Caleb J. Ross' booklikes
The official booklikes blog of author Caleb J. Ross.
A literary experiment? Maybe. I'd call it a success.
I read an early version of this collection, What Precision, Such Restraint, a few years ago, during which time I must have been drunk, since though I recall enjoying the collection I don’t remember it being so front-loaded with genius.
I want to focus on the amazing story, “That Lombardi Thing” which encapsulates what I consider to be the absolutely best kind of story: voice-driven, thought-provoking, and never too full of itself. This is why I love José Saramago. This is why I love Brian Evenson (though his characters do tend to be a bit full of themselves, the stories aren’t). This is what I try to write.
“That Lombardi Thing” explores the made-up (I think made-up) concept of Freudhacking, which is the practice of switching a person’s conscious with their subconscious. Thought-provoking: check. The narrator is a one-time practitioner of Freudhacking who wants nothing more than to be left alone, never to practice again. Voice-driven: check. The occasion for the story is that this old man practitioner is approached by a man who wants to know what it’s like to live without language. The old man thinks he’s nuts. Never too full of itself: check.
The author, Phil Jourdan, tries to pawn this collection off as just a literary experiment without any merit beyond its own pages. He even calls the book a bunch of terrible names during a live reading in Boston a few months ago. It’s just proof of his genius that by telling the world of the book’s insufficient origins Phil can then be free to write whatever he wants, and the reader, having been briefed of the rubbish, can’t complain. Well, the reader won’t want to complain, so you failed, Phil.
Slow, methodical, and beautiful...for bits at a time
William Gay stories are slow, methodical, language focused, and generally forego heavy plotting in favor of nuance. Imagine these stories slowly bubbling from the mouth of an Appalachian old man, occupying a rocking chair on the porch of an ancient backwoods cabin. These narratives, full of implied history and local folklore, are William Gay narratives.
So, obviously these stories aren’t fit for everyone. In fact, I’d say that even to those people for whom William Gay stories are fit, reading an entire collection becomes a bit laborious. My recommendation is to read a couple at a time, let them work on you, read a different book, then come back for a couple more.
Who Censored Roger Rabbit
Definitely satisfied both my reader and comic/cartoon sensibilities. For anyone out there who likes detective stories and classic cartoons/comic strips, you'll love this book. It's just the sort of strange that I love.
Angel Falls
Take the Heaven vs. Hell comedy dynamic of Kevin Smith’s Dogma and mash it against the “untold story” appeal of Christopher Moore’s [b:Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal|28881|Lamb The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal|Christopher Moore|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1331419009s/28881.jpg|3346728] and you get Michael Paul Gonzalez’s Angel Falls.Gonzalez leverages biblical characters to create an incredibly entertaining story where Satan is the hero, Eve is a diner waitress in Hell, and a talking, muscle car driving monkey saves the day multiple times (you know, the monkey…from the monkey book of the bible…okay, so Gonzalez takes plenty of liberties).Those with even the barest knowledge of Christianity will really enjoy this book, while those with a stronger knowledge may unearth a few fun Easter Eggs throughout, making this book applicable to anyone who loves a good humorous extrapolation of ancient fairy tales.
Chewing the Page: The Mourning Goats Interviews
Far too many author interview books feel so self-involved and seem to serve only the authors themselves. This one is different. Authors talk about writing in a way that downplays their own work in a refreshing way. In fact, the actual interviewer isn't even disclosed (simply referred to as The Goat) which goes a long way to imply the lack of ego involved in the creation of this book.You've got a lot of great authors being interviewed here including Stephen Graham Jones, Paul Tremblay, Chelsea Cain, [a:Christopher Moore|16218|Christopher Moore|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1200095788p2/16218.jpg], [a:Nick Hornby|2929|Nick Hornby|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1254337802p2/2929.jpg], and more.
Soul Consortium
The Soul Consortium not only spans multiple universes but also manages to bring to life the spaces between the universes. This is by far the most expansive book, in terms of setting and chronology, I’ve ever read. The Soul Consortium redefines epic as a literary form.
The Cost of Living
Click the image to watch my video reviewThe Cost of Living will easily make my top 10 of 2013 list.I've read all of Roberge’s work, all that I’m aware of (Drive [novel], More than they Could Chew [novel], Working Backwards from the Worst Moment of My Life [stories]) and I’d read anything else in the future. He’s one of my favorite writers, so you know, having the history I do, you can trust my words.To read The Cost of Living is to read the rock and roll story that everyone’s always wanted, but could never find; there’s too much glitter and groupies, too much ego in other rock and roll stories. With The Cost of Living, you’re forced to deal with, and ultimately fall in love with, a life that’s been destroyed by the stage. Every rock and roll story you've read before will seem cliche compared to The Cost of Living.
Save Your Own Life
Amy has such an amazingly strong sense of confidence with her language. As a reader, the best feeling is to know you are in good hands; then you can lay back and enjoy the read.
The Colony
Click the image to watch the video book reviewIt’s been a while since I’ve done a book review. It feels weird, like I’m returning to an abandoned lover, hoping for a warm reception. Please, viewer, take me back!This time I’m looking at The Colony by Jillian Weise, a novel about a science collective/get-away for people with genetic abnormalities. But this book is less The X-Men and more if Gilmore Girls had predispositions to suicide and strange abilities to grow missing appendages. Trust me, it makes sense.
Swallowing a Donkey's Eye
A strange book with a surprising amount of heart. Part dystopia, part Animal Farm, part 1984. If you like any of those "parts," you'll like this book.
Cloud Atlas
Cloud Atlas is heavy on concept and light on satisfaction. I appreciate the lengths David Mitchell went to play with story structure in a way that’s rarely been done, but in the end, the artifice came off, well, artificial.Maybe just watch the movie starring Tom Hanks and Halle Berry. I haven’t seen it, so I can’t compare the two story forms. But, it will save you quite a bit of time to just go the movie route.Click image to view the video review
Legion
Click image to watch video reviewLegion by Brandon Sanderson is a quick, fun, enjoyable read. The problem for me may be that it’s ONLY a quick, fun, enjoyable read. But that’s my personal crap, I understand. I generally like a different kind of book, one that forces me to think a bit more. But again, that my personal, elitist crap. Why shouldn’t I be able to simply enjoy a book rather than deconstruct it? It makes no sense. In fact, I should read more stories like Legion by Brandon Sanderson. I’m not being snide here; I really should.
Quintessence of Dust
At times William Gay, at times Carlton Mellick III, but always, I’d say, he dodges what would traditionally be called Bizarro fiction by way of empathy for his characters. He’s Bizarro with heart…so, magical realist, I suppose. He’d fit in more with Amy Bender and Gabriel García Márquez than with Carlton Mellick III or even Bradley Sands, but is strong enough in the world of any to be welcomed by them.Wallwork isn’t afraid to take a strange, even repulsive concept, and build a touching story around it. A story of a man shitting out his own nerves? Sounds ridiculous, but Wallwork makes it work. A sexual sideshow couple famous of inserting increasingly large objects into the woman’s vagina? Yep, but it gets even weirder, yet Wallwork knows how to approach situations like these with heart.
