I was provided an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Synopsis:
When an ordinary young man wakes up in his quiet neighborhood on a day seemingly like all the others, the city he’s lived in all his life has no idea what’s about to befall it once he sets out on a day-long bike ride carrying a purposefully packed backpack and a definitive plan.
Who is Schroeder, and what motivates his brutal killing spree? As he cycles from one victim’s home to the next, keeping pace with the rhythm of a city that burgeons to life under an increasingly dazzling sun exposing both its beauty and vivacity and its dark, dirty, underbelly, Schroeder lays bare his dreams, disappointments, delights, and dismays, establishing himself as a compelling contemporary antihero. The day rolls ominously towards its climax through hectic city streets, lush suburban gardens, stately mansions, and decrepit housing projects, punctuated by Schroeder’s reflections on a society in shambles and a deeply damaged, if not broken, humanity—but not without revealing life’s boundless wonder and infinite possibilities for joy and redemption through moments that are within—and yet tragically beyond—Schroeder’s grasp. A tell-all denouement brings Schroeder out of the shadows of his actions, the pathos of his questions about the kind of world we live in lingering long after.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Schroeder is a twenty-something year old man living in an unnamed city. He starts out his day with a methodical plan, narrating us through all he does. The reader is so far inside Schroeder’s head, even mundane descriptions begin to feel ominous. Schroeder loads up his backpack with all of the supplies he needs, eats his breakfast, reads his most prized comic book, and heads out for a day of unrelenting violence.
One by one the reader is taken along with Schroeder as he makes stop after stop and unleashes incredibly vivid acts of torture and murder. In between these acts, and sometimes during them, Schroeder has deep philosophical thoughts about life, society, what justice is, and how the world is as he sees it.
The violence is bloody and sudden and unapologetic. This book is not for those who are disturbed by gore and violence. But, more than the violence, the thoughts and events that Schroeder enacts, and the things that explain his murderous rampage are even more unsettling. This is the type of book that remains with the reader long after finishing.
It’s a fascinating take on a character in an extreme situation, taking extreme measures. Neal Cassidy does an incredible job of allowing the reader to both be repulsed by and empathize with Schroeder. And Cassidy shows that those who are most capable of such acts can still see and understand the complexity, beauty and difficulty in life.
If you read the book, there is no forgetting it. If you love dark, psychological thrillers and don’t mind spending time in the head of a killer who you may have more in common with than you think, this book is a fantastic read.
The film classic Stand by Me stars Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, and Jerry O’Connell
Hello horror fans! It’s me Slick Dungeon and I’m back with something a little different. While Stephen King is known for terrifying the living daylights out of us, he transcends beyond horror with flashes of absolute genius relatable to anyone. After watching so many fear inducing film adaptations of his, I thought I would take a breather and watch this time honored classic about four boys coming of age. It’s a brilliant film, still moving to this day, and it’s written by the same guy who made us all afraid of killer clowns in the sewers. I am, of course, talking about Stephen King’s Stand by Me. There will be spoilers below so if you haven’t seen the film, grab your three best friends, gather around the television, watch the movie and come on back here to read the review.
Stand by Me Background
Stand by Me is based on the Stephen King novella, The Body. The story is a precursor to some of the other genius writing we see in King’s work such as The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile. While the story does involve four friends, on their last weekend before middle school, trying to find a dead body, this is not a genuine horror story. Instead, it’s a coming of age story about confronting fears, understanding the world we live in, and most of all, friendship.
The film is directed by Rob Reiner and has a top tier cast. It stars Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, and Jerry O’Connell. Plus there are appearances by Keifer Sutherland and John Cusack. The film earned over $52 million at the box office, far exceeding the production cost of $8 million.
But not only was it popular, this film was critically recognized more than any other of King’s work prior to this film. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay and for two Golden Globes, one for Reiner as director, and one for best picture.
So what is it about a story about four boys trying to find a dead body that works so well and still stands the test of time? Let’s find out!
Remembering Old Times
The year is 1985. Gordie Lachance finds an article in the newspaper about the stabbing of a man named Chris Chambers. Chris was his childhood best friend. Richard Dreyfus, who plays the adult Gordie narrates us into the past. When Gordie was 12 years old he, Chris and his two other friends, Teddy Duchamp and Vern Tessio went to find a dead body. The dead boy was Ray Brower and he was the same age as these boys.
Gordie says he grew up in the town of Castle Rock, Oregon. If you’re a Stephen King fan, you know the problem with that statement. King’s fictional town of Castle Rock is in Maine, not Oregon. But that doesn’t make the film any worse for it.
In 1959 on Labor Day weekend Vern overhears his big brother talking about finding a body. Vern’s brother doesn’t want to tell the police about it because he and his friends recently stole a car. Vern tells his friends about the body and where to find it and the four of them agree to go out and find Ray’s body, thinking they will become celebrities.
Overcoming Tragedy
Gordie had an older brother named Denny who recently died. Gordie’s father paid attention to Denny but ignored Gordie. But Denny was kind to his younger brother and Gordie misses him. At the same time he struggles with his father’s lack of interest and the town knowing everything about his brother and nothing about him.
The boys set out for a two day walk. But first, Chris takes his father’s pistol in case there are bears. Chris and Gordie run into the local thugs, Ace Merrill and Chris’s older brother “Eyeball.” Ace takes Gordie’s Yankees hat, a gift from his older brother. These older boys are bullies and the villains of the film.
A Long Walk With Friends
The adventure starts and the boys insult each other in good fun along the way. They cut through a junkyard but make a lot of noise. This brings out Milo Pressman, the owner of the junkyard, along with his dog, Chopper. Milo crosses the line and calls Teddy’s father a “loony” which sends Teddy into a rage. The boys hold Teddy back but Milo does more psychological damage by saying Gordie is nothing like his brother.
The hike continues with more joking and insults. Chris tells Gordie to keep writing, even though his father doesn’t approve. None of them thought to bring any food for the trip. When they reach a railroad bridge the four of them have to cross quickly as a train comes. Gordie and Vern barely make it.
The boys do manage to get to a store to get something to eat and as they sit around the campfire, Gordie tells an absolutely disgusting story but it entertains the group.
Friends are There for EAch Other
While I could go into a lot more detail about the film, the main thing that happens is these boys start to grow up. They insult one another constantly but they are also there for each other. They support one another when it counts. Teddy is reassured by his friends when his father is called a “loony”, Gordie gets pep talks from Chris, Chris spills his heart out to Gordie about being perceived as a bad kid, and Vern is accepted for all his foibles.
The next day the boys walk across swamp water and end up with leeches all over them. When Gordie finds one in the most private of places, he faints. The boys consider going back but Gordie is determined to go on. He has a need to see Ray’s body.
The Body
The boys do come across the body of Ray Brower. Gordie loses it. He breaks down crying, asking his friends, and the universe why he had to die. When he says it, it is clear Gordie doesn’t mean Ray. He’s talking about his brother. Gordie still feels the loss and the unfairness of a kind person taken from him too soon. And Gordie asks Chris why his father hates him. Chris tells Gordie it’s just because Gordie’s dad doesn’t really know who he is. At that moment, Gordie realizes he doesn’t want the fame for finding the body.
Ace and his thugs show up to claim the body, wanting to be local heroes themselves. But Gordie pulls out the pistol Chris brought along and makes Ace back off. The thugs leave and the boys cover Ray up with a blanket. They go home and part ways, deciding to leave an anonymous tip.
The whole meaning of the story is summed up in the present day of 1985. Gordie, who is a writer, tells us what became of his friends. And he ends the story he is typing on his computer with, “I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was twelve. Jesus, does anyone?”
While the whole movie had lots of events happen, it’s this last line it was really about. Best friends who are twelve years old. And it makes the film a brilliant piece of work.
Stand By Me In Conclusion
Stand by Me is the type of film that appeals to anyone. It’s not a horror film, although there are gross moments and one dead body. It is cast so perfectly I can’t really convey it here. The twelve year old boys show true camaraderie and friendship onscreen and their performances hold up to this day. The directing here is spot on, no mistakes in the film, with the single exception of saying this takes place in Oregon.
If you like films about coming of age like The Outsiders or My Girl, are prepared to cry just a smidge, and want to see a movie that just works, this is one to watch.
The Enduring Legacy of Stand by Me
Over thirty years after this film came out, critics still praise it. Personally, I recently re-watched E.T. and soon after re-watched Stand by Me. I was struck by how both movies are nearly perfect. They are classics that simply endure.
Since this film came out, many other films have tried to emulate it. Some have done well with the same type of coming of age story but others struggle to find their footing. I think the secret of Stand by Me is that the goal of seeing Ray Brower’s body was never the point. It was capturing a moment in time in the lives of these children. Like lightning in a bottle, this film capture the same magic. And for that, it will forever be a classic.
Want More?
Want to see some of my other King reviews? Take a look here!
Note: this review was first posted on Reedsy Discovery, an awesome website that pairs independent authors and readers. To see the post there, click here.
If you are a book reviewer and want to contribute reviews on Reedsy Discovery, click here.
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SYNOPSIS
Bitch. Bastard. Orphan.
Ata had become inured to these epithets – her self-directed labels cut much deeper:
Spy. Liar. Traitor.
Their accuracy rent to the bone… But all people had their roles to play and hers was one of secrecy and survival-driven destruction. For the greater good.
Follow Ata’s travails through royal intrigues, violent invasions, and hard-forged alliances as she fights alongside friend and foe for the survival of the continent of Áitarbith. She questions old relationships and forges new whilst navigating treacherous courts and brutal battle landscapes, possibly finding love along the way. In the face of an implacably ruthless enemy, as well as uncertainty as to who can be trusted, the final outcome of this struggle is anything but certain.
This is Book 1 of a trilogy titled The Chronicles of Áitarbith.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
REVIEW
Ata is a spy for her kingdom of Pandia. She’s infiltrated the palace of Cinnae as a servant. She remains undiscovered but her mission will either bring the two kingdoms together or tear them apart. Everything changes one night when there is a brutal attack on the palace. Ata will need to use her skills in fighting and magic to keep the world safe. But her actions may cause suspicion and she risks the wrath of both kingdoms. Added to that, Svens, the bastard offspring of the Cinnaen Queen spikes her temper, yet she feels an undeniable attraction to him.
The Assays of Ata is the first in a high fantasy trilogy by author K.I.S. The book is surprising at turns and highly engaging. Ata is a strong willed character full of both kindness and temper. She strives to do the right thing, even if it means defying her own king. But she’s also no pushover when ordered to do something she doesn’t want to.
The world created here feels vast and lived in, with a rich history to it. When a threat thought gone for generations arrives, Ata must jump into action and take charge. These actions cause long ranging consequences that will affect both her and the world of Áitarbith. Most of the characters are well fleshed out and have their own unique voices and visions of the world. And while many of the characters have clear motivations, who is set to gain and lose from Ata’s actions is less clear, making for an intriguing read.
By the end of the book there are definitely threads that have not been tied up but if K.I.S. manages subsequent volumes as well as this one, the reader won’t be disappointed.
If you like high fantasy books with headstrong heroes, political machinations, bloody battles and fantasy creatures, this book is definitely for you. Personally, I am looking forward to reading the next volume.
FURTHER REVIEWS
If you liked this review check out some of my others here!
Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson with Illustrations by Howard Lyon
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
Tress of the Emerald Sea – Summary
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson comes a rollicking, riveting tale set in the Cosmere universe―a standalone adventure perfect for fans of The Princess Bride.
The only life Tress has known on her island home in an emerald-green ocean has been a simple one, with the simple pleasures of collecting cups brought by sailors from faraway lands and listening to stories told by her friend Charlie. But when his father takes him on a voyage to find a bride and disaster strikes, Tress must stow away on a ship and seek the Sorceress of the deadly Midnight Sea. Amid the spore oceans where pirates abound, can Tress leave her simple life behind and make her own place sailing a sea where a single drop of water can mean instant death?
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Review
To say Brandon Sanderson is a prolific writer would be an understatement. He writes novels the way most of us go to the movies. It’s constant. While COVID-19 had the world locked down, Sanderson took the initiative to write four different novels without telling his publishers or anyone else on his team. He then released them on a kickstarter campaign and broke the record for pledges there.
Tress of the Emerald Sea is the first of these novels. And now, it is widely available. This is one of the cosmere novels. If you are a longtime reader of Sanderson’s you’ll know what that means. But you do not need to have read his other books to enjoy this one. This story can stand alone. Although, you will get more out of it if you have read more of his books.
Tress loves two things. She loves cups of all kinds. And she loves Charlie. Charlie is expected to take a bride from far off, leaving Tress all alone. But when Tress discovers Charlie is in trouble, her life changes. She must take action and save Charlie before it’s too late.
The book is a bit more whimsical than a good portion of Sanderson’s books and reads a bit like The Princess Bride or Good Omens. It’s got some interesting mechanics as far as how the unique sea on this planet works. And it has a familiar character as the narrator here, adding a layer to the story for fans of the cosmere. The artwork is fantastic and worth the price of the book alone, with Howard Lyon evoking the scenes perfectly in the reader’s imagination.
Do I need to Read other Sanderson Books before Tress of the Emerald Sea?
While this does stand on its own, it does feel a bit like things are not fully revealed if you don’t know at least a bit about the cosmere. I certainly don’t know everything about the cosmere. There may be things I missed while reading. But there wasn’t so much that I couldn’t enjoy the book.
There’s a good bit of quirky humor so if that’s not your thing, this book may not be for you. The world building is as effective as ever and Sanderson continues to be a master of it.
This is a good book to start out on but don’t assume all of his writing is like this. There are some of his works much more serious and some less so.
Brandon Sanderson has so much out there, it can be difficult to know where to start. Tress of the Emerald Sea provides a good beginning point if you are new. It also works as a nice distraction to those who are fully entangled in the cosmere already. While I won’t say this is his best book, it is largely enjoyable and a fun read. You may feel yourself left wanting just a little more. But the good news is, Sanderson has metric tons more for you to find.
Already read Tress of the Emerald Sea but want another stand alone book to read? Check out my review of Elantris!
Happy Friday everyone! Hope you all are having a good week. Here’s a little story I wrote, hope you like it!
At Death’s Door by Adam wright
Dee sat at her desk, laptop in front of her, warm coffee in hand and logged into the system. She worked her way through the myriad of safety and security protocols to enter the system. Putting in passwords when prompted, authenticating when needed, and feeling like this would never end, she barely registered Gary walking into her office.
Gary stood there in his slim fit suit, simple black tie and clean cut hair and cleared his throat. Dee ignored him. She opened her inbox and saw the backlog of work she had to do. Overdue on more projects than she cared to count, she knew answering Gary would delay things further.
Gary knocked three times, the sound echoing in the little office. He wasn’t going away anytime soon. Dee noticed a slip of pink paper in his hand and had the sudden realization that this conversation was about to get serious.
“What do you want, Gary? I’m pretty busy. As always.”
“It’s not what I want. It’s from upstairs. We need to talk.”
Shit. Anything from upstairs was a pain. Hell, anything from downstairs was a pain also. But you can’t just ignore the orders from above, even if the messenger here was the most annoying person in the whole damn office.
“I’m listening. What do they want?” Dee tried to keep her focus on the laptop but her ears began echoing in her head, the sounds of the outside world trying to crash in on her.
“First off, you have to know, Dee… if I can call you Dee… this isn’t from me.”
“Obviously. You already said it’s from upstairs.”
Gary’s hand shook as he stuck out the paper towards Dee. She didn’t take it.
“Okay, so just, please remember, I like you. It’s bad news but I don’t want it this way, they do. There’s nothing I can do to change their minds. They’re letting you go.”
Dee resisted the impulse to throw her coffee at Gary. She knew that would accomplish nothing. This was the time for a rational adult conversation.
“What does that mean exactly? Letting me go? Do they have any idea how important what I do is?”
Gary scratched at his collar but kept the pink slip in his hand.
“Look… it means what it sounds like. You don’t work here anymore. Your services are no longer needed. In fact, it is kind of unclear what you do. You show up here every day, same time, same coffee in hand. You log in, you go through an inbox and then what? What exactly happens at that point?”
Dee let out a long sigh. Explaining this to Gary would be impossible. Explaining to those upstairs was nearly impossible too. That didn’t mean her services were not absolutely essential.
“Trust me. Without my services things are going to get… messy. There’ll be a lot of clean up nobody wants. I’m happy to sit here and do my job. I like my job. I’m not bothering anyone else. I just do my thing, wait for the annual check in, and move on with my life. What’s wrong with that?”
Gary crossed his arms, a sure sign he was losing patience. He set the pink slip of paper on Dee’s desk. She didn’t touch it.
“You’re not making any forward progress. Where’s your ambition? Where are your career goals? I mean, you’ve been doing the same thing day in and day out forever. It’s time for a change. It’ll be good for you. Good for all of us. We all need a change. Now’s the time for you to change too.”
Dee rocked back in her swivel chair and took in a deep breath.
“Gary, you have to just trust me on this. If I am gone, this place is going to have issues. Real issues. The people upstairs, and the people downstairs, are going to have to get involved. No one wants that, do they?”
Gary’s expression changed to one of feigned sympathy. Dee didn’t know why the people upstairs were such cowards. They should at least have had the guts to get rid of her themselves.
“I don’t have any choice here, Dee. I can help you pack up. Hell, I’ll buy you an iced latte on the way out. Don’t make me call security. Please?”
“Have they said I have done a bad job? Violated any rules?”
“No.”
“Then what ground do they have to stand on?”
Gary suppressed a small laugh.
“You know they never have been the type to stand on firm ground. But it’s orders. I have to carry out orders. Can’t you just go peacefully?”
Dee clutched her coffee and stood up. She grabbed her gray wool coat and her red leather purse and looked Gary in the eyes.
“I’m not doing anything that isn’t peaceful. I’m just telling you, this is a mistake. And it’s going to be costly. But, as you say, orders are orders. I’ll get my stuff and go. Just remember this: When you all want to bring me back in and ask me to clean up the whole mess, the answer is no.”
Her dignity intact, Dee walked out of the office and onto the street. All she had to do was wait. She was at a busy intersection where cars flew past, bikers made their way precariously in the bike lanes, and pedestrians jostled past one another.
Twenty minutes later, it happened. A Ford Mustang hit a tan SUV in the intersection, a bicyclist caught between them. A head on collision, one that left no room for doubt about the fate of the bicyclist. Except, Dee no longer had a job. There was nothing she could do. The bicyclist stood, a piece of metal jutting out of his chest. It should have impaled him to death. He screamed in agony. There was still nothing Dee could do. He was going to be the first of many to meet such a fate. Reluctantly, she walked away, feeling the cool breeze on her face.
She walked the earth in those later days, watching all the pain go around, never able to end it. She wanted to help. But death was out of a job.
Note: this review was first posted on Reedsy Discovery, an awesome website that pairs independent authors and readers. To see the post there, click here.
If you are a book reviewer and want to contribute reviews on Reedsy Discovery, click here.
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SYNOPSIS
Why escape death by demon just to die at the hands of heroes?’
Taitu Jathaeri, a sixteen-year-old girl with arcane gifts, is impatient to leave her matriarchal home island to train at Mecanta’s Academy of the Arcane Arts. But when her guardian, a recluse witch, is murdered, Taitu is tasked to go to the dreaded mainland, find a mage in the ruins of Old Anvadore, and give him the artefact Arjanna has hidden for twenty years. But Arjanna had many secrets. The young Thorn must learn who to trust and whether the murderers who are now pursuing her could be her salvation or her ruin. Has she unwittingly chosen the wrong side in a war that will release an ancient corrupting evil into the world of Itania?
To Save a Thorn is the second book of the Aerieti Chronicles of the Fall series. It’s largely self-contained and easy to follow without having to read the first book. That being said, reading them both adds context.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Taitu Jathaeri is a bit unusual in her little island community. She is able to cast magic, unlike most of the women who live on her home island of Ilja. The island is mostly comprised of women who live there in a matriarchal society. Due to her magic, Taitu is given to Arjanna, the only other person capable of casting magic on the island, to raise. Although grateful to Arjanna, Taitu still misses her mother and wishes to go to the mainland to learn more about how to wield her magic. Yet, there seems to be more to Arjanna than Taitu knew when a group of strangers attack and Arjanna taks Taitu with keeping a secret artifact safe and getting it to a mysterious stranger far away.
On her journey, Taitu encounters people who want to recover the artifact but are they trying to harm Taitu or save her?
Like the first book in the series, To Save a Thorn has a charming protagonist who you can’t help but cheer for as she makes her way in the world. The story is full of fun and magic and a thoroughly enjoyable read. If you read the first book in the series, it will be a bit easier to pick up on who is trying to help and who is trying to harm Taitu but either way you can read this volume as a stand alone book. This volume brings along some characters from the first book but introduces us to plenty of new ones.
The book fits in well to the larger story and it will be interesting to see where the series goes from this point on.
If you enjoy fun fantasy adventures with lots of different creatures, magic throughout the world, and charming protagonists, this book is for you.
Note: this review was first posted on Reedsy Discovery, an awesome website that pairs independent authors and readers. To see the post there, click here.
If you are a book reviewer and want to contribute reviews on Reedsy Discovery, click here.
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SYNOPSIS
The Reset is a culmination of worlds colliding, timelines interweaving, and relationships that seemed indestructible, reaching dire breaking points.
Vincent gets in the midst of an international political crisis forged by his adversary, Philip Nardin. As he tirelessly works to offset the impact, Philip kidnaps Nozomi, Vincent’s daughter. In an endgame decision, Vincent relinquishes his time-correcting powers to Philip while the world leaders launch a devastating arms race to weaponize Intreton—the purest energy source that can alter reality if mishandled. The two opponents, Vincent and Philip, unite against political and military forces to save reality from crumbling. Their plan reveals a mind-bending past and the identity of a time-twisted villain Philip calls the Lunatic. Such revelation leads to a dramatic conclusion and opens the possibility of a Reset. As someone close to Vincent shows their true self, Vincent discovers that Nozomi’s complex ties to Emika and Akane may hold the key to the Reset in this time-hopping clash of love, egos, and desires.
A story of love that transcends time and reality, and the sacrifices masquerading as selfish acts, the final book of the award-winning Time Corrector series is a whirlwind of unexpected events—many questions will finally be answered.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Dr. Vincent Abajian is a brilliant man who has a team of brilliant people around him. He’s been able to master Intreton, a substance that allows him to travel through time and even across realities. There are moments in his life we keep revisiting as readers but each time more complexities are revealed and we can see more of what each action means. The story is complex and intricate, much like a fine watch or brilliant piece of classical music can be. The third book in The Time Corrector series manages the nearly impossible by not only tying the first two books together perfectly and concluding in a satisfying manner, it still leaves the reader wishing for more.
If you had the power to change time, to change reality, to move the world in a more peaceful direction, what would you be willing to sacrifice? Would you be able to let go of ones you love in order to protect them? Can a selfish act mask one of kindness and love? These are some of the themes in The Reset. The book continues Avi Datta’s tradition of brilliant storytelling, non-linear plot making, and absolutely beautiful character development. Just when the reader thinks they have everything figured out, Datta will impress him or her with the most incredible twists and turns imaginable.
With each volume, this work becomes more and more brilliant. The intricate plot weaving is equal to the character development and as in the first two books, there are moments that completely change the reader’s perspective without feeling like a gimmick.
If there are any flaws in the series it may be that at times Dr. Abajian can occasionally be portrayed as too good and too brilliant but this is forgivable given the intricacies of the people surrounding him.
This is a series you must read from the beginning in order for it to make sense. If you have not already read The Winding and The Movement, do so before picking up the third volume.
If you enjoy expansive, non-linear storytelling, with a masterful plot and beautiful character development, this book is for you. If you just enjoy great books in general, this is a must read series.
Happy Friday folks! We don’t always know where inspiration comes from but sometimes we know the people who inspired us, even if they don’t know us. That’s what my story Inspiration is all about. I hope you enjoy it!
Inspiration by Adam wright
The store was poorly lit and Michael had to squint to see the titles on the graphic novels. He had walked past the aisles of men and women in capes, past the independent titles with questionable black and white art on the covers, and past the titles aimed at the really young kids littered with shiny ponies and round faced cartoon characters. He had made it to the bargain bins where you could get up to twenty comics for two dollars or fifty for five. The place where throw away stories went to die a quiet death but were afforded a last ditch opportunity to be discovered by someone who just needs one more issue to complete a collection. Michael wasn’t much of a fan of collectors.
When he was a kid, comics were seen as disposable. You read it, then you tossed it out, tore it up to line the bottom of a bird cage or used to wrap a gift. No one thought these things would ever be worth a damn. Hell, most of the people reading them didn’t think they were that spectacular to begin with. But time makes some things more valuable and some things less so. Michael, looking at his wrinkled hands as he thumbed through the pages and wondered which category he fell into. He decided it didn’t matter.
There was one good thing about the bargain bins. It meant that kids who had hardly any money could buy something to get themselves hooked on good stories. And Michael had to admit there were plenty of good stories out there. It was unpredictable what would hook a kid into loving a story. Sometimes it was as simple as a character that had a certain look, sometimes it was the drama of what happened in the story, or the nefarious villain that seemed so undefeatable to a young mind.
Michael spent a few minutes going through the bins when he discovered something he hadn’t expected. Right in front of him, in his hands, was an issue with his name on it. But not as the creator as he had expected. Michael thought about all those years with ink stained hands, painstakingly working at creating a picture. The pictures never quite looked like what he had in his head. Then came the dialogue. If the pictures were easy for him, it’s the words that killed him. He would spend hours sometimes just trying to make the ridiculous sound plausible. And finally the cover. That was the best part, the most fun part. He could do whatever he wanted and half the time it didn’t even have to relate to the story inside. The cover is what sold the thing.
This comic though, titled Michael Aarons: The Unsung Hero of Comics, had his own face on the cover. In it, he was standing next to a red brick wall. There was a street sign in the corner that marked the intersection of Cleveland St. and Grover Ave. It was where he spent most of his working life. He recognized it as a picture that was taken of him many years ago. The cover had a few things wrong. The wall was in a washed out sepia tone and he had one foot up, knee bent, his heel resting against the wall in a James Dean-like pose. That wall was always a bright and cheerful red, and Michael had never stood that way in his life. The artist must have altered the pose to “give it more action” as Michael himself used to say.
Michael took the comic out of the bin and pulled it out of the plastic in one quick movement. Collectors would have hated him if they had seen him do it. He opened the book, and licked his finger prior to flipping through the pages. Collectors would have hated that too.
Inside he found scenes from his own life. He saw his first wife and his second. The hair color on Gina was a deeper red than it should have been but it was close. He read how he was a pioneer in his field. Michael didn’t think that. They paid him to make funny books. That’s what they used to call them even when nothing was funny in them, and he did it for the pay. It didn’t amount to a lot of money but it was enough to buy a house with. It wasn’t enough to pay the alimony though, which is why he had to resort to some of the more questionable pulp novels he had cranked out. Those he never put his real name on but there were people who suspected it was him.
He didn’t really see much difference between the novels and the comics. Heroes sold and so did sex. If people wanted to buy it, all the better for Michael. He hadn’t ever thought of a biographical comic before. That was a new one to him. And one about his own life.
They put in all the things he had done professionally, like using the panels like a camera, doing an entire story from a first person point of view visually for the first time ever. They showed how he had intertwined his comics with other stories he had written, making them have what they called a shared universe. He just did it as a way to keep himself from getting bored.
What they left in was interesting but what they left out surprised him. There was no mention of his alcoholism. He didn’t see the years of himself drinking, virtually throwing away his relationship with his own son. Missing were the moments in his life where he had told fans that he couldn’t stand them. Missing was the lawsuit brought against him by his own publishers for not delivering on time. Missing was so much of his life but you could only fit a certain amount in the pages of a comic.
He stuffed the book back in its plastic, grabbed a stack of other books to buy without looking at them, then went up to the counter. The clerk was a young woman with purple hair wearing one of those air pod things in her ear. Michael assumed she was listening to music which was just fine with him. She barely looked up as she ran the issues through the scanner. Michael laid out his ten bucks, gave her a nod and went outside.
Just for an experiment, he leaned against the wall like the cover had him. It was awkward and uncomfortable and he hated it. There was a green trash can next to him. He tossed the comic of his life into it and walked away. He passed a young girl on the way, holding a crisp ten dollar bill in her hand.
Michael had long since driven away when the girl recognized his picture on the cover of a comic book.
She tucked it under her arm, hoping to find an incredible story. She wasn’t disappointed.
Wishing all of you the happiest of Fridays! I wrote another short little story called Too Quiet. I hope you enjoy it!
Too Quiet by Adam Wright
The sky was an open blue expanse only marred by the occasional wisp of clouds. Brandon wiped the sweat from his brow. He gripped the hilt of his sword automatically, ready to draw at the first sign of trouble. His brother walked next to him, a soldier already tested in battle, James was a slayer of kings and often thirsted for blood.
“Keep your eyes sharp in your head, you never know what’ll come from man or heaven,” James said.
“You expect trouble?”
“Nothing we can’t handle. Still, I don’t like the look of the sky. Not enough there.”
Brandon had no idea what James meant by that so he kept walking. After an hour they crested a hill, the tall grass up to their knees billowing against them. James held his hands up and Brandon halted.
“Listen. Do you hear that?” James asked.
“I hear nothing.” Brandon gripped his sword once more all the same.
“Exactly. It’s too quiet. I don’t like it.”
They continued their march through the day only stopping for short breaks to eat a bit of dried fruit and cheese. Further on Brandon remembered some bread he had stuffed in his bag and ate greedily. James didn’t notice.
“There’s no wind,” James said.
“What’s your point?”
“Could be nothing. Keep your wits about you.”
Brandon nodded as if he knew exactly what his brother meant. His hand never left his sword.
They reached a creek bed with the water low and the soft sounds of waves hitting against rocks.
“Be careful as we cross,” James said.
“Will it be safe?”
“As long as you look out for danger.”
The brothers hiked up their pants, letting the cold water run across their ankles as they waded through. Just as they were about to reach the other side a creature that seemed to be all fangs and bright white fur snarled at them. Brandon had his sword out and made himself look as large as possible to scare the creature away. James was faster than Brandon and had already wrapped his arms around the creature’s neck.
Just as Brandon was about to leap onto its back and rescue his brother he heard the sound of a voice from behind. The only voice that could bring an end to their battle.
“Boys, what are you doing? Get out of the mud and would you let the dog go? Honestly, I don’t know why we let you run around with those toy swords of yours,” their mother said.
“But ma, we’re just foolin’ around.” James let go of the dog and Brandon did the same.
“Now that you’ve had your fun, it’s time to get inside and wash up for dinner. Get a move on.” She pointed toward the door, a sure sign that she meant business.
As the brothers sat at the table trying to mind their manners Brandon leaned over to his brother.
Happy Friday folks! Here’s a little story I wrote, hope you enjoy it!
Handcuffs by Adam Wright
When the handcuffs clacked onto Thomas’s hands, the cold metal biting into his wrists, he knew he made a mistake. He must have been begging on the wrong corner. Some places it was ok to beg. Other places they made you move on.
The spotlight shone in his eyes, bright and unforgiving. The sea air whipped against his cheeks and he could taste the salt on his tongue. His clothes were old and torn, with brown smudges and stains on them. He was wearing four jackets and two pairs of jeans. The knit hat on his head had holes in places and was unraveling in others. The gloves he wore had holes where the fingertips should have been.
“What’d I do?” he asked the police officer.
“Thomas, I don’t know,” he motioned his head toward the squad car, “Feds tell me to put cuffs on, I put cuffs on, that’s it.”
Thomas looked back on the ground where his sketchpad and pencils lay. He never bought alcohol with the change he begged, but art supplies were expensive and hard to come by on the streets. On the paper was the beginning of his latest sketch, a building that not only scraped the sky but penetrated the clouds. It was an exact copy of an office building most people walked by without thinking about. Stock traders and big businessmen were the only ones who ever entered the place. Even they never paused to look at the structure. Thomas knew what it must have taken to make the building. The height alone was a challenge to the architect, but the way the walls creeped up into the air with such imposing dominance was perfection. He could tell without looking inside of the building exactly where the arch supports were, the floor plan on the inside, where the strongest and weakest points were located.
“Can I take my pad?” He looked hopefully at the officer.
“No. Get in the car.”
“That’s my livin’, my pad. It’s all I got.” He tried to move his shoulder toward the pad and the officer nudged him to the car.
Thomas sat down in the back of the car; the upholstery was cold and unforgiving. His hands were uncomfortable behind his back and the metal dug into him. He looked out of the window toward the crowd, if you could call it a crowd in a busy city like this, and saw a heavy dark boot step down and snap one of his pencils. The shards of fine lead scraped across the concrete as the foot moved away.
“Ohh,” he squeaked.
“What’s the matter, you hearin’ them voices again?” The cop turned his head toward the back of the car.
“No.”
“You know I told you about places that can help. I told you about them free doctors and clinics. If you woulda gone, maybe you wouldn’t be here.”
“I just wanna draw, don’t want no one tellin’ me I can’t draw or what I should draw. Them doctors do that to you, they do it all the time.” Thomas watched the buildings go by outside the car. He knew which ones were art deco, which were gothic or glass box style. He could name them all.
“Why didn’t you go to school, Thomas? I’ve seen your drawings, you coulda been an architect.” The officer kept his head straight forward looking at the road.
“I tried, sometimes I say stuff, talk to myself, can’t stop, said a bad word once, teacher thought I was cussin’ her. I was cussin’ them voices, they tell me I’m stupid, can’t do nothin’, won’t be nothin’, so I cuss ‘em. They kicked me out, I never tried again.”
Thomas and the officer were silent the rest of the way to the station. He loved the look of the station house. It had high curved arches, a large flight of concrete steps going up to the door, and big bright lamp posts that lit up the sidewalk. He had drawn that building too. In fact, he had drawn every building in the city at least once. From the coast to the business district, he sketched them all. The police station building was not a big seller on the streets. Most people wanted really tall buildings. Thomas could never get more than three dollars for the police station.
Inside the station, people were walking back and forth in a hurried fashion, ignoring each other. Phones rang and people shouted across the room. The officer led Thomas past the bustle and into a sterile, empty room with a table and two chairs. A man in a dark suit sat at the table and gestured for Thomas to sit down.
“Who’re you?” Thomas asked.
“Special Agent Fields, counter-terrorism division,” he replied as he pulled out a tape recorder and pressed record. The red light on it stared Thomas in the face. The agent was tall and thin and kept clicking the pen in his hand.
“Begin recording,” he said. “Interrogation of subject suspected of terrorist activities on February seventeenth. Subject’s name is?”
“I’m Thomas.”
“Do you know why you are here?”
Thomas looked at the man. He had no emotion in his face; he just stared in Thomas’s direction. Click, click, went the sound of the pen.
“I was at the wrong corner.”
“No, sir. You are accused of aiding an elite terrorist network with vital information about the design and structure of several buildings in the financial district. Do you draw buildings?” he asked, pausing long enough to cross his arms and sit back in his seat.
“It’s my livin’. And beggin’ but mostly I draw. Some people, they like it and want to buy ‘em.” Thomas moved his hands around as much as he could in the handcuffs.
“We have stopped an attack on the building you were outside of. One of their recon agents had piles of sketches in his briefcase detailing every inch of the building. They even knew delivery drop points and service entrances. How long did it take you to learn the layout, sir?” The agent clicked his pen again waiting for an answer.
Thomas looked down at the hard metal table and thought for a moment.
“I never been inside. I just know, I can feel the inside. It comes out when I draw. That’s when the voices stop, when I draw.” He rubbed his shoulder against his face to try to scratch the itch on his chin.
“Subject admits to knowing the inside of the building,” stated the agent.
“I never been inside,” said Thomas.
“Do you know what they do in that building?”
“No. People dressed all up in suits go there. They don’t give money even though they all dressed so nice. Some kinda office?”
“Yes. Some kind of office. It is the building that houses the nation’s foremost chemical weapons research lab. It is the most heavily funded lab on the west coast. You will be detained indefinitely, charges may or may not be pressed against you for your actions, you have been defined as a national threat, an aid to terror, and an enemy combatant. You should be happy. You won’t have to beg anymore for food, you will have a place to live and will be taken care of.” The agent set his pen down and pressed the stop button on the recorder.
“Can I draw?” Thomas asked.
“No. Never again, you are too dangerous to our security. Now let me remove those handcuffs.” The agent motioned to a police officer to take the cuffs off.
The key released the cold metal from Thomas’s hands.
“Now isn’t that better, sir?” asked the agent.
“Yes, sir, my hands feel much better now.” As Thomas rubbed his wrists trying to get the circulation back he knew that even if he was released he would not ever be free again. Not to draw was the same as cutting off his hands.
