Helpful Score: 10
Definitely an interesting read, but personally, I found it a little hollow. I was expecting some kind of grandiose enlightenment to be expressed, but it just didn't happen.
Helpful Score: 7
I have to admit that I couldn't get through this one. Palahnuik's unique and normally entertaining style seemed to wear a bit thin. Maybe he's losing his touch, or maybe I've just been reading too much by this author. In any case, his earlier work is much better. (Fight Club, Invisible Monsters)
Helpful Score: 4
good book...combination of religous fanatacisim and fame in our society and its contrived nature
Helpful Score: 4
Wow- I love Palahniuk, even if I can't pronounce his name! This is one of his best! Really dark, edgy humor though. Not for the easily offended.
Helpful Score: 3
This is one really screwed up book. I've always said that to be in Stephen King's head must be a scary place, but I'm starting to wonder if Chuck Palahniuk's head is even scarier. How does one sit down and come up with stuff like this? There were a few things that were a bit of a let down, but the ending totally played with my head. It didn't sit in my brain with all the other "Fertility" hints we had been given. I was ready to throw things around until I found the author's website where he explains it. Ahhh... now I feel better :)
Do NOT go to this link if you haven't read the book. Seriously!
Survivor Ending
Do NOT go to this link if you haven't read the book. Seriously!
Survivor Ending
Helpful Score: 2
Chuck Palahniuk does not disappoint. He takes the world and sets it on its ear.
Helpful Score: 2
This is a wonderful book. If you like Palahnuik, then you should read this book. It is very true to his style of writing with its secret keeping, sudden revelations, and shock value. The story is well written and told in a very interesting manner--as would be expected from this wonderful writer. Great read; I couldn't put it down!
Helpful Score: 2
This story isn't going to turn out to be what you expect by reading the blurb on the back cover--no, the story isn't about a survivor of a plane crash, but the survivor of a religious cult who goes from being a slave to his religious ideology to being the slave of another kind of ideology. Palahniuk takes us along for the bump, painful ride with Tender Branson, painting a bleak commentary about religion, fame, and society.
Helpful Score: 2
I liked this, but it definitely wasn't my favorite Palahniuk book. I found myself more curious about the cult and the main character's childhood than I was interested in what happened to him after he left the cult and became a religious icon. A political commentary on religion and the nature of fame is fine, but we're all familiar with those things to some degree. Focusing more on the cult aspect I think would have made it more engaging, at least for me. That said, it's a pretty interesting story. Worth a read.
Helpful Score: 2
This was my first Palahniuk novel, and now I want to read everything he has to offer! Ive been a fan of the movie Fight Club (based on another novel by Palahniuk) for years. I didnt even realize the movie was based on a book (Im embarrassed to say) until a few months ago.
Thats when I picked up Survivor. Less than a week later, Id breezed through it. I almost never read a book that quickly. This one is going into my top-five, all-time favorite novels list.
I noticed some quirks to the book right away. The story is basically a count-down to the end of the narrators life, and the story is a series of recollections from his life, especially the events leading up to his death. Quite appropriately, the chapters and page numbers start at the highest number and work their way down. The book ends on chapter 1, page 1. I liked this concept from the beginning. There was something satisfying about counting my way down to the end of the book.
The narrators life was mostly devoted to service in a religious cult located in central Nebraska. Hed been working outside the cult, living a modest life and sending most of his earnings right back to the church. Still devout when hed heard the members of the church left in Nebraska had committed mass suicide, he and the other members of the church working in the outside world were trained to join their families and friends and commit suicide themselves. Each surviving member was assigned a case worker, to help them understand that their lives didnt have to end, just because the rest of the cult had committed suicide. Years later, the narrator is one of the only known survivors of the cult. This novel is the story of his life.
Thats when I picked up Survivor. Less than a week later, Id breezed through it. I almost never read a book that quickly. This one is going into my top-five, all-time favorite novels list.
I noticed some quirks to the book right away. The story is basically a count-down to the end of the narrators life, and the story is a series of recollections from his life, especially the events leading up to his death. Quite appropriately, the chapters and page numbers start at the highest number and work their way down. The book ends on chapter 1, page 1. I liked this concept from the beginning. There was something satisfying about counting my way down to the end of the book.
The narrators life was mostly devoted to service in a religious cult located in central Nebraska. Hed been working outside the cult, living a modest life and sending most of his earnings right back to the church. Still devout when hed heard the members of the church left in Nebraska had committed mass suicide, he and the other members of the church working in the outside world were trained to join their families and friends and commit suicide themselves. Each surviving member was assigned a case worker, to help them understand that their lives didnt have to end, just because the rest of the cult had committed suicide. Years later, the narrator is one of the only known survivors of the cult. This novel is the story of his life.
This is probably my favorite Chuck Palahniuk book. He is like a modern Kurt Vonnegut.
The Creedish Church has some strict rules: only the first-born sons are allowed to marry and have children (as many as possible). All later-born children will be taught marketable skills and sent out into the world as maids, handymen etc. to earn money for the church. Oh, and if the church elders decide it is "deliverance" time, then all members have to commit suicide, whether they are inside or outside the church compound.
When an FBI investigation threatens the church, all members on the compound grounds commit suicide together and, one by one, the outside members follow suit. Except Tender Branson. He has second thoughts, and thinks that maybe some of the outside members are receiving a little help fulfilling their moral duty. Soon he is the only one left, and is being pursued by the "helper". Of course, the media has followed the story and made Tender into a TV Prophet. To keep up appearances, he now has to obey another strict set of rules. In the end he is the only passenger on a plane destined to crash into the Australian outback.
I enjoyed the book, not as much as "Haunted", but like all of Palahniuk's books I've read - they certainly have the effect of an eye-opener and make you think twice: this one about pharmaceutical companies, media-craziness, TV prophet tactics, and being a slavish follower.
When an FBI investigation threatens the church, all members on the compound grounds commit suicide together and, one by one, the outside members follow suit. Except Tender Branson. He has second thoughts, and thinks that maybe some of the outside members are receiving a little help fulfilling their moral duty. Soon he is the only one left, and is being pursued by the "helper". Of course, the media has followed the story and made Tender into a TV Prophet. To keep up appearances, he now has to obey another strict set of rules. In the end he is the only passenger on a plane destined to crash into the Australian outback.
I enjoyed the book, not as much as "Haunted", but like all of Palahniuk's books I've read - they certainly have the effect of an eye-opener and make you think twice: this one about pharmaceutical companies, media-craziness, TV prophet tactics, and being a slavish follower.
Tender Branson - last surviving member of the so-called Creedish Death Cult - is dictating his life story into the flight recorder of Flight 2039, cruising on autopilot at 39,000 feet somewhere over the Pacific Ocean. He is all alone in the airplane, which will crash shortly into the vast Australian outback. But before it does, he will unfold the tale of his journey from an obedient Creedish child and humble domestic servant to an ultra-buffed, steroid-and collagen-packed media messiah. Unpredictable and unforgettable, Survivor is Chuck Palahniuk at his deadpan peak: a mesmerizing, unnerving, and hilarious satire on the wages of fame and the bedrock lunacy of the modern world.
I never really have time to read, but this book actually kept my interest. Chuck's writing is unique which makes me want to keep reading all the books that he writes. I definitely liked this more than Invisible Monsters.
Awesome book. Very raunchy/gory and anti-religion/God, but then again, what Chuck Palahniuk books aren't that way? Another awesome story from the master.
I totally dug this book. It's a great premise. This guy hijacks a plane and tells his life story to the black box. The pages count down to zero....when the plane crashes. GREAT READ!
Chuck never seems to fail me.
This was one of my favorite Palahniuk books. If you like Chuck, read this. Over the top as always. You either love or hate him.
I'm mostly a Chuck Palahniuk fan. I love his books when I'm reading them (for the most part), but they really don't have characters, a plot or storyline that stick with you. I was looking for one of his books and saw this one. Since PBS doesn't give overviews of books, I tend to go to Amazon to see what they're about, etc. After reading the storyline on Amazon, it sounded vaguely familiar, but it wasn't until I read quite a few reviews that I remembered I already read this. Typically, if I can't remember a book, it's not worth a second read.
Same book but different cover.
