Customer Reviews

It's Only Temporary

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

 

 

Hours before the world ends, Sean decides to take the three hour drive to his former girlfriend's house so he can die in her arms. He says goodbye to his parents, takes his dad's gun, and drives off towards his girl's house. He makes some stops that aren't necessary, such as to his favorite diner, where the proprietor shoots at him for walking out with a glass. People act in unbelievable manners at times in this book, and the narrator's description of his mother was a bit offputting.

Then he encounters some villians straight out of Mad Max who are throwing women out of a camper van. He picks up one of the women and they go after the two crazy men. After that situation is dealt with, they go to a house in search of a car (his Explorer ran out of gas) and end up helping a couple deliver a baby. These are a few of the things he stalls around with as he makes his way to his ex.

Along the journey he does plenty of drugs, thinks back to his time dating the girl, and gets in a car wreck. After the wreck, there is a brief "anti-psychotic episode" and the story gets back on track only to get bogged down in a rediculous subplot about wild lions.

Will he make it to the girl's house? You will have to read it to find out. It is a very short book and the print is pretty big, so it won't take long to finish and it is quite entertaining. Except for the part about the lions, which made you wonder if the whole thing was a dream. Shapiro is an author I would check out again.

I started this story about Two hours ago, and I just got finished. I read it in one sitting. I could not tear myself away from it. It grabbed me by the throat on the first page, and I am still trying to catch my breath.

The story takes place on Humanity's last day. A Meteor is heading straight for Earth, and nothing can be done to stop it. The story follows a young man named Sean, and his struggles. His physical struggle to reach is ex girlfriend before the Meteor hits, and his mental struggle to find God, and the meaning of Life. You witness the worlds last few hours through his eyes.

This story made me laugh, almost cry, and laugh some more. It was a true pleasure to read. I have to say that this is one of the best Apocalyptic stories I have ever read. I hated to see this book end. Eric is one heck of a Storyteller. He knows how to write a story that will stay with you long after you finish it.

I recommend Its Only Temporary to anyone that wants to read a adrenaline packed story that is at the same time very deep and beautiful.

It will stay with me for a very long time.

Yep, I did it- I ruined the rating of this short story- yes, it's a short story- it's only a hundred pages.

I really, really wanted to like this book- especially after paying full book price for a short story, and after all the glowing reviews.

However, I felt as though there were am series of well-written and sometimes quite shocking scenes kinda home sewn together with the wrong colored string. Like the was no actual plot, just the weak idea of a young man deciding to spend his last moments with his lost love. Beyond that there's no rhyme or reason to any of the happenings in this story.

I wouldn't want to discourage anyone from reading this, as obviously many other's have enjoyed it, but I felt it only fair that I share my opinion and review as well, even if it isn't as glowing at its predecesors.

I have 2 warnings about this book before I go into any sort of review: 1 it's a short story, 100 pages long, and big type. 2 it's no intelectual piece of literature, you've not going to have a better understanding about humanity from reading this book. If those 2 things bother you, dont touch this book.

But if they dont, I would highly recommend this story. The tale is simple: The world is going to end, in about 8 hours, and the narrator wants to be with his ex-girlfriend when the crap hits the fan. His story rolls around a couple twists and turns obviously put in to stretch it all out (the bus and the lions are a particually stupid set of events), as well as some good old fashioned social commentary that hits home hard. Shapiro is even clever enough to make you question his whole spiel right down to the end. All in all a good read that is easily blown through in a day. You wont regret reading this book.

I buy A LOT of Permuted Press books, and I have to say that this little guy was the worst. Reminded me of a short story a high school kid would come up with. Very disappointed, as reviews were pretty good on it. If you're an adult, don't be fooled by the good reviews this thing got. It's clearly been reviewed by 12 year-olds.

Sean always thought he had plenty of time to make something of himself until six weeks ago when the government proclaimed that a meteor was going to strike the earth; best estimates were 60,000 would survive the impact. On his last day of existence, Sean spends it with his beloved Selma, who ended their relationship to start seeing another man before the pandemic collision was announced.

With a few hours left in the countdown, Sean drives off into the "sunset to be with his lost love. On a deserted road, he picks up a previously kidnapped woman who persuades him to rescue the others. When that is completed they head up to someone's home to get a car and wind up delivering a baby. Will he get to Selma before the people of earth are wiped out?.

Eric Shapiro's fine tale with its limited cast will remind the audience of some of the classic disaster tales from the 1950s and 1960s like On the Beach. The story line is action-packed, but as the countdown continues, readers will begin to believe that no Bruce Willis will save the world from Armageddon. Instead the plot is an insightful character study of what one person finally understanding that life, IT'S ONLY TEMPORARY, and must choose what to do while the clock ticking towards certain death nears

If you knew in a few short hours earth would be destroyed how would you spend your precious time? With family? Friends? Doing all those horrible things you've always REALLY wanted to do? If you're Sean--a recent somewhat aimless college graduate-you take to the road to find the one girl you ever really loved (and lost).

Eric Shapiro has done a dangerous thing in "It's Only Temporary": he's written an apocalyptic love story. Wait, don't stop reading because of the "love story" part! This book is so well written, so stylish, so intense that, when you finish, you won't feel like you've read a love story. You'll feel like you've just been on a trip through a hellish apocalyptic world that's pulling apart at the seams with REAL people. There's the key: Shapiro's characters feel like living, breathing people with real problems, real worries, and real desires trying to deal with an insane situation.

Imagine Chuck Palahniuk rewriting "Love Story" and "The Stand" as a single tale then going back and trimming it to the absolute bone and you've got something in the ball park of "It's Only Temporary". If you're a fan of reading at all do yourself a favor and read this book!

For more reviews visit our site at http://www.thereaderreviews.com

Animal trainers introducing "human" prey? People sorting out a hit list? These are just two elements of madness Eric Shapiro's It's Only Temporary portrays when the end of the world is at hand.

Perpetual goodbyes with parents to last erotic episodes with a loved one are all scenarios Eric Shapiro paints to the reader to get them into the insane thinking of a human being faced with the world's upcoming demise.

Eric's usage of first person POV is just the right angle to delve deeper into one's mind. We, the reader, get an opportunity to live Sean's final hours, read his thoughts, travel the zany road of misfortune and suppositions of the human race. The adrenaline rush runs through you from page one up to earth's conclusion.

If you are searching for a chilling tale of how humanity loses grip with reality when the world is at its last stance, then It's Only Temporary is Highly Recommended. A roller coaster ride of emotions will keep you glued to your seat.

A great read. Fun fast and vivid. You will love the fast pace and diff take on horror

This book was really god awful, i normally don't rate a book this low unless it is totally devoid of any value. This book jumps all over the place without a coherant thought or premise. The only thing we as readers know for sure is the world is going to be smashed by a comet, thats all. This guy runs around half in fantasy and half in reality and the author just bounces the reader off so many walls you really can't get a take on things. If the book was 1,000 pages then the author might have the room for this kind of character development, but in a novella or a short book there's no time. I read this disaster with anticipation that it was going to get really good on the next page, well i ran out of pages and this book should never have been printed. I think that with some more work this story could be fleshed out and made more coherant but right now don't waste your time or money.