Greg Maxwell's Inferno

by Keith James

Hell has come to claim the last mortal universe. A bleeding tower has burst through the 24-Hour Fitness parking lot. Demons circle the city of San Diego. One name is called to challenge Lucifer’s Champion: Greg Maxwell.

Who is Greg Maxwell? Imagine the person you would want to fight for humanity’s survival. Now think of the opposite person. Now think of that person’s dad. Cocaine. Talking animals. Weekend trips to Cape Cod. Secret JFK sex videos. This is the erotic, Judeo-Christian, modern-day Odyssey no one asked for. This is Greg Maxwell’s Inferno.

172 pages, Paperback

Published August 10, 2021

About the author

Keith, quite frankly, is a bit of a bad boy. As a four-time Varsity Gay League Kickball champion, Keith has little time for the written word. But when he makes himself available, you can find his work in McSweeney’s, Points in Case, Ghost City Press, and other publications. Keith’s work has never been rejected, nor will it be. Keith’s debut novel “Greg Maxwell’s Inferno” from Humorist Books will be in stores Summer 2021.

Reviews

[Keith James · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wrote this book, but I will try and remove all bias for this review.

This book makes Lord of The Rings look like bathroom graffiti.

Every rainforest should be marked, leveled, and stripped for paper resources to ensure that every human can have a copy of their own.

Any bad review of this book is Dark magic. It is not Light.

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is wild! I discovered Keith James in Taco Bell Quarterly and I’m very glad I picked up his book. It’s hilarious and at one point my mind switched things like I was reading an adult swim animation. Also the final battle made me weirdly horny? I want to be this author’s best friend but can’t find him on social media :(

[Charlotte · Rating 3 out of 5]

Greg Maxwell starts his day early. In fact, he starts it in the middle of the night. A rabbit and a coyote are arguing out on his patio, Greg hates his wife, his kid may be a psychopath, and to make things worse, the rabbit slaughters the coyote in a bloodbath of dissection.

He's up early for the start of the apocalypse. Downing a ridiculous protein shake that he later regurgitates, he notes the ground temperature is peculiarly elevated. Making his way to 24HR Fitness, he proceeds to spend an exuberant and unfriendly amount of time on the can, washes himself up, passes out, works out, and gets himself a smoothie next door.

Basically, he wastes an entire day being absolutely useless. Greg is an unhappy person. He's unhappy with his job, unhappy with his wife, unhappy with his son, who barely even acknowledges him. He has peculiar habits, both bodily and publicly.

Having wasted the day being a reprehensible human being, he runs into people dressed in robes in the parking lot. What proceeds from there is an insane spiral of debaucherous, repugnant nincompoopery.

Greg Maxwell is a s#!*-storm, disgusting, wackadoo of a character. He has no morals, is filthy, and doesn't have much ground to stand on as humanity's hero. Yet somehow, he is.

This book is funny, belligerent, and nasty--in all the good ways. If you like writers such as Robert Rankin or Andre Duza, Keith James should be in your arsenal of writers. His imagination is bonkers and gross. He is unafraid to write dark inner thoughts, strange psycho scenarios, and ridiculous comedic gestures.

Think, This is the End meets a middle-aged, blue-collar, middle-class dad.

[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first discovered Keith James’s work when I read the funniest McSweeney’s piece this side of “Decorative Gourd Season.” It’s the one about the guy who uses his wife’s dildo to achieve a prostate orgasm so powerful it sends him to Narnia. And reading that piece will probably help you determine whether or not “Greg Maxwell’s Inferno” is for you.

Personally, I thought it was one of the funniest damn things I’ve ever read, right in the sweet spot for my particular sense of humor, at the confluence of dirty, surreal, and absurd.

I cannot wait to read whatever James writes next, as long as it involves popping Nugenix with Frank Thomas.

[Kelsey Loanes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so vivid and immersive, I had to keep reminding myself of the stakes: at the end of the day, this is just a story. It’s not real. The universe is not in Greg Maxwell’s hands.

And thank god. Watching Greg Maxwell navigate the apocalypse and make a worse decision than you can imagine at every opportunity is so ridiculous and frustrating that you have to laugh. You’re laughing because you’re uncomfortable, you’re laughing because you’re surprised, and you’re laughing because it’s very, very funny.

It’s also pretty gross. But in a funny way.

[Kathi Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

No puns used in this book! Just for that it's a great reason to read it

While satires and sarcasm are two of the great ways to write a book this book goes above and beyond. Read this book today!!

[Marley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me laughing out loud, loudly! Couldn't put it down. Highly recommend.

[Andy Newton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel is absolutely hilarious. Belly-laughs on every page

[Scott Melton · Rating 3 out of 5]

This may not be the best book ever, but it's one of the oddest, and occasionally funniest.

[Ryan Sandrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

I truly don't think I remember the last time I read a book that made me laugh out loud. When I read this book I frequently would have church laughter on the bus. It is like if East Bound and Down and Dante's Divine Comedy had a baby.

Greg Maxwell is a very bad guy and the way he is written is so spot on. He is the worst, I definitely know a guy like him, and I really enjoyed him having to fight a demon. He is such a well written character with a very strong voice and I wish him nothing but the worst.

I can't recommend this book highly enough.

[Jason Tanner · Rating 3 out of 5]

It had some moments, but overall, the vibe I get from this book was "Trying Too Hard."

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Again, absolutely demented. Please read this.