This had been a twisted and dark read, based in America in the near future. The main character, Frank Brill, has decided that after being diagnosed with a terminal illness it’s time to “help” a little the world he is living in and follow his own “The F*ck-It List”. I really don’t have words to explain how this book has surprised and scared me at the same time, is this really the future that’s waiting for us?
The book is told like a diary, between Frank’s memories, thoughts and actions and some of the political/social situation of the world he is living, in a country where the Trump’s are still in the power, arms are everywhere and immigrants are haunted and terrorised. The reader can only hope that this is only fiction and will never be a reality.
This has been a quick read, I’ll be honest to say that I am not sure if I finished so quickly because I couldn’t put it down or because it was not that long, I finished it within a couple of hours and haven’t stop thinking about it since then. The story is not difficult to follow and to understand, a man who has always been good decides that now that is dying it’s time to avenge all his loved ones. But for me the most important part of the story is how the author has created the most horrible America we could imagine, where arms are available for everyone (for a price, of course), anyone at law enforcement can stop you and ask for papers or take your mobile because the law allows it. I don’t like Trump and the future that this author presents me is much more horrible than I ever thought, but I don’t think there’s a strong candidate to fight him, so, is this really our future? I am terrified!
Maybe the The F*ck-It List is the only way to change our future… ready?

Frank Brill is the retired editor of a small-town newspaper. It’s 2026 USA and President Donald J Trump has enjoyed two full terms in office. Now he's retired and playing golf, while his daughter, Ivanka, is President. The Trump years have changed the US immeasurably. It’s become a coarser, uglier, country. A place characterised by rampant nationalism and chauvinism. And Frank has suffered from this ugliness. His wife and son were slain in one of the increasingly commonplace mass shootings, which in a country over which the NRA holds sway, is a blight that will be never be tackled. His daughter’s death can be traced directly, albeit inadvertently, to a policy decision of Donal J Trump.

Brill is no saint. He’s a man who's been married three times, each time cheating on, and trading in, his wife for a younger model. Only his last wife did he not discard, though he might have in time, instead, she dying alongside his son. So he’s a man wracked by guilt and remorse for his own failings and anger for those of others.

When Frank is diagnosed with terminal cancer and given just months to live, he has one last roll of the dice. But whereas other people have a bucket list, Frank has a F*ck It list. This started as just ramblings, self-therapy to explore his anger. But slowly it’s coalesced into something far more concrete and he’s looked into how it would be achieved. In short, Frank has a list of people who he wishes to kill before his time has come to an end. Some of these are personal: people who’ve hurt friends and loved ones directly; others are more abstract: people who’ve hurt the country, and those he knows and loves one step removed.

I’m not giving much away in telling readers of this review that the person topping the list is Donald J Trump himself. While this isn’t explicitly spelled out in the publicity for this title, it’s implicitly hinted at. Fictionalised assassination attempts are nothing new, there have been numerous fictionalised accounts of the assassination of Hitler, and that of JFK, (the former take the form of what-if scenarios, while the latter posit a conspiracy rather than Lee Harvey Oswald). While fictionalised wish-fulfillment is rarer (to an extent Hitler assassination novels fit this category, though they tend to be more World War 2 alternative histories), it’s still not uncommon. For example, in 2014 Hillary Mantell said in an interview that she fantasised about murdering Margaret Thatcher in 1983 and wrote a short story about it. While my favourite book of 2019 was Kill Redacted by Anthony Good, which fictionalises the murder of a former Prime Minister, and while the individual isn’t named, it’s quite clearly supposed to be Tony Blair.

The Fuck It List fits squarely into the wish-fulfillment category. The author, John Niven, makes no bones as to where his sympathies lie, and reading this novel you develop empathy for Frank Brill and what he is trying to do. All of which is quite problematic. To be clear, I have no liking for Trump and consider the current White House incumbent to be protofascist. I liked Frank, and reading this book you can’t help but cheer him on. And obviously, this is just a novel. But imagine if someone had written a novel fantasising about the assassination of Barack Obama? Or Hillary Clinton (not so far-fetched, seeing as the baying crowds chanted for her to be locked up). Would we be so sanguine then?

Of course, I loved Kill Redacted, that was my book of 2019, and as mentioned that fantasised about the assassination of Blair (though again, he was never named). I think the point is that this needs to be done carefully, and while The Fuck it List is a great book and brilliantly written, I did feel that Niven imbued it with just a little too much enthusiasm. In both Kill Redacted and The Fuck It List the protagonists are deeply flawed people, but in the latter, you can ignore this more. Frank Brill is a sh*t, but the novel moves at a clip to its denouement and he’s likeable despite his flaws. The protagonist of Kill Redacted, on the other hand, is a far more brittle and alienating figure. Thus, the reader of that novel is forced to confront what the protagonist is planning to do and its consequences.

The Fuck It List is a great book, as was Niven’s debut Kill Your Friends. Niven rights challenging and controversial stories and this is a novel that fits well in his canon of work. This is a very entertaining novel, but it’s not one without its flaws.

The F*ck-it List is a kind of satirical thriller that looks at a near-future America in which Trump's policies have fully taken over, and how a man with nothing to lose gets revenge. Trump's two terms as president are up and his daughter is now in charge, and the country has reversed abortion rights, lessened gun control, and become even tougher on immigration. Frank Brill, from a small town in Indiana, has just been given a terminal diagnosis, and without anyone close to miss him, he instead turns to his 'fuck-it list', with five names of the people he blames for tragedies in his life. As he goes through the list, he ends up with one big name on the list and a small-town cop on his tail, but Frank is determined.

There is no subtlety to the hellscape of Niven's 2026: it is full of guns openly allowed everywhere, newspapers only reporting the government's story, and people who blindly adore Donald Trump even though he's no longer even president. It is all pretty plausible, and that's what takes the novel from ridiculous satire to something with a lot of darkness and fear (a bit like the Ghost of America Yet To Come). The revenge thriller which forms the actual narrative is fairly straightforward, with a cat-and-mouse element that allows you to see from the perspective of a sheriff who believes in the America he lives in (though it's a pretty horrific point of view to have to read). The human element of Frank reflecting on how choices in his life led the bad things that he's now seeking revenge for to happen gives the book another dimension, particularly a revelation near the end that is probably predictable but worked nicely to show how easily a lot of this could happen.

Having read a few of Niven's books and found them variable (I didn't like his famous Kill Your Friends much, but preferred some of his recent books), this one is a strange beast. On the one hand, it's a clear warning around what happens if people don't take the threat of Trump and those he surrounds himself seriously, but lots of people who'll agree with how horrific the picture of America painted in the novel is will already be taking this threat seriously. It's a well-paced, dark book, but it's not really enjoyable, especially when you know Americans who would be hugely affected by the kind of landscape that has emerged in the book. Also, it has grown suddenly outdated due to Trump's reaction to the pandemic, which obviously cannot play a part in this novel.

I’d never heard of the author before so had no idea what to expect. I decided to take part in the tour because the title of the book made me laugh and the blurb made me want to read the book. Those are two very good reasons to pick up a book. I loved this book. I have a soft spot for satire and this made me laugh a lot. Don’t get me wrong, the subject matter is pretty dark and far from funny at times but the send up of a future America where Trump has been in power for two terms and Ivanka is now in power is entirely plausible and made me laugh at times as much as I found it unsettling as well. Uncomfortable laughter? Anyway, this is a dark, dazzling book, a satirical thriller that hits every spot and ticks all of the boxes. Sheer genius! I need to read everything Niven has written like now!

Did you read the blurb for The F*ck-it List? Two terms of a Trump presidency and then he also managed to manoeuvre his daughter into the Whitehouse after his 8th year ended.

I found John Niven’s depiction of America under 10 years of “Family Trump” to be a deeply troubling place. But Niven made it all seem so plausible and “documents” the Trump Presidency. He explains how the Gun Lobby grew stronger, legislative changes gave voice and power to racist bigots and frankly the future American society is in a pretty unpleasant place.

That’s the background to The F*ck-it List which begins with Frank Brill meeting with his doctor to be told he only has a matter of months to live – cancer.

Frank accepts his time is limited but rather than brood on his situation he decides to take proactive approach to some of his unfinished business; there are scores to settle and balances to be corrected. Frank has had a good job as a newspaper editor and seems to hold a decent (liberal) attitude which means he is not comfortable in Trump’s America. Unfortunately for Frank his personal life has been a bumpy road with mistakes (his) and tragedy (which I found really upsetting to read). Frank wants to hold certain people to account as he believes they are responsible for some of those tragedies. A road-trip to murder awaits.

Despite my unease over the projected reality which John Niven has created I found myself really enjoying The F*ck-it List. Frank has clearly been dealt a few bad blows over his 60 years, does that merit the path of retribution he embarks upon? Possibly not but Niven has written Frank’s story so well that you feel his proposed victims may actually deserve their fate. The morality or appropriateness of his actions is something a book group could really get their teeth into and it would keep a philosophy class engaged for a few sessions too.

Once blood has been spilled there will inevitably be police interest and though he may not know it there is a cop on Frank’s trail. He makes the connections that others miss – but for *spoilers* reasons I am not dwelling too much on the reasons why this is. This sets us up for a fun cat and mouse adventure…Frank is unaware there is a “cat” on his tail but the cop is drawing closer to his prey and soon the two will come face to face. Frank has his own deadline to beat – his health is declining and he cannot rest until he has faced down all five names on his F*ck-it List.

Emotive, unsettling and very nicely pitched storytelling from John Niven – I really enjoyed this.

A sincere thank you to the publisher, author and Netgalley for providing me with an ebook copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is not my usual genre, I’m more into romance stories and girlie books therefore am extremely pleased and grateful to them for opening up my mind to something totally different.

I enjoyed this very much. 4 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟

You haven't felt well for a few weeks, and you have an inclination that something is wrong, so you go to the doctor. The doctor runs tests, and comes back with the bad news. Cancer. Most people would immediately jump to "How long do I have? What are the next steps?"... Not Frank. No Frank has been waiting for this moment. A time when he can throw caution to the wind. A time when he can get revenge.

Frank has a list of five names. Five names of people who he blames for all of the misfortunes that befell him. Now, it might be time to start scraping off some of those names.

Set in the near future of 2026 we live in a world where a Trump is still in the White House, albeit Ivanka and NOT "The Donald". Ivanka is now half way through her term but it is not her policies that are causing a problem. It is everything that was put in place by her father, who was able to really push his ideas through after winning the 2020 election. With total power on all fronts, abortion is outlawed, gun control is almost non-existent and ICE are running riot. Xenophobia is rampant and shouts of TRUMP, TRUMP, TRUMP are the norm.

For all the above reasons and more, it is very easy to support Frank in this book. It is not often I end up on the side of the killer. Frank himself is not angel, and is certainly not Mr. Squeaky clean, but given all the hardships he goes through it is easy to take his side. He is written perfectly, and is essentially written as HUMAN. He has his regrets, he has his faults, but he is certainly not a monster, and he just wants to see the world as a better place than it has become. Revenge it seems, has never been sweeter.

On the other hand, we have the cop tailing Frank. He is a despicable, all American, Trump loving, gun toting xenophobe. I hated him, but he is absolutely perfect in the role of villain. It seems strange to type it that way. The man trying to find the killer is the villain of the piece purely because he is a complete and utter... well.... I'll let you choose your expletive.

The author has also written "The Donald" perfectly, his incoherent ramblings and self-praise are well matched to what we have all become used to.

The story is packed full of dark humour. While it is relatively easy to guess where this one is going, it is never very clear how Frank aims to complete his mission. The author succeeding in keeping me guessing the whole way through. A pulsating storyline with an epic finale - this is a story that I couldn't stop reading.

Before the current pandemic this book may have read as all too plausible. Now, with current events I'm not sure where we stand. While the overall story may not be possible, if "The Donald" does get a second term, this book serves as a stark look at all things that may come to pass.

This is the first time I have read a book by the author, but it certainly won't be the last. Fantastic. Highly recommend. 5 Big Stars.

What would the USA look like in 2025 if Trump gets re-elected?

If you had a terminal disease, no family, and were motivated to take your revenge against some stand out slime balls, how far would you go?

This is a quick read - 3 sittings (written from isolation...) and takes you on a road trip that both chills you with a very believable dystopian near future, and thrills as you empathise with the lead character.

If you love "What if.." stories and take an interest in US politics this is well worth your time.

Recommended.

John Niven's writing is brilliant. He conveys big ideas in a way that is easily accessible. "The F**k-It List" really should be deeply depressing. Instead,
in Niven's capable hands, you can't help but sympathise (even empathise) with a murderer. The book is terrifyingly plausible and makes for a sobering, yet bizarrely enjoyable, read. I was also delighted to learn a new word - kakistocracy. How apt?? Truly great stuff!

Frank Brill has been given only a few months to live, so he turns to his F*ck-It List. It's a bucket list with a difference. On the list are 5 names of people he believes are responsible for the suffering in his life - the death of his wife and young son in a school shooting and the death of his daughter following an illegal abortion. Putting his affairs in order, Frank sets out on a road trip, determined to avenge those deaths.
The story is set in the near future - 2026 - after Donald Trump served two terms as President of the USA and now his daughter Ivanka is serving her first term in The White House although her father's biggest fans aren't too happy with her, believing she is too much of a liberal.
Frank is a decent man, despite his poor treatment of some of the women in his life. He's former editor of a small town newspaper, gradually sickened by the policies of the Trump administration which oversaw major changes to the abortion law, less gun control and the continuation of racist immigration policies. His trip through America sees him encounter the darkest side of those who constantly mouth the "Make America Great Again" mantra. The USA is close to being a police state with protesters suffering summary justice in the form of beatings and a trip to jail in the back of a police van.
Meanwhile a rogue cop - a really nasty piece of work - is pursuing him all the way, determined to end Frank's quest for justice. And Frank is becoming hardened to the task of killing. Throughout the story there is a growing sense of anger at the changes in America since the Trump brand came to dominate the country. The media is powerless, bullied into submission with cries of "Fake News!" and ordinary people are filled with hate. Fans of Donald Trump and members of the National Rifle Association will hate this book, but I doubt if any of them who give it a try will finish reading it.

Thanks to the publisher Random House UK, Cornerstone and NetGalley for a copy of this book in return for an unbiased review.

Author John Niven has never been one to shy away from the most nightmarish and deeply unpleasant scenarios and his latest novel, The F**k It List takes us to an America that isn’t too far from our future or, sadly, our reality. In Niven’s (hopefully) alternative future, Trump has served his two terms and has been succeeded by his daughter, Ivanka. Detention centres for immigrants are now the norm, filming any activity will result in your phone being confiscated and white Americans regularly call ICE when they overhear Spanish being spoken. It’s a horrible future, but one that seems more than possible.

A sad citizen in this world is retired newspaper editor, Frank Brill. Frank’s world has been upended many times and the final sick joke is a terminal cancer diagnosis. Frank isn’t a man to go down without a fight, however, and sets about his ‘F**k It’ list, a list of those who have slowly destroyed Frank’s life.

This book is a searing indictment of all that’s wrong with America. John Niven has clearly been keeping a close eye on events in America and his predictions of the road it’s heading down feel pretty nailed on. Frank isn’t a perfect man, he’s made some mistakes but he’s the right character to take this journey with. I loved the masterstroke of putting a sheriff on his tail, a man who operates his own version of the law in his own little kingdom. The book is full of Niven’s punchy prose but is also breathlessly heartbreaking at times. He’s found a real literary playground in America and I really hope he continues to use it for inspiration. This has quickly become one of my favourite novels of his and already I’m eagerly awaiting the next one. Rip roaring stuff.

I received a ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for a fair review.

The book is set in 2026 in an imagined future that doesn't seem that far away. Ivanka Trump is now President of the USA and there are new laws. The Extreme Patriot Act gives the police wide ranging powers including detaining and using "illegals" as slave labour.

Against this backdrop the main character of the book Frank Brill discovers he has a terminal cancer. He decides its time to settle some scores, and he already has a list of who they will be. Frank has had a hard life with his 3rd wife and son dying, which leads to him being reunited with his estranged daughter from his second marriage, only for her to die also.

As Frank travels around America working his way through his list, rather than be appalled I actually was willing him on. Like a row of dominoes you started to see how each one affected the next. Frank has based his list on what he reflects as computations. Like the fork in the road, which one you take has a cause and an effect.

The book reminded me of the Michael Douglas film, Falling Down. I reference this not to detract from the book but to give an idea of the man Frank becomes. Although rather than being on the edge, Frank goes all the way over it. There is also a Cop, like in the film, that puts 2+2 together and is soon trailing Frank.

Towards the end of the book you suddenly realise where Frank is heading - who the last name on his list is. At this point the book becomes almost a farce with misconstrued actions and no one quite knowing what the hell is happening anymore.

I absolutely loved this book. I read it in two sittings, it would have been one but I started late at night and I couldn't keep my eyes open!

I just want to add that the book covers some subjects that people who are easily offended may rather not read. There is a lot of gun violence, a mass shooting description, child abuse and a graphic sex worker scene. There are homophobic, racist and anti-Semitic remarks made by the characters. At times it's very gritty and not in the least sanitised. None of this is gratuitous, but a part of life that goes on, even if we don't like it.

I'm giving this book 5 out of 5 stars. The writing is just brilliant and makes me want to read everything else John Niven has written.

Terrifying, horrific, shocking and incredibly entertaining. This is a dystopian thriller of epic proportions.

Brilliantly written, funny and frightening in equal proportions featuring a catalogue of appalling and grotesque characters in a far right USA of the near future.

Sure to be in the running for awards, this is a book to be savoured.

I keep hoping the John Niven of books like Kill Your Friends and The Second Coming will somehow return and start producing great novels again but after the last couple and this one, it doesn't appear that'll be likely to happen anytime soon. An unpleasant, unfunny and uninteresting novel about an unpleasant man in an unpleasant situation doing unpleasant things - the whole thing just left a bitter taste in my mouth. And I think I'm done with John Niven for good.