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Christopher Brookmyre
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Pandaemonium Kindle Edition

by Christopher Brookmyre (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 362 ratings
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The senior pupils of St Peter's High School are on retreat to a secluded outdoor activity centre, coming to terms with the murder of a fellow pupil through the means you would expect: counselling, contemplation, candid discussion and even prayer - not to mention booze, drugs, clandestine liaisons and as much partying as they can get away with.

Not so far away, the commanders of a top-secret military experiment, long-since spiralled out of control, fear they may have literally unleashed the forces of Hell.

Two very different worlds are on a collision course, and will clash in an earthly battle between science and the supernatural, philosophy and faith, civilisation and savagery.

The bookies are offering evens.

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  1. Print length
    401 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    Abacus
  5. Publication date
    December 3, 2009
  6. File size
    616 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
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  10. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

** 'A perfect example of the bathos that the Glaswegian satirist uses so effectively, and an indication of the two worlds that are about to collide―ESQUIRE

** 'It's the busload of teenagers who steal the show in a series of quite brilliant and very funny scenes . . . Very well-written, intelligent and daring―Harry Ritchie, DAILY MAIL

** 'The Scottish author sticks to anti-Establishment finger-pointing and satire that is becoming his trademark―SHORTLIST

About the Author

Chris Brookmyre was a journalist before becoming a full time novelist with the publication of QUITE UGLY ONE MORNING. Since the publication of A BIG BOY DID IT AND RAN AWAY he and his family decided to move away from Aberdeen and now live near Glasgow.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B002XA6IWE
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Abacus (December 3, 2009)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 3, 2009
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 616 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 401 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 362 ratings

About the author

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Christopher Brookmyre

Christopher Brookmyre

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Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2 out of 5
362 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Becky Lawson
5.0 out of 5 stars A funny horror novel that makes you think
Reviewed in the United States on September 23, 2015
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Pretty sure this will be one of my most favorite books, ever, and it will get a special place on my shelves. I loved that it was so funny. There is a lot of humor. A LOT. His novels always are.

A group of Catholic high-schoolers are on a retreat to get over the trauma of a murder in the hallways of their school. But that trauma is nothing compared to the hell that breaks loose, literally, from a military installation near the retreat. Demonic creatures, horns, forked tails, the whole bit.

Pros:
1) Great Characters - well developed and clearly motivated. All of them.
2) Steady pace that in the second half of the novel turned into a warp-speed page-turner.
3) Has surprising depth for what is basically a horror novel (blood and guts galore)

Cons:
Not really any that I can think of.

Sort-of Cons, but not really:
1) There are a LOT of characters, more than 35. When there's a character list printed in the front of the book, you know you might need it for reference. I didn't use it as much as I thought I might, though.
2) Omniscient point of view - the author makes his way through every character's head, which means you had to pay attention to who's head you were in for the story to make sense.

Brookmyre hits on religion & faith (and how they're very often not the same thing), philosophy, and a whole lot of science. There are atheistic characters and Bible beaters, and the rest run the gamut between. The only character that was almost formulaic/stereotypical was the priest who believed but didn't have faith and had his epiphany (no pun intended) at the end of the book.

One point that was made, whether you're atheist or a believer, was how both the Church and Science have done equally evil things (The Inquisition and the Atomic Bomb for instance), and both have done equally good things. It's also about believing in something. You just have to decide what it is.
3 people found this helpful
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Bruce Fraser
4.0 out of 5 stars The Multiverse meets the Catholic church and adolescent Scots - a heady brew
Reviewed in the United States on April 6, 2014
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An interesting go at on the one hand, putting the multiverse (modern physics), and the church into tensioned togetherness, and exploring the morality of both sides trying to protect and advance their own agendas. At the same time a group of teenagers and their teachers thrown together dealing with grief, loss, guilt and faith. (And throw in some adolescent aggro and hormones for leavening).
Add in some demons, bring the two plot lines together for a ripping yarn ending and you have a very readable book with some thought provoking ideas.
2 people found this helpful
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Carmel Bell
5.0 out of 5 stars All fun and games
Reviewed in the United States on December 13, 2009
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Pandaemonium lives up to Christopher usual tightly written and ironically observed previous offerings. He has an amusing yet engaging style of writing that leaves you both believing and gobsmacked. Pandaemonium was no different. The viewpoint switches easily between characters and even the darker elements of the demon cast is not impersonal, or overdone. The topic lends itself potentially, to some measure of fear or skepticism, yet Christopher manages to engage your interest and belief without treating any character as a cartoon. If you have read any of his books, you will also enjoy this one. If this is your first foray into the works and mind of Christopher Brookmyre, welcome, enjoy the read.
8 people found this helpful
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Jambo
3.0 out of 5 stars dissapointing book from the man
Reviewed in the United States on November 30, 2011
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I'm a huge Christopher brookmyre fan but to be honest this isnt his best effort - it dives off into a sci-fi/fantasy realm where to me the writing was kind of sloppy and poorly executed. think of this book as like watching a good TV movie, its entertaiining enough but you're probably unlikely to tell your firends about it.
3 people found this helpful
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MollyMoo
5.0 out of 5 stars Liked it so much, wanting a sequel -now!!
Reviewed in the United States on November 20, 2014
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Loved this one. An insightful and thought provoking commentary on religion with sci-fi thrown in. He presents these interesting and realistic characters in one of his more heart-thumping fictions. Couldn't put the book down! Like always, Brookmyre captures your attention with these unreal but plausible series of events, to leave you pondering the underlying themes, long after the book is finished.
One person found this helpful
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Whatfaff
4.0 out of 5 stars Not as good as some of his others...
Reviewed in the United States on April 3, 2015
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But still well worth a read! Didn't make me laugh out load as much as some of his books have, & the vast cast of characters was a little tricky to keep up with- he does give a cast list at the start but you can't easily keep flicking back to it on Kindle. Still, a fun, if far-fetched, concept & easy to picture it all in your head!
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Item as promised - thanks!
Reviewed in the United States on July 31, 2019
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Item as promised - thanks!
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on May 8, 2015
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Amazing. Is there another one now to take up where Pandaemonium left off?
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Top reviews from other countries

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Heidi
4.0 out of 5 stars Meandering yet suspenseful. Good vacation read.
Reviewed in Canada on December 8, 2019
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Complex character list but not critical if you confuse them. Relax and enjoy the plot twists! Good and surprising ending that demands a sequel.
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Susannah Dean
4.0 out of 5 stars Ein ungewöhnlicher Brookmyre, aber empfehlenswert
Reviewed in Germany on March 14, 2013
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Ich muss an dieser Stelle eine Lanze für Pandaemonium von Christopher Brookmyre brechen, insbesondere da ich am Anfang des Buchs ähnlich verunsichert war, wie einige der anderen Rezensenten.
Ich habe mir relativ schwer getan in dieses Buch "reinzukommen". Nach 11 gelesenen Brookmyre Büchern habe ich mir am Anfang sehr schwer getan in den "pandämonischen" Teil der Geschichte, der sich in einer amerikanischen, im schottischen Hochland, streng geheimen Militärbasis stattfindet einzusteigen. Das Szenario, das sich dort entfaltet wirkt zunächst so gar nicht nach Christopher Brookmyres Stil und man wartet irgendwie auf eine Wendung in eine ganz andere Richtung.

Gut haben mir von Anfang die Teenager gefallen. Die Charaktere sind wie immer bei Brookmyre herrlich gezeichnet und sehr unterhaltsam.

Nach ca. 50 Seiten habe ich mich dann insgesamt damit angefreundet, dass das Buch eben kein typischer Brookmyre ist und dann habe ich es sofort und mit großem Vergnügen zu Ende gelesen.

Die Geschichte entwickelt sich und gleichzeitig mit ihr entwickeln sich die Charaktere, was auch sehr spannend ist. Genial finde ich auch die theologisch - wissenschaftlichen Diskussionen und Fragestellungen, die sowohl explizit diskutiert werden zwischen den Charakteren, als auch implizit angesprochen werden. Beides natürlich mit einem gehörigen Maß an Bissigkeit und Ironie.

Mein Fazit: wenn man sich darauf einlässt ein Lesevergnügen, für bestehende und neue Fans des Autors.
3 people found this helpful
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David Harris
5.0 out of 5 stars Superb
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 4, 2009
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Beware - spoilers below.

Mad scientists/ soldiers/ priests open a gate in spacetime through which demons flood to slaughter innocent schoolkids. "X files" meets "da Vinci code" (but better).

I hadn't read any of Brookmyre's books before, which may be as well, because judging from other reaction this is not typical. However I found it a superb book - gripping, deep, mischievous, perceptive and just... well, basically just complete. Where to start? First, the characters were so real. Every character in the book is believable. That includes a whole busload of teenagers, together with the scientists and clerics who play the Frankenstein role - two quite different groups - but Brookmyre doesn't leave anyone out. For example, Sendak, the ex-soldier who runs the field activity centre the teenagers are staying at (and whose role is really to get them through the "demon" attack), is deftly portrayed: here it's the telling detail that does the trick, when he checks over the centre before they arrive, making sure everything is OK. For other characters it's the rhythmn of speech, their sparring with friends, or a look exchanged with a teacher. I could read this book just for the characters, even if nothing happened.

But then, lots does happen. One of the girls says towards the start that she doesn't want to be in a "teen prom film" but - if this was a film - it would be rather different; it's very gory once the "demons" turn up - no feelings are spared and some of those marvellously built up characters come to nasty ends. Then the kids begin to fight back, and you cheer them on, you really do.

It isn't a film, though. In mode and structure, the book takes its cue from a video game with one of the central characters, Adnan, making the comparison explicit. I have to confess I'm no great fan of video games but if someone made a game of the book, I might just be tempted.

What else? Did I mention that this book has depth, too? At its heart is a debate about the existence of God - how's that for depth? Because if demons exist, so must God(?) So the question of what - exactly - comes out the woods to attack the schoolkids is of some importance, and some of the characters have an interest in spinning the answer. That's where, if anywhere, I feel the story comes a bit unstuck as we follow the thoughts of one of these creatures, which perhaps gives a little too much away. And I was left a bit confused at the end about just who set the demons loose in the first place. I think I'll have to reread this, but it's a book that will easily bear a second read.

One final quibble (and talk about fools rushing in where angels fear to tread) but I don't think that if James VI of Scotland/ I of England had caught a demon, he would have supplied it to the Vatican for their secret collection: James was a Protestant monarch. (Unless he was trying to make a point, perhaps...)

Anyway, highly recommended.

(Update 24/1/10 -  Where the Bodies are Buried  is due out in 2011.)
5 people found this helpful
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Richard Gane
3.0 out of 5 stars Read it twice
Reviewed in Germany on December 21, 2013
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I found the storyline a little complex, but it was written in the usual Brookmyre style which kept it entertaining.
2 people found this helpful
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Gaynor Thomas
4.0 out of 5 stars Bad dreams...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 3, 2009
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I love Brookmyre and I really enjoyed this book. I love the way he gets inside teenagers' minds and the deeply disturbing quality of his humour. I love the fact that he presents difficult and complex ideas without any dumbing down. I love that I can read and savour every single word, while still feeling the pace of the plot. I even enjoy (if that is the right word) the violence and the graphic way in which it is described. But this book lost a star because of the end. I can't say too much because I don't want to spoil it for anyone, but I didn't have any problems with the denoument, just that I like my endings a bit happier than that, and I do like all my loose ends neatly tied up (I know, I'm just a big softy at heart). Still, I laughed on one page, cried on the next and gasped out loud a few pages on - I was completely taken up with the whole thing and it gave me some truly bad dreams. Now that I have finished it I can sleep peacefully again, but I also have to wait a whole year for the next one - nooooooo!
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