Thrillers & Suspense
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If This Book Exists, You're in the Wrong Universe: A John, Dave, and Amy Novel (John Dies at the End, 4)
New York Times bestselling author Jason Pargin's hilarious and horrifying John Dies at the End series continues with If This Book Exists, You're in the Wrong Universe.
"Pargin once again delights with scathing social commentary thinly disguised as an outrageous action novel...This is a feast."―Publishers Weekly
"Within the snarky humor is an incisive commentary on social media and the state of our connected world, and a story about trauma and how people lash out when they're hurt...This isn't just a funny tale of inept supernatural investigators; it's a story of people struggling through pain to find a better path. Pargin offers us a welcome note of hope." ― Booklist
If the broken neon signs, shuttered storefronts, and sub-standard housing didn't tip you off, you've just wandered into the city of "Undisclosed". You don't want to be caught dead here, because odds are you just might find yourself rising from the grave. That hasn't stopped tourists from visiting to check out the unusual phenomena that hangs around our town like radioactive fallout. Interdimensional parasites feeding on human hosts, paranormal cults worshipping demonic entities, vengeful teenage sorcerers, we've got it all.
Did I mention the possessed toy? It's a plastic football-sized egg that's supposed to hatch an adorable, colorful stuffed bird when a child "feeds" it through a synchronized smartphone app. What's actually inside is an otherworldly monstrosity that's enticing impressionable wayward youth into murdering folks and depositing their body parts inside the egg as if it's a hungry piggy bank to trigger the end of the world.
That's where Dave, John, and Amy come in. They face supernatural threats so the rest of us don't have to―and sometimes even earn a couple of bucks to so do. But between the bloody ritual sacrifices and soul-crushing nightmares, our trio realizes this apocalypse is way above their pay grade.
"Pargin once again delights with scathing social commentary thinly disguised as an outrageous action novel...This is a feast."―Publishers Weekly
"Within the snarky humor is an incisive commentary on social media and the state of our connected world, and a story about trauma and how people lash out when they're hurt...This isn't just a funny tale of inept supernatural investigators; it's a story of people struggling through pain to find a better path. Pargin offers us a welcome note of hope." ― Booklist
If the broken neon signs, shuttered storefronts, and sub-standard housing didn't tip you off, you've just wandered into the city of "Undisclosed". You don't want to be caught dead here, because odds are you just might find yourself rising from the grave. That hasn't stopped tourists from visiting to check out the unusual phenomena that hangs around our town like radioactive fallout. Interdimensional parasites feeding on human hosts, paranormal cults worshipping demonic entities, vengeful teenage sorcerers, we've got it all.
Did I mention the possessed toy? It's a plastic football-sized egg that's supposed to hatch an adorable, colorful stuffed bird when a child "feeds" it through a synchronized smartphone app. What's actually inside is an otherworldly monstrosity that's enticing impressionable wayward youth into murdering folks and depositing their body parts inside the egg as if it's a hungry piggy bank to trigger the end of the world.
That's where Dave, John, and Amy come in. They face supernatural threats so the rest of us don't have to―and sometimes even earn a couple of bucks to so do. But between the bloody ritual sacrifices and soul-crushing nightmares, our trio realizes this apocalypse is way above their pay grade.
Editorial Reviews
Praise for Jason Pargin:
"Pargin once again delights with scathing social commentary thinly disguised as an outrageous action novel...This is a feast."―Publishers Weekly on If This Book Exists, You're In the Wrong Universe
"Within the snarky humor is an incisive commentary on social media and the state of our connected world, and a story about trauma and how people lash out when they're hurt...This isn't just a funny tale of inept supernatural investigators; it's a story of people struggling through pain to find a better path. Pargin offers us a welcome note of hope." ― Booklist on If This Book Exists, You're In the Wrong Universe
"What the Hell Did I Just Read is reminiscent of Douglas Adams's work, stuffed with layers of absurd pastiche." ―Washington Post
"Like Jonathan Swift for the internet age. His newest is only more proof that he will be remembered as one of today's great satirists." ―The Nerdist on Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits
"While the story gleefully wallows in absurdity, thoughtful themes of addiction, perception, and the drive to do the right thing quickly emerge beneath the vivid and convoluted imagery. The plot's rapid pace holds the reader's attention to the truly bitter end." ―Publishers Weekly (starred review) on What The Hell Did I Just Read
"If you want a poignant, laugh-out-loud funny, disturbing, ridiculous, self-aware, socially relevant horror novel than This Book is Full of Spiders: Seriously Dude, Don't Touch It is the one and only book for you." ―SF Signal
"Pargin once again delights with scathing social commentary thinly disguised as an outrageous action novel...This is a feast."―Publishers Weekly on If This Book Exists, You're In the Wrong Universe
"Within the snarky humor is an incisive commentary on social media and the state of our connected world, and a story about trauma and how people lash out when they're hurt...This isn't just a funny tale of inept supernatural investigators; it's a story of people struggling through pain to find a better path. Pargin offers us a welcome note of hope." ― Booklist on If This Book Exists, You're In the Wrong Universe
"What the Hell Did I Just Read is reminiscent of Douglas Adams's work, stuffed with layers of absurd pastiche." ―Washington Post
"Like Jonathan Swift for the internet age. His newest is only more proof that he will be remembered as one of today's great satirists." ―The Nerdist on Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits
"While the story gleefully wallows in absurdity, thoughtful themes of addiction, perception, and the drive to do the right thing quickly emerge beneath the vivid and convoluted imagery. The plot's rapid pace holds the reader's attention to the truly bitter end." ―Publishers Weekly (starred review) on What The Hell Did I Just Read
"If you want a poignant, laugh-out-loud funny, disturbing, ridiculous, self-aware, socially relevant horror novel than This Book is Full of Spiders: Seriously Dude, Don't Touch It is the one and only book for you." ―SF Signal
Readers Top Reviews
Sarah LumpkinsJen
Where the first three JDATE books combine a sense of Lovecraftian Horror with a dark, sometimes juvenile humor, this one focuses horrifically inward. There's more overt magic (instead of general confusion of is it magic? Is it monsters? Is it gas?) but the inward introspection doesn't deliver except to sandwich, some good at the beginning and some good at the end. I know we want characters to grow and move forward, but this at times felt a lot like reading strangers dressed up in costumes acting in a play. However, I read the whole thing in a day. While I didn't find David, Amy, and John to be their normal selves, I did feel a deep seated unease the entire time that kept me turning the page. The best way I can describe this is as such: You know where things are going in a sense, even if you don't know where they're going in the exact spot, and you're kinda surprised that any genitals or explosions are unsurprising. Everyone feels like they're just checking in, which in a way is exactly what the characters feel. Still, a satisfying read. I'll probably visit it again on the next series read through on a long international flight
DamienSarah Lumpk
Since I've been exposed to the John Dies at the End story, I've feverishly eaten up every subsequent entry day of release, and numerous times on repeat thereafter. Even knowing the moments of misery each story would bring me. Be it the purely emotionally crippling bits of character reveals, or the mind-bending plot, or even just the moments where I think I know what secret is about to be revealed. Some twist I've unraveled ahead of the reveal, only to find that idea crushed immediately after it forms in my head by an equally genius long form red herring. I thought Molly was the most this series would hit me. But then this book comes out and well just damn you Jason Pargin!! I'm all for that Dr. Who / John and Dave crossover if John and Dave will go on forever!
Alex GDamienSarah
Somehow, Jason Pargin has managed to write my favorite book no fewer than 6 consecutive times, and I imagine he'll do it a 7th next year too. This book is great if you like horror but also dick jokes. Aside from once again dragging me into a terrifying nightmarescape, there are quite a few gut punching emotional moments and the characters, both new and old, are all fleshed out and given appropriate screentime. There's a similar theme of introspection from the characters as in "What the Hell Did I Just Read", but frankly I found the overarching plot and story more fun in this book than in the previous. Without spoiling anything, I can already tell this is going to be worth a re-read just to see how the pieces are lined up prior to the climax again.
NickAlex GDamienS
If you haven't read the other books in this comedy/cosmic horror/mind-bender of a series, and it sounds like something you'd be interested in, feel free to jump in here. You'll be brought up to speed as much as any of us can be among all the lunacy. I don't think you'll regret it - I never have. If you're already familiar with the series, you know what to expect and this book delivers. I could not put it down, especially in the rollercoaster final act. On top of all the 'John Dies at the End' madness we know and love, I also felt the story and characters to be surprisingly touching in a way that makes this fourth entry stand out. If this is a conclusion to the saga then I think it would be a fitting one, because I came away very satisfied with where the journey has led. But I don't think we've seen the last of John, Dave, and Amy and I desperately hope I'm right.
JacobNickAlex GDa
Wow! Already I want more, that is how the John Dies at the End series always is; you end up satisfied, little dopamine hits that come from such a fun and well-written story, but you end up with cravings. Jason's books seem as if there were a small parasite embedded in your brain tissue whose only goal was lightly hugging your glands and squishing out waves of happy juices over your wrinkle mass with every turn of the page. Luckily, this cosmic horror show filled with off-beat laughter is not alone. While this book can be enjoyed right away without any prerequisite reading, there are three other books in the JDATE series to enjoy that take place before this one for you to read as well as another series titled "Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits". This book is a grand addition to the universe, and it saddens me to think there are other univeses, as implied in the title, which have no access to this tale. Take advantage of your position in the multi-verse, and buy this book! The parasitic multi-dimensional entity tickling your brainstem will thank you.
