It's okay

It's a good idea and there's some mildly funny bits, but it's a bit dull overall. There's not a whole lot of plot, probably a short story's worth, but padded out with a lot of world building. And the main character isn't all that much fun. Yes his damnation is to be in a dull job for eternity, but I'm not sure I want to feel that when I read it.

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Hell's looking at you, kid...

Where does Hell's Super rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I have listened to hundreds in the last decade. This is well read and enjoyable (see comments below).

What was one of the most memorable moments of Hell's Super?

I liked all the scenes with Flo really, and how that plot line developed. The moments with Steve and the Devil (and the Devil appearing in different characters) was also very memorable.

Which character – as performed by Michael Gilboe – was your favourite?

Steve - the most rounded out I would say, though the Devil is pretty funny in all his guises and moods.

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I listened to it a lot when jogging, when commuting, and it lightened my journeys. I can't say I laughed out loud, but I would guess I had a wry smile on my face.

Any additional comments?

4.5 stars

I loved Good Omens, I Lucifer, the film Dogma - I love books that play with superstition and entrenched mythologies and imagine the everyday-ness of their world.

This was refreshingly everyday as well - a fairly normal bloke is in Hell, for eternity. Not quite sure why (seems like a lot of fairly decent folk didn't make it upstairs), but Steve's role in the afterlife is to be Superintendent to the Underworld, and no - he's NOT good at fixing things. That's the point.

It starts by showing us Steve's everyday life down in Hell, how hellish everything is, then it turns into a bit of an Agatha Christie/Philip Marlowe mystery/detective story, as the Devil sends his minion out on a mission to find out why the Stairs (and escalator) between the two afterlifes is broken.

There is romance as Steve nurses a crush for the distinctly heavenly Flo (formerly a Crimean nurse with a lamp...) and is aided (or not) by his desperate-to-be-a-bigshot-again assistant Orson Welles.

It's not overtly laugh-out-loud, it's dry humour, lighter than I was expecting, with memorable characters, and fortunately a well-written lead in Steve, the everyman schmo living a normal after-life and trying to get through the day (Monday, every day).

Not one for those offended by humourous portrayals of Gods and devils, but I found it a very amusing audiobook (and well read by the narrator) with some funny ideas about Hell that kept me entertained.

I was provided this audiobook at no charge by the author, publisher and/or narrator in exchange for an unbiased review.

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6 people found this helpful

great read

I love the humour in this story it's well thought out and I love the little touches like the swearing and cream pies. It was well read and with just the right inflections the only thing is to ignore the narrator's attempts at accents. Would recommend for a funny start to a new series

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a promising start

A nice holiday read. Not too taxing & lightly humorous. I will read the series.

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Enjoyable

I really liked this book. There was no major happenings and the twist was little too obvious. But it kept me smiling and got even a few laughs from me.

Readers performance was good. I have to give little minus for the vampire bats scream. I think it's meant to be irritating but it was little too irritating for me.

This book was just right kind to listen at night right before I fell asleep, but the damn scream kept waking me up.

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If your ever stranded on a desert island...

Go and count the grains of sand it will be more amusing!
Sorry for the scathing review. It might just be that I am just not intelligent enough to appreciate the humour, but I doubt it.

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1 person found this helpful