Fictional books - as in, the ones that don't exist in the real world - always intrigue me. When I read Wonder Boys
by Chabon, I wanted to read the collective works of Grady Tripp and those of "the first real writer" Tripp ever knew - August Van Zorn. So it goes without saying, when Californication
came into my life, I wanted to read Hank Moody's novels. My prayers were answered when his novel, God Hates Us All
, was released last year. Note: It wasn't the fact that I couldn't afford his book last year, it's just that it takes me a year to grow the balls to read a novel based on a novel in a TV show. Finally having finished the novel, I have to say that I understand why Hank Moody was pissed off when his novel - which takes its title from a Slayer album
- was turned into the TomKat flick, A Crazy Little Thing Called Love (which, god forbid, no one decides to actually make). But then again, let's not forget how disappointed I was with the novel.
by Chabon, I wanted to read the collective works of Grady Tripp and those of "the first real writer" Tripp ever knew - August Van Zorn. So it goes without saying, when Californication came into my life, I wanted to read Hank Moody's novels. My prayers were answered when his novel, God Hates Us All, was released last year. Note: It wasn't the fact that I couldn't afford his book last year, it's just that it takes me a year to grow the balls to read a novel based on a novel in a TV show. Finally having finished the novel, I have to say that I understand why Hank Moody was pissed off when his novel - which takes its title from a Slayer album - was turned into the TomKat flick, A Crazy Little Thing Called Love (which, god forbid, no one decides to actually make). But then again, let's not forget how disappointed I was with the novel. It's not that it's a bad book. And I really didn't know what to expect when a fictional novel is released into the real world, but whatever I did expect, I can assure you this wasn't it. I can't even fathom how something like this could ever be adapted into a romantic comedy starring TomKat. And I know, I shouldn't even think like that because neither Hank Moody, TomKat (in the sense of the show, anyway) or the real (though, actually, fictional) God Hates Us All don't really exist.
In actuality, Jonathan Grotenstein - who, possibly, wrote this book - probably had Hank Moody in the head. I'm not sure how much instruction he got or how much creative freedom he was allotted, but after a few chapters into the book, I thought less and less about Hank Moody's persona on the show and more about how this book seems completely color-by-numbers. The book starts reading more like something out of the mind of Hank Moody toward the last half, but the voice is still lacking. Push in a few music references - like the show does - and you got yourself something that isn't bad, but isn't something you'd expect. And the nearly perfect wrap up, well, that's something I'd rather not talk about.
All in all, I'll give the book a three-star review. I think it's fair, don't you? Until next time, happy huntin'.
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