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Mike Russell

Goodreads Author

Born

in The United Kingdom

Website

http://www.strangebooks.com

Twitter

strangebookseye

Genre

Fiction, Contemporary, Fantasy

Influences

Franz Kafka, Bruno Schulz, Flann O'Brien, Philip K. Dick, Angela Carte ...more

Member Since

February 2015

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/strangebooks

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Mike Russell is a British author renowned for his unique, surreal short story collections and novels.
Russell's books have been praised for their originality, inventive storytelling, rich imagery and the questions they raise about the nature of reality. Russell has a distinctive narrative voice that blurs the line between reality and imagination. His work is noticeable for its minimalist style that often contrasts with the complex themes he explores.
Russell's debut Nothing Is Strange (2014) is a highly imaginative collection of short stories that introduced readers to his peculiar and mesmerising work. Each tale in the collection is a blend of the bizarre and philosophical, inviting readers to explore the deeper meanings within the stories. Mike Russell is a British author renowned for his unique, surreal short story collections and novels.
Russell's books have been praised for their originality, inventive storytelling, rich imagery and the questions they raise about the nature of reality. Russell has a distinctive narrative voice that blurs the line between reality and imagination. His work is noticeable for its minimalist style that often contrasts with the complex themes he explores.
Russell's debut Nothing Is Strange (2014) is a highly imaginative collection of short stories that introduced readers to his peculiar and mesmerising work. Each tale in the collection is a blend of the bizarre and philosophical, inviting readers to explore the deeper meanings within the stories. Russell’s subsequent short story collections Strange Medicine (2016), Strange Secrets (2018), Strange Wonders (2020) and Strange Concentrate (2023) have continued to challenge storytelling norms and question reality in a way that is as entertaining as it is unusual.
In addition to these collections, Mike Russell has authored a number of novels and novellas. Like his short story collections, these surreal and enigmatic works are characterised by their absurd humour, eccentric characters, unexpected twists and questioning of conventional thought.
Strungballs (2017) is a fantastical, dystopian, science fiction novella that delves into themes of conformity, individuality, materialism and societal structures.
The Exploding Book (2019) is a complex, surreal novel full of dark humour and astonishing imagery. It encapsulates Mike Russell's talent for crafting narratives that are as mind-bending as they are entertaining. The novel takes an unconventional form in which the reader participates by having an out of body experience, entering the story and influencing the narrative.
Magic (2020) is a magical, often comical, novel filled with the imagery of the stage magician. Told from the perspective of a young man who believes that stage magicians can perform real acts of magic, it has been praised for its unique and uplifting story, its endearing protagonist and for being entertaining and accessible at the same time as profound and unusual. In Magic, Russell’s evocative storytelling and vivid imagery create a narrative that is as touching as it is strange.
The Man Whose Wife Was the Moon (2021) is a surreal novella set during the time of the first moon landing. It exemplifies Mike Russell's skill in weaving fantastical elements with deep emotional resonance.
Mike Russell continues to live and write in England, where he remains dedicated to exploring the unusual and unknown through his uniquely strange books.

Mike Russell was awarded a Bachelor of Arts from Falmouth University and a Master of Arts from the University of Central England.

Mike Russell’s books have been described as Strange Fiction, Weird Fiction, Weird Lit, Surrealism, Fantasy Fiction… but he just likes to call them Strange Books.

“Russell’s stories are humorous, engaging and poetically direct.” Beautiful Bizarre Magazine

“Simple yet wacky, funny and charming. Mike Russell seems to have mastered the art of throwing absurdities onto paper, while keeping his writing bright and interesting at the same time.” Cultured Vultures

“I always look forward to Mike Russell’s work – he’s so out-there that it’s refreshing.” Oddly Weird Fiction ...more

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Combine Editions
Mike Russell’s books

Average rating: 3.87 · 691 ratings · 362 reviews · 11 distinct works • Similar authors

	Nothing Is Strange 3.76 avg rating — 279 ratings — published 2014 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Strange Medicine 4.06 avg rating — 95 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Strungballs 3.60 avg rating — 85 ratings — published 2016 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Strange Secrets 3.91 avg rating — 67 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Magic 3.85 avg rating — 55 ratings — published 2020 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Man Whose Wife Was The Moon 3.97 avg rating — 31 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Strange Concentrate 4.41 avg rating — 22 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Strange Wonders 4.38 avg rating — 21 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Exploding Book 4.10 avg rating — 20 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Singularity Magazine, Issue 1, September 2015 by Lee P. Hogg (Goodreads Author) (Editor), Andrew Wilmot (Goodreads Author), Suzanne Church (Goodreads Author) 3.94 avg rating — 16 ratings — published 2015 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Mike Russell liked Matthew's review of Nothing Is Strange: "Nothing Is Strange is a book I bought a few years back. Trawling through Amazon, my cookies and the algorithm kicked in and suggested I make a bookish purchase. I was taken by the striking cover art, the bold black against a backdrop of red and the t" Read more of this review »
May 27, 2026 04:46AM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Nothing Is Strange by Mike Russell. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Nothing Is Strange by Mike Russell <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Mike Russell liked Valia's review of Strange Concentrate: "I love love love Mike's books. They are always so weird and peculiar. This collection of short stories was perfect for reading between classes and making my boring days full of wonder and craziness. Some of the stories hit too deep, too real while be" Read more of this review »
May 26, 2026 03:04AM · see review
Mike Russell liked Maria Preston's review of The Man Whose Wife Was The Moon: "Its is a beautiful , Bizarre little trip , Russell is known for what he calls Strange Fiction , and this book definitely lives up to the brand . Being pure Magical realism set in 1969 , while the rest of the world is obsessed with the technicality of " Read more of this review »
May 24, 2026 01:50AM · see review
Mike Russell and 10 other people liked Briar's Reviews's review of Strange Concentrate: "If you're into the weird and wonderful, Strange Concentrate by Mike Russell is a must-read. This collection of 40 short stories takes bizarre to a whole new level. Each tale is a snapshot of something strange, unpredictable, and often surprisingly de" Read more of this review »
Aug 08, 2025 02:45AM · see review

More of Mike's books…

Quotes by Mike Russell (?)

“Nothing Is Strange”
― Mike Russell, Nothing Is Strange

tags: magic, strange, surreal, weird

3 likes

“Dunce is completely bald and has a really pointed head so the temptation to get him paralytic on his thirtieth birthday, carry him to the tattooist’s and get a nice big ‘D’ smack bang in the middle of his forehead was too much for me. Trouble is he can’t afford to have it removed so he wears a big plaster over it. Gangs of children tease him.

‘What’s underneath the plaster, mister? Show us!’

They swear he has a third eye under there.

My name is Bill but Dunce calls me ‘Fez’ on account of my hat. I’ve known Dunce for over sixteen years.”
― Mike Russell, Nothing Is Strange

tags: flash-fiction, humor, inspirational, short-stories, urban-fantasy, weird-fiction

0 likes

“Hello. It is Monday. I live in Sun City. Sun City is a city that is entirely contained inside an enormous concrete building in the shape of a sun. Its rays house our living quarters; its circular centre is where we work and shop. No one has ever been outside of the city; it is generally suspected that the environment outside of the city is uninhabitable.”
― Mike Russell, Nothing Is Strange

tags: flash-fiction, humor, inspirational, short-stories, urban-fantasy, weird-fiction

0 likes

See all Mike Russell's quotes »

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