I didn’t realize how much I missed bizarro fiction until I started reading it again. I could easily glut myself on nothing but. However, “read widely” is an important adage for all writers. I hope to divide my reading somewhat equally between these three categories:

1. Bizarro fiction
2. Other genre fiction
3. Literary fiction

Still, I’m happy to be back in the genre I call home.

Full Metal Octopus by Carlton Mellick III

I bought this book for two reasons. One: the title. Two: the fact that it was written by Mellick. There is almost a guarantee that I will love his work. This bizarre fantasy/crime adventure is set in Grub Town, inhabited by all sorts of mythical creatures, most at odds with each other. When a fairy and his half-octopus tattoo artist are forced to kill a rapacious member of the elf yakuza, they go on the run. This was a beautiful love story, at the same time full of intrigue and action. It further proves why CM3 is one of my favorite authors.

Moonfellows by Danger Slater

Danger Slater might be my favorite bizarro author. That said, this was not my favorite book he’s written. The novella tells the story of an expedition to the moon back in 1906, a sort of bizarro alternate history. In no way is it historically or scientifically accurate—and doesn’t pretend to be—and therein lies its charm. It has that classic Slater humor that I love, not to mention being a well-written yarn, but it didn’t pull me in as much as his other work. Still, it was a “stellar” addition to an already impressive oeuvre.

The Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger by Stephen King

Until now, my least favorite Stephen King novel was Insomnia, but The Gunslinger is a close contender. Rather than the whirlwind immersion of his other books, this novel lingers in all the worst ways, affectedly bleak and unnecessarily obtuse. It combines the western and fantasy genres, the first of a well-respected series that I’ve wanted to read for years. I must admit that the ending redeemed the book in many ways and got me excited for more. I’m told the series greatly improves after this book and I plan on continuing the quest for the Dark Tower.

With Teeth by Brian Keene

I consider myself a fan of Brian Keene’s work, but I found this book to be nothing special. It was a new take on an old concept: vampires. While it was original in this respect—the vampires more like animals than those you find in Anne Rice—the execution was poor with characters that seemed flat. In it, a group of West Virginian rednecks explore an old hollow only to find the undead, but ultimately it lacked substance. The ending was clever, but not enough to salvage it. That said, the two bonus short stories at the end were superb.

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Keep reading!

Tchau,

Zé