The Oblivion Society

As a connoisseur of comedy, I have been a fan of Marcus Alexander Hart's writing for many years. His genius for storytelling and comedic timing are evident in anything he produces that has words in it, from movie reviews to novels to two-line emails. The Oblivion Society is an absolute blast. It blurs the lines between sci-fi, adventure, horror, and comedy in a way that few writers can even approach, let alone pull off as delightfully entertainingly as Hart does, with more laugh out loud moments than The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. The characters are colorful and surprisingly alive. Vivian Gray, the sensible heroine, provides the grounding that makes the over-the-top antics of the supporting cast believable. Hart knows just how to skewer stereotypes. Hart's description is vivid and at times surprisingly graphic, and his action sequences are not to be missed. There's no good place at which to set the book down. Do you like plot twists? As you read this book, you will have truly NO idea what's going to happen next, and I guarantee your guesses will be wrong, without exception. What's more, the story is so tightly woven that not until a second reading do you realize all the clever contrivances that are the reason this novel took eight years to perfect. Sharp readers may spot the Easter eggs that make it certain Hart did his research, too. Hart's talent is truly standout. With any luck we will hear more from him, and when we do I honestly can't wait to see what else he has up his sleeve.

After reading a three-chapter excerpt of "The Oblivion Society," I decided to buy the book. I am very glad that I did -- I enjoyed this novel *very* much. Hart's writing is witty and skillful. The element which impressed me the most was his ability to tie in seemingly-unimportant plot points from much earlier in the story to events which unfold hundreds of pages later. Very, very solid. His characters are earnest and real. I wanted to kick Mr. Boltzmann in the groin, and I wanted to strangle Trent with my bare hands ... but, if anything, these are further compliments to Hart's writing -- if the story had been badly written, I would not have *cared* about these characters' antics. But I did. For those who are really into Sci-Fi, there are numerous references to movies, books, TV shows, comic books, etc., that you will appreciate a lot more if you're into that sort of thing. Of all the independently published books I have ever read, I believe that "The Oblivion Society" is by far the best. I strongly recommend it to all those who enjoy science-fiction with a comedic twist.

Most fun you can have while scanning with your eyes in a left right back again format. This book should never end up in the used section. It truly is brilliant and sharp as a tack in... umm... in a sword factory ... obviously I'm not the writer here, but it's damn good!

I read The Oblivion Society in a few short days and was very happy with the characters, the pace and unpredictability of the story, how well thought out every little plot point was, how every little insignificant thing seemed to be intertwined and relevant to the story by the end, and most importantly to me, how easy a read it was... I love Stephen King and Frank Herbert novels, but it's mentally exhausting trying to read more than 10-20 pages a night of them. With ObSoc, the story flowed smoothly and the section transitions were hilarious and contrarian, usually preventing you from putting the book down. I ended up anxiously reading the last half of it in one sitting as soon as I woke up. I'm also pretty sure it will be a leading National Book Award contender for "Most Adjectives Per Square Inch". Seriously, buy this.

I'm not really a science fiction person. Reading "The Oblivion Society" was the literary equivalent of the astonished and exhilarated feeling you get after your fervent sci-fi friends drag you to the latest cult classic and you find yourself earnestly enjoying it. This book has the intensely caricatured characters of a superhero comic, the spine-tingling suspense of a horror film, and the explosive special effects of a top-budget adventure, all mixed up in a sincere and original drama... and it works! Vivian Gray is an inadvertently alluring lead heroine and her friends set you laughing from start to finish - the only infallible way to take a sojourn from reading your copy of this book will be to loan it to a friend! (You might not get it back.)