Divine Misfortune

By: A. Lee Martinez

Narrated by: Fred Berman

Length: 7 hrs and 48 mins

Publisher's summary

Teri and Phil had never needed their own personal god. But when Phil is passed up for a promotion - again - it's time to take matters into their own hands. And look online.

Choosing a god isn't as simple as you would think. There are too many choices; and they often have very hefty prices for their eternal devotion: blood, money, sacrifices, and vows of chastity. But then they find Luka, raccoon god of prosperity. All he wants is a small cut of their good fortune. Oh - and to crash on their couch for a few days.

Divine Misfortune is a story of gods and mortals - in worship, in love, and at parties.

©2010 A. Lee Martinez (P)2011 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Wonderful... from start to finish." (sfsignal.com)

Beware Gods with Baggage Lest it Smite You

Seems simple enough. Pick a god from an online list, pay tribute, reap the benefits of your god. Whether you need more money or greener grass, there is a god for you. Easy-peasy.

Not so fast. While most humans have baggage, we don't usually think about gods with baggage. Some of them have lots of it and when humans get into the mix, chaos and smiting can ensue. Lives can be lost and empires fall while the gods hash out their own petty differences among themselves. Unfortunately, gods are not required to disclose their baggage to their followers and ignorance is definitely NOT bliss!

This lighthearted little story contains many, many laugh out loud moments. (Beware of drinking coffee during your commute lest hilarity erupt in the story causing you to spatter your windshield in a fit of irrepressible laughter.) This is not high literature and will not reveal the mysteries of the cosmos, but it may help explain some of "those days". You know, the ones where everything just seems to go wrong for no apparent reason...the gods just might be quarreling again.

Fred Berman's performance is excellent and adds much to the telling of this tale. He is a great voice actor and seems that he and this story are very compatible. I wonder, is there a god for voice actors? Mr. Berman must be on the good side of that god ;-)

This is Funny

Would you listen to Divine Misfortune again? Why?

yes, because it's funny and the reader does an excellent job

What other book might you compare Divine Misfortune to and why?

none, I have never read a parnormal comedy before and that's what this is

Have you listened to any of Fred Berman’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Fred Berman is a master narrator, in my opionion. I choose this title because he was narrating. enough said.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

yes, and I did just that wanted more and purchased more of Matinez Books.

Hilarious, laugh out loud funny

This was the first book I've read by A. Lee Martinez - and I was hooked. It was funny (right up there with Tom Holt), irreverent, and a fast fun ride. Other books by this author had higher reviews, but this one just caught my interest. And I'm glad I started with it because I enjoyed it so much I went straight to his highest rated book (Gil's All Fright Diner) next and was very disappointed in comparison, and may not have given the author another chance had I read Diner first. But because of Divine Misfortune I'm willing to try a third.

Fun

Slightly predictable. Still fun mind candy. Fred Berman made Martinez' memorable characters lovable and lively.

Gods for sale!

I thought the concept of the novel was fun, the narrator was animated, and even the characters you hated made you laugh.

While not quite in the realm of similar classics like "Good Omens" or "Long Dark Tea-time of the Soul", this book did a good job of resurrecting the age of polytheism for the modern commercial age, and along the way demonstrated how living forever can screw with someone's value of life.

Silly Funny Hysterical

What did you like best about this story?

I loved the snark and humor throughout.

Which scene was your favorite?

Quick, the God on the couch, is my favorite supporting character and his limited interaction always made me laugh.

Any additional comments?

This is my second listen to an Alex Lee Martinez book. I already downloaded my third.

Fun

I chose Divine Misfortune because I wanted something bizarre that would make me laugh. I got what I was looking for.
Teri and Phil decide to give in to social trend and get themselves a god, because it seemed it was the only way to get anywhere in the world. Everywhere around them, people were using gods to prevent accidents , get promotions, ect.
Naturally, they think a god of luck will be a good choice.
But Luca's help comes with all kinds of unanticipated costs, and they continuously get more bizarre.
Divine Misfortune is great for a lighthearted, quick and irreverant read.

So much fun!

Would you consider the audio edition of Divine Misfortune to be better than the print version?

I have not read the print version, but I had fun listening to this and would recommend it to many people I know.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Divine Misfortune?

Lucky had a lot of nuance that made me laugh out loud at times, but I would have to say their interrupting a dream was fun to imagine.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes! Once I started, it was a hard novel to pause.

Good listen, fun concept, laughed out loud

I thoroughly enjoyed this audible book. I wasn't sure about the gods concept at first but they were integrated in a fun and funny way. And it wasn't all laughs, characters faced real moral quandries and grew from them. Would recommend!

A lot of fun

Very quirky, but a lot of fun. Interesting concept, executed well. No I'll need to check out his other books.