Loghorrhea Review
Strange Horizons has a review of Loghorhea up. And they liked my 13,000-word “Appoggiatura” story. A lot. I’m happy about this because any time you write a 13k story you’re proud of, you really like to see it get some attention. Truth is, there’ve been very few reviews of the anthology. And a couple of reviewers didn’t read “Appoggiatura.” In one case it’s quite clear because they thought it was a bunch of unrelated vignettes. Anyway, I’m rather fond of the thing, so I’ll be podcasting it next week to resurrect it.
Evil Monkey: Claiming a lot for that thar story, Captain.
Jeff: Yeah, well you write 13k of some of your best stuff and see if you can just walk away.
Evil Monkey: My best stuff is up thar on the wall, Captain. In brown. Flung.
Jeff: Beautiful.
August 15, 2007 at 8:51 pm
I’ve seen that one at my local Giant Monster Bookstore, but haven’t had the scratch to grab it yet. Don’t worry – it’s on my “to review” list.
August 16, 2007 at 3:07 am
I really, really enjoyed that story, even though I had to fight to stay awake because I’d flown back from the US and barely slept and all my energy had suddenly run laughing for the hills. I was determined to finish it and did (but should probably read it when I’m awake at some point to appreciate it more). I liked a lot how they linked up.
August 16, 2007 at 3:34 am
Having read through my copy several times now, I actually find myself agreeing with you. “Appoggiatura” was one of the finest stories in the volume; which is saying something as it is a collection amidst which brilliant and novel ideas and finely tuned prose run rampant.
Your broken history of Smaragdine told through the obsessions of those touched by the green reads like a history of surreal and fabulous art from the latter half of the last century: The seperated twins in Jodorowsky’s circus act, the reviled and exalted pariah of Smaragdine letters falling to the fate that Rushdie never met, and the detective so reminiscent of much of your recent work…
Needless to say, I’ve spent a few long nights in the office taking apart the beautiful and convoluted passages, haunted by images and scenes that read like something out of fever dreams from my early days of hallucinogen use. There is something deeply disturbing about the entirety of the story that never fully surfaces in the conscious brain, something that keeps me looking over my shoulder and jumping everytime a flash of green flickers at the edge of my vision.
Thanks for that.
August 16, 2007 at 7:19 am
Wow. Thanks for that DH and Alex and Matt. I guess it felt like it had disappeared off the face of the earth, but I’m glad people are reading it, and the rest of the antho!
Jeff
August 16, 2007 at 7:20 am
Although I’m vaguely aware DH might be havin’ me on. LOL. :)
Jeff
August 16, 2007 at 7:55 am
Heh, we both might wish that were the case. Sadly, I must confess to once having a review of Michael Cisco’s ‘The Divinity Student’ rejected by an editor at the Ohio State Lantern because “you can not describe someone’s prose style as ‘tasting like an age darkened oil painting in slow sepia tones seen through the dusty windows of a derelict shop.’”
Apparently the world just isn’t ready for Gonzo literary reviews yet…
August 16, 2007 at 11:24 am
But that’s a perfect description!
Jeff