Customer Reviews

Second Coming Attractions

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Critics of this short novel seem quick to be harsh towards its "lack" of powerful and satirical points to drive home, but as a former Fundamentalist Christian I found his keen perceptions of the extremist Christians to be dead-on and absolutely hilarious, partly because I've had first-hand experience with God's less logical and misguided creations. I found it to be a very engaging read and I am planning to pick up some of his other works. Definitely worth more than the 4 dollars I paid for it. I fully intend to pass this book on to my friends.

A dubious use of good paper and ink, this satire has an interesting premise and takes it nowhere, fortunately the non-journey is quick, and the reader can move on to more profitable fare. The hype the St. Martin's publicist gives the book makes one wonder if she even read it... It starts as a moderately interesting look at the inspiration Christian film "industry" which makes it's point in the first thirty pages and then keep repeating, until there is enough paper to be bound into a book. Despite my personal predisposition to laugh at jokes about Christian "culture," this book is not nearly as funny as it (or the publisher) wishes it was.

"Attractions" was not quite what I expected when I picked it up (from a remainders rack). I was expecting more of a satire of Hollywood, and less of the Christian entertainment industry. Still, it was a pleasant, and often very funny, read. No, this is not the Great American Novel. You will learn no great truths, or get any insights into the meaning of life. You will be entertained, nothing more or less. This is not reading for The Art of Literature - This is something to read on a summer afternoon in the park, or on a crowded flight, when you don't want to (or can't) give your full concentration to something more serious. Here's the truth of my recommendation: I came back to this page in order to see what else David Prill had written. If I'm willing to give him a second shot, it couldn't be as bad as all that, could it? (For comparison, some of my favorite authors are John Irving, Kurt Vonnegut, Martin Amis, & Don Delillo)

David Prill's first two novels won him a cult following among horror fans who appreciate his warped world view and macabre sense of humor. In The Unnatural, embalming took baseball's place as the national pastime. Serial Killer Days told the story of a small Minnesota town that actually celebrates the annual visits of a serial killer. This time out, Prill targets the Christian inspirational film industry, with the story of Good Samaritan Films, producers of such epics as The Man Who Rose Again and Three Strikes and You're Saved.

The main character of Second Coming Attractions is Leviticus Speck, son of Good Samaritan founder Noah Speck. Leviticus wonders if the films produced by Good Samaritan are relevant to today's Christian audience. Good Samaritan is not the powerhouse it once was, as evidenced by a declining market share and a challenge from an upstart, Blood of the Lamb Films. This new company produces films with grim anti-abortion messages, usurping markets that Good Samaritan once dominated.

Leviticus, obsessed with his rivals, is willing to do anything to thwart them. Introduced to a hot property that seems tailor made for Blood of the Lamb, Leviticus pretends his studio is interested in the project even though he has no intention of ever making the film. What follows is grim farce, as Leviticus and young screenwriter Nicholas Puckett collaborate on a script for an anti-abortion action film called "The Fetal Detective". The title character (nicknamed "The Unborn Avenger") is a trash talking, gun-toting fetus who dispatches his pro-choice enemies from the womb.

Once again, Prill creates convincing, sympathetic characters and places them in a world which, though ridiculous, is so fully imagined that readers have to buy in. Along the way, he demonstrates his talent for offbeat, off the wall humor, all the while delivering a message against intolerance and one dimensional thinking. Whether writing about a pistol-packing fetus, a support group for spouses of actors who portray deities, or abortion clinic violence, Prill writes authority and conviction.

Although Prill comes close to overdoing it at times (naming a character "Una Bonner" will probably make you groan out loud), he walks a fine line without becoming preachy. Nobody writes like Prill, and nobody covers the same bizarre terrain.

What a waste of a great premise. This subject is begging for a good satircal novel. This isn't it.