Sign in with FacebookDoug's Reviews > Southern Gods
Southern Gods
by John Hornor Jacobs (Goodreads Author)
by John Hornor Jacobs (Goodreads Author)
Bull Ingram is sent into Arkansas to find a man, a salesman of sorts that sells blues and rock music, at that time considered "Negro Music" to white radio stations that play it, profit from it, but still consider it something of a novelty. And to find a radio station that broadcasts strange music that mentally effects the listener. This double quests bring him face to face with the Pale Man, and Ramblin' John Hastur, whispered legends in the backwoods and the whisperings aren't. Parallel to Bull's story is Sarah's, a battered wife who flees home to Arkansas from an abusive marriage. Her and her daughter try to find a new life, a pursuit that leads her to look into her family tree and the strange mysteries within.
A review in four caveats.
Caveat the First. This book is a Mythos-esque story, but like much of contemporary horror/fantasy, it busies itself a good deal with re-invention of the legends that make up its backend. Think not of Lovecraft or Chambers, the two key writers whose works have been diffused through it, but more of Brian Lumley and his Titus Crow novels. In fact, though I have no idea if Jacobs has read them, they are the closest thing I would compare: creatures of the mythos reconfigured as something like flesh and blood entities that can be faced off through various means [in other words, Lumley by way of Derleth], and how interact with the world in a fairly tangible way. Other elements that come to mind are American Gods (book) and Angel Heart (movie). Depending on the flavor you like your Mythos stories, this can be either a +1 or a -1. For me it was more a minus than a plus, but I saw what Jacobs was going for and appreciate it of a kind. Only go into it if you are ok with variations on classic mythos themes, especially the ubiquitous Necronomicon and what it is really on about, being nearly restitched whole cloth.
Caveat the Second. This book is set in the 1950s, and Arkansas. Has shout outs to Southern Noir. A little bit of Lansdale, a little bit of Woodrell. The problem is that after the first third or so, maybe the first half, the setting and time period take such a backseat that it becomes all too easy to lose them. The Delta as a character reaches its peak about the time Bull Ingram comes to an old radio station in the woods and, shortly after, follows a club to a dockside bar with a one-off performance. After this point, the book might as well be contemporary New England for all the consistency of setting it maintains. Having read this book right after reading The Sound and the Fury, it might be that my tastebuds for Southern culture infusing a work were dimmed and so I needed it to be more stark (and for others, discussions of vines and river-side bathing might be enough), but I would have loved to see more. Also, while this book does have Southern Noir tendencies, it is probably better to think of it more like a Fantasy novel set in relatively modern times. In fact, towards the end, it becomes quite literally a sword and sorcery tale and Bull becomes more Conan than not.
Caveat the Third. This book is not subtle. In fact, when a coworker spotted me reading, his second sentence about it, after saying, "I just finished it and liked it..." was, "It's not subtle." He tells the truth. It tells much more than shows. Even though the telling is interesting there are those that will not like this. There are section that make Zadok Allen look like a man of little words. As a longer novel with the legends more spread out, it might have been a little less like a brick smashing into your reading time, but as is it mostly just states the stakes, places the bets quite openly, and then rolls the dice. At least, in a couple of instances, it is fairly unfliching.
Caveat the Fourth. The book's two greatest pleasures - music in both the sense of the mystery, horrific radio station and in other brief references, as well as tapping into old legends and fairy tales - are woefully underused.
Fair to good book. Not a long read. Outside of completely underusing Hastur and his/its/etc long history of mythos (He Who Should Not Be Named gets named a hell of a lot, just saying, and the King of Yellow is woefully absent) it is mostly ok, give or take a few sections.
A review in four caveats.
Caveat the First. This book is a Mythos-esque story, but like much of contemporary horror/fantasy, it busies itself a good deal with re-invention of the legends that make up its backend. Think not of Lovecraft or Chambers, the two key writers whose works have been diffused through it, but more of Brian Lumley and his Titus Crow novels. In fact, though I have no idea if Jacobs has read them, they are the closest thing I would compare: creatures of the mythos reconfigured as something like flesh and blood entities that can be faced off through various means [in other words, Lumley by way of Derleth], and how interact with the world in a fairly tangible way. Other elements that come to mind are American Gods (book) and Angel Heart (movie). Depending on the flavor you like your Mythos stories, this can be either a +1 or a -1. For me it was more a minus than a plus, but I saw what Jacobs was going for and appreciate it of a kind. Only go into it if you are ok with variations on classic mythos themes, especially the ubiquitous Necronomicon and what it is really on about, being nearly restitched whole cloth.
Caveat the Second. This book is set in the 1950s, and Arkansas. Has shout outs to Southern Noir. A little bit of Lansdale, a little bit of Woodrell. The problem is that after the first third or so, maybe the first half, the setting and time period take such a backseat that it becomes all too easy to lose them. The Delta as a character reaches its peak about the time Bull Ingram comes to an old radio station in the woods and, shortly after, follows a club to a dockside bar with a one-off performance. After this point, the book might as well be contemporary New England for all the consistency of setting it maintains. Having read this book right after reading The Sound and the Fury, it might be that my tastebuds for Southern culture infusing a work were dimmed and so I needed it to be more stark (and for others, discussions of vines and river-side bathing might be enough), but I would have loved to see more. Also, while this book does have Southern Noir tendencies, it is probably better to think of it more like a Fantasy novel set in relatively modern times. In fact, towards the end, it becomes quite literally a sword and sorcery tale and Bull becomes more Conan than not.
Caveat the Third. This book is not subtle. In fact, when a coworker spotted me reading, his second sentence about it, after saying, "I just finished it and liked it..." was, "It's not subtle." He tells the truth. It tells much more than shows. Even though the telling is interesting there are those that will not like this. There are section that make Zadok Allen look like a man of little words. As a longer novel with the legends more spread out, it might have been a little less like a brick smashing into your reading time, but as is it mostly just states the stakes, places the bets quite openly, and then rolls the dice. At least, in a couple of instances, it is fairly unfliching.
Caveat the Fourth. The book's two greatest pleasures - music in both the sense of the mystery, horrific radio station and in other brief references, as well as tapping into old legends and fairy tales - are woefully underused.
Fair to good book. Not a long read. Outside of completely underusing Hastur and his/its/etc long history of mythos (He Who Should Not Be Named gets named a hell of a lot, just saying, and the King of Yellow is woefully absent) it is mostly ok, give or take a few sections.
Sign into Goodreads to see if any of your friends have read Southern Gods.
sign in »
