Top Shelf for March: ‘Gods Without Men’ by Hari Kunzru

March Top Shelf: Gods Without Men by Hari Kunzru
Reviewed by: Chris Hoyt

So there I was at the local “Choke N’ Puke,” just killing time with a bit of supper, when a stranger slid up beside me at the bar. He inquired about the book in my possession, small talk really. Just wondering what it was about and as to whether or not it was any good.

His curiosity, to me, seemed friendly enough and I felt it courteous to oblige. This, more or less, is what I told him.

I’ll go out on a limb here and assume that you, stranger, are an avid fan of NASCAR. There’s no shame in it. To each his own. But let me just say that Gods Without Men is the Dale Earnhardt of literary fiction. It just has that pace about it, something aggressive and unbridled in its determination. There’s a method to the madness, and, by god, it is a thing to behold.

At the heart of Gods Without Men is the Mojave Desert, where a rich man’s gumbo of characters range in culture and circumstance. While the majority is down to earth, others, as they say, are out of this world. Zing! (That is to say, there are UFOs.)

Gods Without Men is often playful. You’ll find a chuckle here and there. But the themes are heavy and keep the story grounded. I’d dare say there are moments that are truly heartbreaking.

As Gods Without Men weaves and unfolds, back and forth between time and temperament, Hari Kunzru switches gears like he’s splitting atoms. It is bizarre, ambitious, and, if you don’t mind me saying, one hell of a ride.

Hari Kuzru will be reading and signing here at BookPeople on Tuesday, March 27 at 7pm. Brought to you by the only bookstore that can pull off a NASCAR analogy.

~ Christopher J. Hoyt is the Assistant Inventory Operations Manager at BookPeople. His beard files a separate 1040 tax form.