Good to be God
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Product Description
Review
This is Fischer at his sharpest- a widely original feelbad philosophical hayride --The Times
Fischer's fecund imagination keeps the satire constantly engaging --The Daily Mail
The narrative is... propelled by the author's madcap imagination and inventive language --The Times Literary Supplement
Fischer's fecund imagination keeps the satire constantly engaging --The Daily Mail
The narrative is... propelled by the author's madcap imagination and inventive language --The Times Literary Supplement
Review
This is Fischer at his sharpest
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The book is something of a mix. It starts out with a guy with no job and no life who's given a chance to go to Miami and while there figures out that he's been aiming low all his life and that's why hes failed - now he wants to aim higher, in fact highest: he will become God. Or at least that's what hes going to tell people and endeavour to become.
So far so good. But the story never really takes off. Initially he tries to figure it out by becoming a sort of assistant preacher (sub-Heirophant is the title) in a church wonderfully titled The Church of the Heavily Armed Christ. Then after the leader of the church goes to take care of his ailing mum, our hero steps in and becomes leader of this church.
I'll stop there because the story branches out into too many sub stories and the review'll go on forever. Suffice it to say each aspect of our hero's life is explored fully. He needs a place to sleep, we meet a new character and we meet the others who live there and their stories. He needs some money, we meet a new character and he becomes a drug dealer and we find out about that world. He gets sidetracked by slapstick goons, caricatures of "low lifes", a high class prostitute, a creepy flatmate, a slacker undertaker, some evil old women running a corrupt church, an immigrant with a heart of gold, a millionaire who pretended to be poor, I'm only remembering part of it but there are many more characters here usually with single names like Napalm and Sixto. Hmm.
You're probably thinking "what's wrong with that, sounds like a ripping yarn!" and you're sort of right. Only, Fischer's style is skewed. Sometimes its trying too hard to be funny, sometimes its being too preachy for its own good ("life isnt worth trying, doing things is basically waiting speeded up, you never get anywhere planning" - I'm paraphrasing but the repetitiveness of some of our hero's thoughts are a bit dull), sometimes its being too kooky, sometimes its being too "noir". The whole becoming God thing is touched on toward the end but for the most of the book it's about a bloke who knocks around Miami meeting eccentrics and having an alright time of it while commenting heavily on "life".
It's an alright book, I enjoyed it, it passes the time, and it's much better written and far more interesting than the average novel available today. But is it a classic or something I'd even remember 10 years, maybe even 1 year from now? Probably not. It had the potential to be more than it ended up being really. "Survivor" by Chuck Palahniuk is a better book if you're looking for a bloke who becomes a messiah story.
So far so good. But the story never really takes off. Initially he tries to figure it out by becoming a sort of assistant preacher (sub-Heirophant is the title) in a church wonderfully titled The Church of the Heavily Armed Christ. Then after the leader of the church goes to take care of his ailing mum, our hero steps in and becomes leader of this church.
I'll stop there because the story branches out into too many sub stories and the review'll go on forever. Suffice it to say each aspect of our hero's life is explored fully. He needs a place to sleep, we meet a new character and we meet the others who live there and their stories. He needs some money, we meet a new character and he becomes a drug dealer and we find out about that world. He gets sidetracked by slapstick goons, caricatures of "low lifes", a high class prostitute, a creepy flatmate, a slacker undertaker, some evil old women running a corrupt church, an immigrant with a heart of gold, a millionaire who pretended to be poor, I'm only remembering part of it but there are many more characters here usually with single names like Napalm and Sixto. Hmm.
You're probably thinking "what's wrong with that, sounds like a ripping yarn!" and you're sort of right. Only, Fischer's style is skewed. Sometimes its trying too hard to be funny, sometimes its being too preachy for its own good ("life isnt worth trying, doing things is basically waiting speeded up, you never get anywhere planning" - I'm paraphrasing but the repetitiveness of some of our hero's thoughts are a bit dull), sometimes its being too kooky, sometimes its being too "noir". The whole becoming God thing is touched on toward the end but for the most of the book it's about a bloke who knocks around Miami meeting eccentrics and having an alright time of it while commenting heavily on "life".
It's an alright book, I enjoyed it, it passes the time, and it's much better written and far more interesting than the average novel available today. But is it a classic or something I'd even remember 10 years, maybe even 1 year from now? Probably not. It had the potential to be more than it ended up being really. "Survivor" by Chuck Palahniuk is a better book if you're looking for a bloke who becomes a messiah story.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I became a fan of Tibor Fischer after reading The Thought Gang in 1995, then discovered the wonderful Under the Frog shortly afterwards. I was a little disappointed by Collector Collector and Don't Read This Book if Your Stupid, and although I enjoyed Voyage to the End of the Room, it was for me still not a book that would have sent me out on the streets to hunt down his other work.
Good to be God, by contrast, was a joy to read.
Good to be God, by contrast, was a joy to read.
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This is a superb book. Fischer has transplanted another of his superbly drawn losers from his usual patch (grubby, grimy South London) to sunny, superficial Miami, where he encounters all manner of deranged lowlife. Good to be God is by turns funny (very) and, ultimately, given the subject matter, quite tragic. Fischer writes about America (this is his first book to be set there) with more wit, insight and verve than his winded punchbag, Martin "Dubya" Amis.
Good to be God is redolent of the best Miami noir - Elmore Leonard, Charles Willeford and Nick Stone.
In short, a superb book and a sparkling return to form.
Good to be God is redolent of the best Miami noir - Elmore Leonard, Charles Willeford and Nick Stone.
In short, a superb book and a sparkling return to form.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
reviewed well
But not universally well-reviewed. Most of these reviews are accurate, and reflect my own view. It may be worth adding that while the story isn't perfect and some of the points are... Read more
Published 10 months ago by tiredoldtimer
I would like to marry that guy, is there a waiting list?
well yeah... I `m not joking. To be honest I am on page 92 today and I have never been impulsive this much.
Having a catch sight of the reviewers so far there was no suprises. Read more
Having a catch sight of the reviewers so far there was no suprises. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Snejana Damwell
It's a no brainer, disinter Eddie Coffin
Like many other reviews, mine is lukewarm about this book. And yet like many other reviewers, I was wildly enthusiastic about the earlier books. Under The Frog was a seminal work. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Ian Edward
A fine collection of sentences, but missing a plot...
It's a wish-fulfilment fantasy where a man takes on a new identity and reinvents himself in Miami (where everything admits of several layers of fakery anyway: I suppose if you want... Read more
Published 21 months ago by James C. Foreman
Disappointing
I read the Thought Gang years ago and enjoyed it very much; as a result I have read a few more of Tibor Fischer's books and been left wanting. Read more
Published on 30 Oct 2009 by Mr. Richard Moss
Blokey novel of middle-aged male despair
Enjoyable, witty, and provocative about the causes and consequences of life's disappointments. Nicely anti-religious and anti-clerical, though not in a heavy-handed way, as so much... Read more
Published on 13 Aug 2009 by Jezza
Disappointing
I wonder if I qualify to give a review on this as I only gave it 100 pages before binning it. In short, really disappointing, especially as I loved Under the Frog and, as an... Read more
Published on 3 Aug 2009 by Pelikan Elvtars
Oh no it's a real disappointment
Well he's finally run out of inspiration and I am gutted. I've been a huge fan and evangelist for years e.g. Read more
Published on 25 Nov 2008 by Peter Braham
His best
"I tried to live my life decently. For a long time. I really did, but it didn't work." Through an entertaining story, Fischer's new novel evokes the casual, regretful... Read more
Published on 10 Nov 2008 by Mr. Stephen Vizinczey
Oh God
Oh God ...the best so far. A real page turner with great wit and pace. Can't wait to visit the haunts when I next visit Miami.
Published on 26 Oct 2008 by Sophie
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