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Divine Misfortune
DIVINE MISFORTUNE is a story of gods and mortals---in worship, in love, and at parties.
Teri and Phil had never needed their own personal god. But when Phil is passed up for a promotion - again-it's time to take matters into their own hands. And look online.
Choosing a god isn't as simple as you would think. There are too many choices; and they often have very hefty prices for their eternal blood, money, sacrifices, and vows of chastity. But then they found Luka, raccoon god of prosperity. All he wants is a small cut of their good fortune.
Oh -- and can he crash on their couch for a few days?
Throw in a heartbroken love goddess and an ancient deity bent on revenge and not even the gods can save Teri and Phil.
Teri and Phil had never needed their own personal god. But when Phil is passed up for a promotion - again-it's time to take matters into their own hands. And look online.
Choosing a god isn't as simple as you would think. There are too many choices; and they often have very hefty prices for their eternal blood, money, sacrifices, and vows of chastity. But then they found Luka, raccoon god of prosperity. All he wants is a small cut of their good fortune.
Oh -- and can he crash on their couch for a few days?
Throw in a heartbroken love goddess and an ancient deity bent on revenge and not even the gods can save Teri and Phil.
307 pages, Hardcover
First published March 26, 2010
About the author
A. Lee Martinez
28 books2,065 followersA. Lee Martinez was born in El Paso, Texas. At the age of eighteen, for no apparent reason, he started writing novels. Thirteen short years (and a little over a dozen manuscripts) later, his first novel, Gil's All Fright Diner, was published. His hobbies include juggling, games of all sorts, and astral projecting. Also, he likes to sing along with the radio when he's in the car by himself.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 606 reviews
July 26, 2013
Divine was the perfect little quickie, a fast irreverent read at a time when I couldn't give a book quality attention. You know how it is--some books deserve contemplation (Claire DeWitt, I'm talking to you), some require intellectual engagement (China is notorious for this), some insist you immerse in their world (Sanderson, you're so demanding), some want your emotional commitment (I usually avoid the needy ones). But Divine doesn't require any more than availability.
Based in a current version of America populated by the gods, Divine doesn't break any new ground, but does have fun playing with old myths. Phil, the main character, was recently denied a promotion and discovers his competitor's edge is his supportive divinity. On the way home, he's in a minor fender bender ("The other driver pulled out a special knife and ran it across his palm, drawing some blood to offer to his god as he incanted, "Blessed by Marduk, who keeps my insurance premiums down") and pulls into his driveway only to discover his neighbor now has the only perfect lawn in the subdivision, courtesy of a lawn service that worships Demeter. Phil decides he needs a god of his own and convinces his reluctant wife to choose a deity from Pantheon.com.
What they select is an amenable raccoon-headed god of minor good fortune. What they get is a raccoon version of You, Me and Dupree, a Hawaiian shirt wearing food hound, throwing parties for the gods and inviting his Mayan god friend Quetzalcoatl to crash on the couch ("Y'know, he was only joking about the alter thing,' said Quick. 'I was never into human sacrifice, even when it was legal.' 'Oh, I know. Conquistador propaganda.'"). Adjusting to life with a couple of gods isn't easy for the straight-and-narrow Phil and Teri, and it's even harder when strange things start happening.
Truly, it's just simple fun. The plot is decent and the countering evil actually seems evil. There is an interesting parallel storyline with a former goddess of love spreading gloom and despair ever since being dumped--her discovering a new line of work was amusing. There's a multitude of small bits like that, little common twists on deification that entertained me with their absurdity. Something about Charion bringing a dead potted plant as a house-warming gift and a Fury enforcing subdivision covenants entertains me. It does get a little absurd by the end, but it never veers so far out of control that it verges on acid fantasy, ala John Dies at the End.
Leave an offering of a used copy of the Hitchhiker's Guide and a homemade bookmark and the god of quick reads will oblige.
Three and a half stars.
Cross posted at http://clsiewert.wordpress.com/2013/0...
Based in a current version of America populated by the gods, Divine doesn't break any new ground, but does have fun playing with old myths. Phil, the main character, was recently denied a promotion and discovers his competitor's edge is his supportive divinity. On the way home, he's in a minor fender bender ("The other driver pulled out a special knife and ran it across his palm, drawing some blood to offer to his god as he incanted, "Blessed by Marduk, who keeps my insurance premiums down") and pulls into his driveway only to discover his neighbor now has the only perfect lawn in the subdivision, courtesy of a lawn service that worships Demeter. Phil decides he needs a god of his own and convinces his reluctant wife to choose a deity from Pantheon.com.
What they select is an amenable raccoon-headed god of minor good fortune. What they get is a raccoon version of You, Me and Dupree, a Hawaiian shirt wearing food hound, throwing parties for the gods and inviting his Mayan god friend Quetzalcoatl to crash on the couch ("Y'know, he was only joking about the alter thing,' said Quick. 'I was never into human sacrifice, even when it was legal.' 'Oh, I know. Conquistador propaganda.'"). Adjusting to life with a couple of gods isn't easy for the straight-and-narrow Phil and Teri, and it's even harder when strange things start happening.
Truly, it's just simple fun. The plot is decent and the countering evil actually seems evil. There is an interesting parallel storyline with a former goddess of love spreading gloom and despair ever since being dumped--her discovering a new line of work was amusing. There's a multitude of small bits like that, little common twists on deification that entertained me with their absurdity. Something about Charion bringing a dead potted plant as a house-warming gift and a Fury enforcing subdivision covenants entertains me. It does get a little absurd by the end, but it never veers so far out of control that it verges on acid fantasy, ala John Dies at the End.
Leave an offering of a used copy of the Hitchhiker's Guide and a homemade bookmark and the god of quick reads will oblige.
Three and a half stars.
Cross posted at http://clsiewert.wordpress.com/2013/0...
August 28, 2015
In the Avengers mansion, Thor, Iron Man, Hawkeye and Black Widow sit playing Monopoly and talking about A. Lee Martinez’ book Divine Misfortune.
Hawkeye: - and then she says, “You’re Thor? I can barely walk!”
[all laugh]
Iron Man: OK, I get $200 for passing go.
Black Widow: Like you need it.
Iron Man: Pay up. Soooo, Thor, did you like being included in Martinez’ book Divine Misfortune?
Thor: Don���t start with that again, it was artistic license, he was making a satire, a funny parody of theology.
Iron Man: Or you’re mad because in the book you get smacked by a devilish god of chaos, I can appreciate your distaste.
Thor: And I can appreciate that you understand distaste.
Hawkeye: But I thought the book was about some raccoon god who sleeps with the fishes.
Black Widow: That’s Luca Brasi, from The Godfather. He wasn’t that lucky. This minor god was a god of prosperity, a god of luck, if you will, and his nickname was Lucky.
Iron Man: I liked Lucky, he had an attitude I can relate to.
Thor: Of course, he was carefree and irresponsible.
Iron Man: And your point is?
Hawkeye: So what? Some raccoon luck god, Thor gets smacked, what’s the book about?
Black Widow: Thor is right for the most part, it’s a fun play on animistic theology. In the book, a couple logs onto a video god finding site –
Iron Man: Pantheon.com! That was awesome.
Black Widow: Right, Pantheon.com, [laughs] and so they pick out a god to worship and they pick Lucky. Then there is all kinds of misadventures around this world where everyone has a god to look out for them.
Iron Man: Sounds fun.
Thor: It’s all fun until someone lands on Park Place with a hotel! Pay up, Tony!
Hawkeye: - and then she says, “You’re Thor? I can barely walk!”
[all laugh]
Iron Man: OK, I get $200 for passing go.
Black Widow: Like you need it.
Iron Man: Pay up. Soooo, Thor, did you like being included in Martinez’ book Divine Misfortune?
Thor: Don���t start with that again, it was artistic license, he was making a satire, a funny parody of theology.
Iron Man: Or you’re mad because in the book you get smacked by a devilish god of chaos, I can appreciate your distaste.
Thor: And I can appreciate that you understand distaste.
Hawkeye: But I thought the book was about some raccoon god who sleeps with the fishes.
Black Widow: That’s Luca Brasi, from The Godfather. He wasn’t that lucky. This minor god was a god of prosperity, a god of luck, if you will, and his nickname was Lucky.
Iron Man: I liked Lucky, he had an attitude I can relate to.
Thor: Of course, he was carefree and irresponsible.
Iron Man: And your point is?
Hawkeye: So what? Some raccoon luck god, Thor gets smacked, what’s the book about?
Black Widow: Thor is right for the most part, it’s a fun play on animistic theology. In the book, a couple logs onto a video god finding site –
Iron Man: Pantheon.com! That was awesome.
Black Widow: Right, Pantheon.com, [laughs] and so they pick out a god to worship and they pick Lucky. Then there is all kinds of misadventures around this world where everyone has a god to look out for them.
Iron Man: Sounds fun.
Thor: It’s all fun until someone lands on Park Place with a hotel! Pay up, Tony!
April 29, 2022
What if you could become a follower of any god from our mythological past? Would you select Zeus, Thor, or someone friendlier who could help you rise up through middle management and gain the acceptance of your suburban neighbors?
Internet Dating with Pantheon.com
“Hello. My name is Anubis. I like long walks on the beach, carrying departed souls into the underworld, and the cinema of Mr. Woody Allen.”
Heavenly help
On the car ride home, distracted by his worries, he’d been in a minor fender bender. The damage wasn’t serious, just a dented bumper and an ugly scrape to his paint job. But the other driver’s car didn’t have a scratch.
The other driver pulled out a special knife and ran it across his palm, drawing some blood to offer to his god as he in-canted, “Blessed be Marduk, who keeps my insurance premiums down.”
The Good Ol' Days
Civilization had taken the bite out of the divine powers, regulated and tamed them aside their mortal followers. The heavens could offer a boost, but they no longer built empires or razed continents. The good ol’ days of sacking and pillaging a village and offering up the souls to your god were gone. Roger Worthington suspected he would be lousy at sacking and only a modestly talented pillager at best so he didn’t mind.
The benefits of worshiping the god of Luck
Everything started going right. It wasn’t big or obvious, but it was noticeable. Aside from the twenty to thirty bucks of loose change Phil and Teri found every day, there were other subtle benefits. Any supermarket line they chose was always the fastest. Even the most crowded restaurant just happened to have a table available upon their arrival. They were always the twentieth caller to the radio contest, found things on sale just when they needed them to be, and rarely had to deal with traffic jams. Lucky didn’t fix their lives, but he did remove all those little annoyances that made the bigger problems harder to focus on.
This story is in a similar style to Tom Holt's humor. It started with a brilliant plot and interesting characters. Before the end arrived the action had spun out of control until I didn't know who to cheer for. A real page turner.
Enjoy!
Internet Dating with Pantheon.com
“Hello. My name is Anubis. I like long walks on the beach, carrying departed souls into the underworld, and the cinema of Mr. Woody Allen.”
Heavenly help
On the car ride home, distracted by his worries, he’d been in a minor fender bender. The damage wasn’t serious, just a dented bumper and an ugly scrape to his paint job. But the other driver’s car didn’t have a scratch.
The other driver pulled out a special knife and ran it across his palm, drawing some blood to offer to his god as he in-canted, “Blessed be Marduk, who keeps my insurance premiums down.”
The Good Ol' Days
Civilization had taken the bite out of the divine powers, regulated and tamed them aside their mortal followers. The heavens could offer a boost, but they no longer built empires or razed continents. The good ol’ days of sacking and pillaging a village and offering up the souls to your god were gone. Roger Worthington suspected he would be lousy at sacking and only a modestly talented pillager at best so he didn’t mind.
The benefits of worshiping the god of Luck
Everything started going right. It wasn’t big or obvious, but it was noticeable. Aside from the twenty to thirty bucks of loose change Phil and Teri found every day, there were other subtle benefits. Any supermarket line they chose was always the fastest. Even the most crowded restaurant just happened to have a table available upon their arrival. They were always the twentieth caller to the radio contest, found things on sale just when they needed them to be, and rarely had to deal with traffic jams. Lucky didn’t fix their lives, but he did remove all those little annoyances that made the bigger problems harder to focus on.
This story is in a similar style to Tom Holt's humor. It started with a brilliant plot and interesting characters. Before the end arrived the action had spun out of control until I didn't know who to cheer for. A real page turner.
Enjoy!
March 19, 2023
Imagine a world where gods and humans directly interact. Then imagine the possibilities. Such a fun book, and a fast read--even for me who manages an average sized book every two weeks. I think everyone should sit down every now and then with just this kind of clever and lighthearted material. You have a minor but successful god of fortune, his highly likeable aimless friend Quick, aka serpent god Quetzalcoatl, a love goddess who made the grave mistake of falling in love herself turning her into the goddess of tragedy and heartbreak, and a rogue god of choas and death (who has one of the best lines, which is actually borrowed from the movie Army of Darkness). With some mere mortal characters mixed in, it all makes for an amusing and delightful diversion. Well worth picking up.
December 27, 2023
I have one question: Why does Thor sound like Arnold Schwarzenegger?
Maybe it's a mood thing, but I expected this to be funnier; it could explain why I'd initially put it on the back burner in the first place. *Shrug* It was okay; entertaining.
The main issue is that every character in this book (except Bonnie) was annoying! Just wimpy, whiney, ineffectual gods, goddesses, and mortals.
Bonnie, on the other hand, had chutzpah!
Maybe it's a mood thing, but I expected this to be funnier; it could explain why I'd initially put it on the back burner in the first place. *Shrug* It was okay; entertaining.
The main issue is that every character in this book (except Bonnie) was annoying! Just wimpy, whiney, ineffectual gods, goddesses, and mortals.
Bonnie, on the other hand, had chutzpah!
May 28, 2012
I'm uncomfortable giving this book a 4 star rating. This is the second Martinez book I've read, and I like his stuff. It's certainly entertaining, and he focuses on very human, moral questions in the middle of lots of absurd tentacle monster battles. But there's a certain dullness to the prose that puts me off slightly. It never quite cracks the wit as sharp as I want it to. That's not saying that I wish it was funnier. I just wish the prose had more killer instinct and harder edges. It feels fuzzy in places. It's a little hard to back that up, but that's how it plays for me.
The focus is on story and character craft, with Douglas Adams-esque flights of imagination to round it out. The characters are nicely drawn without being belabored. They're decidedly cartoony, but with real human-style concerns to keep them interesting. Both books I've read are fun, and my feeling is that this fact defeats most criticisms. You're following big characters around in fantastic adventures, and if the characters weren't as big, or if the adventures weren't as fantastic you'd be missing something. It's also nice that there's some moral substance to interact with. Setting off this kind of "light writing" against Wodehouse, Martinez has actual moral questions he's interacting with where Wodehouse has none. So it's fun, but the fun is grounded in human issues.
This makes the books more like Pixar movies in novel form for adults. I can see how that might come off as a disparagement, but it shouldn't. That's a great thing for a book to be. It's not the only thing for a book to be, but it's not a bad thing to try for. The only failing on this front, is that I feel like Pixar has complete mastery of the vocabulary and range of expression they have access to in filmmaking, where Martinez is more limited. His language just isn't as much fun as it could be.
He cites Edgar Rice Burroughs and Douglas Adams as inspirations, and then seems to focus on comic books and movies and video games. There's nothing wrong with counting Superman and Batman as inspirations, but I wonder if he's neglected stronger prose writers to such an extent that he's been slightly handicapped. Impossible to say. Maybe he's a closet Nabokov fan. But if he is, it doesn't show.
The focus is on story and character craft, with Douglas Adams-esque flights of imagination to round it out. The characters are nicely drawn without being belabored. They're decidedly cartoony, but with real human-style concerns to keep them interesting. Both books I've read are fun, and my feeling is that this fact defeats most criticisms. You're following big characters around in fantastic adventures, and if the characters weren't as big, or if the adventures weren't as fantastic you'd be missing something. It's also nice that there's some moral substance to interact with. Setting off this kind of "light writing" against Wodehouse, Martinez has actual moral questions he's interacting with where Wodehouse has none. So it's fun, but the fun is grounded in human issues.
This makes the books more like Pixar movies in novel form for adults. I can see how that might come off as a disparagement, but it shouldn't. That's a great thing for a book to be. It's not the only thing for a book to be, but it's not a bad thing to try for. The only failing on this front, is that I feel like Pixar has complete mastery of the vocabulary and range of expression they have access to in filmmaking, where Martinez is more limited. His language just isn't as much fun as it could be.
He cites Edgar Rice Burroughs and Douglas Adams as inspirations, and then seems to focus on comic books and movies and video games. There's nothing wrong with counting Superman and Batman as inspirations, but I wonder if he's neglected stronger prose writers to such an extent that he's been slightly handicapped. Impossible to say. Maybe he's a closet Nabokov fan. But if he is, it doesn't show.
October 4, 2012
An entertaining book. Well-paced and funny, with an original plot idea (modern, everyday people worship ancient gods, or rather: subscribe to them, because in the end it's just a business transaction - they give small offerings in return for promotions or banal things like perfectly green and lush front lawns in the middle of a draught), nice side blows to office life and a very amusing godess-of-love turned goddess-of-tragedy. I smiled a lot when reading the book and even sometimes laughed out loud.
That's 1,5 stars for the plot idea, 1 star for Syph and half a star for Bonnie - the only character in the entire book I could actually relate to and feel for. (And who admirably stands her ground against Syph!)
Which brings me to the 2 stars I could not give: The author puts more focus on developing his absurd and funny world than on his characters. They are just vehicles to move along the plot and not that likeable. Teri and Phil are just plain boring, Lucky is superficial (and yes, I am aware that is partly due to him being a god of good luck and fortune - but still!) and so on. Syph and Bonnie were the only exception. They are flat characters, too, but at least interesting and original pairing.
Personally, I just don't like books that are only about the plot. But the plot (and Syph) DID make me smile and even sometimes laugh and it made me read on (even though it was perfectly clear everything was going to end well and even though I had not really cared if it hadn't ended well) - hence the 3 stars.
After all, I don't expect interesting, realistic or complex characters when I am watching an episode of "The Simpsons", either.
That's 1,5 stars for the plot idea, 1 star for Syph and half a star for Bonnie - the only character in the entire book I could actually relate to and feel for. (And who admirably stands her ground against Syph!)
Which brings me to the 2 stars I could not give: The author puts more focus on developing his absurd and funny world than on his characters. They are just vehicles to move along the plot and not that likeable. Teri and Phil are just plain boring, Lucky is superficial (and yes, I am aware that is partly due to him being a god of good luck and fortune - but still!) and so on. Syph and Bonnie were the only exception. They are flat characters, too, but at least interesting and original pairing.
Personally, I just don't like books that are only about the plot. But the plot (and Syph) DID make me smile and even sometimes laugh and it made me read on (even though it was perfectly clear everything was going to end well and even though I had not really cared if it hadn't ended well) - hence the 3 stars.
After all, I don't expect interesting, realistic or complex characters when I am watching an episode of "The Simpsons", either.
May 17, 2014
Everyone can use a little divine help every now and then. But as history has shown, the gods can be fickle at times. So it has all been regulated both for the worshipers and the gods. Our heroes of the story decide to give one of the divine matching services a try. They don't want a major god that will change their whole lives and demand a ton of sacrifices. What they find is Luka, a raccoon headed minor god of luck. He sounds perfect until they find out he wants to move into their house and has some baggage of his own.
I love the premise of this book. A service like a dating site that hooks you up with a deity. It sounded like it should be hilarious. It did not let me down. It was very funny throughout the book. But it wan't just a comedy. It is more of a suspenseful action book with plenty of humor.
The characters, both mortal and god, are well-developed and three-dimensional. They often provide surprises during the novel, especially a certain formerly blood-thirsty god that is a little down on his luck. This book answers the question if mortal and god can be more than just deity and worshiper.
At first the ending bothered me a little, but on reflection is the only real way it could go.
I love the premise of this book. A service like a dating site that hooks you up with a deity. It sounded like it should be hilarious. It did not let me down. It was very funny throughout the book. But it wan't just a comedy. It is more of a suspenseful action book with plenty of humor.
The characters, both mortal and god, are well-developed and three-dimensional. They often provide surprises during the novel, especially a certain formerly blood-thirsty god that is a little down on his luck. This book answers the question if mortal and god can be more than just deity and worshiper.
At first the ending bothered me a little, but on reflection is the only real way it could go.
January 22, 2011
Mortals and Gods meddling in each other's affairs is never a good idea. But when the world has domesticated Gods to the point of needing to advertise via a matching website (think Match.com but instead of matching for love they match for divine favor) you're in for a few bumps along the way.
A. Lee Martinez is easily one of my favorite authors. It's hard for me to possibly like him ore than I already do but the fact that he actually gives a shout out to World of Warcraft: For the Horde! in his defecation makes me practically swoon with geek girl fandom.
I devoured this book in just a few sittings. Martinez's writing style is such a pleasure to read that the story practically jumps off the page into the imagination with no effort on the readers part.
The concept of the book is not entirely new but Martinez spins new life into this godly tale. It's fun, fast paced and funny. Another great read by Martinez.
A. Lee Martinez is easily one of my favorite authors. It's hard for me to possibly like him ore than I already do but the fact that he actually gives a shout out to World of Warcraft: For the Horde! in his defecation makes me practically swoon with geek girl fandom.
I devoured this book in just a few sittings. Martinez's writing style is such a pleasure to read that the story practically jumps off the page into the imagination with no effort on the readers part.
The concept of the book is not entirely new but Martinez spins new life into this godly tale. It's fun, fast paced and funny. Another great read by Martinez.
April 18, 2011
This is the first book I'd read by Martinez, and I wasn't disappointed. Divine Misfortune is about a young couple and their search for a new god. The gods are everywhere, and they affect everything.
The book is cute. I think I only laughed out loud once, but I was grinning at the wit and humor the whole time. It was a fast read; I picked it up after work and had it done when I went to bed. Great if you're just looking for something to kill a few hours with.
As to the reviews that keep invoking Gaiman....stop! The books are not similar, the writing is not similar, the stories are not similar, and the themes are not similar. The only similarity is that they both deal with large array of gods, though in vastly different ways.
The book is cute. I think I only laughed out loud once, but I was grinning at the wit and humor the whole time. It was a fast read; I picked it up after work and had it done when I went to bed. Great if you're just looking for something to kill a few hours with.
As to the reviews that keep invoking Gaiman....stop! The books are not similar, the writing is not similar, the stories are not similar, and the themes are not similar. The only similarity is that they both deal with large array of gods, though in vastly different ways.
January 1, 2023
Divine Misfortune is a comedy fantasy and gets the good mark on it. Every characters in this book are making their tributes to gods or in return the tributes to the followers, It's similar to American Gods but not in a serious way to analyze the essential of what is god? Just like a crazy party with some hilarious plots that then was leaded to fight with the evil god. The story just spontaneously has it amusing style that like watching soap opera for a comic ambiance. This book is a good example that no need to tell a story with melancholy or heroic triumph as a center core of the story, with dialogues that can make you laugh intensely and comedy drams.
I was really into the raccoon- head god who was the course of The catastrophe, because he was adapting in mortal's world and sometimes his erratic behaviors and characteristics escalated the events became more fun. He wasn't a god who seriously treat his followers after he made a divine contract with them. Although near the end of the book that he had changed, and was trying to clean his mess for the mortal world. We hardly judge Immortals as they aren't essentialy equal to us on the same measurement. They are longevity that compare to mortals who just have short life span so that they have much time for doing anythings. On the contrary, it is hard to for gods to change themselves or learn a lesson. They usually don't pay attention on trivial things or give tutelage to their followers, just showing superb power to demand the obedience from devotees.
Divine Misfortune is a book that very fun however still it is a book has it significant meanings.
I was really into the raccoon- head god who was the course of The catastrophe, because he was adapting in mortal's world and sometimes his erratic behaviors and characteristics escalated the events became more fun. He wasn't a god who seriously treat his followers after he made a divine contract with them. Although near the end of the book that he had changed, and was trying to clean his mess for the mortal world. We hardly judge Immortals as they aren't essentialy equal to us on the same measurement. They are longevity that compare to mortals who just have short life span so that they have much time for doing anythings. On the contrary, it is hard to for gods to change themselves or learn a lesson. They usually don't pay attention on trivial things or give tutelage to their followers, just showing superb power to demand the obedience from devotees.
Divine Misfortune is a book that very fun however still it is a book has it significant meanings.
June 29, 2023
Mr. Martinez' "Divine Misfortune" is another fun romp, this time with various gods & goddesses doing their typical godlike stuff, namely, bothering humans. I don't think this is quite as good as "Emperor Mollusk...", but that was terrific. This is just very good.
I won't reiterate the plot as others have already done a good job explaining the plot, characters, background, etc... So suffice to say, turn off the TV for a couple of hours and enjoy a breezy tale of gods, mortals, their foibles, and a happy ending. 4 stars.
I won't reiterate the plot as others have already done a good job explaining the plot, characters, background, etc... So suffice to say, turn off the TV for a couple of hours and enjoy a breezy tale of gods, mortals, their foibles, and a happy ending. 4 stars.
January 10, 2021
i'm starting the year off strong with five stars right off the bat. not too surprised, i do love a lee martinez and i've enjoyed every book of his i've read lol
November 3, 2018
This is the second book I have read by Martinez now and I thought the other one, "Monster" might not be completely indicative of his writing, but it turns out that first impressions can sometimes be right. I find Martinez to be a writer with a great imagination but mediocre execution.
Martinez's world in this book is very amusing, with gods and humans existing together in a mutually beneficial way, but the main characters all fall a little flat and the overall plot is only so-so.
Martinez's world in this book is very amusing, with gods and humans existing together in a mutually beneficial way, but the main characters all fall a little flat and the overall plot is only so-so.
May 6, 2014
Well, this one was a quick little diversive read. With only 300 pages and a writing style, which is absolutely simple, it really didn't take long.
Since the story has been explained in many reviews here, I will not retell it again.
Divine Misfortune was a gift from a friend, I would never have read it otherwise.
Everything in this book was very much over the top. While there are some funny scenes in there, many are cringe-worthy. I don't understand the motives of the characters for acting the way they do. In addition to that, the characters are one-dimensional, there is nothing special about them and no development to be seen.
So all in all, this is something to read in a time when you can't invest much time and effort into a book.
Since the story has been explained in many reviews here, I will not retell it again.
Divine Misfortune was a gift from a friend, I would never have read it otherwise.
Everything in this book was very much over the top. While there are some funny scenes in there, many are cringe-worthy. I don't understand the motives of the characters for acting the way they do. In addition to that, the characters are one-dimensional, there is nothing special about them and no development to be seen.
So all in all, this is something to read in a time when you can't invest much time and effort into a book.
June 27, 2011
Set in a world full of gods who will do favors if you worship them, but mostly will screw you over. About half the characters are gods, and they're basically all petty assholes. The other half of the characters are humans, but they can't actually do much except complain about how the gods are screwing them over. So essentially this is a book about a bunch of assholes and a bunch of people who don't matter.
August 29, 2022
Excellent! Really funny, one of those bizarre but very credible stories populated by great characters. All the characters were likeable, very believable (even the winged serpents!) and fitted perfectly into a fast-moving plot. Martinez wastes no words, has no there-for-the-sake-of-it characters, and I just can't fault him as an author. Reading his blurb, little wonder - here is an author with great imagination and humour who has really honed his craft. Can't wait to read his other books.
June 30, 2024
After months of not being allowed to wear headphones at work due to building maintenance, I am finally allowed again, so I can return to the audiobook world. Of course, I did it with probably my favorite narrator, Fred Berman.
Now, the story is pretty intriguing as an idea. What if the gods were real, and I mean all of the gods? Teri and Phil find out when they decide that their life needs a little extra divine help. At first it all seems to go pretty well, but of course that wouldn't be interesting reading and Lucky, their new god, has some baggage of his own, so things come crashing down soon enough.
As a listen it's pretty great for the most part. I mean, I love Fred Berman as a narrator so that adds bonus points to this quick read right away. Overall the story moves along pretty well too, though there is a bit of slogging through the second act before the endgame comes into play and we cruise into the ending.
So yeah, I won't say it's the most amazing read I've had this year, but it's definitely up there, and absolutely a great quick read if you like these sort of slightly silly supernatural stories as much as I do.
Now, the story is pretty intriguing as an idea. What if the gods were real, and I mean all of the gods? Teri and Phil find out when they decide that their life needs a little extra divine help. At first it all seems to go pretty well, but of course that wouldn't be interesting reading and Lucky, their new god, has some baggage of his own, so things come crashing down soon enough.
As a listen it's pretty great for the most part. I mean, I love Fred Berman as a narrator so that adds bonus points to this quick read right away. Overall the story moves along pretty well too, though there is a bit of slogging through the second act before the endgame comes into play and we cruise into the ending.
So yeah, I won't say it's the most amazing read I've had this year, but it's definitely up there, and absolutely a great quick read if you like these sort of slightly silly supernatural stories as much as I do.
May 25, 2017
Mr. Martinez started out pretty damn good and he's only gotten better over time. Unlike other authors who write the same story over-and-over, he creates unique novels filled with zany humor and wacky-weird supernatural creatures.
Divine Misfortune is no exception. The universe he creates, with people connected to their individual god in a personal worshiper-god relationships works on many levels. First, and most important, it's wickedly funny. Second, if you look under the hood, you'll probably get a sense of how human history has long been obsessed with the divine being as an object of worship.
Mr. Martinez wisely avoids trampling over any mainstream religious belief--staying well away from Christianity, Islam, or Judaism. Rather, he uses a wide cast of characters from the pantheon of human history, from Zeus to Quetzalcoatl to work his mischief.
An entertaining read, from start to finish. If you like Christopher Moore, you'll love A. Lee Martinez.
Divine Misfortune is no exception. The universe he creates, with people connected to their individual god in a personal worshiper-god relationships works on many levels. First, and most important, it's wickedly funny. Second, if you look under the hood, you'll probably get a sense of how human history has long been obsessed with the divine being as an object of worship.
Mr. Martinez wisely avoids trampling over any mainstream religious belief--staying well away from Christianity, Islam, or Judaism. Rather, he uses a wide cast of characters from the pantheon of human history, from Zeus to Quetzalcoatl to work his mischief.
An entertaining read, from start to finish. If you like Christopher Moore, you'll love A. Lee Martinez.
June 3, 2017
Plenty of good laughs and an entertaining world. I just wish that I could have empathized more with the characters, as in other A. Lee Martinez books.
I would still recommend him to anyone looking for an easy entry into fantasy.
I would still recommend him to anyone looking for an easy entry into fantasy.
March 13, 2019
Having read Gil's All Fright Diner, I was expecting more, I'm sorry to say.
Actual RTC.
Actual RTC.
January 6, 2021
Silly and fun and stupid while also providing answers to questions like how on Earth incompetent middle managers ever got their jobs.
March 8, 2021
Absurd and creative, telling the story of a couple getting mixed up in holy affairs after signing up online to follow the god of luck and prosperity. A funny, fresh and entertaining read with tidbits from several mythologies.
January 30, 2022
Wow, what an enjoyable read. Funny and well written.
August 25, 2023
Super entertaining, but the ending was rushed as all get out. Still a solid read and gave me a lot of out -loud chuckles
September 3, 2022
3.5 rounding up because of a great ending. This is a fun and uncomplicated book with good pacing and great dialog. Shorter than I hoped. Also the end was a little shaky. That said. It's a fun read and a great recommendation from my sister @Amrita as always.
November 23, 2019
Good, but not great.
I'm not sure I'd recommend this book to anyone, but I don't regret reading it like I almost do with Gil's All Fright Diner, still, it's no Automatic Detective.
I'm not sure I'd recommend this book to anyone, but I don't regret reading it like I almost do with Gil's All Fright Diner, still, it's no Automatic Detective.
July 23, 2010
From my blog: http://serialdistractions.wordpress.c...
You need a god. Or maybe a goddess. Either way, you need direct intervention in your life by a deific presence of one type or another. Your colleagues get those raises and promotions that they pray and sacrifice for while you toil away with only your own abilities and ideas to aid you. The neighbor’s yard always looks just right after the intercession of their agricultural deity. The world spins beneath you and you simply struggle to hang on without a hand descending from the heavens to give you balance. So you get on the internet, go through the directories and find one that will get you the maximum benefit with the minimum acceptable sacrifice. Few are so gauche as to require blood anymore, though some do like a good sandwich or maybe a fatted calf. So you sign up and voila! You are now a follower of an anthropomorphic (usually) cosmic mover-and-shaker. This delightfully twisted take on the deity/follower relationship is the lynchpin of A. Lee Martinez’s latest novel, Divine Misfortune.
Teri and Phil are your typical young, suburban couple. They’ve been getting by without jumping on the god-bandwagon but want more out of life. Teri’s reluctant at first (after all, what happened to her anti-deity college ideals?), but eventually agrees to sign on. They select Luka (aka “Lucky”), a raccoon god of prosperity. Who, after a very bumpy trial-and-tribulation period of resistance on the part of Teri and Phil, moves into their guest room and throws a block party. Life under the influence of a luck god proves to be pretty nice…but unbeknownst to Lucky’s favorite new followers, old enemies are stirring and plotting revenge against the easy-going icon of prosperity--and are more than willing to enact their vengeance upon his followers.
Divine Misfortune is a delightful and fun book. Fast-paced and funny, but, like Martinez’s other works, infused with an underlying thread of humanity that gives it emotional resonance. The jokes are there and are funny, but the plot isn’t just a set up for a punch line. He takes a premise rife with the potential for humor, mines it for its choice nuggets of fun, but also tells a story about human nature; much like mythology and its stories of flawed gods and goddesses on which he draws. Further, while quirky and humorous, his villains truly are evil and bring actual menace to bear on the conflict. He consistently walks a tightrope, dipping to the left and then to right on occasion, but ultimately not needing the net.
The characterizations of the novel really make it shine. Both the divine characters (especially Lucky and Quick) and the mundane ones (Bonnie and Janet) are well-drawn and engaging. The only exception, ironically enough, are the characterizations of Teri and Phil. While they are great foils to the zany menagerie of gods, demigods, and just-plain-odd folks that careen in and out of their house during the adventure, the central couple’s portrayal feels a bit flat. Perhaps because they’re such great straight men, they simply don’t sparkle as brightly as some of the other players.
Despite this small quibble (and it is small), make no mistake: this book is fun, fast, and funny. This is mythology ala Douglas Adams or Robert Asprin, not Edith Hamilton or Joseph Campbell. It’s funny because it’s true—even if there is a winged-serpent-sun-god called Quick (formerly Quetzalcoatl ) watching Oprah on the couch.
You need a god. Or maybe a goddess. Either way, you need direct intervention in your life by a deific presence of one type or another. Your colleagues get those raises and promotions that they pray and sacrifice for while you toil away with only your own abilities and ideas to aid you. The neighbor’s yard always looks just right after the intercession of their agricultural deity. The world spins beneath you and you simply struggle to hang on without a hand descending from the heavens to give you balance. So you get on the internet, go through the directories and find one that will get you the maximum benefit with the minimum acceptable sacrifice. Few are so gauche as to require blood anymore, though some do like a good sandwich or maybe a fatted calf. So you sign up and voila! You are now a follower of an anthropomorphic (usually) cosmic mover-and-shaker. This delightfully twisted take on the deity/follower relationship is the lynchpin of A. Lee Martinez’s latest novel, Divine Misfortune.
Teri and Phil are your typical young, suburban couple. They’ve been getting by without jumping on the god-bandwagon but want more out of life. Teri’s reluctant at first (after all, what happened to her anti-deity college ideals?), but eventually agrees to sign on. They select Luka (aka “Lucky”), a raccoon god of prosperity. Who, after a very bumpy trial-and-tribulation period of resistance on the part of Teri and Phil, moves into their guest room and throws a block party. Life under the influence of a luck god proves to be pretty nice…but unbeknownst to Lucky’s favorite new followers, old enemies are stirring and plotting revenge against the easy-going icon of prosperity--and are more than willing to enact their vengeance upon his followers.
Divine Misfortune is a delightful and fun book. Fast-paced and funny, but, like Martinez’s other works, infused with an underlying thread of humanity that gives it emotional resonance. The jokes are there and are funny, but the plot isn’t just a set up for a punch line. He takes a premise rife with the potential for humor, mines it for its choice nuggets of fun, but also tells a story about human nature; much like mythology and its stories of flawed gods and goddesses on which he draws. Further, while quirky and humorous, his villains truly are evil and bring actual menace to bear on the conflict. He consistently walks a tightrope, dipping to the left and then to right on occasion, but ultimately not needing the net.
The characterizations of the novel really make it shine. Both the divine characters (especially Lucky and Quick) and the mundane ones (Bonnie and Janet) are well-drawn and engaging. The only exception, ironically enough, are the characterizations of Teri and Phil. While they are great foils to the zany menagerie of gods, demigods, and just-plain-odd folks that careen in and out of their house during the adventure, the central couple’s portrayal feels a bit flat. Perhaps because they’re such great straight men, they simply don’t sparkle as brightly as some of the other players.
Despite this small quibble (and it is small), make no mistake: this book is fun, fast, and funny. This is mythology ala Douglas Adams or Robert Asprin, not Edith Hamilton or Joseph Campbell. It’s funny because it’s true—even if there is a winged-serpent-sun-god called Quick (formerly Quetzalcoatl ) watching Oprah on the couch.
March 26, 2013
I really liked this one. It just grabbed me from beginning to end, it was all smooth sailing. I've real a handful of his books lately and I liked all of them, but only a couple have been super-successful for my tastes, just getting the style and rhythm and humor all firing on all cylinders. This was my favorite so far after The Automated Detective. I knew things were going in the right direction when I picked up a few library books that I was really looking forward to and I thought that since I'd just started this I'd put this aside for a while and get back to it later. But when I started to actually put it aside I just didn't want to. I was only on page 28 at the time, hadn't even met Bonnie yet, barely knew Phil and Teri and Lucky at all. But I could sense the rhythm, the pattern of how it would unfold, and I just wanted to read more.
There were a number of familiar elements from some of his other books, but it felt really fresh, and much less cheesy than some of them as well. Not that cheesy doesn't have it's place. I wish I hadn't just read Chasing the Moon (which was actually published a year after this one), it is quite similar in some ways, both are alternate histories of Earth, both have gods that people get stuck with, although the gods are very different, Diana and Bonnie seem quite similar in some ways. But I could certainly list even more ways in which the books were different. And the humor in this one struck me more.
I really liked the way he used a mix of well knows gods, lesser know myths from around the world, and his own made-up gods, keeping me on my toes doing my research. And thanks to modern Internet capability I was able to catch the links between some of the names in this and Gil's All Fright Diner that I'd have missed otherwise, which gave me an extra couple of chuckles.
On a tiny bit of a serious note, beneath the fun little romp, there is a very clearly stated message to this book. Bonnie thinks on page 28, "If there was one thing that her dealings with the divine would teach her, it was that there was no larger plan. Mortals might not like that. Gods might do their best to deny it. But Whim was the true ruler of the universe.." Then the book goes on to portray the gods as extremely failable, often petty, creatures who are clearly more interested in food, shelter, and cable television than any thoughts about guiding humans to live a moral life or anything resembling what many major current religions espouse. It's the Mount Olympus model, the gods are more super-powerful people than anything especially divine. The idea that there is no big answer to be found, no higher purpose, seems to be a theme in Martinez's work; it certainly was in Chasing the Moon. Those gods/Eldritch beings certainly didn't control anything, and West and the monsters kept explaining to Diana that there was no meaning to anything, that she could ask questions but couldn't expect any answers. So what's the meaning behind the theme? I don't know. Take care of your friends, maybe, you never know when there'll step up to take care of you right back. Or maybe to live for the moment. Or maybe that there really is no theme, just read it and have fun.
There were a number of familiar elements from some of his other books, but it felt really fresh, and much less cheesy than some of them as well. Not that cheesy doesn't have it's place. I wish I hadn't just read Chasing the Moon (which was actually published a year after this one), it is quite similar in some ways, both are alternate histories of Earth, both have gods that people get stuck with, although the gods are very different, Diana and Bonnie seem quite similar in some ways. But I could certainly list even more ways in which the books were different. And the humor in this one struck me more.
I really liked the way he used a mix of well knows gods, lesser know myths from around the world, and his own made-up gods, keeping me on my toes doing my research. And thanks to modern Internet capability I was able to catch the links between some of the names in this and Gil's All Fright Diner that I'd have missed otherwise, which gave me an extra couple of chuckles.
On a tiny bit of a serious note, beneath the fun little romp, there is a very clearly stated message to this book. Bonnie thinks on page 28, "If there was one thing that her dealings with the divine would teach her, it was that there was no larger plan. Mortals might not like that. Gods might do their best to deny it. But Whim was the true ruler of the universe.." Then the book goes on to portray the gods as extremely failable, often petty, creatures who are clearly more interested in food, shelter, and cable television than any thoughts about guiding humans to live a moral life or anything resembling what many major current religions espouse. It's the Mount Olympus model, the gods are more super-powerful people than anything especially divine. The idea that there is no big answer to be found, no higher purpose, seems to be a theme in Martinez's work; it certainly was in Chasing the Moon. Those gods/Eldritch beings certainly didn't control anything, and West and the monsters kept explaining to Diana that there was no meaning to anything, that she could ask questions but couldn't expect any answers. So what's the meaning behind the theme? I don't know. Take care of your friends, maybe, you never know when there'll step up to take care of you right back. Or maybe to live for the moment. Or maybe that there really is no theme, just read it and have fun.
September 23, 2016
The popularity of the Percy Jackson series’ take on Greek gods spawned many fantasy books which give a modern take on gods. A. Lee Martinez probably had none of that in mind while writing Divine Misfortune. This book is like going to a theatre to watch a movie, and as the previews come on, you see the beginnings of a quirky rom-com. You think it could be a fun watch, so once it comes out you decide to see it. You make a day of it, maybe inviting a friend (who doesn’t show up) and getting popcorn AND candy (What a rebel!). The movie starts out exactly as you expect, and then about twenty minutes in it dissolves into a movie that throws every aspect of rom-com out the window, and the whole time you keep trying to figure out what you’re watching, and it hits you. You’re still watching a rom-com. You begin to question everything you know and your ideas of the neat structure of genres dissolves. That’s basically what I felt while reading this book.
The premise for this book looked great. A world where a service exists similar to a dating site, where instead of matching someone with a romantic partner, they can meet gods that will give someone their blessing if they agree to worship them. I actually liked the little details, like how one needs qualifications and have to go on a waiting list for a popular god like Zeus. In the book, a generic married couple decides to get some help from a minor god of luck, but instead of putting up a statue or sacrificing some small animals for worship, their new god Luka just wants to room with them for a while.
Something I love about Martinez’ books (of the two I’ve read) is how they often switch the perspective of the characters. As someone who has a hard time getting through large walls of text, it was nice to get several shorter chapters about different characters who eventually tie together instead of the typical few, long chapters focused from one point of view. The other characters one is immediately introduced to are a girl who happens to end up with a goddess of heartbreak who has completely given up on being happy, who the girl wants to help. The other is a man devoted to an ancient god bent on world domination, who does nothing but order his worshippers around and drink beers. The characters are hilarious and, while not relatable, they feel like real people. If I see a book where I relate to several characters, the characters end up seeming less real to me. They have lives and personalities that really have opportunities to shine in this book.
The book provides a common theme of “getting help from people when one doesn’t think they need to” in a refreshing way. This book, however, is definitely not for everyone. It is kind of slow-paced, which I did not enjoy. Fans of classic literature will probably not love this book. It’s not just new, it’s completely different from any book I’ve ever read. And I will love this book forever.
The premise for this book looked great. A world where a service exists similar to a dating site, where instead of matching someone with a romantic partner, they can meet gods that will give someone their blessing if they agree to worship them. I actually liked the little details, like how one needs qualifications and have to go on a waiting list for a popular god like Zeus. In the book, a generic married couple decides to get some help from a minor god of luck, but instead of putting up a statue or sacrificing some small animals for worship, their new god Luka just wants to room with them for a while.
Something I love about Martinez’ books (of the two I’ve read) is how they often switch the perspective of the characters. As someone who has a hard time getting through large walls of text, it was nice to get several shorter chapters about different characters who eventually tie together instead of the typical few, long chapters focused from one point of view. The other characters one is immediately introduced to are a girl who happens to end up with a goddess of heartbreak who has completely given up on being happy, who the girl wants to help. The other is a man devoted to an ancient god bent on world domination, who does nothing but order his worshippers around and drink beers. The characters are hilarious and, while not relatable, they feel like real people. If I see a book where I relate to several characters, the characters end up seeming less real to me. They have lives and personalities that really have opportunities to shine in this book.
The book provides a common theme of “getting help from people when one doesn’t think they need to” in a refreshing way. This book, however, is definitely not for everyone. It is kind of slow-paced, which I did not enjoy. Fans of classic literature will probably not love this book. It’s not just new, it’s completely different from any book I’ve ever read. And I will love this book forever.
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