{"product_id":"9781597809184","title":"Until the Last Dog Dies","description":"\u003cstrong\u003eUntil the Last Dog Dies\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor(s): Robert Guffey\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eA young stand-up comedian must adapt to an apocalyptic virus affecting people’s sense of humor in this darkly satirical debut novel.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e What happens when all humor is wiped off the face of the Earth? \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Around the world, an unusual viral plague is striking the population. The virus attacks only one particular section of the brain. It isn’t fatal, but it results in the victim’s sense of humor being obliterated. No one is immune. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Elliot Greeley, a young stand-up comedian starving his way through alternative comedy clubs in Los Angeles, isn’t even certain the virus is real at first. But as the pandemic begins to eat away at the very heart of civilization itself, the virus affects Elliot and his close knit group of comedian friends in increasingly personal ways. What would you consider the end of the world? \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Until the Last Dog Dies is a sharp, cutting satire, both a clever twist on apocalyptic fiction and a poignant look at the things that make us human.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eReview(s):\u003cbr\u003e“By turns mystical and ashcan-real, insanely funny and grimly ghastly, Guffey’s novel cuts a zigzag trail through conventionality as it follows Elliot Greeley in his half-serious, half jesting quest for some deeper meaning to existence. If you build your life on laughs, what happens when the laughs disappear? Kissing cousin to Max Barry’s novel \u003ci\u003eLexicon\u003c\/i\u003e, about killer language, and to Ben Marcus’s \u003ci\u003eThe Flame Alphabet\u003c\/i\u003e, about language killed, Guffey’s standup debut is standout speculative fiction.” —Paul DiFilippo, \u003ci\u003eLocus\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Taps into the cultural zeitgeist . . . A nihilistic satire that takes the idea that death is easy and comedy is hard to a whole new level.”—\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Guffey’s debut takes full advantage of an absurd, unexpected premise, delivering one of the strangest dystopian novels in a year filled with them.”—\u003ci\u003eB\u0026amp;N Sci-Fi \u0026amp; Fantasy Blog\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Guffey’s sardonic, cleverly written comedic debut relies heavily on absurd synchronicity, bold characterization, and heavy irony to make its points about the apocalyptic nature of American humorlessness.”—\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Not only a novel unique to this [political] moment, but one that is to comedy what \u003ci\u003eCatch-22\u003c\/i\u003e was to war. One of the great books of the year.” —Adam-Troy Castro, \u003ci\u003eSci Fi Magazine\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “A playful amalgam of Andy Kaufman and Philip K. Dick by way of \u003ci\u003eShaun of the Dead\u003c\/i\u003e.” —Damien Lincoln Ober, author of \u003ci\u003eDoctor Benjamin Franklin's Dream America\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “This satirical tale explores the role of comedy in maintaining a healthy democracy. . . . A clever concept.”—\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“By turns mystical and ashcan-real, insanely funny and grimly ghastly, Guffey’s novel cuts a zigzag trail through conventionality as it follows Elliot Greeley in his half-serious, half jesting quest for some deeper meaning to existence. If you build your life on laughs, what happens when the laughs disappear? Kissing cousin to Max Barry’s novel \u003ci\u003eLexicon\u003c\/i\u003e, about killer language, and to Ben Marcus’s \u003ci\u003eThe Flame Alphabet\u003c\/i\u003e, about language killed, Guffey’s standup debut is standout speculative fiction.” —Paul DiFilippo, \u003ci\u003eLocus\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Taps into the cultural zeitgeist . . . A nihilistic satire that takes the idea that death is easy and comedy is hard to a whole new level.”—\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Guffey’s debut takes full advantage of an absurd, unexpected premise, delivering one of the strangest dystopian novels in a year filled with them.”—\u003ci\u003eB\u0026amp;N Sci-Fi \u0026amp; Fantasy Blog\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Guffey’s sardonic, cleverly written comedic debut relies heavily on absurd synchronicity, bold characterization, and heavy irony to make its points about the apocalyptic nature of American humorlessness.”—\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Not only a novel unique to this [political] moment, but one that is to comedy what \u003ci\u003eCatch-22\u003c\/i\u003e was to war. One of the great books of the year.” —Adam-Troy Castro, \u003ci\u003eSci Fi Magazine\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “A playful amalgam of Andy Kaufman and Philip K. Dick by way of \u003ci\u003eShaun of the Dead\u003c\/i\u003e.” —Damien Lincoln Ober, author of \u003ci\u003eDoctor Benjamin Franklin's Dream America\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “This satirical tale explores the role of comedy in maintaining a healthy democracy. . . . A clever concept.”—\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN:  9781597809184\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ","brand":"Night Shade","offers":[{"title":"Paperback \/ softback","offer_id":40592483090638,"sku":"9781597809184","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0600\/7029\/7806\/products\/O_b221c6ed-defb-4d73-b4aa-17656f45bc42.jpg?v=1637769146","url":"https:\/\/pickwickbookshop.com\/products\/9781597809184","provider":"Pickwick Bookshop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}