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I'm Starting to Worry About This Black Box of Doom - Jason Pargin - Jan 2025 Book Group discussion thread

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McGoohan
McGoohan
Dec 2024
11:37am, 29 Dec 2024
54,932 posts
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McGoohan
Already taking the trophy for longest book group title we have had, this dark satire was written by Jason Pargin and has been chozzed as Jan 2025 book by Maclennane.

Please cascade your thoughts like pooh-sticks over the Niagara Falls into thwe thread below.
Columba
Columba
18 Jan
11:33am, 18 Jan 2025
22,685 posts
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Columba
Mine seems to be the first pooh-stick.

Enjoyed this, but not enough to look for others by the same author. In the early part, where there was a lot of stuff via Reddit threads, I was wondering whether this really reflected reality in any shape or form, and the fact that it might do so was worrying. Then I decided not to care, as there's enough real reality to worry about. Went downhill in the last third or quarter of the book, as it became farcical; farcical, alternating with Wise Sayings About Life.

Yes, it was diverting and I enjoyed it. Not actually recommending it, though.
McGoohan
McGoohan
18 Jan
12:23pm, 18 Jan 2025
54,970 posts
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McGoohan
So, BBOD is not my first Jason Pargin read. I think, like Maclennane, I first became aware of the author through his online short videos which are funny and informative. On the back of those I read his first novel, John Dies At The End last December and got the follow-up This Book Is Full Of Spiders for Christmas.

I thought the blurbs on those would infuriate Dio particularly as Pargin is constantly being compared to Douglas Adams the same way Terry Pratchett is. I think there is *some* mileage in that: what Douglas Adams was to funny + scifi and Pratchett was to funny + fantasy, Pargin is to funny + horror.

I was a little bit unconvinced by John Dies At The End because it's all over the shop in its storytelling. Then I found out that it was originally published serially online and that made it make a lot more sense. He's made writing much more a full-time thing since then so the books are written as books rather than as joined-up bits.

BBOD then. On the face of it, this was dangerously close to the goofball or gonzo road-trip books with a variety of wacky characters - like previous book group read Florida Roadkill which I couldn't get through. For quite a while I was internally shouting 'get on with it!' at BBOD. A lot of the Abbott and Ether chapters are them just discussing or debating something. But the book very much has an agenda and they are its mouthpieces. The array of other characters aren't as annoying as some books too.

Eventually it becomes fairly clear that the actual Black Box of Doom won't contain a dirty bomb etc, it is indeed a MacGuffin. The actual Black Box of Doom is a life lived miserably online. It's ironic that this is the focus of the book considering that Pargin relies on the internet so much for self-publicity. (Says he writing a book review on the internet.) But I liked the denouement with its optimistic take on the world. That apparent enemies are better talking it out than endlessly fighting, whether physically or verbally.

I enjoyed it a lot in the end. I've given it an 8. It didn't need to be 500 pages long though...
McGoohan
McGoohan
20 Jan
1:33pm, 20 Jan 2025
54,973 posts
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McGoohan
PS - if Dio ends up liking this book, I'm a banana
westmoors
westmoors
21 Jan
1:28pm, 21 Jan 2025
9,333 posts
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westmoors
I rather enjoyed this and have given it an 8.

My fears for the world were mirrored in this book. The millenial generation are missing out on life as they only experience it through their screens. Take their phones and computers away and they have no idea on how to interact with people.

The expansion of mis-information over the 'net has been shown in recent real life events to be extremely dangerous. However, I did find this aspect of the book quite amusing: did the box contain a bomb, a human corpse, an alien corpse?

The only real disappointment in the book for me was the ending. I thougth the destruction of Sock's property and the everyone being friends at the end a bit meh.
quimby
quimby
26 Jan
5:11pm, 26 Jan 2025
6,785 posts
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quimby
I'm not really in a reviewing mood (feels like homework and it's a Sunday), but I loved it, and I didn't realise it was 500 pages long (read it on Kindle). The descriptions of the various corners of the internet - Reddit, Twitch, etc - were spot on. Gave it an 8. I'd happily read more by the author. Thank you to the choosinator @Maclennane.
Diogenes
Diogenes
26 Jan
5:38pm, 26 Jan 2025
90,416 posts
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Diogenes
Well, hello to my bendy, yellow friend @McGoohan the banana.

Despite the ridiculous plot, and the sometimes unbelievable dialogue (Ether has memorised more facts, figures and arguments than is believable, even with one’s disbelief suspended up in the stratosphere), I enjoyed this and couldn’t wait to find out the denouement.

Pargin is very, very good on the way crap social media works, how internet conspiracies fool the unwary, how feeble internet warriors can find a voice that is listened to.

I think the saddest part was when truth_lover deleted Cactus Dad’s post telling how Abbott and Ether rescued him and his cactus from drowning when they had no reason to, except common decency, especially after he had tried to run them off the road.

I was happy with the ending and there, if nowhere else, was where the connection to Douglas Adams came in with the idea that the key to everything was the concept of being nice and putting up with the inconvenience.

7.5 rounded up to an 8.
McGoohan
McGoohan
26 Jan
5:43pm, 26 Jan 2025
54,983 posts
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McGoohan
~Takes everything back~

~Slides sideways onto pavement such that passing runners slip on me~
The Pin Lady
The Pin Lady
26 Jan
6:48pm, 26 Jan 2025
1,736 posts
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The Pin Lady
First book by this author. I enjoyed it - thought some of the observations about living in a black box of doom were quite timely. Would try another by the author. 8

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Maintained by McGoohan
Already taking the trophy for longest book group title we have had, this dark satire was written by Jason Pargin and has been chozzed as Jan 2025 book by Maclennane.

Please cascade your thoughts like pooh-sticks over the Niagara Falls into thwe thread below.

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