From Andy Hedgecocks review of my novel DOYLE AFTER DEATH --review coming in the new Interzone: Garden Rest has much in common with Wonderland. Like Lewis Carroll, Shirley creates a bizarre and liminal world underpinned by rigorous internal logic: the ecology, physics and metaphysics of this carefully constructed afterlife are transparent and convincing. And it becomes apparent Carroll and Shirley share a relish for the ludic: there are allusions to characters, real and literary, and smart riffs on the fictional genres in which Shirley has worked in the past – noir realism, sf, fantasy, horror… Shirley’s style is accessible and cinematic. There’s a charming clarity, quirkiness and sense of fun in his world-building and Doyle After Death is crammed with invention. But it is the story’s appreciation of the light and darkness at the heart of the human condition that impresses most powerfully. There’s a frisson of genuine terror provided by something more menacing than death. This is not the unimaginable horror of Lovecraft: Shirley provokes soul shaking speculation through vivid and specific writing, while seducing us with his humour and skill as a pasticheur. This is a highly impressive short novel: it’s fun, challenging, provocative and a demanding read in the best possible sense.
Posted on: Wed, 05 Feb 2014 23:16:43 +0000