Book Review: The Plot Against Heaven by Mark Kirkbride
The Plot Against Heaven will be published on October 3rd, 2020
The Plot Against Heaven is closer to dark fantasy than horror, but oddly enough throws in a fair bit of satire and a hint of workplace comedy before all is said and done. Although I often skip the synopsis, I gave it a look in this case before taking the book on.
We’re dropped into the midst of the action as our first-person narrator, Paul, attempts to gate-crash Heaven in a bid to confront God after the wrongful death of his wife. It’s a lot to take in, but the elements for a truly interesting fantasy are certainly present.
Kirkbride draws the reader into this short novella with relatively brief chapters that move the action along, contributing few, if any, wasted words. The scenes that take place in Hell lean more heavily into parody than I expected, setting up the Devil as more of a punchline than a threat, or contributing to an overall sense of mythology. There’s nothing wrong with it, it’s pulled off well enough, and I found myself cracking a smile more than once. It’s simply not what I expected going in. Place that squarely on the shoulders of the reader, rather than the author.
Apologies for the mild spoilers, but there are two notable twists and turns toward the end. One feels overly forecasted, however the other, arguably the larger of the two, came through quite effectively.
If you’re looking for a fast, fun read, The Plot Against Heaven might just do the trick. There aren’t really horror elements present, and it feels more appropriate to call it Action Satire than dark fantasy, but if that’s something that interests you, check it out on October 3rd.
Review by Brennan LaFaro
Blog: http://brennanlafaro.wordpress.com
Twitter: @whathappensnex5
I received a copy from the publisher for review consideration
