Now, that next spring you find in your garage a creature that looks like a cross-bred badger and anaconda. A badgerconda. And so you grab your trusty ax and chop off one of the beast's heads, but in the process the blade of the ax strikes the concrete floor and shatters.
This means another trip to McMillan & Sons Ax Mart. As soon as you get home with your newly-headed ax, though, you meet the reanimated body of the guy you beheaded last year. He's also got a new head attached and it's wearing that unique expression of "you're the man who killed me last Spring" resentment that one so rarely encounters in everyday life.
You brandish your ax. He takes a long look at the weapon with his squishy, rotting eyes and in a gargly voice he screams, "that's the same ax that slayed me!"
Is he right?
While JDOT doesn't attempt to tackle any contemporary social or political issues, it's a fun read. I'm still anxiously awaiting the Epilogue, which Wong has promised to release this summer. And rumor has it, Wong is working on getting the e-book published on dead-tree. And it deserves it.
I was so impressed with John Dies at the End that I have rethought my aversion to e-books. And although I still don't like reading from a computer screen for hours, sometimes it's worth it.
More from Elyas Bakhtiari at Ablogistan.
Article comments
1 - alienboy
If the quote is indicative of the rest of the book, I'll pass on reading it thanks, it sounds like one of those books that is desperately trying to get people's attention but has a totally bogus premise.
Shame.
2 - DrPat
But it's a good philosophical question. alienboy - rather like "can one step in the same river twice?"
I have to say that the posted sequence intrigues me enough to watch for the printed version of JDATE...
3 - John_Rocks
Alienboy, you are completely wrong about the novel desperately trying to get other people's attention. The novel was written primarily for people who were already fans of Wong's site, PointlessWasteofTime.com. Honestly, though, it doesn't seem like it's trying to get attention; it's just setting the tone for the story's surreal nature.
JDATE is an awesome story that constantly ridicules itself, with the main character often apologizing to the reporter he is relating the story to for the tale sounding so "retarded," as he puts it. Its not one of those books that takes itself so uber-seriously, like many writer's are prone to do. That, to me, is part of the stroy's appeal: it is merely presented as a spooky, but simultaneously lunk-headed, series of events that provides both creepy and humorous entertainment to its readers.
Hopefully, not many other people will build up such baseless presumptions about JDATE, and more will be able to enjoy this silly romp into the world of surreal fiction.
4 - Ragnarok
I'd like to point out something else. David Wong never intended to write a novel, or to get a fanbase. And he never intended to 'hook' writers. He intended it for us regular readers at the site. But like most things he write. There's a lot of intelligence behind the comedy. Read 'The Monkeysphere' for a great example.
5 - Might_Reid
JDATE is one single most intelligent stories I have ever read. Don't sit there and come up with reasons not to read it. Read the first chapter. Then I won't need to tell you're sorry @$$ to read the next one. You'll do it yourself.
6 - Jake Klopp
JDatE is possible the greatest book I have ever read. Though humorous and ridiculous in parts, it reads like a book from a professional writer. The only other books I have ever been so intrigued by are from writers such as Stephen King, or Michael Crichton. After reading it a second time, you start to notice many subtle things that make this a phenomenal piece of literature.
7 - Jake Klopp
He he, by "possible" I meant "possibly"
8 - Bolo
I just finished reading this book and have to say that I haven't enjoyed a book like this in ages.
I haven't laughed out loud at a book in a looong time and managed to finish this book in two days.
Great read.