Book Review: Mercury Falls

Author: Rob Kroese
Released: July 2009 by St. Culain Press
Copy Provided by: Author
Summary from GoodReads:

Years of covering the antics of End Times cults for The Banner, a religious news magazine, have left Christine Temetri not only jaded but seriously questioning her career choice. That is, until she meets Mercury, an anti-establishment angel who's frittering his time away whipping up batches of Rice Krispy Treats and perfecting his ping-pong backhand instead of doing his job: helping to orchestrate Armageddon. With the end near and angels and demons debating the finer political points of the Apocalypse, Christine and Mercury accidentally foil an attempt to assassinate one Karl Grissom, a thirty-seven-year-old film school dropout about to make his big break as the Antichrist. Now, to save the world, she must negotiate the byzantine bureaucracies of Heaven and Hell and convince the apathetic Mercury to take a stand, all the while putting up with the obnoxious mouth-breathing Antichrist.

Mercury Falls is a novel that is full of surprises. From reading the description, I was not completely sure what I was getting into. Yet after getting a few pages in, I was hooked. The pacing was excellent. And the novel brilliantly examines the idea of free will in a deliciously humorous way. I have to say that I have never read anything like this novel. The closest thing that I can relate this novel to is Monty Python. To be honest, the whole time I was reading the novel, I could just picture the actors doing a play version of this novel. And it made me laugh even more.

Thankfully, there is a lot more to the novel than just laughs. Kroese has a great ability to blend theology with humor, satire, and a bunch of other elements. After reading this novel, I know that it is not going to be for everyone, and some may even take offense. However, I think that Kroese is very respectful of different religious ideals. His novel is not meant to poke fun at religion, but more to poke fun at aspects of our society. But those brave enough to take the journey into this Apocalypse themed novel, you are in for a first class treat.