In the Mad Mountains by Joe R. Lansdale on LSBB tour with giveaway!
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In the Mad Mountains is the second Joe Lansdale book I’ve read this year, and it did not
disappoint. Initially drawn to it by its bold, colorful cover, I hesitated to dive in after noticing
words like "Lovecraftian," "cosmic dread and terror," and "sinister" in the description.
I’m not a horror fan by any means; however, knowing the author’s wit and seeing
blurbs that mentioned "irreverent" and "down-home," I couldn’t resist. It had me
laughing out loud from the introduction, where Lansdale admits (in a book
subtitled Stories Inspired by H.P. Lovecraft) that "I really don’t much care for
Lovecraft’s writing." I was hooked.
The book felt like a season of Amazing Stories or a horror-leaning Twilight Zone.
The twisty tales and distinct characters drew me into the stories. As a writer, I
appreciated the different voices Lansdale masters in each. What I especially
enjoyed were the short vignettes at the beginning of each tale, where he shares
what inspired him and whose influence, tone, and voice helped craft the story.
Indeed, his inspirations became my own. From listening to Robert Johnson’s
blues after reading "The Bleeding Shadow" to adding a Dana Roberts book to
my to-be-read list after being introduced to her in "The Case of the Stalking
Shadow," Lansdale’s stories moved me to explore further.
One of the threads woven through each story was an ominous lesson learned or
a bittersweet truth recognized. Whether it was a wayward brother giving his life
to save his sister, the burning realization that "normalcy... from here on out I
knew was a lie," a traveler whose fateful trip shifted his perspective so that he
"never [saw] the world in exactly the same way" afterward, or a wife who regrets
that she lost "her chance to be more than, and better than, human," Lansdale
managed to leave me with the horrified wonder that only the tallest of tales can
evoke.
If In the Mad Mountains is your cup of tea, you might also enjoy American Horror
Stories, Black Mirror, or Alfred Hitchcock Presents.
You might enjoy listening to these playlists:
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Terrific review! I also really enjoyed the author putting in his bonus two cents prior to each story. Fun!
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