Death: A Life [Paperback]

George Pendle (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 30, 2008

The shocking new memoir from Death

At last, the mysterious, feared, and misunderstood being known only as “Death” talks frankly and unforgettably about his infinitely awful existence. Chronicling his abusive childhood, his near-fatal addiction to Life, his excruciating time in rehab, and the ultimate triumph of his true nature, this long-awaited autobiography finally reveals the inner story of one of the most troubling, and troubled, figures in history. For the first time, Death reveals his affairs with the living, his maltreatment at the hands of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, the ungodly truth behind the infamous “Jesus Incident,” and the loneliness of being the End of All Things.

Intense, unpredictable, and instantly engaging, Death: A Life is not only a story of triumph against all odds, but also a tender, moving tale of unconditional love in a universe that, despite its profound flaws, gave Death the fiery determination to carve out a successful existence on his own terms.

DEATH was born in Hell, the only son of Satan and Sin. He was educated in the Palace of Pandemonium and the Garden of Eden. Since before the Dawn of Time, he has ushered souls into the darkness of eternity. This is his first book.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Pendle turns out a wicked satire of death in this faux autobiography. Death, the spawn of Sin and Satan, begins his story at the dawn of creation, before the beginning of God's newest project, Earth. With only a bit of the Darkness from the deepest depths as a keepsake, Death and family travel to the freshly minted Earth, where Death's father takes advantage of the gullible animals (prior to Satan's arrival, the T-Rex was a vegetarian). It isn't until Death accidentally kills a unicorn that he realizes his calling, and soon he recounts his role in some of the most celebrated deaths in history, including Cain's murder of Abel, Socrates' suicide and the resurrection of Jesus. However, Death's profession is demanding and solitary, and at the urging of his only human friend, he begins to dabble with Life to relieve stress. He forms a physical dependency on Life, and after a 10-day period in 1582 when nothing dies, Death is forced into rehab and begins his painful recovery. Pendle's coruscating wit is a great match for the material, and he makes the most of it. (Sept.)
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Product Details

• Paperback: 250 pages
• Publisher: Three Rivers Press (September 30, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 030739560X
• ISBN-13: 978-0307395603
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.7 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #223,045 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Fictional

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Addicted to Death, November 26, 2008

By 

Natalie Austin "Candy Collie" (Spokane, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Death: A Life (Paperback)

It's rare that I find any book such as this where I can't just put it down for more than five minutes before wanting to pick it back up again (if I can put it down at all!) Something about this book has a draw, as Death explains his draw to the dead, like metal to a magnet.

My desire to read this book followed me everywhere, and as it sits beside me now I wish to pick it up again! Motion sickness on car-rides didn't stop me, and neither did the constant nagging of work to be done. I was enthralled, intoxicated, tied to this book and drinking it in whenever and wherever I could manage!

The subject matter is intriguing enough to capture the reader, and the utter sacrilege of the humor inside is enough to keep a smile on your lips through it all. Nostalgic Trees, Snarky Unicorns, Maude's love of dying, and a Spoiled Rotten Christ; every joke is memorable and worth at least a good chuckle out loud, if not a good belly-laugh.

The plot as well has a magnificent flow of mystery, tragedy, and romance, all in a conveniently controversial package laced with sex and violence. Just as Death described the Roman Empire, it's "a bloodbath, a slaughter sauna, a Jacuzzi of gore." Ok, maybe a little more toned down.

I do not want to heighten expectations for those who just won't get it, because this book is vulgar, crude, and a complete mockery of Creation and God Himself. However, for those who like to poke fun at things as this, or who can find humor in the obviously funny, this is the perfect book. It's witty, shocking, and perhaps even moving! I'd suggest it to anyone who isn't easily offended!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Everyone must answer to him, November 10, 2008

By 

R. Howell "boriskhan" (Medford, OR) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Death: A Life (Paperback)

Death. The End of All Things. There's no real way to negotiate yourself out of it. In this humor novel, Death, son of Satan and Sin comes into existence as God has started Project Creation. Once a guardian to the gates of Hell, Satan and Sin take a field trip to Earth with Death in tow but an arguement leaves Death somewhere out there, on his own and eventually finds his own way to earth after encountering Gabriel and Urizel. Once on earth, Death gets to know the life here and finds out what his purpose is in life, to release the souls of everything else. As he grows in his existence, he encounters many historical, biblical, and mythological people & creatures. With the Book of Death, he travels the world, releasing the deceased but a snag arises when he travels to Golgotha and there's someone being crucified that is not in his Book.

Who knew unicorns were so mouthy? Who knew the dachsunds are the reasons faeries are extinct? Who knew Jesus' preferred sport is paddleball? What's up with the angel Reginald being locked in Hell? Who knew the unofficial fourth Horseman was Sunburn? Who is Maud? Why was Death sent to the asylum/clinic? What's up with the over-anxious Gabriel?

Great little pictures throughout. Good humor and unique takes on events through history and pre-history. However, for those of religious faiths, this book could easily offend. Be warned, otherwise be prepared to laugh to yourself over the flow of humor as the story unfolds.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars HILARIOUS!!, February 4, 2009

By 

FabDiva - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Death: A Life (Paperback)

This is an amazingly funny book. Pendle has an astonishingly wry sense of humor, which is coupled with an endearing sympathy for his characters. By turns sarcastic and sentimental, Death: A Life is a tour de force of creativity, conjuring up a hilarious biography of Death's birth, addiction to Life, and clinical recovery. With exquisite prose, Pendle writes with verve, never leaving the reader to languish in a dull moment. I can't remember the last time a book made me laugh out loud like this one!