[diob]

Best I read in 2024:

"I'm Starting to Worry About This Black Box of Doom"

Highly recommend it to folks, especially if you enjoy Pargin's other works ("John Dies at the End", "Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits"). I am continually in awe at how he is evolving as a writer.

His characterizations and insights convey a unique and profound interest in the world we live in, and it’s clear he takes great care in understanding others and what makes them who they are.

It'll make you rethink some of your relationships / reactions to the current world (social media, other humans, etc.).

[edanm]

It's really interesting how strongly Pargin has managed to "brand" himself, at least in my mind. I read the title you mentioned, and despite only having read "John Dies at the End", I insta-guessed it's the same author.

Weird thing is that "John Dies at the End" sounds like something I'd love, and yet I really bounced off of it when trying to read it. I've been meaning to give it another go.

[diob]

That series definitely had a different feel at the start compared to his current work (and even later work in the same series).

He's no less funny, but he's honed in on exploring the human condition (in a natural way) in each of his books.