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3.5 AVERAGE
3.5 AVERAGE
I get that it’s Bizarro, but literally every aspect/part of the story was weird/over-the-top. Cut out some of the really strange aspects, like running a breakfast burrito shop with human meat, and the strange dialogue, and there’d be a decent tale under there that I would actually care about.
Trigger warnings: cannibalism, parasites, blood/gore, death, murder, implied genocide, forced imprisonment (of supernatural beings), possible psychotic break
Brothers Divey and Reynold Crunk are two traveling breakfast burrito salesmen. After losing a third member of their party they find something in the desert they sets off a transformation in one of them. Follow them as they travel Planet Japan in search of a living and the events that take place after this discovery.
I’ll start with positives. I really liked the brother main characters. Reynold in particular was very funny at points in the story and I liked following him. The narration for the audiobook version of this was mostly amazing. There’s a kind of space slug later in the book that I didn’t like his performance of but other than that he did a great job.
This wasn’t my favorite William Pauley book ever though. I had so many questions that never got answer over the course of the story (which I can slightly understand since this is so short but I’ve read novella that have managed to world build before).
What happened to the world to turn it into a post apocalyptic world?
Why did Japan seemingly come out on top and why are two British and/or Irish the people that came out on top there?
Is there a rest of the world outside of Planet Japan?
Why are the only weapons ikr video game controllers? Why are they jacked directly into someone’s body in order for them to work?
What’s the deal with the wasp women? Are there other human animal hybrids like that out in the world?
Can someone really be called a traveling burrito salesman if they never sell a single burrito?
The author dumps you into the world here with zero information or explanation as to what is going on. I spent the majority of the book super confused as to why things were happening (I had no idea what was happening or why it was happening for a very large chunk of this book) and wondering if this was a sequel to something else in a series I’ve never heard or but I’m pretty sure they isn’t t case.
There was a surprising amount of blood and gore in this for such a short length. I’m just happy he didn’t try to shove gross sex stuff in this like he has with a couple of his other books.
Overall I have no idea if I actually recommend this. Maybe for fans of horror on the more extreme side but I hesitate to call this a horror book despite all of the death that goes on in it (if it’s a supernatural man made being that’s doing the killing is it still murder). If you really want to read a William Pauley III book I recommend The Tower or The Astronaut Dream book instead they are both much better than this one.
Brothers Divey and Reynold Crunk are two traveling breakfast burrito salesmen. After losing a third member of their party they find something in the desert they sets off a transformation in one of them. Follow them as they travel Planet Japan in search of a living and the events that take place after this discovery.
I’ll start with positives. I really liked the brother main characters. Reynold in particular was very funny at points in the story and I liked following him. The narration for the audiobook version of this was mostly amazing. There’s a kind of space slug later in the book that I didn’t like his performance of but other than that he did a great job.
This wasn’t my favorite William Pauley book ever though. I had so many questions that never got answer over the course of the story (which I can slightly understand since this is so short but I’ve read novella that have managed to world build before).
What happened to the world to turn it into a post apocalyptic world?
Why did Japan seemingly come out on top and why are two British and/or Irish the people that came out on top there?
Is there a rest of the world outside of Planet Japan?
Why are the only weapons ikr video game controllers? Why are they jacked directly into someone’s body in order for them to work?
What’s the deal with the wasp women? Are there other human animal hybrids like that out in the world?
Can someone really be called a traveling burrito salesman if they never sell a single burrito?
The author dumps you into the world here with zero information or explanation as to what is going on. I spent the majority of the book super confused as to why things were happening (I had no idea what was happening or why it was happening for a very large chunk of this book) and wondering if this was a sequel to something else in a series I’ve never heard or but I’m pretty sure they isn’t t case.
There was a surprising amount of blood and gore in this for such a short length. I’m just happy he didn’t try to shove gross sex stuff in this like he has with a couple of his other books.
Overall I have no idea if I actually recommend this. Maybe for fans of horror on the more extreme side but I hesitate to call this a horror book despite all of the death that goes on in it (if it’s a supernatural man made being that’s doing the killing is it still murder). If you really want to read a William Pauley III book I recommend The Tower or The Astronaut Dream book instead they are both much better than this one.
This review is old, I wrote it awhile back back just noticed I never put it on here.
This has been the first book I’ve read by William Pauley 3 but it will not be the last. This book is described as an 8 bit F a c k-It-All adventure, and it definitely is an adventure. It will take you to some weird and very interesting places. Page after page you will not know where you are headed, but believe me you will still continue on with the journey, and it is worth it.
The cover of The Brothers Crunk may be one of the best book covers I’ve ever seen. It looks like an old school Nintendo game, complete with the black plastic sleeve, simple yet extremely effective. It was the first thing that put this book on my radar. It should be noted that the cover was done by Brandon Duncan who has created many notable covers for books by authors like Andersen Prunty and D. Harlan Wilson.
Set in a post-apocalyptic Japan, TBC is the story of brothers Divey and Reynold who are traveling brackfas burrito salesmen. After a wreck in the desert that costs them their van, Divey comes across what amounts to part of a metal skeleton. This is where the story really takes off into uncharted territories. An attack from some wasp women ends with the awakening of the cyborg Vandeboom and the real beginning of the adventure that has Reynold searching for his missing brother. Throughout this you will get plenty of Nintendo references, from old controllers to games, most will remember from childhood.
I’ve read that this book is set in the same universe as another book by William Pauley 3, Doom Magnetic, and may have ties to it. I am looking forward to reading that book next. I was definitely impressed with my first foray into the odd mind of Pauley. He has the ability to create humorous and interesting characters, throw them into a completely absurd world and craft a uniquely believable story.
I'm adding to this review since I just listened to the audio book. It was very entertaining, William Pauley narrated it himself and did a fantastic job. I recommend it if you like audiobooks, it's a great story that is very well acted out.
This has been the first book I’ve read by William Pauley 3 but it will not be the last. This book is described as an 8 bit F a c k-It-All adventure, and it definitely is an adventure. It will take you to some weird and very interesting places. Page after page you will not know where you are headed, but believe me you will still continue on with the journey, and it is worth it.
The cover of The Brothers Crunk may be one of the best book covers I’ve ever seen. It looks like an old school Nintendo game, complete with the black plastic sleeve, simple yet extremely effective. It was the first thing that put this book on my radar. It should be noted that the cover was done by Brandon Duncan who has created many notable covers for books by authors like Andersen Prunty and D. Harlan Wilson.
Set in a post-apocalyptic Japan, TBC is the story of brothers Divey and Reynold who are traveling brackfas burrito salesmen. After a wreck in the desert that costs them their van, Divey comes across what amounts to part of a metal skeleton. This is where the story really takes off into uncharted territories. An attack from some wasp women ends with the awakening of the cyborg Vandeboom and the real beginning of the adventure that has Reynold searching for his missing brother. Throughout this you will get plenty of Nintendo references, from old controllers to games, most will remember from childhood.
I’ve read that this book is set in the same universe as another book by William Pauley 3, Doom Magnetic, and may have ties to it. I am looking forward to reading that book next. I was definitely impressed with my first foray into the odd mind of Pauley. He has the ability to create humorous and interesting characters, throw them into a completely absurd world and craft a uniquely believable story.
I'm adding to this review since I just listened to the audio book. It was very entertaining, William Pauley narrated it himself and did a fantastic job. I recommend it if you like audiobooks, it's a great story that is very well acted out.
When I read the tittle the brothers Crunk I immediately knew who they were, and to tell you the truth I was dying to know how their business after the cockroaches would be (this is a continuation story of the two brothers in “Hearers of the Constant Hum”, and to tell you the truth, it gets much more weird, strange and all that is possible for it to be, hahah.
And in the end I still don’t know if it was all a dream, a drug induced episode or something in between to make this story even better, I had the pleasure to listen to the audiobook, and like I always say, William Pauley III writing the story and Connor Brannigan reading is like gold over blue, I really enjoyed this audiobook and I really recommend it, if you like weird stories, where things are never like they seem to be in the beginning, then this story is for you.
Thank you NetGalley and Doom Fiction, thank you for the AAC and this is my honest opinion.
And in the end I still don’t know if it was all a dream, a drug induced episode or something in between to make this story even better, I had the pleasure to listen to the audiobook, and like I always say, William Pauley III writing the story and Connor Brannigan reading is like gold over blue, I really enjoyed this audiobook and I really recommend it, if you like weird stories, where things are never like they seem to be in the beginning, then this story is for you.
Thank you NetGalley and Doom Fiction, thank you for the AAC and this is my honest opinion.
The Brothers Crunk by William Pauley III is a masterclass in bizarre and weird and I loved it! William Pauley III has become one of my favorite authors in record time.
I received a review copy of this book from the author/publisher through NetGalley for my honest review. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
I received a review copy of this book from the author/publisher through NetGalley for my honest review. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
Another weird and wonderful story from William Pauley III. I never know what the stories will bring but I know they will bring me joy.
Connor Brannigan once again brings William's stories to life. I love listening to Connor narrate these novels. His voice is like velvet and he always brings that extra bizarre/creepy factor.
Looking forward to reading the next William Pauley III book when it is released!
Connor Brannigan once again brings William's stories to life. I love listening to Connor narrate these novels. His voice is like velvet and he always brings that extra bizarre/creepy factor.
Looking forward to reading the next William Pauley III book when it is released!
the best way to read this book is:
1. with the audiobook. my GOD the narrator deserves a raise for this. he was GIVINGGG with the voices and the added sound/voice effects were super cool. the word "fack/facking" is used in the text a lot, and i thought that would be annoying, but when the narrator says the lines in thick cockney accents, it makes 100% sense and the jokes actually land in a way idk they would if i only read it with my eyeballs
2. going into it not expecting much in terms of...making sense. this was 2 hours (only 1 hour for me bc i speed it up) of me going "yeah sure why not" at every absolutely wack thing that gets introduced. riding on an ostrich through a spacetime portal? sure why the hell not
i love a weird ass book and "bizarro fiction" is the best descriptor for this omfg. might dig around in this genre some more
1. with the audiobook. my GOD the narrator deserves a raise for this. he was GIVINGGG with the voices and the added sound/voice effects were super cool. the word "fack/facking" is used in the text a lot, and i thought that would be annoying, but when the narrator says the lines in thick cockney accents, it makes 100% sense and the jokes actually land in a way idk they would if i only read it with my eyeballs
2. going into it not expecting much in terms of...making sense. this was 2 hours (only 1 hour for me bc i speed it up) of me going "yeah sure why not" at every absolutely wack thing that gets introduced. riding on an ostrich through a spacetime portal? sure why the hell not
i love a weird ass book and "bizarro fiction" is the best descriptor for this omfg. might dig around in this genre some more
This was such a unique story, amazing writing as always, interesting, fun storyline and overall a brilliant book!
I absolutely loved everything about this and highly recommend reading it!
Thank you to @netgalley and the publisher for an AudioARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I absolutely loved everything about this and highly recommend reading it!
Thank you to @netgalley and the publisher for an AudioARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
The Brothers Crunk is the novelization of a retro-video-game-accessory-referencing futuristic short film that doesn't exist.