A Pagan's Nightmare by Ray Blackston

ISBN: 0446579599

From Publishers Weekly

After penning several humorous novels about Christian singles (Flabbergasted), Blackston swaps publishers from Revell to Warner Faith and tries his hand at a dual–story line comic allegory with mixed results. Larry Hutch is a novelist who has a fashionable manuscript about an apparent "reverse rapture": the Christians are left behind, along with a few random pagans. Larry's protagonist, pagan Lanny Hooch, spends his allotted pages trying to find out what has happened to his girlfriend, Miranda, who has disappeared. As Lanny teams up with a pagan disc jockey, they attempt to avoid Christian zealots who are hot on their trail to capture and convert them. There are some attempted humorous looks at what the world might be like as an intentionally over-the-top, all-Christian society: Devil's Food Cake becomes David's Food Cake; the Beatles sing "I Wanna Hold Your Tithe"; and McDonald's staff all wear gold crosses on their sleeves instead of golden arches and serve fries called "McScriptures." But the humor falls flat, and the alternating chapters between the novel's plot and Larry's discussions with various people who are all eager to read his work in progress (and can't put it down once they do) feel like an attempt to persuade the reader that this is good stuff. Even Blackston's fans will be hard-pressed to find the humor here.

This book was loaned to me by Hanna, after I had mentioned that I had wanted to read it after reading Val's review. It seemed like an amusing, irreverant look at Christianity, and what people believe about it.

I do have to say that I disagree with the review by Publisher's Weekly - I did find it funny and amusing, and was able to catch the jokes. I didn't feel like everyone wanting to read it was a ploy at making me feel like I wanted to read the book (although it took me a while to realize that I was reading along with the characters, ie. they asked for chapters 16-18, and the next part of the story were those chapters. I guess I'm not as bright as others!).

I found Blackston's insertion of humour to be well placed and timely. My favourite joke was about the softball (I think) teams, the "Dunkers" and "Sprinklers". He's referring to the different baptism styles, and for some reason (probably due to past conversations about the topic) it really struck a funny chord for me. Also, the discussion questions at the back were a riot!

The only part of the book that didn't do anything for me was at the end, where Angie (Ned's wife) felt the need to go through the Salvation Thing. I totally get why it was there, and it was completely within her character... but some days I just feel like I'm getting preached at when I don't need to be. I know that's my hang up, and NOT the author's fault, so I won't hold it against him.

This is a pretty solid book to read and ponder, especially with other Christians, and any non-christians that you can convince to read it. I would be interested in hearing how a person who doesn't believe in God (necessarily) or at least follow Christianity felt about the book. I wonder if it would be as funny to them, or if it would seem kind of flat.