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Book Review: You Know It’s True by J.R. Hamantaschen

cover art for You Know It's True by J.R. Hamantaschen

You Know It’s True by J.R. Hamantaschen

Self-published, 2021

ISBN: 9798706071196

Available: Paperback, Kindle  ( Amazon.com )

 

A more fitting title for this collection of short stories would be The World’s Absolute Weirdest Tales.  These aren’t just out of left field: they leave left field, clear the Green Monster and land somewhere beyond Lansdowne St.

 

Readers who prefer stories that move from Point A to Point B in a  straightforward fashion will find that those are in the minority, although the ones included are real barn-burners.  “Short Bloom”, “Grab More Knives”, and ‘”More as a Keeper” are phenomenal, the only real letdown being that the last of them ends right when the story cranks into overdrive.  “Short Bloom” features an Earth where tiny holes open anywhere on the ground at random, and a fiber-thin appendage protrudes and painfully kills any living thing.  “Grab More Knives” is a brilliant and ironic look at what happens when people who justify vandalism and harassment under the guise of activism for a cause get a freight-load of payback, all due to a simple misunderstanding.  It’ll make some readers cheer, and others cry.  “More as a Keeper” is a look at what happens when the dead in purgatory get a chance for revenge.  It’s outstanding, and these three stories alone could probably justify the purchase of the book.

 

The other stories are more likely to appeal to fans of non-traditional stories, as some of them feel more like in-depth sketches or portraits of an individual.  The stories in this mold have a fully-developed character backstory, but then the actual story ends quickly, often with little resolve, and sometimes making no sense at all.  “Sad Life” is a good example.  Set at a wedding, it details a woman’s failed attempts and lack of desire for a standard relationship.  It’s well-written and detailed,  but then her face splits apart and the story ends.  This is what you have to enjoy to really like this book– excellent buildup, but a sometimes incomprehensible ending.  The stories “Night Devours My Days” and ” I Should Have Been a Pair of Ragged Claws/Scuttling Across The Floors of Silent Seas” also fall into this category.  The prose is solid, but the style may not be for everyone.

 

The last two stories, “It’s Always Time to Go” and “Beholden to the Past” are excellent ones that combine the above two story types.  “Beholden to the Past” is also notable for its unusual plot.  A college student has a serious addiction to whacking off, often to live online porn.  The catch?  When he has an orgasm, the person he was fantasizing about and/or watching dies.  It doesn’t get stranger than that, and seems a fitting final story for a very strange collection.  Overall, this book has a lot to recommend it, but enjoyment will depend greatly on the reader.  You Know It’s True defies categorization: there’s nothing else out there like it. Recommended for fans of unusual writing.

 

Contains: profanity, gore, murder, violence, sex, body horror, miscarriage, necrophilia, suicide, self-harm, and large doses of utter lunacy

 

 

 

Reviewed by Murray Samuelson

Posted on May 14, 2021 by , Reply

Book Review: A Deep Horror That Was Very Nearly Awe by J.R. Hamantaschen

A Deep Horror That Was Very Nearly Awe by J.R. Hamantaschen

Amazon Digital Services, 2018

ISBN: 978-1722219901

Available: Paperback, Kindle edition

 

A Deep Horror That Was Very Nearly Awe is Hamantaschen’s third short story collection, and it is just as enjoyable as his first collection, You Shall Never Know Security. More than just dark and macabre horror stories, Hamantaschen crafts stories that explore the human condition in all its many emotions. They are not, however, for the faint of heart.

 

The last of the book’s stories, “I Will Soon Be Home and Never Need Anyone Ever Again”, is more of a novella than a short story. Thomas is a smart 14-year-old, with a bit of an arrogant streak, who is bullied in school. Most of it is verbal, but it eventually becomes physical. Thomas meets Brandon, who wants to help Thomas with his problem. Though intrigued, and happy to have a friend, Thomas refuses Brandon’s help. Thomas’ life continues into adulthood, though not necessarily as he would have liked. This is an excellent story, and you really feel for Thomas and almost hope he takes Brandon up on his offer. Who can’t relate to a kid being bullied at some point in their lives? While Thomas can be annoying, Hamantaschen writes him with much empathy, even while Thomas denies his own desperate need for friendship.

Other fantastic stories include “That’s Just the Way Things Are These Days”, about a rare and strange disorder that affects a small portion of boys during puberty in a very unexpected manner; “Rococo Veins and Lurid Stains”, about a teenager contemplating suicide and what drives her thoughts; “Faithfully and Lovingly”, about a young couple destroyed by tragic events, though the tragedy ultimately continues; and “Story Title Revealed About Halfway Through”, about a young man who feels no emotions and cares for nothing, though a new treatment may have brought him too far in the other direction.

All the stories in A Deep Horror That Was Very Nearly Awe are highly engaging. Hamantaschen has a way of writing that completely draws you in and makes you feel something—anything—for all his characters.

Recommended

Contains some adult language and (minor) sexual situations; also contains some gore

Revieweed by Colleen Wanglund

Posted on October 28, 2018 by , Reply

Book Review: You Shall Never Know Security by J.R. Hamantaschen

You Shall Never Know Security by J.R. Hamantaschen

West Pigeon Press, 2011

Available:  New Paperback, Kindle edition

ISBN-13: 9781466239920

 

You Shall Never Know Security is a collection of stories that can appropriately be described as dark, weird fiction. All of the stories draw some emotional reaction from the reader. They challenge the conventional definition of horror while using the very real feelings of human sorrow, fear, and guilt to build an expectation that always delivers something.

One of my favorite stories is “A Parasite Inside Your Brain”, about a woman who struggles with depression and a spider that has settled itself in her ear, lifting her mood. Which is the real parasite feeding off of her—the spider or the depression? “College” is about a student taking part in a psychology experiment that deals with morality and moral thinking; is it really just an experiment? “There’s Always Something In the Misfortune of Our Friends That Doesn’t Displease Us” describes the experience of an entity inhabiting a man who thrives on human conflict and witnessing awkward situations; it is a commentary on humanity and our fascination with bad news when it happens to others. The novella “There Must Be Lights Burning Brighter, Somewhere” starts with a senseless attack on a bar by an alien creature, and explores the feelings of survivor’s guilt in the aftermath.

Hamantaschen’s stories are beautifully written and quite brilliant in making the reader feel uncomfortable, sympathetic, and horrified all at the same time. There isn’t a bad story in the bunch. I thoroughly enjoyed You Shall Never Know Security and its play on human weakness and emotions. Highly recommended.

Contains: adult situations and graphic violence

Reviewed by Colleen Wanglund

 

Posted on March 18, 2016 by , Reply