I was in the mood for some humorous fantasy, and this novel fitted the bill perfectly. If you’re a fan of American Gods and College Humour, this is for you.

What to expect

A crazy tale of cluey and clueless humans and far-less-than-perfect gods, struggling over a small college town in Indiana. Old gods and supernatural creatures converge on the town as part of grand schemes, and local residents discover the supernatural world (and most of what you knew or thought about those old gods was wrong).

Told from multiple viewpoints, events come to a head in a grand finale battle royale that will leave you in stitches with a few scenes stuck indelibly in your memory.

What I liked

Spriggs constructs an excellent plot and good characters. Hilariously random trivia becomes important later, view points shift to make you care about all participants, and I’m still not over the bits with the goats and dinosaurs.

What to be aware of

Plenty of college humour in the novel, from discussions of mythical species phalli to weaponised zombie ducks. I won’t even touch what happens to the goats. I found it cringe-worthingly hilarious, but your millage may vary.

The first edition of this novel was in desperate need of editing, which thankfully has been addressed in the second (note the subtle change in cover – update your copies if you have the old one). While still not perfect, I find it wasn’t enough to seriously detract from an otherwise excellent story.

Summary

This is the College Humour version of American Gods. If you’re in the mood for something zany, a light and funny read that still engages, get a copy now.