by Kristi Jenkins

The End is Now is the second novel by Rob Stennett, and in it he presents a unique take on apocalyptic fiction. The story centers around Goodland, Kansas, a small, rural town where the residents feel they have a higher calling - their town has been selected as God's test site for the rapture. Some in the town believe this fervently while others chalk it up to a local legend, but as the first chapter unfolds, it becomes clear that Goodland's time is nigh and things will never be the same again.

"One week from tomorrow, at precisely 6:11 in the morning, the rapture or apocalypse or Armageddon or whatever else you'd prefer to call it, is going to occur. But only in Goodland, Kansas."

The author goes on to explain that all major events in the Bible were preceded by warnings. These warnings were frequently ignored or overlooked, but they were obvious to the astute observer. In this case, the rapture of Goodland will serve as a warning to the rest of the world that the Apocalypse is real and everyone had better get their affairs in order. Goodland is God's dry run and will give Him a chance to see what worked and what didn't, and He will "know what to improve when He takes it global." This line made me laugh out loud and set the tone for the lightly irreverent humor that permeates the book. Stennett has a gift for dry turns of phrase that are both illuminating and humorous.

Chapter two is titled "Will Henderson" and introduces the pre-teen protagonist turned prophet of Goodland, Kansas. Will stays late at his friend's house, flipping through comic books, and knows he will be in big trouble if he doesn't make it home in time for Monday night dinner with his family. Against his better judgment, he cuts through the large corn field between his friend's house and home, figuring it will save him at least 20 minutes of walking. Unfortunately, Will's mind is wandering and he doesn't pay attention to where he's going, and within moments he is hopelessly lost in the cornfield. He frantically dashes about, calling for help. Just as night is falling and panic is setting in, he prays to God and is granted a vision - a face made of corn - that gives him a message to pass on to his family and the residents of Goodland. The rapture is coming.

Chapters two and three are titled "Jeff Henderson" and they introduce readers to Will's dad, Jeff, a used car salesman who is having a tough time at work. We learn that Jeff became a father right out of high school and opted to "make an honest woman" out of his pregnant girlfriend by marrying her. Jeff notes that the leap from high school to fatherhood was "as if Rocky had to go straight to fighting Apollo Creed without the jogging in sweats." Stennett peppers the book with pop culture references like this and they add a fun touch of lightheartedness as the story progresses. Jeff Henderson has worked a succession of low-wage jobs, but has always put his family first, and has done his best to be a good father. As he comes home from work, he learns that Will has not made it home from his friend's house, and heads out in his car to search for Will. He has a fleeting thought that maybe the rapture has occurred, Will was taken and he was left behind. He shakes off the thought as foolish musing on a quaint legend, but it is an effective hook to remind the reader of the main push of the story.

Chapter four comes from police Sergeant Mike Frank's perspective. Mike and Jeff were buddies in high school but drifted when Jeff got married. Mike is a no-nonsense guy who believes in keeping the peace in Goodland. When the small search party finds Will, Will tells them of his cornfield vision, and Mike realizes that as soon as rumors of Will's vision spread, hysteria could spread through the town. "Will said some weird things in that cornfield, and it wasn't just what he said, it was the way he said things that had riled everyone up."

Chapter five puts Will's mother, Amy Henderson, in the spotlight, and she has the final say of the first 50 pages. Amy is the most spiritual of the characters so far and, as she waits for the search party to return, her faith gives her confidence that her son will return unharmed. Almost immediately after this, Mike Frank's police car pulls up and Will runs out, unharmed as promised. After Will goes to bed, Amy, Jeff and Mike sit down to discuss what really happened in the cornfield. We learn that Will was told there would be three signs of the coming rapture and that the first will be the destruction of the school. Mike tries to brush this off as the imagination of a traumatized little boy, but as the chapter ends, Amy is haunted by visions of her precious boy stranded in a cornfield, wondering what really happened out there.

Several things work very well in the first 50 pages, and I was eager to read more. Most effective is the changing the chapter titles to fit the featured character's perspective. I have seen this happen a lot with books that are written in the first person perspective, but this is the first time I've seen it with third person. In the wrong hands it could be a disaster, but Stennett pulls it off very smoothly. The narrative voice stays mostly the same, providing continuity, but the issues discussed reflect the characters' perspectives and get the reader inside their heads without resorting to first person narration. It's a subtle way to express many different viewpoints without jarring changes in narrative style.

Rob Stennett is also skilled at making the residents of Goodland into the literary "everyman" - they are down-to-earth characters that any reader can instantly relate to. Will is an 11-year old boy whose thoughts revolve around things like why Batman is the only Justice Leaguer without actual superpowers, while his mom and dad are ordinary midwesterners who put most of their energy to working hard and raising good, Christian children. Sergeant Mike and Jeff's religious skepticism provides a nice foil to Amy's faith, and their relative points of view give a broader perspective to the story. The first 50 pages of The End is Now are full of exposition, but it never feels heavy-handed or sluggish. It's a promising start for Stennett's second novel, and I can't wait to read the rest.