Mr. Overby Is Falling

Rating:
Summary: Falling Down
Review: I just finished reading Mr. Overby is Falling, by Nathan Tyree. Now I fear that I will never get this book out of my head. It is a truly dreadful story, about truly dreadful people. There is not a single likable character in the entire book. And yet, that doesn't seem to matter. The flow of the narrative, and the power of the ideas pulls you inexorably along toward a conclusion that is crushing, and meaningful.

This is a book about ideas. It pretends to be crime fiction, but really it is a bit more like reading a novel co-written by Nietzsche, Sartre, Kurt Vonnegut, and Chuck Palahniuk. The book seems to argue that nihilism is the answer to the symptoms of the universe. It argues that we live in a terrible world, peopled by terrible creatures. And that things will only get worse.

The prose is lyrical, and at times beautiful. The characters are fully realized. And the plot is a page turner.

A must read!

Rating:
Summary: Crime and perdition
Review: I love crime novels, and this is a great one. Mr. Overby is Falling is in the tradition of the work of Jim Thompson. It is a smart, violent, lurid tale told graphically. It is the story of two crazy killers who team up to terrify a city. It is also about the terrible way the world works.

This book will stay with you a long time after you read it. You will be thinking about Overby and Walter for days. You may even find yourself dreaming about them. If you do, hope that you wake up quickly!

A great book!

Rating:
Summary: Reality's End
Review: If you're the kind of person who thinks that society is starting to turn green around the edges, then you'll most likely enjoy 'Mr. Overby is Falling'. The text twists, turns, goes left, then goes right -- but it all ties up in the (unexpected) end.

(At times) violent and (always) compelling, 'Mr. Overby' is a smart, well-written book.

Definitely recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Great Reading!
Review: Ok. So I was browsing through the View Askew web site. This guy asked Kevin Smith if he would read his book. Everyone starts flaming this poor SOB. I'm thinking to myself: "Jeez! He wasn't even asking Kevin Smith to buy his book." It's true. The guy wanted to just send Kevin Smith a copy. So I finished reading the posts of people carving this guy a new one. I didn't think anything of it. Until the persistant little SOB posted again! I'm suprised he can walk with testes that large! Kevin replied honestly. He said he probably wouldn't read it. So here's the deal. Kevin missed out. I know why he said no. He get's a lot of stuff sent to him. But he missed out. I followed the links. I bought the book. I didn't miss out.

Rating:
Summary: Good Start
Review: This book is short, easy to read and very entertaining. It is a nice start from a first book writer and shows tremendous amounts of potential for future work. However, Tyree blatantly rips off several authors and other pieces of work. I would bet money the author has read Fight Club (and other Chuck Palahniuk books) several times and has no qualms not only stealing the themes and basic storyline, but the style in which the book is written. Most all art borrows and even copies from a piece that inspired it, but Tyree seems to take that premise too far. Other than that a good start from a new author.

Rating:
Summary: what a ride!
Review: This is a short book that you can rip through in no time. It takes a wild dark ultra-violent turn around page forty that will interest and sicken almost any reader. Lot's of fun, give it a try.

Rating:
Summary: Tyree's Twister
Review: This one already shows all the signs of a cult classic just about to take off. At first you're gonna think, Oh no, here comes one last late brat pack lament when WAMMY! Mr. Overby starts to fall - and fallandfallandfallandfall, and you're in for more falling than you could imagine. This little book will have you biting your nails - and just long enough, too, because you feel that if Tyree goes any further you'll start on the fingers too and you're gonna just have to be medicated. Go for it. A brilliant, surreal thrill ride ... not to mention social commentary, satire, uncomfortable questions asked and answered uncomfortably, whadayagot, it's there. I can't imagine where this young author is going to take us next.

Rating:
Summary: Tyree's Twister
Review: This one already shows all the signs of a cult classic just about to take off. At first you're gonna think, Oh no, here comes one last late brat pack lament when WAMMY! Mr. Overby starts to fall - and fallandfallandfallandfall, and you're in for more falling than you could imagine. This little book will have you biting your nails - and just long enough, too, because you feel that if Tyree goes any further you'll start on the fingers too and you're gonna just have to be medicated. Go for it. A brilliant, surreal thrill ride ... not to mention social commentary, satire, uncomfortable questions asked and answered uncomfortably, whadayagot, it's there. I can't imagine where this young author is going to take us next.

Rating:
Summary: the skeleton to a great novel
Review: Two stars- I know, that would seem like a bad review, but please don't mistake it for simply that. I think that Mr. Overby is Falling has the potential to be a great- if not legendary, novel. However, it falls short. First of all, the author lacks depth in his explanation of events. The biggest events happen in two, three sentances, without regard to the details. When reading this book, I often said, "but why?" I want to know how Mr Overby feels, what he sees, what he thinks, the way a person does, not the way a vague philosophical paper brings up a topic but does not address it. This makes the novel quite frustrating to get through at times. I would like to see the author really delve into some of these brilliant and insightful ideas that he presents. It is obvious that they are there.
These issues are similar to my issue with the ending. You do get this "WHAM" feeling that the other readers have been describing, for two reasons. 1. It is a very cool idea. 2. It comes out of nowhere, and ends just as quickly as it starts.
Overall, it just needs to be thought through, and expanded upon. The rest is there. He has serious potential.

Rating:
Summary: What an ending
Review: Wow! This book has an incredible ending. It pummels you on page after page with unbelievable, almost unbearable violence- then zap! It hits you with the one denoument that you'd never see coming in a million years. The whole thing is about power, and the misuse of power. And boy, does it ever make its point.

The book is highly entertaining, and very well written.

I have to say, I decided to write this review in response to an earlier review I saw posted here. That one drew connections between this book and fight club. Honestly, I just don't see it. Yes, both books are very masculine in their writing. Yes, they both screw around witrh time-lines. Yes, they both feature two male characters that live together. But beyond that there is no comparison. This is a book about two REAL people. I guess some may find that point ambiguous, but I didn't. This is a book about serial killers. About government use of terror and fear. About the ways that history repeats itself.

There is a similarity in style. But it is a mild, off center similarity. This writer's style has its own rythm ( so does Palahniuk's- maybe that's the problem).

Anyway... Mr. Overby is Falling is a great book. I loved it. I'd read it again.