“a clever, witty, and frequently biting tale…”
—Anthony Squiers, author of Madness & Insanity
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The Armageddon Two-Step
A Novel by Michael Loyd Gray
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early praise for the novel:
"The Armageddon Two-Step is a clever, witty, and frequently biting tale of unlikely fame, carved out by a genuine storyteller." —Anthony Squiers, author of Madness & Insanity
Co-editor of Philosophizing Brecht: Critical Readings on Art, Consciousness, Social Theory and Performance "A small confession. I’ve been reading Michael Loyd Gray’s prose for more than 30 years—since he was a reporter on a business newspaper in Arizona as I was his managing editor. Over this long period of time, Michael’s writing has only gotten better. There’s a pleasant rhythm to his sentence construction that eases you into his stories like finding relaxation in your favorite comfy chair." —Steve Bergsman, author of a dozen books;
his next book is I Put a Spell on You: The Bizarre Life of Screamin’ Jay Hawkins |
“Gray is at the top of his game in The Armageddon Two-Step. He leads the reader on a taco-fueled, rollicking good time along with his colorful cast of characters, including the unlikely hero, Shelby Albert Goddard, who saved the entire world from destruction with only thingamajigs, thingamabobs, and doohickeys. Saving the world earns Shelby grateful thanks, lots of money and a government handler who is charged with keeping him anonymous. It also earns nightmares and close encounters with people not of the world he saved. As he moves through his post-armageddon life, Shelby must learn to deal with being a hero.”
—Ned Randle, author of Baxter's Friends, Running at Night,
and St. Michael Poker & Drinking Club
and St. Michael Poker & Drinking Club
“Michael Loyd Gray’s The Armageddon Two-Step is a satirical novel about celebrity culture, corporate sponsorship, a secret government agency, and the general public’s inability to look beyond the hyperbolic spectacles produced by corporate America and government institutions... The Armageddon Two-Step’s humor shows the American Dream as the American-Fallacy, through Shelby’s melancholic rise to fame.”
—Sean Karns, author of Jar of Pennies
“…Shelby Albert Goddard has saved the world. The details of how, exactly, he did this remain murky but it is true: Without Shelby’s actions, the planet would no longer exist. And this deed has made Shelby quite the celebrity… But for all his good fortune, Shelby is lonely… As Shelby’s fame wanes, he decides to hit the road. He takes up with a fledgling church in Arkansas and gets hired by a mysterious, wealthy company in Chicago. He makes people worry that he may jump off a bridge and he creates his own foundation to help those in need. But what, in the end, will he learn about himself? Gray’s story indulges in whimsy from the start. While Shelby may not be able to articulate what he did to save the globe, it doesn’t really matter. From the opening pages, he is off and running, … looking for somewhere to go. …To say the entire trip is an odd one is an understatement. As much as readers might like to know where the story is going, they will enjoy the abundant twists and turns down the road… This amusing tale with a quirky hero offers plenty of surprises.
--Kirkus Reviews
“…a wonderful story for the reader with a taste for dry humor and in need of some comedic relief. … I found The Armageddon Two-Step quite entertaining. A solid read.” (Read the full review here.)
—Jeffrey W. Massey for Reader Views
“The Armageddon Two-Step is a novel that appeals to fans of absurdist literature who appreciate twists on classic tropes and laugh-out-loud elements. The thought-provoking nature of this book, along with its modern cultural references, make it a great candidate for book clubs.” (Read the full review here.)
—onlinebookclub.org
other books by Michael Loyd Gray:
novels:
Well Deserved
Exile on Kalamazoo Street
The Canary
King Biscuit
Not Famous Anymore
creative non-fiction:
Still Sort of Original in Unoriginal Times
Well Deserved
Exile on Kalamazoo Street
The Canary
King Biscuit
Not Famous Anymore
creative non-fiction:
Still Sort of Original in Unoriginal Times
praise for Michael Loyd Gray's writing:
"Michael Loyd Gray's prose unspools with the unmistakable cadence of a storyteller."
—Stuart Dybek, author of I Sailed with Magellan
"Michael Loyd Gray's novel The Canary is rooted in historical fact and yet soars in poetic interludes to give a rich portrait of its complex subject, Amelia Earhart, the first woman to fly solo over the Atlantic Ocean, and who later was lost at sea, and young Ernest Hemingway, an author to be. A spirited read!"
—Robert Flanagan, author of Fight Night and Maggot
"[The Canary ] is a juggernaut; part poem, part historical novel, all engrossing account of a richly imagined meeting between two of the last century's towering icons. Like its subjects, this novel is brave, bold, and romantic—something we constantly year for and why we are so drawn to these legendary figures. This is one of the most exciting, ambitious novels I have read in years."
—Darren DeFrain, author of Inside & Out
About the AuthorIn addition to The Armageddon Two-Step, Michael Loyd Gray is the author of the novels: Well Deserved, Exile on Kalamazoo Street, The Canary, King Biscuit, and Not Famous Anymore. He earned a MFA from Western Michigan University, a bachelor’s from the University of Illinois, and teaches Creative Writing and British/American literature at a college in South Carolina. He won the 2005 Alligator Juniper Fiction Prize, the 2008 Sol Books Prose Series Prize, and a novel support grant from The Elizabeth George Foundation. His volume of creative non-fiction, Still Sort of Original in Unoriginal Times, was released in 2016. Gray is a lifelong fan of the Rolling Stones, Chicago Bears, and Fender guitars. michaelloydgray.weebly.com
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