"The City in These Pages" reviewed

[realthog]

A short but extremely perceptive review of my The City in These Pages, done by Brian (not sure of surname), has just appeared over at Book Spot Central. I regard it as a rave -- I'm ever so pleased he's cottoned on to what I'm up to with the novella. Here's most of the review:

The City in These Pages is a mix of SF/F and a McBain-esque police procedural. Mixed in with this is a healthy dose of absurd. Most of the story is like an oil & vinegar dressing that has been shaken really well because the elements of the story are blended really well. But the separation of the dressing occurs when the story takes a veer at the end that may shake some readers; It’s a fairly abrupt moment that changes the story into something else entirely. I was able to hang on for the change but some may not.

Oh, I do like the idea of readers having to cling on by the fingernails for dear life as the story suddenly caroms out of genre expectations into "something else entirely". That's exactly the effect I wanted to create: to have the real story sneak up on the lulled, unsuspecting reader and suddenly just be there. Oh, yes: Brian's comments are music to this author's ears. He may most certainly claim a free drink should he ever run into me at a con or wherever.

Comments

[ogre-san.livejournal.com]

Congras on the review!

[realthog.livejournal.com]

Many thanks! As you'll have gathered, I'm mighty chuffed by it. The book's been getting some nice notices, but this guy in a way put his finger on it -- even though he sounds to have been moderately disconcerted on doing so!