A Trip from God by David Grubb takes the frankest look at the evolution of cults and fanaticism, an examination of religious dystopia in which the protagonist gives himself the license to become the next big messiah. Edwin Nedellaf wakes up one morning realizing he is sick of his stagnant and dead-end life. He decides to be something different from the nobody he currently is. As he sets himself on a different life path, he finds his calling by creating a new religion. Edwin has a gift for the spoken word, and his intense diatribes have made him the next big figure in religious fanaticism. His ideas about the world’s future will stir many radicals who care to listen.

A Trip from God never ceases to be witty, sarcastic, intelligent, and savage. It is the most brutally straightforward take on religious cults. Although sensible people will never fall for charismatic religious leaders, millions of gullible believers do. David Grubb has nerves of steel to illustrate why, and this is just the first installment in the series, so expect the outlines of Edwin’s master plan to evolve. This new-order Bible story is a wake-up call. It may be a work of fiction, but it reminds readers that it is always easier to believe than to think because thinking requires effort, and the scenarios presented herein give us compelling reasons why we need to exercise critical thinking when seeking answers. Whether you’re a cynic or a fanatic, this story will leave a lasting impression on you.

A Trip from God by David Grubb is a speculative work of fiction set in the sunset of the 20th century and is the first book in a series. Grubb introduces us to the main character, Edwin Nedellaf, who is having an epiphany. The God of Christianity is a sham and the revelation of a third-gender God comes to him in a dreamlike, Earth-to-Ed state that appears to make some semblance of sense. Setting himself at the top of a new religious pecking order, Edwin's universal non-religious religion washes over him in an overwhelming climax and the birth of a new world order commences. It hits the occult jackpot in the biggest possible way. Ed is a Prophet, his days of boring bachelorhood are over, and a legion of indoctrinated devotees are willing to follow him down to an underground bunker and into a revolution toward a salvation that becomes unstoppable, even by him.

“...the thing that’s true is Satan isn’t the real dark fear. The darkest deepest fear humankind should have is the dark side of God.” In A Trip from God, David Grubb has crafted an incredibly engrossing world within a world, and even as we follow the glorious, fast-paced path that is Edwin barrelling down, it is near impossible to turn away. Strangely, rooting for the swift rise of a Prophet is something a reader may wish for. As the pieces of the puzzle click into place, we are a part of Edwin's cult and secretly relishing it. From a literary standpoint, the writing is engaging, frequently acerbic, and deeply satisfying. The pacing is consistent and while some of the names take a minute to commit to a reader's memory, each ultimately becomes flesh and blood in their own time. Rebecca and Sesom are the standouts but even ancillary characters who amount to fleeting groupie-like followers have flashes of realism under Edwin’s light. This is a fantastic entry into a potentially compelling series and is highly recommended.

A Trip From God by David Grubb is a dystopian novel that follows the story of Edwin Nedellaf, an atheist who takes matters into his own hands. The 32-year-old bachelor was living a boring life until he had the revelation to start his own religion with a third-gender god and dictated himself to be the Prophet. Creating a new religion was easy and becoming the self-proclaimed messiah of a cult was even easier. As Edwin delves deeper and deeper into the created world of his new religion, he relishes the power it gives him. It proves to be a catalyst for his followers to let their deepest darkest desires take control and run riot.

I didn’t think I would enjoy this dark dystopian novel as much as I did. Usually, dystopian novels are too grim for my taste. But this novel was the perfect level of dark, twisted yet exciting to keep me hooked and reading till the end. A Trip From God is definitely for adults with a solid stomach as certain scenes can be a little unsavory. However, that being said, I fell in love with the narrative. David Grubb’s style was sardonic and sarcastic and it reflected exceptionally well on Edwin. He was the perfect antihero, a person I would love to hate in the real world yet I thoroughly enjoyed him as a fictional character. There were other characters, but they were a little lackluster. I loved Rebecca though because she definitely left an impression. The pace was perfect and allowed the story to flow and progress naturally. There was never a moment where I felt things weren’t going as they should.

Edwin Nedellaf has a different idea for the direction his life will take in A Trip From God, book one in the new series by David E. Grubb. Edwin is the textbook definition of mediocrity. He is a wallflower without the flower and watches all that revolves around him with the excited anticipation of a sloth. And then, he has an idea; a vision, or a lightning bolt revelation that gets written into a manifesto. Almost as soon as he types his mind-blowing doctrine for the population, Edwin goes from mediocre to prognosticator. Now a prophet, Edwin's place in the world and the lives of those who follow him catapult into an existence that snowballs, plowing through all obstacles.

The first thing that stands out in A Trip From God is how David Grubb instantly engages readers. Edwin, as an everyday Joe, is the guy you really want to root for, and even when he morphs into an oracle and the luster begins to fade, there was never a point where I wanted to throw in the towel. There is some hot romance between Edwin and a lovely lady named Rebecca that occurs without feeling gratuitous. What I found most interesting is that Edwin has no qualms acknowledging he struggles with imposter syndrome and tells others, point blank: “I’ve done nothing and I’m not going to do anything but ruin all that I touch. I don’t believe in anything, and not in the sense you mean.” They discount his humility, leading to the only time they do not trust what their prophet says. I'm a huge fan of stories that focus on the culture of cults, and this is about as good as it gets.