Armageddon, Texas

In the third and final volume of his award-winning Messiah Trilogy, Tommy Zurhellen completes his modern retelling of the biblical account of Genesis and weaves it in with another ancient tale: the medieval poem Beowulf.

Armageddon, Texas takes place in zany, post-apocalyptic times after the second coming. It is a place where Sam Cooke lyrics and references to the Wizard Of Oz exist alongside appearances from fearsome dragons and characters who consume bourbon from sippy cups. The story is told from multiple viewpoints, including a dying hero, a dog, and a young boy who believes he is the last child left on Earth.

Zurhellen has taught creative writing at Marist College in New York since 2004. In addition to working on his own writing, he has hosted a popular podcast called Fiction School that tackles topics that affect today’s writers, from how to develop characters to how to apply to MFA programs.