Who Would Like This Book:
If bizarre, laugh-out-loud horror and cosmic weirdness are your jam, "John Dies at the End" is a must-read. Think Lovecraft meets Douglas Adams - then gets hit with a baseball bat full of dick jokes. The plot spins out from a small-town party to dimension-hopping, supernatural chaos, all recounted by two deeply imperfect (but incredibly relatable) loser heroes. The book doesn’t shy away from gross-out humor or philosophical questions, but does it with ridiculous charm. If you love dark comedy, unreliable narrators, and stories that are as smart as they are nutty, this is your ride. Fans of horror, sci-fi, cult movies, or just strange fiction will have a blast.
Who May Not Like This Book:
Not everyone will vibe with the aggressively irreverent humor - prepare yourself for politically incorrect jokes, plenty of gross-out moments, and crass language. Some find the main characters immature, the plot a bit unhinged, and the pacing uneven, especially during a saggy middle or an ending that feels more like a weird shrug than a satisfying conclusion. If you want your stories tightly coherent, if casual sexism or juvenile jokes drive you up a wall, or if you’re easily offended by edgy comedy from the early 2000s, this book might not be a good fit.
About:
John Dies at the End by Jason Pargin, writing as David Wong, is a horror-comedy novel that intertwines absurdist humor with elements of cosmic horror. The plot follows the misadventures of two aimless slackers, Dave and John, who ingest a mysterious drug known as 'Soy Sauce'. This drug grants them bizarre supernatural abilities, allowing them to perceive otherworldly demons and bizarre realities that most people cannot see, placing them in increasingly ludicrous and dangerous situations. The story is narrated primarily from Dave's first-person perspective, with occasional shifts to third-person for segments featuring John and Amy, which allows for humorous contrasts and insights into their chaotic adventures.
The writing style is punchy and laden with crude humor, reminiscent of a mix between Douglas Adams and cosmic horror. Readers are often taken on a wild, unpredictable ride filled with grotesque scenarios and heartfelt moments. While it lacks a satisfying conclusion, the blend of horror and comedy, alongside the outrageous twists and turns, contributes to its cult appeal, making it both entertaining and thought-provoking. Overall, it's a fast-paced, laugh-out-loud read that challenges the boundaries of genre and storytelling.
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Notes:
Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
The book contains graphic violence, drug use, and themes that may be disturbing to some readers.
From The Publisher:
"David Wong has updated the Lovecraft tradition and infused it with humor that rather than lessening the horror, increases it dramatically. Every time I set the book down down, I was wary that something really was afoot, that there were creatures I couldn't see, and that because I suspected this, I was next. Engaging, comic, and terrifying." - Joe Garden, Features Editor, The Onion
"Wong is like a mash-up of Douglass Adams and Stephen King... 'page-turner' is an understatement."
-Don Coscarelli, director, Phantasm I-V, Bubba Ho-tep
"That rarest of things-a genuinely scary story."-David Wellington, author of Monster Island, Vampire Zero
"JOHN DIES AT THE END has a cult following for a reason: it's horrific, thought-provoking, and hilarious all at once. This is one of the most entertaining and addictive novels I've ever read."-Jacob Kier, Publisher, Permuted Press
STOP. You should not have touched this flyer with your bare hands. NO, don't put it down. It's too late. They're watching you. My name is David. My best friend is John. Those names are fake. You might want to change yours. You may not want to know about the things you'll read on these pages, about the sauce, about Korrok, about the invasion, and the future. But it's too late. You touched the book. You're in the game. You're under the eye. The only defense is knowledge. You need to read this book, to the end. Even the part with the bratwurst. Why? You just have to trust me.
The important thing is this: The sauce is a drug, and it gives users a window into another dimension. John and I never had the chance to say no. You still do. I'm sorry to have involved you in this, I really am. But as you read about these terrible events and the very dark epoch the world is about to enter as a result, it is crucial you keep one thing in mind: None of this was my fault.
Ratings (129)
Incredible (25) | |
Loved It (54) | |
Liked It (22) | |
It Was OK (8) | |
Did Not Like (18) | |
Hated It (2) |
Reader Stats (291):
Read It (133) | |
Currently Reading (8) | |
Want To Read (113) | |
Did Not Finish (6) | |
Not Interested (31) |
6 comment(s)
Interesting horror/comedy but definitely a book I can't see myself reading again.
To me this book was all over the map, written to entertain a niche audience and is overall awful. This is a type of book that when you finish reading it, you’re upset over not being able to get back the time you committed to read it.
I don't know what to say about this book except I really enjoyed reading it. A horror-comedy that has some truly frightening moments while poking fun at itself and the genre. Even though John can be a pain in the ass, you have to love how he sees the whole adventure through the lens of a videogame, and you can see the real affection Dave has for him. There's a great moment towards the end when John and Dave make fun of the "earthlings save another world" trope that this whole book turns inside out (sometimes literally). For someone who likes the weird, the wacky, and just something different, this book is brilliant.
I would give
John Dies at the End 2.5 stars if I could, but since I can't I figured that I'd just round up.
John Dies at the End was pretty good at the beginning. It was funny, there were some parts where I did laugh out loud, but then near the middle it just starting getting...I dunno, old I guess. I mean, Mr. Wong really could've stopped after the whole Las Vegas thing. But no, he had to keep going. And after that it just became tedious and boring. I didn't finish it all the way, but I read about 3/4 so that's a fine amount I guess. Maybe one day I'll come back and finish the whole thing... Find out if John really does die at the end.
But anyway, if Mr. Wong had just cut the book in half it would've been better.
It was hilarious from the first page henceforth! 10/10 would recommend to anyone who is trying to get out of a reading stump and needs something light-hearted to warm the heart and escape from boring everyday life.
weird, gross and awesome!
What can you read after
John Dies at the End?
About the Author:
DAVID WONG is the pseudonym of Jason Pargin, New York Times bestselling author of the John Dies at the End series as well as the award-winning Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits. His essays at Cracked.com have been read by tens of millions of people around the world. ZOEY PUNCHES THE FUTURE IN THE DICK: A Novel, the second book in the Zoey Ashe series, arrives in October of 2020.
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