Divine Misfortune

by A. Lee Martinez

Book Overview

Like many people in this world, Phil & Terry are just looking for their personal slice of divine assistance. It's not their fault that they decide to settle on Lucky, a raccoon god of good fortune. At... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0316049921
• Release Date: April 2011
• Publisher: Orbit
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 0.38 lbs.
• Dimensions: 6.8" x 1.0" x 4.3"

Customer Reviews

Ye Gods--this man is FUNNY

"Divine Misfortune" takes place in an alternative world where the mythological gods exist and are still worshipped. They even have a match-up service similar to eHarmony where browsers can find a compatible god. When Phil misses yet another promotion, he's thinking it's time he swore himself to a god. After all, the guy who got the job he wanted admits he got the job because of his patron god's favor. Phil's wife, Teri, isn't so sure. Gods are a lot of work. They involve sacrifice and an altar. But, when Teri sees a cat that'd been struck by a car brought back to life, she relents. Phil and Teri select the fortune god, Lucky, a raccoon. Lucky doesn't demand much of his followers, so they think. But, when a Hawaiian shirt clad raccoon shows up at their door with multicolored luggage, they are considering re-considering their oaths. Lucky's okay about them reneging. It's a lot of responsibility. He goes away--and the next day is the day from Hell for both of them. Phil and Teri think all is well when Lucky returns, but the little god hasn't told them everything. There's his ex-girlfriend, the former goddess of love and a blood feud with a blood-path god. Talk about Divine Misfortune! Rebecca Kyle, April 2010

Hilarious

Gosh! What do you do when everyone around you gets the promotions at work, all the good stuff, and you just keep on trudging through life? Well, maybe you need a god? Teri and Phil decide that maybe a god to offer tribute to would help things along. They check out the online god matching services, and decide on a small racoon god of fortune. The adventure starts when, unlike other folks' gods, their god (they call him "Lucky") decides to actually move in, bringing his pal Quick (Quetzacoatl) along. These two guys bring all kinds of problems into Teri and Phil's lives, including a jealous, spurned goddess, a monstrous god of chaos, and.... wait, I am telling you the whole story! And I shouldn't do that! It is just so tempting to do so because this is, like all of A. Lee Martinez's books, just a wonderful bit of very, very funny nonsense. I love his books, and was delighted to find out that this is just as good as the other ones. I recommend it without reservation!

"By Words, the Mind is Winged"

Let's define, "DIVINE," shall we? 1. of or pertaining to a god, esp. the Supreme Being. DIVINE MISFORTUNE follows Teri and Phil a (not so) hapless couple trying to get by. Phil isn't looking to win the lottery, he'd just like to score a lousy promotion. And Teri would like to catch a break for once. But in a world where the pantheon of gods is not so mythological, it's hard to get ahead without a blood sacrifice, an altar, and a little scratch to offer a working class deity. 2. addressed, appropriated, or devoted to God or a god; religious; sacred: divine worship. So, despite Teri's initial reluctance, they give the god game a whirl. They choose a deity from a web site and presto change-o, Luka the Raccoon God of Prosperity is ready to favor them. Just call him "Lucky." All he wants is to crash at their pad for a while. And what's a little immortal mayhem here and there, right? 3. proceeding from God or a god: divine laws. While the new world order has put a stop to the random smiting of followers and the devouring of homesteads, Lucky and his fellow deities still have the power and muscle to make lives uncomfortable for those unfortunate mortals who fall out of favor. Teri and Phil quickly figure out how tricky pleasing the gods can be. Soon, they're hosting parties and taking in Lucky's pal Quick (Quetzalcoatl), a down on his luck serpent god looking to move out from under his own personal PR nightmare--Conquistador massacre propaganda. And that's not the half of it. Lucky and Quick soon become the least of Teri's and Phil's worries. Before you can say Holy Valhalla, they're in the middle of divine love triangle and grudge match. 4. godlike; characteristic of or befitting a deity: divine magnanimity. In DIVINE MISFORTUNE, it's hard to judge who's more sympathetic. Both mortals and gods navigate the pitfalls of existence. Lucky's just trying to get the girl, and Teri and Phil are just trying to pay the mortgage. And everybody's trying to dodge Gorgoz, the bloodthirsty god of chaos. Gorgoz has a score to settle with Lucky, and he doesn't care who he has to crush to win. And Gorgoz would really like a better cable package, too. Such are the dilemmas faced by gods and men. 5. heavenly; celestial: the divine kingdom. Extremely good; unusually lovely. The author's previous works deliver the goods, but DIVINE MISFORTUNE packs an extra special one-two punch of humor and gravitas. Sure, you'll bust a gut laughing, but this book will pleasantly stimulate the ole cerebellum at the same time. Like the Greek comic writer Aristophanes, Martinez spins stories which captures the heart and the imagination. With a wink and a smile, the reader is welcomed into worlds both familiar and strange, manifest and surreal. DIVINE MISFORTUNE is no exception. Pitch perfect, it might well be Martinez's best yet. At the very least, it is every bit as good as my own favorite of the author's books, THE AUTOMATIC DETECTIVE. 7. being a god; being God: a div

A Modern Day Mythological Adventure

As a huge fan of A. Lee Martinez I am constantly looking forward to reading his next book. Divine Misfortune does not disappoint. It's an entertaining and satisfying read from start to finish. You really feel connected to the characters and the world that they are living in. It's a modern twist on the Greek tragedy's of old using new and intelligent storytelling. Any fan of Mythology or of Martinez (I was a fan of both) will enjoy the heck out of this book.