Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Ambrose Pierced

Here is my command. Go read The Adjustment by Scott Phillips. Who? You. Especially if you like things nasty, dark and unsentimental with a cutting, but altogether whoopdi-do sense of humor. Most especially if you like to read about assholes being assholish with flare. Here's a good test, you've read Charles Willeford? You liked? You need a Phillips fix. Damn it, I'm laying down gold here. Choice wisdom. Pick up this book already. It's Wayne Ogden's lost year as a civilian in Wichita before re-enlisting to further his career as a pimp and black marketeer in Japan, (oh, please let there be a Wayne in Japan book coming!) Are you sick to shit of the sepia-toned Stephen Ambrose/Tom Brokaw/Tom Hanks-ish Greatest Generation bullshit? You wanna stop the lobotomizing of our national memory? Picketh the fuck up this book. Our fighting Joes were not cardboard saints possessed of a flinty patriotic streak and an outraged moral obligation to fight the Axis of evil. Let's stop the disservice we're doing to our heritage and recognize the inglorious bastards in their number. Wayne Ogden = sonofabitch #1. Gotta love him. I say more about my Wayne, Scott and The Adjustment at Ransom Notes.

And how about Crime Factory 7? Brand new Jordan Harper! First new story not featuring a blond super-genius in a long time. Too long. Also, N@B all-stars Sean Doolittle and Richard Thomas are skulking about with the likes of Pete Risley (did you read Rabid Child? shudder), Nik Korpon, Matthew C. Funk, Don Lafferty, Todd Robinson, Edward A. Grainger, Nathan Cain, Finbarr McCarthy, Mark Richardson, Derek Kelly, James Peak, Frank Wheeler Jr., Guinotte Wise, Andrew Nette, Jon Ashley, David Whish-Wilson, Mitch Tillison and Joelle Charbonneau... Hey, who let the cozy writer in? Also, Chad Eagleton interviews F. Paul Wilson, plus reviews and The Nerd of Noir's double feature. So fork over your free and get to it.

Y'know what else has got a killer lineup? The Velvet anthology Warmed and Bound, that's what. I'm looking at it right now and it's stupid good. 

So... You're coming to N@B Saturday August 6, 7pm at Meshuggah Cafe in the Delmar Loop, yes? You're coming to be shocked and titillated by the likes of Senor Phillips, Jesus Angel Garcia, Jane Bradley and David Cirillo, no? You're coming because Noir at the Bar the anthology will be available for the first time, right?!?! 

1 comment:

Kieran Shea said...

I have picked up this gold.