Read/reading: Magic for Beginners by Kelly Link, Codename Prague by D. Harlan Wilson.

Magic For Beginners was ridiculous and strange and inspiring in the sense that it reminded me that sometimes, simplicity is the key to telling a spellbinding story. Kelly Link’s style is very approachable, and it’s left up to the reader whether to contemplate the ramifications of each line or leave it as it is. A few moment’s reflection, and I found myself falling in love with this book.

Codename Prague is a short novel (not quite a novella, I don’t think) by a madman called D. Harlan Wilson. I have the first in this so-called trilogy, called Dr. Identity, and it’s fair to say that Wilson’s kicked me out of more than one slump in my own writing in the past. This is shaping up to be just as odd and brilliant.

Read: Screwjack by Hunter S. Thompson, At The Mountains of Madness by HP Lovecraft, Zoo City by Lauren Beukes

Reading: Magic For Beginners, by Kelly Link

Got distracted, and never posted these. So:

Screwjack was short - almost criminally short for a book that’s sold as a standalone work, given that I finished it in about twenty minutes. It feels more surreal than Thompson’s usual work. There are a lot of elliptical lines, and less savage than Thompson’s usual work - the violent moments are more like a drug-fuelled fever dream than Thompson’s dark heart. Still interesting as an afterthought to his work, though.

At The Mountains of Madness is my first Lovecraft, and I don’t think I’m yet in love with the man’s style. The visual leitmotifs are really arresting, and some images will stick with me for a long time, but I couldn’t help but notice that the novella was essentially devoid of character and that there is a lot of repetition (not always employed effectively). It’s probably important to note that as far as writing weird fiction, Lovecraft was one of the first; sadly, beyond its seminal nature, other writers have since aped his style with a great deal more skill. I’ll continue to read him from time to time (I have his complete works), and I might shift - I can’t help but wonder if his short stories are better.

Zoo City was brilliant - bleakly comic, tantalisingly savage and utterly fascinating until the very last page. It’s also refreshing to see a female protagonist in this sort of story - parts reminded me of the video game Beyond Good and Evil, though this has a much darker tone. Not what I was expecting, but fantastic - so read it.

Magic For Beginners was just quoted on my dashboard, and apparently the book has a fairly ardent fanbase - I’m excited to read it. Also, short stories! Who doesn’t like short stories? (Please buy my short stories.)