L.S. Popovich's Blog, page 23
February 24, 2022
The Pyramid by Ismail Kadare
The Pyramid Dreams. Kadare takes some liberties with history, of course, often speculating wildly for dramatic and symbolic effect, but there is enough verisimilitude here to cast the pall of history over the pages. It has a very similar aura to the writings of Kafka, borrowing much of the atmosphere of oppression and psychological tension. […]
February 21, 2022
Review of House of Suns by Alastair Reynolds
A dense mosaic of mesmerizing notions injected with a jumbo-sized hypo of s-f crack, rich with subtle corollaries of theory and conjecture. Huge, labyrinthine, wild. My first Reynolds. Now I have that combination of elation and despair, knowing that I’m in it for the long haul. I have to read all of his books. There’s […]
February 17, 2022
Review of The Acephalic Imperial by Damian Murphy
Let there be no doubt that D. M. is the master of occult, shadowy fiction, draped in velvet, drenched in smoky moonlight, whose refulgent landscapes are colonized by sinister, eldritch characters, each enacting esoteric motives in a sibilant daze. He is paramour of ravished beauties, languorous mansions, and impending nightmares. He is a literary mage […]
February 14, 2022
Review of Kramberger with Monkey by Rick Harsch
A rollicking satirical, experimental novel about assassination, serialized in the online publication The Collidescope, featuring taboo-trouncing, grimly ravenous characters, a melange of lyrical and journalistic styles. Superbly literary, lasciviously hilarious, Rabelaisian, and a gravitas-inducing addition to Rick Harsch’s vastly underappreciated body of work. Read all of his novels. Voice and wit unmatched in recent ‘American’ […]
February 10, 2022
Review of The Eyelid by S.D. Chrostowska
While slow-paced, this book offers much food for thought. In its dream-centric pseudo dystopian world, a hazy view of political and philosophical implications can be gleaned around the jewel-like edges. Yet, I hoped for more startling imagery. There are a few striking moments, but not enough intense focus on the atmosphere to capture my attention […]
February 7, 2022
Review of North Station by Bae Suah
Bae Suah in experimental mode. The 7 stories in North Station display many aspects of this author’s formidable powers. Unlike the novels of hers I’ve read, this collection depicts similar characters in a greater variety of situations, while not relying on dramatic plotting. They are very slow, and will not be to everyone’s taste. Pre-eminent […]
February 3, 2022
Review of The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling
“The Jungle book” is a fun collection of timeless stories worthy of their fame. The movie brethren of this tale resemble the source material in only superficial ways. Mowgli only features in less than half of the book’s stories for one thing. However every story is interesting and connected in theme and tone. All of […]
January 31, 2022
Review of I Wonder What Human Flesh Tastes Like by Justin Isis, Quentin S. Crisp
The struggle of young people to understand their place in the world, within society’s context, or outside of its proscribed categories, considered from a multitude of perspectives, at differing stages of fatalistic contempt, solipsism, wanderlust, and obsession. The Japanese setting, conjured with sublime authenticity, was absolutely convincing. Equal parts startling nostalgia and enigmatic yearning. With […]
January 27, 2022
Review of Aberration of Starlight by Gilbert Sorrentino
Flashes of brilliance. A highly unpleasant reading experience, but nonetheless rewarding. My first step into Sorrentino’s version of the world. It interested me enough that I know I will have to read his other novels. Aside from Mulligan Stew, they are relatively short, therefore his ceaseless experimentation is digestible. The characters in this novel are […]
January 24, 2022
Review of The Devil in a Forest by Gene Wolfe
I enjoy a good fantastical forest novel as much as the next guy. Gene Wolfe’s dependably polished writing delivers thrills and chills in this relatively early work. Set alongside Fifth Head of Cerberus, and Peace, The Devil in a Forest reads almost like children’s literature. That is not to say that it is not well-conceived […]
