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SCHLOCK Featuring Russia Cop
Beginning in the streets of Tokyo and ending in the cosmos, Russia is at the center of SCHLOCK. These four stories center around an eclectic cast of characters in the 2010s - obsessed fanboys, Soviet rock stars, English teachers, expats trying to comprehend the Russian Soul, living sex dolls, Australian pub crawlers, and a genetically engineered law enforcement officer whose sole purpose is to enforce patriotism and Russian Soul in the Russian Federation. SCHLOCK!
262 pages, Paperback
Published June 14, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
August 19, 2023
A thrilling exhibition of sardonic wit, xenophobia and general malaise with the back drop of Russia serves to make this book one of the funniest and tragic I have ever read as it examines the little triumphs and disasters that go into ruining a persons life.
A man obsessed with a once famous Russian singer, a hectic night out, a dangerous robot and a particularly suspect pair of Aussies make this one compelling tale that I highly recommend.
A man obsessed with a once famous Russian singer, a hectic night out, a dangerous robot and a particularly suspect pair of Aussies make this one compelling tale that I highly recommend.
February 21, 2022
The book's title struck me at first glance. As a German-born, I wondered why the author would call his book "garbage" or a "low-quality product." I then googled "Schlock" to see whether I got the connotation wrong, and I didn't. I'll get back to that.
Tsoi Lives
The first tale is set in Japan and partly in Russia, describing the lives of a group of lost individuals who have found each other through the music of Viktor Tsoi. The creative fusion of two cultures brings out each character's best and worst.
I didn't know who Viktor Tsoi was until after the story. I don't know why I thought he was mere fiction, but his music was like a whistle in the wind throughout the story, reminding us of something. I love the depth of this story and how it examines identity and transient moments. The themes of identity, culture, and passion for music made this story unique.
The English Teacher
The book is taking a drastic but humorous turn from here on. Low touches upon Russia's anti-American attitude, portraying their prejudice and ruthlessness. Gopniks is the Russian version of the British townies and scallys. It's hilarious and enables you to empathize with the central character Paul, who is an American English teacher in Russia. He has a hard time staying out of problems and has the reader on a painful hook throughout the story. The discomfort you feel has underlying meanings that signal submission and defeat.
Russia Cop
This is probably the most extraordinary story I've read thus far this year. It's told in script form, depicting a documentary on a dystopian Russia where a passionate inventor believes he has created the ultimate Russian soul, aka Russia Cop, to save and protect the nation. It's highly satirical, stereotypically funny, and simultaneously scary. In my eyes, Russia Cop is Gustav Meyrink's golem gone wrong and out of control. Or perhaps it was Skynet after all because you can't help but picture Russia Cop as a tyrannical terminator, allegorical to what's going on in the modern world, from discrimination to oppression.
Waiting for Deacon
The final story is told in the form of a podcast interview, in which we learn about the book's central themes in greater detail. What's with Russia's preconceived ideas about Americans? Do Americans have to pretend to be Australians to be accepted? How far will they go to prove their point?
—
Readers will find meaning, comfort, and hidden messages in Schlock. To me, Schlock is a beat-up guitar, an apartment in Volgograd, and a dead orangutan. These stories have never been more relevant than now. Expressing your nation’s soul doesn’t mean anything if you have the aspects of being human all wrong.
Low is one fine storyteller and creative mind who perhaps doesn't give himself enough credit. He can create cinematic vibes that you wish you could view on Netflix or Prime; it will be one of the hidden gems that no one has ever heard of.
Tsoi Lives
The first tale is set in Japan and partly in Russia, describing the lives of a group of lost individuals who have found each other through the music of Viktor Tsoi. The creative fusion of two cultures brings out each character's best and worst.
I didn't know who Viktor Tsoi was until after the story. I don't know why I thought he was mere fiction, but his music was like a whistle in the wind throughout the story, reminding us of something. I love the depth of this story and how it examines identity and transient moments. The themes of identity, culture, and passion for music made this story unique.
The English Teacher
The book is taking a drastic but humorous turn from here on. Low touches upon Russia's anti-American attitude, portraying their prejudice and ruthlessness. Gopniks is the Russian version of the British townies and scallys. It's hilarious and enables you to empathize with the central character Paul, who is an American English teacher in Russia. He has a hard time staying out of problems and has the reader on a painful hook throughout the story. The discomfort you feel has underlying meanings that signal submission and defeat.
Russia Cop
This is probably the most extraordinary story I've read thus far this year. It's told in script form, depicting a documentary on a dystopian Russia where a passionate inventor believes he has created the ultimate Russian soul, aka Russia Cop, to save and protect the nation. It's highly satirical, stereotypically funny, and simultaneously scary. In my eyes, Russia Cop is Gustav Meyrink's golem gone wrong and out of control. Or perhaps it was Skynet after all because you can't help but picture Russia Cop as a tyrannical terminator, allegorical to what's going on in the modern world, from discrimination to oppression.
Waiting for Deacon
The final story is told in the form of a podcast interview, in which we learn about the book's central themes in greater detail. What's with Russia's preconceived ideas about Americans? Do Americans have to pretend to be Australians to be accepted? How far will they go to prove their point?
—
Readers will find meaning, comfort, and hidden messages in Schlock. To me, Schlock is a beat-up guitar, an apartment in Volgograd, and a dead orangutan. These stories have never been more relevant than now. Expressing your nation’s soul doesn’t mean anything if you have the aspects of being human all wrong.
Low is one fine storyteller and creative mind who perhaps doesn't give himself enough credit. He can create cinematic vibes that you wish you could view on Netflix or Prime; it will be one of the hidden gems that no one has ever heard of.
May 8, 2022
If there is one thing I like doing it is picking up a book with no idea what it is about, jumping in and absolutely loving it. Last year I read Low’s first book CoinciDATE and really enjoyed it so I had high expectations for this one. The cover is pretty impressive, at first glance it looks plain but when you look deeper you can see all sorts of shapes and things going on in the graffiti. It turns out this is a collection of 4 stories all focused on trying to understand the Russian Soul and what a cracking bunch of stories they are.
First up there is a group of friends who travel to Russia to try and find fellow fans of Viktor Tsoi a Russian Rock star from the past. A great bunch of characters and an interesting way to review a band, Viktor Tsoi is real so you can use the google machine to find their music videos and maybe go on your own pilgrimage to Russia. Next is my favourite, a teacher with a handful of students interested in spending a years learning in Russia, when he doesn’t get a satisfactory answer to his question “What is Russian Soul?” he tells them a story, a fantastic series of events that had me chuckling and with an ending that was spot on. Next is the most absurd point of the book a documentary script about an inventor who has created the ultimate cop brimming with this Russian Soul, I laughed big time here…that is until I realised this was absurd enough to be true….could this be a Putin biography? Finally the last story is short, it features a couple of characters from a previous story and what starts as a bit more fun turns into a rather tragic event, it really makes you think about identity and left me wondering is this last story the moment that Russian Soul is understood?
This was great fun, I’ve found a new band to explore and I’ve had loads of laughs. You can really tell that Low has had fun writing this, especially in story no.3 where he is seeing how far he can push the absurdity or Russia Cop. Give this book a go, it deserves to get some recognition.
Blog review: https://felcherman.wordpress.com/2022...
First up there is a group of friends who travel to Russia to try and find fellow fans of Viktor Tsoi a Russian Rock star from the past. A great bunch of characters and an interesting way to review a band, Viktor Tsoi is real so you can use the google machine to find their music videos and maybe go on your own pilgrimage to Russia. Next is my favourite, a teacher with a handful of students interested in spending a years learning in Russia, when he doesn’t get a satisfactory answer to his question “What is Russian Soul?” he tells them a story, a fantastic series of events that had me chuckling and with an ending that was spot on. Next is the most absurd point of the book a documentary script about an inventor who has created the ultimate cop brimming with this Russian Soul, I laughed big time here…that is until I realised this was absurd enough to be true….could this be a Putin biography? Finally the last story is short, it features a couple of characters from a previous story and what starts as a bit more fun turns into a rather tragic event, it really makes you think about identity and left me wondering is this last story the moment that Russian Soul is understood?
This was great fun, I’ve found a new band to explore and I’ve had loads of laughs. You can really tell that Low has had fun writing this, especially in story no.3 where he is seeing how far he can push the absurdity or Russia Cop. Give this book a go, it deserves to get some recognition.
Blog review: https://felcherman.wordpress.com/2022...
February 28, 2022
“It’s like his voice is underwater. But not quite like that. It’s like emerging from underwater or from a separate ethereal plane of existence altogether.”
After reading CoinciDATE I was eager to see what Low would put out next and I was certainly not disappointed by his second book. Schlock. A short story collection that features topics like patriotism, obsession and cult of personality, as well as situations regarding these topics that I found either extremely refreshing or quite frustrating to read. Yet, all of the stories in it were equally as addictive.
As well as his first book, Schlock was really easy to read. This just suggests that it wasn’t easy to write whatsoever. And as I said before, once I picked it up I found it hard to put it down. Low has a really distinctive style that doesn’t let you stop reading, no matter how painful or embarrassing his characters' situations are, he always manages to hook the reader.
Humour is also present throughout the piece, in each one of the stories. As well as obsession, in some cases about a dead Russian singer that only one person cares about, in others about the Russian soul, but it’s always there one way or another.
I find it interesting how it all comes down to identity, and what people is willing to do for it. Patriotism and nationalism being examples of this. As Doug Stanhope once said, “nationalism does nothing but teach you how to hate people you never met and take accomplishments on things you had no part in whatsoever.”
This is the second transgressive piece in which Low demonstrates his extraordinary abilities in storytelling. And even though all of the stories that make up this anthology are brilliantly written, I have to admit that Russia Cop is my favourite of them all. Probably one of the best short stories I’ve ever read.
After reading CoinciDATE I was eager to see what Low would put out next and I was certainly not disappointed by his second book. Schlock. A short story collection that features topics like patriotism, obsession and cult of personality, as well as situations regarding these topics that I found either extremely refreshing or quite frustrating to read. Yet, all of the stories in it were equally as addictive.
As well as his first book, Schlock was really easy to read. This just suggests that it wasn’t easy to write whatsoever. And as I said before, once I picked it up I found it hard to put it down. Low has a really distinctive style that doesn’t let you stop reading, no matter how painful or embarrassing his characters' situations are, he always manages to hook the reader.
Humour is also present throughout the piece, in each one of the stories. As well as obsession, in some cases about a dead Russian singer that only one person cares about, in others about the Russian soul, but it’s always there one way or another.
I find it interesting how it all comes down to identity, and what people is willing to do for it. Patriotism and nationalism being examples of this. As Doug Stanhope once said, “nationalism does nothing but teach you how to hate people you never met and take accomplishments on things you had no part in whatsoever.”
This is the second transgressive piece in which Low demonstrates his extraordinary abilities in storytelling. And even though all of the stories that make up this anthology are brilliantly written, I have to admit that Russia Cop is my favourite of them all. Probably one of the best short stories I’ve ever read.
February 28, 2022
David R Low in his second book proves to have already found a clear artistic voice. While I haven't had the privilege to read his first novel yet, if SCHLOCK is anything to go by, Low has already developed a keen and unique story-telling ability. In this collection of short stories, Low is able to ponder the human spirit and tackles themes of time, authoritanism and the "Russian Soul" in really brilliant ways.
The four stories all revolve around Russia in some form or another while also looking into the nature of humanity through their characters. The first story, which is my personal favourite, is 'Tsoi Lives'; it follows a group of young Japanese adults, with the narrator struggling with friendship, identity and age which ties into his friend Hirata's obsession with Soviet rockstar Tsoi. As Hirata finds out that Russia has all but forgotten Tsoi, so too does our narrator realise that he is aimlessly moving through the best years of his life. The way the two threads come together is really fantastic as we, as the reader, eventually uncover the parallels between Tsoi's forgotten stardom and the existentialist nature of the narrators place in life and in his friend group. It's a testament to Low's writing that I didn't even know Tsoi was real until about 3/4 of the way through the short story and it still left such a deep impact on me.
The second story, 'The English Teacher' is a surreal recounting of an English-Language teacher returning to a small Russian town to continue teaching. The bizarre encoutners that he faces over the course of a day tow the line between absurd and realistic in a way that feels reminiscent of Chuck Palahniuk's work, and is both deeply feel while also exposing real issues plaguing contemporary Russia. The ending especially I thought was brilliant, it's weirdness and open-endedness could be seen as lazy by some but for me I thought it worked perfectly on a thematic level to end on such a note.
Up next is arguably the star story of the collection (although as I mentioned before I do prefer 'Tsoi Lives'). 'Russia Cop' is an experimental short story, written as a documentary screenplay, we read about an excentric inventors various schemes that made him infamous, culminating in the creation of a Robocop-esque police officer called Russia Cop. This story tackles the ideas of contemporary LGBT issues in Russia, the West's media portrayal of the country and the rise of nationalism and authoritarianism backed by the Government. It clearly takes influence from Robocop but the satire is so scathing and well used that I'm sure Verhoeven would be proud to see his influence used in such a way. The screenplay format takes a little getting used to but as I got a handle of it I think it excels thematically (the idea that this film we're reading was looked over for a Werner Herzog Russia Cop film is both funny and a clever snipe at how we consume media) and narratively as it paints the details so clearly. The one downside I would have to say with this story is the satire leans a bit too heavily into absurdity especially at the end of the story, especially compared to the earlier use of satire by the end it feels somewhat like a cop-out to go so extreme with it.
Finally we have 'Waiting for Deacon', clearly inspired by Beckett's Waiting for Godot, this short examines, in an interesting and suprising way, the effects of Russian Nationalism and how that effects tourism into the country. It's interesting, but arguably the weakest in the collection. It's short and does provide some laughs but I felt it was lacking in depth compared to the other stories.
Ultimately I'm very glad and happy that David reached out to me to read this book as I was blown away by it's content. It's both an enjoyable read and very smart in it's handling of themes and depth. I need to get a copy of Low's first book, but if SCHLOCK is anything to go by, I think Low is going to do tremendous things in the literary sphere and I can't wait to see his career progress. I for one will be eagerly awaiting whatever he publishes next.
The four stories all revolve around Russia in some form or another while also looking into the nature of humanity through their characters. The first story, which is my personal favourite, is 'Tsoi Lives'; it follows a group of young Japanese adults, with the narrator struggling with friendship, identity and age which ties into his friend Hirata's obsession with Soviet rockstar Tsoi. As Hirata finds out that Russia has all but forgotten Tsoi, so too does our narrator realise that he is aimlessly moving through the best years of his life. The way the two threads come together is really fantastic as we, as the reader, eventually uncover the parallels between Tsoi's forgotten stardom and the existentialist nature of the narrators place in life and in his friend group. It's a testament to Low's writing that I didn't even know Tsoi was real until about 3/4 of the way through the short story and it still left such a deep impact on me.
The second story, 'The English Teacher' is a surreal recounting of an English-Language teacher returning to a small Russian town to continue teaching. The bizarre encoutners that he faces over the course of a day tow the line between absurd and realistic in a way that feels reminiscent of Chuck Palahniuk's work, and is both deeply feel while also exposing real issues plaguing contemporary Russia. The ending especially I thought was brilliant, it's weirdness and open-endedness could be seen as lazy by some but for me I thought it worked perfectly on a thematic level to end on such a note.
Up next is arguably the star story of the collection (although as I mentioned before I do prefer 'Tsoi Lives'). 'Russia Cop' is an experimental short story, written as a documentary screenplay, we read about an excentric inventors various schemes that made him infamous, culminating in the creation of a Robocop-esque police officer called Russia Cop. This story tackles the ideas of contemporary LGBT issues in Russia, the West's media portrayal of the country and the rise of nationalism and authoritarianism backed by the Government. It clearly takes influence from Robocop but the satire is so scathing and well used that I'm sure Verhoeven would be proud to see his influence used in such a way. The screenplay format takes a little getting used to but as I got a handle of it I think it excels thematically (the idea that this film we're reading was looked over for a Werner Herzog Russia Cop film is both funny and a clever snipe at how we consume media) and narratively as it paints the details so clearly. The one downside I would have to say with this story is the satire leans a bit too heavily into absurdity especially at the end of the story, especially compared to the earlier use of satire by the end it feels somewhat like a cop-out to go so extreme with it.
Finally we have 'Waiting for Deacon', clearly inspired by Beckett's Waiting for Godot, this short examines, in an interesting and suprising way, the effects of Russian Nationalism and how that effects tourism into the country. It's interesting, but arguably the weakest in the collection. It's short and does provide some laughs but I felt it was lacking in depth compared to the other stories.
Ultimately I'm very glad and happy that David reached out to me to read this book as I was blown away by it's content. It's both an enjoyable read and very smart in it's handling of themes and depth. I need to get a copy of Low's first book, but if SCHLOCK is anything to go by, I think Low is going to do tremendous things in the literary sphere and I can't wait to see his career progress. I for one will be eagerly awaiting whatever he publishes next.
March 16, 2022
It’s been a while since I’ve read something as unique and fresh as these short stories from Low. Each of them looking at patriotism, nationalism, and Russian soul, he takes us on a walk through identity, belonging, obsession, and Russia’s disdain for the West.
I think it’s important to state here that while reading these stories I forced myself to put my current feelings about Russian atrocities into a little box in my mind. It’s always been a country I’ve been fascinated by, mainly due to Russian literature, so I had to really take myself away from reality.
And Low really helped with this, as some of these stories are wonderfully surreal, almost feeling like hallucinations or uncomfortable dystopia. Despite Low’s ability of allowing us to feel we’re in a macabre parallel realm, his use of themes and his exploration of humanity is very real, and sometimes frightening in its exposure.
I enjoyed the various formats employed here - standard prose is mixed in with scripts or interviews, and this really kept my engagement at a high level whilst also lending a reality to everything I was experiencing. I was watching this on the news, or I was listening to a podcast.
Low has done something incredible here, and I’d recommend trying this one - it’s definitely for people who love a bit of the uncanny, whilst remaining in a familiar world.
I think it’s important to state here that while reading these stories I forced myself to put my current feelings about Russian atrocities into a little box in my mind. It’s always been a country I’ve been fascinated by, mainly due to Russian literature, so I had to really take myself away from reality.
And Low really helped with this, as some of these stories are wonderfully surreal, almost feeling like hallucinations or uncomfortable dystopia. Despite Low’s ability of allowing us to feel we’re in a macabre parallel realm, his use of themes and his exploration of humanity is very real, and sometimes frightening in its exposure.
I enjoyed the various formats employed here - standard prose is mixed in with scripts or interviews, and this really kept my engagement at a high level whilst also lending a reality to everything I was experiencing. I was watching this on the news, or I was listening to a podcast.
Low has done something incredible here, and I’d recommend trying this one - it’s definitely for people who love a bit of the uncanny, whilst remaining in a familiar world.
June 28, 2022
Russia Cop, in my view, is a big step forward for the author. Unlike his first book (which I still very much recommend), there were no peaks and valleys of action for the reader. In addition, the organization of Russia Cop was much more diverse and dynamic than CoinciDATE. What both books have in common, however, is that the author has something to say and says it creatively and energetically. Whatever's written with pleasure is pleasurable to read, as they say, and this is no exception. On a separate note, as a former study abroad student in Russia and someone who's lived for years as a foreigner in Russia, I found the plot(s) painfully relatable and funny (at times hysterical). I read Russia Cop in a weekend and I would definitely recommend picking it up for a light read (plus, 75% of the proceeds go to help Ukrainians).
April 18, 2022
An excellent, moving and oftentimes humorous account of Russia’s relationship to the west. Poignant now more than ever. A thoroughly enjoyable and thought-provoking read. Highly recommend!
March 15, 2022
David R. Low is a writer that isn't flippant in how he tells stories, he understands how to mix style and substance together instead of exclusively - not only is the reader impressed by the pure aesthetic of his narrative settings, but drawn in by the impact of the story once putting down the piece.
I had read Low's first book "CoinciDATE" last year and absolutely loved it - the book made my list of being one of my top favourites of 2021. I had high expectations for "SCHLOCK: featuring RUSSIA COP" and I have not been made disappointed, though it has not superseded his first book, in my eyes.
Out of the four stories within, "Tsoi Lives" was my favourite. It's a simplistic story told in the best kind of way: concise and thought-provoking. Upon reading the last page of this short story I felt a sense of immense sadness come over my entire body, and as well as this, a strange sense of relatability but also fear, fear that I myself could become the description of the main character. One thing that is clearly being told, is that whilst we live our lives (especially when we’re younger) we believe that people and the entire world is plotting against us, and that as far as we’re concerned, things aren’t all that great. But what the end of "Tsoi Lives" spoke to me of, was the fact that our greatest memories often come out of a bland or even dark place. But perhaps that’s only because we learn to make the most of our depleted existence by the time we look back on the past. It spoke to me on multiple levels, but most poignantly, to my past, my present, and my future self.
The other two stories didn't grip me as deeply, admittedly, but they clearly had something to say which was conducive to the overarching theme of the book itself - that of the "Russian Soul". "RUSSIA COP" was written in a particularly unique way through the method of interviews which made up into a documentary in an attempt to gather public opinion on Russian culture and its transgressive discontents. Low handles transgressive humour especially well within this story. The plot itself I found to be somewhat predictable, since we are all familiar with the story of an android that goes bad from being good, betraying (or evolving) from its original programming. I found the format of this story to be its most admirable selling point, but wanted the narrative to possess a little more unpredictability throughout. It is, nonetheless, an entertaining and rather shocking exposition of state enforced order disguised as an open-armed solution to all of society's corruption.
Overall, David R. Low is an author who needs to be taken seriously, his works need to be read and pondered over, his themes and literary style slowly digested. As mentioned at the beginning of this review, I knew Low had a spark in him just from reading his first book, and I am now, more than ever, wanting more from him. Keep it up, don't stop - even against the Russia Cop.
Thank you David for sending the book for me to read. For those of you who have not tuned into The Bastard Sons of Oedipus Podcast episode with David that we filmed last year, discussing his first book "CoinciDATE", check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eHM-...
I had read Low's first book "CoinciDATE" last year and absolutely loved it - the book made my list of being one of my top favourites of 2021. I had high expectations for "SCHLOCK: featuring RUSSIA COP" and I have not been made disappointed, though it has not superseded his first book, in my eyes.
Out of the four stories within, "Tsoi Lives" was my favourite. It's a simplistic story told in the best kind of way: concise and thought-provoking. Upon reading the last page of this short story I felt a sense of immense sadness come over my entire body, and as well as this, a strange sense of relatability but also fear, fear that I myself could become the description of the main character. One thing that is clearly being told, is that whilst we live our lives (especially when we’re younger) we believe that people and the entire world is plotting against us, and that as far as we’re concerned, things aren’t all that great. But what the end of "Tsoi Lives" spoke to me of, was the fact that our greatest memories often come out of a bland or even dark place. But perhaps that’s only because we learn to make the most of our depleted existence by the time we look back on the past. It spoke to me on multiple levels, but most poignantly, to my past, my present, and my future self.
The other two stories didn't grip me as deeply, admittedly, but they clearly had something to say which was conducive to the overarching theme of the book itself - that of the "Russian Soul". "RUSSIA COP" was written in a particularly unique way through the method of interviews which made up into a documentary in an attempt to gather public opinion on Russian culture and its transgressive discontents. Low handles transgressive humour especially well within this story. The plot itself I found to be somewhat predictable, since we are all familiar with the story of an android that goes bad from being good, betraying (or evolving) from its original programming. I found the format of this story to be its most admirable selling point, but wanted the narrative to possess a little more unpredictability throughout. It is, nonetheless, an entertaining and rather shocking exposition of state enforced order disguised as an open-armed solution to all of society's corruption.
Overall, David R. Low is an author who needs to be taken seriously, his works need to be read and pondered over, his themes and literary style slowly digested. As mentioned at the beginning of this review, I knew Low had a spark in him just from reading his first book, and I am now, more than ever, wanting more from him. Keep it up, don't stop - even against the Russia Cop.
Thank you David for sending the book for me to read. For those of you who have not tuned into The Bastard Sons of Oedipus Podcast episode with David that we filmed last year, discussing his first book "CoinciDATE", check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eHM-...
November 4, 2022
Funny, sometimes thrilling, sometimes silly. Russia Cop is my favorite story from the collection. Definitely going to check out more works from Low!
September 16, 2022
The four short stories that comprise Schlock are surprisingly diverse but all share the same elements of humor and examination that really makes this an interesting book. The first story, Tsoi Lives, is a soul searching journey that centers around a group of newly acquainted friends. Their enthusiasm is contagious as they all rally around a collective passion for the music of a long deceased artist. The characters are charming, flawed and yet relatable and you will be hard pressed to not want to cancel all upcoming plans and instead travel to a forgein country with your closest friends to put a notch on your life resume while reading this story. The English Teacher is much more humorous and will constantly deceive when you think you have an idea of where the story is going. It will instill panic for the most mundane reasons and has an ending that sets the tone of the humor of this book. You then get to the center of Schlock which is a story titled Russia Cop. This is largely satirical and pure fiction but will convince you at times that it might as well really happen. Russia Cop is a very clever story that is inspired only on the surface by the globally renowned film, Robocop. The ideas are so bold and well thought out that it feels like it should be turned into a full film production at some point. The last story, Waiting For Deacan is the book’s short and sweet conclusion that I greatly enjoyed. All in all, Schlock is worth reading for the fact that had you not you would have never known what a legend Deacan is.
July 28, 2022
Interested in a hilarious satire on what it is like to be a foreigner in Russia? Have you been a foreigner in Russia, and want to torture yourself with ridiculous reminders of ridden rodes abroad? Check out David R. Low's book Schlock: Featuring RussiaCop. 75% of the proceeds go to supporting the authors friends fighting and defending Ukrain. I laughed out loud multiple times while reading; from the interesting direction characters are peddled through, to witty and fun manipulations of typical book and story formats. And RussiaCop deserves his own movie!!! Do yourself this favor, learn what it means to have "Russian Soul" 😂
November 26, 2023
Witty, unexpected, and gave my former expat English-teaching self a good laugh
March 14, 2022
David Low has done it again, living up to the standard he set with his impressive debut Coincidate.
Schlock is a series of four stories, gradually increasing in absurdity.
The first story, Tsoi Lives, impressed me with Low's talent for creating dreamlike atmospheres, something he previously demonstrated in Coincidate. In the story, a small group of Japanese twenty somethings that don't seem to have anything in common regularly gather in the cramped bars of late-night Tokyo. Loosely united around a young musician who is obsessed with Viktor Tsoi, they eventually travel together to St. Petersburg for a vacation, and what happens there destroys the spell that held them together.
The setting of Tokyo was an inspired choice. The famous Japanese loneliness, and the general lonely vibe of the late 2010's, chill lo-fi hiphop beats-to-be-lonely-to Covid era, contrast with the world Low creates. In the world of this story, people meet without planning or even cell phones, the door of a backbar bedroom is always open, and randomly going to bars will lead to serendipitous encounters. This lends the story a surreal feeling, though not quite as intensely as in the stories to follow. At the same time, while this story features regular social gathering, there is not any real friendship underlying it, but more desires to belong somewhere or to get a girl. This story is quite different in tone from the rest of the book, but it's probably the one that stayed in my mind the most.
The second story, The English Teacher, recounts the absurd experiences of a day in the life of an English teacher returning to the third-tier Russian city of Volgograd after a summer away. This story is clearly based on Low's real-life experiences in the city and in Russia, and his intimate knowledge of the unusual lifestyle of a young foreigner in the Russian provinces gives the story a voyeuristic feel. Low avoids the traps that plague many accounts of young westerners in foreign lands, by refusing to imbue the main character with special importance just by virtue of being in a different location and by depicting the foreign place as just a place and not some locus of self-discovery and reverence. This story will be particularly amusing for those with experience living abroad in there 20s.
The third story, and the centerpiece of the collection is RussiaCop. It's difficult to talk about the themes of the story in the context of the Russian war in Ukraine, but suffice to say Low's explorations of the topic of the Russian soul does not glorify Russian aggression. The story is framed as a documentary film chronicling the bizarre creations of a mad Russian inventor who unleashes a sentient being of pure Russian soul to enforce Russian patriotism and national feeling. The book's funniest moments occur in this story, when the RussiaCop encounters young, civic-minded Russians attempting to block the passage of a car driving on the sidewalk. RussiaCop scans the situation and beats the youth for violating Russian soul, before thanking the corrupt priest driver for his wise guidance. RussiaCop evolves throughout the story, with each turn in his behavior defining what the real Russian soul is.
In spite of the sensitive subject matter, this story is worth reading for its biting satire and the success of the narrative device.
The final, shortest story, Waiting for Deacon, features the reappearance of two, pub crawl obsessed Australians, who made a cameo in "The English Teacher". This story will be familiar to anyone who has spent any time in European youth hostels in the 2010s, and takes certain characters from that scene to absurd extremes. Low employs a twist midway through the story that took an already funny story and made it hilarious.
Taken as a whole, this is a strong collection of stories that are bound by a common, absurdist/cynical tone, lucid writing, and humor. I finished the collection in a whir, but the stories have been stuck in my mind in the weeks since I read it.
Schlock is a series of four stories, gradually increasing in absurdity.
The first story, Tsoi Lives, impressed me with Low's talent for creating dreamlike atmospheres, something he previously demonstrated in Coincidate. In the story, a small group of Japanese twenty somethings that don't seem to have anything in common regularly gather in the cramped bars of late-night Tokyo. Loosely united around a young musician who is obsessed with Viktor Tsoi, they eventually travel together to St. Petersburg for a vacation, and what happens there destroys the spell that held them together.
The setting of Tokyo was an inspired choice. The famous Japanese loneliness, and the general lonely vibe of the late 2010's, chill lo-fi hiphop beats-to-be-lonely-to Covid era, contrast with the world Low creates. In the world of this story, people meet without planning or even cell phones, the door of a backbar bedroom is always open, and randomly going to bars will lead to serendipitous encounters. This lends the story a surreal feeling, though not quite as intensely as in the stories to follow. At the same time, while this story features regular social gathering, there is not any real friendship underlying it, but more desires to belong somewhere or to get a girl. This story is quite different in tone from the rest of the book, but it's probably the one that stayed in my mind the most.
The second story, The English Teacher, recounts the absurd experiences of a day in the life of an English teacher returning to the third-tier Russian city of Volgograd after a summer away. This story is clearly based on Low's real-life experiences in the city and in Russia, and his intimate knowledge of the unusual lifestyle of a young foreigner in the Russian provinces gives the story a voyeuristic feel. Low avoids the traps that plague many accounts of young westerners in foreign lands, by refusing to imbue the main character with special importance just by virtue of being in a different location and by depicting the foreign place as just a place and not some locus of self-discovery and reverence. This story will be particularly amusing for those with experience living abroad in there 20s.
The third story, and the centerpiece of the collection is RussiaCop. It's difficult to talk about the themes of the story in the context of the Russian war in Ukraine, but suffice to say Low's explorations of the topic of the Russian soul does not glorify Russian aggression. The story is framed as a documentary film chronicling the bizarre creations of a mad Russian inventor who unleashes a sentient being of pure Russian soul to enforce Russian patriotism and national feeling. The book's funniest moments occur in this story, when the RussiaCop encounters young, civic-minded Russians attempting to block the passage of a car driving on the sidewalk. RussiaCop scans the situation and beats the youth for violating Russian soul, before thanking the corrupt priest driver for his wise guidance. RussiaCop evolves throughout the story, with each turn in his behavior defining what the real Russian soul is.
In spite of the sensitive subject matter, this story is worth reading for its biting satire and the success of the narrative device.
The final, shortest story, Waiting for Deacon, features the reappearance of two, pub crawl obsessed Australians, who made a cameo in "The English Teacher". This story will be familiar to anyone who has spent any time in European youth hostels in the 2010s, and takes certain characters from that scene to absurd extremes. Low employs a twist midway through the story that took an already funny story and made it hilarious.
Taken as a whole, this is a strong collection of stories that are bound by a common, absurdist/cynical tone, lucid writing, and humor. I finished the collection in a whir, but the stories have been stuck in my mind in the weeks since I read it.
March 30, 2022
David R Low , the author, reached out to me a couple weeks ago asking if I'd like to read his soon to be published work "schlock". David was also kind enough to send me a copy of his first book "coincidate" which I am very much looking forward to reading after experiencing his writing style and his varied modes of story telling.
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Schlock is comprised of four stories - all very different, but all linked together in some way - the through-line with these stories is mostly the discussion of the "Russian Soul" which I think is very pertinent to our modern times. Some things you will read that highlight the demography of Russia can be quite chilling , due in part to the circumstances the world is now facing. I like "chilling", it seems to me when something can get under you like that you are very likely looking at some sort of truth. The author, an American, lived all over Russia and Ukraine for years... His heritage allowed him to garner plenty of insights into the true nature of this "Russian Soul". He is a trusted writer who would not smear something without justification. (follow David on instagram @ schlock_clown for informative updates on the situation in Ukraine)
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Tsoi Lives starts this book on a great page. I loved how David wrote about Japanese culture, likely stepping out of his comfort zone? , in such an accurate way. All the characters in this piece from the fictional to the musings on the real Viktor Tsoi were just perfect. I really liked the way this piece wrapped itself up. I love when stories don't shy away from including the consequences of time.
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Next we have the "English teacher" which uses a different mode of narrative to tell this story. (Every story in this book utilizes a different form of story telling which adds to the enjoyment you will get out of reading this whole book as one , as opposed to reading a story at a time) We follow an english teacher talking to his might be students about the realities of Russia. These students are wanting to study abroad in Volgograd , which is a darker place than St.Petersburg or Moscow... Volgograd is a hard place for foreigners , and this piece explains how. Never shying away from the truths the author feels , while also writing a very entertaining plot line. I do think this ending was doomed for me, because it came after Tsoi Lives's ending, but this one felt a little too inconclusive , which is why I had to take away a star from the rating.
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Next we get the Seminal "Russia Cop" which is a chilling bit of satire. I love the way this story is told in the form of a screenplay for a documentary airing at a film festival. The piece does a great job at pulling you into it , so all the notifications the screenplay has of the camera panning in, or focusing on an object in the room, or fading to black before a clip of rain falling with narration before it moves onto the next scene REALLY GOT ACROSS. It worked very well for my imagination, I could see the film and it was a joy to follow it along. I really enjoyed the plot of this one as well, it is a dark piece about how dangerous a wanton patriotism can be.
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Lastly we have "waiting for deacon" which is a short little piece about a group of friends who have been wronged by Aussies , so they now allow possession by that persona while they try and pub crawl all over the world. The way this piece is told is again different ! you get some joe rogan type interviews with the characters , intermingled with psychiatric evaluations. With an amazing epitaph of a characters last words. Great story that again sheds some light onto the dangers of identity, how far it can be pushed.
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To conclude , this was one of the most entertaining books I've ever read, while still having enough truth under the surface to come away feeling like you have learned something about the world. books that accomplish that feeling of enjoyment with lecture are a rarity, this one accomplishes that - and what did I , or you expect? this writer is knowledgeable about the topic, and writes without bias , as an onlooker , not one wearing heritage. also when you purchase a copy , a percentage will be DONATED to Ukraine - so what are you waiting for?
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Schlock is comprised of four stories - all very different, but all linked together in some way - the through-line with these stories is mostly the discussion of the "Russian Soul" which I think is very pertinent to our modern times. Some things you will read that highlight the demography of Russia can be quite chilling , due in part to the circumstances the world is now facing. I like "chilling", it seems to me when something can get under you like that you are very likely looking at some sort of truth. The author, an American, lived all over Russia and Ukraine for years... His heritage allowed him to garner plenty of insights into the true nature of this "Russian Soul". He is a trusted writer who would not smear something without justification. (follow David on instagram @ schlock_clown for informative updates on the situation in Ukraine)
-
Tsoi Lives starts this book on a great page. I loved how David wrote about Japanese culture, likely stepping out of his comfort zone? , in such an accurate way. All the characters in this piece from the fictional to the musings on the real Viktor Tsoi were just perfect. I really liked the way this piece wrapped itself up. I love when stories don't shy away from including the consequences of time.
-
Next we have the "English teacher" which uses a different mode of narrative to tell this story. (Every story in this book utilizes a different form of story telling which adds to the enjoyment you will get out of reading this whole book as one , as opposed to reading a story at a time) We follow an english teacher talking to his might be students about the realities of Russia. These students are wanting to study abroad in Volgograd , which is a darker place than St.Petersburg or Moscow... Volgograd is a hard place for foreigners , and this piece explains how. Never shying away from the truths the author feels , while also writing a very entertaining plot line. I do think this ending was doomed for me, because it came after Tsoi Lives's ending, but this one felt a little too inconclusive , which is why I had to take away a star from the rating.
-
Next we get the Seminal "Russia Cop" which is a chilling bit of satire. I love the way this story is told in the form of a screenplay for a documentary airing at a film festival. The piece does a great job at pulling you into it , so all the notifications the screenplay has of the camera panning in, or focusing on an object in the room, or fading to black before a clip of rain falling with narration before it moves onto the next scene REALLY GOT ACROSS. It worked very well for my imagination, I could see the film and it was a joy to follow it along. I really enjoyed the plot of this one as well, it is a dark piece about how dangerous a wanton patriotism can be.
-
Lastly we have "waiting for deacon" which is a short little piece about a group of friends who have been wronged by Aussies , so they now allow possession by that persona while they try and pub crawl all over the world. The way this piece is told is again different ! you get some joe rogan type interviews with the characters , intermingled with psychiatric evaluations. With an amazing epitaph of a characters last words. Great story that again sheds some light onto the dangers of identity, how far it can be pushed.
-
To conclude , this was one of the most entertaining books I've ever read, while still having enough truth under the surface to come away feeling like you have learned something about the world. books that accomplish that feeling of enjoyment with lecture are a rarity, this one accomplishes that - and what did I , or you expect? this writer is knowledgeable about the topic, and writes without bias , as an onlooker , not one wearing heritage. also when you purchase a copy , a percentage will be DONATED to Ukraine - so what are you waiting for?
March 16, 2022
Not that long ago, I got an email from the author, asking me whether I'd be interested in reading this book.
Specifically, the email arrived on February 23, around midnight my time, so I only read it on the 24th - and even though by that time the name of Russia had turned into a swear word overnight, I recklessly admitted that in fact I was interested in a collection of satirical stories around Russian themes. And as the author told me that he had previously lived in Russia and various post-Soviet countries, I was reassured that the book was unlikely to be a gushing and sentimental take on the Russian Soul.
Ah, the Russian Soul! The feeling of being chosen and special; cute diminutives all over the place; bottles of vodka and prefab blocks of flats; gopniks doing the Slav squat and eating sunflower seeds; filthy toilets and pub crawls till the break of dawn; penis parades and homophobia; organically developed Soviet rock music, untainted by the impurity of the imperialist West... and all the Westerners - Japanese, Americans and Australians - who adore all this and who all think that they're the only ones who can understand the Russian Soul even while they're proclaiming self-importantly how a Westerner can't ever understand the Russian Soul, ever.
The four stories examine the topic of the - yes, sorry, I'll write this a couple more times - Russian Soul from the perspectives of outside observers. In the first one, a group of Japanese office rats and bums develop a crush on the music of Viktor Tsoi (and I can understand why - I remember seeing the movie Summer a couple of years ago, which was about Tsoi, and I remember it as a movie with atmosphere and nostalgia aplenty); in the second one, an American teacher is giving an orientation lecture about what to expect in Russia to a group of American students - all of whom are wannabe Russian Soul majors - freshly arrived on a student immersion program; the third one is the screenplay of a documentary about none other than Russia Cop; and in the last one, a couple of American guys pretending to be Australians bum and crawl around the dive bars of Russia and Eastern Europe in general.
The four stories are only very slightly connected - what brings them all together is that they all deal with the... yes, yes: the Russian Soul!
A mysterious thing, or quality, or characteristic, or belief system that can't be grasped by outsiders and yet it seems to exist almost exclusively in the imagination of outsiders. For example, for the Japanese youth of the first story, the music of Viktor Tsoi embodies a certain mood, attitude and way of life that they also identify with, and the Russia of Viktor Tsoi seems to them a weirdly idyllic place, a place where they'd much rather belong to than to the soulless corporate world of Japan. And let's not even mention the story about Russia Cop - a story about the pure essence of the Russian Soul, a story about which I don't intend to say anything more, as it is surprising, funny and absurd.
And this can be said about the book as a whole, too - the author has a keen eye for recognizing all those truths, half-truths and stereotypes about Russia and Russian people, and he makes fun of all this in a kind of merciless but at the same time gentle way.
If there's any weakness, it's that these stories tend to end too abruptly (one story actually ends with the narrator saying: well, the story just kind of stops here) - as if after the firework of all those funny and delightfully exaggerated ideas and sarcastic comments, there wasn't enough energy left to round off the stories.
Still - I'm not terribly bothered by this, as I enjoyed this book, and now I've been listening to Tsoi's Gruppa krovi on repeat for two evenings in a row, and I might be on my way to become a Russian Soul fangirl.
Specifically, the email arrived on February 23, around midnight my time, so I only read it on the 24th - and even though by that time the name of Russia had turned into a swear word overnight, I recklessly admitted that in fact I was interested in a collection of satirical stories around Russian themes. And as the author told me that he had previously lived in Russia and various post-Soviet countries, I was reassured that the book was unlikely to be a gushing and sentimental take on the Russian Soul.
Ah, the Russian Soul! The feeling of being chosen and special; cute diminutives all over the place; bottles of vodka and prefab blocks of flats; gopniks doing the Slav squat and eating sunflower seeds; filthy toilets and pub crawls till the break of dawn; penis parades and homophobia; organically developed Soviet rock music, untainted by the impurity of the imperialist West... and all the Westerners - Japanese, Americans and Australians - who adore all this and who all think that they're the only ones who can understand the Russian Soul even while they're proclaiming self-importantly how a Westerner can't ever understand the Russian Soul, ever.
The four stories examine the topic of the - yes, sorry, I'll write this a couple more times - Russian Soul from the perspectives of outside observers. In the first one, a group of Japanese office rats and bums develop a crush on the music of Viktor Tsoi (and I can understand why - I remember seeing the movie Summer a couple of years ago, which was about Tsoi, and I remember it as a movie with atmosphere and nostalgia aplenty); in the second one, an American teacher is giving an orientation lecture about what to expect in Russia to a group of American students - all of whom are wannabe Russian Soul majors - freshly arrived on a student immersion program; the third one is the screenplay of a documentary about none other than Russia Cop; and in the last one, a couple of American guys pretending to be Australians bum and crawl around the dive bars of Russia and Eastern Europe in general.
The four stories are only very slightly connected - what brings them all together is that they all deal with the... yes, yes: the Russian Soul!
A mysterious thing, or quality, or characteristic, or belief system that can't be grasped by outsiders and yet it seems to exist almost exclusively in the imagination of outsiders. For example, for the Japanese youth of the first story, the music of Viktor Tsoi embodies a certain mood, attitude and way of life that they also identify with, and the Russia of Viktor Tsoi seems to them a weirdly idyllic place, a place where they'd much rather belong to than to the soulless corporate world of Japan. And let's not even mention the story about Russia Cop - a story about the pure essence of the Russian Soul, a story about which I don't intend to say anything more, as it is surprising, funny and absurd.
And this can be said about the book as a whole, too - the author has a keen eye for recognizing all those truths, half-truths and stereotypes about Russia and Russian people, and he makes fun of all this in a kind of merciless but at the same time gentle way.
If there's any weakness, it's that these stories tend to end too abruptly (one story actually ends with the narrator saying: well, the story just kind of stops here) - as if after the firework of all those funny and delightfully exaggerated ideas and sarcastic comments, there wasn't enough energy left to round off the stories.
Still - I'm not terribly bothered by this, as I enjoyed this book, and now I've been listening to Tsoi's Gruppa krovi on repeat for two evenings in a row, and I might be on my way to become a Russian Soul fangirl.
June 3, 2022
If Low’s first book, "CoinciDate", has to be put into a small box of a description, it would be apt to say it is an examination of people in places where they do not belong, even if there is nowhere else for them to be. The author’s second, and presently reviewed work, "Schlock", is a collection of short stories that quickly hum along. If it too, had to fit snugly into a labeled container, its description might read “travel is snake oil for the soul”. Across the short stories our protagonists and many of their acquaintances are in places they do not particularly belong, whether its a provincial Japanese man getting by in Tokyo or an American teacher in provincial Russia not; strangers in strange lands trying to expose to the world the ills that the locals have brought to the homes of their countrymen to muted recognition by the international community; a creative soul who looks for an outlet through the bops of acclaimed Soviet musician Viktor Tsoi, but in the wrong decade, or the legions of young Americans who travel to Russia to understand the ‘Russian soul’, who seek answers in the wrong century, if there ever were a time for their hypotheses. A young woman in love with the wrong man, and for those of us in the know, this too, is something like living in the wrong time.
The exceptions, those who are where they belong, exit and enter scenes – especially enjoyable are the bogan-backpacker Australians Kenny, Bruce, and the venerable-if-absent (if not omniscient) Deacon. The titular character of the short story “Russia Cop” is a nominal Frankenstein’s monster, a lab creation gone wrong, but is in fact the personification of a person-idea living comfortably in its proper place and thriving. The actual impossibility for us mortals to be so in one place and in one time as Russia Cop in the Russian Federation drives the argument home, that there is something about modernity that precludes the possibility of most of us ever getting too comfortable, at home or elsewhere. Whether this is because of the social conditions we all find ourselves in, the market, legalistic, and societal structures that uphold each people’s own contemporary Russia Cop, or because it is ingrained somewhere in the human condition.
Overall this collection of short stories engages with the timeless themes of alienation, love, and travel while also touching on particularly timely issues like the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the Russian military’s own and it’s proxies’ atrocities there. The influences on Low’s writing by Bulgakov, Kharms, and Gogol seem apparent even if unintentional, and any admirer of Chapek should particularly enjoy the featured short story. Like his first published novel, there is much for you to enjoy here, but in smaller bites and with more humor, a necessity as the gallows of climate change, nuclear annihilation, and pestilence promise an ever fuzzier but increasingly imminent execution date for us all.
The exceptions, those who are where they belong, exit and enter scenes – especially enjoyable are the bogan-backpacker Australians Kenny, Bruce, and the venerable-if-absent (if not omniscient) Deacon. The titular character of the short story “Russia Cop” is a nominal Frankenstein’s monster, a lab creation gone wrong, but is in fact the personification of a person-idea living comfortably in its proper place and thriving. The actual impossibility for us mortals to be so in one place and in one time as Russia Cop in the Russian Federation drives the argument home, that there is something about modernity that precludes the possibility of most of us ever getting too comfortable, at home or elsewhere. Whether this is because of the social conditions we all find ourselves in, the market, legalistic, and societal structures that uphold each people’s own contemporary Russia Cop, or because it is ingrained somewhere in the human condition.
Overall this collection of short stories engages with the timeless themes of alienation, love, and travel while also touching on particularly timely issues like the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the Russian military’s own and it’s proxies’ atrocities there. The influences on Low’s writing by Bulgakov, Kharms, and Gogol seem apparent even if unintentional, and any admirer of Chapek should particularly enjoy the featured short story. Like his first published novel, there is much for you to enjoy here, but in smaller bites and with more humor, a necessity as the gallows of climate change, nuclear annihilation, and pestilence promise an ever fuzzier but increasingly imminent execution date for us all.
March 1, 2022
To steal a quote from the book’s main story, “Russia Cop”: “Russia cannot be understood by the mind alone…In Russia, one can only believe” - Fyodor Tyutchev, 19th century Russian author.
So I’ve been sitting in front of my computer screen for entirely too long, hoping that the white abyss of this word document would resolve into some sort of coherent statement about David R. Low’s SCHLOCK - what worked, what didn’t, how it made me feel, why you should read it, etc. And I think I’ve identified my main obstacle: this book is mostly about Russia, and I’m not sure I can fully articulate my own feelings about Russia at the moment. Which may be why parts of SCHLOCK feel so poignant to me.
I lived in Russia for a few years, and while I loved my time there, I made the right decision to move back to the US. Reading these stories made me feel a similar ambivalence, an admiration for Russian culture and an aversion to some aspects of Russian society. While the book is critical of Russia, its criticisms are rooted in a wide and eclectic mix of cross-references to Russian literature, music, history, and so on.
But the stories in SCHLOCK are not just accessible to those already familiar with Russian culture, and can, in my opinion, largely be read as a representation of “Russian Soul” from an outside perspective. “Tsoi Lives”, the first in the collection, believably demonstrates how someone could fall in love with Russia before ever setting foot there, simply by becoming obsessed with one of its many artistic geniuses. Though I was initially mixed about this story, on rereading I thought it was the most emotionally and metaphorically profound in the collection.
The next story, “English Teacher”, starts realistically enough but gradually turns into a surreal fantasy, almost like a skit from Adult Swim about everything that could possibly go wrong on a given day in Russia. The absurd atmosphere and unpredictability of the story reminded me of Low’s first book, CoinciDATE. In comparing the two, the plot of “English Teacher” felt more like a natural progression within the setting, perhaps owing to the absurdities inherent in Russian life today. Some readers may be unsatisfied with or confused by the ending, but I felt it worked well, considering the bizarre events leading up to it.
In his second book, Low has refined his technique, perhaps most visibly in the wide variety of narrative styles throughout SCHLOCK. The last two stories in particular, “Russia Cop” and “Waiting for Deacon”, make interesting use of narrative formats, creating a feeling reminiscent of flipping through channels on the TV late at night. “Russia Cop” is also the strongest of the collection, one of the most entertaining, memorable, and bananas (*wink*) stories I’ve read. It serves as an allegory for political culture within the modern Russian Federation and a response to those who praise Russia as a bastion of chauvinism and “traditional” values. From my perspective of late February 2022, parts of the story feel painfully relevant in regards to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The deep descent into absurdity throughout SCHLOCK culminates in “Waiting for Deacon”. While it’s the shortest and weakest of the book, I enjoyed it as a tidy postscript and as a satire of people who center their whole identities around the idea of the “unknowable” Russian Soul. SCHLOCK is not a wholesale condemnation, but it does critically engage with the values of Russia today. By the end I was agreeing with Fyodor Tyutchev, in a way; at times the book forced me to put aside logic and think about Russia more emotionally. The fact that it continues to affect me shows the power Low has as a writer. SCHLOCK may be about schlock, but SCHLOCK is not schlock.
So I’ve been sitting in front of my computer screen for entirely too long, hoping that the white abyss of this word document would resolve into some sort of coherent statement about David R. Low’s SCHLOCK - what worked, what didn’t, how it made me feel, why you should read it, etc. And I think I’ve identified my main obstacle: this book is mostly about Russia, and I’m not sure I can fully articulate my own feelings about Russia at the moment. Which may be why parts of SCHLOCK feel so poignant to me.
I lived in Russia for a few years, and while I loved my time there, I made the right decision to move back to the US. Reading these stories made me feel a similar ambivalence, an admiration for Russian culture and an aversion to some aspects of Russian society. While the book is critical of Russia, its criticisms are rooted in a wide and eclectic mix of cross-references to Russian literature, music, history, and so on.
But the stories in SCHLOCK are not just accessible to those already familiar with Russian culture, and can, in my opinion, largely be read as a representation of “Russian Soul” from an outside perspective. “Tsoi Lives”, the first in the collection, believably demonstrates how someone could fall in love with Russia before ever setting foot there, simply by becoming obsessed with one of its many artistic geniuses. Though I was initially mixed about this story, on rereading I thought it was the most emotionally and metaphorically profound in the collection.
The next story, “English Teacher”, starts realistically enough but gradually turns into a surreal fantasy, almost like a skit from Adult Swim about everything that could possibly go wrong on a given day in Russia. The absurd atmosphere and unpredictability of the story reminded me of Low’s first book, CoinciDATE. In comparing the two, the plot of “English Teacher” felt more like a natural progression within the setting, perhaps owing to the absurdities inherent in Russian life today. Some readers may be unsatisfied with or confused by the ending, but I felt it worked well, considering the bizarre events leading up to it.
In his second book, Low has refined his technique, perhaps most visibly in the wide variety of narrative styles throughout SCHLOCK. The last two stories in particular, “Russia Cop” and “Waiting for Deacon”, make interesting use of narrative formats, creating a feeling reminiscent of flipping through channels on the TV late at night. “Russia Cop” is also the strongest of the collection, one of the most entertaining, memorable, and bananas (*wink*) stories I’ve read. It serves as an allegory for political culture within the modern Russian Federation and a response to those who praise Russia as a bastion of chauvinism and “traditional” values. From my perspective of late February 2022, parts of the story feel painfully relevant in regards to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The deep descent into absurdity throughout SCHLOCK culminates in “Waiting for Deacon”. While it’s the shortest and weakest of the book, I enjoyed it as a tidy postscript and as a satire of people who center their whole identities around the idea of the “unknowable” Russian Soul. SCHLOCK is not a wholesale condemnation, but it does critically engage with the values of Russia today. By the end I was agreeing with Fyodor Tyutchev, in a way; at times the book forced me to put aside logic and think about Russia more emotionally. The fact that it continues to affect me shows the power Low has as a writer. SCHLOCK may be about schlock, but SCHLOCK is not schlock.
June 21, 2022
SCHLOCK is one of the craziest things I have ever read. 10/10 can recommend it to anyone who either is obsessed with strange fiction you won't find elsewhere, or Russian/Eastern European madness. I haven't opened a book since I gave birth to my son, but here I was, almost two years later, thinking it's about time to read something. SCHLOCK laid before me, and behold, I opened it.
The first story draws a very odd line from busy Tokyo salarymen to a long-gone Soviet rockstar. The story is, probably, the least odd of the four in the book. The strange Japanese friend group depicted in the story, and their encounters, is relatable and hilarious.
The second story is my personal favourite from the book. Set in a gloomy Russian provincial setting, it is disturbingly relatable to anyone who has been so (un)fortunate to spend the summer in rural Russia, met an American English teacher or study abroad-students. Oh God... This, mixed together with an insane depiction of what we in Danish call "a Tycho Brahe's day", a day with unusual misfortune, and a good old potion of Murphy's law added to the brew. Low depicts Russia at its worst, tongue-in-cheek and profoundly hilarious, evil and with an irony so thick that the book is dripping it. No one is spared - not the Americans, not the Russians.
The third story, Russia Cop, is obscene, and takes the book to new heights. This is clearly the central piece of the book, the icing on the cake. A mockery of "Russian soul", mindless Russian patriotism, and in short everything that is wrong with Russia. In its own way it is disturbingly prophetic of the aggressive totalitarian dictatorship that Russia has turned into in 2022. But this story will make you laugh, and perhaps also cry, in its absurd, fantastic and hilarious depiction of the "Gopnik" country's flaws..
The fourth story goes after the Aussies. As a person who has lived in Australia, this ruthless depiction of down under madness is super funny and shlockingly (ha-ha) accurate.
You can feel that Low has spent a lot of time in Russia, and with an underplayed, uncanny and insane voice, he takes the reader on a completely mad journey.
I liked it.
The first story draws a very odd line from busy Tokyo salarymen to a long-gone Soviet rockstar. The story is, probably, the least odd of the four in the book. The strange Japanese friend group depicted in the story, and their encounters, is relatable and hilarious.
The second story is my personal favourite from the book. Set in a gloomy Russian provincial setting, it is disturbingly relatable to anyone who has been so (un)fortunate to spend the summer in rural Russia, met an American English teacher or study abroad-students. Oh God... This, mixed together with an insane depiction of what we in Danish call "a Tycho Brahe's day", a day with unusual misfortune, and a good old potion of Murphy's law added to the brew. Low depicts Russia at its worst, tongue-in-cheek and profoundly hilarious, evil and with an irony so thick that the book is dripping it. No one is spared - not the Americans, not the Russians.
The third story, Russia Cop, is obscene, and takes the book to new heights. This is clearly the central piece of the book, the icing on the cake. A mockery of "Russian soul", mindless Russian patriotism, and in short everything that is wrong with Russia. In its own way it is disturbingly prophetic of the aggressive totalitarian dictatorship that Russia has turned into in 2022. But this story will make you laugh, and perhaps also cry, in its absurd, fantastic and hilarious depiction of the "Gopnik" country's flaws..
The fourth story goes after the Aussies. As a person who has lived in Australia, this ruthless depiction of down under madness is super funny and shlockingly (ha-ha) accurate.
You can feel that Low has spent a lot of time in Russia, and with an underplayed, uncanny and insane voice, he takes the reader on a completely mad journey.
I liked it.
March 22, 2022
David R. Low’s collection of stories in Schlock wash over you like a big bucket of ice water after a long banya sweat — of questionable value to your long-term health, but unequivocally refreshing. Somebody who knows a thing or two about writing once said, “If you expect to succeed as a writer, rudeness should be the 2nd to least of your concerns. The least of all should be polite society and what it expects. If you intend to write as truthfully as you can, your days as a member of polite society are numbered anyway.” I don’t know how many days DRL spent in so-called ‘polite society,’ but Schlock’s date of publication was definitely his Kool-Aid Man style exit. With each side-splitting story, David confidently pushes one of his last remaining stacks of chips into the pot until he’s ‘all-in’ on truthful writing and crafted storytelling. If you came here for hackneyed spy thrillers, clichéd tales of Cold War chess masters, or recycled narratives of the Russian Soul, you’re S.O.L.. Your expectations will be taken out back and summarily executed. David portrays the down-and-dirty side of Russia few foreigners ever get to witness — the Russia from within. I say that having lived there myself for several years. Prior to Schlock, only two books had ever made me literally laugh out loud while reading (Jerome K. Jerome’s Three Men in a Boat and Joseph Heller’s Catch 22). Now, Schlock makes it a perfect troika (Бог же любит троицу) and I marvel at how he managed to combine Jerome’s hijinks with Heller’s wit and garnish it all with a pinch of Dovlatov’s absurdity. If this grandiose exit from polite society indeed marks his commitment to truthful writing, then a prolific career as a writer lies ahead of DRL and I look forward to following his future works in the years to come.
December 30, 2022
David’s style reminds me of documentaries. While reading “Schlock” I cannot get rid of the feeling that he describes real events. He talks to me from the pages with the same witty humor and profound imagination, as in real life. As David’s friend, I can tell that he is one of the most interesting people you can talk to. Plus, he can proficiently grasp the essence of the human soul with all its dark corners. Boundless empathy helps him to travel through these gloomy corners of the soul. This is the journey each reader can take, if he or she opens a book by David R. Low.
If Coincidate is a journey into the dark souls of incels (though not only them, if I'm totally honest), Schlock takes readers inside the russian soul. As someone who studies his characters for months, David has got to know russians very closely. His experience of life in russia and knowledge of the language, enhances his proficient understanding of the russian soul. The collection of stories presented in Schlock immerse readers into the dim reality of russia and cruelty of russian people. However, David masterfully makes even horrible characters relatable. He describes them so humanely that they stand in front of the reader's view unveiled. This vulnerability of antagonists is what makes the reading so engaging.
David R. Low has started to unromanticize the russian soul long before it became mainstream. Inherent criticism of Western fascination with russian culture lurks from every page of the book. If you want to see the real flawed fratricidal russian soul, read Schlock. The book won't destroy your illusions about greatness of russia painfully, because it is written sensitively by the man who was disappointed in anything russian (including people) himself.
If Coincidate is a journey into the dark souls of incels (though not only them, if I'm totally honest), Schlock takes readers inside the russian soul. As someone who studies his characters for months, David has got to know russians very closely. His experience of life in russia and knowledge of the language, enhances his proficient understanding of the russian soul. The collection of stories presented in Schlock immerse readers into the dim reality of russia and cruelty of russian people. However, David masterfully makes even horrible characters relatable. He describes them so humanely that they stand in front of the reader's view unveiled. This vulnerability of antagonists is what makes the reading so engaging.
David R. Low has started to unromanticize the russian soul long before it became mainstream. Inherent criticism of Western fascination with russian culture lurks from every page of the book. If you want to see the real flawed fratricidal russian soul, read Schlock. The book won't destroy your illusions about greatness of russia painfully, because it is written sensitively by the man who was disappointed in anything russian (including people) himself.
April 28, 2022
SCHLOCK Featuring Russia Cop by author David R. Low is a collection of four short stories that start in Japan and quickly move to Russia. These intriguing stories are very different in structure and style but share themes of obsession, disorder, and finding the so-called ‘Russian Soul’ through dark satire that isn’t afraid to descend into the bizarre. Low’s Russia is a chaotic society where culture has been consumed by a never-ending stream of filthy, overcrowded bars and a juvenile obsession with violence, drinking, and sex.
Whether it’s the ridiculous “Waiting for Deacon,” in which two Americans pointlessly pretend to be Australian, or the disturbing world that’s ruled by “Russia Cop” and an army of apes, the threat of violence is never far from the surface in these stories.
“English Teacher” starts as a traditional short story but soon transforms into a surreal drama in which everything that could possibly go wrong does go wrong. Unfortunately, the ending here leaves you with more questions than answers.
The best story of the collection is “Tsoi Lives,” in which a group of acquaintances travels to Russia in search of a one-time rock star. Exploring infatuation and identity, this is an emotionally gripping tale offering profound commentary on culture and obsession.
I found the metaphors commenting on Russia’s hatred of the U.S. to be transparent. That aside, the satire is dark and haunting. The characters are well-drawn and complex, giving readers a variety of personalities to follow. Low’s ability to create realistic dialogue even when the subjects are not is noteworthy.
SCHLOCK Featuring Russia Cop is a collection of dark and satirical short stories. These inventive stories are incredibly well-written and memorable, and fans of the absurd will find them funny. If you know Russia from the inside, this collection is a must-read.
Whether it’s the ridiculous “Waiting for Deacon,” in which two Americans pointlessly pretend to be Australian, or the disturbing world that’s ruled by “Russia Cop” and an army of apes, the threat of violence is never far from the surface in these stories.
“English Teacher” starts as a traditional short story but soon transforms into a surreal drama in which everything that could possibly go wrong does go wrong. Unfortunately, the ending here leaves you with more questions than answers.
The best story of the collection is “Tsoi Lives,” in which a group of acquaintances travels to Russia in search of a one-time rock star. Exploring infatuation and identity, this is an emotionally gripping tale offering profound commentary on culture and obsession.
I found the metaphors commenting on Russia’s hatred of the U.S. to be transparent. That aside, the satire is dark and haunting. The characters are well-drawn and complex, giving readers a variety of personalities to follow. Low’s ability to create realistic dialogue even when the subjects are not is noteworthy.
SCHLOCK Featuring Russia Cop is a collection of dark and satirical short stories. These inventive stories are incredibly well-written and memorable, and fans of the absurd will find them funny. If you know Russia from the inside, this collection is a must-read.
March 18, 2022
4/5 Very Good, Extremely Different, Challenging and Unique.
This book is extraordinary. I was sent a copy by author David Low and i have to be honest on first view I thought what is this?
Picking up the book, expecting some kind of pretentious, pompous babble I was going to put down after a few pages , I was very quickly surprised and enchanted by both the very easy to like writing style and the storytelling itself.
4 loosely connected Short Stories , starting in Tokyo, and ending in Russia make up Schlock.
A journey full of eccentric, eclectic characters, built on obsession, the stories really do pack a punch.
There is a razor sharp, satirical, burning humour throughout, and in the days we are in right now, this book of Russian tales, of the Russian Soul is acutely apt.
4 mesmerising tales, with deeply ingrained messages to discover, this is clever, thought-provoking and stunningly well written.
I’m surprised I loved it and am so glad I dismissed my apprehensions.
This book is extraordinary. I was sent a copy by author David Low and i have to be honest on first view I thought what is this?
Picking up the book, expecting some kind of pretentious, pompous babble I was going to put down after a few pages , I was very quickly surprised and enchanted by both the very easy to like writing style and the storytelling itself.
4 loosely connected Short Stories , starting in Tokyo, and ending in Russia make up Schlock.
A journey full of eccentric, eclectic characters, built on obsession, the stories really do pack a punch.
There is a razor sharp, satirical, burning humour throughout, and in the days we are in right now, this book of Russian tales, of the Russian Soul is acutely apt.
4 mesmerising tales, with deeply ingrained messages to discover, this is clever, thought-provoking and stunningly well written.
I’m surprised I loved it and am so glad I dismissed my apprehensions.
June 20, 2022
Finally I could read another work by David.
I am a fan of his first book "Coincidate" and literally couldn't wait for a new one! Thankfully, it arrived soon.
It exceeded all my expectations.
I could travel to Japan, Russian smaller towns, Ukraine... It took me to many places! The diversity of stories is truly astonishing. But there was also something that united it all - the essence of Russia, Russian people, the absurdity of all the situations. It felt like all the stories are like a dream, but a very real one. David didn't live in Russia for nothing, now I know for sure.
And his book isn't something you come across so often. It's not something when a foreign person went to a country for a week or two and decided to write a book about it. Totally opposite. When you read it, you truly know that he experienced a lot while in Russia.
Thank you for this hell of a ride. Can't wait for your new books!
I am a fan of his first book "Coincidate" and literally couldn't wait for a new one! Thankfully, it arrived soon.
It exceeded all my expectations.
I could travel to Japan, Russian smaller towns, Ukraine... It took me to many places! The diversity of stories is truly astonishing. But there was also something that united it all - the essence of Russia, Russian people, the absurdity of all the situations. It felt like all the stories are like a dream, but a very real one. David didn't live in Russia for nothing, now I know for sure.
And his book isn't something you come across so often. It's not something when a foreign person went to a country for a week or two and decided to write a book about it. Totally opposite. When you read it, you truly know that he experienced a lot while in Russia.
Thank you for this hell of a ride. Can't wait for your new books!
May 29, 2022
Oh boy! That was quite a trip! Try combining Soviet rock stars, exchange students attempting to understand Russian Soul, AI sex dolls, super cop, and Australian pub crawlers in one book, and you'll get the final product that is "Schlock." Regardless of this diversity of characters, the stories within the book are interrelated and connected to the overall theme. David Low did an excellent job writing a book that is hilarious and poignant at the same time. Without resorting to the cultural cliches, the author revealed some elements of Russia's dark side. This book will make you laugh, make you sad, and think, all at once. Get yourself a copy!
March 7, 2022
David Low isn't afraid to let his writing go in ridiculous directions, which is part of what makes his work so funny. This book is comprised of four short stories, each one is more ridiculous than the last. It pokes fun at the culture of modern day Russia as well as the various habits of annoying tourists. The wordplay is especially hilarious. There is a joke about "loitering" that particularly cracked me up. The first story, Tsoi Lives, is the only non-comedic story of the bunch and it proves that Low can break your heart as easily as he can make you laugh.
May 1, 2022
I like the way David Low writes, his books are absorbing and easy to read. The book cointains short stories with all actions placed in Russia. As a Russian, I was quite surprised how many aspects of living in Russia were precisely described in the book. Although, it should be taken into account that the stories are surrealistic, sometimes exaggerated and mostly focused on the negative sides of living in Russia, but many things there are so true. I highly recommend if you want to know more about the "Russian Soul" or just enjoy a good writing style.
December 3, 2022
As other reviews have pointed out, this book is hilarious, but I almost feel that description does this work a disservice because it doesn't express how insightful and brutally honest it is. This book is a must read for anyone who has ever spent time in Eastern Europe/the post-Soviet space. Is it a little out there sometimes? Sure, but that's part of the fun of flipping the pages of this weird ass book.
November 30, 2024
Quite an enjoyable crawl. I would often read Schlock on my short lunch breaks, especially on frustrating days. Reading characters with lives more pathetic than mine was comforting. This read is by no means a downer, it is hilarious. The stories are woven together by a scores of characters who reflect off each other brilliantly. David Low is a master of the minor character and the outrageous conclusions for me, remained well inbounds, of absurdity for the sake of absurdity.
June 21, 2022
Mr. Low is a master of story telling. Intrigue, strong character development and plot twists abound. If you have experience in Asia or the former Soviet Union, these tales will resonate and certainly evoke strong memories and emotions as they did with me. Highly recommend SCHLOCK featuring Russia Cop as well as his previous novel COINCIDATE. Treat yourself to a wild ride!
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