Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Liminal States

by Zack Parsons (Goodreads Author)

4.04 of 5 stars 4.04 · rating details · 323 ratings · 69 reviews

Liminal States is the debut novel from SomethingAwful editor Zack Parsons, and it's extraordinary. It begins as a grim, relentless western novel that describes a doomed love triangle between a simple lawman, the twisted scion of an land-baron, and a woman who has married one but thinks she might belong with the other. After a botched train robbery and an epic battle, Gideo...more

Paperback, 442 pages

Published April 1st 2012 by Citadel (first published January 1st 2012)

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

The Doom Magnetic! Trilogy by William Pauley III

The Hawkline Monster by Richard Brautigan

Weird Westerns

41st out of 62 books — 37 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 846)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Apr 09, 2012 Melki rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: up-at-the-crack-of-doom, horror, science-fiction, thriller

It's 1874.
Gideon Long masterminds a botched train robbery. Gutshot and dying, he escapes into the New Mexico desert. Guided by visions, he crawls into a cave...and emerges younger, unscarred, his wounds miraculously healed. More curse than blessing, what he discovers there will forever change the face of humanity.

Now, hold onto your hat. The book that started as a western morphs into a crime/noir thriller set in 1950s Los Angeles. Long and his archenemy pursue each other for decades, prompting...more

like 14 likes · see review

Jan 19, 2013 Christian rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed

Liminal States gets two-and-a-half stars - the Charlie Sheen of book review scores and the correct, absolutely on the money number of stars it deserves, tru dat. Which makes the insistent choric whisper I hear behind me extremely annoying - yes, I CAN see all those other five star reviews thank you. They're right as well - five stars is also the correct, absolutely on the money number of stars Liminal States deserves.

77058, we have a problem.

Note spoiler tags. If you've not read Liminal States...more

like 3 likes · see review

Apr 21, 2012 Nick rated it 5 of 5 stars

This novel is excellent. Thought provoking and dark, Liminal States is a fantastic example of Zach Parsons' ability to portray a world that is familiar, yet terrifyingly divergent from our own.

Other reviews have summarized plot, so I'll stick to what impresses. The classic rule of "Show, Don't Tell" is skillfully handled, as the reader is thrust into the world and left to follow a handful of protagonists through the events. We learn and experience not through blocks of exposition, but from over...more

like 1 like · see review

Jan 12, 2013 Hal Smith rated it 3 of 5 stars

I once read a short story Z. Parsons wrote called The Big Wheel Keeps on Turnin', a tale about the final episode of Wheel of Fortune in a world post-Judgement Day, run by Satan. So I was not surprised by Liminal States's bizarre constructs and endless violence.

Liminal States reads like a Quentin Tarantino movie on paper - over the top rhetoric and grindhouse violence, literary zoom-outs, ins, and Sergio Leone-inspired close ups - by a writer skilled enough to pull it off. Its great fun to read,...more

like · see review

Dec 12, 2012 Tony Marinaro rated it 5 of 5 stars

I've been a fan of Zack Parsons for many years and thoroughly enjoyed his previous works as well as his contributions to a certain website. I was excited to read his first novel and was not disappointed in the least.

What started off in an old world setting moved to a western in a manner reminiscent of Ken Follett. Then the western played like Louis L'Amour for a few chapters before bringing in a supernatural element.

The next section changed styles completely. Zack adapted to a detective noir mo...more

like 1 like · see review

Mar 31, 2012 Steve Bernard rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone with any affinity for sci-fi or horror

I am convinced that this book will be remembered as one of our generation's great works of science-fiction.

For those of us who reached adulthood just in time to witness the rise of social networking and the slow collapse of American politics in the aftermath of 9/11, this is a novel that plays on our deepest fears. Beneath its sci-fi trappings, Liminal States is a story about being robbed of the illusion that our identities are unique while watching our world march inexorably to self-destruction...more

like 4 likes · see review

Mar 23, 2012 Mindy rated it 5 of 5 stars

I've read a good bit of scifi in my day, but rarely any so exciting and satisfying. It starts with a simple premise: a dying man in the desert makes a Faustian bargain. However, the repercussions are massive beyond guessing. The plot races forward, becoming ever more expansive and ambitious as the book goes on. There was a point when I was concerned that the author had over-reached in this regard, which I'll get to shortly.

The story is divided into three acts, each taking place in different tim...more

like 3 likes · see review

Apr 03, 2012 Sean B rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: sci-fi, favorites

I don't often read fiction, but Liminal States is a work of art worthy of the highest regard. As another reviewer has said, it is more an experience than a book and will leave your mind firing on all pistons after you've finished reading it. It is a deep, complex tale that will fill you with dread and keep you on the edge of your seat as you journey through it. Leave any expectations of standard sci-fi narrative development at the door, as this book will absolutely turn them on their head. If yo...more I don't often read fiction, but Liminal States is a work of art worthy of the highest regard. As another reviewer has said, it is more an experience than a book and will leave your mind firing on all pistons after you've finished reading it. It is a deep, complex tale that will fill you with dread and keep you on the edge of your seat as you journey through it. Leave any expectations of standard sci-fi narrative development at the door, as this book will absolutely turn them on their head. If you want a fresh, well researched and well executed apocalyptic sci-fi story, you NEED to have this on your shelf.

The novel is split into three books, each taking place in a different era. It begins as a Western tale of crime, justice, love lost and a deal that puts Faust to shame. The next book takes place in the 1950's and is constructed as noir. The final book takes place in 2006 in a dystopian Los Angeles. These three very different genres constitute a masterfully crafted whole, as the characters navigate a drastically changing world. As the title suggests, changes and becomings are a huge thema within the book and the way the author set up the characters and the narrative itself as constantly in flux makes Liminal States something really special.

While it is an enjoyable and extremely interesting read on its own, there is a lot of depth to it for those wishing to dig further. The author used concepts from Deleuze and Guattari's "A Thousand Plateaus" in writing this, among other philosophical works. While none of this is needed to read the book whatsoever, those who are familiar with some of these concepts will possibly get a richer experience from it as things begin to click as the narrative unfolds. Either way, Liminal States will leave you with enough questions and food for thought to last quite a while. You will want to kick this one around with fellow readers to share the experience.

Also, as others have mentioned, an alternate reality game took place before the novel's release, giving little snippets of the universe Liminal States takes place in. Using music from Conelrad ([...]), artwork by Josh Hass (zombiemariachis.com) and video done by Dan Sollis (digitaldistortion.net), a series of video trailers and illustrations were created to accompany the book (you can see all the ARG related stuff at Liminalstates.com). The synergy and talent of this crew produced excellent supplementary material and matched the mood of Liminal States to a T. If descriptions of the book have caught your interest, I would highly recommend taking a look at what they have built for it, as these are great works of art on their own.

In conclusion, Liminal States is a genre-defying, creative and heavy-hitting novel that will haunt you long after you close it. Like the character Casper Cord, you will wander through its halls, peak through its doors and constantly wonder what is in store around the next corner as you begin to realize the scale and scope of the terrifying plot developing around you. The conclusion will leave you stunned. Don't miss out on this one!(less)

like 4 likes · see review

Apr 19, 2012 Lea rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: acquired-2012, books-i-own, love-the-cover, read-2012, reviews

If you are at all interested in this book, do yourself a favour and skip all the reviews -- don't even read the GoodReads description or the description on the back of the book. This is definitely one of those books where you will enjoy it more the less you know going into it.

(view spoiler)...more If you are at all interested in this book, do yourself a favour and skip all the reviews -- don't even read the GoodReads description or the description on the back of the book. This is definitely one of those books where you will enjoy it more the less you know going into it.

(view spoiler)[Zack Parsons took a look around the bookstore and said to himself, "Genres are for chumps! I'm gonna write a book that breaks down these walls!"

And then he did.

Like westerns? Check.
Noir? Check.
Sci Fi, Dystopian, Alternative History? Check, check, and check!

What's so amazing about all of this is that Parsons doesn't just throw some genre details into his plot -- oh no, that's not challenging enough for this guy. He actually crafts his story within the parameters of each genre, with the setting, characters, and style all completely and perfectly written within those parameters.

The book opens in 1874, with two men -- outlaw and sheriff, husband and lover of the same woman -- facing off over a botched train robbery. Their actions -- and the consequences of those actions -- will affect not only the rest of their lives, but also the lives of every living thing on this planet.

The story takes a bit of time getting to that horrifying result, but believe me, you won't be in a hurry to reach the ending -- before you get there you'll be immersed in a pitch perfect 1800s Western and 1950s hard bitten gumshoe noir. We follow these two men, seeing how their hatred for each other (and their love for their mutual lost love) taints their lives, ultimately leading to the collapse of civilization itself.

That collapse is truly horrifying in parts, and the feeling of dread leading up to the ending of the book is very uncomfortable -- Parsons has spent a lot of time thinking about the end of the world, apparently. It was all too easy to imagine similar circumstances (if not similar causes) in our own world.

I do have one slight nitpicky issue with this book -- I thought the origin of the Veronicas was going to be tied back to the child Annie died giving birth to, adding to the despair and loss of the Warrens. Unfortunately, the author never addresses this question directly -- or if he did, I completely missed it.

I absolutely loved how the author tied the very beginning of the book into the very end -- what is initially bizarre because we have no frame of reference for what we're reading becomes poignant when we reach the end. I thought this part was very well done. (hide spoiler)]

I cannot recommend this book highly enough. Read it - you will not be disappointed.

(less)

like 12 likes · see review

Apr 06, 2012 Daniel Roy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sf, alternate-history, dystopia, horror

Liminal States is a book bursting at the seams with genre ideas; so much so that, while this admittedly accounts for a lot of its originality and power, it also damns it to a story lacking emotional resonance.

The novel's unique structure is surely its biggest selling point: its three parts are in turn Western/horror, noir thriller, and SF dystopia. While the events in all three parts interlock successfully, they lack an emotional continuity; that is to say, the emotional investment made by the r...more Liminal States is a book bursting at the seams with genre ideas; so much so that, while this admittedly accounts for a lot of its originality and power, it also damns it to a story lacking emotional resonance.

The novel's unique structure is surely its biggest selling point: its three parts are in turn Western/horror, noir thriller, and SF dystopia. While the events in all three parts interlock successfully, they lack an emotional continuity; that is to say, the emotional investment made by the reader in one part of the book do not carry over into the next. What remains are three very different stories, taking place in three eras of the same strange, original world, but very little emotional depth to tie them together.

It's too bad, because in the first third, Liminal States comes very close to pathos and resonance. There's a moment where the rivalry between Gideon Long and Warren Groves kicks into high gear that promises a tense, psychotic conflict to color the rest of the story. But instead of using this conflict to anchor the rest of whole story arc, the author seems more concerned about pushing his world building into yet more unexpected directions.

Some of these directions work well. The SF dystopian setting was interesting, if perhaps burdened by too many complications like the spore infections. But some of the genre-melding is excessive: the alternate history bits, for instance, bring absolutely nothing to the story; nor is there any justification for setting the final part in 2006, instead of placing it into the near-future. Everything about this book would have worked without bringing in alternate history elements that weaken verisimilitude.

The noir setting in Part 2 was the most interesting, but also the most flawed and representative of Parsons' attempt at genre pyrotechnics. When it was used mostly for flavor, it worked well; but most of the times, it bogged down an otherwise interesting tale of secret societies and duplicity with clichés that were meant to ape the thriller genre, rather than leverage its strengths and successful tropes.

Ultimately, that's what takes away from Liminal States' potential for greatness: the characters and their very interesting predicament are forgotten in the chaos and the noise of the blending of genres, and we learn very little of what drives them. Their conflict is lost, and moreso unresolved, by the time the story ends. What remains is an impressive tour de force of genre blending and world building, but the whole impressive construct, well written though it is, lacks emotional depth and resonance.(less)

like 2 likes · see review

Apr 23, 2012 Daniel rated it 4 of 5 stars

SUMMARY: A brutal story told through three different genres that centers around the discovery of a strange pool that can revive and duplicate any creatures that fall into it. Brilliantly realized, the novel still suffers a little from some flaws common to first-time fiction.
--------------------------------------------------------
Parsons has written a couple nonfiction books, but this is his first fiction novel. The tale mostly concerns two men -- Warren Groves, a wild west officer with murder in...more SUMMARY: A brutal story told through three different genres that centers around the discovery of a strange pool that can revive and duplicate any creatures that fall into it. Brilliantly realized, the novel still suffers a little from some flaws common to first-time fiction.
--------------------------------------------------------
Parsons has written a couple nonfiction books, but this is his first fiction novel. The tale mostly concerns two men -- Warren Groves, a wild west officer with murder in his bones, and Gideon Long, a man made cruelly desperate by his wealthy father's emotional abuse. After a train robbery/childbirth gone wrong, the two men cross paths and end up discovering a sort of Fountain of Youth that has the power to revive them every time they die, and which also begins regularly producing duplicates of their past selves. As time passes, these duplicates begin to cause problems, and the true nature of the magical pool is revealed to be far more sinister than it seems.

Although I am not a big fan of Westerns, I was immediately drawn into the tale by Parsons' slick, minutely-detailed prose. His depiction of the big train robbery, for instance, enthralled me in a way few books have in recent years. Furthermore, Parsons' construction of this alternate world is so rich and fully-realized that it is truly impressive. Astounding even. The story is unique, and although the elements of it are often times bewilderingly complex, Parsons' sumptuous prose keeps the story from feeling like a chore.

Parsons does succumb to a flaw common to first-time writers of fiction: overwriting. As far as flaws go, this is the kind you WANT to have, especially if your writing is as accomplished as Parsons'. Still, the book has multiple moments where Parsons' prose seems to coil into itself, admiring its own beauty, and although the writing is, indeed, beautiful, its self-indulgent tone often detracts from the story itself. This is especially true of the very beginning of the book (which was written with such exaggerated poeticism that I shut the book and nearly did not open it again).

This leads to a second problem: there is no tension to the tale. It is masterfully told, brilliantly constructed, and vividly imagined, but there is a lack of humanity to the story. Parsons attempts to use Groves' and Long's rivalry to give juice to the character-driven aspects of the tale, but these two men are not particularly sympathetic or relatable, and their rivalry fades in import as the tale gains scope. In light of the vast richness of the story, this isn't a terribly big problem, although it does render meaningless several key elements of the book. For instance, a character named Milo makes a critical but baffling decision at the climax of the novel, irrevocably altering the shape of the story for every character. Although it is clear he made the decision for deeply emotional reasons, even the most careful of readers would have difficulty accepting or comprehending those reasons. At what should be the tensest moment of the story, there is mostly just confusion.

Parsons touches on concepts of humanity, individuality, family, love, memory, history, and power, but his tale sprawls so much that what lessons he hopes to illuminate get lost in the noise. Once again, if he'd had the talents of a more ruthless editor, he could've cut the clutter and delivered one of the greatest sci-fi novels I've ever read. Instead, there are lovingly crafted passages that seem to have little bearing on the book (transcripts of phone calls home, overlong descriptions of people navigating hidden passageways, and at least two of the most graphic and brutal scenes of cannibalism I've ever read, both of them nauseating me so much I had to stop reading for awhile). As a Lit major, of course, I can see what Parson's is trying to do, the morals or symbols he's trying to convey, but at the same time, I can also see that they're only secondary to the main thrust of his story, and therefore they slow the book down.

The second portion of the book -- written in the form of a hard-boiled detective thriller -- is the only part of the tale written from the first person point of view (that of Casper Cord, a sort of private eye). Casper's story is meant to tie together the first and third portions of the book, and although it does that in a solid way, Parsons' decision to let Cord tell the tale was distracting as well. I will reiterate: I loved Parsons' prose and admired his ability to shift and bend genres, but he dropped the ball here. Cord tries to talk like your typically noirish detective, referring to people as "palookas" and fist-fighting as "chin music," but in the next breath Casper will describe in over-lush detail a "conflagration" or "spiracle" or "ossuary" as opposed to simply saying saying "fire" or "hole" or "bone orchard."

I know I am spending far more time on the negatives than a four-star review might warrant, but that's because I was so impressed and blown away by the rest of the book that these minor complaints stood out in greater and greater detail as the pages turned. If you don't have a weak stomach, if you like complex sci-fi, and if you are a patient reader with a love of great prose over great characters, then I highly recommend this tale. I will definitely be buying Parsons' next book, and I'm hoping that a little practice and experience will have sanded away these rough spots and left Parsons' with the makings of my next favorite writer.(less)

like 1 like · see review

Jun 19, 2012 Anthony Bamonte rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book...it has three discrete stories in it, and I actually don't like the first two genres very much (western and noir, followed by a sci fi wrapup), but the overarching plot makes them both really enjoyable.

My only dissatisfaction comes from the fact that a lot of the head-scratching weirdnesses introduced throughout the first half of the book appear not to be solved, or if they are, are done so very subtly.

Spoilery:

Once we get into the second of the three parts, the "o...more

like 1 like · see review

May 01, 2013 Tagra rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopia, sci-fi, horror, brutal

I really struggled with how to rate this. I was originally thinking a solid 4.5, but then the ending was a little too ambiguous, so that dragged it down to 4... but the uniqueness of it deserves to be rewarded, so it bumped back up to 5. Eh, 5. Why not.

This is not a book for the faint of heart. If this book is made into a movie, they will need a very large "fake blood" budget. I meant to go back and see how many times the word "entrails" appears, but I forgot to. It was a lot, though.
It is also...more I really struggled with how to rate this. I was originally thinking a solid 4.5, but then the ending was a little too ambiguous, so that dragged it down to 4... but the uniqueness of it deserves to be rewarded, so it bumped back up to 5. Eh, 5. Why not.

This is not a book for the faint of heart. If this book is made into a movie, they will need a very large "fake blood" budget. I meant to go back and see how many times the word "entrails" appears, but I forgot to. It was a lot, though.
It is also not a casual read. I discovered pretty quickly that it is not the kind of book you can read while half asleep at 11PM and still understand what the fuck is going on in the next chapter. The book is a masterful example of showing and not telling, and you have to pay attention to keep up.

How do I even describe this to you. At its heart, the book is a horror novel that reminded me a lot of Stephen King. A lot of the imagery is brutal or disturbing. Despite that, it somehow never seemed gratuitous. The story itself spans three time periods, which correspond to three different genres of writing. The old west, '50s noir, and finally sci-fi and dystopian present/future.

I'm not sure I even can provide a quick synopsis of this. Let's just say it involves a mysterious pool that seems to resurrect and provide immortality to someone who falls into it. Each section of the book follows the same characters (more or less...) but examines a different aspect of the consequences of the pool, seeming to widen the scope each time, beginning with individuals and eventually moving to a global scale.

Common criticisms seem to be that the different time periods don't interface well with each other, making it more like three different related novels than one whole story. Looking back, I would probably agree that is true... the jumps are very significant and you have to re-orient for each one. While I was reading I did not find it to be an issue, and probably wouldn't have mentioned it if it wasn't commonly bitched about.

The different genres for each time period are well written and feel authentic. I'm not a big fan of noir, so the middle of the book dragged for me, but someone who enjoys the genre will probably love it. The sci-fi section had a decent "oh, shit is going down now" feel to it, and I thought the visuals worked really well. The over-arching horror story of the pool itself felt a bit vague, though. I read some discussion about it and it seems like it was intentionally left that way, and then a lot of the questions and backstory is resolved in a separate serial. I dislike relying on external material to understand a book... but to be fair, it doesn't really matter for the narrative of the actual story, so it just left the situation ambiguous in an unsatisfying way.

If you're looking for something unique, gripping, and disturbing, you should probably give Liminal States a try.(less)

like · see review

Apr 28, 2012 Derek Pegritz rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: sci-fi-general

Liminal States really lives up to its title as a very eerie, dreamlike, hallucinatory, and, at times, contradictory journey through strange realms...but, unfortunately, as a narrative, its three parts just do not quite connect with one another. A mixture of spaghetti western, alternate history, pulp-noir detective fiction, and dystopian horror novel, its three main parts (separated by interludes that really don't add much to tie them all together) seem like three loosely-connected novellas; and...more

like · see review

Aug 20, 2012 Jolene Haack rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 125-2012

So, my introduction to internet humor happened fairly late in high school and primarily consisted of SomethingAwful.com. I have since moved on but was recently struck with nostalgia and decided to head on over for a few bites of FashionSWAT. In so doing, I learned that Zack Parsons, writer with SA, had recently released a novel. A novel that was not satire or humor or anything of the sort.

I was intrigued. The reviews were overwhelmingly positive. I added it to my "To-Read" list and requested it...more

like · see review

Jul 17, 2012 Michael rated it 5 of 5 stars

Probably the best book I'll read this summer. Parsons can write. I mean, he can really, really write. The prose is consistently clever and careful. And while I imagine a fair number of readers may be put off by what they take to be the gimmicky nature of the novel's structure, a pastiche of dime Western, pulp noir, and horror, I also find the conceit not only skillfully handled but very affecting, even gripping. Outsize in its imaginative ambitions, Parsons's novel actually delivers what it prom...more

like 2 likes · see review

Dec 08, 2012 Emily Ptak rated it 5 of 5 stars

Zack Parsons will (should, must) be remembered as our modern reply to Arthur C. Clarke. This book assuredly will become a timeless sci-fi classic. Almost like three books in one, this novel dances across genres with an ease and cohesiveness I have never before witnessed. The first book is a high-falutin' Wild West meets hallucinogenic science fiction novel. I struggled to follow along with each new set of Warrens and Gideons, but was intrigued by the mysterious powers of the Pool and what they w...more

like 1 like · see review

Aug 17, 2012 Aaron Caskey rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone who likes genre mixing, and general weirdness.

Recommended to Aaron by: SF Signal

Like Finch and Palimpsest, Liminal States captures a sense of weirdness, but never feels illogical. Parsons builds the layers of strangeness so expertly, that it never feels overwhelming.

The book is well written, fast paced, filled with likeable characters, and shows an excellent knowledge of genre conventions. This is not a pastiche of westerns, mixed with noir, mixed with sci-fi/horror. This IS a western, and a noir and a sci-fi/horror story all masterfully squished into one book.

The writing f...more Like Finch and Palimpsest, Liminal States captures a sense of weirdness, but never feels illogical. Parsons builds the layers of strangeness so expertly, that it never feels overwhelming.

The book is well written, fast paced, filled with likeable characters, and shows an excellent knowledge of genre conventions. This is not a pastiche of westerns, mixed with noir, mixed with sci-fi/horror. This IS a western, and a noir and a sci-fi/horror story all masterfully squished into one book.

The writing for each section is competent, genre appropriate, and most importantly it gets out of the way of the story. However, Parsons does like his big words and sometimes it can seem a bit odd that an uneducated ex-soldier is casually throwing around five syllable words. Also the 2006 part of the story is much less distinctive in its style, and the writing breaks down a bit during the climax, which feels a little bit rushed in places.

The characters are distinctive, but there is a emotional punch lacking from their relationships that I will get into more detail in the spoiler section below.

Overall though, this is an amazing book, especially for a first novel.

Spoilery discussion below...

(view spoiler)(less)

like · see review

Aug 08, 2012 Amber rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: sci-fi

The main thing is this: there is a pool of not-exactly-water that dissolves any organic thing it touches. Anything living will be born again from it, and even after that living thing dies - either from natural causes, age, violence, or accident - they will be born from the pool again in a state of youth and health.

It seems like the fountain of youth, a key to immortality, and that's exactly how Gideon Long uses it. But what happens when the pool begins to birth copies of those that went into it,...more

like · see review

Mar 09, 2013 Ant rated it 5 of 5 stars

I can't express how much I loved this book. It effortlessly slips three eras (the wild west, film noir and a slightly-future era) into one story while having a heavy mix of Lovecraftian horror thrown in. The book manages to build a solid thread of depression that leaves you empty yet satisfied.

The only true praise I can offer is that this is the best Lovecraft book I've read that's been written in the last fifty years.

like · see review

Mar 17, 2013 Corby rated it 4 of 5 stars

Gotta give the author props for originality and imagination. I can honestly say this book is unlike any other I've read, and Parsons keeps you hooked till the end. Would give it 5 stars, except by the end I had a few too many questions left unanswered. I think this book could have used an extra 50 pages or so to smooth out some of the details, but don't let that discourage you. Definitely worth a read, maybe two.

like · see review

Jan 19, 2013 Christopher rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction

I appreciated what I think was the vision for the story--especially how it tackles three genres based on one premise. But the story itself was tedious and overwritten, featuring prose that seemed exaggerated and often oddly formal, unfortunately not in any way that I could enjoy. We're not talking Proust or even Lovecraft here, but rather a style that genuinely needs editing and polish to avoid being dull.

like · see review

Aug 02, 2012 Mleugene rated it 5 of 5 stars

I started this book and just couldn't figure out where it was going. I didn't figure it out till the last 100 pages or so. For a book of better than 500 pages, in a genre I read a lot, that in and of itself should recommend it. It was a bit slow in the middle and the introduction nearly put me off because it was so strange, but hang in there, it has a great ending.

like · see review

Dec 06, 2012 Derrick Richards rated it 4 of 5 stars

I love books like this that defy an easy description. Three stories, that interelate, taht use different styles of writing for each story. The style starts as a Western, then to a noirish detective style, with the final story as Science Fiction. The main story arc is fascinating though the ending seems disappointing to me. A very good read, it kept my interest.

like · see review

Jul 19, 2012 Trax rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is a really great book that I may have trouble explaining to other people. It's starts out as a western, then to the 1950s, and finally to 2006. The thing is, it totally works. I really loved it and thought it was a very unique work for this reason. Great characters and premise.

like · see review

Mar 31, 2012 Gerry rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book is as stunning as it is unexpected. Zack's previous writing definitely and delightfully ambushed my expectations to this. A stunning debut fiction Horror with Western, Detective and Science Fiction beautifully woven in.

like 2 likes · see review

Mar 25, 2013 John Arnold rated it 5 of 5 stars

Ultimately very satisfying novel that covers a lot of ground and genres as well. Disturbing and thought provoking. This one will stay with you long after the book is closed. Highly recommended.

like · see review

Aug 31, 2012 Brianne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Excellent sci-fi book spanning more than a century. The ending and epilogue will sit with you for a while, offering an unsettled, stark, yet engrossing apocalyptic finish to this sweeping tale.

like · see review

Jan 15, 2013 Brian Robson rated it 5 of 5 stars

An ambitious undertaking that weaves three different voices indicative of their respective time periods into a sprawling science fiction odyssey. Often haunting and always exciting.

like · see review

Jun 17, 2012 Luke Kanies rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book was weird. I think it began too early, and ended too soon. I almost can't say I really enjoyed very much of it either.

But even with that, I think it was a good book.

like 1 like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 28 29 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
Good book, no run?	1	3	Jan 28, 2013 05:44pm
how good a read is this do u think??	2	6	Sep 09, 2012 11:31am

combine
Other Editions (2)

Genres

Science Fiction

17 users

Horror

9 users

Fantasy

5 users

Speculative Fiction

3 users

Thriller

3 users

Science Fiction > Alternate History

3 users

Science Fiction Fantasy

2 users

Western

2 users

Science Fiction > Dystopia

2 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Zack Parsons

Zack Parsons is a Chicago area writer known for his acerbic commentary and bleakly humorous science fiction. He has authored two non-fiction books, MY TANK IS FIGHT! and YOUR NEXT-DOOR NEIGHBOR IS A DRAGON. His works, including That Insidious Beast and CONEX: Convict Connections, have appeared online and in various published anthologies including A COMMONPLACE BOOK OF THE WEIRD: THE UNTOLD STORIES...more

More about Zack Parsons...

Books by Zack Parsons

A Commonplace Book of the Weird: The Untold Stories of H.P. Lovecraft

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About Liminal States

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

title link	preview: Liminal States
avg rating	preview: Liminal States Goodreads rating: 4.04 (323 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12028255-liminal-states?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327617695l/12028255.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12028255-liminal-states?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Liminal States by Zack Parsons[/url]

Liminal States

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website