Jason Marc Harris's Blog, page 2
November 1, 2021
Nightmare Magazine reviews Master of Rods and Strings
Terence Taylor in the October issue of Nightmare Magazine has a review of Master of Rods and Strings--also Zin E. Rocklyn's novella Flowers for the Sea:
"There’s little more chilling than being menaced by a literally inhuman monster, from antique dolls to futuristic robots, a killer with no compassion, no remorse, no desire other than extermination. I know the movies best, but there are countless literary equivalents, and Master of Rods and Strings is a chilling new addition to that body of work."
More here:
https://www.nightmare-magazine.com/no...
"There’s little more chilling than being menaced by a literally inhuman monster, from antique dolls to futuristic robots, a killer with no compassion, no remorse, no desire other than extermination. I know the movies best, but there are countless literary equivalents, and Master of Rods and Strings is a chilling new addition to that body of work."
More here:
https://www.nightmare-magazine.com/no...
August 6, 2021
New Book Review out! Signal Horizon Magazine
Since this remarkable review contains admitted spoilers, and it is a very generous and detailed review, I will just quote the first and last paragraph. Please do buy and read the book first!:
Master of Rods and Strings is one of the most remarkable horror novels I’ve read in a long time. All the more so, because it’s a debut; first books are notoriously difficult, and many authors stumble on them, only perfecting their craft after a few trials and errors. Here, though, Jason Marc Harris makes things look easy, delivering a twisted tale of puppetry, necromancy, and family secrets that lingers in the mind long after its covers are closed. This review will contain plot spoilers, so if there’s one takeaway, it’s to give the book a read – it’s well worth going in with as little information as possible.
[. . .]
It’s a rare pleasure – especially nowadays – to find a new author whose horror fiction is truly compelling. But this year, Jason Marc Harris is that author, and Master of Rods and Strings is a morbidly fascinating little book. With its release, Harris joins the pantheon of weird fiction’s modern masters, alongside figures like Laird Barron, Nicole Cushing, and Ligotti himself. It’s exciting – and, appropriately, a little scary – that he’s pulled off something this good, this early in his career. In short, I can’t wait to see what he does next.
https://signalhorizon.com/book-review...
Master of Rods and Strings is one of the most remarkable horror novels I’ve read in a long time. All the more so, because it’s a debut; first books are notoriously difficult, and many authors stumble on them, only perfecting their craft after a few trials and errors. Here, though, Jason Marc Harris makes things look easy, delivering a twisted tale of puppetry, necromancy, and family secrets that lingers in the mind long after its covers are closed. This review will contain plot spoilers, so if there’s one takeaway, it’s to give the book a read – it’s well worth going in with as little information as possible.
[. . .]
It’s a rare pleasure – especially nowadays – to find a new author whose horror fiction is truly compelling. But this year, Jason Marc Harris is that author, and Master of Rods and Strings is a morbidly fascinating little book. With its release, Harris joins the pantheon of weird fiction’s modern masters, alongside figures like Laird Barron, Nicole Cushing, and Ligotti himself. It’s exciting – and, appropriately, a little scary – that he’s pulled off something this good, this early in his career. In short, I can’t wait to see what he does next.
https://signalhorizon.com/book-review...
August 5, 2021
Role of Emotion in Master of Rods and Strings
I recently answered some questions about the role of emotion and revision regarding a scene in Master of Rods and Strings. I tried to answer without any huge spoilers. Also, a few sorts of "writer's context" questions. Didn't have all the photos ideally I would have liked to have had, but might be of interest nevertheless! Check it out, and thanks to Car (Chris) Cooper! [May take a couple tries to load in page btw]
http://chrisricecooper.com/259-inside...
http://chrisricecooper.com/259-inside...
July 6, 2021
YouTube Recording of Master of Rods and Strings opening pages!
Here's the recording of tonight's Book Launch reading (with Mick White http://www.lowellmickwhite.com/)
Watch here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6DRt...
Watch here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6DRt...
Master of Rods and Strings interview!
Master Of Rods And Strings sounds like it might be scary. But is it just a horror story?
The earliest draft work was during the MFA program for creative writing at Bowling Green State University (Ohio), and my creative thesis advisor Dr. Lawrence Coates remarked that the narrative was a Künstleroman, which is a story that focuses on the development of the artist, so the novella has that in common with works like William Wordsworth’s autobiographical epic The Prelude and James Joyce’s Portrait Of The Artist As A Young Man.
Master Of Rods And Strings is also an example of a literary fairy tale or künstmärchen.
In some regards, Elias like Faust is experiencing forbidden knowledge, but his fate is not bound to punitive dualistic metaphysics. He is able to explore and grow, though his growth is not narrowly good, moralistic, or heroic. This is a tale of weird horror, after all, but it is also a tale of expanding consciousness and meaning.
See more here:
https://paulsemel.com/exclusive-inter...
The earliest draft work was during the MFA program for creative writing at Bowling Green State University (Ohio), and my creative thesis advisor Dr. Lawrence Coates remarked that the narrative was a Künstleroman, which is a story that focuses on the development of the artist, so the novella has that in common with works like William Wordsworth’s autobiographical epic The Prelude and James Joyce’s Portrait Of The Artist As A Young Man.
Master Of Rods And Strings is also an example of a literary fairy tale or künstmärchen.
In some regards, Elias like Faust is experiencing forbidden knowledge, but his fate is not bound to punitive dualistic metaphysics. He is able to explore and grow, though his growth is not narrowly good, moralistic, or heroic. This is a tale of weird horror, after all, but it is also a tale of expanding consciousness and meaning.
See more here:
https://paulsemel.com/exclusive-inter...
Master of Rods and Strings Launch & Reading today!
The reading is via Zoom & Facebook at 7 PM CDT.
Further info on book release: https://vernacularbooks.com/2021/07/0...
Further info on book release: https://vernacularbooks.com/2021/07/0...
June 30, 2021
Master of Rods and Strings on Gizmodo's July list of Books to Read
Glad to be included on this list by Cheryl Eddy:
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Master of Rods and Strings by Jason Marc Harris
This novella digs into the weird and dangerous world of occult puppetry. (July 6)
https://gizmodo.com/51-new-sci-fi-and...
Meanwhile, here's another site selling the book that includes local bookstores:
https://www.indiebound.org/search/boo...
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Master of Rods and Strings by Jason Marc Harris
This novella digs into the weird and dangerous world of occult puppetry. (July 6)
https://gizmodo.com/51-new-sci-fi-and...
Meanwhile, here's another site selling the book that includes local bookstores:
https://www.indiebound.org/search/boo...
June 25, 2021
Book giveaway contest! Master of Rods and Strings
Direct link to giveaway: https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sh...
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Based in France, Jason Marc Harris’ story of occult puppetry, Master of Rods and Strings, has impressed the likes of Thomas Ligotti, Tangent Online’s Victoria Silverwolf, and many other authors. Now, you get a chance to win a signed a copy before you can buy it!
“Jason Marc Harris’s Master of Rods and Strings is a masterful work the likes of which I have not read in many years. Among its other admirable qualities, it is an adept exemplar of the novella, a literary form peculiarly suited to tales of dark and mysterious themes. [. . .] In captivating and expert prose, Master of Rods and Strings brings to life a world where the enchantment of puppetry inexorably descends into a magical perdition.”—Thomas Ligotti
“A magically unnerving tale of loyalty, artistic passion, and revenge that digs into your skin and pulls you through the back alleys of period France. Harris assuredly directs his characters with the precision of a puppeteer through this fever dream of a novella.” —Sequoia Nagamatsu, author of Where We Go When All We Were Is Gone
“Boundlessly unique and charmingly strange, Jason Marc Harris’ Master of Rods and Strings is a breakneck tale of occult puppetry and the toll of seeking revenge. What a cracklingly compelling book. I can’t get it out of my head.” —Robert James Russell, author of Mesilla and Sea of Trees
“Strange and compelling, Master of Rods and Strings is a fantastic foray into the realm of occult puppetry. Like Patrick Suskind’s Perfume, this book is memorable for its vivid sensory detail and portrayal of an obsessive protagonist exploring an arcane world.” —Susan Hubbard, author of the Ethical Vampire Series
“The story begins quietly, and slowly develops a growing sense of horror, reaching a truly apocalyptic climax. The setting, several locations throughout France, is vividly realized. Perhaps the most compelling aspect of this expertly crafted tale of terror is the way in which the narrator changes from an ordinary boy into a man capable of performing great evil in his quest for revenge.” —Victoria Silverwolf, Tangent Online
Master of Rods and Strings
https://vernacularbooks.com/2021/06/2...
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Based in France, Jason Marc Harris’ story of occult puppetry, Master of Rods and Strings, has impressed the likes of Thomas Ligotti, Tangent Online’s Victoria Silverwolf, and many other authors. Now, you get a chance to win a signed a copy before you can buy it!
“Jason Marc Harris’s Master of Rods and Strings is a masterful work the likes of which I have not read in many years. Among its other admirable qualities, it is an adept exemplar of the novella, a literary form peculiarly suited to tales of dark and mysterious themes. [. . .] In captivating and expert prose, Master of Rods and Strings brings to life a world where the enchantment of puppetry inexorably descends into a magical perdition.”—Thomas Ligotti
“A magically unnerving tale of loyalty, artistic passion, and revenge that digs into your skin and pulls you through the back alleys of period France. Harris assuredly directs his characters with the precision of a puppeteer through this fever dream of a novella.” —Sequoia Nagamatsu, author of Where We Go When All We Were Is Gone
“Boundlessly unique and charmingly strange, Jason Marc Harris’ Master of Rods and Strings is a breakneck tale of occult puppetry and the toll of seeking revenge. What a cracklingly compelling book. I can’t get it out of my head.” —Robert James Russell, author of Mesilla and Sea of Trees
“Strange and compelling, Master of Rods and Strings is a fantastic foray into the realm of occult puppetry. Like Patrick Suskind’s Perfume, this book is memorable for its vivid sensory detail and portrayal of an obsessive protagonist exploring an arcane world.” —Susan Hubbard, author of the Ethical Vampire Series
“The story begins quietly, and slowly develops a growing sense of horror, reaching a truly apocalyptic climax. The setting, several locations throughout France, is vividly realized. Perhaps the most compelling aspect of this expertly crafted tale of terror is the way in which the narrator changes from an ordinary boy into a man capable of performing great evil in his quest for revenge.” —Victoria Silverwolf, Tangent Online
Master of Rods and Strings
https://vernacularbooks.com/2021/06/2...
Book launch! Master of Rods and Strings, Zoom reading July 6th, 7PM CDT
Master of Rods and Strings Malvern Books is hosting this reading. I'm reading with a colleague from A&M (Lowell Mick White):
http://malvernbooks.com/event/jason-m...
There should be time for questions as well: at least 15-20 minutes.
Zoom details (also available through the Malvern Books link above)
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85405543302...
Meeting ID: 854 0554 3302
Passcode: 411104
Also Facebook event link is set up: https://m.facebook.com/events/9089437...
http://malvernbooks.com/event/jason-m...
There should be time for questions as well: at least 15-20 minutes.
Zoom details (also available through the Malvern Books link above)
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85405543302...
Meeting ID: 854 0554 3302
Passcode: 411104
Also Facebook event link is set up: https://m.facebook.com/events/9089437...
May 7, 2021
First official review of Master of Rods and Strings
Tangent Online I have been told has also added Master of Rods and Strings to their 2021 recommended reading list.
Here is the final sentence of the review (from https://tangentonline.com/print-other... ):
"Perhaps the most compelling aspect of this expertly crafted tale of terror is the way in which the narrator changes from an ordinary boy into a man capable of performing great evil in his quest for revenge."
Here is the final sentence of the review (from https://tangentonline.com/print-other... ):
"Perhaps the most compelling aspect of this expertly crafted tale of terror is the way in which the narrator changes from an ordinary boy into a man capable of performing great evil in his quest for revenge."
