Madeleine Swan''s latest novella "Reality But More Fun" is a perfect mix of English absurdism and avant-garde tradition tinged with a good dose of creMadeleine Swan''s latest novella "Reality But More Fun" is a perfect mix of English absurdism and avant-garde tradition tinged with a good dose of creepy horror, as if The Beatles' "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" had been mixed with "The Prisoner" series and "Tales from the Crypt". Extremely well-written and cleverly constructed, "Reality But More Fun" is a modern-classic of the Bizarre, to be enjoyed with a cuppa tea and a shroom omelette. ...more
William Brandon's "Eternity" is a wonderfully smart and merciless dystopian collection about the evils of our times. With Ballardian scalpel-precisionWilliam Brandon's "Eternity" is a wonderfully smart and merciless dystopian collection about the evils of our times. With Ballardian scalpel-precision in dialogues and situations, William Brandon dissects the rotten limbs of neoliberalism, bigotry and technology in order to present us with the monster we have created ourselves. Terrifically well written and constructed, "Eternity" is a must-read for all those who seek a rewarding challenge in a book. Totally recommended....more
"Dreamweaver" is a wonderful low-Fantasy story, set in an historical background. The characters are well drawn and interesting, and so is the story, w"Dreamweaver" is a wonderful low-Fantasy story, set in an historical background. The characters are well drawn and interesting, and so is the story, which unfurls like a beautiful labyrinth. Steven Paulsen is a master storyteller and he manages to create a vivid and credible 15th century Anatolia, with all its charms, horrors and religious complexities. A wonderful story of love, magic and friendship, "Dreamweaver" is highly recommended for teen readers with a love for history and the uncanny....more
Really enjoyed Nate Ragolia's cyberpunk novel, "One Person Can't Make a Difference", all the more because the story contradicts the title. A tight, upReally enjoyed Nate Ragolia's cyberpunk novel, "One Person Can't Make a Difference", all the more because the story contradicts the title. A tight, upbeat and thrilling cyberpunk novel in the trail of Blade Runner and Cowboy Bebop, but with clever cynical political twists and turns that keep the reader hooked. Also a feel-good novel if you're an anarchist, which is a huge plus in my book. A very well crafted dangerous object -- as all literature should be....more
Caroline Hagood's FILTHY CREATION is a very exciting multi-layered novel about creation, whether it concerns art or the self -- which amount to the saCaroline Hagood's FILTHY CREATION is a very exciting multi-layered novel about creation, whether it concerns art or the self -- which amount to the same thing in the end. Drawing on Mary Shelley's classic FRANKENSTEIN and on Caroline Hagood's own non-fiction work, such as WEIRD GIRLS, FILTHY CREATION offers a true-to-life insight in the construction of the self, both as a violent conflict and a necessary stage. Queerness, grief, love, art are all rolled in one in the main character, Dylan, who experience life-changing transformations, which will both scar her and make her not stronger, but on the contrary, more vulnerable in a positive way. A novel of passion, sexual discovery and art as a dangerous, but necessary, tool to (re)create oneself, it will appeal to all readers who are tired of mainstream queer literature, and young adults trying to find positive images to identify with. Very highly recommended....more
"Weird Girls" is an extremely interesting and clever memoir/feminist manifesto book about writing as a woman and the implications of creativity within"Weird Girls" is an extremely interesting and clever memoir/feminist manifesto book about writing as a woman and the implications of creativity within a patriarchal society. More focused on the image of the self and the dichotomy of motherhpood/monsterhood than on the direct social or political implications of being a woamn writer, "Weird Girls" gives an insightful and nuanced (albeit radical) vision of the psychological aspects of choosing the creative path on the feminine side. Reminding us that the "monster" is always in the eye of the beholder, it also makes us, the male counterparts, reflect on the privileges we are born into, and which, actually, might limit our creativity. Comfort is always a trap, but discomfort brings resistance and creativity, even if it's also a rather high price to pay. A must read for all writers and readers concerned with the questions of identities, when they are linked with a creative challenge. Respect....more
"Pomegranates" is a wonderful and harsh re-interpretation of the myth of Persephone. Drawing on its ancient Greek predecessor, the story tells the tal"Pomegranates" is a wonderful and harsh re-interpretation of the myth of Persephone. Drawing on its ancient Greek predecessor, the story tells the tale of an encounter between the goddess Persephone and a human, with a climate catastrophe she provoked as a backdrop. The human wants to understand the goddess's wrath that brought a lethal ice-age to the world, she wants to free herself from her fate and her family. Through their dialogue Persephone reminisces her pain, but also achieves her own redemption. Priya Sharma is a virtuoso storyteller, and the subtle construction of the text, an interconnected fabric of monologues, dialogues and chorus creates a mesmerizing effect of familiarity and uncanniness. Both a love story and a disturbing tale of family sexual violence and abuse, "Pomegranates" is an incredibly subtly woven tale of womanhood, oppression and liberation. ...more
Absolutely loved this book and truly consider it like a modern classic. The human relationship between mother and daughter in a climate apocalypse setAbsolutely loved this book and truly consider it like a modern classic. The human relationship between mother and daughter in a climate apocalypse setting is the perfect answer to Cormack MacCarthy's "The Road". Where McCarthy is fascinated by male violence and bonding, Zachary Tanner offers un-gendered love and affection, through solidarity and respect. Written in prose with a Pynchonian twist, it is definitely one of the most beautiful and optimistic hymn to humanity I have read for a long time. A must-read....more
Róbert Gál's latest opus is deceivingly called "Tractatus",as, if it does contain philosophical musings, it actually goes against the very notion of aRóbert Gál's latest opus is deceivingly called "Tractatus",as, if it does contain philosophical musings, it actually goes against the very notion of a "Treatise". Based on paradoxical formulas and fragments that read like prose poetry (a sort of Blanchotian "poetry blanche", if Blanchot had come up with the formula), Tractatus is a sum that reads like a collection of found epigraphs. Sometimes reminiscent of Nietzsche for its obscurity and humor, sometimes echoing Cioran in its despair, Tractatus is nonetheless less nihilistic and existentialist, then purely existential. Trying to circumvent dualistic thought via paradoxes, Róbert Gál flirts with the Taoist view of the world, that is to say that everything existing both proves and disproves its very existence at the same time. "Tractatus" is therefore, in my eyes, neither purely philosophical nor purely poetic, but deeply both in their very essence. A somber and challenging, yet amusing, commentary on language as a primary expression of both life, death and everything in between, it offers neither solace nor despair, but light....more
Terrific and relevant political thriller where climate change, global health issues and racism are at the center of the intrigue. Supported by a cast Terrific and relevant political thriller where climate change, global health issues and racism are at the center of the intrigue. Supported by a cast of credible and interesting characters, Tabish Khair masterfully unfolds a labyrinthine plot that will fully satisfy the most demanding reader. Absolutely recommended.
PS: it would make an excellent movie too......more
Absolutely loved this raw collection of poems, that reminded me of my own punk years way back when. Alan Ten-Hove is the putative son of William CarloAbsolutely loved this raw collection of poems, that reminded me of my own punk years way back when. Alan Ten-Hove is the putative son of William Carlos Williams and Carl Sandburg, a late modernist in the guise of a postmodern dude. Sincere, moving, funny, all these bits and pieces create a wonderful patchwork of today's America, still haunted by the ghosts of past sufferings. Any sensitive reader whose heart is hiding under a leather jacket will totally dig and love this poems....more
Silvia Cantón Rondoni's "Stark Naked" is here to remind you that poetry doesn't care about form and metaphors: it cares about expressing feelings as aSilvia Cantón Rondoni's "Stark Naked" is here to remind you that poetry doesn't care about form and metaphors: it cares about expressing feelings as accurately as possible, whether joyful or, in this case, painful. "Stark Naked" isn't a collection of poems, but rather a minutely constructed work, where all parts and pieces connect through the ripping and freeing of the true soul - poetic soul that is, not the religious one. Through poems that are part diary, part reminiscence, part experience-sharing, "Stark Naked" joins the ranks of great docupoets such as the recent Matt Bialer collections, or Cynthia Atkins's. Poetry here isn't used as a lens in through which should peek to see the world, as a direct connection with it. Dealing with trauma, sexuality and non-normative identities, "Stark Naked" is a powerful antidote to bullshit poetry and melodrama kings and queens. Supported by Silvia Neto's brilliant illustrations, "Stark Naked" is a must-read for all interested in testing the limits of poetry - and of the self....more
"Love. An archeology" by Fábio Fernandes is a must-have for all literature lovers that are tired of the "genre" dispute. This collection is probably t"Love. An archeology" by Fábio Fernandes is a must-have for all literature lovers that are tired of the "genre" dispute. This collection is probably the most literary and the most "meta" I have read in a long time, making me think sometimes of Zoran Zivkovic, for the culture and the irony, and Michael Cisco, for the dark absurdist setting. A collection of stories, some linked, some not, which explore various themes and genres, all linked with the notion of "fiction" and "reality". It is a fabulous "meta" book, that will enrage all conservative academics and enchant rebellious students, that will shock mainstream critics and exalt lovers of true literature. A deep, challenging reflection on fiction and literature in a much less pretentious way than Umberto Eco ever did - and a very relevant one, on top of that. A masterpiece. No less....more
Jon Padgett's "The Secret Of Ventriloquism" is a fabulous object. I say "object" and not book, because it has more dimensions that a usual volume madeJon Padgett's "The Secret Of Ventriloquism" is a fabulous object. I say "object" and not book, because it has more dimensions that a usual volume made of paper and cardboard. Drawing strongly on the Buddhist left-hand teachings - which are linked with the Tibetan Tantric tradition in which me must face decay and death in order to free ourselves from the illusion of existence - it is a deep reflection on reality, freedom and fear. Close to Jordan Krall's works in its paranoia-based structure of surface/void and changing realities, but also in its crisscrossing of stories and snippets with recurring characters and situations, "The Secret Of Ventriloquism" is a expressionist nightmare which confronts the reader with his or her own materiality. Like in Fritz Lang's "Doktor Mabuse", Mister Vox is an ominous figure manipulating the characters in order to reveal their utmost emptiness, and maybe, their liberation, although only a Buddhist sage would see beyond the veil of horror that Jon Padgett wraps around our eyes. Challenging, mind-boggling and provoking - exactly my idea of excellent literature....more
"Antisocieties" is the perfect title for Michael Cisco's new collections. The stories all deal with solitude, alienation and conflicts, whether inner "Antisocieties" is the perfect title for Michael Cisco's new collections. The stories all deal with solitude, alienation and conflicts, whether inner or with the outside world. But Cisco's genius doesn't lie in the scenarios themselves, nor in their narratives: what makes this stories stand out and reach the point of terrifying perfection is that the invisible enemy, the greatest threat all characters (and the readers) face is contained within language it self, or rather - to be more precise - is language itself. Language, in Cisco's world is not a mode of communication, but a mode of destruction and revelation, very much in accord with Derrida's deconstruction, for those familiar with it. Cisco's stories can be read in many ways: as belonging to a genre or genres, as metaphors, as allegories or as meaningful fragments. All these readings are true, yet none is complete. As in Derrida, the possible key - which often reveals nothing - is hidden behind the words, behind the sentences, behind the paragraphs. Also similar to Derrida, there is a metaphysical way of reading "Antisocieties", in which language in its double reality of "said" and "unsaid" points to a superior (and terrifying) reality that we cannot grasp, but yet is undeniable, as language itself and its ambiguities are undeniable. Life, fiction and language become liminary, that is to say entwined in such a way that only the unsaid can make us distinguish (slightly) each entity. A total reading experience and a successful experiment, "Antisocieties" is the best example of what "antigenre" lit should be....more
Tade Thompson's "Rosewater" is a fresh take on the old trope of "Alien Invasion. " Close in many ways to Jeff VanderMeer's "Area X Trilogy" with its xTade Thompson's "Rosewater" is a fresh take on the old trope of "Alien Invasion. " Close in many ways to Jeff VanderMeer's "Area X Trilogy" with its xenobiological theme, it departs from it in many ways. Set in close future Nigeria, "Rosewater" is actually more a reflection on humans than on aliens that have settled on Earth. Kaaro, the main protagonist, is, interestingly enough, neither a scientist or a soldier, but a morally ambiguous figure - an ex-thief who now works for the Nigerian secret service. Morals are therefore a question of nuances, that cannot be defined either by science, religion or laws. Constantly challenged by his encounters, Kaaro struggles to remain human, although he has been transformed into a mind-reader through alien contamination. But Kaaro's humanity isn't an abstract concept - it has to do with actions and consequences, trials and errors, and, last but not the least, how the weak are handled by the strong. Power, in "Rosewater", is brutal and merciless, and, it must be noted, almost exclusively represented by women. "Rosewater", in my eyes, represent a important renewal of African-Futurism, using its cultural specificities to subvert its traditional landscape and opening it to a more "Glocal" narrative. The narrative style is rich and varied, making this novel a page-turner as well as a mind-teaser. Very highly recommended....more
"Nova Hellas" is an important anthology, for at least two reasons. The first and most obvious one, is that all the stories are high-quality dystopian "Nova Hellas" is an important anthology, for at least two reasons. The first and most obvious one, is that all the stories are high-quality dystopian fiction, with themes that resonate deeply with the world in which we live today: refugees, climate change, hyper-technology, democratic failures, etc. All the stories are like a facet of the black diamond shining above us today, reminding us, through bees, colors, smells, feelings, how fragile it is to be a human being. I enjoyed all the stories equally, and was very impressed by the creativity I encountered. And this links with my second reason, which is its Greek identity. These stories are not US or UK centered, they come from the other side of the EU, from a Mediterranean culture of hybridity, influences and tragedies. The Athens or the islands you will meet are not the ones that are sold to tourists, even, if in this anthology, Greece is still sold to tourists. It is another vision of the world, familiar yet idiosyncratic, only linked to us through the pangs of human nature and global technology. None of these stories have the usual American "moral" aspect or the British irony - they play on a very different set of keys and colors - and it is extremely refreshing. Contrary to what we hear day after day, it is the global that is made local here, a healthy (albeit tragic) reminder that freedom is never given, but fought for....more
Michael Cisco's "The Divinity Student" is a challenging read, in the best way possible. Even if the story is pretty straightforward, the many digressiMichael Cisco's "The Divinity Student" is a challenging read, in the best way possible. Even if the story is pretty straightforward, the many digressions and beautiful poetic style turn it into a maze, with many dead ends and false openings. I will not talk about the precise plot, because I will let the reader discover it, but it is a dark bildungsroman, set in a lo-fi fantasy world and city. Cisco has been compared with Kafka, Ligotti and Borges, but, to me, perhaps because I'm French, I found many affinities with Raymond Roussel and André Daumal, for the mystery and its initiation aspects, and Georges Bataille and Octave Mirbeau for the exotic cruelty. A cruel fable about knowledge and mysticism, this novel can be read and interpreted in many ways, none contradicting the other, and maybe even feeding each other with their possibilities. Michael Cisco is definitely one of the most original - and demanding -voices in American literature right now. I have spoken....more
Gemma Files's "Experimental Film" is an ambitious book, using horror as a deeper reflection on beliefs and miracles. It also give folk-horror a deeperGemma Files's "Experimental Film" is an ambitious book, using horror as a deeper reflection on beliefs and miracles. It also give folk-horror a deeper, truer meaning - in my eyes, at least - as very much like in the Witcher 3 games, as it delves in the lesser-known and yet extremely rich eastern European folklore. A tale of possession and not so much redemption, it revolves around seeing and not-seeing, which is the pivotal dynamics of the narrative. This is a classic trope in all Gothic and folk-horror stories, but Gemma Files manages to freshen it through, paradoxically, going back to the technical birth of movies. Complex, filled with many layers of consciousness, events and Time, "Experimental film" is a rich and satisfying performance, a curse embodied in a film embodied in a narrator embodied in a book , a dizzying maze that will certainly leave the reader slightly disoriented yet wanting to go back in....more
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