son, a part-time job to keep himself busy and contented. But this peaceful existence shatters one morning when a group of intruders break into James' house, locking him out while his wife, Amanda, is still asleep inside. The outcome shatters James, but his misfortune doesn't end there. God and the Devil have taken notice of him, and claiming that the modern world has no place for God, who has lately taken the form of an old woman named Verna, the Devil, taking the form of slick bar owner Ethan, challenges God to once again put a believer through a Job like test of faith. The wagers outcome could in fact deliver hell on earth. As the unlucky target James sees his life fall apart around him, Ethan opens a combination bar and arcade to lure the small town's vulnerable teenagers into his orbit and put them to use in his crusade of evil, which ultimately results in an all-out war between the teens and adults of the town.'
Encountering talent like this at first makes you feel awkward you haven't hear of this author, and then someone points out this is a debut novel, and the immediate responses is `No, not possible...not this good.' Highly recommended.
New York author PJ Parisi, born and raised on Long island, gained an Executive MBA and works in the field of finance. This, uncannily, is his debut novel - something that will come as a surprise to those who simply begin reading LAST CALL without prior introduction. He is a polished word sculptor and add dot that his ability to strike into a territory many would consider dangerously controversial (especially around election time when religious bents take on a more strong shadow).
Before repeating a synopsis, it should be noted that this book - a bifurcation of God and Devil - opens each chapter with a verse reference from the Bible, and less you think this is merely a gimmick then read on and reflect. And before getting involved in a story line, taste the temper of PJ's language. As the book opens, he grabs us with the following: 'He couldn't run like he used to. Like a dagger, he cut through the night in search of the bastards, but his will was not enough to overcome their youth as they eloped past the horizon. The decision was his-- Amanda lay unconscious, bleeding from her head; he needed to help her, but their escape consumed him. Everything stopped for a split second, then resumed in fast forward. Now his mind was only on rewind as James attempted to catch his breath in a cold, vacant park with the only important facet of his life equally alone three blocks away, dying. It was decisions like these that defined a man's life toward failure and success. Relying solely on emotions, James knew that on this night he had chosen poorly. The cold night breeze recharged him; the chill coursing through James's body pinched his insides like tiny thorns. Staggering and bleeding, he retreated back to their home where she, his wife Amanda, waited for him, surrounded by shattered plates and broken spirits as her eyes remained tightly closed. So it appeared Amanda's last kiss would not be pressed against James ' lips, but rather her bloody face would rest upon a disheveled kitchen tile.' That, dear reader, is finely wrought writing: it fills every page.
But yes, the story: When God and the Devil make a bet, one man's soul--and the fate of the world--are caught in the middle. Former carpenter James Ryan has a life as close to idyllic as any typical American retiree: a nice house, a wonderful wife, a successful son, a part-time job to keep himself busy and contented. But this peaceful existence shatters one morning when a group of intruders break into James' house, locking him out while his wife, Amanda, is still asleep inside. The outcome shatters James, but his misfortune doesn't end there. God and the Devil have taken notice of him, and claiming that the modern world has no place for God, who has lately taken the form of an old woman named Verna, the Devil, taking the form of slick bar owner Ethan, challenges God to once again put a believer through a Job like test of faith. The wagers outcome could in fact deliver hell on earth. As the unlucky target James sees his life fall apart around him, Ethan opens a combination bar and arcade to lure the small town's vulnerable teenagers into his orbit and put them to use in his crusade of evil, which ultimately results in an all-out war between the teens and adults of the town.'
Encountering talent like this at first makes you feel awkward you haven't hear of this author, and then someone points out this is a debut novel, and the immediate responses is `No, not possible...not this good.' Highly recommended.
September 12, 2015
in the craziness that was my summer I realized I never finished this amazing book! I absolutely loved this debut novel from PJ. The heaven/hell and Good v. Evil plot lines of the book really worked to create a frenzied climax. If you're a fan of thrillers this is for you. The first chapter alone was so scary i realized I couldn't read this story in the night before bed lol While I was also reading this I couldn't help but notice the parallels between some scenes and in Ferguson and it already was chilling to begin with. As usual, I won't go into a plot breakdown but I must say I enjoyed the wide variety of characters, compelling story and especially that ending. Idk why but it just invoked like a classic movie feeling.... In my version someone is playing Peter Gabriel in the background!!
Self disclosure: Paul is a friend of mine who is insanely talented. I can't wait to read more of his work because he will continue to do great things! I did not receive this book in exchange for review. I purchased on Amazon and I suggest you do the same ;)
Self disclosure: Paul is a friend of mine who is insanely talented. I can't wait to read more of his work because he will continue to do great things! I did not receive this book in exchange for review. I purchased on Amazon and I suggest you do the same ;)
September 7, 2015
Still trying to decide what even went on in the book because I just finished it about three minutes ago. I guess it's a good thing that the book kept me thinking. It started off really slow and it took me a while to get into it but after several chapters I couldn't put it down. I expected it to be more religious than it turned out to be, and I'm still trying to figure out if P.J is a Christian or just wrote a religious based novel. When it comes down to the reading though, it had a steady flow with not TOO many plot twists to the point where it gets annoying. It's like a religious background book that any sinner would jump to grap there hands on. Tempting to read ;p
December 21, 2015
Very much like Supernatural in the way that God and the Devil hang out in a bar. The story started off slow because of the jumping between characters and times, but it got easier to read and really sucked you in the farther you got. Very interesting and original plot, I enjoyed it.
March 27, 2024
I’ve read a lot of books in the thriller genre and Last Call, by PJ Parisi, is by far my favorite. Last Call is masterfully written in the style of a bunch of separate stories that all come together flawlessly like puzzle pieces and the connections literally made my jaw drop at multiple moments throughout. Although Last Call is a thriller, it still provides feel good messages and inspiration that may make you view the world and people around you a little differently. Last Call touches on a bit of everything making it a perfect read no matter where your interests lie. It’s philosophical, supernatural, religious (but not too much if that isn’t your thing) and a page turner filled with twists and turns from start to finish. It will definitely keep you on the edge of your seat and you won’t want to put it down! 10/10 recommend!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews