Jason Brock’s Simulacrum: a Review
Simulacrum and Other Possible Realities by Jason V. Brock
(Hippocampus Press, 2013)
Review by Lois H. Gresh
In his preface to this fine collection of stories and poetry, Jason explains that he steers away from the “standard tropes” of science fiction and horror and that “most writers these days seem to have run out of interesting ideas.” Giving the accolades from his good friend, William F. Nolan, coupled with Jason’s proclaimed worldview, I flipped to the first story in this collection expecting a near-mystical experience.
In “What the Dead’s Eyes Behold,” which kicks off the book, beautiful Calliope trolls for strangers online and ends up with a guy who prefers his girls dead. He’s a serial killer artist, who makes disturbing dioramas featuring his victims. Nobody knows that his art is based on crimes he commits. The premise reminds me faintly of Ramsey Campbell’s novel, Secret Story, in which nobody knows that a lackluster writer bases his stories on crimes he commits. But there the parallels end, for Ramsey’s novel is a dark comedy – hilarious, actually – and Jason’s story is dark and utterly disturbing. Precision prose throughout – one might say it’s “dead-on beautiful” just like Calliope — with an ending that’s predictable yet written with the sharpness of a stiletto.
The second story, “The Central Coast,” opens with a scene of carnage, then takes the reader into the past on a journey of spontaneous fun for the director Alex and his wife, the porno starlet Jordan. Unfortunately, spontaneity leads them to purchase a rare wine called Absentia Anima at a rare place called Sotanos Negros del Diablo. Draw your own conclusions.
In “One for the Road,” a young woman encounters what many of us fear when we pull off the road at a remote rest stop. The story whirls from loose to tight, until at the end, it’s as compact as the tip of a tornado. I love the ending of this story.
“The Hex Factor” features a world-class lawyer whose claim to fame is that he’s one of the best defenders of the undead. Vampires, yes, but also werewolves and zombies, not to mention others who specialize in the undead, such as necromancers. A calm pattern of prose enhances the humor, and while the ending isn’t sly or wicked like a curve ball, it fits the tone of the overall piece.
I read the rant, “Valve: The Heart as a Metaphor for Postmodern Blight” several times, and I may read it a few more times. There’s a lot of truth in this rant. It’ll make readers think twice about the endless consumption of meat.
“Object Lesson” is a beautifully written story about keeping people alive well past their time. Should we hook them up and keep them going, or should we let them die with dignity? As with “Valve,” this piece is worth reading a few times. It’s perfect from start to finish.
The collection also includes novella “Milton’s Children,” an adventure story in which scientists explore uncharted Antarctic islands. It opens with a discourse about being a vegetarian, then shifts full-tilt into classic adventure complete with new species, bizarre insectoids and flowers, and pterodactyl-type creatures.
Overall, this is a fine collection with some stunning pieces that look at death from different angles. The best stories explore the moment of death and delve into the meaning of death.
