Summer’s here! Or almost here. Being trapped inside during this quarantine has allowed me to read oodles of great bizarro and bizarro-adjacent fiction. I had trouble limiting the list to only five books, so here are the top seven. NOTE: These are books I’ve read in spring of 2020, not necessarily ones that were released … Continue reading My 7 Favorite Bizarre Books – Spring 2020
reviews
Book Review: Terror Mannequin
Terror Mannequin by Douglas Hackle Rating: 8.5/10 Terror Mannequin by Douglas Hackle is the reason why I read bizarro fiction, a blend of humor and the preposterous assembled in the perfect ratio. It’s one of those stories that makes you ask: “How did he ever come up with that?” When I began reading, I thought … Continue reading Book Review: Terror Mannequin
Book Review: Cherry Blossom Eyes
Cherry Blossom Eyes by S.T. Cartledge Rating: 8.5/10 “The sun came up a cherry blossom and burst its rose gold light into the sky.” – Opening line The Orphanarium by S.T. Cartledge (my review here) is among my favorite bizarro novels and one of the most unique books I have ever read. So I was … Continue reading Book Review: Cherry Blossom Eyes
Book Review: Cyberpunk Zombie Jihad
Before I start the review, I want to let you know about a new page on my site. Bizarro author Amy M. Vaughn (who you may recall me interviewing here) has compiled a list of bizarro and bizarro-adjacent publishers for this site. Be sure to check it out. She's done a great job. Now, onto … Continue reading Book Review: Cyberpunk Zombie Jihad
5 Favorite Bizarre Books – Winter 2020
This winter has been a good season for reading as I try to catch up on the bizarro fiction that lines my shelves. I’ve discovered some great new authors and returned to some old standbys. Below are the five bizarre books I enjoyed the most. 1. Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami Though the … Continue reading 5 Favorite Bizarre Books – Winter 2020
Book Review: The Flesh Molder’s Love Song
The Flesh Molder's Love Song by Roland Blackburn Rating: 9/10 If you could fix any part of your appearance, what would it be? That’s a stupid hypothetical, you might say. But for Rain, it no longer is. And his power doesn’t stop at the exterior; he’s a sculptor and the human body is his clay. … Continue reading Book Review: The Flesh Molder’s Love Song
My 5 Favorite Bizarre Books – Fall 2019
I’ve read some good bizarre books this autumn, making this list very hard to compose. But after hemming and hawing and all that, I whittled the number down to five. I realize this list is a little late as we’re now in the middle of winter. My month long absence in November messed up my … Continue reading My 5 Favorite Bizarre Books – Fall 2019
Book Review: To Wallow in Ash and Other Sorrows
To Wallow in Ash and Other Sorrows by Sam Richard Rating 9/10 “Shock and awe are only words. Sorrow is only a word. Grief is only a word. Words are symbols to make abstract concepts housebroken. The truths lying beneath sorrow, grief, are so much worse than anything I could conjure on my own.” -- … Continue reading Book Review: To Wallow in Ash and Other Sorrows
Book Review: Skull Nuggets
Skull Nuggets by Amy M. Vaughn Rating: 9/10 The last thing I’d want is a hole in my head, but after reading Skull Nuggets, I can at least say I’ve considered it. Meet Robert, depressed and lonely. He is obsessed with neurophages, the so-called brain mites, “that live in the brain and metabolize neurotransmitters.” Days … Continue reading Book Review: Skull Nuggets
8 Great Short Bizarro Books, Pt. 2
This week, I continue the list of eight great novellas and collections that I have somehow missed in my reviews and lists this past year. Check out Part 1 here. CRISIS BOY by Garrett Cook This book would have easily made it into a previous 5 Favorite Bizarre Books list if it were not for … Continue reading 8 Great Short Bizarro Books, Pt. 2
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