Monday, March 26, 2012

Night of the Living Dead Christian - Day 1

Night of the Living Dead Christian: Who doesn't wanna read a book with that for a title?

It's the latest from Matt Mikalatos, author of one of my favorite novels in recent years, Imaginary Jesus. (You can read my comments on that novel here: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3.)

Just as in Imaginary Jesus, Matt is both author and main character, and the resulting story is even stranger and wackier than the first, but with an equally serious central question. In IJ, it was "Who is the real Jesus?" but in Night of the Living Dead Christian, it's "What does a transformed life actually look like?"


And there are transformations aplenty, from zombies to werewolves to vampires, and they are jauntily narrated by Matt, who's just trying to keep his neighborhood safe, stay a step ahead of the zombies, and maybe cure his neighbor's wolfiness.

A neighbor who just happens to be named Luther Martin. (Think about it.)

Luther's ruminations are interspersed through the narrative, asking deep questions, gently (or not so gently) mocking Matt's bumbling efforts to help, and telling a story that holds up a mirror to all of us.

I'd like to dive into further discussion, but I've just been to the dentist -- oh, the joy -- and the after-effects of an impromptu but necessary procedure have rendered my fingers fumbly and my mind just this side of feeble. I hope to return with something snazzier and more profound tomorrow.

Meantime, check out these other houses in the zombie-riddled neighborhood -- if you dare!

5 comments:

Rebecca LuElla Miller said...

Hey, Keanan, this is a good intro, especially for someone suffering your dental condition. I look forward to your further thoughts, too.

Becky

Julie Bihn said...

That's a rather poetic description of the book...all the more impressive given your dentist visit. (Or perhaps the dentist visit explains it.)

Matt Mikalatos said...

Looking forward to snazzy profundity tomorrow. I hope you feel better!

Janeen Ippolito said...

A tidy little summary indeed. I don't have the patience for summaries, so I usually cut and paste from a website. Kudos for doing it well!

Keanan Brand said...

Becky -- Thanks! I hope those thoughts aren't muddled.

Julie -- Yeah, let's blame any poetry on the drugs!

Matt -- Thanks for stoppin' by! I'm a little bit evangelistic about your first book. Hope you don't mind.

Janeen -- I'm kinda impatient, too. This summary didn't take much thought, really, just some focus on the keyboard. My hands didn't seem to want to work, so (from my perspective at the time) it felt like I was writing an epic rather than a blurb. Mind and hands are working better now. I hope.