Customer Reviews

Afterlife

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Page turner. Amazing look at what no one has ever reported seeing. An enjoyable read. Highly recomended.

Guy Smith's story of a newly dead ghost's travails is told in such a witty way that it seems impossible there could be any poignancy to the book. But on the contrary, it's a sort of Texas-style, stiff-upper-lip, telling that attempts to mask, but can't hide, a very moving and vulnerable story. Sounds just like how we often try to gloss over the most profound issues and challenges in life. And it is just like that. Funny and moving, it's a great read.

I enjoyed reading the book Afterlife by Author Guy Smith [...]It was a fun read, great writing style, yet hugely thought provoking. It sent me off on a Google search of "Purgatory" a term I recollect from a past life (jk) as a Catholic and brings a new perspective to the saying "Walk towards the Light".

Guy Smith takes on the age-old question of the afterlife and spins a quirky tale about the dilemma of death. Smith's style is very visual. The book could easily be a movie. His detailed description of the time slices in a car accident are right on the money and he builds a realistic, if whacky, cast of characters in the world of the departed.
Is it all over once you die? Somewhat reminiscent of the movie "Ghost", but with a sack-load of irreverence, and a finger to fairy tales, Guy Smith keeps you guessing to the last.

Guy Smith intriguingly expounds on what is to come after life in this light "ghost" love story. Scarily, it seems to be written with insight. What an imagination!! It's a quick read, yet leaves enduring contemplations.
Afterlife

Snarky

If you are a fan of loose, breezy -- and especially snarky -- prose, you'll love this little wise-a$$ handful of a book.

The subject matter almost doesn't matter -- the character insights and interactions are just fun -- even when (maybe especially) when tragic. It is perhaps the dissonance of tragic/snarky that makes the book compelling.

Easy to read from cover to cover in an afternoon, or short flight -- I definitely recommend.

Guy Smith is acerbic, bizarre, and utterly deranged. I mean that in the nicest possible sense, of course. In this novella-length work, he equally offends both Christians and atheists. I suspect Buddhists might take exception, as well.

"Afterlife" took a few twists and turns that surprised me, which is hard to do because I am fairly well twisted myself. Smith's conception of life after death is not too far removed from Bruce Rubin's, but the ending is much less idyllic. Demi Moore superfans will get that reference. You know who you are . . .

Independent film makers take note: I see a great script attempting to claw its way out of this book. Hollywood won't tackle it; the cloyingly sweet ending is absent. Tom Waits, maybe. Or Jim Jarmusch.

Buy the book. It's cheap - tack it on to your next Amazon order. You won't be sorry.

Afterlife
This book, Afterlife, by Guy Smith, a new writer, is a winner -- five stars plus: 1) Because of its human depth of touch, Afterlife engages the reader in a much larger way than its novella nature might suggest; 2) The story line is riveting with its unfolding plot, twists and turns, surprises, insights and pleasures; 3) Character presence of both main and incidental figures is remarkable in presenting the individuality of their life and death story; 4) I would not call the story humorous. It is written with good humor. My eyes were often wet with tears of sadness, joy and enthusiastic cheering; 5) Much of society keeps death's possible discomfort distant, whether by incarceration, white sterile settings, condolences by platitudes, thinking death is elsewhere, later or not for me. Afterlife has us there with the flesh of death, and the plethora of society's forces and professionals who appear to the bane (often under the guise of caring) or enlightenment of survivors; and, then, Plus) There is a pervading warmth and love within this text which is rich with a freedom offered to the reader to explore his or her own intimacy with the subject.

I always welcome a good interpretation of the afterlife, but this book was one of the most interesting I've read. You have to appreciate a man who demonstrates such a love for his wife. Without saying too much--don't want to spoil the fun--the main character may ooze love for his wife but his wicked sense of humor makes for a titillating read. There were a couple of things I didn't like so much, like the harshness of some of the characters, but I suppose that was essential to move the plot along. Every book has its flaws. Regardless, this is an entertaining, short book for a weekend at the beach or a long plane ride.

The book has a lot of humor considering the dark subject matter. What got me was how the humor and love story kept me reading until the protagonist's afterlife is ripped apart at the end of the book. Short enough for a weekend or a business trip. I strongly recommend this book.