Choke

Rating:
Summary: chuck is the man
Review: This book is nearly perfect in its ironic catastrophe. It is somehow a perfect circle of events and facts, all linking together to create an astonishing story that just might, for use of a boring and tired out cliche, take your breath away. The twists are thoroughly unexpected; perhaps this is due to the fact that the situation is completely unlike anything I've ever been involved in. Despite this, I can relate to the characters and sympathize with them. I read Fight Club and Survivor and have to say that I liked Choke the best, if only for its warped irony. Simply put, Choke rocks and so does Chuck.

Rating:
Summary: I LOVED IT!!!!
Review: Choke was a great novel! This was the first book i read of Chuck Palahniuks. I loved his writing style, ive never read anything like it. It is very fast paced and has you going in a bunch of different directions at once, which i liked alot. I loved the storyline it was very clever, i mean who would think of someone that chokes on food to make someone a hero, pure genius. I would recomend this book to anyone i think everyone would enjoy it tremendously. I'm definitly going to read other Chuck Palahniuk novels.

Rating:
Summary: Not the best but good writing
Review: This is the first book that I have read by
Chuck Palahniuk, and while I was not particularly fond of the book I did enjoy his writing style. Its fast-paced and crazy to go along with the insane story line. I think that Palahniuk used some great lines in the book and I actually like that he would use them repeatedly. I though the premis of "choke" in which the main character pretedss to choke to death and make someone a hero was very unbeliveable, as well as many other parts of the story line. So all in all a mized review good writing, strange but not in the a terribly interesting way. I will check out fight club soon.

Rating:
Summary: Not the best
Review: The main problem with this book is just the vile nature that it is written. I understand why it was written like that, but it doesn't make the book very enjoyable at times. I guess I should have paid more attention to the "warning" at the beginning of the book.

I probably could have dealt with it more if perhaps the writing would have been more coherent. I also understand this is CP's style, but still if you are going to use a fragment as a sentence, at least make it flow a little better.

Overall, however, the book was decent. I was entertained at some points and the conclusion is worthwhile. However, the book is no where near Fight Club and Survivor. I am actually glad this is the first CP book I read, as it has made me enjoy the others so much more.

Rating:
Summary: Loved it!
Review: great book....funny, thought provoking. The first of Palahniuk's books that I have read. Will definitely be buying a few more.....can't wait to read more of his work!

Rating:
Summary: Not the best I've read
Review: With an interesting writer on your hands, you know you will be dealing with a very interesting book. Chuck Palahniuk's "Choke" was a funny book from the very fist page. It made me laugh-out-loud during most of the parts, even though some of it was quite confusing. Like others probably have said, there is a lack of climax, which I was longing for, but it will all make sense in the end. All of Palahniuk's book are odd, so this being my first book by the author, I am wondering what the rest of his books are like. Unfortunatly, the book didn't entertain me the whole time, even though it did make me laugh. I would have to say that parts of the book were awesome, while others literally made me fall asleep in seconds. I did not buy the book, and I probably won't ever.

Rating:
Summary: incredible
Review: this book is just incredible.. ok so i dont read all that much, but even so. this is on a fight club ish sense of thought, but even to a further level. it is a bit confusing, but if you have half a mind you should be able to understand it all..
all in all, ithink chuck writes this very cleverly, and does a great job at it..

Rating:
Summary: Gotta tell you, this ain't his best.
Review: I enjoyed "Fight Club" very much. and I did enjoy most of "Choke."

But style can only take you so far without narrative strength. Choke ain't worth buying.

Rating:
Summary: Strangely Addictive and Repulsive (Worth Reading!!!)
Review: Chuck Palahniuk probably will always be remembered by his big hit, "The Fight Club". So, I am sure everyone will be reading his books now after watching the film and expecting more stories about troubled lives. Well, I think Palahniuk really understands the meaning of compulsive disorder. You have distinct writers for horror genre like Stephen King and law genre like John Grisham. Right now, I think Chuck Palahniuk will follow into the footsteps of writing about wierdos.

The plot is actually quite believable about Victor Mancini, the greatest anti-hero of all time. He is quite honestly a little messed up to say the least. Victor has an ailing mother who is now in a mental hospital. She mistakes him for her lawyer and never truly speaks to Victor as a son. So, Victor must face death by choking in public restaurants. This way, he can get some compensation for his meal and appeal to the kindness of strangers for money to pay for his mother's treatments.

Also, Victor has a problem with his constant gratification for sex. So, he meets all sorts of losers from these self-help meetings. Introduce some interesting characters like Denny, another messed up friend, and Paige Marshall, a nurse who takes care of his mother. Well, you get the point since Palahniuk just feeds into the psyche of Victor with more troubles.

It just gets better when Victor tries to open up the past and thinks his life is not just some average Joe with some major sexual frustration. Paige Marshall is the cute nurse who is the link between Victor and his mother. She becomes interested in Victor and also wants to help him. The plot gets better and has some wild twists as Victor learns who is his father. Palahniuk then makes us actually appreciate Victor as he tries to better himself. You even get to see Denny, his best friend, trying to get a stable girlfriend. He then swears off his past and do completely good deeds.

This book is not exactly "The Fight Club" but probably much better in terms of character development. I think Victor is most like some other troubled characters such as Holden Caufield in "The Catcher in the Rye". Some may find the book a little graphic in content so just a warning to those who find gratutious reference to sex to be vulgar. But, Palahniuk definitely makes this story really interesting by the dialogues between Victor and his mother, Paige Marshall, and Denny. Give it a try and you might actually see how Victor actually tries to understand his life. An eye-opening experience...

Rating:
Summary: A better read than Fight Club...
Review: I've read hundreds of books and "Choke" is tied with "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" (by Hunter S. Thompson) as the funniest I've ever read...I'm talking laugh-out-loud funny. I read this by the pool at my club a couple of years ago and no doubt came off as something close to a lunatic...but it was worth it.

So, just for the laughs this book earns its keep; but more than that, Palahniuk offers a very unique and insightful view into human nature, human relationships, and the perverse notions that drive so many seemingly benign and "normal" things people do everyday.

If you liked Fight Club the movie, you'll love this book. It's modern, hilarious, easy-to-read writing wrapped around a complex and deeply interesting plot about an extremely "sick" young man, who in his dealings with the "normal world" throughout the book seems less and less sick by contrast.

Very worth the read.