Sick to Death by Greg Levin manages to be humorous, thought-provoking and touching all at the same time. Gage is a character you can pull for because he readily acknowledges his flaws while also doing as much good as he can.

So, for a sequel, the group becomes home to an ever-changing (by necessity) cast of terminally ill disposal specialist. How would such a support group establish a procedure to enlist new people as others, uh, retire? There can only be 2-3 at any time active and the others would need to stay in the dark about it. Hmmmm, if the details can be worked out, I'd like to see a series on this terminal disposal unit.

Anyway, the characters are well developed and the reader becomes invested in them, riding the roller coaster throughout. The premise is one that many have likely pondered in one form or another but it is Levin's injection of just the right amount of humor that keeps this from becoming either too dark or a complete farce. That is not an easy line to walk.

Highly recommended for those who enjoy some dark humor, or at least some humor around some dark subjects. The story succeeds as a dramatic (not sure which genre it best fits) novel on its own, so those who like that genre should enjoy it also with the humor being a extra ingredient.

Reviewed from a copy made available through Goodreads First Reads. ( )

Death Can Set You Free
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The concept for Sick To Death by Greg Levin hooked me and the opening pages drew me in, keeping me on the edge of my seat until the last page was read. Death. Disease. Vigilantism. Terrorism. Retribution. Murder.
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Over the previous six month, there was only one thing Gage has become more efficient at than killing…and that was dying.

In the lottery of life, Bob Gage has won a dead cat, an ex – wife and a cancerous pancreas! After finding out he has cancer and was given a death sentence, Gage comes out swinging.

According to my brother, I only became funny once I started dying.

A year to live.

What would you do with the time left. Probably not what Gage does! I knew what he was going to do, but not the way he would go about it and I love it. Sometimes the only way to see justice done is to do it yourself.

Cancer has a way of ruining a perfectly good murder.

Diarrhea’s what happens when you’re busy making deadly plans.

A humorous accounting of one man’s decision to take matters into his own hands. And the outcome is very surprising.

I never anticipated the creativity and originality Greg Levin displays creating these wonderful characters that jump off the page and into my heart with their willingness to step up, sacrificing their last days on earth to leave it better than they found it. They were drawn together by their disease and death and had a camaraderie many could never understand. Death kept them living.

The moral issues are addressed in a way some could find agreeable, others would condemn them no matter the why. What would it take to make you kill? What about the social and moral repercussions?

I laughed at ‘Tumor Terrorism’, ‘Metastaside’, ‘The Stage Four Slaughters’. Why not go out with a sense of humor and a few laughs.

I empathized with the gang. I have always loved vigilantes, loved the Charles Bronson movies, but, after reading Sick To Death I find why vigilantism is so bad, even when it’s good. Where do you draw the line?

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Sick To Death from Greg Levin. ( )