Afterparty

Pharma. Having read thousands of books, it’s rare for me to be surprised by what a writer can achieve. Daryl Gregory got me to laugh often while reading his novel, Afterparty, especially during its most dystopian passages. Set in the near future, the novel presents the drug named numinous, created as a treatment for schizophrenia. Gregory riffs on the interplay of God and science as well as the nature of religious belief. On top of the themes explored, he structures a mystery, which kept the plot moving. I finished the novel thinking something along the lines of: wasn’t that interesting? Perhaps it would have helped had I taken the right combination of pharmaceuticals to develop empathy for the characters. Instead of empathy, I closed this book and opened another. I suggest reading an excerpt before you dive in, since your reaction depends more on the condition of your brain, not mine. Rating: Three-star (It’s ok) Click here to purchase Afterparty from amazon.com.