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Unfiction
Unfiction: a wild ride through the collision of science fiction, fantasy, thriller, horror and romance. One writer's fiction interferes with everyone's reality.. When Oliver Naughton joins the Tenth Avenue Writers Underground, headed by literary wunderkind Wilson Knight, Oliver figures he'll finally get some of his wild imaginings out of his head and onto paper. But when Wilson takes an intense interest in Oliver's writing and his genre stories of dragons, aliens, and spies, things get weird. Oliver's stories don't just need to be finished: they insist on it. With the help of Minerva, Wilson's girlfriend, Oliver has to find the connection between reality, fiction, the mythical Cydonian Kingdom, and the non-mythical nightclub called M Pallas. That is, if he can survive the alien invasion, the ghosts, and the fact that he thinks he might be in love with Minerva.
- GenresFantasyScience Fiction
372 pages, Paperback
Published June 18, 2017
55 people are currently reading
118 people want to read
About the author
Gene Doucette
44 books435 followersGene Doucette is a hybrid author, albeit in a somewhat roundabout way. From 2010 through 2014, Gene published four full-length novels (Immortal, Hellenic Immortal, Fixer, and Immortal at the Edge of the World) with a small indie publisher. Then, in 2014, Gene started self-publishing novellas that were set in the same universe as the Immortal series, at which point he was a hybrid.
When the novellas proved more lucrative than the novels, Gene tried self-publishing a full novel, The Spaceship Next Door, in 2015. This went well. So well, that in 2016, Gene reacquired the rights to the earlier four novels from the publisher, and re-released them, at which point he wasn’t a hybrid any longer.
Additional self-published novels followed: Immortal and the Island of Impossible Things (2016); Unfiction (2017); and The Frequency of Aliens (2017).
In 2018, John Joseph Adams Books (an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) acquired the rights to The Spaceship Next Door. The reprint was published in September of that year, at which point Gene was once again a hybrid author.
Since then, a number of things have happened. Gene published two more novels—Immortal From Hell at the end of 2018, and Fixer Redux in 2019—and wrote a new novel called The Apocalypse Seven that he did not self-publish; it was acquired by JJA/HMH in September of 2019. Publication date is May 25, 2021.
Gene plans to continue writing novels for both markets (traditional and self-published) as long as that continues to make sense. His most recent self-published novel is Immortal: Last Call (2020). He is currently at work on a large science fiction world-building project taking place on his Patreon site, the result of which will be a multi-novel series.
When the novellas proved more lucrative than the novels, Gene tried self-publishing a full novel, The Spaceship Next Door, in 2015. This went well. So well, that in 2016, Gene reacquired the rights to the earlier four novels from the publisher, and re-released them, at which point he wasn’t a hybrid any longer.
Additional self-published novels followed: Immortal and the Island of Impossible Things (2016); Unfiction (2017); and The Frequency of Aliens (2017).
In 2018, John Joseph Adams Books (an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) acquired the rights to The Spaceship Next Door. The reprint was published in September of that year, at which point Gene was once again a hybrid author.
Since then, a number of things have happened. Gene published two more novels—Immortal From Hell at the end of 2018, and Fixer Redux in 2019—and wrote a new novel called The Apocalypse Seven that he did not self-publish; it was acquired by JJA/HMH in September of 2019. Publication date is May 25, 2021.
Gene plans to continue writing novels for both markets (traditional and self-published) as long as that continues to make sense. His most recent self-published novel is Immortal: Last Call (2020). He is currently at work on a large science fiction world-building project taking place on his Patreon site, the result of which will be a multi-novel series.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
August 3, 2019
Netgalley Arc provided by the Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
"How can we tell a story that has been told a hundred times before, give readers who like that story what they want, and at the same time surprise them with something new? Is there a way to do that?"
3.5 stars
When Fiction comes knocking on the door of Reality, do you want to open the door? Will you?
That is the question Oliver -a young, unsuspecting, unpublished, aspiring writer- must answer, even though it seems he doesn't have much say in the matter. Somehow characters and events from all his different, unfinished stories -whether they are from the genre fantasy, mystery, sci-fi or espionage - appear and try & manage to catch up with him. Especially as some of them are way better at running fast than Oliver, PLUS they seem to get help from a seemingly real, but mysterious girl, Minerva, on whom Oliver has a huge crush.
"Stories should be finished, and one day he would have to figure out what it was like."
The question is: SO NOW WHAT?
The answer is that Oliver must untangle all the different yarns he has been spinning, go on his own hero's quest whether it is fiction or reality.
This has been a fun and interesting book to read. I loved the concept and also the way the author, Gene Doucette realised it. Admittedly, you have to be in the mood for it, because the story takes a long time to start and sometimes drags a bit, but it is full of humour and an author's self-mockery.
My favourite moment was when Oliver was trying to work out -with the help of Google- how to write a romance book with all the tropes appealing to women - that was priceless.
"How can we tell a story that has been told a hundred times before, give readers who like that story what they want, and at the same time surprise them with something new? Is there a way to do that?"
3.5 stars
When Fiction comes knocking on the door of Reality, do you want to open the door? Will you?
That is the question Oliver -a young, unsuspecting, unpublished, aspiring writer- must answer, even though it seems he doesn't have much say in the matter. Somehow characters and events from all his different, unfinished stories -whether they are from the genre fantasy, mystery, sci-fi or espionage - appear and try & manage to catch up with him. Especially as some of them are way better at running fast than Oliver, PLUS they seem to get help from a seemingly real, but mysterious girl, Minerva, on whom Oliver has a huge crush.
"Stories should be finished, and one day he would have to figure out what it was like."
The question is: SO NOW WHAT?
The answer is that Oliver must untangle all the different yarns he has been spinning, go on his own hero's quest whether it is fiction or reality.
This has been a fun and interesting book to read. I loved the concept and also the way the author, Gene Doucette realised it. Admittedly, you have to be in the mood for it, because the story takes a long time to start and sometimes drags a bit, but it is full of humour and an author's self-mockery.
My favourite moment was when Oliver was trying to work out -with the help of Google- how to write a romance book with all the tropes appealing to women - that was priceless.
August 29, 2018
With a title like Unfiction and a cover as awesome as seen above, one might expect a wild adventure. In a perfect world, at least, that’s how it would work. And thanks to the author’s considerable talent for a while the world does feel somewhat improved, in that what world that has such fun books in it sort of way. I’ve read tons of genre fiction, I’ve read some genre mash ups, I don’t think I’ve ever read something like Unfiction…something so singular in its approach of throwing that may things in a blender, leaving the lid off, blasting the power all the way and seeing what comes out. You’d think just a mess, but not, it’s almost kind like of art. So the book…our young protagonist Oliver Tennyson Davis Naughton slings java for money and writes stories for fun. His apartment is tiny. His ladylove is unobtainable. His stories, awesome and varied as they are, don’t have endings. Until one day they become real and now he’ll jump from one crazy situation to another, one plot to the next, trying to figure out what’s going on, what’s fiction and what isn’t. It’s an absolute trip of a story, with narrative taking serpentine twists and turns and leaps and loops and zigzags and still managing to surprise you until the very end. The way Oliver (and, of course the author) juggle genres is absolutely spectacular, from fantasy to scary, from scifi to thriller, from romance to drama…the versatility is awe inspiring. And, although, somewhat experimental, it’s wildly entertaining from first page until the last one. Kudos to the author for totally slaying genre mixers or at the very least setting a new standard for them. Kudos to our library for uncharacteristically having a newer speculative fiction book in digital format. Kudos to the cover artist for making the book so aesthetically appealing. This was just pure fun, wildly madly energetic, genuinely thrilling and exciting read. Most enthusiastically recommended.
June 15, 2019
Unfiction is a novel about a fiction writer who is writing for a fiction writers group, but he is never able to finish his stories, because he does not want his works to be like everyone else's. Then, things get W (for weird) when things in real life start becoming his unfinished stories, and the reader is sufficiently vested to want to know the ending. This book is imaginative, creative, thought-provoking, and unlike other books I have read. It is a genre mashup of science fiction, fantasy, thriller, horror and romance. At its core, it is what happens when one writer's fiction interferes with everyone else's reality.
September 28, 2017
Gene Doucette may just be the best modern writer of the moment.
Original, deep, funny, layered ... this book has everything. Be immersed. Oh, and check your greek mythology for one more layer.
Original, deep, funny, layered ... this book has everything. Be immersed. Oh, and check your greek mythology for one more layer.
July 22, 2017
Another great read
I have enjoyed Gene Doecette's books since I first bought a copy of "Immortal" after reading great review on GeekDad.
This is another hit for him. Hard to describe without spoiling the story, though it reminds me of both of Stephen King's books "Misery" and "The Dark Half". Those are two of Kings nightmares as a writer, while this is more of Doucette's own writer's fantasy, and one which was very enjoyable to be along with for the read.
Of course there will be comparisons to the movie "Inception", I personally see more of the fun that I found college reading several of the dialogues in Douglas Hofstadter's classic pulitzer prize winning "Godel, Escher, Bach: An eternal Golden Braid", especially "Little Harmonic Labyrinth". Levels within levels and some of the very questions of what is reality and who shapes the world around us. Even reminding me of Neil Gaiman's "Dream of a thousand Cats".
The amount of time (and opportunity) to simply sit down and read for nothing but my own enjoyment seems to be be getting less and less, but I am very glad to have spent a few hours of my vacation time to enjoy another of Doucette's books.
Now where is the second Fixer book?
I have enjoyed Gene Doecette's books since I first bought a copy of "Immortal" after reading great review on GeekDad.
This is another hit for him. Hard to describe without spoiling the story, though it reminds me of both of Stephen King's books "Misery" and "The Dark Half". Those are two of Kings nightmares as a writer, while this is more of Doucette's own writer's fantasy, and one which was very enjoyable to be along with for the read.
Of course there will be comparisons to the movie "Inception", I personally see more of the fun that I found college reading several of the dialogues in Douglas Hofstadter's classic pulitzer prize winning "Godel, Escher, Bach: An eternal Golden Braid", especially "Little Harmonic Labyrinth". Levels within levels and some of the very questions of what is reality and who shapes the world around us. Even reminding me of Neil Gaiman's "Dream of a thousand Cats".
The amount of time (and opportunity) to simply sit down and read for nothing but my own enjoyment seems to be be getting less and less, but I am very glad to have spent a few hours of my vacation time to enjoy another of Doucette's books.
Now where is the second Fixer book?
Read
May 30, 2019The reader ends up with more questions when they finish then when they started.
June 28, 2023
I liked it but it was also pretty dumb and gimmicky. What started out as a promising dark academia about a writers’ group turned into a weird MK ultra fever dream
July 18, 2017
A really enjoyable read for those looking for something different, which I'm always striving to find.
As another Goodreads reader wrote in her review, this is a story in which Fiction comes knocking on Reality's door. Of course, there's more to the story than what meets the eye.
As another Goodreads reader wrote in her review, this is a story in which Fiction comes knocking on Reality's door. Of course, there's more to the story than what meets the eye.
June 24, 2017
I LOVED this book. What a crazy mashup. A mind-bending, rip-roaring tale. RECOMMEND.
July 17, 2017
If Gene Doucette keeps this up, he'll quickly rise through the ranks of my favorite authors. While I felt like his previous book worked well because the dialogue was so strong, this one had weaker dialogue and a much more involved plot. Both books managed to feel very fresh and interesting, and both easily get my recommendation.
September 23, 2018
Unfiction is tough yet easy, confusing yet understandable, twisty-turvy yet straightforward.... basically it's its’ own opposite within itself, a set of separate tales from many genres that eventually weave together, only to shatter again. This book is imaginative, creative, and unlike other books you’ve read. The best way I can think to describe it is something like Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass meets Total Recall (1990), a quest epic in multiple genres where the reader/viewer never knows what's really real and what isn't.
It's not a complicated read, but if you want to keep up you do need to be paying attention, the details along the way return to the story later. The main character is interesting and relatable, a struggling writer with a job that just barely pays the rent on a tiny apartment, trying to become a better writer. We don't see so much self-pity (regarding the unsatisfying job, no love life, etc) that it's painful to read, just enough to want more for him.
The journey down the rabbit hole started much earlier than I realized. I didn't know we were in a "Wonderland" until the "smacks you over the head moment" made it really obvious, before then I was waiting for a different sort of plot twist to explain everything. The end was solid with another bit of twist, though not what I wanted it to be, which isn't a negative comment.
My final thought, since I'm trying not to include any spoilers, goes back to my earlier comment; this book is different, unique. I've never read anything quite like it before. If you are open to different, this is a world for you.
It's not a complicated read, but if you want to keep up you do need to be paying attention, the details along the way return to the story later. The main character is interesting and relatable, a struggling writer with a job that just barely pays the rent on a tiny apartment, trying to become a better writer. We don't see so much self-pity (regarding the unsatisfying job, no love life, etc) that it's painful to read, just enough to want more for him.
The journey down the rabbit hole started much earlier than I realized. I didn't know we were in a "Wonderland" until the "smacks you over the head moment" made it really obvious, before then I was waiting for a different sort of plot twist to explain everything. The end was solid with another bit of twist, though not what I wanted it to be, which isn't a negative comment.
My final thought, since I'm trying not to include any spoilers, goes back to my earlier comment; this book is different, unique. I've never read anything quite like it before. If you are open to different, this is a world for you.
July 6, 2017
https://koeur.wordpress.com/2017/07/0...
Publisher: Orbit
Publishing Date: June 2017
ISBN: 9781546563334
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 2.6/5
Publishers Description: When Oliver Naughton joins the Tenth Avenues Writers Underground, he figures he’ll finally get some of the wild imaginings out of his head and onto paper. Yet, Oliver’s stories don’t just need to be finished: they insist on it.
Review: This guy can write. I got so pulled into the first story that when it ended abruptly after one chapter, I was literally angry. It was a short story that Oliver was writing as part of his club. I almost dumped the whole novel but decided to push through my disappointment through to the end. While the writing was eminently engaging and the story line clever, it just didn’t pull me in. The characters had depth but the backbone of the story was just not that interesting. See, Oliver writes stories that become real, but are just fragments of the whole as he has not finished them. Mmmmkay. I know this is pure subjectivity (like most reviews) but dang, infuse this story with some interesting movement.
Mostly I was bored what with all the dialogue that centered around writing styles and people living it as their reality. I know this has been done before but cannot recall the novel. A big meh.
Publisher: Orbit
Publishing Date: June 2017
ISBN: 9781546563334
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 2.6/5
Publishers Description: When Oliver Naughton joins the Tenth Avenues Writers Underground, he figures he’ll finally get some of the wild imaginings out of his head and onto paper. Yet, Oliver’s stories don’t just need to be finished: they insist on it.
Review: This guy can write. I got so pulled into the first story that when it ended abruptly after one chapter, I was literally angry. It was a short story that Oliver was writing as part of his club. I almost dumped the whole novel but decided to push through my disappointment through to the end. While the writing was eminently engaging and the story line clever, it just didn’t pull me in. The characters had depth but the backbone of the story was just not that interesting. See, Oliver writes stories that become real, but are just fragments of the whole as he has not finished them. Mmmmkay. I know this is pure subjectivity (like most reviews) but dang, infuse this story with some interesting movement.
Mostly I was bored what with all the dialogue that centered around writing styles and people living it as their reality. I know this has been done before but cannot recall the novel. A big meh.
March 3, 2019
A SIMPLE MAN'S REVIEW
Where to start?! The first half of this book is like reading the beginning of four stories, but then having to take the books back to the library before the fines start adding up. The second half is like those four stories ended up in a blender together and the result is a literary smoothie - a combination of all four. Confused?
The story (as far as you know) is about a man in a writer's workshop who has written the beginning of some great stories. Unfortunately, because his mentor isn't impressed and keeps pushing him to challenge himself, they all remain unfinished. Until his stories start showing up in his life and he is forced to figure out how they end. Yeah, weird. But fun!
This book is a fantastic look at the literary process as we follow the aspiring author and his interactions with his mentor. But the story itself becomes very "meta", even poking fun at itself (and alluding to the ending while calling it an unfair cop-out). It is enjoyable and will keep you guessing, almost as if someone is making it up as they go!
Read it!
Where to start?! The first half of this book is like reading the beginning of four stories, but then having to take the books back to the library before the fines start adding up. The second half is like those four stories ended up in a blender together and the result is a literary smoothie - a combination of all four. Confused?
The story (as far as you know) is about a man in a writer's workshop who has written the beginning of some great stories. Unfortunately, because his mentor isn't impressed and keeps pushing him to challenge himself, they all remain unfinished. Until his stories start showing up in his life and he is forced to figure out how they end. Yeah, weird. But fun!
This book is a fantastic look at the literary process as we follow the aspiring author and his interactions with his mentor. But the story itself becomes very "meta", even poking fun at itself (and alluding to the ending while calling it an unfair cop-out). It is enjoyable and will keep you guessing, almost as if someone is making it up as they go!
Read it!
May 2, 2022
1.0 out of 5 stars
Quit at 50%: A Meta-Story that Tries to Tell a Story
May 02, 2022
Reading Gene Doucette’s 2017 novel [[ISBN:9781370073108 “Unfiction”]] is an exercise in frustration and pain. I won’t go into details, but the whole book consists of the starting portions of a series of disparate stories that get interrupted. These portions of stories and the core “real world” in between them are apparently supposed to weave another story out of some of the bits. Unfortunately, never being able to finish a story is extremely frustrating. Plus, I really didn’t care for the “real world” where Doucette’s authorial tribulations are seemingly enumerated. And, for icing, the short stories had genres all over the map. Most of which I don’t care for (some of which I detest). I pushed through to the 50% point and then couldn’t take it any more. So, I’m rating the book at a Terrible 1 star out of 5.
Quit at 50%: A Meta-Story that Tries to Tell a Story
May 02, 2022
Reading Gene Doucette’s 2017 novel [[ISBN:9781370073108 “Unfiction”]] is an exercise in frustration and pain. I won’t go into details, but the whole book consists of the starting portions of a series of disparate stories that get interrupted. These portions of stories and the core “real world” in between them are apparently supposed to weave another story out of some of the bits. Unfortunately, never being able to finish a story is extremely frustrating. Plus, I really didn’t care for the “real world” where Doucette’s authorial tribulations are seemingly enumerated. And, for icing, the short stories had genres all over the map. Most of which I don’t care for (some of which I detest). I pushed through to the 50% point and then couldn’t take it any more. So, I’m rating the book at a Terrible 1 star out of 5.
September 3, 2017
Unfiction is a silly, fun read. It didn’t require a lot of brain power to follow the plot and I was able to read it fairly quickly. Even though this is a self published novel don’t be afraid. This is not your stereotypical self published novel. The writing is strong. World building is complete, the characters make sense (where they are supposed to), and the plot, while imaginative and silly, is complete. I enjoyed the blend of genres and styles in Unfiction. The idea behind the novel is kind of “what would happen if your writing came to life” and it was fun to read. I’m planning to read more novels by Gene Doucette.
**I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review via NetGalley.**
Visit my blog for more in depth reviews and recommendations:
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**I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review via NetGalley.**
Visit my blog for more in depth reviews and recommendations:
https://www.bookgirlsbooknookblog.blo...
August 4, 2017
What a wonderfully weird quirky book. I was intrigued with the first chapter and then got sucked into every single story! I didn't see the end coming as it did and was greatly overjoyed at that fact as so many books now you can see through from beginning to end. It also taxes the memory a little, there was a lot of minute details that I needed to go back and check. I wouldn't think it would be possible to fit 6 genre's in one novel but here it is, in black and white.Never having read Mr. Doucette's books before I'm now looking forward to reading more. If you are looking for something a little more than your one genre book or looking for something to get you out of that reading slump, I'd pick this up and probably forego all afternoon plans! And that cover!
May 25, 2023
Quirky but cool.
I really liked this story. A combination of genres rolled all into one. You got a taste of fantasy, adventure, science fiction, mystery and even a love story. If it had any drawback for me it's one that is similar in a lot of the stores I have read recently. The action of the story seems to take place in a large-scale story than has a beginning that we are not to!d and it could continue into a future that we are left to imagine. I guess a lot of books are like that. I will make up my own story of how it begins. It will let me exercise my imagination for awhile.
I really liked this story. A combination of genres rolled all into one. You got a taste of fantasy, adventure, science fiction, mystery and even a love story. If it had any drawback for me it's one that is similar in a lot of the stores I have read recently. The action of the story seems to take place in a large-scale story than has a beginning that we are not to!d and it could continue into a future that we are left to imagine. I guess a lot of books are like that. I will make up my own story of how it begins. It will let me exercise my imagination for awhile.
August 18, 2020
This was very clever in terms of mechanics, but not so much in content. I want to rate it more highly, but I can't actually justify it. But then, even that is reflected in the story, with the sleight of hand in lieu of true magic... and the fact that everything I want to complain about in terms of where this work fell short is actually contained within the story makes me want to bump up its rating again for where cleverness, and the fact that it seems to be reaching outside of itself... Okay, 4 stars it is. I can compromise.
July 21, 2018
Absorbing
Another star turn from a crazy author, who writes books like he enjoys the whole process. This story turns you around so many times that even at the end you are as uncertain as the hero, what fun! Even using (and signposting) cliches, tropes and genres his writing is deliciously different. A great read. Highly recommended to anybody who loves books and being unpredictable.
Another star turn from a crazy author, who writes books like he enjoys the whole process. This story turns you around so many times that even at the end you are as uncertain as the hero, what fun! Even using (and signposting) cliches, tropes and genres his writing is deliciously different. A great read. Highly recommended to anybody who loves books and being unpredictable.
January 6, 2020
There were some things that I liked and some that I did not. The story beginnings were nice and I was a little bit disappointed when they were interrupted. It was also quite exciting when stories started mixing with the reality. However, the following action scenes were quite boring. As the author wrote himself, at some point you realize that nothing bad is going to happen to the main character and that just ruins whole suspense. And the ending was just meh.
September 19, 2017
חלש ומיותר.
February 9, 2019
Too many genres smushed together. Confusing. None of the characters were especially likable. If I had read this book first, I wouldn’t have read any others by Doucette.
August 7, 2019
5 stars!
I loved this book. It was just the right amount of confusing to make you go "wait what? Let me reread that sentence." I love that kind of fiction.
I loved this book. It was just the right amount of confusing to make you go "wait what? Let me reread that sentence." I love that kind of fiction.
May 22, 2023
Quick read and fun. Looking forward to the next one, hopefully soon.
June 2, 2024
Fun ane very goofy. The whimsy is strong with this one.
It's giving me the itch to write again.
Hi ho! Excelsior!
It's giving me the itch to write again.
Hi ho! Excelsior!
May 13, 2019
"Different" doesn't begin to describe this book. I've never read anything quite like, &, because it's by Gene Doucette, it's revitting.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews