Beezer

Beezer, Book 1

By: Brandon T. Snider

Narrated by: Fred Berman, Eric Yves Garcia, Joniece Abbott-Pratt, Margaret Ying Drake, Ellen Archer, Steve Rimpici, Jennifer Van Dyck, Neil Hellegers, Sanjiv Jhaveri, Gabriel Vaughan, Josh Hurley

Length: 2 hrs and 8 mins

Publisher's summary

Beelzebub, the prince of demons, is bored. It's his destiny to one day rule the dark underworld known as the Red Realm, but it's sooo boring down there. All he wants to do is lay around all day in the lava pits (ahhh), boss everyone around (rude!), and maybe play a cruel prank (or two). But Beelzebub's father has had it with his son's nasty attitude. No one backtalks the Red King. NO ONE. 

A disgraced Beelzebub is banished by his father and cursed to spend his days in the worst place either of them can imagine. EARTH. Now Beezer (his new name...which he hates...) has to navigate a family (who are way too nice for his liking) that doesn't know the truth behind where he really came from. Oh, and his human body? Not a fan. Too many feelings! And it makes weird sounds. 

What would Beezer do to get back home and reclaim his rightful place next to his father? Anything it takes. That is unless, he finds a new path (ugh work).

©2019 Brandon T. Snider (P)2020 Audible Originals, LLC.

The Devil I Like

Who would have thought I would like the Devil's son.

Well the devil' son in this story is likable. You find yourself routing for the little imp towards the ends.

Good always wins out.

Love this story. My only issue is it wasnt long enough for my liking.

Also, is there a part 2 coming. It kinda ending like one is coming along. ;)

Surprisingly good book.

I really enjoyed the premise of the story. I really loved how Beelzebub came to know his true self. And it showed the power of family. definitely five stars

Great

Enjoyable, snazzy and different! The story was imaginative with believable characters. Loved the vocal performance!

Amusing, if a Little Damaged by Sitcom English

The conceit of Brandon T. Snider’s Beezer (2019) is that Beezlebub, prince of demons and of hell (the Red Realm), so disappoints his father for lying around playing pranks or games instead of studying dark arts, cultivating supernatural powers, or desiring to destroy souls, that Lucifer banishes him to earth, where he wakes up as a newly adopted thirteen-year-old boy (called Beezer) in a quirky loving family comprised of mother Jessica Lewis and fellow adoptees eleven-year old Lucy and nine-year-old Dash, each of the three children being a different skin color. How will he fit into this multiracial “lovey dovey” family into group hugs and supporting and communicating with each other no matter what? Especially when Jessica is out of work, scrambling to get by, and receiving charity food. What will happen when Beezer goes to the mall or public library or meets kids from Lucy and Dash’s school? Will he ever be able to access his innate dark powers or open a portal leading back to the Red Realm? Will he ever get used to his human body, with its unfortunate needs and weaknesses?

The best lines express Beezer’s perceptions of new experiences in his human earthbound body. He says things like, “Exiled to this backwater heaven-hole without powers,” “This human skin suit is so heavy,” and “Being human is so weird.” When hearing chirping birds, he says, “Quiet, you earth harpies.” When told about the mall, he says, “A meeting place where sad people buy things and eat slop in a court.” When trying to influence a worker to give him a red suit, he calls her, “Human saleswoman.” Such moments are one of the pleasures of the book.

That said, it is geared too obviously for kids, with body humor aplenty--belches, farts, boogers, peeing, etc. As well as too much too speedy and righteous and definitive comeuppance for too obviously awful bullies. And the characters talk too much American sitcom English. Even before he is exiled to Earth, Beezer talks for some reason like a boy raised on American TV shows, saying things like, “What I’m telling you is that this place sucks” and “Get real,” and “Oh no no no no!” and “You’re the prince of fricking demons” etc. (This problem obtains with Disney movies like Moanna, Frozen, and Tangled, where the protagonist in a fantasy story with no narrative connection to America talks like they’ve been weaned on American sit com dialogue.)

Furthermore, all the “We're here for you no matter what” and group hugs and deep breaths and express your feelings and be yourself can almost get cloying.

Interestingly, some audible reviewers say the book is not for kids, and I have no idea what they mean. There’s no sex or graphic violence or swearing, so… Does the supposed problem for kids derive from the protagonist being the demon prince of hell and from the story featuring witchcraft, imps, goblins, demons, and hags, not to mention Lucifer himself? Why would those necessarily be bad things for kids to read about (or to listen to)? It must be a Christian thing? The story itself is all about finding one's own life-road in the context of a loving (multiracial) family (“Families come in all shapes and sizes”), about treating people with kindness and respect, and about getting outside your comfort zone to try new things. The only non-salubrious thing in it for kids I noticed was the sitcom American English!

The concept is fun and there are funny moments and surprising developments (like Beezer’s “coming out” to the Lewises), and the voice acting by Fred Berman as Beezlebub, Janiece Abbott-Pratt as Lucy, and Margaret Ying Drake as Dash, is lively and smooth (once you get used to Berman’s overly dramatic flourishes as Beezer). The radio drama-like audiobook is entertaining and doesn’t overstay its welcome. I even want to listen to the sequel.

Fun

Fun story. Clever writing. Lot of great narrators. Both me and the kids enjoyed it.

i really enjoyed this story5

This was a great book.. lThe story behind it was ngood & I enjoyed all the characters. Thumbs up for this one.

Great audio book for monthly freebie

I actually liked this short book that what to play it again to my grandson. It was actually a good story usually most of the monthly freebies are a miss. But this one hit the target board.

I'm amazed and I recommend

I loved all the characters. I recommend for all ages. I hope there's more coming.

Fun throughout!

Loved it! Cute, quirky and funny! It was a surprisingly fun book to listen to!

This was adorable

This book was adorable. The voice acting was great, I laughed so much listening to it.