A Novel of Cosmic Horror (John Dies at the End) - What the Hell Did I Just Read

I wish this book was longer!

Seriously, by the time I got to the end I felt like I'd only read half a book. It took me two days to read (I had a hard time putting it down) so that might explain why it felt like it wasn't enough.

I enjoyed being able to read the story from Dave's, John's, and Amy's points of view, as all three are unreliable narrators in their own way (Dave and John for the obvious reasons we're used to, Amy due to her inability to see certain things because she doesn't take Soy Sauce).

Jason Pargin still hasn't written a scene since JDATE that matched the horror of the "monster Dave" reveal, which is one of the reasons I keep coming back. Come on, dude! Freak us out again!

I wish this book was longer!

Seriously, by the time I got to the end I felt like I'd only read half a book. It took me two days to read (I had a hard time putting it down) so that might explain why it felt like it wasn't enough.

I enjoyed being able to read the story from Dave's, John's, and Amy's points of view, as all three are unreliable narrators in their own way (Dave and John for the obvious reasons we're used to, Amy due to her inability to see certain things because she doesn't take Soy Sauce).

Jason Pargin still hasn't written a scene since JDATE that matched the horror of the "monster Dave" reveal, which is one of the reasons I keep coming back. Come on, dude! Freak us out again!

Thus doesn't really feel like a third book, in stead it feels like this should be a filler story in between the first and Spiders. It's just a weird story that ultimately feels pretty pointless, and David even points out as such (saying that if they all had stayed home nothing would have changed). I also have no idea what happened. At all. I get the theme is supposed to be all about perception, but that was the theme of Spiders as well, and it also had a very satisfying conclusion. This book just sort of ends, and I get the feeling this is a book you are supposed to read a few times to actually get what was going on. Who the hell is Nicky? What was up with Min? I don't even know if some of the other characters existed, especially since the perspective keeps changing between characters.

When I read the other John Dies books, I get weird metaphysical ideas peppered over cosmic creepiness and crass antics. When I read this book, I ask "Yeah, about those silicone butts..." and then wonder if I have to read this book two or three times to get it. I don't know if I am going to do that. I understand trying to do something different, and maybe I will appreciate this book over time, but right now? Immediately finishing, how do I feel? Underwhelmed. And confused as all hell, the victim of an in joke and I can't tell if it was a clever joke or not.

You still get your dose of John, Dave, and Amy. You just won't get an immediate satisfying ending.

Read this after you read the first two.. Or I wont be your friend.
So freaking funny. Look up how he came about writing this first book in this series. Its pretty cool.
And I will love you if you can find someone to do right by this story and re make the movie so we can all forget the first one.

Accidently purchased from a UK bookstore (I'm from the US). The book isn't the same shape as John Dies at the End, and This Book is Full of Spiders; so I may end up purchasing another copy from the states for shelf look. I was, however, surprised that the book I purchased from across an ocean was able to get to me in less than two weeks, and it came in spectacular condition.

Neither the horror nor the humor feels as good, & often the balance is just awkward. Likewise, while all titles in the series have relied on humorous application of Deus Ex Machina for their finales, this one just feels particularly phoned in. There is an interesting character deconstruction aspect, but it doesn't really go anywhere. Unlike the previous titles, which relied on a couple fairly major twists, the plot is complex with a lot of twists, in a way that I can't really decide whether it's brilliant or just convoluted. I still can't follow the life cycle of the villain completely. We do get to see more of the methods Marconi uses in lieu of the Sauce, which are pretty clever.

The most exciting aspect is the implication that the 4th installment, if it comes to pass, will revisit continuity from earlier in the series & possibly explore a new, alien character--which would've been much more exciting if it happened here, in this book. Perhaps one of those things could include utilizing Amy's particular brand of handiness. Look, I have simple tastes, alright? I go to a Godzilla movie, it'll instantly get points with me as long as I see some atomic breath. If the next installment delivers on its expectations, this weak link could easily be forgiven. As it stands, it'd be a lackluster conclusion, though not exactly offensive.

To put it into perspective, I'd argue that the original John Dies At The End was close to if not 5 stars, & This Book Is Full of Spiders was between a 4 & 4.5.

What the Hell Did I Just Read is another weird, exciting, and unsettling story from David Wong. It made me laugh, cringe, feel nauseated, and then laugh some more all on the same page. I can't wait for another one. I'm impressed with how he was able to delve into such a serious topic as depression and keep the story on the familiar frantic pace. It also touches on the subject of unemployment in the Midwest. Though the situation in Undisclosed is exaggerated to say the least, it's a very real problem and few are talking about it.

Imagine a father who’s daughter is missing. He’s separated from his wife. He’s an ex-soldier who believes that “war is real life.” He’s violent and bitter and homophobic, but he’s also terrified, exhausted, and most of all annoyed that the only people who can track his daughter down are so very clearly a pair of idiots.
Imagine, in short, a real person — perhaps a person you don’t like — and see how close you are to him. Sympathize with him. That is, after all, what a novel is supposed to do. What the Hell Did I Just Read does that. Like, really well.
David Wong has done his homework. I’m always a fan of fiction that teaches you things. It’s why I like scifi and fantasy. What the Hell Did I Just Read, while it has less than no science content,* taught me LOADS about the lives of people in the economically depressed Midwest, where a building is more likely to turn into a vacant lot than the other way around. They aren’t bad people, and they aren’t good either. They’re just trying to live their lives and deal with their problems. Biker cultists, call-center drones, meth-addicts, off-the-grid survivalists, shady government agents — they’re all just people, and I’m glad I got a chance to know them.
Also there are amnesia-rays, giant hypno-grubs filled with universal evil, and NOTHING IS AS IT SEEMS. OOOOOOH!

This is the third of the "John Dies at the End" books. I knew about, but had not read, the first two in the series. If you start here it will take a chapter or two to get up to speed, but you'll quickly have Dave, John and Amy set in place, and have a feel for the strange doings in Undisclosed.

The book does a little bit of a bait and switch, but in a good way. At the beginning it feels like a funnier, wittier, more foul mouthed, and more "realistic" Scooby-Doo sort of tale, with a deadpan hero, (Dave), a wacky stoner sidekick, (John), and a grounded, practical girlfriend, (Amy). I expected them to run around dealing with funny/clever supernatural threats while tossing off one-liners and switching between slapstick and more traditional action. And it does start that way, more or less. But then we go off the rails, (again in a good way), which I guess experienced Wong readers know enough to expect.

The plot itself is a twisty mess. The supernatural threat can get inside people's heads and change their perceptions, so the tale turns heavily on shapeshifting, confusion, deception, delusions, and so on. You know those books based on "unreliable narrators"? Well, every single thing that appears in this book is unreliable. Individual chapters are written by either Dave or John or Amy. In the best of times John is unreliable and Dave is iffy, so once you get a villain who can bend reality, then all bets are off. To be honest, sometimes the "are you really you?" and the "is that what it looks like?" moments can pile up a bit too high, but by then you really don't mind too much.

But, who needs plot when you have such a vast array of crazy characters running around getting in each other's way. Apart from the three heroes there is a TV host expert on the supernatural, a gang of crazed bikers, an other worldly organization of men in black, the FBI, local police, a friend/foe extraterrestrial buttinsky, an insane lethal vet, shape shifting children, an infernal human shaped villain, and much more. It's like a tasting menu - I chose the three heroes, the lead black ops agent, and the TV guy, as my favorites, but you can put whatever you want on your plate.

But, who needs plot or characters when you have loads of cool one-off gadgets, scenes, bits of business, monologues, throwaway lines, and just tossed in looniness? Wong pours unbridled imagination into even the smallest details, so there's a treat on every page.

But, who needs plot or characters or set design when you have at least one laugh out loud funny line, one edgy dark humor line, and one serious-ish throwaway line on every page? Putting aside everything else, Wong's smart, sharp, and semi-manic rants, raves, monologues, and stand-up bits, along with his throwaways and one-liners, carry this book even if you totally ignore any pretense of it involving an actual story. I don't see how weird fiction can get much better than that. This was an excellent find.

(Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)

The quality of the writing just keeps getting better in these books, and this one managed to be legitimately horrifying in a way the last two books didn't, while still maintaining the same level of comedy. For at least the first 2/3 of the book there's a mounting sense of unease and concern that's just fantastic. I'm fairly lukewarm on the actual ending, and can't go into why without spoiling anything (*MAYBE SPOILERS* long story short, I'm not opposed to the ambiguity, but when one of the ambiguous options is "maybe most of this didn't even happen", that kind of comes close to ruining it for me), but everything up to that point is absolutely gripping and hilarious. I loved the switching perspectives here, which surprised me because I it never really worked for me in Spiders. Side-characters and the world of the town felt much more real and fleshed out than either of the previous two books.

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I always go ga-ga over these books, and for a really great reason. They're FUN AS HELL.

It bends all genres, has some of the absolutely most delicious wry comments and commentary on our modern f***ed-up life, and is consistently over-the-top when it comes to action, monster mashing, and total reality crushing.

Did I mention that this is to UF as Evil Dead is to Horror? It's not a bad comparison. But then, it's sure as hell not complete, either, because this stuff is in it's own league.

Think slacker/slasher fic that does the funniest Supernatural episodes but adds a bit of crack to it to make it even more addictive, then throw in a major course of Cthulhu, sexual innuendo, and Cracked Magazine, and then you're getting pretty close.

It's the same for all three of these books, and I'm proud to say that this third one is still very strong, indeed. No spoilers, but as it says in the series, John Dies at the End.

For those of you who don't know the books, he really does die, but it doesn't always stick thanks to the Soy Sauce. The time travel and alternate dimension hopping and a barrel of snakes that is potential girlfriends just makes things a bit complicated. You know, normal stuff.

All in a day's *unpaid* work.

Of course, that's not to say everyone has supernatural girlfriends, and Dave's Amy is a real trooper and a badass whom I really love. :)

Honestly, this is some of the most righteous laugh-out-loud OTT technicolor raunchy cool books out there. :) It's a self-conscious B-Movie that transcends into ultimate badassery. :) I am STILL totally recommending this series. :) :)

I've been enjoying David Wong's work for about a year now -- I read "John Dies At the End" last summer, and since then have snapped up and read its sequel ("This Book Is Full of Spiders") and Wong's other novel not set in the same universe ("Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits"). He has a knack for spinning a tale that's at once imaginative, hilarious, and horrifying, and giving us characters who are eccentric and weird but still grounded at least somewhat in reality. "What the Hell Did I Just Read," the third book in the "John Dies At the End" series, continues the story of John, David, and Amy in the dying town of Undisclosed, and while more ambiguous and less satisfying than the previous two novels, it makes up for it by giving its characters real development and delving deeper into their psyches, their dreams and fears... and in that aspect, it's a stronger novel.

It's been some time since the events of "This Book Is Full of Spiders," and David and John continue to be approached by people trying to dispose of cursed or abnormal artifacts or seeking help with mysterious phenomena. Their latest case is no different -- a man wants their help in finding his missing daughter, who he suspects was kidnapped by a child predator. Naturally, there's far more afoot than a simple kidnapper, and as more children go missing David, John, and David's girlfriend Amy discover a mysterious entity is attempting to use the children and their parents to escape into our world. Nothing is as it seems, however... and as the being cloaks itself and its minions in illusions, plumbs our trio's psyches to reveal their deepest fears and despairs, and eludes both them and a mysterious government agency time and again. Can David and John stop a monstrous creature from breaking free and destroying Undisclosed? Is David careening toward a self-destructive breakdown? And just what is the deal with that massive order of silicon butts from an adult shop anyhow?

David Wong's concept of horror doesn't come from the supernatural, but much like Lovecraft he believes the greatest horrors are simply our fear of the unknown, of the creatures that lurk outside our limited perception. Unlike Lovecraft, however, Wong recognizes the potential for outrageous humor to be found amidst horror, and somehow manages to combine the two into something horrifyingly hilarious. His knack for plumbing our deepest fears and mining them for both horror and humor is astounding... and his depiction of a decaying Midwestern town in the throes of a terrible flood-threatening storm is vivid and terrifying in its own right, making for a gloomy yet effective setting.

This book is more open-ended and ambiguous than the other books, leaving some things up to the reader to decide (or perhaps he's just saving them for a sequel down the road...). This can be irritating to a reader who likes closure to a story, though it can also be thought-provoking. I find I'm willing to forgive this, however. It doesn't hurt that, while certain elements of the plot may be more ambiguous here, this book also serves as excellent character development and exploration for our characters, particularly David and Amy. David's depression and its effect on his relationship with Amy, always lurking over him in the previous two books, boils to a head in this book, and instead of being a source of self-depreciating humor is actually treated seriously by the characters. John doesn't get quite the development of the other two characters, but then, he's always been the comic relief of the book, and explaining his behavior would take away some of the humor.

If you're a horror fan who doesn't mind a novel of cosmic horror mixed with liberal doses of wacky (and often inappropriate) humor, the "John Dies At the End" books are just the thing for you. Wong gives us some of the most creative horror elements in a novel in quite some time, and proves that horror doesn't always have to take itself dead seriously. I'm going to continue to follow Wong's writing career, and hope that he gives us more of it soon...

I feel like I say this every time I review a book from this series, but this was an exercise in insanity!

Let me start by saying, there's only so much I can say without spoiling. I'm about to say something that may be of an unpopular opinion; I don't know because I haven't talked to anyone who has read the series, but here it is: I don't like Amy. I don't know what it is about the character, but she just irks the hell out of me, and I cannot remember if I felt this way after reading the first two novels. Even though I get the reason for her character, at the same time, I don't see the point of her.

That being said, John and Dave had yet another not-so-excellent adventure in [Undisclosed]. Just when I think the author couldn't possibly come up with a more, profane, creepy, hilariously convoluted story than the last, he goes and does it with style. The kind of person you have to be to come up with this stuff... all the blessings to the author's wife!

Seriously, this was creepy, funny, and ridiculous. If you've read the series, you understand why it's so hard to describe. If you haven't read the series, you're missing out. Go read it. Right now!

I went back and forth between the paperback and the audiobook. Whatever audio issues people were having when it was first released must have been fixed, because I thought it was great quality and a pretty good performance. I think I may have liked the narrator of the second book a little better--taking away nothing from this narrator. Overall it was a very good story and performance.

This is by far one of the wackiest books I've ever read, and I absolutely loved it. I've been in one heck of a reading slump lately. I've read some excellent nonfiction, but the fiction has been bad to pretty good. This knocked my socks off. It's not anything I would normally read, and the humor is everything I hate....The monster is named the Millibutt....It's babies are f-roaches. Silicone butts are made into weapons of m"ass" destruction. Oh and they live over a sex toy store. Sounds ridiculous, but I laughed, giggled and guffawed my way through! Also, it somehow managed to scare me and cause a few nightmares. No Batmantis's unfortunately, as that might have made the nightmare a bit more fun. If you're looking for a good time, "ahem." I mean if you're looking for a Lovecraftian type horror, with comedic touches, then here you go. Thanks much to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for this most excellent story.

I really liked this book just I have the other JDATE books, but for some reason, this one feels like a lot of narrative that doesn't go anywhere is mysteriously crammed in there. And since Wong is somewhat of a no-fat no-frills style of writing, I can only assume this is a setup for something wicked, that indeed this way comes, as I will read it. A previous reviewer said, this book ends without a lot of resolution, and I agree with that sentiment, but it just makes me think that there is a lot more to come in a future installment. At first I thought it was just a lot of material dedicated to the memory gimmick that was central to the story, but then it just seemed like too much. I believe this is purposeful, and can't wait to see where it goes next. I just don't think our good man Wong became the bloviating, my-publisher-needs-500-pages type overnight. So read it. Stow it away. And when the next one comes out, maybe give it a re-read and see if I am right.
(LIGHT SPOILER ALERT: I was really fascinated by the alternate dimensions into which they are thrown for security reasons. The dimension in which humans are shown to be pets of an alien race is more than just a throw away story line I hope. I seriously had dreams about the brief mention of this dimension already. It was a mix of Enemy Mine, The Great Escape, and a bad mushroom trip. But truly inspired backstory, side-story. I really hope there is more of this in future installments.)

David Wong's What the Hell Did I Just Read? is one of those books where the title says so much. You do walk away with pretty much that thought in your head, along with a feeling of extreme gratitude and sore abdomen muscles from laughing so much. It's a crazy roller coaster of a ride, and believe me, you want the ticket! 

In the Midwestern city of Undisclosed (it's not the real name, just what the author calls it so he doesn't have to say its real name), friends John and David and David's girlfriend Amy fight evil. But it's not the kind of evil you can name. Or can see. Or can talk about without sounding like you need to be locked up in a padded room with very strong psychotropic pharmaceuticals. But he's going to tell you about it anyway, because as soon as you pick up the book, you're sucked into his world. 

In this world. a little girl has gone missing. She was with her father, he turned around, and she was gone. Just like that. The police have no leads, so they called John, and John called David (Amy was at work at the call center, the only consistent income they get, so the guys started the investigation without her). John took the time before his public indecency trial later that day and David woke himself up from the floor of his museum of (aka, spare room full of) supposedly haunted items, and they went to the dad's house to investigate. 

What follows is a series of bizarre and creepy experiences that cannot be explained or understood, from phone calls sent from an iPhone buried under a long-abandoned warehouse to a fictional theme park named after a Korean porn star to the use of '80s power ballads to disarm demons (although as a child of the '80s, I think that part makes sense). What the Hell Did I Just Read? is a bowl of ramen made with supernatural tropes, sarcasm, lots of curse words, demons, a prosthetic hand that looks like a robot pretending to be human, junk food, nudity, imagined sex, and a bevy of weapons, some legal and some not. 

This book isn't for everyone. Like I said, lots of curse words (if you couldn't tell from the title). But if you liked Peter Clines 14 or Edgar Cantero's Meddling Kids or Grady Hendrix's Horrorstor, then you need to add David Wong to your TBR. This is the third book in the series that began with John Dies at the End, so you can start here and go back or start there and go forward, whatever you like. But start reading David Wong. And if you get scared, just play Jon Bon Jovi's "Living on a Prayer" in the background. That will scare the demons off, for sure.

Galleys for What the Hell Did I Just Read? were provided by St. Martin's Press through NetGalley.com, with many thanks.

This is the third of the "John Dies at the End" books. I knew about, but had not read, the first two in the series. If you start here it will take a chapter or two to get up to speed, but you'll quickly have Dave, John and Amy set in place, and have a feel for the strange doings in Undisclosed.

The book does a little bit of a bait and switch, but in a good way. At the beginning it feels like a funnier, wittier, more foul mouthed, and more "realistic" Scooby-Doo sort of tale, with a deadpan hero, (Dave), a wacky stoner sidekick, (John), and a grounded, practical girlfriend, (Amy). I expected them to run around dealing with funny/clever supernatural threats while tossing off one-liners and switching between slapstick and more traditional action. And it does start that way, more or less. But then we go off the rails, (again in a good way), which I guess experienced Wong readers know enough to expect.

The plot itself is a twisty mess. The supernatural threat can get inside people's heads and change their perceptions, so the tale turns heavily on shapeshifting, confusion, deception, delusions, and so on. You know those books based on "unreliable narrators"? Well, every single thing that appears in this book is unreliable. Individual chapters are written by either Dave or John or Amy. In the best of times John is unreliable and Dave is iffy, so once you get a villain who can bend reality, then all bets are off. To be honest, sometimes the "are you really you?" and the "is that what it looks like?" moments can pile up a bit too high, but by then you really don't mind too much.

But, who needs plot when you have such a vast array of crazy characters running around getting in each other's way. Apart from the three heroes there is a TV host expert on the supernatural, a gang of crazed bikers, an other worldly organization of men in black, the FBI, local police, a friend/foe extraterrestrial buttinsky, an insane lethal vet, shape shifting children, an infernal human shaped villain, and much more. It's like a tasting menu - I chose the three heroes, the lead black ops agent, and the TV guy, as my favorites, but you can put whatever you want on your plate.

But, who needs plot or characters when you have loads of cool one-off gadgets, scenes, bits of business, monologues, throwaway lines, and just tossed in looniness? Wong pours unbridled imagination into even the smallest details, so there's a treat on every page.

But, who needs plot or characters or set design when you have at least one laugh out loud funny line, one edgy dark humor line, and one serious-ish throwaway line on every page? Putting aside everything else, Wong's smart, sharp, and semi-manic rants, raves, monologues, and stand-up bits, along with his throwaways and one-liners, carry this book even if you totally ignore any pretense of it involving an actual story. I don't see how weird fiction can get much better than that. This was an excellent find.

(Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I always go ga-ga over these books, and for a really great reason. They're FUN AS HELL.

It bends all genres, has some of the absolutely most delicious wry comments and commentary on our modern f***ed-up life, and is consistently over-the-top when it comes to action, monster mashing, and total reality crushing.

Did I mention that this is to UF as Evil Dead is to Horror? It's not a bad comparison. But then, it's sure as hell not complete, either, because this stuff is in it's own league.

Think slacker/slasher fic that does the funniest Supernatural episodes but adds a bit of crack to it to make it even more addictive, then throw in a major course of Cthulhu, sexual innuendo, and Cracked Magazine, and then you're getting pretty close.

It's the same for all three of these books, and I'm proud to say that this third one is still very strong, indeed. No spoilers, but as it says in the series, John Dies at the End.

For those of you who don't know the books, he really does die, but it doesn't always stick thanks to the Soy Sauce. The time travel and alternate dimension hopping and a barrel of snakes that is potential girlfriends just makes things a bit complicated. You know, normal stuff.

All in a day's *unpaid* work.

Of course, that's not to say everyone has supernatural girlfriends, and Dave's Amy is a real trooper and a badass whom I really love. :)

Honestly, this is some of the most righteous laugh-out-loud OTT technicolor raunchy cool books out there. :) It's a self-conscious B-Movie that transcends into ultimate badassery. :) I am STILL totally recommending this series. :) :)

Imagine a father who’s daughter is missing. He’s separated from his wife. He’s an ex-soldier who believes that “war is real life.” He’s violent and bitter and homophobic, but he’s also terrified, exhausted, and most of all annoyed that the only people who can track his daughter down are so very clearly a pair of idiots.
Imagine, in short, a real person — perhaps a person you don’t like — and see how close you are to him. Sympathize with him. That is, after all, what a novel is supposed to do. What the Hell Did I Just Read does that. Like, really well.
David Wong has done his homework. I’m always a fan of fiction that teaches you things. It’s why I like scifi and fantasy. What the Hell Did I Just Read, while it has less than no science content,* taught me LOADS about the lives of people in the economically depressed Midwest, where a building is more likely to turn into a vacant lot than the other way around. They aren’t bad people, and they aren’t good either. They’re just trying to live their lives and deal with their problems. Biker cultists, call-center drones, meth-addicts, off-the-grid survivalists, shady government agents — they’re all just people, and I’m glad I got a chance to know them.
Also there are amnesia-rays, giant hypno-grubs filled with universal evil, and NOTHING IS AS IT SEEMS. OOOOOOH!

I've been enjoying David Wong's work for about a year now -- I read "John Dies At the End" last summer, and since then have snapped up and read its sequel ("This Book Is Full of Spiders") and Wong's other novel not set in the same universe ("Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits"). He has a knack for spinning a tale that's at once imaginative, hilarious, and horrifying, and giving us characters who are eccentric and weird but still grounded at least somewhat in reality. "What the Hell Did I Just Read," the third book in the "John Dies At the End" series, continues the story of John, David, and Amy in the dying town of Undisclosed, and while more ambiguous and less satisfying than the previous two novels, it makes up for it by giving its characters real development and delving deeper into their psyches, their dreams and fears... and in that aspect, it's a stronger novel.

It's been some time since the events of "This Book Is Full of Spiders," and David and John continue to be approached by people trying to dispose of cursed or abnormal artifacts or seeking help with mysterious phenomena. Their latest case is no different -- a man wants their help in finding his missing daughter, who he suspects was kidnapped by a child predator. Naturally, there's far more afoot than a simple kidnapper, and as more children go missing David, John, and David's girlfriend Amy discover a mysterious entity is attempting to use the children and their parents to escape into our world. Nothing is as it seems, however... and as the being cloaks itself and its minions in illusions, plumbs our trio's psyches to reveal their deepest fears and despairs, and eludes both them and a mysterious government agency time and again. Can David and John stop a monstrous creature from breaking free and destroying Undisclosed? Is David careening toward a self-destructive breakdown? And just what is the deal with that massive order of silicon butts from an adult shop anyhow?

David Wong's concept of horror doesn't come from the supernatural, but much like Lovecraft he believes the greatest horrors are simply our fear of the unknown, of the creatures that lurk outside our limited perception. Unlike Lovecraft, however, Wong recognizes the potential for outrageous humor to be found amidst horror, and somehow manages to combine the two into something horrifyingly hilarious. His knack for plumbing our deepest fears and mining them for both horror and humor is astounding... and his depiction of a decaying Midwestern town in the throes of a terrible flood-threatening storm is vivid and terrifying in its own right, making for a gloomy yet effective setting.

This book is more open-ended and ambiguous than the other books, leaving some things up to the reader to decide (or perhaps he's just saving them for a sequel down the road...). This can be irritating to a reader who likes closure to a story, though it can also be thought-provoking. I find I'm willing to forgive this, however. It doesn't hurt that, while certain elements of the plot may be more ambiguous here, this book also serves as excellent character development and exploration for our characters, particularly David and Amy. David's depression and its effect on his relationship with Amy, always lurking over him in the previous two books, boils to a head in this book, and instead of being a source of self-depreciating humor is actually treated seriously by the characters. John doesn't get quite the development of the other two characters, but then, he's always been the comic relief of the book, and explaining his behavior would take away some of the humor.

If you're a horror fan who doesn't mind a novel of cosmic horror mixed with liberal doses of wacky (and often inappropriate) humor, the "John Dies At the End" books are just the thing for you. Wong gives us some of the most creative horror elements in a novel in quite some time, and proves that horror doesn't always have to take itself dead seriously. I'm going to continue to follow Wong's writing career, and hope that he gives us more of it soon...

I feel like I say this every time I review a book from this series, but this was an exercise in insanity!

Let me start by saying, there's only so much I can say without spoiling. I'm about to say something that may be of an unpopular opinion; I don't know because I haven't talked to anyone who has read the series, but here it is: I don't like Amy. I don't know what it is about the character, but she just irks the hell out of me, and I cannot remember if I felt this way after reading the first two novels. Even though I get the reason for her character, at the same time, I don't see the point of her.

That being said, John and Dave had yet another not-so-excellent adventure in [Undisclosed]. Just when I think the author couldn't possibly come up with a more, profane, creepy, hilariously convoluted story than the last, he goes and does it with style. The kind of person you have to be to come up with this stuff... all the blessings to the author's wife!

Seriously, this was creepy, funny, and ridiculous. If you've read the series, you understand why it's so hard to describe. If you haven't read the series, you're missing out. Go read it. Right now!

I went back and forth between the paperback and the audiobook. Whatever audio issues people were having when it was first released must have been fixed, because I thought it was great quality and a pretty good performance. I think I may have liked the narrator of the second book a little better--taking away nothing from this narrator. Overall it was a very good story and performance.

This is by far one of the wackiest books I've ever read, and I absolutely loved it. I've been in one heck of a reading slump lately. I've read some excellent nonfiction, but the fiction has been bad to pretty good. This knocked my socks off. It's not anything I would normally read, and the humor is everything I hate....The monster is named the Millibutt....It's babies are f-roaches. Silicone butts are made into weapons of m"ass" destruction. Oh and they live over a sex toy store. Sounds ridiculous, but I laughed, giggled and guffawed my way through! Also, it somehow managed to scare me and cause a few nightmares. No Batmantis's unfortunately, as that might have made the nightmare a bit more fun. If you're looking for a good time, "ahem." I mean if you're looking for a Lovecraftian type horror, with comedic touches, then here you go. Thanks much to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for this most excellent story.

I really liked this book just I have the other JDATE books, but for some reason, this one feels like a lot of narrative that doesn't go anywhere is mysteriously crammed in there. And since Wong is somewhat of a no-fat no-frills style of writing, I can only assume this is a setup for something wicked, that indeed this way comes, as I will read it. A previous reviewer said, this book ends without a lot of resolution, and I agree with that sentiment, but it just makes me think that there is a lot more to come in a future installment. At first I thought it was just a lot of material dedicated to the memory gimmick that was central to the story, but then it just seemed like too much. I believe this is purposeful, and can't wait to see where it goes next. I just don't think our good man Wong became the bloviating, my-publisher-needs-500-pages type overnight. So read it. Stow it away. And when the next one comes out, maybe give it a re-read and see if I am right.
(LIGHT SPOILER ALERT: I was really fascinated by the alternate dimensions into which they are thrown for security reasons. The dimension in which humans are shown to be pets of an alien race is more than just a throw away story line I hope. I seriously had dreams about the brief mention of this dimension already. It was a mix of Enemy Mine, The Great Escape, and a bad mushroom trip. But truly inspired backstory, side-story. I really hope there is more of this in future installments.)

David Wong's What the Hell Did I Just Read? is one of those books where the title says so much. You do walk away with pretty much that thought in your head, along with a feeling of extreme gratitude and sore abdomen muscles from laughing so much. It's a crazy roller coaster of a ride, and believe me, you want the ticket! 

In the Midwestern city of Undisclosed (it's not the real name, just what the author calls it so he doesn't have to say its real name), friends John and David and David's girlfriend Amy fight evil. But it's not the kind of evil you can name. Or can see. Or can talk about without sounding like you need to be locked up in a padded room with very strong psychotropic pharmaceuticals. But he's going to tell you about it anyway, because as soon as you pick up the book, you're sucked into his world. 

In this world. a little girl has gone missing. She was with her father, he turned around, and she was gone. Just like that. The police have no leads, so they called John, and John called David (Amy was at work at the call center, the only consistent income they get, so the guys started the investigation without her). John took the time before his public indecency trial later that day and David woke himself up from the floor of his museum of (aka, spare room full of) supposedly haunted items, and they went to the dad's house to investigate. 

What follows is a series of bizarre and creepy experiences that cannot be explained or understood, from phone calls sent from an iPhone buried under a long-abandoned warehouse to a fictional theme park named after a Korean porn star to the use of '80s power ballads to disarm demons (although as a child of the '80s, I think that part makes sense). What the Hell Did I Just Read? is a bowl of ramen made with supernatural tropes, sarcasm, lots of curse words, demons, a prosthetic hand that looks like a robot pretending to be human, junk food, nudity, imagined sex, and a bevy of weapons, some legal and some not. 

This book isn't for everyone. Like I said, lots of curse words (if you couldn't tell from the title). But if you liked Peter Clines 14 or Edgar Cantero's Meddling Kids or Grady Hendrix's Horrorstor, then you need to add David Wong to your TBR. This is the third book in the series that began with John Dies at the End, so you can start here and go back or start there and go forward, whatever you like. But start reading David Wong. And if you get scared, just play Jon Bon Jovi's "Living on a Prayer" in the background. That will scare the demons off, for sure.

Galleys for What the Hell Did I Just Read? were provided by St. Martin's Press through NetGalley.com, with many thanks.

It’s almost Halloween ? so I did my one scary book of the month.

Probably the most scariest book, I’ve ever listened to.

In the bloody and quivering vein of HP LoveCraft.
Made the book of Revelation sound like a Sunday School kids treat.

Most frightening Chapters; Kurt Russell made a grave mistake. Takes the blood test in John Carpenter’s The Thing to the next level.

The Hero’s are incompetent, unbelievably human and frightened too.

I won’t be reading or listening this book ever again.
It’ll take a month to figure out what dreams may come.

I’d recommend it but it’s too much like a Sutter Kane novel from “In the mouth of madness”.
I’m just too afraid of others reading it.
So avoid.
At all cost.

Especially if you’re schizophrenic.

P.S.

The Dr Marconi character in the film and book is very similar to the video and literary works of two incredibly talented men by the names of Author Chuck Misler and pirate YouTuber LA Marzuli.
These two name will send you into a true rabbit hole.

Good luck.

I just finished this book and I have to say I am even more in love with this series. David Wong has the ability to make you laugh, want to cry, vomit, and get slightly turned on in all of his books. You go from wondering what the hell, to laughing, to sympathizing, to wanting to shove this book series down everyone’s throat (I hope their gag reflex is up to par). The characters are the same joke cracking jerks (not you, Amy) that we all have grown to love in the other two books.

The plot line was unique, and really did make you wonder what the hell you just read. It was a fun ride while it lasted. I personally loved how fun this book was. I ended up having to put it down multiple times simply because I couldn’t focus on anything but this audiobook. The narrator does a great job at putting you in the story and adding his own unique take on the book. I cannot even imagine reading the book simply because of the narrator of the audiobook. He does such a great job I would feel like I was cheating on him if I actually read the book.

This book is extremely similar to the other books in how they’re written. You’re going to get grossed out in one sentence and in the next sentence you’re going to be laughing. It is crude, vulgar, and surprisingly thoughtful. I loved the ending the most and the afterward by the author was amazing to read.

All in all, if you like vulgar writing that will make you laugh, want to vomit, and make you slightly sad that it is over, this is the book for you. This is hands down my favorite book of 2017. If I could make this a 10 star book I would.

While I was reading this book, I had multiple people ask me what it was about. I couldn't give them an honest answer without sounding like a complete lunatic, so I doubt I'll have better luck with a written review. David Wong continues the gloriousness of the first two John Dies at the End novels with this third adventure, following John and Dave as they fight to save Undisclosed from two different types of attacks (three if you count Dave's quasi-crippling depression).

This book is not full of spiders, but it does have a little bit of everything you could want in a David Wong book: action, adventure, paranormal oddities, and enough dirty jokes to make any thirteen-year-old boy blush. And, on top of all that amazingness is a really well-written story. David Wong is an inventive author with a masterful control over words. I don't know of many people who can write on these subject matters and have it come out sounding so well done. Kudos to Wong for continuing John and Dave's story in such a fantastic way, and for sneaking in and realistically addressing Dave's depression.

Can't wait for the next John and Dave adventure. I'll even remember to bring the Soy Sauce next time.

This the third book in the John Dies at the End series brought me back closer to the first book which I absolutely loved. The movie, I dunno, I'm not a big fan of movies made from books I know and like. Make a movie from something I haven't imagined in my head and I'll probably like it. Back to this third book. The fun. The bizarre happenings. The crazy dialog. It's all back. While I'm sure many people will disagree I wasn't crazy about This Book is Full of Spiders. . . I didn't hate it but I told every reader I knew about the first book (and will do so for this book) but the second it just didn't grab me like the first two. I've got to check out the author's other, not part of this series novel. And while lately I've been avoiding multibook series (one book called itself part of a trilogy, the fourth or was it the fifth was yet another cliffhanger making you wait for the story to continue.) I was actually excited when in the afterward the author said there'd likely be another book in this series. May it truly be strange and weird. Read this. I know if you look at the dates it took me a while to finish but that wasn't because it was a bad book I was just dealing with a literal life or death family emergency and that just had to come first.
Happy reading people!

I didn’t know that this novel was part of a series. And it really didn’t matter because I was able to follow along fine without having had read anything before this one. This was one of the most entertaining reads I have ever had the opportunity to read. It was an absolutely perfect mix of horror and comedy, that is both a mess and a genius work at the same time. I loved all of the characters and their unique narratives and perspectives. The story is honestly so wild and bizarre, which at first took me by surprise, but I began to really love that style. Random characters are introduced, random events happen, and since these events are told from multiple perspectives, you never really know if what you are reading is true or false. It makes your head spin but it also keeps you hooked! I am so glad I took my time with this book because it just allowed me to savor it so much longer! I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for something unique, something dark and funny, and something that will drive you insane while also make you crave more! I am definitely going to go back and start the series from the beginning! 5/5 stars from me!

I received this novel as an advanced copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

I am always in the mood for laughs. This book states it is a black humor book. It was just that and more. If you have never read a black humor book than you are missing out. When it is done right it is great. Mr. Wong has the right elements. Black humor is a bit slap stick silly with crude and over the top jokes. Besides the humor aspect of this book, I liked the sci-fi/horror as well.

This is my first introduction to this series. I have never seen the movie that was inspired from the book, John Dies at the End. Although, as I was reading this book, I kept flashing to the Kevin Smith movies, Jay and Silent Bob. The best part is that the main characters, Dave, John, and Amy are just your regular joes.

Warning, if you are not into sex jokes or references, than you should just turn back now. This book had so many and I am not shy to admit that I laughed at them all. For example, the sex shop is called Venus Flytrap. There are references to butts and dildos as well.

What the Hell Did I Just Read...one of the most awesome books of 2017!

I am in no way obligated to post a review...good or bad. These are my thoughts alone.

The first two "John Dies..." books had secured Mr Wong a place as one of my absolute favorite authors. Unfortunately this third outing was a big letdown after the first two phenomenal novels. While it has its moments the plot does not really hang together and it ends with a whimper not a bang. It also seems to be missing a lot of the politically incorrect "dick humor" type stuff that made the first two so hilarious. This book feels like someone wrote it who was trying to imitate David Wong's style. While he includes some gross out humor he seems to shy away from taking it to the extremes the first two went to. The plot has some fun ideas but also seems sort of predictable. Overall the book just does not feel as fresh, original and balls out as the first two. Nevertheless it's a worthwhile read if you've read the other two and still fun to slip back into the crazy world of John and Dave in *UNDISCLOSED*. However, I would not start with this one.

I could use the title of the book as a review. I have no idea what was going on or what the ending meant. But (or, as Dave and John would probably say, butt) it was the most entertaining time I've had with a book since... well, since I read the previous volume in this series. I was laughing out loud at the funny dialogues (seriously, some jokes were quite dumb, but many were very well thought out). We already know the main trio by now: narrator Dave, who is a little depressed this time around; John, who always loses his shirt to show off his toned physique (maybe not completely real) and wonderful, compassionate, humane Amy, the heart of the story. It starts with a missing kid. She disappeared into thin air so even the cops wash their hands of the case and pass it on to Dave and John who... well, as usual make a mess out of it. In a hilarious manner. It's a very original series and it doesn't even have to make sense when you have such humor, action and suspense.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/St. Martin's Press!

David Wong has delivered another mind-blowing, heart-wrenching, gore-and-giggle-fest. If you enjoyed the previous two books in the series, rest assured that this third book is absolutely on par.

One minute, an eternally dark entity is clutching at my soul and giving me the heebie-jeebies.
The next minute I'm laughing at the absurd dialogue and plot twists.
And still, the next minute I'm wrestling with the main character's internal struggle with depression.

On the surface, the book seems like one big sack of screaming clown d**ks. Or a barrel of flaming sulfur-filled dildos. Or a truckload of rubber butts overturned into a violent river. But below the surface it's truly a masterpiece of storytelling.

The details of the story change as the narrative POV rotates between each of the three main characters. Don't worry–the insanity doesn't stop there. The world itself (or rather the way it's perceived) also comes in question. Yet despite the lack of cementitiousness in the plot, it's a fast-paced, fun, horrific ride with a satisfying end.

I'd happily buy a few hundred pages of Wong's prose even without a story attached but the most surprising bit about these novels is how coherently everything comes together in the end - how all the details and characters and random stuff matters to the resolution. I've been following Wong's fiction for as long as he's been putting it out into the world and every new entry is better than the last. If you're reading this review it's (hopefully) because you're wondering if this particular absurdist horror comedy is right for you, or if it's as good as the other entries in this series. The answer is absolutely yes, you should buy and read this as your next book.

I love the JDATE books and I’m a huge fan of David Wong. But, there’s always that risk with sequels that something will be different in a horrible way or fan favorites will get distorted into caricatures of themselves to try to wring commercial appeal out of them. What the hell did I just read totally avoids all the sequel potholes and still has that element of these books that I find so appealing: they’re funny and scary, and just when you think you’ve got it figured out, a totally WTF moment happens and you’re on your toes again. This series is so completely different from everything I’ve read, and this installment doesn’t disappoint at all.

tl;dr: David Wong carefully walks the line of portraying the subtle themes of a young man’s sexual awakening in the same book as that infamous beef scene. 5/5

This book is an incredible return to JDATE form. After the second installment, which was fantastic but very different from John Dies at the End, What the Hell Did I Just Read is a wonderful return to what made the original so brilliant. The development of the three characters we've all come to love is thought-provoking and heart-wrenching.

The only reason I take off a star is for an anticlimactic ending. It's important to note that the ending was intentionally anticlimactic for reasons I won't spoil, but I think Wong could have accomplished the same narrative purpose while still giving us something a little more satisfying. That may be a matter of opinion though, and otherwise this would be a perfect five. The most moving novel I've read in years.

For 6 months I was looking for something fun to read and wad disappointed unlike I found out you wrote another sequel. Yes please there needs to be a sequel. But thank you for letting my brain take a break from the real world and get filled full of assets ans dildos!!

I can’t recommend this series highly enough. Out of impatience for this book, I downloaded it the day it was released, instead of waiting the minuscule amount of time it would have taken to go out and buy the hardback. I read it in two days, then reread the first two, then read this one a second time- and while I recognize the impracticality of this approach for most people, I highly recommend it, as it allowed me to catch a lot of references, call-backs, and subtle details I missed the first time. While still worthy of five stars, I can’t recommend it over its predecessor, “This Book Is Full of Spiders,” but that’s only because I think TBIFOS is one of the best books ever written (and reading it again only reaffirmed that opinion.) Buy it, read it, reread it. I love this series and can’t wait for the next one.

It seems I appreciate every new book by this author more than the last, and this one is no exception. It tackles some heavy subjects inside the framework of a gross Weird horror/comedy, and your enjoyment of the story need only go as deep as you want to delve. It is an uncomfortable yet funny and, in the end, hopeful, reminder that the true horror sometimes is knowing you cannot trust your own brain. Overall an excellent third installment that can also be read as a standalone work.

I didn't read the first two novels of the trilogy, so some things didn't make a lot of sense. However, the book is funny in some sections, but a bit tiring after a while. Some jokes seemed strained to me. A good read if you want something light.

This book maintained the absolute hilarity that u have come to expect from the series, the type that makes you turn to a stranger and start reading them lines so that they'll laugh, too. But it also manages to address more directly the serious, real-life problem alluded to in previous books. Dave's depression is spoken about as something more than a quick, as is John's drug problem, and these factors are allowed to directly influence the story. That such serious topics can be handled well without detracting from the wild humor that fills the book is masterful.

Great book! While it is not as funny as the first two in the series, it was good enough to not want to put it down. I love this series because it is a mix of Bill and Ted and Jay and Silent Bob, with some horror thrown in. It would make a pretty awesome movie if it ever got turned into one. My only complaint was the ending was a little of a letdown, but only because it was built up so much. Still an awesome read and can't wait to read what David Wong does next. He is the only author that I pick up the book as soon as it comes out.

Another fast-paced, hilarious, horrifying and thought-provoking book by the amazing David Wong. I have read and will continue to read everything this man writes. In this case, I listened to the audio book, voiced by Stephen R. Thorne, who couldn't have done a better job. I still read John Dies at the End every few years, just to keep me grounded.

This book is great! I'm not going to say much about it to avoid spoilers but David and John are back to their old habits. I've loved every book in this series and this one does not disappoint. The many years of waiting for this third book has finally paid off!

If you suffer from agoraphobia You will hate this book, and yet still enjoy it thoroughly. If suffer from hemophobia just refuse the sauce but understand your empathy will get the best of you. An exciting read that will have its reader questioning their own perception of reality...no scratch that, their perception of the word "reality" within their perception of reality. (Ok, I think that's closer). Just read it. Easy on the sauce.

I'm a huge fan of David Wong so I hasten to read anything he submits for mass consumption.

This book struck me, though. Not that it grew arms and physically harmed me, no...Dave is going through some stuff in this book. Some very relatable and gut wrenching character development and while the plot was not my favorite of the series the character development walloped me but good and I stand in awe.

Awesome continuation from the first two books - which I loved! I hope the trio never move and continue to totally bizarrely save the world! I would truly love to see This Book Has Spiders in it as a movie....

Like many readers, stumbled across JDATE with no expectations, and was blown away by the originality and humour. Reread TBIFOS before reading this one ( enjoyed it so much more the second time!) and then devoured this in a day.
Laughed out loud as I readit, and just love how the story progresses. Great book, and so happy there could be more in the series!

Plot-wise, this is basically the horror novel equivalent of Mad Max: Fury Road--a chase scene with death always on your tail. The guy is writing horror at a Stephen King level, when King was younger and less indulgent. It's funny, too, which is more than I can say about King. In fact, screw King--that guy is over. All hail Korrok, er, Wong!

I received this book in my Nocturnal Reader's subscription box. I absolutely loved it. It was my first book by Jason Pargin, but I will definitely be getting more. It was witty, smart, juvenile, and hilarious. It made me literally laugh out loud. So glad I could add this book to my collection.

A return to some solid writing from David. Enjoyed the split narrative and the exaggeration that inevitably came from an unreliable storyteller. Still missing the few moments that JDATE featured that blew me away, but I read this faster than any other book I've read recently which says a lot. A solid read. Really enjoyed myself.

Wish he'd calm down the self-promo a bit on social media though.

Unreliable narration and unanswered questions that make you think. Whip-smart social observation. Vivid, disquieting interdimensional horror/gore. Kooky balls-out comicbook style characters who are yet fully realized and rigidly self-consistent. Must-read for fans of any kind of smart, modern genre fiction.

Also, the last line of the book F***ING KILLED ME

While I haven’t read the other books in this series since I wasn’t aware it was one, this book was incredible. I loved every minute of it and it made me laugh a lot. If anyone is looking for a light read that’s entertaining and just all around great, I would highly recommend you read this book.

It didn't capture me quite as fast as the first 2 but I still loved it! Hilarious and thought provoking. So unique and a great ride. The end really picks up and gets very exciting and I couldn't put it down after I got to a certain point. Another home run for Jason Pardgin aka David Wong. I can't wait to see if there will be a 4th.

Fun, addicting, hard to put down, gut-wrenchingly hilarious. Douglas Adams receives a black, murky fondue dip into Lovecraftian goo. David Wong's flavor of dark comedy, philosophy and horror bends genres to create a truly unique reading experience that both new and longtime readers will enjoy.

I've read all of the John Dies at the End series so far, and I really liked this one because of the way it deals with mental illness in one of the characters. I thought it came from a really great place, and it weaved it in perfectly so at the end, it didn't seem out of place.

The third in the series and still it never disappoints. Goes back to the same atmosphere as the first one while managing to feel completely new and no matter how absolutely ridiculous the characters are, you still can't help but love them. ❤

Reading this book is like having a hilarious fork driven slowly into your eyeball, and I mean that in the most positive way. Maybe it's just that I started reading it and didn't stop until I hit the last page, which was probably not a great idea when it comes to ocular degeneration. Worth it, though.

I've already tried to throw this series at anyone who will listen to me. I am a huge fan of Stephen King and Chuck Palahniuk, and David Wong has a style that fits perfectly next to them. If you are looking for something new and amazing, you should definitely stop here.

I bought the Audible edition but this applies to all versions. Wong continues to amaze and astound the audience with his weird fantasies. I enjoyed What the Hell Did I just Read for the baked-in strangeness.

Unreliable narration and unanswered questions that make you think. Whip-smart social observation. Vivid, disquieting interdimensional horror/gore. Kooky balls-out comicbook style characters who are yet fully realized and rigidly self-consistent. Must-read for fans of any kind of smart, modern genre fiction.

Also, the last line of the book F***ING KILLED ME

While I haven’t read the other books in this series since I wasn’t aware it was one, this book was incredible. I loved every minute of it and it made me laugh a lot. If anyone is looking for a light read that’s entertaining and just all around great, I would highly recommend you read this book.

It didn't capture me quite as fast as the first 2 but I still loved it! Hilarious and thought provoking. So unique and a great ride. The end really picks up and gets very exciting and I couldn't put it down after I got to a certain point. Another home run for Jason Pardgin aka David Wong. I can't wait to see if there will be a 4th.

Fun, addicting, hard to put down, gut-wrenchingly hilarious. Douglas Adams receives a black, murky fondue dip into Lovecraftian goo. David Wong's flavor of dark comedy, philosophy and horror bends genres to create a truly unique reading experience that both new and longtime readers will enjoy.

I've read all of the John Dies at the End series so far, and I really liked this one because of the way it deals with mental illness in one of the characters. I thought it came from a really great place, and it weaved it in perfectly so at the end, it didn't seem out of place.

The third in the series and still it never disappoints. Goes back to the same atmosphere as the first one while managing to feel completely new and no matter how absolutely ridiculous the characters are, you still can't help but love them. ❤

Reading this book is like having a hilarious fork driven slowly into your eyeball, and I mean that in the most positive way. Maybe it's just that I started reading it and didn't stop until I hit the last page, which was probably not a great idea when it comes to ocular degeneration. Worth it, though.

I've already tried to throw this series at anyone who will listen to me. I am a huge fan of Stephen King and Chuck Palahniuk, and David Wong has a style that fits perfectly next to them. If you are looking for something new and amazing, you should definitely stop here.

I bought the Audible edition but this applies to all versions. Wong continues to amaze and astound the audience with his weird fantasies. I enjoyed What the Hell Did I just Read for the baked-in strangeness.

An amazing read, as always with David Wong. As a working father I didn't get to read it as fast I used to read books, but once I hit the halfway point, I could not put it down and finished it that evening. Some great thought provoking lines, and some legitimately horrifying scenes.

A David Wong book that lives up to the title. John DIDN'T die at the end of book one, there were literally NO spiders in book two, but this latest installment had me scratching my head and wondering, "What the Hell Did I Just Read?" Well, whatever it was, it was fantastic.

this book is a sucker punch- right to your gut. your gut tells you right from wrong. this book makes you vomit that up and stare at it for a while confused and disoriented. what the hell did i just read.

If you want to delve neck deep into actual uncut cosmic horror this is the book to pick up. Wong clearly understands the genre beyond the surface layer of creepy names and old gods and insanity that so many others rely on.

Much like the previous two books in the series, 'What the Hell Did I Just Read' is packed full with delirious action, absurd comedy, and hilariously unreliable narrators. Wong knows what his audience wants and he delivers every damn time.

A loving successor to Wong's first two books in this series. These books have always hooked me in at page one and keep me glued to it until the last. What the Hell Did I Just Read is well paced, horrific and insanely fun.

The insight provided by the JDATE series is priceless. I'm so glad David Wong has persevered with his absurd, nihilistic, eldritch, heartwarming, hilarious series of self-help books. This is every bit as good as the last 2.

**NOTE: Spoiler Heavy**

The other two were definitely better, and when I read Fancy Suits and Future Violence, I was missing the Dave and John elements. And this book seemed to be just enough to count it as a Dave and John book, but nothing more than that. Assuming you're reading this review, you've probably already read the other two books in this series, so I don't have to justify this bare minimum of 3 stars: the writing style, the humor, and the technique is classic Dave and John, which is why this book is at least a 3.

But there's not much more than that. The characters themselves realize the futility and pointlessness of their actions. The story is neither character driven nor plot driven, in a strange way; it just goes forward because the author makes it so. And I'm not complaining about the plot itself, but rather a couple of smaller things:

1) Amy. Amy was really annoying in this book. She knew that those kids were maggot-monster things, but she constantly kept going on the side of "oh but let's not kill them because they might be kids". She doesn't seem to grow a brain during this book, and keeps falling into the same old "oh god let's not kill the monsters" shtick and it gets very annoying. Another reason why it's annoying is that you would expect her to eventually grow and get over it and realize what she's saying, but she doesn't seem to grow because...?

2) NON, and the way the main characters interact with them. The tension with NON in the end of the book is artificial. Sure, NON tried to transfer the trio in alternate universes, but then they started working with them to move Nymph. So why are NON the bad guys again by the end of the book? Because Marconi discovered that they shouldn't kill the kids/maggots and because NON were trying to kill them? So the tension here is really just caused by a lack of communication -- just TELL THEM. The entire conflict in the end doesn't really hook me as a reader because it's a result of ineptitude by the main characters (and yes, you could say that's the theme of the entire series, but no, it really isn't; a lack of simple communication isn't a "Dave and John" classic element, it's just stupid). And besides, NON's method is still right in the end -- wouldn't it be safest to get the kids and throw them into alternate realities/universes, rather than letting them continue to live with their "parents" and risk them breaking out of their shells some day?

3) Ted. Jesus, screw Ted. Why does John not just blow this guy's head off? Sure, I can accept Dave's meekness in dealing with Ted, but John usually has the balls "to do what has to be done" (as he says when Ted confronts him). And when someone is blowing the entire operation, John should be doing what has to be done, not just letting the plot conveniently tilt in another direction for an extra hundred pages.

4) I must have missed something, so this isn't really a critique. I didn't catch the reason why Joy Park popped up; how John "created" her. I'm assuming this is the same reason why Amy met a nicer, healthier, doppelganger of Dave? I also must have missed how they caught the Batmantis and put him in the warehouse. I get that "there's no exact science to this", but leaving giant things like this unexplained is just bad storytelling. And if I just missed it, then my bad. But the Batmantis was overall a strange addition to the story.

I don't want to continue to pick the book apart, but overall, it didn't leave the same satisfying feeling that the first two books left me with. There were too many elements that were forced -- tension, motivations, references, and lessons. Hopefully the next book will be better.

The audible version of this book sounds as if someone hired a speak and spell to read a 16 year old girls conversation between friends... If you’ve ever had the chance to hear a speak and spell, well you get the picture. Either Wong wanted to save a little money this time around or he just entrusted audible to choose the right narrator, regardless it was an atrocious mistake. Narrating an audible book should be considered the same as acting. If you can’t at least change the tone of your voice slightly to somehow portray a new character, you have no business reading a book for others. It sounds like a 12 year old trying to read a segment of a book after the classroom teacher just woke said 12 year old up from their daily 10:45 pre lunch nap. The context itself is amazing but if I ever found the man that narrated this masterpiece, I would calmly suggest he quit his day job and take up a new career as an NPR radio host. Please audible, I beg you, stop hiring mediocre narrators to read works of art or at least make sure that their personality fits the piece.

I really liked this book. This series has so much more to offer than most any horror series. However, I just felt that the tone and passion of the series started to wear off at the end of the book. Im not criticising this, as I understand style changes with time.

It’s almost Halloween ? so I did my one scary book of the month.

Probably the most scariest book, I’ve ever listened to.

In the bloody and quivering vein of HP LoveCraft.
Made the book of Revelation sound like a Sunday School kids treat.

Most frightening Chapters; Kurt Russell made a grave mistake. Takes the blood test in John Carpenter’s The Thing to the next level.

The Hero’s are incompetent, unbelievably human and frightened too.

I won’t be reading or listening this book ever again.
It’ll take a month to figure out what dreams may come.

I’d recommend it but it’s too much like a Sutter Kane novel from “In the mouth of madness”.
I’m just too afraid of others reading it.
So avoid.
At all cost.

Especially if you’re schizophrenic.

P.S.

The Dr Marconi character in the film and book is very similar to the video and literary works of two incredibly talented men by the names of Author Chuck Misler and pirate YouTuber LA Marzuli.
These two name will send you into a true rabbit hole.

Good luck.