Publication Date: September 27, 2013
Zach Preston arrives in Heaven after a relatively short life to find his memories gone and a need to regain his memories and readjust through Heaven’s orientation process. Seems Heaven is not as perfect it’s cracked up to be. Zach must adjust to his new life and learn the secrets of enlightenment.
I just love Ford Forkum’s sense of humor. I have previously likened this author to Douglas Adams and Jasper Fforde (read my review of [easyazon-link asin=”B00806SB5W” locale=”us”]Alien Invasion of the Zombie Apocalypse[/easyazon-link] by clicking here). In [easyazon-link asin=”B00FI8I8I0″ locale=”us”]Beers In Heaven (A Modern Afterlife Novel)[/easyazon-link], Forkum lands more heavily in the surreal whackadoo land that is the wonderful Fforde.
From the moment Zach arrives in Heaven things go off course. He opens his eyes in the processing center and wanders off to the wrong cloud where he meets a talking giraffe who subsequently names himself Woobles. The story line of a giraffe floating in space pondering his existence and purpose that is so like something Douglas Adams would have written and yet spoken with such a unique voice that I inwardly cheered for the creation of Woobles and his brilliant insertion into this truly fun story line. Zach is eventually found and returned to the Welcome Center where he must learn the ins and outs about being dead and his path to enlightenment. Forkum’s characters are well developed and able to maintain a strong normality in completely insane circumstance.
Under the wacky comedy and sarcasm, Forkum shows a philosophical side in his commentary about the way we live life, the afterlife and the ultimate goal of enlightenment. Heaven in Forkum’s book is not a shiny utopia but a hybrid of Earth mostly running smoothly but certainly with its problems. There are some very hard working angels in the afterlife. Poor Amber (who I have to think if a riff on Amber Alert) must find and sooth the newly dead and very frightened Zach. Forkum’s characters are so well written and fit so well into the plot that I put this book down with the strong urge to pick it up and read again.
Forkum’s forte is humor and he delivers it in spades in [easyazon-link asin=”B00FI8I8I0″ locale=”us”]Beers In Heaven (A Modern Afterlife Novel)[/easyazon-link].
I cannot give this funny and clever novel anything less than five stars and eagerly await the next work by this fabulous author.
If this sounds like a book for you read an excerpt and buy Beers in Heaven by Ford Forkum on:
Amazon U.S. • Amazon U.K. • Amazon Canada
[easyazon-link asin=”B00806SB5W” locale=”us”]Alien Invasion of the Zombie Apocalypse[/easyazon-link] was nominee of the 2013 eFestival of Words of the Independent eBook Awards for science fiction.
For more information about Ford Forkum and his work visit his His Beer in Heaven website. You can connect with Ford Forkum on Goodreads, Facebook and on Twitter @FordForkum.