Entertain the End

Revisiting Everworld was a trip.

If I recall correctly, Gateway to the Gods was the first book I ever bought with my own money. The cover looked cool and so I picked it up. Despite reading the series haphazardly as a child, in retrospect it's had some pretty profound effects on my life and the person I've become. So thanks, K. A Applegate!

For 2019 I decided to give up TV, which meant I needed something new to do before bed. My usual books are heavy and thought-provoking, and entirely /not/ the sort of thing you want filling your head in an attempt to wind down for the day. Since I didn't know of any fiction I was dying to read, I thought it might be fun to pick up some YA stuff from my past. And thus Everworld.

As a series, it's super hit-or-miss. The first few books are definitely finding their footing, the next few are quite good, followed by a couple of shit ones in a row, and then the masterpiece of #11. And then this one.

Entertain the End isn't particularly bad, but neither is it particularly good. If it were a standalone book in the series it'd be a solid 4. But it's not. It's the finale, and damn does it underwhelm on that front. I remember being frustrated by this as a child, and now I'm just as frustrated as an adult. It's a shame because this world does have a lot to offer; there's just something about the idea of a god who eats other gods that gets me excited. I like how David's been planning on getting artillery for like eight books now. Talk about foreshadowing! But the series just ends abruptly, full of promise but sorely lacking on execution.

This series could really use a good fan-fiction ending.

Anyway, now that I'm done the series, I thought it might be fun to write a little bit about how it's shaped me as a person. I was struck more than a few times over the last few books. Several of the things that I say—that nobody else says, and people look at me funny when I do—are all direct quotations from Christoper. Despite not having read the series in 15 years, I still could quote some of the passages verbatim. “Good grief, he was more David than David. And that's way too much David.”

Speaking of David, he was a huge role-model for me growing up. Something about the romance of being an unwilling hero, of needing to prove to yourself that you're capable; something about that really resonated with me. I wanted to be just like David. He doesn't drink, and so neither did I. “Personal choice.” He finds purpose in being the man the situation needs, and doing it because nobody else is stepping up. I like that. I think the world could use a lot more people like that.

I'm a little sad to be finished this trip down memory lane. The Everworld series was a fun read. It's mostly-well written and has lots of great moments. Unfortunately, the series is lacking a proper send-off, but then again, who isn't.