The Hurtle of Hell

Simon Edge

An atheist comedy featuring God

‘A clever and enchanting fable’ The Lady

SEMI-FINALIST: Book Bloggers’ Novel of the Year Award

When gay, pleasure-seeking Stefano Cartwright is almost killed by a wave on a holiday beach, his journey up a tunnel of light convinces him that God exists after all, and he may need to change his ways if he is not to end up in hell.

When God happens to look down his celestial telescope and see Stefano, he is obliged to pay unprecedented attention to an obscure planet in a distant galaxy, and ends up on the greatest adventure of his multi-eon existence.

The Hurtle of Hell combines a tender, human story of rejection and reconnection with an utterly original and often very funny theological thought-experiment, in an entrancing fable that is both mischievous and big-hearted.

‘A sparkling mixture of domestic and celestial comedy. A conflicted gay man meets his bungling creator in an ingenious take on It’s A Wonderful Life’

Michael Arditti

‘An interesting and funny theological thought-experiment’ Attitude

‘Wonderful… frequently hilarious… this thought-provoking exploration of homosexuality, atheism and God with a telescope is a delight. Without any reservation I recommend it as a story which will both make you laugh and make you think’ NB Magazine

‘This light-hearted thought experiment delves into the religious unknown, giving a twist to theistic writing that will make you smile. Most impressively, it gives a voice to God that combines a human flair with hilarious detachment’ Buzz Magazine

‘Simon Edge has given us a creator for our times, hilariously at the mercy of forces beyond even his control’ Tony Peake

Paperback: 320pp

Published: Lightning (July 2018)

ISBN: 9781785630712