Reviewed by: Corina
Genre: Speculative fiction
Approximate word count: 30-35,000 words
Availability
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on a YES above to go to appropriate page in Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or
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Author:
Adrienne
Jones, author of six other novels of speculative or horror fiction with a bit
of humor mixed in, lives in Providence, Rhode Island.
For more,
visit her website.
Description:
Joe is an
aging punk rock god who has never quite gotten the hang of living a regular
life. His wardrobe is stuck in the 80s, his Mohawk proudly spiked and brightly
colored. He is the last of his band to turn 40, but he's the only one bedeviled
by the demon they all summoned 20 years before. Knowing the time for the fulfillment
of the suicide pact they made is drawing nigh, Joe finds it more difficult to
keep his act together. Joe takes it on himself to remind his former band mates
about the pact, but they all blow him off. Will he be the only one keeping the
demonic date with destiny?
Appraisal:
Although it
took me two attempts to get into the rhythm of this book, I believe it's
because of the unusual introduction to the character. I had little sympathy for Joe Blood at first,
and I can't say he's someone I'd want to hang out with, but he is an
interesting character. Both Jones's characterization and the strange, jerky
little plot piqued my interest, perhaps because I have not read much
contemporary speculative fiction. I found the book engaging, the characters
vivid, and I especially liked getting to know Joe better later in the book. He's
immature, but passionate. (The most horrible part of Joe's life, in my opinion,
was his workplace.)
Overall, I
enjoyed the novel much more than I'd expected. I'd recommend it to any reader
who is open to an unconventional, feel-good novel about angst and the
redemptive malleability of punk rock.
FYI:
Expect a
lot of foul language, and some non-violent blood and gore. No sexual
situations.
Format/Typo Issues:
Not an
issue
Rating: **** Four Stars
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