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Dirk Danger Loves Life

A novel by Chris Rothe

PAPERBACK: $12/£8 rrp: $16.99/£9.99 [ISBN: 978–0–9866424–2–5]

Published: October 5th, 2011
 

eBOOK: $10 can (about £5.95 / €7) rrp: $14.95 usa (about £9.75 / €11,35) [ISBN: 978–0–9866424–3–2]

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Published: July 15th, 2011
 

Canadian Author Dirk Danger Loves Life, the début novel by Chris Rothe, is a comedic tale of a sad little man who cannot function in any self-sufficient capacity. As his life swirls down the drain, serendipity provides a phone number that launches him into the world of Dirk Danger.

What follows is a not-so-typical coming of age story involving scuba gear, terrible poetry, a fish eulogy, a walrus, pop music, terrible puns, marijuana, a fake attorney, homelessness, death, and far, far too much pornography. The road to recovery is a twisted and ridiculous one indeed.

I had walked through the door feeling like a little shit when Dirk had asked me from the kitchen how things had gone. It was getting late and he had started on dinner.
     "I vandalized public property and yelled at a bum," I said.
     Dirk stopped stirring some pasta and looked at me blankly. "I see…" he said. "So it went well then?"

 

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To read an interview with Mr. Rothe, HEAD HERE,
where he discusses things "On Fiction Writing"
To read an interview with Mr. Rothe, HEAD HERE,
part of the Atomic Fez Group on Goodreads.com

 

Praise for Dirk Danger Loves Life

… Quirky with a capital Q, Dirk designs a series of strange but effective lessons for his protégé… and the tone shifts from jocularity to… weightiness as a tragic tale emerges. The characters [in the emerging tale], though only faintly human, still manage to demand a degree of affection and sympathy, and Rothe chose well in grounding his tale in the irresistible trope of positive transformation.

Publishers Weekly

Dirk Danger Loves Life is [Calgary] author Chris Rothe’s début novel, a humorous tale of a lost young man struggling to function in any self-sufficient capacity. …
     What follows is an intriguing tale of finding humour and positivity in life, even during dark moments.
     …[T]he twisted and ridiculous adventure — featuring unorthodox characters and unusual situations — is a funny journey to a more positive worldview.

— Caroline Steman, Fast Forward Weekly

… [T]he prose keeps the story incredibly sustained and entertaining, containing a twist, not just in plot, but also in writing voice. As the story develops, the tone starts to change from comedy to tragedy. This parallels Dirk, his seemingly infallible humour and quirkiness quickly eroded as he develops into a character with much hidden agony.
     These dual voices in the writing allow Rothe to create more realistic life lessons for the characters and the reader.

— Billy Davey, The Meliorist

Whilst this book is in places rather bizarre, it is ultimately a rather positive, almost nurturing read. The final chapter in particular leaves you feeling really glad that you’ve read the book. I certainly felt entirely satisfied as I read the final page.

Jenni; Juniper's Jungle

This book is absolutely amazing. … It is hilarious, and yet still serious. It had me laughing, and pondering all within a few pages. Any book that makes you laugh and yet still manages to make you think is excellent. …
     In addition to the humor and wordplay this made me think about a variety of issues, that many of us ponder, like making our mark on the world, and how we can keep life interesting. 5/5

Melissa Thayer; “Goodreads First Readers”, on her blog Melissa's Midnight Musings

True story: I decided to read this book on the basis of an eye-catching poster by the author. How often does that happen?! The poster was funny and clever — and so is the book. The style of writing is very engaging. It's as if the writer just threw himself into the book with gleeful abandon. Loved it! 4/5

604Heather, a reader

Firstly, this is a book which descends into darkness. It is all about choices … choices we don't make, choices which are made for us.
     …
     Sometimes farcical, sometimes tragedical… gripping and fun. 4/5

xavierp; “LibraryThing Early Readers

Dirk Danger Loves Life chronicles the narrator (known as Cheesebomb) trying to get his life together with the help of the mysterious Dirk Danger. [Dirk Danger Loves Life] is a quick read thanks to Chris Rothe's simple yet hilarious prose. Over the course of their month together, Dirk Danger takes Cheesebomb across an unnamed Canadian city to help him piece together a normal, boring and successful life.
     The book bounces around the city and delves into the past lives of the two men, revealing how their different upbringings set them up to experience their lives. Rothe is unafraid to rapidly change tones and moods in a book marketed as humor. …
     The book strikes me, an American with about a month and a half of vacation time in BC over the years, [as] distinctly Canadian. Speaking through his characters, Rothe laments a general lack of Canadian identity. 4/5

JHFrazier; “LibraryThing Early Readers

brilliant -- unique book -- so very well written -- a true original -- very highly recommended. Character, plot and locations so finely drawn! A James Mason Community Book Club ‘MUST READ’ 5/5

Rick Friedman; Founder, “The James Mason Community Book Club

This wasn't the type of book I usually read but it looked fun, so decided to give it a chance.
     …
     There are plenty of laughs and lessons to be had both by Cheesebomb and the reader. I wish I had known a Dirk Danger at that stage of my life, even if I had wanted to strangle him at times. The characters are both endearing and annoying at times, just like most people you know. While most people won't go through quite as rough of a time as Cheesebomb, most people will be able to relate to his situation. An excellent first novel. 4/5

David Caldwell; “Goodreads First Readers

I just finished reading this interesting book and I found it to be thought provoking and uplifting. I realized you must sometimes look at things from different angles and keep things interesting. I really enjoyed and the story had a good flow. This is one I think people should read. 5/5

Amy; “Goodreads First Readers

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