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Book Review: And Her Smile Will Untether the Universe by Gwendolyn Kiste

And Her Smile Will Untether the Universe by Gwendolyn Kiste
Journalstone, 2017
ISBN-13: 978-1945373558
Available: Paperback, Kindle edition

Every once in a while, a new voice emerges and takes the genre by storm. Remember this name: Gwendolyn Kiste will one day rule the world of dark short fiction if there’s any justice in the world of writing. The 14 hallucinogenic stories of And Her Smile Will Untether the Universe hit as hard as a sledgehammer; they are rich, brutally dark, and beautiful.

The stories captivate: each sucks in the reader, letting go only when the last word flows by. The first speaks of a woman who gives birth to birds, and is incredibly dark and endearing. Another describes a test citizens must pass to remain in society: a failure damns them to leaving, but it’s unclear how or why people fail. The story recalls the bleakness of Sarah Pinborough’s The Death House.  A few others recall the magic of what readers, as children, found in the best fairy tales, which most adults have lost the ability to see. These stories, reminiscent of Neil Gaiman’s best retellings of classic tales and mythologies, spin new twists on tired tropes to create something splendid.

Plenty has been written about the final tale, “The Lazurus Bride,” and rightly so. While it’s not the best story in the bunch, Kiste makes its second person point of view work, where most others fail. In the story, Kiste writes to her lover, who may or may not be dead, in a head-twisting wrench of a plot that displays the pain of loving someone– and how sometimes, that love may not be enough.

While praise for new writers is often overdone, that’s not the case here. Kiste seems as fresh as Gaiman, Bradbury, Braunbeck, or Pinborough. Pick this up and be ready for your mind to be turned inside out. Highly recommended.

Reviewed by Dave Simms

Posted on April 7, 2018 by , Reply

Book Review: The Dark North by Martin Dunelind, illustrated by Peter Bergting, Henrik Pettersson, Joakim Ericcson, Magnus Olsson, and Lukas Thelin

The Dark North by Martin Dunelind, art by Peter Bergting, Henrik Pettersson, Joakim Ericsson, Magnus Olsson, and Lukas Thelin; forward by Clive Barker

Dark Horse, 2017

ISBN:  9781506704678

Available: print, Kindle or comiXology ebook

The Dark North is a prose art book that contains five unique stories written by Martin Dunelind,with illustrations showcasing the work of five Scandinavian illustrators and artists. Each of the stories has a different feel and is set in a different time period. Three of the five stories really stood out from the rest: “E18 West,” “Archon,” and “The Daughters of the End.”

“E18 West” is told in 19 short parts, with the narrator telling of her past, present, and future. A road trip in her trusty Oldsmobile leads her to a wraith who has a vendetta against her family. Bergting’s artwork for this piece is perfect for the tone of the story. A few of the panels are represented as photographs in a scrapbook and sketches. The wraith appears in several stages of the road trip before it is even mentioned. The artist also makes use of light and shadow in truly beautiful ways. One of the most effective pieces is an image of the narrator, armed with her shotgun, standing under a streetlight. She is illuminated in the shadows, with a look of defiance on her face. It’s truly beautiful.

“Archon” is set in the distant future. Saul is searching for his wife and child on a planet full of the Clergy’s brainwashing, corruption, and contempt. When he learns the Clergy has used their “indoctrination protocols” on his daughter, his search becomes more pressing, and the hunt for the Architect begins. The artwork for this story is incredibly detailed and fits the story amazingly well. The vast landscapes, futuristic tech, and muted colors all add to the atmosphere of Dunelind’s story. Joakim Ericcson’s art would fit well into the Warhammer 40K universe.

“Daughters of the End” presents a pantheon of sorts. Henrik Pettersson’s beautiful artwork accompanies the short text provided by Martin Dunelind. While the verses are short, they are as powerful as the artwork. The depictions and representations of Wrath and Hunger are particularly impressive.

“The Rest-Red Rooster”  is the story of a man visiting a childhood haunt with his sister; he discovers why their mother never went back after an accident, what hides within himself, and his destiny.  Both this story and the last, “The Way of All Things,” a dark tale of the tragedies of man, are fantastic, with equally great artwork. However, the first three stories are where the bulk of the greatness of this tome lies.

I do hope Dunelind continues to produce this kind of anthology. It’s beautiful and terrifying, with gripping stories worthy of a gallery showroom. Recommended.

Contains: brief nudity

Reviewed by Lizzy Walker

 

Posted on April 2, 2018 by , Reply

Book Review: True Fiction by Lee Goldberg

True Fiction by Lee Goldberg

Thomas & Mercer, 2018

ISBN-13: 978-1503949188

Available: Hardcover, Kindle, audiobook, MP3 CD

 

Lee Goldberg is a skilled screenwriter who has written for hits such as Monk and Diagnosis: Murder, among others. He has written 15 Monk tie-in novels, each filled with the humor that made the show rock; and readers have figured out that Goldberg is one hell of a storyteller. In True Fiction, already a best-selling thriller, Goldberg spins a wild tale about a novelist caught up in a real-life plot that he penned himself. The writing and wit are razor-sharp, and the characters will keep readers laughing throughout.

Ian Ludlow, author of the Clint Straker novels (cheesy thrillers that are included within the text via hilarious snippets), once worked with the CIA to dream up scenarios for the agency to solve in global disasters. When a plane crashes into a Honolulu hotel, he realizes that he wrote about that exact event during a retreat with several of his contemporary thriller writers. He discovers that one by one, the writers who participated are dying off, with Ludlow himself surviving an assassination attempt that led to a broken arm.

While on a book tour, Ian and Margo, his author escort (who also works as a dog walker) find themselves on the run from those truly behind the attacks. Margo serves as a perfect foil for him as they escape together in the most improbable ways from enemies who can see their every move.

True Fiction is a wild, fun ride that doesn’t let up until the final page. Goldberg tells a masterful, fast-paced story with a perfectly balanced mix of humor and action, as the novel straddles the line between the thrilling and absurd. Highly recommended for fans of Goldberg’s shows, great storytelling, or simply a rollicking, good read. This would make a great film and thankfully, is planned to be a series of books.

Posted on March 29, 2018 by , Reply
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