Kindle Price: $2.99

Save $10.00 (77%)

Promotions apply when you purchase

These promotions will be applied to this item:

Some promotions may be combined; others are not eligible to be combined with other offers. For details, please see the Terms & Conditions associated with these promotions.

Read with our free app
You've subscribed to ! We will preorder your items within 24 hours of when they become available. When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period.
Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at
Your Memberships & Subscriptions

Buy for others

Give as a gift or purchase for a team or group.
Learn more

Buying and sending eBooks to others

  1. Select quantity
  2. Buy and send eBooks
  3. Recipients can read on any device

These ebooks can only be redeemed by recipients in the US. Redemption links and eBooks cannot be resold.
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Amazon book clubs early access
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Amazon book clubs early access

Join or create book clubs

Choose books together

Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Explore Amazon Book Clubs

Follow the author

John Draper
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

A Danger to God Himself Kindle Edition

by John Draper (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
3.8 3.8 out of 5 stars 94 ratings
See all formats and editions
A Mormon missionary goes insane on his mission and all hell breaks loose. Assorted sexual congress! Miraculous occurrences! The God of the universe striking people dead!

Mormon missionary/onetime hedonist Kenny Feller has realized that God isn’t about to give him an ounce of the miracle power he needs to succeed on his mission—as promised. What’s more, he’s concluded that, frankly, people aren’t worth the trouble. Then his new junior companion shows up—the wisecracking Jared Baserman—and immediately starts hearing heavenly voices and seeing fantastic visions. For Kenny, it is immediately clear that God has sent Jared to propel him into Mormon Manhood.

But Kenny’s not the only person who takes note. Interests both virtuous and malevolent cozy up to Kenny and Jared, eager to make use of Jared’s gifting. At first, Kenny takes this as a sign that his perceptions of Jared are spot on. God is using Jared.

But something’s not quite right.

Specifically, why in the hell would God choose someone as slope-shouldered as Jared—someone so unreligious, so strange—to be a channel for His supernatural power? He doesn’t even read the Book of Mormon. Plus he smells funny. As their tracting grows fruitless and Jared’s messages grow more bizarre, Kenny begins to wonder: Is Jared really touched by God?

And, if so—does God know what the !#%$@! He's doing?

A Danger to God Himself is a hilarious takedown of religious certainty, a life-affirming tale set in 1970s Washington state—equal parts spiritual road map and coming-of-age tale and dark comedy.

Buy A Danger to God Himself today and take a wild ride!
Previous page
  1. Print length
    336 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publication date
    October 31, 2015
  5. File size
    928 KB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  9. See all details
Next page

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B017GCC9MQ
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ ; 1st edition (October 31, 2015)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 31, 2015
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 928 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 336 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.8 3.8 out of 5 stars 94 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
John Draper

John Draper

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

So . . . about me: I’ve known I wanted to be an author since I was 9. Life got in the way, though. Specifically, I finished college, landed my first newspaper job, got married, got divorced, raised my three amazing kids with my wonderful ex. Turns out, life’s a lot of work. During this entire time, I was employed as a full-time writer, strictly nonfiction—though dramatic nonfiction, I like to think.

Anyway, when my kids got old enough, around my 50th birthday, I was able to devote the time necessary to write a novel. So I did. Little did I know how much time would be “necessary.” Why didn’t someone warn me writing a novel’s so hard?

A Danger to God Himself is my first book, written almost entirely at a coffee shop in Puyallup, Washington, and a bar in Tacoma, Washington—mornings and nights, respectively.

Customer reviews

3.8 out of 5 stars
3.8 out of 5
94 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Howard Pepper
5.0 out of 5 stars Very Entertaining and Thought-Provoking at the Same Time!
Reviewed in the United States on June 9, 2017
Verified Purchase
I can’t recommend this great little book too highly. As long as one is not too prudish. If it were a movie, I suppose it would be “R”. But it works… brings a sense of earthiness and true, raw emotion to a context that could easily be dry to most readers.

The setting of Mormonism (really a stand-in for religion more broadly) is one I have some familiarity with… enough to know that Draper has done his homework on it well. In addition, my deep immersion in Evangelical Christianity in my childhood and half my adult life makes much of the religious environment in the novel very familiar. The overlap with Mormon thinking and style is significant, despite most Evangelicals strong opposition to Mormonism overall.

Readers without such a heavy dose of exposure, plus academic study in my case, may not care about this aspect of the story. No matter. It should be a great read for them just as a story. Well crafted, with plenty of humor, and a fair dose of the side of life that drives so much else but which most religious people avoid discussing. (Like sex and deep emotion.) I say read it and be prepared to have something stirred from deep within you. I can’t predict just what that “something” may be.
4 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Lynn Campbell
4.0 out of 5 stars A Danger to God Himself
Reviewed in the United States on February 24, 2016
Verified Purchase
This is not an easy thing to do. I knew John as he was writing Danger To God Himself. I was there when he was pulling his hair out trying to decide if Kenny should tell his side of the story. "Truth be told" it was a good decision to allow Kenny the honor. Being with Jared and Kenny as they hit the hot pavement on those sunny days, gearing up for their next rejection made my feet hurt, and I wasn't the one wearing the stiff, black dress shoes.
Reading, I found myself looking at some of my own tired and useless beliefs I carried through the years--did a little updating and revising of my own. These young men on their mission with all those rehearsed taglines that fell woefully short, sometimes never getting the opportunity to even get the words out before the door slammed in their faces, should have made me feel some sympathy, but really I didn't much. I think organized religion can do that to you. You expect the "religion giver" to have a thick skin.
The whole Mormon thing, after reading A Danger To God, made me think the religion is more bizarre than I originally thought. Perhaps some of the beliefs are more obscure and don't came up that often in the day to day practice (much like some of the First Testament), but I appreciate the research John did to prepare for writing this book and am thankful he didn't edit out some of the more fascinating aspects of the religion. Jared's mental illness found a home for a short while which, as a reader, translated into a walloping righteous parody with multiple colorful participants.
My heart goes out to Dad, he's really Alan Arkan--he's gotta be. Jarusha is a kick, wish I had her as a friend and those sweet little ladies speaking in tongue was hilarious. It puts the knack of speaking in tongues exactly where it needs to be--on the floor in a ratty old house.
I think most people will find John's book an excellent read, very enjoyable. However, if you're Mormon with no sense of humor and on the stuffy side, you might want to pass.
2 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Amazon Customer
3.0 out of 5 stars A fine first novel.
Reviewed in the United States on December 6, 2015
Verified Purchase
This book got off to a strong start, with good character development and a compelling premise. For the first half, I could hardly put it down as the story line propelled me along.

Where my interest began to slow was in the second half, where the story became fantastical to me. I think Draper's idea was to have the reader consider the absurdity of organized religion, its rituals and its beliefs about what constitutes a good life. I also think he was drawing a not-too-subtle alignment between dogmatic religious practice and mental health. If this was indeed Draper's goal in the story, he made his point, although somewhat awkwardly. Draper clearly did a lot of research on religion and mental health, and occasionally goes a little overboard to convince the reader that he knows his stuff.

The afterward and Draper's blog (johndraper.com/blog) give a wonderful insight into his thinking, his life and the inspirations that created this fine first novel. And reading both helped me truly understand the novel and the novelist.

"A Danger to God Himself" got me thinking, which is a good thing. I recommend this novel and look forward to more from Draper. I hope his next book comes soon!
9 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
EV
5.0 out of 5 stars What a unique and intriguing read!
Reviewed in the United States on July 9, 2016
Verified Purchase
I stepped outside my usual genre preference with this book, because it seemed quite interesting, and as a former Mormon myself, I felt like it might be right up my alley. I was not wrong.

I hadn't expected it to be a mix of humor, outrageous--yet somehow believable--characters, healthy doubt in religion and God (okay, I expected that), and the heavy toll of living with and loving someone with a severe mental illness.

I found myself nodding in many places, as I found relatable thoughts and words. The book kept me engaged for the most part, and I found it to be unlike anything I've read before. It was excellently written, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Well done.
3 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
Client d'Amazon
1.0 out of 5 stars Décevant
Reviewed in Canada on October 16, 2017
Verified Purchase
Je ne l'ai pas fini et ce que j'ai lu m'a laissée " froide " ! Le sujet était ambitieux et le titre donnait à espérer beaucoup, mais le produit n'a pas rencontré mes attentes.Long et ennuyant à mon goût.
Report
Jeremy
1.0 out of 5 stars Not gread
Reviewed in France on November 29, 2017
Verified Purchase
I tried to read it but I did not find much to keep me interested so I gave up, maybe that's just me.
Report
Marie Seltenrych
4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
Reviewed in Australia on February 13, 2018
Verified Purchase
Even a dullard can become an angel! Propelled by missions, angels and messages, with boys games included here.
Report
Friend of the fig tree
5.0 out of 5 stars Thoroughly enjoyable!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 5, 2016
Verified Purchase
This book will win no literary prizes and there were some mistakes regarding Church procedures. It will never be a best seller. The book is not for everyone. The Mormon Church is very much about procedure; leaders in that church get where they are through obedience and following orders. Mission Presidents will not personally take greenies to their first areas. Bishops are released at meetings when they are replaced, and a Stake President will not replace a bishop without consulting his counsellors. If a missionary is sent home in disgrace, especially for working overtime at the little factory, he will be virtually escorted onto the next plane home, even if he does tell the Mission President to piss off! Literary licence was used to allow the plot to progress.
So why am I giving the book full marks in spite of all those faults? Surely 5 stars should be reserved for those very special works which are perfect? The reason is that the book succeeded far beyond my expectations in what should always be its primary purpose - to entertain the reader. Loved some of the characters and the message that there is hardly a true believer, also loved the fact that the book made fun not only of Mormonism but a religion I believe to be even worse, evangelical xianity. The storyline is fictional, but it never ceased to be amusing throughout, a jolly romp all the way!
Report
Report an issue

Does this item contain inappropriate content?
Report
Do you believe that this item violates a copyright?
Report
Does this item contain quality or formatting issues?
Report