The Apocalypse of Bob

The Apocalypse of Bob depicts the end of the world, where anarchy rules the streets, false prophets fight for the lost souls of humanity, relationships become the currency for survival, and Evil bites its nails while watching the last grains of time fall.

It’s a world not that much different from today.

Bob is a shoe salesmen, killed in a recent cataclysm that has engulfed the city where he once lived. His lackluster life and times are told in his journal, a brief excerpt of which precedes each chapter. Though Bob’s life is over and he spends his days fishing in heaven, the devil uses Bob’s journal to deceive a group of survivors into believing that Bob is God.

One of the people endangered by this deception is Sellia, a spoiled rich girl, who lives in the decrepit city. The majority of The Apocalypse of Bob follows her wanderings as she tries to cope with the loss of her old life through pursuing relationships with other survivors, seeking self-fulfillment, and even joining the cult that religiously follows Bob’s journal.

Through each group or person that she meets, Sellia tries another method of coping with her situation. These groups personify different methods and stages of human exploration: anarchy, religion, romance, self-servitude, and government. As she explores her options, Sellia becomes more aware of the human failings of society’s answers and her need of Christ’s divine love.

Using the apocalypse as an incidental setting, Brabham addresses societal questions with acerbic humor and gentle philosophy.