Book review: Breathers, by S.G. Browne

It seems like a new zombie novel is being written everyday. Many of them are the same -- zombies come back to life, attack people, eat people, and cause major havoc. But Breathers, by S.G. Browne, is a totally different kind of zombie novel (sort of).

Breathers is a zombie novel in the sense that it's "about" zombies. In fact, it's much more about zombies than any other zombie novel I've read. The book delves into social, political, and humane issues that focus on the undead but could really pertain to any minority in some way. In addition to being somewhat allegorical, Breathers is hilarious.

Andy Warner is a zombie. He died in a car crash and came back to life, much to his family's (and his own) surprise. He's not the first person to reanimate, and like all the other zombies, Andy is treated like a pariah.

Breathers chronicles Andy's undeath, giving readers valuable insight into the mind and spirit of a modern California zombie and his struggle for equality. The book is written in the first person present tense, which works well for this story and which the author has a genuine knack for. S.G. Browne's conversational tone and darkly comic first-person narration are strongly reminiscent of another talented author, Chuck Palahniuk (Fight Club, Choke).

Browne has a keen ability to bring his characters into sharp focus, which -- even though they're not alive -- makes them real to the reader and keeps the story flowing along. Never before have zombies been so easy to sympathize with and so natural to root for.

Breathers starts off slow, as a drawn-out flashback, but the story builds toward a roller-coaster climax that any horror fan will enjoy. The book will also appeal to readers who like dark humor and those who love to see the underdog put up a good fight.

In the words of the main character: "Is it necrophilia if we're both dead?"

Acorn, Vicious Verses, tinywords

I haven't had much time to read lately, but I have managed to skim through two things -- the current issue of Acorn, and Vicious Verses and Reanimated Rhymes, the book of zombie poems from Coscom Entertainment.

Acorn #23 is, of course, filled with good haiku. There is a very poignant poem by C. William Hinderliter, and a nice pairing of two unrelated haiku by Peggy Willis Lyles and Jennifer Gomoll Popolis. Robert Epstein has a three-word haiku that takes the form's brevity to heart.

There are many more poems in this issue, including two good ones by Timothy Hawkes, and some of the other contributors include Gary Hotham, Chuck Brickley, Ferris Gilli, and John Elsberg.

Vicious Verses and Reanimated Rhymes: Zany Zombie Poetry for the Undead Head doesn't have as many haiku as Acorn (though surprisingly it does have a few, including two of mine) but it does contain a lot of good zombie poems. This collection is a follow-up to Bits of the Dead, an anthology of zombie flash fiction.

Not every poem in the book is a winner, but there is definitely something for everyone (well, everyone who likes zombie poems). There are limericks, a couplet, and even a "Zombie Love Sonnet." Humorous poems occupy a lot of pages, including some good ones by W. Bill Czolgosz, J.H. Hobson, and Zed Zefram. Charles Gramlich has a haunting poetic tale of Gettysburg, and Michael Kriesel's haiku sequence "Last Year" is excellent. "Reanimation" by Casey Quinn is one of the best poems of the book, short and sweet with an eerily nursery-rhyme-like rhythm. Albert Melear's "Say Cheese" is another good one, with graphic description and a good use of line breaks.

Some other notable poems include Rich Ristow's parody of Dylan Thomas, "Rage, Rage in the Dying of Twilight," Paul A. Freeman's long poem "Payback Time," and Lester Smith's "Git Along, You Zombies," which offers a unique way to make zombies useful to society. Vicious Verses has over 135 pages of zombie poems -- plenty for any horror fan to chew and digest.

Ed Markowski passed along some good information today -- tinywords is making a comeback, and it's currently open to submissions. In its new incarnation, it will include all forms of micropoetry (not just haiku) as well as artwork. Read the complete submissions guidelines here.

HWA column, Vicious Verses

J. Bruce Fuller's recent HWA Column, "Imagination and Persona in Horror Poetry," can now be read over on his blog (which he has recently updated, so check out the new look). It's a great article, plus it includes a sneak peek of his poem "28 Blackbirds at the End of the World," which is being made into a chapbook by Bandersnatch Books (due out sometime this month).

Speaking of books, Coscom Entertainment has just released Vicious Verses and Reanimated Rhymes: Zany Zombie Poetry for the Undead Head, a book of zombie poetry by some of the genre's best writers. I just got my contributor's copy and haven't had a chance to read it yet, but I did glance through the table of contents and I saw names like Charles Gramlich, Keith Gouveia, Rich Ristow, Steve Vernon, and Michael Kriesel. If you're looking to get your holiday shopping done early, it would make a good present for a zombie or horror fan.

Amazon is having a Sci-Fi Extravaganza right now, so if you need to stock up on science fiction DVDs, now's the time.

28 Blackbirds, an Ezra Pound anthology contest

J. Bruce Fuller's haiku series, "28 Blackbirds at the End of the World," appeared in Scifaikuest last year and was subsequently nominated for a Rhysling Award. Now, Bandersnatch Books has decided to make it into a chapbook -- and rightly so -- which should be available sometime in November. Any fans of haiku or speculative poetry should check it out.

Bandersnatch Books is also currently seeking submissions for a new anthology, themed around variations on Ezra Pound's famous haiku-like poem, "In the Station of the Metro." They are looking for "something 100% original that touches the spirit of the original poem, albeit in a haunted/ghostly context." This sounds like a pretty cool anthology to be a part of. Payment is 25 cents per line plus a contributor's copy, and submissions will remain open until the anthology is filled (which might not take very long).

For those looking for places to submit haiku, here are links to submission guidelines for some online haiku journals (all non-paying):

- Chrysanthemum
- The Heron's Nest
- Notes from the Gean
- Simply Haiku
- Roadrunner Haiku Journal
- Shamrock Haiku Journal
- Sketchbook
- Riverbed Haiku