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Pandemonium
Pandemonium | Daryl Gregory
10 posts | 6 read | 1 reading | 16 to read
It is a world like our own in every respect . . . save one. In the 1950s, random acts of possession begin to occur. Ordinary men, women, and children are the targets of entities that seem to spring from the depths of the collective unconscious, pop-cultural avatars some call demons. Theres the Truth, implacable avenger of falsehood. The Captain, brave and self-sacrificing soldier. The Little Angel, whose kiss brings death, whether desired or not. And a string of others, ranging from the bizarre to the benign to the horrific. As a boy, Del Pierce is possessed by the Hellion, an entity whose mischief-making can be deadly. With the help of Dels family and a caring psychiatrist, the demon is exorcised . . . or is it? Years later, following a car accident, the Hellion is back, trapped inside Dels head and clamoring to get out. Dels quest for help leads him to Valis, an entity possessing the science fiction writer formerly known as Philip K. Dick; to Mother Mariette, a nun who inspires decidedly unchaste feelings; and to the Human League, a secret society devoted to the extermination of demons. All believe that Del holds the key to the plague of possessionand its solution. But for Del, the cure may be worse than the disease. Look out, Lethem! Daryl Gregory mixes pop culture and pathos, flavoring it with Philip K. Dick. Pandemonium possesses every quality you want in a great novel, and the good news is its only his debut. Charles Coleman Finlay, Hugo and Nebula Award-nominated author of The Prodigal Troll From the Trade Paperback edition.
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review
Buchbeeg
Pandemonium | Daryl Gregory
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Pickpick

Again, a read from last year that I'm catching up on.

Quick read and great concept where being possessed by a demon is a kind of mental illness almost. You follow Del around who is trying to exercise a demon he's had since childhood.
Super enjoyable

review
TobeyTheScavengerMonk
Pandemonium | Daryl Gregory
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Pickpick

Hey! This was a lot of fun! Not remotely a Halloween book like I was kind of hoping for but I had a good time.

A snappy writing style, a good sense of humor, a truly fantastic alternate version of our world, excellent characters, cameos by Philip K. Dick, O. J. Simpson, and Richard Nixon, solid action, and a GREAT twist that was handled really really well.

Details on the world-building in the comments.

TobeyTheScavengerMonk It‘s the year 2004 in a world very much like our own, with one key difference: people are regularly possessed by around 100 demons with well defined habits and personalities. If the Painter possesses you, you create a great work of art, then wake up remembering nothing. If it‘s the Truth, you don a fedora and murder liars. If it‘s the Fat Boy, you gorge yourself. If it‘s the Captain, you perform feats of heroism. Etc. 6y
TobeyTheScavengerMonk Gregory really thinks this wild idea through and builds a believable world that has learned how to function around these possessions. 6y
vivastory I read one of his books & enjoyed it, felt like it was a bit underdone 6y
vivastory I definitely plan on reading Pandemonium & 6y
59 likes2 stack adds4 comments
quote
TobeyTheScavengerMonk
Pandemonium | Daryl Gregory
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This quote is A.) part of a lengthy, very well-thought-out discussion about the differences between Science Fiction and Fantasy that characters are having in this book and B.) spoken by Philip K. Dick, who in this book has lived a long life and is possessed by a demon that calls itself Valis.

tournevis So, it's a realistic representation. 6y
47 likes1 stack add1 comment
quote
TobeyTheScavengerMonk
Pandemonium | Daryl Gregory
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“We‘d understood from high school on that it was Lew‘s job to make good grades, find a high-paying career, buy a two-story house in the suburbs, and generally become Dad. It was my job to fuck up. Occasionally this annoyed me, but most of the time I was comfortable with the division of labor. Lew‘s job was nearly impossible, and mine came naturally.”

#CurrentRead

AlaMich 😂 If only everyone could slip so easily into their assigned role in life. 6y
PirateJenny I just downloaded this one! 6y
TobeyTheScavengerMonk @PirateJenny It wasn‘t Halloweeny at all, which I was kind of hoping for, but it was really fun so I didn‘t mind. 6y
44 likes3 comments
quote
TobeyTheScavengerMonk
Pandemonium | Daryl Gregory
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“The coffee was terrible and the bacon was ordinary, but the pancakes were avatars of some perfect Ur-cake whose existence until now could only be deduced from the statistical variations in other, lesser pancakes.”

#CurrentRead

saresmoore Well, now I want pancakes, obviously. 6y
AlaMich Oh my! 🤤 6y
63 likes2 comments
quote
TobeyTheScavengerMonk
Pandemonium | Daryl Gregory
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‘Member Borders?

Leftcoastzen 👏😢 6y
DGRachel I miss Borders. 😭 6y
MaddestMax 😓 Borders! 6y
39 likes3 comments
quote
TobeyTheScavengerMonk
Pandemonium | Daryl Gregory
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1st Thought: Tolkien reference! Neat!

2nd Thought: Elves? At Helm‘s Deep? I guess this is technically just a Peter Jackson reference.

3rd Thought: I am a nerd.

DGRachel 😂😂 6y
Reggie Lolol 6y
37 likes2 comments
blurb
TobeyTheScavengerMonk
Pandemonium | Daryl Gregory
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Somehow I blazed through all the books I wanted to read this October with time to spare so I grabbed this off my shelf because it sounds sort of creepy.

jmofo That‘s a fun picture! 6y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Pretty 🍂🍁🧡 6y
BookishTrish This one is also good 6y
48 likes1 stack add3 comments
review
Ais
Pandemonium | Daryl Gregory
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Pickpick

I absolutely loved everything about this book. So different to anything I've ever read before, and there is a distinct heartwarming thread prevalent all the way throughout. Cannot recommend this enough❤️❤️

TobeyTheScavengerMonk This has been on my shelf for probably over a decade and I still haven't read it. Thanks for reminding me I need to. 7y
Ais @TobeyTheScavengerMonk it really is wonderful! 7y
14 likes1 stack add2 comments