New Novel Tells of a Young Man's Descent into Madness

Paul J. Barker's riveting "Life On Umbriel" charts an unfortunate young fellow's descent into insanity and death. But who knew insanity and death could be so entertaining?

Ontario, Canada (PRWeb) January 4, 2007 -- Paul J. Barker's gripping novel, "Life On Umbriel," charts an unfortunate young fellow's descent into insanity and death. But who knew insanity and death could be so entertaining?

Everyone can relate to this 19th Century period piece about a shy, likable geek whom prejudice and cruelty transform into a monster. The geek / monster takes revenge on virtually everyone who wrongs him, but saves his most venomous wrath for an outlaw with a gi-normous bounty on his head: Jarrod Morgan.

But Jarrod Morgan is no ordinary outlaw. He is a highly religious man who believes God is responsible for his freakish agility and strength. Morgan uses his remarkable gifts to evade his pursuers, eventually taking refuge atop a tall, skinny mountain with remarkable qualities of its own: Mt. Avitah. The aforementioned geek, now hulking and evil, becomes obsessed with the idea of taking Morgan down.

Arguably one of the most entertaining novels in Canadian history, "Life On Umbriel" is a worthy follow-up to Barker's magnificent debut effort, "Timothy's Take-Out." With "Life On Umbriel," Barker has in effect given Canada a new legend, though it remains to be seen whether or not this novel will stand the test of time. It is certainly well equipped to do so; the prose is eloquent, the characters are memorable, and the story just begs to be adapted to the big screen. "Life On Umbriel" (ISBN # 0-595-37832-3) is especially popular in the Pacific Northwest, not too surprising given that it mostly occurs there.

Did the events in the story actually take place, or are they a product of the author's vivid imagination? More than one reader has expressed a desire to locate the magical Mt. Avitah, which, if we are to believe narrator "Perry Santiago," lies somewhere along the rugged coastline of British Columbia. If you're interested in procuring a copy of "Life On Umbriel" for yourself, it is available at select bookstores and all over the Web. For further info drop by the author's website, http://www.dontlikemyjob.com

Paul J. Barker is best known for "Timothy's Take-Out" (ISBN # 1-4137-3164-3), a novel that has attained something resembling cult status amongst people who don't like their jobs. It is a masterpiece of humorous fiction and can be found, appropriately enough, at http://www.dontlikemyjob.com/pages/1/index.htm

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