I never thought I'd ever get the chance to see the words 'Redneck' and 'Literature' penned together in the same sentence. Much less in a good way. And I dont mean 'Redneck' with any kind of bad connotation. What Richard has done in this book is truly astounding. I had read stories about 'country life' and we've all seen movies showcasing this type of lifestyle, but this was the first time, at least for me, to ever read stories about rednecks, as if told by rednecks.And they are good.
From the beginning of the very first story, to the end of the last, Richard manages to keep you entertained, pampered and motivated. His choice of words is extremely complex, not in its language, but in it's intricate form. After reading this book, if you don't know how to make long sentences then at least you'll know what they look like. There are sentences here that span pages! This alone is very interesting. But the true genius in these stories is how Richard manages to keep you intertwined in the characters and the separate plots.
Each story has a multitude of separate plot lines that break off and unite somehow to give you a picture of an organic, real story. The characters feel alive, the dialogue is credible and the environments are described in just the right amount of space. Even if the narrator is a small child, by the end you feel like you know exactly what he's talking about. You understand them, you feel for them. Everything in this book feels like it's going to keep growing and living on even after you close the book, like a small cosmos living inside it, functioning all by itself. When you open the pages, they all stare up at you and after a while simply start talking, filling you in on the recent events. I'd like to think that twenty years from now, I'll open that book and find out what kind of men the kids from Strays became, or if Genius is still floating on the beach, or if they managed to fix the rocket ride.
But the true genius in these stories is how Richards manages to keep you intertwined in the characters and the separate plots.
He tells aspects of a story without mentioning them. After a few details of dialogue, a part of the background suddenly shifts and gives you a peek at something that gets your attention but doesn't pull you away from the main plot. Like listening to a story told by a little kid about a guy with no face, who only appears when you least expect him, but in the corner of your eyes you see a reflection on a mirror of a man looking at you. You can't tell if it's him, because you don't want to look away from the kid, but hes there! Looking at you. And you know it's the man with no face. Maybe it's a bad example, but I hope you understand what I mean.
These stories span from tragically sad to absurd and funny. There's just something about a horse shooting gas from both ends at the same time that sticks in your brain for a while, you know? Genius is one of the best stories I've read in a long time. But i think the best of all is the first one, Strays. This one is just magical. Apparently it's some kind of fan favorite.
I have to be honest, I didn't know anything about this book or author when I found it. I thought it would be some kind of fantasy or sci-fi thing. But it turned out to be something so different and refreshing, that I wish I had read it when it originally came out. I recommend getting it, if you can, downloading it or whatever. These are stories that should be shared. I'll definnetly be looking for more works from Mark Richard.
2 comments:
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Have loved this collection for many years. I received it as a birthday present in 1991, and return to it every few months for solace. It's like an old friend, or lover. 'The Theory Of Man' is probably the best short story I have read, and it is for me a perfect example of the form.
Anonymous said...
November 30, 2010 at 3:26 AM
Have loved this collection for many years. I received it as a birthday present in 1991, and return to it every few months for solace. It's like an old friend, or lover. 'The Theory Of Man' is probably the best short story I have read, and it is for me a perfect example of the form.
Anonymous said...
November 30, 2010 at 3:26 AM