At Christmas, I persuaded my son and husband to watch the movie adaptation of John Dies at The End with me (I hadn’t seen it before), and I told them that I was reading this book series and loving it (my son was familiar with the author from his podcasts). Well, I have to say that I was a bit embarrassed, because the film (like the books, if I’m honest) is full of schoolboy potty humour and swearing. And yet. And yet… I do love these books. There is just something about them. If you see past the crass jokes and genitalia references, the characters are lovely and flawed and relatable but trying to be good and the plots are clever and inventive and the endings are satisfying. Honest.
Due to John and Dave having taken some weird drug called ‘the sauce’ in book one, they can see all kinds of paranormal things that most people can’t. In this book it a parasitical creature that is turning corpses into zombies.
Lot’s of humour (see above) and horror but also lots of heart and actually really interesting and thoughtful storytelling.
Sarah Wray Writer 