Printer's Devil

by Stona Fitch, Doug Johnstone (Foreword)

Two warring guilds struggle to survive in a bone-dry future where natural disaster has become commonplace. Picking up where A Clockwork Orange and On The Beach left off, Printer’s Devil searches for remnants of humanity in an post-apocalyptic land. A fable in the spirit of Coetzee’s Waiting for the Barbarians, this meditation on power and its abuses echoes with disturbing parallels to the present. While Fitch’s acclaimed novel Senseless explored the explosive combination of technology and terrorism, Printer’s Devil creates a darker, dessicated world ruled by primitive tribal allegiances, fear, and violence.“Compulsively readable but also incredibly thought-provoking, thrilling but also highly perceptive, this is everything a modern novel should be.” - The List “A wonderfully dark, dystopian tale set in a world where excessive consumerism has led to an environmental collapse.” - The Independent on Sunday“A bleak and disturbing tale. Right from the opening torture scene you are knocked sideways and never really given the chance to recover.”- Scott Pack“Printer’s Devil is written with consummate skill and great heart, and I can think of no better combination than that.”- Doug Johnstone, from the Introduction

160 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

I'm a novelist, former punk, ad man, and recovering Okie living in Boston. I write dark, politically inflected novels that have a redeeming sense of humor that pulls them out of the abyss. My books go on to foreign editions, film adaptations, and other lives. But most important to me is that my books connect with new readers, every day. Thanks to you for being one.

My latest novel is Death Watch, and it's a wild ride. Not as scary as it sounds. Or is it? Your call. I also write under the pen name of my Irish twin, Mr. Rory Flynn (Third Rail, Dark Horse). And I'm the founder of the Concord Free Press, which has inspired more than $5 million in generosity around the world. Our books are free in exchange for a donation to a cause you believe in or a person in need in your community.

https://www.concordfreepress.com/

Reviews

[Janellyn51 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mostly I like Stona's writing. I read this while I was knocked out from my first vaccine shot, so maybe feeling lousy had something to do with not getting that into this book. And then, it just kind of made me feel like with the pandemic......we're already headed there, and that really made me feel like crap!

[Ronald Koltnow · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have now read the complete works of Stona Fitch, a remarkable writer, publisher, musician, husband, and father. I accused him of writing this story as a parable of the hazards of running a small press. Fitch and his wife Anne run The Concord Free Press, which gives books away for free with the agreement that the recipient will donate money to a local charity (http://www.concordfreepress.com/). This novel is post-apocalyptic. It would be possible to read it as a warning about environmental destruction, but the underlying cause of this particular tragedy is consumerism run rampant, the demand for more production with no regard for environmental impact. Hidden within this tale is a heist novel, as one guild of printers tries to rip off another. The one remnant of consumerist culture is dog eat dog. The world Fitch imagines is all too recognizable.