Dirk Quigby's Guide to The Afterlife

by E.E. King

"Impish and delightful—a hilarious Zagat's Guide to Heaven!"— Ray Bradbury

"A fantastical, profound, hilarious and rollicking good ride through the heavens and hells of the afterlife! A wonderful book."— Margaret Cho


Hell's too full, so the Devil hires ad man Dirk Quigby to pen a travel guide enticing travelers to different Hindu, Catholic, Protestant (that one's got a lot of subdivisions), Scientologist, and more. Instead of writing a boffo bestseller, Dirk unites all religions in a common kill Dirk.

E.E. King grew up in one of those tolerant households that don't force religion down kids' throats. This is the result.

Genres: Humor, Fiction, Religion, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Satire

238 pages, Paperback

First published July 20, 2010

Reviews

[Brian Griffith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aside from all the spectacularly multi-cultural irreverence for every known afterlife, two characters in this book are unforgettable. One is a Devil who just wants to stop the overcrowding of Hell, and the other is the most cataclysmically pleasure-seeking angel in modern lit.

[Wade · Rating 3 out of 5]

Using a good mix of wit and snark, E. E. King explores the various ways world religions describe the afterlife. Dirk Quigby is a bored and lonely ad writer who is recruited by Lucifer to visit dozens of different heavens and write Zagat-style reviews of what he finds there. Lucifer is concerned that Hell is becoming too crowded and wants to entice humans to engaging more with religion.

"[Lucifer to Dirk:] "Ahhhh, well, here's where you come in. I think if more people were sort of...encouraged to go to Heaven... You're an ad man. You know...make it sexy. Highlight the benefits and downplay the difficulty."
[Dirk:] "So, what exactly are you asking me to do?"
"Well," the Devil said, nervously tugging at a forelock, "I'd like you to write...you know...sort of a guide to the afterlife. Touch on the different kinds of heavens."
"Let me get this straight, you want me to write a Zagat Guide to the afterlife?"
"Well," Lucifer replied, "in a nutshell...yes." Loc 506

I really like that Dirk introduces each religious tradition the same way: “This is the one true religion all others are lies.” After a brief overview of its history and teachings he rates (out of 5 stars) the 'Perks, Food, Drink, Music, Accommodations, Entry Requirements, and Overall Rating' of each afterlife. On Catholicism: “If you enjoy pomp, circumstance, authority figures, and being perpetually confused, this is the place for you.” Loc 1639

It is a clever and fun read, though some may find the author's irreverence a little jarring. I enjoyed Dirk's reflections on religion in general, including the paradoxes we find in so many traditions (including my own), "at the end of the day, you can proclaim, 'I have tithed' or 'I have not drunk coffee or wine today, therefore I must be good and am on my way to Heaven.' It's a lot more difficult and demanding to truly help another person, or to consecrate one's life to follow the just and righteous path." Loc 2775. While speaking to TV talk show host Michael Guy Alright he muses, "Heaven is pretty much what you make it. If you expect golden streets [Pentecostal], the streets will shine. If you expect raw grain [Jainism], you shall have it in abundance... [the talk show host asks] “But surely there is but one true way.” [Dirk responds] “Everyone seems to think so, most folks are certain that their Heaven is the only place to be, but from what I can tell, God isn't nearly so dogmatic or judgmental.” Loc 2750 I agree with Dirk.

[Lee Harding · Rating 5 out of 5]

A bloody good book and a rather fun read!

[Glenda Laitinen · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun and entertaining book! The main character, Dirk Quigby explores various religious "afterlifes" and provides a rating for each one in the same contextas Zagat's restaurant guides. A very easy and light read and it provides many interesting factoids about the religions covered in the "afterlife" review.

I won this book through a GOODREADS giveaway, and it is sure to be enjoyed and reviewed by members of my book club. Highloy recommended for book club discussions.

[Lana Kamennof-sine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Refreshing, witty, brief, accurate, synopses of major religions past & present.
The premise - the devil hiring an ad writer to extoll the various heavens in order to minimize over crowding in hell - well that's inspired.

I'd use this to support classes in travel writing, religion, death/dying in addition to literature. :-)

Suspect some might be perturbed at the flippancy.

[Jennifer Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reminincent of Christopher Mooore's ascerbic writing style. Not afraid to poke fun at any and all religious paths while at the same time being accurate and well researched. I certainly hope to see more from this talented, humorous author. Thank you, Dawn for reccomending this gem~

[Marissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining and enlightening.

Read an interview with author EE King on Words With Writers http://wordswithwriters.com/2010/10/1...

[Mickey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an odd little book. Part travel guide, part battle for a man's soul, and a bit of education in differing religions. Recommended if you you want a bit of a think while you're reading.

[Mindy Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is hilarious. At the same time it's also frighteningly accurate and insulting to all religions.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

I laughed all the way through it. Teaching world religions, I loved Dirk's take on how heaven is according to many various religions of our day. A must-listen if you like British comedy!

[Jackson Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book. Well researched and E E King's writing style reminds me of two of my favorite authors, Douglas Adams and P. G. Wodehouse.

And the ending is perfect.

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Witty, well researched and some hing to offend everyone!!!

[Gilbert Stack · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a novel without a plot—or possibly a novel with a plot that stops long before it gets to the end. It’s built on an interesting premise. Dirk Quigby is an advertising copy writer hired by the devil to write a travel guide to the afterlife so that humans will become interested in reaching heaven again and hell will be less overpopulated. The first couple of these guides (ancient Egypt and Greece) balance encyclopedia-like information with snarky observations by Quigby and are quite humorous, but as the sections on each religion get longer and the snark becomes a bit mean-spirited (especially with the Catholics) they cease to be enough to carry the novel. Thus we fall back on the almost plot—Quigby’s problems with his day job, and his strange girlfriend with the big surprise. The problem is—and I admit I’m a heavily plot driven reader—the plot doesn’t go anywhere. And ultimately, there doesn’t seem to be a purpose to the Guide to the Afterlife. Quigby is supposed to go on a talk show. The world has a chance to learn of the guide and respond to it. Presumably many will be unhappy with his observations. Yet the story ends before showing us any of these results which in this reader’s opinion was the point of the whole novel. So Ms. King, you have a great idea here, but I suspect that I am not the only reader who wishes you would revise the book and add a few chapters that address the impact of the guide and leads Quigby to a satisfying ending. That would greatly enhance my overall enjoyment of your story.

If you liked this review, you can find more at www.gilbertstack.com/reviews.

[Becki Basley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Initially I loved this book. I appreciated the concept of plot.. a guide to the idea of heaven in differing belief systems and how they would be seen as a vacation spot.. for eternity. I initially felt this would be a great book to use in a sociology or anthropology belief systems class to create more of an understanding of how differing beliefs view afterlife. This book showed a lot of promise and I do believe it still has the potential to be a great book, however, it did not really have an ending. It was almost like the writer got to they wanted to review and sent it to the publisher. It also dealt with the various sections of Christian sects and dominations with just a nod to other religions. I would suggest looking at the pagan community as well if the author decides to expand on this book. Again I liked the book in the beginning but it falls very short in the conclusion.

[Cindy Partlow · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought this book was ok until the end. Quigby was rating these different heavens for the Devil because the Devil said he had too many people in hell and didn't need anymore. He wanted Quigby to go to all of the different heavens according to what each religion believed heaven was. At the end, Quigby has rated all the heavens by food, music, atmosphere etc. by giving them 1 to 5 stars. Parts of this book did make me smile and chuckle a little bit. At the end, Quigby never reports back to the devil about anything and doesn't have any other conversation with him. That was a bummer.

[Baobab · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very disappointing.

Based on the first few pages, I thought this would be a very funny book, but it quickly turned tedious and boring. The author does include some information about various religions interspersed with wisecracks which are occasionally mildly amusing. The plot barely exists. I should think religious people would find this book insulting. To the rest of us, it is just boring.

[LAURENCE O GORMAN · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this to be well informed and very well written and presented, with a continuous dry sardonic wit so old school I immediately remembered a younger me when just such similar ideas were surfacing in my mind. I was so impressed with Dirk Quigby... I have bought another E.E.King book Another Happy Ending and although quite different definitely quite singular and so far very engaging. I will be looking for more by this author. Excellent.

[Dze · Rating 1 out of 5]

WTF? The book's story just ends with no completion!

The story just ends. No resolution just ends. I kept looking to see if there was a part 2 that I was missing! After reading a whole book and to find it just ends abruptly left me feeling cheated.
Interesting idea, good concept, but not complete by any stretch of the...

See? Don't you have that?

[Stephen J. Pearson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Creative plot

Amusing. Creative concept. Quiet, ironic humor. Does a good job poking fun at established religions. Hope they have a sense of humor.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

I give the concept an A but the execution a B.

Too many things happened that did not really effect the plot of the book.

[Little Ghost · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a rather entertaining, very funny, easy read worth an afternoon. The author takes you on an adventure to many different theologies with a sense of humour that keeps you engaged and intrigued. This book provides you with a very informative and accurate overview of a plethora of religions but does not take itself seriously.The main storyline did leave a bit to be desired. It felt as though the author was trying to do too much with a storyline between the

The main storyline did leave a bit to be desired. It felt as though the author was trying to do too much with a storyline between the 'reviews' of the afterlives. Had it just contained the commentary and 'review' for each afterlife, I think I would have enjoyed it just as much.

Though a funny novel, it made me really consider a lot of religions without the bias of speaking with a disciple of that religion. It spawned some research and a couple hours reading into many religions of which I had never heard. And now, I can happily declare that I am a Scientologist! -No, I am not. I just have an awful sense of humour, but it is mine and I accept it...mostly.

Anyway, I would not suggest you rush out and buy this book. But if you are looking for some light reading to fill in the commercial breaks, the slow time at work, or just a quick, one-afternoon book that will stay with you, this one should be put on your list.

-A Bookish Girl

[Granny · Rating 3 out of 5]

A mildly amusing little hipster's guide to the advantages and disadvantages to life after death of the major (and a few minor) faith traditions.

I found the ratings themselves more interesting than the framing story itself, which is told by a late 1950's advertising exec a la "Mad Men". In the ratings sections themselves the irreverent attitudes of the narrator workI much better within the context of the ratings, if you have a sense of humor about your own religion, or about religion in general. I especially enjoyed the sections on Ancient Egypt and the Ancient Greeks, I wish the author had also touched on Unitarian Universalism, Wicca, and Germanic Heathenry.

For me, this would have been a better book if the framing story had been left out altogether and more religions had been covered. But; to be fair; my husband loved the framing story, so perhaps it's something you just have to have a taste for.

Give it a try, maybe you'll enjoy it more than I did.

[Morgue Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dirk Quigby’s Guide to the Afterlife by E.E. King is not for people who believe that their religion is ‘the one true faith’. It’s not for people who think that books about religion can’t be funny, and it’s certainly not for people who can’t laugh about something and still take it seriously. If you are one of the few remaining people in the world who has a funny bone remaining in your body, or if your favorite South Park episodes are the ones that tell you the history of Scientology or Mormons than I can’t recommend this book enough...

You can read the rest of my review at http://sexanddeathpodcast.wordpress.c...

[Shawn Dvorak · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had a great idea: what would it be like to write a first-hand travel guide to the afterlife of many different religions. Really a book within a book, since the guide is wrapped inside Dirk Quigy's day-to-day life as he researches and publishes the guide. The story started to drag a bit: Dirk's afterlife experiences began to run together. Some of the plot devices also seemed a bit contrived, or just not well explained. The end left me scratching my head, as well.

[Roy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A travel guide to heavens. Dirk is chosen by the devil to rate heavens. He is also guided by the other side in often hilarious ways. The book is both a novel and a collection of travel guide essays you might see in a Yelp or Zagat with ratings for various characteristics like food, accomodation, and ease of entry.
Ultimately, the best feature is the comparative religion of different heavens whether Buddhist, Christian (in various sects), Moslem, or more obscure ones such as Zoroastrian.

[Shelby · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this exploration of various religion-specific views of the afterlife. I thought this was creative and at times laugh out loud humorous. However, I would caution that whoever picks this up must have a sense of humor and be able to take themselves and their own beliefs very lightly. At times the text is offensive especially to specific religions, though I felt a heavy undertone of Christianity throughout the read.

[Diana · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. Had high hopes for this book, but I wasn't digging the time traveling and the quirkiness of this book. But I think I'm in the minority - looks like other people enjoyed this book quite a bit.

[Teresa · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first half was hilarious and a little bit touching. I really enjoyed it at first, but it got stale somewhere near the middle and the second half was downhill for me.

[Katharine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reminds me of Douglas Adams crossed with The Number Devil. Great idea for a book, but the writing gets repetitive and isn't very good to begin with.

[Bob Rosenbaum · Rating 1 out of 5]

Somewhat clever, but not funny, not meaningful, not interesting. One of the most painfully lacking books I've ever finished.