
KHDZ by David R. Beshears is a short novella that whimsically explores the after-life and more specifically, Hell. John Smith has died and is sent down below, apparently an administrative foul-up. John was a good man and should never have ended up in Hell - Heaven was definitely the right place for him, but unfortunately the paperwork got mixed up and here he was - in Hell. He is told to report to the Hades Television Station, KHDZ, where he will be employed for the interim (until the paperwork is sorted out). Whilst at KHDZ John meets a variety of quirky and even downright weird characters who all influence his thinking and understanding of the afterlife, in some way. When John realises that any administrative foul-up in Hell will take some considerable time to rectify, he must adapt to fit in and survive in this strange environment.
KHDZ is definitely a quirky, little, short story/novella, that I did enjoy. The premise itself was interesting. How would someone who had every expectation of going to Heaven when he died, cope with ending up in the other place, even if it was by mistake? The main character of John Smith was reasonably well expanded and explained in the short span of the book, but I think given the length of the story, there was not enough opportunity to develop and flesh out the other characters, especially those of Janice and Mr Horn. I would have liked to have seen more. Nevertheless, this was an enjoyable read and something distinctly different from the usual fare I am served up. For that the author deserves considerable credit. Beshears has an interesting and dark sense of humour, which definitely appeals to me.
