Apocalypse and the Asylum

Tom Merchant

18 chapters read

May 18, 2020

Very. Very. Funny.

"I just loved reading Apocalypse and the Asylum. Each chapter held so much anticipation because you just had no idea where Saynun was going to take you next. This is not a book to be over analysed with intricate dissections of plot or character, it is a book to be simply enjoyed for the sparkling humour and absurdism that leaps off every page. Just let yourself go and be swept up in the fun, so often richly conveyed by the brilliant dialogue. I disagree with another reviewer about the dialogue in that I absolutely loved the fact that I was being challenged to keep up with who is saying what, (and seriously it's not that hard). In fact at times it added to the humour that the dialogue didn't contain "said x" leaving the reader to work it out. Especially funny in the case of a character like Rehana who you sometimes forget is there, and then you realise who must have said the line in question and it's bloody funny! The only thing I'd advise is to get a bit of editing done to fix up the typos and wrong words here and there, but this is just nitpicking. It's the best laugh I've had in ages and I hope Saynun pumps out some more!"

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Jacinta Horgan

9 chapters read

Dec 18, 2018

Thought Provoking Satire

"This book exudes the right amount of humor to entertain the reader mixed with enough sincerity to keep them engaged all the way through. The descriptions are crisp and vivid and the writer has a writing style that allows the narrative to flow so smoothly, you can't help but fall in love with it from its opening pages."

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Greg McLaughlin

41 chapters read

Dec 11, 2018

Truly Unique and Absurd Comedy with Great Social Insight

"In his amazing parabolic farce, "Apocalypse and the Asylum", writer, Saynum, crafts a beautiful and bizarre allegorical journey from the unbelievably and earthly mundane to the inconceivably and heavenly fantastic. Distinctly and uniquely marked by a style of satirical wit and off-beat humor, each chapter, every pairing of unusual characters, each line of amusingly unexpected dialog and nearly every sentence of the narrative provides either an entertaining event, a comical interaction or an outright hilarious situation that sometimes causes a smile or chuckle and other times forces an outright laugh out loud moment. Steeped in character reactions antithetical to expectation and/or social norms, Saynum makes a concerted effort to keep the reader simultaneously wondering what is going on and why the players all behave in such illogical, unexpected and unaffected ways throughout this narrative that grows and cascades into a crescendo of danger and destruction as the "Apocalypse Initiative" commences. At the center of this wildly inventive and amusing fable are Emil, a seemingly nondescript public relations professional and Inora, his news reporter friend who sets out to stop the ultimate destruction of the planet Earth. Where the overarching comedy of "Apocalypse and the Asylum" meets the substance of this clever jaunt lies an undercurrent of biting and deeply meaningful insights into human nature, social norms and customs, organized religion and religious thought and the overall human condition. In fact, Saynum skewers the illogic of human rules, rituals and behaviors, while making a broader, more universal point about the nature of "good deeds" and "bad deeds" and the concept of God and Heaven. By juxtaposing the bizarre and unexpected oddities of life against the all too real realities of humanity, Saynum accomplishes a lasting investigation that simultaneously entertains, questions and informs. Broken into short, well cross-cut chapters that play like connected vignettes, this story deserves the investment of time it takes to mine through its absurdities to understand its moments of absolute brilliance."

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Deleted User

2 chapters read

Dec 3, 2018

Mesmerizing Plot

"To really enjoy this story, you have to sit back and allow yourself to be socked; no hurry. Once you do, you'd realize what a clever plot it has. I really enjoyed. If you're the type who likes to take reading slow, this is the best read for you"

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Mumina Muhammad (Ivyleaf)

2 chapters read

Nov 30, 2018

Most entertaining

"I loved this story! It was so full of humour and I kept trying not to laugh out loud. The sci-fi was excellent too. I think that this book definitely deserves to get published!"

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Anan Meem

7 chapters read

Nov 30, 2018

An absurd narrative. Loved it!

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Barry Litherland

46 chapters read

Nov 29, 2018

Entertaining and Thought Provoking

"One of the most entertaining books I've read in some time, this book had me smiling (and sometimes laughing out loud) at its satirical insights into modern life, its social customs and its politics. Although written tacitly in the style of Douglas Adams, this book sets out on its own, original satirical journey and takes the reader with it from beginning to end. The style is fast, clever, insightful and very witty. Highly recommended. My congratulations to the author."

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