In a sea of assigned reading, midterms, projects and papers, who has time to read for pleasure, let alone search the stacks of new releases to find that gem of a new author? Since fall break is fast upon us, there may be time to relax with a new book. Here are four that deserve checking out.
"Dermaphoria" by Craig Clevenger
Chuck Palahniuk ("Fight Club") called this author's first novel, "The Contortionist's Handbook," the best book he had read in five years. Clevnger's recently released second novel is a paranoid mind-bender about an amnesiac that wakes up in a jail cell with only a woman's name on his mind. He is bailed out with hopes of figuring out how he got there. To do so, he takes a mysterious new drug that promises to help him piece together his past while destroying his present life. Clevenger shatters the myth of the "sophomore slump" by reaching an even higher level of complexity and eloquence than his devout followers always knew he was capable of. (www.craigclevenger.com)
"Bleed Into Me" by Stephen Graham Jones
Nominated for both the Pen/Faulkner and Young Lions awards, this book is Jones' first collection of short stories. Jones weaves his prose with a metaphorical fluidity that will no doubt change the face of literature within the next few years. He has written several novels including the critically acclaimed "All the Beautiful Sinners," about an explosive murder/abduction case involving Native Americans. With a focus on Native American literature, this author will challenge readers more then any other current author. (www.stephengrahamjones.net)
"Glass Soup" by Jonathan Carroll
Existential philosophy, talking babies and "chaos" as an antagonist are all part of Carroll's fictional universe. Readers will again laugh, get turned on and lock their doors behind them after reading this sequel to his last book, "White Apples." Carroll is masterful at crafting realistic romance and terrifying horror in the same sentence. His more than 14 novels are tough to find but lately have been re-released and can be found in larger bookstores and online. (www.jonathancarroll.com)
"Satan Burger" by Carlton Mellick, III
Carlton Mellick, III, or CM3, is part of a new movement known as Bizarro: equal parts horror, surrealism and science fiction. Mellick's novels don't push the boundaries; they eat them. "Satan Burger" tells the story of a protagonist with schizophrenic eyes that allow him to see things far away from his body. There are tons of other characters, including little people who dress up like ex-presidents and a flamboyantly homosexual Satan who owns a fast-food restaurant. This novel will make readers laugh so hard there should be a warning on the back. His newest novel, "Punk Land," is coming out soon. www.avantpunk.com
