Tag: book reviews

Adam Bender reads… Dystopian and Horror

Published by Adam on May 17, 2021

When I’m not writing, I’m reading … or doing other stuff. But let’s go with reading.

It seems like I’ve been reading a lot of dark, surreal takes on the world lately, which maybe speaks to the times. Please see my recent Goodreads reviews below, and let me know in the comments if you’ve read any of these books or recommend others (Maybe something lighter, like Utopia PR)

The Ballad of Black Tom by Victor LaValle
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Ballad of Black Tom is an engaging Lovecraftian tribute with a refreshing Black perspective. While running errands for purveyors of the dark arts, protagonist Charles Thomas Tester shows us the unfair prejudices and dangers he experiences in everyday life just because of the color of his skin. This novella by Victor LaValle may contain a demonic Sleeping King, but its true horror comes from police who shoot first and justify their violence after the fact. It was a quick read but not a story that will be forgotten fast. I’m looking forward to reading more from this author.

The Memory Police by Yōko Ogawa
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A beautifully bleak and surreal dystopian novel. The concept of people unwillingly forgetting objects, animals and more everyday things is compelling, and the disappearances become more horrifying as the book goes on. I enjoyed the natural and small village imagery — it was a nice contrast to the typical futuristic city in the genre.

The book reminded me a little of Kafka in the way that the people of this world seem frustratingly helpless to fix their situation. A novel within the novel similarly follows an utterly trapped character.

The conclusion left me with more questions than answers. Luckily, I read this with a discussion group — there’s certainly a lot to discuss here! It’s not exactly a book to lighten one’s spirits, but it’s a haunting story that will keep you thinking about it long after you finish.

Lakewood by Megan Giddings
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In the way that The Handmaid’s Tale used the dystopian genre to address women’s issues, Lakewood taps the horror genre to probe a lesser known history of medical experimentation on African Americans.

In an impressive debut, Megan Giddings shows how poor-paying job options and high medical bills can combine to leave people vulnerable to exploitation. Giddings writes in an approachable style with likable characters that pulled me into the story and kept me excited to read more.

Fans of socially aware scary movies like Get Out will certainly dig Lakewood. I’m excited to see what Giddings writes next.

Devolution: A Firsthand Account of the Rainier Sasquatch Massacre by Max Brooks
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A fun summer read if you’re into monster stories. Follows the classic horror trope of people getting trapped somewhere with a monster, but the sasquatch mythology and found-journal / non-fiction approach makes it a lot of fun. It also feels pretty relevant to current events that are happening now after Max Brooks wrote the thing. Prescient!

I’d read it at the beach if I felt comfortable going during a pandemic! (Note: I wrote this review in September 2020. Feeling better about the beach now!)

Check out my Goodreads page for more views and visit my bookshop to buy these and other books I recommend. Happy reading!

Adam Bender reads… Lemire, Hornby and More

Published by Adam on October 30, 2019

What does an author read? Books, obviously. Here are some of my recent highlights! Follow me on Goodreads to see more of what I’ve been reading. Please rate and review my novels while you’re there!

Frogcatchers by Jeff Lemire
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A moving, surreal graphic novel about life and death. Jeff Lemire shines again! It’s a short read, but very affecting. Twilight Zone with an emotional core. You’ll want to add it to your collection for later re-reading and to show your friends and family.

State of the Union: A Marriage in Ten Parts by Nick Hornby
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sometimes it’s nice to have a quick, breezy read, and that’s what I got in Hornby’s latest.

The author has recently had much success with screenplays, and this novella (about 130 pages) certainly reads like one. It’s mostly dialog, with the few scene descriptions reading like the setups for a theatre production. Given the ad on the cover for a Sundance TV special, maybe a quick translation to screen was the intention.

If the above doesn’t put you off (it didn’t me), you’ll find Hornby’s usual British wit in full force here, this time focusing on marriage and the challenges of maintaining a relationship for many years. It’s easy to read and hard to put down until you reach the end.

Looking forward to seeing the screen version!

The Three-Body Problem (Remembrance of Earth’s Past #1)

The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I’m no scientist, but this book sure raises some intriguing physics conundrums! This was a bit more of a math book than I expected, but the main plot kept things moving.

What really separates this from other sci-fi is the historical detail about China’s Cultural Revolution. That’s not something I learned much about in school as an American student, and reading about it from a Chinese author’s perspective adds welcome authenticity.

I also appreciated the occasional comic relief from the policeman Da Shi to break up what could have been an overly heady affair.

Think I need a break before I get to Book 2, but I probably will continue with this thought-provoking series.

Other Kingdoms by Richard Matheson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was well entertained by this novel’s unreliable, somewhat senile narrator who delights in simple wordplay. Those seeking an epic fantasy should look elsewhere–I would put this more in the genre of Vonnegut or Joseph Heller. It’s a light and easy read that brought a hearty chortle from time to time.

View all my reviews

Great books for considering our strange western society

Published by Adam on October 6, 2018

Authors read books? Why, yes! Here are a few good ones that raise some compelling questions about our society, with one that usefully explains how it got that way!

The Homesman by Glendon Swarthout

Swarthout is great at breaking Western genre tropes with his novels, and he doesn’t disappoint in The Homesman. Here, we learn of an untold history about the psychological costs of living on the frontier. Wolves, cold and disease take a toll on families out there. When a few wives go insane from the pressure, no one wants to take them back home to their families — except a tenacious woman named Mary Bee Cuddy. Delving into prejudice against the mentally ill, the novel moves quickly with colorful characters who stick with you long after the last page. If you like this, make sure you check out Swarthout’s The Shootist and other westerns on my list of favorites that inspired my novel, The Wanderer and the New West.

Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams by Philip K. Dick

A great entry into the work of Philip K. Dick, this book collects short stories adapted for the TV show of the same name. I haven’t watched the show, but found this to be a fun group of stories with compelling sci-fi ideas. As with any short-story collection, some tales are stronger than others, but all will leave one pondering the weird ways of society. The brevity of these stories forces Dick to get quickly to the point — and should be satisfying for those who struggle to find long periods of time to read. A couple of my favorites included “Exhibit Piece,” in which a future historian decides he prefers to live in the past, and “The Hanging Stranger,” a body-snatchers type tale in which no one in a town seems to be at all worried about a dead man hanging from a light pole. Dick’s work is definitely an influence on my novels, especially We, The Watched and Divided We Fall.

American Nations: A History of the Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America by Colin Woodard

If you’ve ever wondered how America got that way, this is the history book for you. Woodard challenges the notion that we’re just a bunch of blue and red states. Rather, he theorizes that distinct cultures and histories in eleven regional nations of America explain why swing states go red in certain elections but blue in others, among other intriguing insights. I’m not always excited to read a history book, but this one felt very relevant to today’s political situation. I’m sure to refer back to it in my own news reporting and fictional writing about this land we call the United States.

Roughneck by Jeff Lemire

Enough America! Let’s talk about Canada. Roughneck is another masterpiece graphic novel by Jeff Lemire. Beautiful, expressive artwork matched with another haunting story. Reading Lemire’s books is like watching a great indie film. I also really like the Canadian framing of the story — a washed up hockey player, a run-down Canadian town, trapping and an indigenous history create a great atmosphere. Don’t miss it!

View all my reviews on Goodreads and let me know in the comments if you have any recommendations.

More Acclaim for The Wanderer and the New West

Published by Adam on May 6, 2018

The Wanderer hits another bullseye with a great review from Publishers Weekly, plus Kirkus Reviews features the novel as an Indie Book of the Month!

Thanks to everyone who has picked up a copy (digital or physical) of my new novel, The Wanderer and the New West. I continue to be blown away by the kind words and excitement I’m hearing from critics and new readers about my Dystopian Western.

Recently, the Wanderer tossed his hat into the ring for the BookLife Prize by Publishers Weekly. While winners won’t be announced for several months, all entrants receive a critical assessment from Publishers Weekly, and I’m happy to report that I just received an 8 out of 10!

Here’s my favorite line: “Bender’s prose and ability to weave poignancy and humor throughout the story elevates his novel above others in the genre.”

Meanwhile, Kirkus Reviews featured my novel in their magazine for a second time, this time in a list of the “Indie Books of the Month” for April! if you don’t subscribe, here’s the online list.

Yep, that’s definitely one for the bulletin board.

Oh, this was pretty cool. My book appeared in the Spring Books issue of The New York Review of Books. I swear I didn’t plan this at all, but the cover story was all about American gun culture.

My novel is listed in the new issue of the New York Review of Books, which just happened to have a cover story on gun culture. #dystopian #western #TheNewWest

A post shared by Adam Bender (@watchadam) on Apr 1, 2018 at 12:25pm PDT

Critics are great, but I really love hearing what readers think. It’s been awesome seeing all of your reviews on Goodreads and Amazon. Please keep them coming! I’m an indie author with a limited marketing budget, so this is really the best way to help me spread the word.

Don’t have a copy yet? Check out the official page for more details on where you can buy my novel.

Charity & Events

I’m always excited to support a good cause. I donated a signed copy of The Wanderer and the New West for the annual Writers for Hope auction during Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April. The auction is organized by Kelly Johnson and proceeds went to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN).

Congratulations to the #dvlfheroes award winners! Happy to support a great organization.

A post shared by Adam Bender (@watchadam) on Apr 29, 2018 at 12:02pm PDT

Last weekend, I donated autographed copies of my three novels for a silent auction at the Delaware Valley Legacy Fund (DVLF) Heroes awards, started 11 years ago to honor individuals whose work and leadership advance the rights of the LGBT community.

Coming up, look out for the Wanderer at BookExpo 2018 in New York City from May 30 to June 1 as part of the New Title Showcase! Then, my novel will appear June 22-25 at the American Library Association 2018 conference.

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Three classic Western novels that inspired The New West

Published by Adam on March 3, 2018

Call it Western redemption. With my critically acclaimed novel, The Wanderer and the New West, I wanted to modernize a classic genre that’s high on action and adventure, but which has largely been stuck in the Old West.

It occurred to me that the Wild West is all about lawlessness and the absence of government — the very opposite of the kind of dystopian fiction I’d written before about totalitarian governments. And yet, couldn’t that be a kind of dystopia, too? With American gun violence increasing and continued calls for reduced government, this seemed like a startlingly current subject.

But while my novel aims to reinvent the Western, it owes a lot to the classics. If you’re interested in exploring the genre, here are a few books that influenced mine.

The Shootist by Glendon Swarthout

A short but very sweet tale of an expert gunslinger who learns he has cancer and decides he wants to end things on his own terms. The vultures fly in to take advantage of him, but J.B. Books stays strong.

Gripping from start to finish — I read it in about a week! Great characterizations and exciting action. Look out for the rather surgical descriptions of what a bullet can do to the body!

This book really gave me confidence that the Western genre can be much more than Cowboys vs. Indians.

Valdez is Coming by Elmore Leonard

A gang of bandits beats up Roberto Valdez and leaves the constable for dead. But Valdez survives…and seeks bloody revenge!

I loved how compact and straightforward this Western was. It’s got everything you want from the genre — a character seeking justice, a power-mad cowboy, gun fights and chases through the desert.

My only complaint is that the love story is a bit thin and not so compelling. Overall, this is a blast and a good choice if you’re just getting into the genre.

Riders of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey

Riders, rustlers, gun fights and runaway cattle — it’s all here. A legendary gunslinger must save a fetching rancher from having to marry a Mormon elder against her will.

The duels are riveting and I love the awe with which characters revere the dangerous gunslinger, Lassiter (who happens to be the inspiration for the name of the gun that the Wanderer carries in my novel).

The book does drag a bit in the middle, but there’s no denying its status as a classic.

And now, a Dystopian Western!

The Wanderer and the New West reinvents the Western novel with a dystopian outlook on a possible America that fully protects the rights of armed citizens to stand their ground. Click the cover below to read a free sample!

In the near future, the government leaves it to the American people to protect their own communities from the threat of mass shooters and motorcycle gangs. When a marksman known as the Wanderer opens war against injustice in the state of Arizona, his violent actions attract the attention of journalist Rosa Veras, writer of a subversive blog about America’s return to the Wild West.

As Rosa tracks the movements of the Wanderer, she exposes the new American folk hero’s past sins and quest for redemption. But after making waves with a blog post connecting the nation’s top gun manufacturer with its most violent gang, the reporter finds her life in danger and the Wanderer at her door. Rosa realizes she must join forces with the vigilante gunman if she is to live long enough to tell his story.

Available now in paperback and eBook!

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