The Apocalypse Reader
Author: Various w/ Justin Taylor
Publisher: Thunders Mouth Press
ISBN-10: 1560259590
ISBN-13: 978-1560259596
Rating: 8/10
Judgment Day. The Apocalypse. The End of the World. For as long as there have been human beings roaming the Earth, there have been many names for our planet’s imminent demise, and just as many articles written about it. From the story of Noah and the Ark, to the Call of Cthllulu , writers, playwrights and essayists have been documenting the End as fervently as a cave dwelling mystic on the Isle of Patmos. Fortunately Justin Taylor has gathered some of the more pertinent, interesting, and hypnotic stories into a hard to put down book called “The Apocalypse Reader”,
From Rick Moody’s tale of Biblical scholarship, sexual confusion and unrequited love in “The Apocalypse Commentary of Bob Paisner” to Josip Nokakovich’s D.H. Lawerence-inspired take on identity, freedom and what it means to be an American in “The End”, the 33 tale collection is part parlor game speculation, part meditation, and all heart. Some calamities–such as Paisner’s–are more personal –others are grounded in the realities, religious or otherwise, of the world we currently live in. Nearly all tug at the heartstrings. And tug at the heart they do. One doubts Nostradamus could say that.
However, the most interesting thing about Taylor’s compilation is the way it is arranged. None of the stories are arranged by chronology, subject matter, or which author should get top billing. To quote the man himself, “I just picked what felt right”. In nearly every case, that means some collapse in the order of things political, environmental, or sexual that leaves the characters grappling with a lonely, meaningless void. Mr. Taylor, meet. Mr. Sartre. Mr. Sartre, meet Mr. Taylor.
Of course, some will take issue with Taylor’s picks. While die-hard fans of H.P. Lovecraft will swoon at the selection of the horror pioneer’s “Nylarthotep”, other might find it overwhelming. Similarly, anyone looking for zombie fluff will be disappointed by some of the out of left field avant garde stories sprinkled within the pages of the anthology. All of them will lead to cold sweats, night tremors, and sleepless nights. Readers are strongly advised to have a tab of melatonin nearby, because they are going to need it.
This is worth a splurge at the local bookstore.
by John Winn / Staff Writer Buzzy Multimedia – Sci-Fi & Fantasy Audio Books and Horror T-Shirts
