Title: The Conscience of the C.O.D.

Author: James Terminiello

Genre: Satire

 

In The Conscience of the C.O.D. by James Terminiello, Trip Torrent just wants to live his life as the PR director of the luxurious cruise ship, Climax of Dreams (C.O.D. for short). But what does he do when his boss decides to house 4000 refugees on the ship instead and upend the staff’s jobs and dreams? Worse, how is Torrent supposed to handle his new lot in life when the C.O.D. is taken over by a revolutionary named O’Higgins?

James Terminiello’s novel is off-beat from page one with its trippy words, turn-on-phrases, and clever commentary on contemporary American life. Not only is his storytelling style unique, but so are his characters. They possess interesting and humorous names, such as Duckworth, a female coworker who Torrent has a crush on but doesn’t have a chance with. The antagonist, O’Higgins, has a ridiculously lengthy full name that would take up too many words to write it all out; that alone is reason enough to read the story.

Humor is often challenging to write and can be very subjective. Terminiello certainly does a thorough job of smartly injecting humor throughout the narrative and the dialogue. The quirky characters and the storyline that keep the reader guessing at every turn are perfectly paired partners in this dance of a tale, where we don’t know what the next step will be. While this can be exciting, at times, it may be jarring for some readers.

A recommendation while reading this book would be to do so within a few days, without setting it aside for too long, as one may find themself confused when they pick up the story again. At around forty-one thousand words, however, The Conscience of the C.O.D. is a novella and therefore shorter than a novel and shouldn’t prove too difficult for most readers to finish.

The antagonist, O’Higgins, is particularly amusing because he’s so pathetic at being a villain and doesn’t realize it. His speech is bombastic, yet he believes himself to be a revolutionary but is nothing more than a self-stylized revolutionary. This commentary may be reminiscent of certain aspects of modern society. This is one example of the author’s brilliant method of delivering snappy commentary in the form of satire.

Satire forces us to look long and hard at the world we live in and ask questions. Humor, although entertaining, at its core, laughs at the absurd because it’s just that, absurd, and humor brings such truth to light. Terminiello’s brave choice to write satire is commendable, but it may not be for everyone. As mentioned earlier, humor is subjective, so while some readers may connect with The Conscience of the C.O.D., others may not.

The Conscience of the C.O.D. is a clever satirical commentary on today’s society. Its humor and unexpected plot turns will keep readers who love a quick, witty read turning the pages. For people who enjoy a good laugh and thinking deeply about various subjects, James Terminiello’s novella is a solid choice.

 

 

This Editorial Review was written by the Book Review Directory staff. To receive a similarly honest, professional review for one of your own books, click here.