Cookbook from Hell: Reheated

Deities Anonymous #1

by M.L. Buchman

When God cheats at Scrabble, does Hell freeze over? After 14 billion years of cleaning up after God, the Devil is having a mid-life crisis. Before she can settle into that perfect state of self-pity, a Buddhist Hungry Ghost steals the Software that Runs the Universe. And it all goes to Hell from there. She quickly assembles her crisis team: St. Peter - hacked his way out of Purgatory, been running Heaven ever since. Valerie - a cookbook editor, changed forever by an encounter with the Cookbook from Hell. Eric - her IT guy, now seeing his formidable boss in a whole new light. Henrietta - a foot-tall angel with a talking disorder-she never stops. The Librarian from Hell. Assorted demons, angels, philosophers, and other persons dead and living. Let the race to save Creation begin.

292 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

USA Today and Amazon #1 Bestseller M. L. “Matt” Buchman started writing on a flight south from Japan to ride his bicycle across the Australian Outback. Just part of a solo around-the-world trip that ultimately launched his writing career.

From the very beginning, his powerful female heroines insisted on putting character first, then a great adventure. He’s since written over 60 action-adventure thrillers and military romantic suspense novels. And just for the fun of it: 100 short stories, and a fast-growing pile of read-by-author audiobooks.

Booklist says: 3x “Top 10 of the Year.” PW says: “Tom Clancy fans open to a strong female lead will clamor for more.” His fans say: “I want more now…of everything.” That his characters are even more insistent than his fans is a hoot.
As a 30-year project manager with a geophysics degree who has designed and built houses, flown and jumped out of planes, and solo-sailed a 50’ ketch, he is awed by what is possible. More at: www.mlbuchman.com.

Reviews

[David Fox · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Cookbook from Hell: Reheated, M. L. Buchman re-imagines the biblical creation story from the point of view of a computer system administrator; God creates the universe, the Devil edits it, but the actual implementation details are handled by an intelligent piece of software predating both, which neither of them really understand. 14 billion years later, give or take a few centuries, this lack of understanding comes back to haunt them.

Buchman takes this concept, adds a pair of sympathetic mortal characters, and spins an entertainingly irreverent fantasy, in which the protagonists must try to save the universe in seven days.

I liked Buchman's sense of humor, and as a computer geek, I thought the central concept was clever. The writing was adequate for light entertainment - nothing special, but nothing to complain about either. The book (290 pages in print) was a quick read, and the character of the Devil provided enough gags to sustain my interest, though there wasn't much character development to speak of. Overall a fun read.

[Kimberly Hughes · Rating 2 out of 5]

This has an interesting premise and starts off well, but overall was a big flop. It seems to have been written by a pseudo-intellectual college sophomore whose only experience with faith or religion was a comparative religion class he just finished. The jokes are droll and one of the characters makes a joke about something being as funny as a bad pun, which is ironic considering that is about as humorous as the entire book was. I didn't enjoy it much at all and wouldn't recommend it to anyone. The writing is fine and that is the reason that it even got the second star.

[Glen King · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review: Cookbook from Hell:Reheated


Are you fascinated by the likes of Pratchett, Adams, or Monty Python? Then read this irreverent take on God, the Devil and everything. Intriguing characters trying to make the universe work in it's familiar format without guidance and riddles every step of the way. Just who does run this universe? Certainly not the Devil’s Librarian.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Reba King · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really wanted to be offended by the way Mr. B. treated religious tradition, but the characters were too likeable and the situations were too funny! My husband received a free copy of the book for review, and he read it aloud to me. Now I want to read others in the series for myself.

[Lisa Bell · Rating 1 out of 5]

Terrible book! Interesting concept, but awful in writing and character development.

[Betsy · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF. I love Buchman's helicopter romances, but this read like a joke that goes on too long.