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Nick

A madcap post apocalyptic romp. Plus donuts.

Reviewed in the United States on June 28, 2019

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First, the tl;dr version. It's funny, unpredictable, and enjoyable. I definitely recommend reading it, especially if you enjoyed Superego or Sidequest.

Imagine a world in the future that's like Nineteen Eighty-four. You know, the one with Big Brother and the Thought Police. Now imagine it being run by the people who work at the DMV. Except not as motivated. That's the setting for this book. The heroes of the story are... not very bright. They've been left behind by the world but at least they have each other. Unless a better opportunity arises. The story starts with Satan and donuts, the latter being much more interesting to Doug, the main character. It moves at a rapid pace and in unexpected directions. I laughed, a lot. There are beautiful women, gunfights, explosions, dramatic betrayals, hanging lampshades, and even robots. No vampires though (sparkly or otherwise) or zombies, thank goodness. It's a fun way to spend an afternoon and a good story too.

D. Segrist

Fun Saving The Universe From Satan (Or For Satan, Or Something)

Reviewed in the United States on August 16, 2019

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You may not recognize the name Frank J. Fleming, but, if you've been wise in your choice of friends online, you have undoubtedly seen his ridiculous-yet-accurate headlines shared from the always entertaining Babylon Bee.

Hellbender is a comic dystopian science fiction adventure involving Satan. We readers are not exactly sure what Satan wants because our protagonist, when striking the deal, was distracted by donuts.

That would be Doug, the hapless one. He is joined by Bryce, the one always working an angle, Charlene, the one doing her best to fit into a cruel society that hates her type, and Lulu who can be counted on to just be herself no matter what impossible situations the author puts her in.

These four outcasts alternatively try to get paid or save the universe, while an amusing cast of supporting characters tries to stop them or, very occasionally, help them. Maybe. Of course there is a comic relief robot sidekick (as the genre demands), this one obeying the letter of the Asmovian Three Laws but, hilariously, not the spirit.

Buy this book! Help Frank get paid (and, who knows, maybe save the universe)!

Thaddeus Wert

The Funniest Book I've Read In Years

Reviewed in the United States on November 6, 2019

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This is the first thing I've read by Frank Fleming, and I really enjoyed it. It is a crazy mix of surrealism, slapstick humor, cultural satire, and sci-fi adventure with a dash of theology slyly thrown in. There were lots of passages where I laughed so hard I had to stop reading to catch my breath. Here's an example:

Bryce's phone started ringing. He pulled it out and glanced at it. "Ugh. It's the woman I met at the re-education center. I don't need her any more...but I might as well let her down easy. " He handed the phone to Doug. "Answer it and tell her you found the phone on my dead body."
Doug hated it when Bryce made him lie for him; Doug was never very good at it.
"Hello?"
"Bryce?" the woman on the other end asked.
"No...uh, I just found this phone on a dead body. Maybe that was Bryce."
"He's dead?! What happened?"
"Well...uh..." Doug knew taking too long to answer would give the game away, so he said the first thing that popped into his head.
"A donkey fell on him."
"In the city?"
"It fell out of a building...onto him. It's dead too." Doug looked to Bryce and saw Bryce was fervently making a throat cutting motion. "I'm going to kill you."
Bryce snatched the phone away and hung up. "That meant cut the conversation!"
"Sorry! I get nervous when I lie!"
Bryce pocketed the phone. "Well, hopefully that will keep her from calling again."

As the story progresses, though, the still-present humor takes a backseat to the main plot, which involves a quartet of bumbling airheads battling demonic forces to save their universe. I can't say more than that without spoiling the fun, but trust me, it is a wonderfully entertaining read.

Bryce, Lulu, Charlene, and Doug are "war orphans" who can't live each other and can't live without each other. Each one represents a different personality type: Bryce is the superficial charmer, Lulu is the zany entertainer, Charlene is the loyal organizer, and Doug is the long suffering heart of the group. Against all odds, they overcome all kinds of trials.

If you want an incredibly fun read that makes you think, then you can't go wrong with Hellbender. I can't wait for Fleming's next one.

Amazon Customer

The first and last sentences tell the tale - the rest is an endlessly delightful filler

Reviewed in the United States on August 9, 2019

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Frank J Fleming is a genius. His latest novel, Hellbender, starts with a perfectly constructed opening sentence. What follows is a series of bizarrely captivating plot threads, some of which may or may not be traps, that lead the reader through a fast-paced thrill ride of dangerous situations, constant betrayal, and compelling characters. I couldn’t put it down.

Eric M Hamilton

A fantastic book that is deeper than it first seems

Reviewed in the United States on December 28, 2019

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I did not know exactly what to expect when I got first got this book. I originally bought it on a whim after seeing a snippet that featured a Naom Chomsky joke, and I was fairly certain I'd enjoy the rest. I certainly did. I ended up finishing this as an audiobook (which is a great production, by the way), and there were three points I had to stop it, I was laughing so hard. I listened to part of it with my wife on a roadtrip, and one of her comments was an incredulous, "What IS this book?" and a bemused chuckle. Even now, I don't know exactly how to describe the book, but I can tell you that I enjoyed it. It was funny, amusing, and also (perhaps ingeniously) thought-provoking. I whole-heartedly recommend this book.

Bruce Parrello

Philosophical slapstick

Reviewed in the United States on October 29, 2019

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This is broad humor-- four dumb characters stumbling through crazy situations-- and it is expertly done. The author combines slapstick-level humor with satire, religious philosophy, and deep insights into the modern world, an impressive feat. But even if you don't want to learn anything about the nature of social change or the relationship between man and morality, you will ne unable to stop laughing at the incredible exploits of Doug and his friends. Read this book!

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