The painted cover by Kirk DouPonce (in a style that reminds me of Robot Chicken) shows Santa Claus battling zombies. With a whip made of Christmas lights. And a shotgun... Triple barreled. Okay, you've got my interest.
The ad describes zombified reindeer. Exploding sea birds. And a foe in the form of Father Time. Alright. Shut up and take my money!
Ben Wolf crafts an insane story that combines elements of horror, time travel, and Lord of the Rings with the legend of Santa Claus. There's heavy doses of humor, surrealism and satire that make for the wildest representation of life at North Pole since the first 5 minutes of Richard Donner's Scrooged!
A couple of scenes were meant to be shocking. Normally, I'd feel those moments like a gut punch. However, since I had seen the covers of all 3 books in the Santa Saves Christmas trilogy, my level of disappointment and sadness was lessened. In other words, I knew that someone who dies in this book doesn't really die permanently. But you'll have to read the book to find out who.
My enjoyment with this first volume resulted in something I rarely do when reading a prose novel. With about 60 pages to go, I went on Amazon and ordered book 2! And that was after the spoiler!
If your view of life is a tad askew. If you like your Christmases to be a mix of both traditional and contemporary. If you root for the Grinch to make it an un-Merry Christmas to those Whos of Whoville, this is the holiday novel you've been waiting for.
If they ever make a movie of this, you can guarantee it won't appear on the Hallmark Channel!
Worth Consuming!
Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.
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