Justifying Aliens at Christmas

Another Christmas has come and gone. As I ponder the ghosts of Christmases past, I find that I have spent a good portion of the holidays in that most traditional of pastimes. No, not stringing cranberries and popcorn on threads with which to decorate the Yule Tree. That only leads to bloodshed. I am referring to a far more traditional practice, one that is deeply ingrained in the holiday psyche: Watching Movies. 

Before we proceed, two notes of caution. One, if you are expecting reviews of movies such as "It's a Wonderful Life," or "Miracle on 34th Street," you are probably reading the wrong blog. Just sayin'. Two, this post is full of spoilers. So if you have not seen these movies, you can't say I didn't warn you. With that out of the way, let us move on to four of my favorite Christmas movies. You may be surprised by some of my choices, but I believe that I can justify each as a bona fide holiday treasure. So, without further ado or cautions, let's get to it.

Tim Burton's "Nightmare Before Christmas" is not actually a Tim Burton film. True, it is based on one of his stories, and he produced it, but it was directed by Henry Selick with a musical score by Danny Elfman. Still, the movie has all the hallmarks of Burton's work. The creepy world view, the delightfully gruesome characters, the macabre goofiness that makes up a good Burton film, all the key elements are here.

Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town, is suffering a crisis of faith. Another Halloween has come and gone; the same old thing, year after year. Sure, he is great at what he does, but the joy has gone out of it all. While taking a long walk to commune with his sorrows, Jack discovers a magical glen in a grim forest. Trees encircle the glen, and each tree has a magic door. Jack opens a door shaped and decorated like a Christmas tree. He is promptly sucked through the open door, beginning his magical journey into the underworld. Joseph Campbell would have approved.

The Pumpkin King falls and twirls through a vortex of Christmas images, popping out in the twinkling, snowy landscape of Christmas Town. The game is now afoot. Everything he sees is unique, wonderful, and enchanting. Jack has a new purpose. He will bring the news of Christmas back to Halloween Town and, together with his gruesome minions, he will remake Christmas. It will be better, more amazing, and, well, a lot weirder. 

Things do not, of course, go according to plan. The citizens of Halloween Town can't be other than they are. The toys they produce are horrific, the new Santa sleigh is a coffin mounted on skids, and the reindeer are skeletons. Pretty wonderful stuff. The real Santa Claus is kidnapped (Santa-napped?) by sawed-off henchmen. Despite dire warnings from Sally, the wonderful love interest, Jack persists with his crazy plans for a new and improved Christmas. The bad guy captures Santa, Christmas is in jeopardy, and all could be lost. 

But fear not. In the end, the Christmas Artillery shoots Jack from the sky before he can do too much damage. Santa is freed from the clutches of the villain, and, in the nick (Saint Nick, get it?) of time, Santa saves the day. Yay! Christmas is saved! Jack realizes his true purpose. He is the Pumpkin King. He will make the next Halloween the best ever; scarier, wilder, more gruesome than anything anyone has ever seen. In the final scene, Jack Skellington achieves redemption. And that, Children, is what a good Christmas movie is all about.

Willie T. Soke is not just a bad Santa; he is the worst Santa imaginable. Willie, played to the hilt by Billy Bob Thornton, embodies everything that is antithetical to Santa-like behavior. First, Willie drinks excessively. Which is to say that Willie drinks all of the time. This fact is established very quickly in the opening scene of this holiday classic. Aside from having a serious substance abuse issue, our Bad Santa is a safe-cracker. His abusive father taught him the skill, when he wasn't putting out lit cigarettes on young Willie's neck. Suffice it to say that Willie has some issues, not the least of which are questionable sexual practices in Women's Big and Tall.

Santa has a sidekick. Everyone loves an Elf, and this movie features a doozy. Marcus is a dwarf. Or maybe a midget. Little People, that's what they like to be called. But he doesn't have the fat sausage fingers, as John Ritter's character is quick to explain to Bernie Mac. That's right folks, you have Billy Bob Thornton, Tony Cox, John Ritter, and Bernie Mac tearing this film up. But I digress.

Marcus may be little, but he is the brains of the operation. He has a larcenous streak a mile wide. Every year, he and Willie pull the the same caper. The Santa and Elf team work a department store right up until Christmas Eve. When the store closes down the locked safe is stuffed with holiday loot. That is when Willie and Marcus do their real work. Mini-Marcus disables the alarm, and Willie gets busy cracking the safe. The next holiday season, it's a new town and a new mall. 

Willie's life takes a dramatic turn when he meets a woman; a bartender, naturally. She likes him just the way he is, which is very sweet, and very weird. Then, of course, there is a Kid. Christmas movie, right? Except this kid, Thurman Merman, is easily the weirdest child to ever grace an Xmas Flick. The scene is set for Willie to become more than just a horrible misrepresentation of Santa Claus. In the end, despite all of his issues, Willie T. Soke has the chance to become the representation of the true Santa. He also gets shot by the police in the process, but that is beside the point. 

Bad Santa is transformed into Good Santa. He overcomes selfishness and greed. In one desperate, senseless act, an act which involves a police chase, Willie embodies all that is good about the spirit of the holidays. Bad Santa also gets a little jail time for his trouble. But he achieves redemption. Hey, there it is again, the concept of redemption. Maybe we are on to something here.

Our next Christmas Classic is "Die Hard." Before you start in, allow me to quote my friend Nathan: "There are two kinds of people in the world: Those who think Die Hard is a Christmas movie, and those that are wrong." There you have it. Our hero decorates a dead guy with the words "Now I have a machine gun. Ho Ho Ho." How much more Christmas-y can you get, I ask you? Get over it, already. "Die Hard" is a Christmas movie and that is that.

John McClane is a New York City cop. He is on his way to Los Angeles in an attempt to patch things up with his estranged wife. And it's Christmas time. He arrives in the City of Angels just in time to attend a Christmas party being thrown at his wife's tony office building. The backstory is barely established when the bad guys show up. Yes Sir, you have a lone cop, a very tall building, and a bunch of heavily armed bad guys. Here we go.

The baddest of the bad guys, Hans Gruber, is played by Alan Rickman. Rickman is, in a word, amazing. That holds true for the entire cast of the film. Everyone, and I do mean everyone, is chewing on the scenery like it's a Sharknado Remake. Truly, this cast makes Val Kilmer look like a potted plant, which is no mean feat. The thing is, they are doing it so wonderfully that the viewer doesn't mind. It is all part of the fun.

So, bad guys arrive, bad things start to happen. John McClane is all alone, barefoot, and with only a few bullets. Despite the odds, our hero starts thinning the herd of bad guys. He gets the aforementioned machine gun. Ho Ho Ho, Christmas presents! Hans Gruber sticks to the plan, even when the building is surrounded by LA's Finest. He has some nasty surprises in store for the cops. Christmas, the season of surprises! But John McClane is screwing things up, getting more and more annoying as he kills off Hans' henchmen. What to do? 

Meanwhile, John has a radio. He establishes contact with one of the LA cops. This is his only link to the world outside the high rise trap that he finds himself in. When a pair of psycho FBI agents take over the crime scene, things quickly go from very bad to much worse. Things explode, hostages scream and run around like wayward elves, and the film rolls to a climax.

In the end, John McClane gets (you guessed it) redemption. He realizes how he has screwed up his marriage. Killing a bunch of Euro-trash bad guys, saving his wife from Hans; it makes everything clear for John. The happy couple are reconciled, the buddy cop saves the day, and all is well. Roll credits and let us queue up another holiday classic...

Our last Christmas movie is the classic Sci-Fi adventure "Aliens." Stop that, I can hear you. Before you get all up in arms, I want you to know that I consulted some experts on this one. My friend Demetrios, who has a degree in Christmasology, offered up some well-reasoned insights. He writes: "It’s always winter in space and Santa’s coordinates this Christmas season are out of this world." See, that's pretty convincing stuff. If that were not enough, he penned the following tagline: "The naughty little aliens won’t see him or his reindeer bring “love and peace” all over the galaxy this holiday season." In addition to that compelling evidence, I have the endorsement of my friend Delf. He writes: "Blood plus bike equals red and green." I have no idea what that means, but there you have it.

Back to our holiday movie. Ripley, accompanied by her intrepid crew of Space Marines, descends to a very wintery-looking planet. Winter equals snow, and snow is like Christmas. Their mission is to rescue a group of space settlers, who have not been heard from in some time. A rescue is like a Christmas present, right? So there's that. They don't find the settlers. Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. It's quiet; too quiet. But, lo and behold, they discover Newt, the little girl. Now we have a Kid, which is a big part of any Christmas movie. Newt is like a psychologically damaged Elf. Ripley needs to save Newt. That makes Ripley Newt's Santa Claus. You see? Now we are getting into the Holiday Spirit.

Of course, there is the small problem of the Aliens. The thing is, the Aliens are meant to represent the Grinch, if the Grinch were ten feet tall and had acid for blood. The Aliens, like the Grinch, are trying to steal Christmas. They want to do bad things to Ripley and Newt. They do manage to do a lot of very bad things to the Space Marines. Ripley defends Christmastime with some special toys, including a robot suit from which she fights the bad Grinch. Later, wearing a traditional holiday costume of a wife-beater and the most ill-fitting panties in the galaxy, she settles in for a long winter's nap. There is a momentary setback when the Grinch reappears, but everything is set right in the end. Ripley saves Newt, saves Christmas, and achieves redemption by vanquishing the Grinch forever. Obviously Ripley wasn't counting on the many sequels to follow, but those pathetic cash-grabs aren't Christmas movies so we do not need to concern ourselves with them.

_______________________

There you have it, Folks; four classic Christmas films. Next holiday season, plan ahead and have these movies on hand. They are sure to make that special day Hollier and Jollier. From Vienna, I am wishing you a wonderful and resolution-free New Year. Be well, be happy, be kind, and remember to giggle out loud.

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Thanks for reading my blog post. I hope you enjoyed it. If you liked what you read here, how about trying one of my novels? You can even take a book for a test ride with a FREE eBook. That's right, my novella CLOUDS BEFORE RAIN, the first volume in THE BEST DARK RAIN SERIES, is available as a free download. Subscribe to my mailing list and the good folks at Book Funnel will take care of the rest. No matter what country you live in, no matter what eReader you use, they should have you covered.

To learn more, please visit my website and look for the big button that says GET A FREE BOOK!! It's kind of hard to miss. Happy reading!!

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Book Review: "Ali: A Life" by Jonathan Eig

Ali: A Life by Jonathan Eig
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Jonathan Eig's "Ali: A Life" is a detailed and comprehensive biography. The book charts the life of heavy-weight boxer Muhammad Ali, perhaps the most famous athlete of the Twentieth Century. It is an arguable point, but Ali would have had an answer. He would say that he was the greatest of all time. Except that he would say "of allllll times.....!!" "Ali: A Life" was published in 2017 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and has a length of 640 pages.

There are several distinct narratives living between the covers of this book. There is the story of a heavy-weight boxer, Muhammad Ali. In and of itself, the tale of Ali's life would carry a normal biography. His larger-than-life personality, both in and out of the ring, made him front-page news. Ali's fame ran far outside the borders of the United States. Not only was he one of the most famous men in the USA, he was quite likely the most recognizable face in the world. And that face was Black.

Muhammad Ali was a Black Man. He was not a quiet Black Man. He did not fit into the mold of what a Black athlete was supposed to look like in a White society. Muhammad Ali was the man who would break that mold; upset the comfort zone of sportswriters and boxing fans. And this controversy, this collision of worlds, is the stuff of the second narrative. The second narrative is about race in the United States.

As a reader, I found a third narrative woven into the story of Muhammad Ali. That story was an oblique cultural history of the last quarter of the 20th Century. The perspective is as of something viewed in a mirror. In this case, the mirror is the life of Muhammad Ali.

To return to our first narrative: A Life. For readers who love a straight biography, there is a lot of meat here to chew on. Mr. Eig covers Ali's early life, when his name was Cassius Clay. We see a young boy growing up in segregated Louisville, Kentucky. He is always on the move, always in motion. Soon he is learning to box; the story of Cassius Clay mentored by a White policeman. Clay boxes his way to the US Olympic Team and a Gold Medal. And the story goes on, tracing his path to his first heavy-weight championship. The personal life of Muhammad Ali is documented in great detail, including the flaws and clichés that would become famous. The story continues, of course, through a new name, through other fights, other losses, other wives. As this very personal and complex life plays out, the author brings us to a fourth narrative but I will leave that for the last, as Mr. Eig does.

Woven through the transition from Cassius Clay to Muhammad Ali is the question of race in modern America. The very idea of race, of what it means to be a Black Man in the United States, is part and parcel to the life story of Muhammad Ali. There is no separating the two. Ali would not be quiet and he would not be humble. Ali would not be contained or defined by any preconceived notion of what a Black athlete should or should not do or say. Then, as if to draw the question of race into sharper focus, Cassius Clay did the unthinkable. He changed his name, he changed his religion, and he thumbed his nose at the US Government. He became more than a loud-mouthed Black boxer. Now he was thorn-in-the-side of those who hold the reins of power. Ali was a threat to the status quo.

Challenging the Powers-That-Be is a dangerous game. Cassius Clay changed his name to Muhammad Ali after becoming a member of the Nation of Islam. During these tumultuous times, the life of Ali holds up a mirror for the reader. In this mirror, we see many of the famous Black men of the time. Malcolm X was a friend and mentor to Ali, until the former split with Elijah Muhammad. Ali had to chose between the two men, and the choice would haunt him. Dr. King is seen through the mirror of Ali's life, as are Jesse Jackson and Louis Farrakhan. There were the Black men Ali would fight: Sonny Liston, Joe Frazier, Ken Norton, George Foreman, and Larry Holmes. Over the course of his career, we see Ali stripped of his title for refusing the Vietnam draft. We see him regain the heavy-weight title. Things are changing in the world. Black athletes from the US Olympic Team give the Black Power salute from the podium. Ali becomes a star. Some of the sportswriters that formerly reviled him now embrace him in their columns.

There remains a final narrative to the story of Muhammad Ali. Like many champions, he stayed too long. There are other clichés as well, sad and oft heard. There were other famous men, Black men, who would take advantage of the Champ. They sought a way to make a profit from Ali. It is the same sad story that happened to other champions from the past. Then there began to be clear signs that all was not well with the Champ. He was slower in the ring. He was slurring his speech. This was the time, the moment where Ali could have made the choice to retire. The Black men who profited from the Champ, Don King, Herbert Muhammad, they could have stopped Ali. But they did not. There was money to be made. Here we enter the final tragic chapter, the neurological damage that Muhammad Ali suffered. The end of Ali's life is the story of him dealing with this damage.

"Ali: A Life" is a well-written and well-crafted biography. The author does not pull any punches when it comes to the Champ's life. We see Ali as he was; complex and brilliant, flawed and naive. We see his generosity and his selfishness. Ali's life story is a large narrative, but when overlaid with the story of race and culture in the USA, this book reaches very far. I am happy to say that the author's reach does not exceed his grasp. A wonderfully successful biography, this is highly recommended reading.



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Book Review: "Slaughterhouse Five" by Kurt Vonnegut

Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Book Review: Slaughterhouse Five or The Children's Crusade: A Duty-Dance with Death (1969)

(Just for fun, I have decided to write this book review in the form of Questions & Answers. I ask your indulgence, but not too seriously.)

Question:
Why should I read this book? Why should I read any of Kurt Vonnegut's books?

Answer:
Those are very good questions. They are questions that would probably have caused Kurt Vonnegut to laugh out loud. Then he would have made a great joke. He might say something about how this novel is dangerous. You probably shouldn’t read it. He might mention the circuit court judge who, in 1972, called the book "depraved, immoral, psychotic, vulgar and anti-Christian.” I can hear Kurt Vonnegut laughing, saying something like: “You know, that judge was right on three of five counts. That’s a pretty good batting average.” Slaughterhouse Five was a controversial book and a banned book. That, in and of itself, is a good reason to read it.

Kicking Mr. Vonnegut out of the conversation, there are a number of other very good reasons for reading Slaughterhouse Five. First, it is a very funny book. It is laugh-out-loud funny, at times, but it is also very funny in ironic and subtle ways. Another reason for reading this book is that it is one of the great American Anti-War books to come out of World War Two. Perhaps the best reason to read this novel is because it is a damn good novel; funny, engaging, irreverent, and sharp-witted. The author’s satirical commentary on society was very valid in 1969, and is perhaps even more so today. “So it goes,” as Vonnegut would famously write.

Question:
Did the author have any real experience with war, or is this just a story he made up in his head?

Answer:
Kurt Vonnegut’s experiences in World War Two were all too real. He was assigned to the 106th Infantry Division, serving in the European Theater. His unit was relatively inexperienced. During the Battle of the Bulge in late 1944, the 106th was overrun by German Panzer units. Vonnegut was captured along with thousands of other Allied soldiers. He was interned at Dresden, Germany, a city with very little military significance. Two months later, in February of 1945, Allied bombers struck the city. The bombing went on for three days; destroying much of the city, and killing tens of thousands of German civilians.

Mr. Vonnegut survived the bombing attack in a below-ground meat locker at the slaughterhouse where the prisoners were housed; hence the title Slaughterhouse Five. When the bombing ended, the prisoners of war were put to work excavating the bodies of dead civilians from the piles of rubble. This would become one of the formative experiences in the young author’s life. In later years, he would describe the grisly work as a "terribly elaborate Easter-egg hunt.” After his experiences at Dresden, Mr. Vonnegut was very much an avowed pacifist. Not so surprising when one thinks about it.

Question:
Okay, but what is the story actually about?

Answer:
Slaughterhouse Five is the story of Billy Pilgrim becoming “unstuck in time.” Because he has come unstuck, he is able to move forward and backward through his own life. The story unfolds in a series of short vignettes, with the reader seeing little slices of Billy’s life as he experiences and re-experiences them. Vonnegut quipped that each of these vignettes made up one joke. It takes a bit of getting used to, but the reader will be soon be bouncing through time alongside Billy.

The story opens with the Author describing his twenty-plus year struggle to write a story about the Dresden bombings. Once the set-up is in place, we jump into Billy Pilgrim’s life. He is at his daughter’s wedding, then, oops, he goes out for a bit of fresh air and is captured by aliens; the Tralfamadorians. He is unstuck and finds himself back in Dresden, a POW once more. When Billy gets back to earth, he talks about the aliens. Folks on earth quite naturally think that Billy is crazy, so it is off to the Psych Ward for our protagonist.

So it goes; a series of small jig-saw puzzle pieces that all end up fitting together quite nicely: Billy Pilgrim as a successful adult, Billy Pilgrim on an alien planet, Billy Pilgrim back in the horrific ruins of Dresden. The story moves forward in a series of spirals, with each loop progressing a bit further through the tale. Woven through the vignettes is an amazing satirical social commentary. This commentary is, in my opinion, the real joy of this novel. Human beings are strange and funny creatures. Their beliefs and actions, when seen through the lens of Billy’s time-travels, are even stranger and funnier.

Question:
Hmmm… is this one of those ‘Really-Hard-to-Read’ books?

Answer:
No, not at all. Although the description may make it sound a bit difficult, Slaughterhouse Five is actually a romp of a book. It is fairly short for one thing; just 275 pages. Vonnegut uses a simple and straight-forward writing style. His ideas and satire are complex and compelling, but his written language is very easy to read.

This is a modern classic, to be sure, but a very accessible modern classic. For me, Kurt Vonnegut has always seemed like a Counter-Culture reincarnation of Mark Twain. Not only did the two men look a bit alike, their views on human nature were not that dissimilar. And, like many social commentators who live to a ripe old age, they both grew more pessimistic as they grew older. As an aside, I find this totally understandable. Despite the best efforts of Satirists, human beings just keep doing the same silly stuff. We humans still bomb cities, knowing it is not the brightest thing to do. So it goes.

I recommend this book very highly. Sure, it is an important novel. Yes, it has been listed as in the Top 100 American novels by everyone and their uncle. While that is all fine and dandy, the real reason to read this book is that it is a funny, insightful, compelling look at why human beings do some of the crazy stuff that we do.



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Thanks for reading one of my short pieces of fiction. I hope you enjoyed it. While you are here, how about a FREE eBook? That's right, my novella CLOUDS BEFORE RAIN, the first volume in THE BEST DARK RAIN SERIES, is available as a free download. Subscribe to my mailing list and the good folks at Book Funnel will take care of the rest. No matter what country you live in, no matter what eReader you use, they should have you covered.

To learn more, please visit my website and look for the big button that says GET A FREE BOOK!! It's kind of hard to miss. Happy reading!!

Marco Etheridge Fiction

 
 

Book Review: "Sacré Bleu" by Christopher Moore

Sacré Bleu: A Comedy d'Art by Christopher Moore
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Christopher Moore's irreverent novel "Sacré Bleu: A Comedy d' Art" was published in 2012 by William Morrow. My calling one of Mr. Moore's novels irreverent is a redundant and silly thing to write. All of Christopher Moore's novels are irreverent. They are often silly as well. Which is why I love them.

I believe that all of us need an outlet, a way to shut off our pesky brains. I most certainly do. When life pushes in a little too hard, I look for a moment to just have a giggle at something. Other folks need to cheer, or cry; whatever release is needed. This outlet could be a Kung-Fu movie (Fists of Fury!!!), or slot-car racing, or those odd pedicures where the little fish nibble at ones feet. Whatever works for you is fine with me. Some of my pure diversions -- gluttonous reading for entertainment alone -- are Mr. Moore's novels.

In this episode of Moore's silliness, he takes on the French Impressionists. I can hear the reader asking "How can that be funny?" Trust me, it is. Moore creates a lovely view of Paris at the time of La Belle Époque. The novel traces the life of a young boy, the son of a baker, who will himself become a baker and a painter. The novel is shot through with the lions of the French Impressionist movement. Monet, Degas, Gauguin, and poor, deranged, Vincent Van Gogh, make up the cast of characters. Henri Toulouse-Lautrec is the side-kick, the demented comic relief. The cast and setting make for a hilarious historical romp through the narrow streets, garrets, and cafés of Paris.

But there can be no story without conflict; isn't that right Mon Ami? Of course it is. And there can be no Christopher Moore novel without a deep dive into the speculative, as in Speculative Fiction. "Sacré Bleu" is no exception. Here I must tread carefully to avoid spoilers. Suppose there was a unifying force of inspiration, a force that served a higher purpose, and also a sinister purpose. Now suppose that this same force, this flame of inspiration, was also a total hottie; a Femme Fatale for artists throughout the centuries. The story arc is in place: Crazy artists, the death of Vincent Van Gogh, and a beautiful yet sinister force with great legs that knits the thing together.

I highly recommend this novel for an enjoyable and funny romp of a read. There is, however, a bit more to this book than just giggles. Mr. Moore did his homework, drawing heavily on the great art history "The Private Lives of the Impressionists" by Sue Roe. Most readers will learn a thing or two about the Impressionist Movement whilst reading this novel. And that is not such a bad thing; certainly not when it comes with laughing out loud.

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And, in a quick pause for the cause...

Thanks for reading one of my short pieces of fiction. I hope you enjoyed it. While you are here, how about a FREE eBook? That's right, my novella CLOUDS BEFORE RAIN, the first volume in THE BEST DARK RAIN SERIES, is available as a free download. Subscribe to my mailing list and the good folks at Book Funnel will take care of the rest. No matter what country you live in, no matter what eReader you use, they should have you covered.

To learn more, please visit my website and look for the big button that says GET A FREE BOOK!! It's kind of hard to miss. Happy reading!!

Marco Etheridge Fiction

 

Book Review: "News of the World" by Paulette Jiles

News of the World by Paulette Jiles
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

"News of the World," by Paulette Jiles, was published in 2016. This is a lovely book with a compelling story arc. The tale unfolds along a four-hundred mile swath of Post-Civil War Texas. Regular readers of my reviews might care to take note: This is not a dark, grim story, nor is it a difficult read. My eighty-five year old mother loves this novel. This is not to say that everything in "News of the World" is yellow posies and sunshine. There is a wide streak of American Gothic woven through this novel. And, at two hundred and nine pages, "News of the World" is not a long literary commitment.

"News of the World" is a deceptively simple novel; the story is clear and concise. Despite the brevity of the novel, or perhaps because of it, the tale is compelling. Ms. Jiles has crafted a story that makes one want to read slowly, and, at the same time, quickly. The basic underpinnings are those of a Buddy Story: an unlikely pair of travelers are thrown together on a dangerous path. It is an archetypal tale, one that our prehistoric ancestors told around the firelight in snug, warm caves. The story revolves around two main characters: our pair of unlikely buddies.

Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd roams northern Texas with a satchel full of newspapers from around the world. He reads the news aloud to eager small town audiences. Admission to a reading is a dime a pop. Capt. Kidd (wink-wink) is an aging veteran of two wars, set in his ways and happy with them.

As a very small girl, Johanna was orphaned by the Kiowa raiders who killed her family. She was taken by the Kiowa and raised by them. A hard life amongst the plains Indians is all the ten-year old girl knows. Recaptured by the US Cavalry, Johanna is tended to by well-meaning townsfolk who want to be rid of her. They offer Capt. Kidd fifty dollars in gold to return the young girl to her distant (and unknown) relatives San Antonio.

Therein we have the elements of the story. There is an aging man who enjoys his quiet life, a half-savage girl who upsets Capt. Kidd's life on an hourly basis, and a four hundred mile stretch of bad road. Throw in a fifty-dollar gold piece and there is enough bait to attract predators. In the hands of a less adept writer, this could be the makings of a pulp fiction. Fortunately, under Ms. Jiles deft touch, the tale is compelling, heart-warming, and rewarding.

Recommended reading, and yes, I used the words "Heart-warming" in a review. It is a red-letter day, to be sure.


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Marco Etheridge is an eccentric world traveler and writer living in Vienna, Austria. He is the author of The Dark Rain Series, a riveting and original tale of ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. This post-apocalyptic saga opens with the novella "Clouds Before Rain" and continues in the full-length novel "The Best Dark Rain: A Post Apocalyptic Struggle for Life and Love." Marco's second novel, "Blood Rust Chains," is a stand-alone novel, set in Portland, Oregon. "Blood Rust Chains" was released in 2018. Marco's third novel, a political satire thriller, is complete and awaiting publication. He is hard at work on other projects, including a fourth novel, a three-act play, and a children's book.

To learn more about news, deals, or upcoming projects, please visit my website:

Marco Etheridge Fiction

 

Book Review: "The Heavenly Table" by Donald Ray Pollock

The Heavenly Table by Donald Ray Pollock
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Donald Ray Pollock's "The Heavenly Table" was published in 2016 by Doubleday. The novel is a dark vision of American gothic; a time of dirt-poor farmers cast adrift in the rural south. While this is indeed a dark story, it is not totally so. "The Heavenly Table" caused me to laugh out loud more than once, and then to be almost appalled at what I was laughing at. Grim and violent, gritty and funny by turns, the novel charts the course of a collision between two families.

Pearl Jewett is the patriarch of the Jewett clan. This man is well up in the running for worst father in a modern novel. Jewett and his three sons make up the entire family. There is no maternal influence, not anymore. Mrs. Jewett departed the world in a fairly horrible way. Given the circumstances, she was more than likely happy to go. Fortune rains bad luck on the Jewett boys. A crime of opportunity and misunderstanding pushes the Jewett brothers onto a violent and erratic journey.

North of the Jewetts, a simple farmer is being swindled out of his meager family fortune. Ellsworth Fiddler is no genius, as his wife Eula would be happy to confirm. With all of their money gone, they may lose the family farm. Ellsworth's search for their errant son causes his life to cross the path of now bloody Jewett Brothers.

The collision of the two families takes place in a small American town. The little burg is populated with a collection ordinary people, odd-balls, and at least one monster. Like any good showdown in a small American town, there is death, redemption, and surprise.

I recommend this novel to readers who are fans of American Gothic, or Cormac McCarthy, or Patrick DeWitt. I thoroughly enjoyed this dark, funny, engaging work.


View all my reviews

And, in a quick pause for the cause...

Marco Etheridge is an eccentric world traveler and writer living in Vienna, Austria. He is the author of The Dark Rain Series, a riveting and original tale of ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. This post-apocalyptic saga opens with the novella "Clouds Before Rain" and continues in the full-length novel "The Best Dark Rain: A Post Apocalyptic Struggle for Life and Love." Marco's second novel, "Blood Rust Chains," is a stand-alone novel, set in Portland, Oregon. "Blood Rust Chains" was released in 2018. Marco's third novel, a political satire thriller, is complete and awaiting publication. He is hard at work on other projects, including a fourth novel, a three-act play, and a children's book.

To learn more about news, deals, or upcoming projects, please visit my website:

Marco Etheridge Fiction

 

The North Water by Ian McGuire
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

"The North Water," by Ian McGuire, was published in 2016. The novel received a good bit of buzz, including making the lists for the Man Booker prize, LA Times Book Prize 2017, and the NY Times Top Ten Notable books. The buzz is deserved; I thoroughly enjoyed this dark novel. But before the reader dives in, let me offer a word of caution. If the reader is expecting a bold, clean, historical adventure novel, my advice would be to run far, far away.

The waters in this story are not just in the North, not just cold, but very dark as well. McGuire dives fearlessly into his characters, some of whom are likely to repulse the reader. This is a rough tale, not in the writing, but in the tale itself. The tale unfolds on a whaling ship crewed by hard men in hard times. Our protagonist thinks this whaling ship will be a good place to hide from a past disgrace. He will find himself to be very, very wrong. Whaling is a dangerous occupation to begin with. When the crew of the whaling ship includes a heartless murderer, it is very dangerous indeed.

"The North Water" is, indeed, a historical adventure novel. But it is a very dark adventure, populated with some repellent and obscene characters. The story arcs across the stage of arctic water and ice, all the while getting grimmer and grimmer. If you love a dark tale, well-written and well-told, this is the novel for you.

View all my reviews

And, in a quick pause for the cause...

Marco Etheridge is an eccentric world traveler and writer living in Vienna, Austria. He is the author of The Dark Rain Series, a riveting and original tale of ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. This post-apocalyptic saga opens with the novella "Clouds Before Rain" and continues in the full-length novel "The Best Dark Rain: A Post Apocalyptic Struggle for Life and Love." Marco's second novel, "Blood Rust Chains," is a stand-alone novel, set in Portland, Oregon. "Blood Rust Chains" was released in 2018. Marco's third novel, a political satire thriller, is complete and awaiting publication. He is hard at work on other projects, including a fourth novel, a three-act play, and a children's book.

To learn more about news, deals, or upcoming projects, please visit my website:

Marco Etheridge Fiction



 

Book Review: "Gravity's Rainbow" by Thomas Pynchon

Gravity's Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

"Gravity's Rainbow" was published in 1973. It was a controversial book at its release, and the controversy continued to build the next year. In 1974, Pynchon's novel was selected for a Pulitzer Prize for fiction. The Pulitzer Advisory Board, highly offended by the novel's content, overrode the Pulitzer prize jury. As a result, no Pulitzer prize for fiction was awarded in 1974. The Advisory Board called parts of the novel unreadable, turgid, over-written, and obscene. Of the four labels they bestowed on Pynchon's work, my favorite is 'Turgid.' We can return to these labels in a bit, but first, the opposing view. Time Magazine named "Gravity's Rainbow" to its list of All-Time 100 Greatest Novels. So, there you have it: Turgid or one of the greatest American novels ever written.

Setting aside the censure and accolades, what is "Gravity's Rainbow" about? In essence, the novel is a story, both literal and allegorical, of the parabolic arc of the V-2 rocket. In 1944, World War Two was going badly for the Nazis. The V-2 rocket was developed as a weapon of vengeance, a random arc of destruction that could be hurled at London or Amsterdam. As the allied invasion of Fortress Europe progressed, the V-2 facilities were pushed further and further into Germany itself. When the war ended, Allied recovery crews fanned out across Germany in an attempt to recover both Axis technology, and the Axis scientists who created it. Wernher Von Braun would be the most famous catch of Operation Paperclip, but not the only one. Yes, but what about the novel?

Enter Lieutenant Tyrone Slothrop, later to be know as Der Rocketmensch, the Rocket Man. Slothrop's sexual escapades across war-torn London seem to coincide with the impact of V-2 rockets. A pattern develops, and very, very shadowy government agencies are interested in the pattern. Can Slothrop lead them to the mysterious Nazi rocket sites? Slothrop is dispatched into the chaotic ruin of post-war Europe. This bizarre fictional character is interwoven into the tale of Operation Paperclip, and "Gravity's Rainbow" is born.

Shifting back and forth across time, across the Atlantic Ocean, and across the ruins left by the war, "Gravity's Rainbow" is a strange and fantastic journey. The journey crosses real landscapes, as well as the dark landscape of Slothrop's very twisted psyche. Everyone is looking for the V-2 rockets, and for the V-2 scientists. Everyone is following Slothrop, and not all with good intent. The cast of supporting characters is large, twisted, and mostly nefarious. Will he find the rocket? Will they find him? Will he survive if they do? In the meantime, can they keep the wild party going?

Back to our friends on the Pulitzer Advisory Board. "Gravity's Rainbow" is not unreadable. I can personally attest to this, as I have read it twice; once in Germany and once in Austria. Pynchon's seminal work can be, without a doubt, a difficult novel to read. It is, at times, convoluted and obscure. The plot is not laid out in a nice, neat linear fashion. I would be lying if I said otherwise. But the story, as difficult as it can be at times, is truly wonderful. The Pulitzer folks were not completely wrong when they called this work obscene. Depending on ones definition of obscene, there is much within these pages that could be called just that. Somewhere along the line, a reader will probably be offended by some of Pynchon's prose. I am fairly certain Pynchon was aware of that as he was penning these lines. My advice would be to take it in stride, admit that one is offended, and keep on reading. I will leave it to the reader whether this novel is over-written. It is certainly a very long novel, complete with lengthy and, dare I say it, obscene streams of consciousness. If one wants to go along with Slothrop on this wild ride, his dark and obscene psyche is one of the passengers. Think of it as the price of admission.

And now, my favorite: Turgid. Look up 'Turgid" as applied to language and you will find words such as Bombastic, Pompous, and Overblown. These are perfect descriptors when applied to Pynchon's protagonist. As the crafter of this gargantuan romp, Pynchon can lay claim to all of these adjectives as well. And, guess what: he gets away with it. The reason he get away with it is because he is such a damned good writer. He is courageous, gifted, audacious, funny, and, yes, obscene and offensive. As a writer, he has knack for knowing when to push a reader's button, or mash the button, or hold the button down and cackle like an insane monkey.

I highly recommend this novel to readers willing to take up the challenge. I recommend "Gravity's Rainbow" as it is; warts, obscenity, turgidity and all. Is is as wild a ride as that of an errant rocket.


View all my reviews

And, in a quick pause for the cause...

Marco Etheridge is an eccentric world traveler and writer living in Vienna, Austria. He is the author of The Dark Rain Series, a riveting and original tale of ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. This post-apocalyptic saga opens with the novella "Clouds Before Rain" and continues in the full-length novel "The Best Dark Rain: A Post Apocalyptic Struggle for Life and Love." Marco's second novel, "Blood Rust Chains," is a stand-alone novel, set in Portland, Oregon. "Blood Rust Chains" was released in 2018. Marco's third novel, a political satire thriller, is complete and awaiting publication. He is hard at work on other projects, including a fourth novel, a three-act play, and a children's book.

To learn more about news, deals, or upcoming projects, please visit my website:

Marco Etheridge Fiction


 
 

A Very Personal Review: "Short Cuts" by Raymond Carver

Short Cuts: Selected Stories by Raymond Carver
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What can anyone say that hasn't been said? It's Carver, who is now becoming a cult figure. Regardless, he was a great writer. How can I capture the essence of a Raymond Carver story? It is a difficult proposition. Let me try this: a small vignette.


It is a bright spring morning in Seattle. The neighbors are going about their business; tending to flower beds, mowing their lawns. I'm standing at the bottom of a short flight of stairs, stairs that lead to what is soon not to be my house. The woman who is soon not to be my wife is at the top of the stairs. The front door is open. There are a few brown paper bags sitting on the landing outside the door. The bags are misshapen, bulging with belongings haphazardly packed. Paper grocery bags make lousy luggage.

The woman at the top of the stairs is wearing a bathrobe, one hand clutching it at her throat. Her voice is ringing out over the quiet street, but I cannot hear the words. There is only a chanting sound, volume rising and falling. The chant has wings, carrying it across the morning. The neighbors keep their heads down, try not to hear. There is poison in the chant, an easily caught infection, darkness that could seep into an unguarded crack.

A bare foot flashes in the sunlight, kicking one of the paper bags. The bag tumbles down the wooden steps, ripping open on the second bounce. Books, CD's, balled-up socks; they cascade down the worn wood, landing around my feet. I gather up the detritus as best I can, cradling it in my arms. As I turn away, the chant hits me in the back of the neck. I throw the armload of junk into the bed of my pickup, joining it with the rest. Behind me, I hear the slam of a door.

The boards creak under my boots as I reach for the last crumpled bag. The chanting is gone now, the echoes of it having chased the neighbors inside their safe havens. I carry the bag, gentle against my chest, place it intact on the floorboard inside the truck. There is a bare mattress leaning against a concrete wall. I heave it over the pile of junk in the bed of the truck. I am sweating in the sunshine as I tighten down the straps. As I look up and down the empty street, I realize that my life has become a Raymond Carver short story.

View all my reviews

And, in a quick pause for the cause...

Marco Etheridge is an eccentric world traveler and writer living in Vienna, Austria. He is the author of The Dark Rain Series, a riveting and original tale of ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. This post-apocalyptic saga opens with the novella "Clouds Before Rain" and continues in the full-length novel "The Best Dark Rain: A Post Apocalyptic Struggle for Life and Love." Marco's second novel, "Blood Rust Chains," is a stand-alone novel, set in Portland, Oregon. "Blood Rust Chains" was released in 2018. Marco's third novel, a political satire thriller, is complete and awaiting publication. He is hard at work on other projects, including a fourth novel, a three-act play, and a children's book.

To learn more about news, deals, or upcoming projects, please visit my website:

Marco Etheridge Fiction


 

Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace
My rating: 5 of 5 stars







“Classic - a book which people praise and don't read.” Mark Twain.

"Infinite Jest," written by David Foster Wallace, was published in 1996. It has been described as a modern classic. Time magazine included the novel in its list of the 100 best English-language novels for the years 1923-2005. The title of the novel comes from Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the famous scene in which Hamlet holds Yorick’s skull aloft, remembering the jester as “a fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy…”

For me, "Infinite Jest" falls into the company of ‘Reading Achievements,’ one of those weighty tomes that require a serious commitment from the reader. Trust me when I say that, at 1088 pages, this encyclopedic novel requires some effort. Think James Joyce’s "Ulysses," or Roberto Bolaño’s "2666." I believe that more people begin these works than finish them. I can hear the reader ask: “Why should I bother?” There are novels that offer great reward for the effort expended. The three listed above, for me, fit that bill.

There is a more political, a more socially radical answer to the question of why a reader should go to the bother of immersing themselves in a long, complicated novel. We live in a world of electronic links, of instant gratification as long as it doesn’t take up too much of our time. We must scroll off to the next article, the next meme, the next cute kitten gif. Facebook links for news article show banners that list reading times for the article contained: two minute read, four minute read. We are in danger of becoming a bite-sized society, completely devoted to the next instant and no more. Which, coincidentally, links us into the plot for "Infinite Jest."

The novel is set in a grim future world; a corporate dystopia. Months on the new calendar are named after sponsored products. Toxic waste dumps cover entire regions. Woven through the tangled strands of Infinite Jest is the “Entertainment,” a film so gripping to viewers that they lose all interest in anything else. They cease to eat, to drink, and they die; eyes still glued to the screen. The Entertainment is deadly, so deadly that a group of wheelchair-bound radicals will do anything to get their hands on it. These shadowy and absurd assassins follow the members of the Incandenza family, whose patriarch was the creator of the film. Hal Incandenza is the youngest son, the opening focus of the novel, and the nearest thing to a central character that exists in this novel.

The cast of characters comes from the tennis academy where young Hal trains, a group of addicts and alcoholics from the Boston streets, the aforementioned wheelchair assassins, the other members of the Incandenza family, and the government forces that are also seeking a copy of the deadly Entertainment. But now we are come to the cautionary tale, the warning to the reader: David Foster Wallace was in no hurry to tell his story.

Just as with the work of James Joyce, there are entire scholarly volumes devoted to this novel. Those works exceed the scope of this review by orders of magnitude. I do, however, have a small primer to offer, a bit of a guide, or roadmap if you will. You, the reader, are standing in an open field, freshly mown grass stretching away in front of you as far as you can see. At your feet is a strand of yarn, brightly-colored, with bits of shell and twigs woven in here and there. You begin to follow the strand, walking across the field, not really knowing exactly where you are going, but enjoying the walk. Another strand of yarn appears, paralleling the first. The strands do not intersect, but they catch the eye; interesting, compelling, or bizarre. Yet another strand appears. By now, the reader is far from the starting point, the colored strands stretching behind. Suddenly, one of the strands crosses another. There is a mental click, and a pattern begins to take shape amongst the tangle of seashells, twigs, and yarn. The reader continues walking forward, hurrying a bit. Two more strands cross each other, becoming one. Pieces of the puzzle fall into place. And so it goes, a sort of linear Easter Egg Hunt that stretches over six football pitches laid end-to-end. Whether the hunt is worth it of not is the prerogative of the individual reader.

In one of my worlds, the world of addiction, reading "Infinite Jest" offers a bit of bragging rights. Readers will have to look far and wide to find a more realistic, or grimmer, portrayal of a hard-core addict’s life in recovery. The scenes that take place in Alcoholics Anonymous meetings (and NA meetings) are brutal, realistic, and compelling. The nature of addiction is one of the many themes addressed in this sprawling, dark, and complex novel.

In conclusion, this is not a novel for every reader. That is simply a statement of fact. For some readers, completing Infinite Jest could be a milestone. If you are a reader who is up for a compelling challenge, a dark, fractured narrative, this may be your book. I recommend this novel to those of you who are willing to embark on a strange literary journey.

View all my reviews


 

And, in a quick pause for the cause...

Marco Etheridge is an eccentric world traveler and writer living in Vienna, Austria. He is the author of The Dark Rain Series, a riveting and original tale of ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. This post-apocalyptic saga opens with the novella "Clouds Before Rain" and continues in the full-length novel "The Best Dark Rain: A Post Apocalyptic Struggle for Life and Love." Marco's second novel, "Blood Rust Chains," is a stand-alone novel, set in Portland, Oregon. "Blood Rust Chains" was released in 2018. Marco's third novel, a political satire thriller, is complete and awaiting publication. He is hard at work on other projects, including a fourth novel, a three-act play, and a children's book.

To learn more about news, deals, or upcoming projects, please visit my website:

Marco Etheridge Fiction

A Great Gift: Read a Book to a Kid

The holiday season is upon us once again, a time for family, friends, food, and the giving of gifts. Are you looking for an amazing gift for a child, one that will last a lifetime? Allow me to suggest a simple and wonderful thing: read a book to the favorite Kid in your life. They will love it, they will not forget it, and neither will you. Reading aloud to a child is a bonding experience; a bit of time snatched from the hustle, bustle, and distractions of our busy world. Reading a book aloud can be a quiet moment of mutual magic. The story unfolds as one reads it, floating in the air for a little girl or boy to imagine. There is nothing quite like it. Instilling the love of books in a child is a gift that goes far beyond the simple act of reading. A child that is read to will become an adult that reads. That is a gift beyond price. 

But where to start? Listed below is my small primer of great stories for kids, graduated by age. Over the course of years, I have read each of these books to my son Liam. It is my hope that you will enjoy these classic tales for kids. More importantly, I hope that you read one of these to a child in your life. With that said, let's get to it! I have started each entry with some of the publisher's description. My own comments follow the descriptions.

 

The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary

Paperback, 186 pages

Published January 26th 2014 by Harper Collins (first published 1965) 

"Pb-pb-b-b-b. Pb-pb-b-b-b." With these magic vocables, Ralph the mouse revs up a dream come true--his very own motorcycle. Living in a knothole in a hotel room, young Ralph has seen plenty of families come and go, some more generous with their crumbs than others. But when young Keith and his parents check in to the hotel, Ralph gets his first chance to check out. He has always fantasized about venturing beyond the second floor, maybe even outside. 

My comments... 

This is a wonderful story about overcoming fear and having an adventure. Ralph the mouse is a great character for children as young as four years old. The bond that grows between Ralph and the boy Keith is heart-warming. With Keith's help, the toy motorcycle becomes the vehicle that enlarges and enhances Ralph's world. As an added bonus, there are some great opportunities for sound effects whilst reading this aloud. Go for it! Make the little motorcycle roar, and you will be rewarded with giggles.

 

Charlotte's Web by E.B. White

Paperback, Full Color Edition, 184 pages

Published October 1st 2001 by Harper Collins  (first published 1952) 

Some Pig. Humble. Radiant. These are the words in Charlotte's Web, high up in Zuckerman's barn. Charlotte's spiderweb tells of her feelings for a little pig named Wilbur, who simply wants a friend. They also express the love of a girl named Fern, who saved Wilbur's life when he was born the runt of his litter.

My comments... 

Fair warning, no one is going to get through Charlotte's Web without a few tears. Because of some of the subject matter, I would say this book is best suited for children from six to sixty-five years old. 

The story of Wilbur (Some Pig!) and Charlotte, the wise spider, is poignant and emotional. Even with the inevitable tears, E.B. White weaves a most magical tale. I simply cannot imagine a child growing up without reading this book, or, better yet, having it read aloud. The supporting cast of barnyard characters, some good, some not so good, will enthrall any youngster. 

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster

Paperback, 256 pages

Published 1996 by Random House Bullseye Books (first published 1961) 

For Milo, everything’s a bore. When a tollbooth mysteriously appears in his room, he drives through only because he’s got nothing better to do. But on the other side, things seem different. Milo visits the Island of Conclusions (you get there by jumping), learns about time from a ticking watchdog named Tock, and even embarks on a quest to rescue Rhyme and Reason! Somewhere along the way, Milo realizes something astonishing. Life is far from dull. In fact, it’s exciting beyond his wildest dreams. 

My comments... 

Meet Milo, the boy who has everything. Life has lost its luster: boring, boring, boring. His toys are boring, his games are boring, and there is simply nothing worth doing. Sound familiar? When he discovers a small car and a magic tollbooth, everything changes. Milo has some lessons to learn. He sets out on a allegorical journey, one that will reveal the worth, or lack of worth, in many things. Some of the concepts in this book will be best understood by a child who is a bit older, somewhere in the range of eight to eighty years old.

 

James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl

 

Hardcover, Borzoi Book Edition, 146 pages

Published September 10th 2002 by Alfred A. Knopf (first published 1961) 

When James accidentally drops some magic crystals by the old peach tree, strange things start to happen. The peach at the top of the tree begins to grow, and before long it's as big as a house. When James discovers a secret entrance way into the fruit and crawls inside, he meets wonderful new friends--the Old-Green-Grasshopper, the dainty Ladybug, and the Centipede of the multiple boots. After years of feeling like an outsider in his aunts' house, James finally found a place where he belongs. With a snip of the stem, the peach household starts rolling away--and the adventure begins!

My comments... 

Roald Dahl is the master of 'Poor Boy Makes Good.' As in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Mr. Dahl creates a magical world. The child has only to enter, and the journey begins. This is a classic tale of the boy who has very little, but is rewarded with riches beyond price: Adventure! Charming characters await inside the giant peach, which continues to grow, bigger and bigger. This story will enthrall small readers of all ages.

Watership Down by Richard Adams 

Mass Market Paperback, 478 pages

Published June 1975 by Avon Books (first published November 1972) 

Set in England's Downs, a once idyllic rural landscape, this stirring tale of adventure, courage and survival follows a band of very special creatures on their flight from the intrusion of man and the certain destruction of their home. Led by a stouthearted pair of friends, they journey forth from their native Sandleford Warren through the harrowing trials posed by predators and adversaries, to a mysterious promised land and a more perfect society.  

My comments... 

Watership Down is more of a commitment than the other books listed above. This full-length novel is one to be read over the course of many bedtime sessions before sleepy eyes close. It is a complex story, one more suited to children aged ten to one hundred years old. My son loved this story, insisting on long reading sessions before he would even consider sleeping. The story deals with deep bonds of friendship, adventure, and dangers overcome. 

Terror has come to the old warren, forcing the few surviving rabbits to flee. Dogged by their own fears, as well as real danger, they must overcome both to find a new home. The members of their small company each have their strengths and weaknesses. They must learn to work together to survive. Watership Down is a great anthropomorphic adventure, but also imparts some profound life lessons. This book is well worth the time invested

And, in a quick pause for the cause...

Marco Etheridge is an eccentric world traveler and writer living in Vienna, Austria. He is the author of The Dark Rain Series, a riveting and original tale of ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. This post-apocalyptic saga opens with the novella "Clouds Before Rain" and continues in the full-length novel "The Best Dark Rain: A Post Apocalyptic Struggle for Life and Love." Marco's second novel, "Blood Rust Chains," is a stand-alone novel, set in Portland, Oregon. "Blood Rust Chains" was released in 2018. Marco's third novel, a political satire thriller, is complete and awaiting publication. He is hard at work on other projects, including a fourth novel, a three-act play, and a children's book.

To learn more about news, deals, or upcoming projects, please visit my website:

Marco Etheridge Fiction

Book Review: "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay"

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Michael Chabon's novel "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay" is a deeply satisfying tale set amidst the heyday of the American comic book. An unlikely setting for a novel? Perhaps, but Chabon is a master of quirky settings, and equally quirky characters.

The story moves between Prague and New York; before, during, and after World War Two. The lives of two young cousins become intertwined, one a Jewish refugee from the Nazis who have occupied Czechoslovakia, the other a smart-aleck Brooklyn kid. As the events of the tale play out, these two form a partnership that will blaze a trail in the new world of the American comic book. Joseph Kavalier is the artist, the young man with the pen and ink. Sammy Clay is the idea kid, the story writer of the partnership. They learn the ropes of the comic book business, abused and taken advantage of by the guys with the money, older men who drain off their talents and ideas.

The comic book business is the vehicle that carries the story, but it is only a small part of the tale. Beneath it all looms the image of the Golem, the anthropomorphic being of Jewish folklore. The Golem of Prague is the vehicle by means of which Joe Kavalier escapes from Prague. The metaphor of the Golem is rooted deeply in each of the characters. Formed from the mud of the river, the Golem of Prague is made animate by the touch of the Rabbi's hand. The mark on the forehead is then wiped clean, leaving a trace. The mark of the Golem follows each of these characters, Joe and Sammy, Rosa and Tommy. The idea of the Golem represents the possibility of transformation, as well as a link to the past. War and peace, community and isolation, hope and despair, the living idea formed of clay is made manifest throughout the events of this sprawling storyline.

The motif of escape plays a large part in this novel. Escape becomes a character in the many references to Harry Houdini, the famous escape artist. Joe Kavalier is a trained lock-picker and escape artist, skills he learned from a mysterious magician in Prague. Yet he cannot escape his past, the truth of which he carries with him no matter where his adventures take him. Nor can Sammy Clay escape his past, his longing for an absent father, or his desire for the true love that society abhors.

Chabon creates complex, highly developed characters with whom the reader can readily identity and care for. As is typical with his work, Chabon inserts historical characters into his narrative, peppering the tale with the likes of Harry Houdini, Max Ernst, Salvador Dali, and the comic book icon Stan Lee. The result is a moving, complex, and fascinating tale.

"The Amazing Adventure of Kavalier & Clay" will appeal to a broad segment of readers. If you are a fan of historical novels, this is a great view of Pre- and Post-World War Two New York. If you grew up dog-earing the pages of comic books, this is a wonderful history of the birth that beloved genre. Readers who like a quirky love story will find both love lost and love found.

I am, admittedly, a big fan of Michael Chabon's work. If I was going to recommend only one of his novels, this would be it.

View all my reviews

And, in a quick pause for the cause...

Marco Etheridge is an eccentric world traveler and writer living in Vienna, Austria. He is the author of The Dark Rain Series, a riveting and original tale of ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. This post-apocalyptic saga opens with the novella "Clouds Before Rain" and continues in the full-length novel "The Best Dark Rain: A Post Apocalyptic Struggle for Life and Love." Marco's second novel, "Blood Rust Chains," is a stand-alone novel, set in Portland, Oregon. "Blood Rust Chains" was released in 2018. Marco's third novel, a political satire thriller, is complete and awaiting publication. He is hard at work on other projects, including a fourth novel, a three-act play, and a children's book.

To learn more about news, deals, or upcoming projects, please visit my website:

Marco Etheridge Fiction

Book Review: "Empire of the Sun"

Empire of the Sun by J.G. Ballard
My rating: 5 of 5 stars








First, the disclaimer: I love J.G. Ballard's work. That said, this is a novel that deserves love. This semi-autobiographical saga opens in Shanghai at the beginning of World War Two. An invasion by the Army of Japan is imminent. The wealthy foreign traders who live in the Shanghai International Settlement are scrambling to safety. The stage is set. This is familiar ground for Ballard. He was born in Shanghai in 1930. He and his family were interned by the Japanese occupation forces, spending more than two years in captivity.

The Japanese sweep into Shanghai. Everything is in chaos. The young protagonist, Jamie Graham (The initials in Ballard's name stand for: James Graham,) is separated from his parents and lost in the chaos. This is the set-up to the story: a young boy lost on the floods of war. So, you may ask, what makes this novel different from the many stories featuring children adrift on the tides of war?

What makes this novel different is Ballard's unique style, coupled with his treatment of the main character. Ballard employs a writing style that ignores the sentimental, focusing instead on the bleak environment of life in the internement camp. There is a sense of careless callousness that dogs the heels of the characters. Then enter the child, Jamie Graham. He is not really a very likable little boy. This is not some plucky Dickensian Orphan that we are all rooting for, heartstrings all a-flutter. Jamie has an uncanny ability to see through the smoke screen of adult behaviors, sifting out the clues for a pathway to survival. Along the way, he is not the nicest boy in the world, but then neither are the adults.

To go further into the story would be to write a spoiler. So here is the hook, the reason I think you will love this book: An odd child, adrift in a suddenly deconstructed world, must learn to survive where the adults fail to. You might not want Jamie Graham to play with your children, but I am certain that you will care, very deeply, what happens to him in the course of this magnificent tale. "Empire of the Sun" can be dark, there is no doubt, but it is not bleak: and it is not without redemption. This novel is very near the top of my "Most Highly Recommended Novels" list.

View all my reviews