Fatality

Another thing I enjoy is a well-executed take-down of a deserving target. I'm talking about something that goes beyond snark or critique (though I like those too) into comprehensive annihilation. It's a rare treat, because to produce the sort of work I'm talking about takes wit, writing ability, expertise and attention to detail, but also passion, all directed at something that could (and arguably should) be dismissed with little ado. The master of the form is surely Fred Clark, aka. Slacktivist, and his analysis of the Left Behind series. He has been analysing these god-awful books page by page, pretty much every week for over 8 years and he's just finishing book 2. At this rate, he won't be finished until 2051, and that's if he doesn't include the spin-offs...

The reason for this dedication is that Fred takes this personally: he's an American evangelical Christian and clearly appalled by the series' grotesque misrepresentation of Christianity and enormous popularity. The result is a sincere yet witty series of posts addressing theology, morality, sex, politics, writing style and the human condition; prompted by the conspicuous absence of all of these in the original books. I'd recommend starting from the beginning: Left Behind Index I: Posts 1-50.