Maybe you’ve heard about the Large Hadron Collider, the 17-mile-long underground gun that shoots protons at each other in an attempt to re-create the Big Bang. Scientists at CERN hope to use the LHC to discover more about the formation of the universe and the nature of matter in general.

What first piqued my interest in the LHC were rumors that if the machine was run at full power (or even turned on in the first place, depending on which tabloids you read), it could inadvertently create a black hole and destroy the world. As someone who grew up watching Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and playing with LEGO bricks all day long, I’m not really ashamed to say that my first reaction to this speculation was "awesome!"

As I was putting new books up on display one morning, one caught my eye — The Gates, by John Connolly. I didn’t have anything else to read, so I checked it out solely because of the wonderful cover illustration. It sat in the back of my car for a couple of days until I had to take it in for a four-hour long tune-up, during which I started reading the book in the waiting area. I was delighted to find the LHC to be a central part of this book’s plot. Connolly tapped into my (our?) morbid curiosity about the end of the world by putting a little spin on the LHC rumors. Instead of creating a black hole, Connolly’s LHC opens the Gates of Hell. So clever! And how charming, too. I chuckled the whole way through this hilarious combination of fact, fiction, faith, and science.

You’ll meet little Samuel Johnson and his beloved daschund Boswell, as they attempt to thwart the advances of the Great Malevolence. You’ll also meet Nurd, the most adorably pathetic demon ever. I was very impressed by how Connolly was able to keep the humor clean throughout, given the subject matter of demons and Hell and whatnot. If you’re looking for a fun story filled with wit, and even a little heart, you’ll enjoy The Gates, by John Connolly.

Oh, and just in case you’re wondering.

Dan Curry – Savage Branch