Book Review: Wire and Spittle by Chris Kelso

Wire and Spittle by Chris Kelso

Paperback, 88 pages

Published July 2015 by Omnium Gatherum

A short but real cool surreal science fiction by the bizarro author via Scotland Chris Kelso. Set in a alternate dimension which is home to most of Kelso's fiction called "The Slave state." The Slave state is in danger, a comet is on the way that has size to destroy the world. This novella is told the lens of the various punk bands playing gigs around this surreal setting.

Kelso creates a scene that we see through the eyes of Leatherface who plays music and travels around watching bands play. He had been in a queer-core band called Radical Faeries. One cool aspect of the novel is the various bands, and how they represent different corners of the Slave State. Some favorites include Monkey Gland,Scarlot Harlots, Sonic Vagina. As weird and surreal as the Slave State is one thing that made the novella work was how familiar the punk scene is the book was. The bands sounded like real bands.

The narrative is structured in a interesting way weaving band histories, track listings, lyrics and straight prose to tell a neat story about a completely surreal environment. Fantastic punk themed Science Fiction. Very very cool book. I savored every page once it got going.