I enjoyed the story. I did not enjoy the style. And I think this novel is perfect for a discussion about the value of story and substance versus styleI enjoyed the story. I did not enjoy the style. And I think this novel is perfect for a discussion about the value of story and substance versus style.
This is a tale of a native legend come to life to exact revenge on four members of the Blackfeet tribe. It is intriguing, chilling, and at some points, gruesome. The way the paranormal entity gradually enters our world and stalks its victims was fascinating, as were the themes of man versus nature, the natural order and balance therein, and the long-reaching consequences of trespassing against what is good and right. The mind-games, visions, and eventual visceral terror made this a great tale of horror with much tension and tragedy. The story is what kept me reading.
The style, however, was all over the goddamn place. Technically written in third-person omnipotent, the narrative sometimes abruptly switched to second-person with no real priming or break to signify a change, and often wandered into a colloquial or stream-of-consciousness style that really only works in first-person perspective. Imposing this on third-person narrative caused the prose to buckle and sometimes hit a wall. The result often felt like a square peg being forced into a circle hole, crippling the momentum of the storytelling (There were some spots that used "like" colloquially so much, it felt like a valley-girl was suddenly talking). I've seen some excuses for this, saying SGJ was being "experimental". Okay, I'll bite. But "experimental" doesn't automatically mean "good". If this novel had stuck with third-person, or had been rewritten in various first-persons, I think SGJ would have knocked it out of the park.
I've said this before, but I'm getting real tired of the "up-sell" at this point. The current publishing industry has a real problem hailing mediocrity as "magnificence". Stephen Graham Jones is much more than a mediocre author, and his talent absolutely shines in spots, but the accolades and endorsements this novel received led me to believe I'd be reading something truly incredible. And although The Only Good Indians definitely has some magnificent moments, I didn't feel it added up to the overall hype....more
'The Killer Inside Me' is a classic. To this day, it remains one of the more convincing, and chilling, stories told from the perspective of a serial k'The Killer Inside Me' is a classic. To this day, it remains one of the more convincing, and chilling, stories told from the perspective of a serial killer; a small-town deputy with a "sickness" he can subdue for a spell, but never cure. Lou Ford is the kind of man who will never be under suspicion. By all accounts he is a relaxed and helpful officer of the law, regarded by his fellow citizens as friendly to a fault. They also regard him as not too intelligent, because Lou never let's on just how devilishly smart he actually is.
When a whore rolls into town and starts stirring up trouble, Ford's badly buried sickness starts to stir as well. With an old vendetta on his mind, and a situation arising that could square away some of his impulses, Ford puts into motion a series of events that leads from one murder to another. It's a riveting story, with unsettling brutality and amorality. But, as with a lot of the "classics", the story feels dated somewhat today. That isn't necessarily a bad thing, as a good tale makes the most of the time capsule it comes in, but some there are parts of this dark ride that come across so old-timey, it's enough to buck you off the horse for a little bit.
If you go into the book knowing that, you'll understand and appreciate it that much more. Highly recommended for people who want a good look into the mind, actions, and attitudes of a psychopath....more
There is no longer any doubt. Whenever someone asks me who my favorite author of all time is, I usually think for several seconds, mull over the namesThere is no longer any doubt. Whenever someone asks me who my favorite author of all time is, I usually think for several seconds, mull over the names of few different writers, then reply "probably Stewart O'Nan". No longer shall I hesitate, and no longer shall I use the word "probably".
'The Night Country' is an outstanding little novel. One year after a horrific car accident claims the lives of three teenagers in suburbia on Halloween night, the ghosts return with a vengeance to further haunt the living they left behind. Five souls were in the car when it rocketed into a tree. Of the two survivors, one was miraculously pulled out of the wreck with barely a scratch, and the other tragically stumbled away with barely a face. The first cop on the scene is tormented by the blood and bodies and one dark personal secret. All the characters, alive and dead, slide toward an unavoidable event that's been primed to take place on the anniversary of the fateful night.
The story is told from the perspective of one ghost as the trio of specters are drawn back and forth across town, magnetized to those who can't shake the memory of them, preying on nostalgia and suffering. On the surface, the story seems simplistic, but O'Nan mines the depths of despair, regret, and survivor's guilt. A ghost story in the hands of Stewart O'Nan transcends genres and rises to a level beyond what most writers can realize, let alone reach. I couldn't recommend this book enough....more
Q: How do you know when a slow-burn story is done right? A: You can smell charring flesh, feel the tension as the temperature rises, and watch the embQ: How do you know when a slow-burn story is done right? A: You can smell charring flesh, feel the tension as the temperature rises, and watch the embers eat away at the characters.
Pete Dexter delivers this and more in 'The Paperboy'. Like I've previously said, this author has a keen sense of Southern darkness and how it infects swamps and cities and citizens alike. On the surface this is a crime story, one of those "whodunnit" type tales that proves to be something much more in the capable hands of Dexter. When a shithead of a sheriff turns up dead and gutted out in the sticks, a kangaroo court condemns an unlikable local redneck to the electric chair for the murder. Two reporters, Ward James and Yardley Acheman, dig up the cold case and see if they can breathe new life into it. They bring in Ward's younger brother Jack as a driver, and join forces with the accused inmate's deathrow-fangirl fiance, Charlotte Bless.
Told from Jack's perspective, 'The Paperboy' plays out a high-stakes investigation simmering with sexuality, violence, family history, distrust, and dysfunctional relationships. Pete Dexter rarely wastes a word in this exceptionally well-written tale of ambition and betrayal. It's another hell of a novel from one of the truest writing talents on earth. Dexter brings you in, holds you close, and claws out your insides with a story that can be as heart-warming as it is gut-wrenching....more
Fiction is a funny thing. The vast majority of it is lies based on lies. Naturally, of course, since most storytelling is about invention, exaggeratioFiction is a funny thing. The vast majority of it is lies based on lies. Naturally, of course, since most storytelling is about invention, exaggeration, and meeting expectation. Even the "dark stuff" (horror, thrillers, dramas) on the market often still cling to the romantic overtones of heroes embarking on quests to best villains and good inevitably triumphing over evil.
The best fiction is based on the truth. However, the majority of fiction writers are terrified of real truth. Why? Because it reflects us instead of peddling escapism, and we've been ugly as fuck throughout most of human history. More often than not we're confused, violent, ignorant, and constantly trying to find our way throughout life using a broken moral compass. Cormac McCarthy, as always, navigates the dark waters of the human experience with a fearlessness unmatched among his peers. He knows what we really are, what we've done, and what unforgivable trespasses we're capable of. He's not interested in telling you lies to make you feel better about your reading experience. That kind of honesty is hard to come by, and for Cormac it's his code.
Outer Dark is a story of a simpler time. It's a world where people lived elementary lives and employed straightforward methods of survival; scrimp or starve, work or waste away, steal or succumb, kill or be killed. Within a more basic world, the human instinct can be much more animal. Our nomadic tendencies were still settling, and our barbarism was barely tamed. People made their way in the world as best they could, sometimes with purpose, sometimes aimlessly, but almost always to some degree of mortal danger.
Written with Cormac's signature poetic minimalism and bleak beautiful prose, this simple story offers many themes and interpretations that could take up pages and spark numerous deep discussions. But I'll leave you with something plain and effective. There were scenes in Cormac's novels 'The Road', 'Child Of God, and 'Blood Meridian' that I thought were the most unsettling things I'd ever read, but one of the final scenes in 'Outer Dark' proved me wrong.
I'm not sure I've ever read a more gut-wrenching passage of such pitiful innocence coming into contact with such efficient and indifferent cruelty. It is a page in a book that will haunt me for the rest of my life....more
Part murder mystery, part Vietnam war novel, and part examination of a marriage exposed against the pressures of fate, fortune, and two people strugglPart murder mystery, part Vietnam war novel, and part examination of a marriage exposed against the pressures of fate, fortune, and two people struggling to find themselves. In The Lake Of The Woods is a fine book written by a real talent. Tim O'Brien holds high rank in the literary world for good reason. He tells a hell of a story using a craftsman's tools.
A politician and his wife, John and Kathy Wade, retreat to a remote cabin by a lake to reassess and maybe rethink their future after John suffers a crushing defeat in a senatorial election caused by ghosts from his past returning to haunt him in the media. While there, Kathy mysteriously goes missing, and her husband may or may not be responsible. The authorities and locals get involved, and much suspicion falls on John. Cue the plight of the search parties separated by harrowing flashbacks of John's childhood, his time in Vietnam, and his history with Kathy.
It's an excellent read with a great pace that shines a light on the holes that can tear open in the human heart, showing just how deep and dark they can go. The only thing I didn't like was the lack of closure by the end of the novel. Understandable, since that is a main theme in the book, but I'd still like to have something tie up by the end of a story. Instead we're left with a lot of different possibilities and theories, without any one of them seeming more likely than the other. A bit of a let down when you get to the last page and still want to know exactly what happened.
My God, Stewart O'Nan has to be the most underrated writer in the world. I cannot fathom how his talent is not more widely recognized.
Sure, plenty ofMy God, Stewart O'Nan has to be the most underrated writer in the world. I cannot fathom how his talent is not more widely recognized.
Sure, plenty of people know about him, but nowhere near the number he deserves. He's an absolute beast of a novelist, one who exhibits total control of his craft. A gifted writer, master storyteller, and brilliant imagination all rolled into one; an author who has such an uncanny ability to get under your skin, that he can actually wear you with a book like 'A Prayer For The Dying'.
Told in the rare second person (Trust me, that's a truly incredible feat) this book is one of the best I have ever read. Hell, it made it on to my Top 10 list before I'd even got through a hundred pages. It is just that riveting and well-written. In lesser hands, this could easily be categorized as a horror novel, but in the steady strong grip of O'Nan it transcends labels or genres. Harrowing and heartbreaking, 'Prayer' possesses a tenderness only matched by the bleak reality of the story's circumstances. Your jaw will drop more than once as you read about how an uneasy peace between townsfolk falls to pieces amid a terrible infection that invades homes and heads and hearts. You're drawn in, unable to free yourself from the pages, becoming the man trapped at it's center, impossibly tasked with trying to save the living, while overwhelmingly compelled to take care of the dead.
There is not a word wasted in this short, but brilliant piece of fiction based on historical fact. Put this on your list, make it the next book you buy. I want to punch myself in the teeth for missing out on this novel for as long as I did....more
The conclusion to 'The Silence Of The Lambs' left the door wide open for the novel's villain, Doctor Hannibal Lecter. The world was his oyster and manThe conclusion to 'The Silence Of The Lambs' left the door wide open for the novel's villain, Doctor Hannibal Lecter. The world was his oyster and many of it's inhabitants a potential seafood platter. A lot of readers would have been quite happy to leave it there, but there was much that could still be mined from the depths of one of literature's darkest, and most complex, hearts. The "Cannibal" was on the loose. Where would he go? What would he do? Who else might fall under this charming killer's spell, and subsequently his knife?
Though its predecessors (Red Dragon' and 'The Silence Of The Lambs') were superior, 'Hannibal' still packs a punch. Thomas Harris has a gift for villains, and his third installment is no exception. Although Hannibal himself has gone from antagonist to protagonist in this novel, his new nemesis Mason Verger is a considerable creep-show all of his own. A man of considerable wealth and power, Verger crossed paths with Lecter in the past... and lets just say he's unable to "save face" because of it. As a result, what is left of his life is dedicated to a carefully planned scheme of revenge.
Clarice Starling, protagonist from 'The Silence Of The Lambs', is back in the mix (as are several supporting characters from that book), looking for Lecter while dealing with the subversive problems and politics of working as female agent in the FBI. The manhunt for the cannibal has gone international, and Hannibal seems to be playing a game of cat and mouse with his pursuers to some extent. His true intentions could be contradictory to what we've come to believe is his true nature, but the game is afoot and severed body parts will play a meaty role.
'Hannibal' retains much of Harris's signature creepiness and unsettling insight to the lives of those who are quite inclined to deprive others of theirs. Although we learn much more about the fantastic serial killer that could not be figured out by psychiatry's finest, it is worth asking whether making Hannibal the "hero" in this book was a good idea or not. Getting to know the man more intimately certainly sacrifices some of the mystery and menace previously surrounding him. The novel is also not as solid as the books that came before it, moving at a slower pace with some unnecessary amounts of narrative. As a result, 'Hannibal' is a welcome enough edition to the series, though a weaker one. There is little doubt that the ending will split audience opinion as well. ...more
Want to read a real spy novel? Say goodbye to James Bond, bury Jason Bourne, and remove Jack Ryan from your reading. Le Carre's magnificent writing deWant to read a real spy novel? Say goodbye to James Bond, bury Jason Bourne, and remove Jack Ryan from your reading. Le Carre's magnificent writing delivers the stark and bleak realities of cold war espionage through clandestine characters living in service to state secrecy and political ideals. 'The Spy Who Came In From The Cold' is a classic, one that delves into the psychological warfare and chilling calculations involved in the chess game between communism and capitalism. Win or lose, there are high prices to be paid.
This novel by Le Carre was groundbreaking when it first came out, and it still packs a punch today. Highly recommended for everyone....more
When someone mentions a 'thriller' novel, I'll wager that a book about California surfers doesn't spring to mind. Well, hold on to your surfboards, beWhen someone mentions a 'thriller' novel, I'll wager that a book about California surfers doesn't spring to mind. Well, hold on to your surfboards, because Kem Nunn can show you a dark side to riding waves you never knew existed.
Fletcher, a down-on-his-luck photographer, receives an unexpected call from a surfing magazine he once worked for (and blew his future chances with), telling him he can get back to business if he'll take two young pro surfers up to a remote part of the California coast and meet a former wave legend named Drew Harmon who has become a mysterious recluse. Harmon claims to have discovered 'Heart Attacks', the fabled promised land, a place in the wilderness where the country's biggest waves hit the shores. Harmon is presenting a one-time offer to guide a group to experience and capture the magic for themselves.
For Fletcher, it seems like a perfectly timed gift from God. But as soon as he shows up, things aren't all what they seem. Harmon is an angry and elusive man. His young wife is a strange girl too, a damaged soul obsessed with the murder of local woman. It turns out Heart Attacks is a two day trek through thick forest and harsh coastline, crossing forbidden Indian land and shark-infested waters. The prospect becomes more unappealing as aspects of the locale and its inhabitants soon reveal themselves. A preliminary local surf to get everyone's feet wet ends in tragedy, setting off a chain of events that are as violent as they are ugly, forcing the surfers to move out of harm's way and into the unknown. The results are unconventional, but terrifying nonetheless.
Kem Nunn is a terrific writer who explores the obsessive mind and brutal backwoods with a keen eye and sharp sense of situational evil. His prose is compelling and crisp, slowly building dread among the bleak beautiful backdrop of California wilderness. It's the work of a craftsman. Only a few niggling habits of his bugged me throughout the book, my only reason for deducting a star from an otherwise five-star title. 'The Dogs Of Winter' is an excellent novel that shows you what a literary thriller can be when it doesn't follow the same tired old tropes and subject matter as so many other books. I'm already looking forward to checking out two of his other novels that were recently recommended, 'Tapping The Source' and 'Pomona Queen'.
If you haven't already, put Kem Nunn on your list of worthwhile talents to check out....more
I must confess... my TBR pile has become more of a hill in recent years. Buried in that mound was ‘The Things They Carried’; a highly recommended bookI must confess... my TBR pile has become more of a hill in recent years. Buried in that mound was ‘The Things They Carried’; a highly recommended book that always seemed to get sidetracked whenever I planned to pull it out and give it a read. Trust me, I’m kicking myself for not getting to this sooner. It was a rare treat, one where storytelling, substance, and craft come together in some very fine writing indeed.
This book is a collection of short stories about the unpopular Vietnam War, loosely (or maybe actually more specifically) written from the author’s own experience as an infantry grunt. Tim O’Brien has captured what few writers could about war: the uncomfortable, if not uncanny, truth. Yes, war is hell. War is also exciting, funny, boring, patriotic, confusing, enjoyable, numbing, negative, positive, and a frighteningly natural condition of humanity as well as a popular vehicle for the unreliable narrator. His short stories cover every inch of it, from the long mundane marches through the jungle, to the sudden and brief firefights that can turn men into martyrs or monsters, to the moments of almost inaccessible introspection from young men carrying the weight of their actions or inaction during wartime.
Soldiers tell tales; to one another especially, sometimes to friends, family, or strangers. They exaggerate and understate, polish and muddy, spin and sell these stories to each other. ‘The Things They Carried’ recounts this with an unflinching eye and holds it to the highest standard. It’s brilliant, somber, hilarious, horrific, and hard-hitting. O’Brien’s writing is top notch with an incredible pace and flow that wastes no reader’s time. In short, it’s a soldier’s storytelling written with a master’s hand. This author is one of THE guys to be reading; the real deal, no charlatan or knock-off here.
So, what stopped this from receiving a full five stars? Well, these short stories occasionally give way to sections from the author written in a style that comes off more like essays, afterthoughts, and articles of insight. Personally, I thought these were unnecessary more often than not. O’Brien’s storytelling does not need a soapbox on the side. They speak for themselves in volumes. I felt these seemingly additional (and somewhat out of place) pieces scattered through the book detracted somewhat from the rest of it.
But that rest of it is almost unparalleled. When O’Brien is telling a war story there is no doubt he is in his element and in total control of his craft. ‘The Things They Carried’ comes in a damn close second to my favorite novel about Vietnam (if not in general), ‘The Names Of The Dead’ by Stewart O’Nan. If this book is at all on your radar, don't do what I did and put it off. Make it a priority. You'll be glad you did. ...more
Stephen King's IT holds a special place in my heart. I can safely say that this novel was my undeniable gateway into personal reading. King was the caStephen King's IT holds a special place in my heart. I can safely say that this novel was my undeniable gateway into personal reading. King was the catalyst, and this novel was the chemical reaction that detonated a huge desire to get my hands on books other than what I was having to read at school for classes.
When I was thirteen, IT was the first book I ever bought for myself with my own money. I took my allowance to a local church sale and found a dogeared copy in a pile of used paperbacks. Something about it called to me. Much to my surprise, my mother let me buy it. Looking back, I can see the book’s magnetism was an invitation to start down the path I’m on now as an author of thrillers. The novel was so adult, so scary, so beyond what I was used to reading. I’m a slow reader, and was even slower at that age. IT took me over six months to read, and all the while I felt like I was slipping into a long relationship with the characters and story. When it finally ended, I felt empty inside and was upset to see it all go. I quickly began filling the hollow with more books.
That was a long time ago, but I'll never forget this particular reading experience. I'm a lot older now and not a personal fan of King's style anymore. He has a large problem with overwriting and his prose is too tedious at times. I've never considered him a master "writer" per se, but there is little doubt that he is a true master storyteller. His work has the ability to genuinely scare you, and his ideas were often groundbreaking. His knack for getting inside the heads of kid characters is commendable, as is his gift for being able to tie your guts in knots and snake dread down your spine.
IT is an epic of a book, and one that will keep you turning its many, many pages. Of all King's big novels, this is the one I recommend the most. Pennywise The Clown is a high-ranking nightmare in the horror hall-of-fame, and for good reason. He's one of the most chilling supernatural monsters ever dreamed up. And we have Mr. King to thank for that.
Can you imagine a world without the internet today? It's brought us so much, become such a staple in our lives. There is little doubt that the net is Can you imagine a world without the internet today? It's brought us so much, become such a staple in our lives. There is little doubt that the net is one of the most important and influential creations in our human history. But in a lot of ways we've also created a monster, a Frankenstein sewn together from so many parts of our own collective psyche, both good and bad. Author Jamie Bartlett (who is also the Director of the Center for the Analysis of Social Media) does us a great service by dissecting this dark half, peeling back the skin and sinew so we can see what's gone rotten inside.
'The Dark Net' is not a long book, yet it covers a lot of ground. Bartlett embeds himself with cypherpunks, online neo-nazis, cam-girls, trolls, and the technologically savvy. He examines the underground trade of drugs, contract-killing, and child pornography on the internet, while also looking at the web's relationship to terrorism, stability (or lack thereof), transhumanism, and self-harm. Each chapter could likely be a book in itself, but Bartlett is our knowledgeable tour guide to the internet's bloated seedy underbelly, taking us on a whistle-stop tour of each dark corner, giving us enough time to get acquainted and often unsettled.
Bartlett does the right, and difficult, thing on his journey: He withholds judgement. What he learns (as we inevitably do too) is that both the real world and the digital world are composed of shades of gray. There is no black and white on any topic, no matter how desperately we wish it were true. If facts matter to you, Bartlett has got some you might not be prepared for. The information age can be a bitch, and it comes with many disturbing studies and realities, enough to give your faith in humanity a good shake... and possibly your stomach a turn.
Inevitably, the sheltered types will complain that Bartlett unearths horrible realities that offend their delicate sensibilities. On the flip side, tech-head types will gripe that he didn't go far or deep enough into the subcultures they're already familiar with. This book is not for those groups. It's for the vast majority of us that use the internet every day of our lives, consider it part and parcel of our existence, but are largely unaware of some of the seediness or radicalism simmering just below the surface.
Bartlett's writing has great flow, is well researched, and doesn't lose you when some of the more complex technological aspects rear their ugly head. The book moves at great pace, and its topics are structured in ways that allow you to put it down and walk away, but not for too long. It is rare that I find a non-fiction book as engaging and tightly written as the pared-down fast-paced fiction I hold dear. Jamie Bartlett is a writer for our times and we would all be wise to listen to him now, as well as see what he has to say next....more
“I’m a room without a door. A war artist, without a war.”
War is a terrible thing. With brutal indiscrimination it carves up victims and separates survivors. Those that live through it can often teach us more than any historian ever could. With art and prose, some even do it in a way that transcends.
Paul Nash was one such individual: an English WWI soldier, official war artist, and poet. With his words and paintbrush he revealed the battlefield for what it really was, both during and after the Great War. As one of the most influential and important artists of his era, a graphic novel recounting his life and delving into his fractured psyche is a more than fitting tribute.
Acclaimed illustrator David McKean draws the story for us in the rich alternating styles of Nash, doing the old artist proud and then some. The result is 'Black Dog', named after the visitant canine that plagued Nash’s dreams and visions from his childhood to his post-war years. Neither malevolent nor benign, this specter skulked in his periphery through sickness and in health, war and peace. It acted as an omen, messenger, foe, and friend.
The writing in Black Dog is sparse, and while largely effective, it isn’t the focus of this work. A picture paints a thousand words, but under the influence of Nash, McKean’s creations have the ability to double, even triple that.
There are several different surrealist styles in play, and the shifting artwork reminded me often of the Hellraiser graphic novels, a series renowned for its incongruously frightening art and stories (which McKean himself actually contributed to at one point). But where Hellraiser reveled in abstract fantastical horror, Black Dog wallows in our earth-borne war-torn nightmares and sleepwalks through the dreams dredged from such. This book has the ability to build a sense of wonder in the reader, but also shock and awe. For instance, the incredible two-page illustration of a German zeppelin over London imagined as a massive airborne coelancanth-type creature will stick with you for days.
It’s hard to be critical of a work based on a celebrated artist, writer, and soldier. Thankfully, blessedly little misses its mark in Black Dog. There are times, far and few between, where the poetry strains at its weakest links or the prose can come off heavy-handed. As a record of one man’s life experience there is an absence of pretentiousness, but the writing can still seem didactic in places. Whenever this occurs it isn’t long before a striking or breathtaking piece of art balances the book back out.
Surrealism is a tricky thing, and isn’t for everyone. But in the context of the stressed and strained mind of a surviving solider coming to terms with the warfare he witnessed, it is a near perfect fit. Damaged souls can give a commanding voice to both beautiful and harrowing stories. Paul Nash is the embodiment of it and Dave McKean harnesses his power, channeling it into a superior graphic novel that everyone should experience. ...more
It's official. I've just finished reading a book that will now join the slim ranks of the 'greatest books I've ever read'. These books are collected oIt's official. I've just finished reading a book that will now join the slim ranks of the 'greatest books I've ever read'. These books are collected on a special shelf placed above to my writing desk, and it is sparsely populated indeed... the novels require a particularly strong mix of skilled writing, compelling subject matter, intriguing plot, and slick storytelling.
Where to begin? How about this: If I could give 6 stars out of 5 to this novel I would. I often say of a great book "I couldn't put it down!", but 99% of the time that's a worn out embellishment. 'The Names Of The Dead' was, in fact, a book I literally (not figuratively) could not put down. It's a whole other level, and on so many levels too.
For starters, Stewart O'Nan has to be one of the most talented, yet largely unrecognized, writers in America today. He's one of Stephen King's favorite authors, and that's saying something. But as far as writing talent goes they aren't even in the same ballpark. O'Nan crushes it past the stands, dinging cars in the lot outside the stadium. Sadly, these home runs seem to sail over most people's heads. Like any of the arts disciplines, the true talent almost always gets overlooked while the big shiny celebrity shit gets all the attention from it's paid-for press paraded before every prospective reader's face. Stewart O'Nan has gained some popularity over the years, but nowhere near the amount he deserves. Certainly not enough to match his ability to tell a story. I've read other works of his, most notably 'The Speed Queen' (Which I also reviewed here on Goodreads), and I was blown away by his prowess and power. Incredibly, 'The Names Of The Dead' topped it, hitting me with both barrels.
The story is something else. Set in Ithaca, New York, Larry Markham is a damaged Vietnam vet who is having increasing trouble at home, works a shitty day job delivering junk food, and oversees a support group for other injured veterans at the local hospital at nights. Trouble starts when a new veteran named Creeley joins the group. As an ex-soldier of the infamous 'Phoenix Program' (CIA sanctioned murder) Creeley apparently tried and failed to commit suicide by eating the barrel of his gun, and is missing a quarter of his head as a result. Needless to say, he's not thinking straight, but when he insists that he knows Larry from the war (right down to his platoon code name) the story gets real creepy real fast. When Creeley escapes the hospital and proves highly skilled/dangerous even without part of his brain, things go from bad to worse.
Larry's marriage woes, mixed with his strained relationship with his WWII vet father and the encounters with Creeley, dredge up memories of his tour as a nineteen year old army medic in America's worst clusterfuck of a war. The chapters alternate between his current life, and the one he left back in the jungle with his dead platoon. Larry is a haunted man, and what's worse, he has become a hunted one as well.
Ostensibly, 'The Names Of The Dead' is a thriller. But before the word 'genre' even enters your head, know that Stewart O'Nan puts literary writers to absolute shame. Alice McDermott had this to say about it:
"The Names of the Dead is disturbing -- as with anything we know, but would sooner forget...It's also lovely, and heart-breaking, full of sympathy and humor. It should be required reading for anyone who studies war. It should be required reading for us all."
I cannot stress how good this guy is, or how well-written the novel is too. The prose is tight and lean and lethal, compelling without a single shred of bullshit. At times it is brutal, and then unexpectedly beautiful. This is the refined work of a craftsman writer and master storyteller; a prime example of fiction writing at it's utmost best. It's also a grim reminder that some of the most incredible stories can somehow slip through the cracks and never gain their rightful place. I've now added Stewart O'Nan to my very short, very selective list of writing influences.
I urge you to take note of this one, and then take it to the top of your TBR pile....more
An excellent story about how achieving the American Dream has become synonymous with a fight for survival in this modern age. It's hard look at how peAn excellent story about how achieving the American Dream has become synonymous with a fight for survival in this modern age. It's hard look at how people's relationships and quality of life can suffer significantly in the pursuit of happiness. Expectations clash with reality, and reality is something less and less people are prepared to deal with in the new millennium. We've all been told to live our lives and chase our dreams, but no one has mentioned the crippling costs involved. The piper must be paid one way or another. Sometimes "Gotta do what you gotta do" is as ugly as it is necessary.
Exciting, unsettling, and upsetting, 'Carousel Court' is a quick-paced read that keeps you turning the pages and asks questions we might be unprepared to even consider. ...more
Confession time: I was a scared kid growing up. And I mean fucking terrified. My imagination was fertile, and it tended to grow dark twisted things wiConfession time: I was a scared kid growing up. And I mean fucking terrified. My imagination was fertile, and it tended to grow dark twisted things with thorns that were poisonous to my thoughts, vines of blackened fish-hooks that would creep over me like ivy and ensnare my mind, body, and soul.
My early encounters with anything of the 'horror' variety would take on a life of it's own, finding a nest in my kid brain where it could grow into something much more monstrous. Thinking back to my childhood, there were several experiences that left a deep and dark impression on me. For instance, I watched 'Jaws' at far too young an age (and my parents had to cancel my swimming lessons because I refused to get into the pool after that). I accidentally switched channels on the TV one night and came across the famous eye-gouging scene from 'Blade Runner'. Didn't sleep for days as a result, wouldn't let anyone (even my trusted family) touch my face for a month.
I recall 'Scary Stories To Tell in the Dark' as the first book to ever visit this type of sheer dread on my little being. It had such a notable effect, giving me nightmares for weeks. It turned out that horror movies were pale in comparison to the terror my own mind could conjure up after listening to creepy stories matched with with hideous artwork. Alvin Schwartz undoubtedly helped set me on the path I'm on now as an author of thriller/horror fiction.
My grade two teacher read it to us in class, showing us the illustrations in between stories (the unbelievably arresting art of Stephen Gammell). Never in my young life had I been read anything like it. At home my parents read Roald Dahl to me, far different I must say. But during story time at school I could feel fear eating at me, the discomfort welling up from my gut to my heart as I tried to digest horrors I’d never been presented before. This was the first time I’d ever experienced a book that made me sweat and squirm and hold my breath.
I'm sure the publishers didn't know the kind of effect this book would have on impressionable children when they brought it out. But let me assure you, it had the power to shape the future of some. And I owe a debt of gratitude to such a fine work that didn't hold back, despite the young audience it was created for.
Once in a blue moon you get your hands on a rare gem that makes many of your other book treasures seem dull by comparison. 'This One's Trouble' by PetOnce in a blue moon you get your hands on a rare gem that makes many of your other book treasures seem dull by comparison. 'This One's Trouble' by Peter Sellers is one such jewel. A collection of eight previously published short stories, these mini mystery-thrillers are some of the best you're going to find.
Sellers, like Raymond Carver and Thom Jones, is a master craftsman with his work. He's the kind of writer that exemplifies 'less is more' and deals in quality over volume. Sellers comes from an era where premiums were put on talent and writing ability; a time where an author had to really know his stuff or risk being laughed out of a room (a sharp contrast to much of today). Each page of 'This One's Trouble' has been painstakingly composed, creating a pace and flow that is a true treat for readers. This collection of short stories is slim, but that is because there is rarely a word wasted. Don't let the 50s style cover fool you either; the pages inside have questionable morality and menace to spare. These are dark little tales featuring mostly everyday characters placed in situations steadily going from bad to worse.
Two of Sellers' stories in here are hands down a couple of the best shorts I've ever read. 'Toothless' follows a beleaguered cop navigating a nightmare world where sunlight sears human skin on contact and vampires are not quite the beings of lore we've been led to believe. 'Avenging Miriam' (winner of the 2001 Ellery Queen Readers Award) draws us into the world of a career hitman tasked with taking out trash a little too close to home, resulting in an absolute killer ending. These are but two tales in a collection that demonstrates the art of the short story done all kinds of right. Everyday evil keeps a low profile, but it doesn't escape the eyes and ears of Sellers who drags it out into the light and reveals it for what it really is.
If you have any stake in the writing game, this author's work is the kind you want to keep close by to remind yourself what the great stuff looks like. If you're an avid reader who likes their books with no bullshit and a master's touch, then get your hands on a copy. Slick writing sprinkled with grit and a touch of the sinister, Sellers is a true craftsman and his stories are well worth everyone's time. You won't be disappointed. ...more
Some books are required reading for good reason. I like to think a book like 'Lord of the Flies' qualifies more as 'demanded reading'.
There are a hanSome books are required reading for good reason. I like to think a book like 'Lord of the Flies' qualifies more as 'demanded reading'.
There are a handful of works in the world that absolutely need to be read by all, and you can't call yourself an avid reader if you've missed out on them. William Golding's masterpiece is one such book.
'Lord of the Flies' is not so much a classic as it is a pillar in the literary Parthenon. It ain't just for high school curriculum, it's for every literate person to experience, absorb, and ponder....more
The writers I enjoy most are men of few words. So much can be said with so little when done right and it's a testament to the mastery of the written wThe writers I enjoy most are men of few words. So much can be said with so little when done right and it's a testament to the mastery of the written word when an author achieves this. Like Cormac McCarthy, Pete Dexter's prose has just as much to do with what is left unsaid, as with what has been spoken. Both men have an acute sense of southern darkness and weave worlds out of flesh, bone, and bleak realities. Never a word wasted, this novel is a lean and fast read.
'Paris Trout' is a story from more than a half century ago, and takes place in a part of the world that was dragged into the future kicking and screaming. Georgia in the middle of the 20th century was particularly cruel outside of white male dominion. The kind of inhumane trespasses and general treatment of black people was shocking and upsetting, and more importantly, it wasn't actually that long ago either...
Paris Trout, the main character, is a man from another time too, a time where overt racism was commonplace, celebrated, and often deadly. He cannot adapt with the changing times, does not abide by updated laws that now protect people equally regardless of skin color. He meets this new world with righteous indignation and increasing hostility. Soon, Paris is lashing out at anyone he perceives as weaker, and is shocked when he discovers he can't kill a minority as freely as he once thought.
'Paris Trout' is the story of one person's slow descent into madness, an insolent and hateful man being told he can no longer conduct business in the manner he has known his whole life. His defense lawyer and wife are the two people who bare witness to his increasing insanity as he fights a changing world that won't tolerate the likes of him much longer.
This is a disturbing tale told by a master storyteller. It will get under your skin, regardless of color. By the end it will leave you feeling like you've chewed long and hard on a particularly rotten piece of America's history.
It's very hard to swallow. And very necessary to digest....more
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