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Scott Dikkers
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The Joke at the End of the World: a Novel Kindle Edition

by Scott Dikkers (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 out of 5 stars 52 ratings

His father is a genius scientist. But is Patrick’s future more deadly than his past?

America, 1957. Twelve-year-old Patrick Stoodle has never been good at making friends. So when his dad promises a super-exciting surprise for his birthday, he hopes life will change for the better. Instead, he’s thrown into 2020 by a time machine and lands in the middle of a viral pandemic, troops in the streets, and a dangerously escalating race war.

Discovering his father is not who he believes, Patrick desperately searches for clues to learn if this timeline is real or can be undone. But with violence building to a fever pitch and his immune system crippled by aggressive modern diseases, he may not make it back to the fifties alive…

Can Patrick escape this lunatic world before it becomes a one-way trip to doomsday?

The Joke at the End of the World is a mind-bending YA science fiction novel. If you like fast-paced action, warped turns on twisted tropes, and thought-provoking social commentary, then you’ll love bestselling and award-winning author Scott Dikkers’ rollercoaster ride.

Buy The Joke at the End of the World to laugh in the face of death today!

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  1. Print length
    284 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    October 20, 2020
  4. File size
    2.4 MB
  5. Page Flip
    Enabled
  6. Word Wise
    Enabled
  7. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B08KYHRH57
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ (October 20, 2020)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 20, 2020
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2.4 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 284 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars 52 ratings

About the author

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Scott Dikkers

Scott Dikkers

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Scott Dikkers is the #1 New York Times bestselling author who founded TheOnion.com and the AV Club. He co-wrote and edited The Onion's "Our Dumb Century," which debuted at #1 on Amazon, has sold more than a half-million copies, and won the Thurber Prize for American Humor.

Scott Dikkers' book "How to Write Funny," along its followups "How to Write Funnier," "How to Write Funniest" and "How to Write Funny Characters," outline the process he uses to write popular and award-winning humor. For free comedy-writing tips and inspiration visit Scott on Youtube at youtube.com/howtowritefunny

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
52 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book delightful to read and incredibly funny. The story is engaging, with one customer describing it as a sweet ride through the madness of humanity.

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11 customers mention "Readability"11 positive0 negative

Customers find the book delightful to read and highly enjoyable, with one customer noting it's a quick read.

"...it by going into details, but just trust me that this book is well worth a read. I'm planning on picking up the sequel as well. Strongly recommended." Read more

"...Not only that, the story is engaging and has a lot of heart. It's a quick read, but the POV was executed well, and I laughed out loud more than a..." Read more

"...great read!" Read more

"...It's a fantastic ride and I can't wait to read the next one!" Read more

8 customers mention "Humor"8 positive0 negative

Customers find the book incredibly funny, with one customer noting how it combines laughter and heart, while another describes it as a cleverly written story about a 12-year-old boy.

"...of just a handful of comedy writers that have also written some pretty entertaining novels; people like John Schwarzwelder (of The Simpsons), Jack..." Read more

"This is an incredibly funny story about a 12-year-old boy, and it is told entirely from his point of view...." Read more

"Scott Dikkers has written an incredibly funny and pertinent story that combines laughter and heart...." Read more

"...Both of us are huge sci-fi fans, and the humor moments are always welcome...." Read more

8 customers mention "Story quality"8 positive0 negative

Customers find the story engaging, with one customer describing it as a sweet ride through the madness of humanity.

"...It's great for just about anybody that loves comedy and a good story." Read more

"...Not only that, the story is engaging and has a lot of heart...." Read more

"...It's a fast, easy read with a cool vibe and something interesting and / or surprising every couple lines. I was gripped from the get go. I loved it...." Read more

"Scott Dikkers has written an incredibly funny and pertinent story that combines laughter and heart...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fun, Funny, Book Full of Heart
    Reviewed in the United States on October 27, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Scott Dikkers joins an esteemed group of just a handful of comedy writers that have also written some pretty entertaining novels; people like John Schwarzwelder (of The Simpsons), Jack Handey (SNL), and now this book from one of the founding Onion scribes, Joke at the End of the World is a blast all the way through. I always love it when artists I admire branch out and try something a little different from what they've done in the past, and this is another fine example of that. Really looking forward to future novels. It's great for just about anybody that loves comedy and a good story.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Erik
    5.0 out of 5 stars Satirical, witty, and fun
    Reviewed in the United States on February 12, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    This is an incredibly funny story about a 12-year-old boy, and it is told entirely from his point of view. Everything that happens to him is colored by this unique perspective, and I found it delightful to read. This story has one twist after another as young Patrick Stoodle tries to make sense out of a seemingly nonsensical universe. I won't spoil it by going into details, but just trust me that this book is well worth a read. I'm planning on picking up the sequel as well. Strongly recommended.
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  • Andrew Rivas
    5.0 out of 5 stars A fun & smart read.
    Reviewed in the United States on January 5, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    When I read that this book was written by the former EIC of The Onion, I knew I had to pick it up, and I wasn't disappointed. Writing humor is much harder than any one gives it credit for, and The Joke at the End of the World is way funnier than I expected. Not only that, the story is engaging and has a lot of heart. It's a quick read, but the POV was executed well, and I laughed out loud more than a few times. Recommended.
    One person found this helpful
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  • One And Done Mom
    5.0 out of 5 stars Sweet, smart, fun read
    Reviewed in the United States on October 27, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    The Joke At The End Of The World is written from an 11 almost 12 year old boy's p.o.v., which was neat to get a peek at. It's a fast, easy read with a cool vibe and something interesting and / or surprising every couple lines. I was gripped from the get go. I loved it. Fan of Scott's work and books in general. This was a little different from the kind of stuff I'm used to seeing from him--I was not disappointed.
    One person found this helpful
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  • K. Wood
    5.0 out of 5 stars A perfect book for our time
    Reviewed in the United States on November 19, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Scott Dikkers has written an incredibly funny and pertinent story that combines laughter and heart. The Joke at the End of the World is an advent calendar of a book with each chapter revealing a new twist in the story. When you finish the book, you'll look back on what has taken place and wonder how it all fits together so seamlessly.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Phillip T Stephens
    4.0 out of 5 stars There’s a Rapture Here, but Not What You Expect
    Reviewed in the United States on November 16, 2020
    I refer to the Rapture because how you feel about the Rapture will determine how you feel about Scott Dickers debut novel “The Joke at the End of the World.” I’d wager that how you voted in the 2020 US elections will determine how you respond.
    Most of those who voted early and absentee (hint, hint) will enjoy the novel, just as those who would rather slog through the Twilight books than read LaHaye and Jenkins “Left Behind” novels. Nor does the novel try to entice readers to rethink their values and assumptions. Every character except the hero, Patrick Stoodle—a modern Huck Finn who navigates the currents of American culture—serves as a foil to portray America’s cultural divide.
    Nor is the joke at the end of the world very funny, which comes as a surprise from the former “Onion” founder’s first novel. Patrick’s character and his take on the world is amusing, but even the punch line feels more like a punk than a laugh. Dikkers can’t wrangle the current social crisis (COVID pandemic, cultural and religious conflict and catastrophic climate change) into a hitchhiker’s guide to American (and global) dysfunction.
    In spite of my reservations, I recommend the novel.* While Dikkers transition from comedy writing to novels wasn’t seamless, he still produced an engaging and well-plotted novel which challenges Patrick’s and the reader’s assumptions with each new paragraph.
    Twelve-year-old Patrick Stoodle believes the world will end in flames during a nuclear exchange between the U.S. and Soviet Union. But the threat of nuclear annihilation tarnishes any hopes of the future in 1950s small town America. It doesn’t help that he’s a social misfit or that his father is busy at work even when they sit at the dinner table.
    Patrick learns that nuclear holocaust may be the best of all possible apocalypses when his father gifts him with a trip to the future for his birthday, specifically 2020. But instead of the future predicted in EC Comics, with high-speed rails, aero cars, and Jetson’s interior design, Patrick discovers COVID, Black Lives Matter, and (even worse in Dikkers’ universe) fundamentalist Christians with MAGA caps, American flags, long guns, and Bibles but no masks to prevent the spread of he virus.
    Patrick also discovers he’s the victim of a cruel joke played on him by a well-meaning but socially naive father. He was born in 2008 and the mother who abandoned him lives nearby. The shock he experiences moving in with his mother and grandmother (who is determined to bring him to Jesus) is nothing compared to everyone’s shock when the news announces the second return of Jesus, complete with angels and rapture into the clouds.
    But nothing in Dikkers novel plays out the way it appears, and the Rapture isn’t the product that had been previously advertised. So Patrick must continue his journey from 1950 to 2020 to Isreal to meet the messengers of the Lord.
    As I noted previously, even though Patrick tries to embrace both cultures, Dikkers makes no attempt to bridge the divide. In the end, Patrick and those who survive the apocalypse learn to embrace the mask.
    At least Biden doesn’t win the election in this novel. And neither does Trump. But you’ll have to finish to find out why.
    *Discalimer: I was a final stage beta reader for the manuscript, and I passed on a complimentary copy to write this review. I was pleased to see how many last minute changes Dikkers was willing to make to improve the final product.

    My Rating system:

    5 = Delicious dialogue, crisp prose, well-developed and clever characters & compelling plot. (Think Flannery O'Connor and Walker Percy.)
    4 = Great read, won’t want to stop (5 for many reviewers)
    3 = Worth buying but…
    2 = I will tell you what audience will like this, but other readers might want to look elsewhere
    1 = If I review a book this bad I felt seriously compelled to warn you
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  • Shannon Carpenter
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great Read with my son
    Reviewed in the United States on October 26, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    What's going to happen next? That's what my son and I kept asking as we read this together. Both of us are huge sci-fi fans, and the humor moments are always welcome. The Joke at the End of the World pulled us both along where we would often try and guess what's next. great read!
    One person found this helpful
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  • G. Hicks
    4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Young Adult Science Fiction Novel
    Reviewed in the United States on October 24, 2020
    The Joke at the End of the World is a Young Adult Science Fiction novel by Scott Dikkers that is well worth reading.

    I cannot say too much about the story without risk of spoiling some of the surprises Dikkers has in store for readers. I will say that the novel has a couple of major twists that turn the story around in directions I did not expect. There was a stretch in the middle where I felt the story was going in a direction that was losing my interest. However, I found sticking with the novel all the way through was sufficiently rewarding that I am very much looking forward to the sequel.

    This book is a considerable departure for Dikkers from his prior humor and how-to-write humor books, and is an excellent first effort at an SF novel. I expect we will see more fine SF from Mr. Dikkers in the future.
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Top reviews from other countries

  • M. Cusack
    5.0 out of 5 stars Out of my comfort zone - and well worth it.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 27, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    This was not what I expected... But it was brilliant!
    Strange combination of 50s kitsch and an apocalyptic present clearly inspired by the current pandemic, this was full of twists, turns and significant details which made it eerily real and immensely enjoyable.
    Things are not what they seem... Keep reading to see why.
    And I was not expecting the ending - no, no you'll have to read it yourself and find out!
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  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Poignant and the first great, straight, satirical novel of 2020.
    Reviewed in Canada on November 27, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    "The Joke At The End Of The World" by Scott Dikkers

    I wrote a review.

    This book was wonderful. It is about a young, likable 12-year-old boy growing up in the 1950's whose world is suddenly turned around when he learns the truth about his secretive, successful scientist-father.

    Where the story goes is unpredictable, relevant and compelling.

    The main character, the kid Patrick: his is a journey worth following. We are as innocently confused and full-of-questions as he is, as his Life spirals into directions neither he nor the reader ever thought of.

    The story elicits a wonderful sympathy both to the characters and the readers.

    In certain developments in the second act where things could get very ugly, and very fast, (And the reader almost expects it to) though:
    The story remains grounded, again, in deep-seated sympathy.

    Everyone involved on both sides of the page can all relate to the plethora of questions the story and Patrick surmises.
    The climax is unexpected and doesn't quite cohere to the level of whimsy from the first half of the book, but it does not wear it down.

    Overall the story is very well-told and enjoyable. The book is a meaty satire worth investing your time. Everyone can relate to the scenarios it presents and the underlying themes of confusion and seething tension(s) the characters suddenly find themselves having to deal with.

    I give it 4/4 stars.

    Author Scott Dikkers's first novel is worth every turning page.

    -Simon Seline
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  • Sarah H
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic YA novel that keeps you hooked!
    Reviewed in Canada on October 26, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    This would be an interesting book to read along with your pre-teen children. It touches on some of the darker aspects of humanity without dragging the reader down into it, and the twists and turns will keep you engaged to the end, with the expected bouts of much-needed laughter in two worlds gone horribly weird: the fictional and the real.
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  • Monte
    5.0 out of 5 stars IMHO Well written and original
    Reviewed in Canada on November 15, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Even though the Joke at the end of the World was not what I expected I kept with it because it was easy and enjoyable to read. Lots of unexpected plot twists and surprises kept it interesting. I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a good, thoughtful and different kind of story.
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