God Is Dead: a possible fiction suggestion

[MadArchitect]

Since there have been hints that Chris might revive the fiction reading component of BookTalk, I thought I'd go ahead and make a note of this novel as a possible suggestion, so that I don't forget later on.

God Is Dead, by Ron Currie, Jr.
[quote]Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
A bleak dystopian future is tempered with moments of possibility in story writer Currie's debut novel, in which a sick and wounded Dinka woman arrives at a refugee camp in Darfur, searching for her lost brother. The woman is God, come to Earth in human form to make apologies to the Sudanese, over whose fate He is, "due to an implacable polytheistic bureaucracy, completely powerless." When God is gunned down, news of His death spreads quickly around the globe and provides the jumping-off point for the subsequent short story

[irishrose]

Mad, you would read The Believer.

I would participate in a fiction forum, and am not opposed to reading God is Dead.

[Mr. P]

Mad, you would read The Believer.

I would participate in a fiction forum, and am not opposed to reading God is Dead.

I second that.


Mr. P.

[MadArchitect]

I don't read Believer with any regularity. I've picked it up to read specific articles, though. Recently, for example, Nick Hornsby interviewed David Simon, who created "The Wire" and the wrote the book "Homocide: Life on the Streets" was based on. How could I not read that?

[Mr. P]

Just recvd this book today from the library.

Mr. P.

[MadArchitect]

Can we hold off for a little while? I've just started reading "The Brothers Karamazov", and with adding one, maybe two BookTalk discussion books this month, my reading schedule is already pretty tied up. Maybe even if we just hold off until December?

Chris, any interest in making this the triumphant return of a quarterly fiction reading?

[Mr. P]

Maybe I will start reading and making some notes. It is a library loan and even though I was able to extend the borrow until 11/24, I should not push it and extend it again.

If need be, I can always request it again once you start.

Mr. P.

[Mr. P]

Finished chapter 1 and I am not impressed so far. I will try to read at least half the book before I give up though.

I am not overly fond of using real life characters in fiction, and Currie's use of Colin Powell seems a bit indulgent to me and turned me off. I do appreciate how impotent he has made god seem thus far, but that too seems a bit simplistic.

Not grabbing me so far.

Mr. P.

[Mr. P]

Yeah...I have read the first three stories and will not be finishing the book. Does not grab my attention at all. Some nice little stories, but I guess the premise does not really grab me...and if you do not buy the premise, the stories do not impact as much as they might.

Mr. P.

[MadArchitect]

Well, thanks for taking one for the team, Mr. P. If you're not impressed, then maybe we should consider reading something other than "God Is Dead". I hope that doesn't come off as sarcasm.