Paperback, 138 pages
Published September 2011 by Astrophil Press (first published July 2000)
Anyone that follows my blog or podcast knows that I am a huge fan of Brian Evenson. This book, however, was released many years before I discovered his writing. I should have noticed when this was re-released by my old friend Duncan Barlow at Astrophil press in 2011. I have been meaning to go back and read some of Evenson's early work and thanks to this book I got a chance.
This collection includes the O.Henry award-winning short story, Two Brothers. It is a great example of Evenson who was already 19 years ago writing powerful and beautifully surreal tales. The opening story has moments of body horror but descends into surreal paranoia. This story is pure prose insanity and in the hands of a less accomplished writer, it would be a mess. This opening story is a statement and a good story to test your compatibility with this author.
I personally think Evenson is a genius and one of those authors that walks a perfect tightrope between high-class literature and badass genre. These days he writes full out horror and Science Fiction. I think this collection is more when he was dipping his toe in the genre pool. He probably wasn't aware he was doing it.
I know that Evenson didn't really consider himself a horror writer at the stage when these stories were written. That is surprising to me. The stories are bleak, the tone is fully horror but many of the stories had a western vibe or feel to them which I think is expressed on the cover. Personally, my favorite story was the one called A Hanging.
Evenson is one of the best short story writers we have. I know that sounds like hyperbole but he has mastered the short form and anyone who likes short stories needs to have and read all his collections.
Tuesday, December 3, 2019
Book Review: Contagion and Other Stories by Brian Evenson
Contagion and Other Stories by Brian Evenson
Paperback, 138 pages
Published September 2011 by Astrophil Press (first published July 2000)
Anyone that follows my blog or podcast knows that I am a huge fan of Brian Evenson. This book, however, was released many years before I discovered his writing. I should have noticed when this was re-released by my old friend Duncan Barlow at Astrophil press in 2011. I have been meaning to go back and read some of Evenson's early work and thanks to this book I got a chance.
This collection includes the O.Henry award-winning short story, Two Brothers. It is a great example of Evenson who was already 19 years ago writing powerful and beautifully surreal tales. The opening story has moments of body horror but descends into surreal paranoia. This story is pure prose insanity and in the hands of a less accomplished writer, it would be a mess. This opening story is a statement and a good story to test your compatibility with this author.
I personally think Evenson is a genius and one of those authors that walks a perfect tightrope between high-class literature and badass genre. These days he writes full out horror and Science Fiction. I think this collection is more when he was dipping his toe in the genre pool. He probably wasn't aware he was doing it.
I know that Evenson didn't really consider himself a horror writer at the stage when these stories were written. That is surprising to me. The stories are bleak, the tone is fully horror but many of the stories had a western vibe or feel to them which I think is expressed on the cover. Personally, my favorite story was the one called A Hanging.
Evenson is one of the best short story writers we have. I know that sounds like hyperbole but he has mastered the short form and anyone who likes short stories needs to have and read all his collections.
Paperback, 138 pages
Published September 2011 by Astrophil Press (first published July 2000)
Anyone that follows my blog or podcast knows that I am a huge fan of Brian Evenson. This book, however, was released many years before I discovered his writing. I should have noticed when this was re-released by my old friend Duncan Barlow at Astrophil press in 2011. I have been meaning to go back and read some of Evenson's early work and thanks to this book I got a chance.
This collection includes the O.Henry award-winning short story, Two Brothers. It is a great example of Evenson who was already 19 years ago writing powerful and beautifully surreal tales. The opening story has moments of body horror but descends into surreal paranoia. This story is pure prose insanity and in the hands of a less accomplished writer, it would be a mess. This opening story is a statement and a good story to test your compatibility with this author.
I personally think Evenson is a genius and one of those authors that walks a perfect tightrope between high-class literature and badass genre. These days he writes full out horror and Science Fiction. I think this collection is more when he was dipping his toe in the genre pool. He probably wasn't aware he was doing it.
I know that Evenson didn't really consider himself a horror writer at the stage when these stories were written. That is surprising to me. The stories are bleak, the tone is fully horror but many of the stories had a western vibe or feel to them which I think is expressed on the cover. Personally, my favorite story was the one called A Hanging.
Evenson is one of the best short story writers we have. I know that sounds like hyperbole but he has mastered the short form and anyone who likes short stories needs to have and read all his collections.
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