This novel was freakin’ weird, almost too weird, it has the quality of William Burroughs’s books that make Naked Lunch look like a Harry Potter novel and the mass appeal of something like Ghostbusters. Even though I was lost a lot of the time in how far this book when down that most bizarre rabbit hole, the movie adaption of this novel, directed by the ever unique Don Coscarelli, is something I am putting high on my to see list in 2012. It is breathtakingly original; although its gimmick wears pretty thin even at the 100-page mark of this near 500-page book. The novel begins in a Chinese restaurant where David Wong, the author is talking to some man who wants to write a story about him. He tells the man how at a party, a man with a fake Jamaican accent (oddly called Robert Marley) who introduces David and his friend John to a drug called Soy Sauce, that imbues the user with supposed psychic powers and portals to the underworld. What follows is a story of undead dogs, hellish demons, and distorted REM songs that promote racism and rape. It is a wild and confusing ride only for those willing to go down this dark hole, unaware of most of the things you will encounter. It is a mixed bag: story and character are thrown to side so Wong can add a few extra notes of bizarre ideas, some like, I really don’t. But this is also a very funny book, with said REM song and even a racist newscaster commenting on a black players calve muscles producing belly laughs in me. I really hope the movie sheds some light on some of the more vague and oddball ideas presented in this book. If you don’t mind a confusing mess that is also creative, by all means read this book.
Rating: 4/5
No comments:
Post a Comment