The Second Coming

I would have enjoyed this more in high school. (God smokes weed and swears? Hell yeah, dude!) Even as an atheist, I found the self-congratulatory smirking and tired takedowns of organized religion dully unoriginal. (The Catholic Church shelters pedophilic priests? Who knew?) The characters are box-checking stereotypes: the foul-mouthed black guy who tells it like it is, the soldier with PTSD who still wears his uniform and can only say “frag”, the lovable old drunks, the hooker with a heart of gold, et al.

Niven has written great, hilarious novels – I just finished chortling my way through The Amateurs – but this ain't one of ‘em. Don't pass over him, but do pass over this one.

As a commentary on the state of American culture, it is brilliant in certain parts. But those with a conservative religious bent will probably get offended.