Assault on Tony's

I need to collaborate on a biography of this O'Brien fellow...any takers?

A novel that speaks to the darkest parts of oneself. Rambling and lost at times, a true voice emerges from the chaos. O'Brien has been here, he knows his way around all that flawed and desperate humanity and he shines a flashlight directly into it's decaying face, watches the insects scurry from the light. It's too late to take it back; he has shown us. I am grateful.If there is a Tony's in heaven, we can bet where John O'Brien would be: In the half-light of the corner booth, glass full to the brim, chuckling to himself about some melancholy truth.

Well, I've always been a fan of the "end of the world" scenarios. Ranging from Romero's zombie trilogy to anything with nuclear war, and this was a beautiful little twist on it. Told from the point of view of hard core alcoholics. Only work I've read by O'Brien, and I was quite impressed, it's a shame he's not around to keep writing, and expanding his skills. The last paragraph of the book was just perfect. And his sister's afterword is very moving.

Three months after reading this book, I am still haunted by many of the images painted in John O'Brien's captivating and disconcerting novel. Like Leaving Las Vegas, the characters in this novel do not attempt to be something that they are not, but instead find themselves saturated with what they are...There is a grace with which John O'Brien's characters accept their weaknesses that is almost admirable...almost. I loved this book although its commentary on human nature is not in any way uplifting. However, the writing is simply stunning, and the thoughts provoked are dark, but honest.