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Evangelicals in Hell
Billiam (not William) finds that, after dying in an unfortunate washing machine accident, that the afterlife offers more challenges than he ever thought. Tasked with bringing back just one televangelist minister from a Hell slightly different from traditional views, he has to contend with horrible clothing from the eighties, curdled wolverine milk, smoking dogs, and a cockroach as a roommate. But Billiam has only a limited amount of time to learn about others, and himself before time runs out. You see, Hell is apparently sitting on some valuable real estate.
- GenresHumor
195 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 30, 2019
6 people are currently reading
13 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
August 25, 2019
As an independently-published author, I often have the opportunity to exchange work with other writers. The suggestions are often hit or miss and are nearly always forgettable experiences. Evangelicals in Hell is not a miss and is definitely unforgettable in lots of amazing ways.
The story, the characters, the shenanigans - all of it had me at some times talking aloud to the book (as most do with movies) and sometimes even cussing due to the antics. If not for a busy schedule in my own life, I'm certain I would have finished the novel in just a day or two because it is that good and I hated having to put it down to do silly things like work.
The dialogue is snarky and clever, the story is engrossing, the characters are unusual and, though I knew I shouldn't be rooting for some of them, I did anyway. The progression and buildup of the novel sneaked up on me to a point where I saw what percentage I had left to read and my thought was, "No! It can't be near the end already!" I wanted more of the characters, more of their backgrounds, more of the nods to nostalgia - and all I could think of was that I didn't want it to be over.
I had mixed feelings once I finished reading it. My first thought was, "I'm going to read this again" and my second was, "I'm so glad that's not all." After all, this is part of the series Myriads of Hell. I'm hoping that this means I'll get to revisit some of the characters I became fond of in the first book as the series moves along and I can't wait for the next installment.
Kudos to JC Paulk for making me laugh during what was otherwise a somewhat hectic week on my own personal plane of Hell. I have already recommended the novel to others with the hope that they will enjoy it as much as I did.
The story, the characters, the shenanigans - all of it had me at some times talking aloud to the book (as most do with movies) and sometimes even cussing due to the antics. If not for a busy schedule in my own life, I'm certain I would have finished the novel in just a day or two because it is that good and I hated having to put it down to do silly things like work.
The dialogue is snarky and clever, the story is engrossing, the characters are unusual and, though I knew I shouldn't be rooting for some of them, I did anyway. The progression and buildup of the novel sneaked up on me to a point where I saw what percentage I had left to read and my thought was, "No! It can't be near the end already!" I wanted more of the characters, more of their backgrounds, more of the nods to nostalgia - and all I could think of was that I didn't want it to be over.
I had mixed feelings once I finished reading it. My first thought was, "I'm going to read this again" and my second was, "I'm so glad that's not all." After all, this is part of the series Myriads of Hell. I'm hoping that this means I'll get to revisit some of the characters I became fond of in the first book as the series moves along and I can't wait for the next installment.
Kudos to JC Paulk for making me laugh during what was otherwise a somewhat hectic week on my own personal plane of Hell. I have already recommended the novel to others with the hope that they will enjoy it as much as I did.
August 7, 2019
Can’t wait for the next installment of the series! Love this book!
Hilarious and thought provoking at the same time ! A fantastic read! Can’t wait for the next installment in the series! Due out next month I believe.
Hilarious and thought provoking at the same time ! A fantastic read! Can’t wait for the next installment in the series! Due out next month I believe.
August 7, 2019
There's a lot to like about this book. It's a blend of Douglas Adams and Christopher Moore, with a splash of big Philip K. Dick ideas and the dialogue of John Skalzi.
The book, simply is about a recently deceased preacher, Billiam (never Bill, never William) who finds himself on a mission to bring a single evangelical preacher out of hell.
Pros:
- it's genuinely funny, which I find rare in books. A lot of books try for humor, but funny is brutal to write well, and this book got tons of good will from me for being genuinely funny. I really enjoyed the madcap pace and writing
- the book walks an incredibly fine line between preachy and absurd. Some readers may find the book a little too on-the-nose in terms of the messaging, but I thought the writer mostly threaded the needle pretty well
- The author does dialogue really well. It's sharp and poppy and most of the laughs come from the dialogue, another pretty tough skill to pull off.
Cons:
- The characters are all kind of carbon copies of each other, and since there's about four evangelical preachers in the novel, I struggled to keep them apart. On the other hand, this may have been a clever point by the author about the nature of evangelicalism. This is kind of why I compared the author to Philip K. Dick. I've always found him to be more interested in ideas than characters and Paulk was the same. It's not a showstopper, but if you're a reader who prefers deep characterization, it might be off-putting
- The book is a little rough around the edges, but the authors sincere and earnest writing makes up for it. Again, some readers may find this level of unpolished problematic, so FYI
Overall, this is an easy book to recommend and a book I enjoyed very much. No regrets on the purchase at all. It's a fast, breezy read.
The book, simply is about a recently deceased preacher, Billiam (never Bill, never William) who finds himself on a mission to bring a single evangelical preacher out of hell.
Pros:
- it's genuinely funny, which I find rare in books. A lot of books try for humor, but funny is brutal to write well, and this book got tons of good will from me for being genuinely funny. I really enjoyed the madcap pace and writing
- the book walks an incredibly fine line between preachy and absurd. Some readers may find the book a little too on-the-nose in terms of the messaging, but I thought the writer mostly threaded the needle pretty well
- The author does dialogue really well. It's sharp and poppy and most of the laughs come from the dialogue, another pretty tough skill to pull off.
Cons:
- The characters are all kind of carbon copies of each other, and since there's about four evangelical preachers in the novel, I struggled to keep them apart. On the other hand, this may have been a clever point by the author about the nature of evangelicalism. This is kind of why I compared the author to Philip K. Dick. I've always found him to be more interested in ideas than characters and Paulk was the same. It's not a showstopper, but if you're a reader who prefers deep characterization, it might be off-putting
- The book is a little rough around the edges, but the authors sincere and earnest writing makes up for it. Again, some readers may find this level of unpolished problematic, so FYI
Overall, this is an easy book to recommend and a book I enjoyed very much. No regrets on the purchase at all. It's a fast, breezy read.
September 29, 2019
Witty and Hilarious Political Satire
Preachers becoming the immigrants they despised in life. A hell that's more inconvenient and uncomfortable than terrifying that's what you'll get to see in this satirical book. One man has to go around convincing them that they can just walk out of hell and go to the pearly gates, but it ends up being much harder than he thought. The world JC Paulk builds is vivid, entertaining, and a scathing commentary on non-inclusive and money focused organized religions. Overall, it was an enjoyable and wityy read and I look forward to reading books 2 and 3.
Preachers becoming the immigrants they despised in life. A hell that's more inconvenient and uncomfortable than terrifying that's what you'll get to see in this satirical book. One man has to go around convincing them that they can just walk out of hell and go to the pearly gates, but it ends up being much harder than he thought. The world JC Paulk builds is vivid, entertaining, and a scathing commentary on non-inclusive and money focused organized religions. Overall, it was an enjoyable and wityy read and I look forward to reading books 2 and 3.
September 22, 2019
Original, witty, and funny! This satirical take on the afterlife and people in hell is a great read!
The author shows immense imagination and talent. The surprises keep coming: starting with the name of the protagonist "Billiam" ;o) and there is no way to be bored reading this book.
All characters are well-developed, and I rooted for most of them (although I shouldn't have at some times). Fyi, the contents could sometimes seem a little controversial, but I personally enjoyed this original approach to the afterlife: kudos to the author!
The author shows immense imagination and talent. The surprises keep coming: starting with the name of the protagonist "Billiam" ;o) and there is no way to be bored reading this book.
All characters are well-developed, and I rooted for most of them (although I shouldn't have at some times). Fyi, the contents could sometimes seem a little controversial, but I personally enjoyed this original approach to the afterlife: kudos to the author!
November 7, 2019
This author somehow managed to walk the line between making a profoundly insightful piece about the culture of hypocritical, ultimately damning behavior rampant in some religious circles while pulling off a hilarious story complete with sentient insects. I found this book to be thouroghly enjoyable as it satisfied both my need for quirky, intelligent humor and an introspective look into some of the ridiculous ideas and behaviors we all sometimes unknowingly fall prey to. I definitely recommend this rare literary gem!
September 18, 2019
Entertaining
Very entertaining, thought provoking novel with a lot of truth in it. Hell is depicted in a humorous, original way. If you’re a fan of The Good Place and like thinking about faith and personal responsibility, you will enjoy this book.
Very entertaining, thought provoking novel with a lot of truth in it. Hell is depicted in a humorous, original way. If you’re a fan of The Good Place and like thinking about faith and personal responsibility, you will enjoy this book.
August 21, 2019
It's farcical, it's clever, it even has some good themes. Most of all it made me laugh.
A completely different take on the afterlife.
A completely different take on the afterlife.
September 2, 2019
I enjoyed every single page of this book. I laughed out loud on numerous occasions which is something I haven't done while reading in a long time. I can't recommend this book enough.
January 7, 2020
A promising voice in the vein of Pratchett
First of all, I rather like my Discover card. But apparently, it's the credit card of choice if you're in hell.
This was a fine and funny read for the KU audience, or for the ebook reader looking for an inexpensive diversion. The author certainly left me with some moments of chuckles.
But... there are enough "autocorrect" type editing errors to notice. I'm still not sure if one character is supposed to be named Clack or Clank. The author focuses on four evangelical characters in particular, but I was disappointed by the minimal effort the main character needed to use to go after his goal. I wish the story would have been grander.
Still, this is a new indie author to keep on your radar even if the writing is a little rough around the edges.
First of all, I rather like my Discover card. But apparently, it's the credit card of choice if you're in hell.
This was a fine and funny read for the KU audience, or for the ebook reader looking for an inexpensive diversion. The author certainly left me with some moments of chuckles.
But... there are enough "autocorrect" type editing errors to notice. I'm still not sure if one character is supposed to be named Clack or Clank. The author focuses on four evangelical characters in particular, but I was disappointed by the minimal effort the main character needed to use to go after his goal. I wish the story would have been grander.
Still, this is a new indie author to keep on your radar even if the writing is a little rough around the edges.
January 3, 2021
Well, I purchased this book for laughs, and that’s what I got.
My only complaint is the sheer number of typos and confusing punctuation. I had to reread quite a few parts to figure out what was going on.
All in all, the story did make me laugh out loud. The characters were fun, hell, even Hell was fun.
I’m about to start the next book in the series. Fingers crossed the spelling and formatting is a bit neater.
My only complaint is the sheer number of typos and confusing punctuation. I had to reread quite a few parts to figure out what was going on.
All in all, the story did make me laugh out loud. The characters were fun, hell, even Hell was fun.
I’m about to start the next book in the series. Fingers crossed the spelling and formatting is a bit neater.
December 29, 2020
I found this a great read and a great insight into the human psyche (more so than a lot of books written on it). It was very funny as well. I thought it made a lot of sense and there were a lot of truths spilled on the page, which if you read it "properly" will get you questioning your thought process your prejudices etc. It was what I considered, an honest look at people. It read like an open book to the soul. But you don't have to take my word for it... read it yourself.
December 2, 2019
This is a very well done self-published book. It flows well and the prose is at a much higher quality compared to many other indie books. It's a very fun satire and had me laughing out loud at certain parts. The idea of Hell in this story is creatively absurd and entertaining. The author's cutting sense of humor and quirky ideas really immerse the reader in the story.
If you enjoy Douglas Adams or Monty Python type humor, I would highly suggest this book and author. I will be checking out his sequels as well.
If you enjoy Douglas Adams or Monty Python type humor, I would highly suggest this book and author. I will be checking out his sequels as well.
December 4, 2019
The amount of wit it has to take to write this is astounding. I loved all the clever jokes and moreover, the messages behind the satire. I'm not sure how the author can top this in the sequel, but I look forward to finding out what happens next.
September 4, 2019
I enjoyed this satire which reveals an afterlife unlike what most of us might imagine. Loved the creative world building which results in a more relatable version of hell than the stereotypical fire and brimstone. The ostensible target of satire in this first book of a series is evangelical preachers but it could be applied to any overly ambitious leaders more obsessed with amassing power and followers than helping someone else. There are lots of memorable characters and comedy set pieces that make it a fun read. I didn't connect as much with the evangelical theme, not being a very religious person myself but it certainly follows in the tradition of books like Good Omens and Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy in creating an absurdist alternate universe while pondering some rather deep philosophical issues with humor and a keen imagination. Fans of satirical humor will find a lot to love here.
October 20, 2019
I loved the premise of Evangelicals in Hell, so I gave it a read and was not disappointed. It's a fun romp through a surprisingly sweet version of Hell where preachers who have grown greedy and distinctly un-Christian in life get a new venue in which to work out their considerable issues among themselves under new rules.
The prose could have used some streamlining in places, but it certainly didn't keep me from enjoying the story.
There's nothing trite about Evangelicals in Hell, where all that we've been taught about Hell has been thrown out the window in favor of creative humor and sharp wit. A very fun read that I highly recommend.
The prose could have used some streamlining in places, but it certainly didn't keep me from enjoying the story.
There's nothing trite about Evangelicals in Hell, where all that we've been taught about Hell has been thrown out the window in favor of creative humor and sharp wit. A very fun read that I highly recommend.
September 21, 2019
Creative, entertaining, wholly original. Often spellbinding in its absurdity with fun humor threaded throughout. Paulk’s vision of “Hell” with its cast of bizarre characters is a revelation. Here, where there are churches, prayer and even hope, humiliation is the harshest punishment and the hierarchy among pastors still depends on the size of their congregations. Friendly Mayweather, Paulk’s most masterfully realized character, is delivered into the afterlife through one of the weirdest and most astonishing deaths ever written on the page! Overall a very enjoyable read from a unique indie writer with a real future.
September 22, 2019
This was really, really fun to read. At times it reminded me stylistically of early Terry Pratchett books like "Reaper Man." I often laughed out loud.
The language is beautiful, and, in stark contrast to some other self-published books, both grammar and syntax are at a high level. So is the vocabulary and the author's command of language.
So, why not five stars, you might ask.
I apologize for being a complete nerd, but my answer is "commas." You'll go on for pages looking for them, only to find an absolutely needless one.
Now, punctuation is a pet peeve of mine, so don't listen to me. Go buy this book.
BUY IT! NOW!
The language is beautiful, and, in stark contrast to some other self-published books, both grammar and syntax are at a high level. So is the vocabulary and the author's command of language.
So, why not five stars, you might ask.
I apologize for being a complete nerd, but my answer is "commas." You'll go on for pages looking for them, only to find an absolutely needless one.
Now, punctuation is a pet peeve of mine, so don't listen to me. Go buy this book.
BUY IT! NOW!
November 5, 2019
After Billiam dies in an unfortunate incident with a washing machine, he finds himself in Hell. Only Hell isn't all fire and brimstone; it's more like a city of garbage. While smoking a stick of nicotine gum, an angel informs him that he can leave if he can just convince one evangelical preacher to walk out through the pearly gates. Billiam thinks this should be easy enough, but it turns out to be much more difficult than expected.
With an absurdist tone and a grim sense of humor, Evangelicals in Hell is a fun read that's sure to amuse any fan of satire.
With an absurdist tone and a grim sense of humor, Evangelicals in Hell is a fun read that's sure to amuse any fan of satire.
September 13, 2019
This book was pure genius and so hilarious. I highly recommend to anyone who likes wacky, off the wall humor. This book will transport you outside of the realm of normal in the greatest way possible.
October 29, 2019
Satirical fun
Creative characters and imagery jump off the pages in this comedic parody. Highly recommend for those that enjoy humorous stories.
Creative characters and imagery jump off the pages in this comedic parody. Highly recommend for those that enjoy humorous stories.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews