DEUS TEX MACHINA:
The Second Calamity of QED Morningwood
by Rob Witherspoon
Science Fiction / Humor / Satire
Pages: 163
Publication Date: June 13, 2022
SYNOPSIS
QED "Kid" Morningwood is back with big
plans to create a death tourism industry. Working with his old Metaphysics
professor from Texas Alchemical and Metaphysical University, he delves the
purgatorial realms gathering data for his venture. Standing in their way is
university president T. Smedley Stalwart and his band of religious zealots -
the Ancient and Loyal Order of the Holy Armadillo. FBI agents Flockham and
Morales return to infiltrate and monitor ALOHA.
With the help of brilliant metaphysical
engineer Yong Mi Hernandez, safety inspector Conrad Dopplebock, and guided by
the wisdom of Cotton Widdershins, the Deus Tex Machina is a success. Sort of.
Rob Witherspoon was born and
raised in rural Texas. He earned a BA in Physical Education, UT Arlington 1985
and a BS in Aerospace Engineering, UT Arlington 1990. He lives in north central
Texas with his wife and youngest daughter and has spent much of his life in
rural communities and on the ranch.
WEBSITE ◆ INSTAGRAM
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REVIEW
I'm not sure what I expected when I picked this book up, but it sure surprised me the whole way through. Deus Tex Machina begins as a duo-story following Cotton & Kid, but quickly turns into a story about death tourism that takes readers down a windy rabbit hole. It's full of humor and is a satire - it's also full of a ton of acronyms so be prepared to keep a note handy to keep track of them.
My favorite part of this book is the partnership between Cotton & Kid. I really enjoyed their dynamic and the adventure they're having. It's truly a roller coaster that puts them farther and farther into scenarios I never could've dreamed up. It's also really silly in some aspects, so be sure to go in expecting goofy naming conventions.
For me, the subject matter can be a little tough, but it's all handled in a very tongue-in-cheek way. The book centers on death tourism and the experiments involving trying to discover some insight into the afterlife - for entertainment. However, the satirical elements keep things very light and by the end, there are different applications for the technology. I did enjoy the exploration aspect of this, even if I personally struggle with some of the thematic elements.
Deus Tex Machina is a 163-page romp through a bizarre landscape that alludes to several iconic sci-fi stories and properties. It's enjoyable and entertaining, especially for readers who love seeing creative applications for VR technology and similar concepts. While fun, this one is pretty short, and it cycles through three core settings/plots, which can be positive or negative depending on how much a reader enjoys split perspectives. I did enjoy the shifts, but it took me a moment to keep track of everyone and everything going on. Once I hit a flow it became more enjoyable overall. I give Deus Tex Machina a Lone Star rating of ✯✯✯✯.
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SYNOPSIS
Terrific review. I agree that it takes just a bit to keep the shifting timeframes in order, and also agree on the smooth reading after becoming accustomed to it. Really funny book that I read as a totally tongue-in-cheek tale so the dealing with the afterlife didn't go against any of my core beliefs.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your review and perspective on going with the flow of the tongue-in-cheek handling of the subject matters. I've had the first book on my TBR for a while, so I think I'll do a binge-read of both soon. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
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