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Squid Pulp Blues
"Krall has quite a flair for outrage as an art form, and with SQUID PULP BLUES, he's created a wholly unique terrascape of Ibsen-like naturalism and morbidity; an extravaganza of white-trash urban/noir horror." - EDWARD LEE, author of The Bighead and Brides of the Impaler
"An intriguing mix of film noir storytelling strained through a colander of pure bizarro." - TOM PICCIRILLI, author of A Choir of Ill Children and The Midnight Road
Three novellas of squishy-noir from Jordan Krall.
On the surface, Thompson looks like any other blue collar New Jersey town. But beneath the working class exterior lies a bizarro world of fetishistic crime, sleazy motels, and squid. In these three bizarro-noir novellas, the reader is thrown into a world of murderers, drugs made from squid parts, deformed war veterans, and a mischievous apocalyptic donkey...
THE HABERDASHER
Red Henry Hooper just got out on parole. He meets his friends, fellow small-time criminals Dix Hayden and Grant Minissi, in a cheap motel to drink a couple beers and perhaps plan another job. Things go sour when Grant takes some bad drugs. Meanwhile, in the next room, strange things are happening that will make Henry's day even a woman is missing her feet and a notorious local gangster Robert Hapertas (aka The Haberdasher) is on his way. And he's not pleased...
THE LONGHEADS
Tommy Pingpong knew it was a mistake sending his partner Jake into the meeting with their boss. Now they were on the run from Peachy, a diaper-wearing gangster who would like nothing better than to kill the both of them. On top of that, the deformed war veterans called the longheads are buying up all the guns in town, planning something big that'll have severe implications for the town of Thompson.
THE APOCALYPSE DONKEY
When Simon Palmer took the black envelope from the tall man in the parking lot, he didn't know that this case of mistaken identity would make his day take such a weird turn for the worst. When the man finally realizes that he gave the envelope to the wrong guy, Simon is thrown into a dangerous cat-and-mouse game that finally leads to a sleazy carnival of squid violence...
"An intriguing mix of film noir storytelling strained through a colander of pure bizarro." - TOM PICCIRILLI, author of A Choir of Ill Children and The Midnight Road
Three novellas of squishy-noir from Jordan Krall.
On the surface, Thompson looks like any other blue collar New Jersey town. But beneath the working class exterior lies a bizarro world of fetishistic crime, sleazy motels, and squid. In these three bizarro-noir novellas, the reader is thrown into a world of murderers, drugs made from squid parts, deformed war veterans, and a mischievous apocalyptic donkey...
THE HABERDASHER
Red Henry Hooper just got out on parole. He meets his friends, fellow small-time criminals Dix Hayden and Grant Minissi, in a cheap motel to drink a couple beers and perhaps plan another job. Things go sour when Grant takes some bad drugs. Meanwhile, in the next room, strange things are happening that will make Henry's day even a woman is missing her feet and a notorious local gangster Robert Hapertas (aka The Haberdasher) is on his way. And he's not pleased...
THE LONGHEADS
Tommy Pingpong knew it was a mistake sending his partner Jake into the meeting with their boss. Now they were on the run from Peachy, a diaper-wearing gangster who would like nothing better than to kill the both of them. On top of that, the deformed war veterans called the longheads are buying up all the guns in town, planning something big that'll have severe implications for the town of Thompson.
THE APOCALYPSE DONKEY
When Simon Palmer took the black envelope from the tall man in the parking lot, he didn't know that this case of mistaken identity would make his day take such a weird turn for the worst. When the man finally realizes that he gave the envelope to the wrong guy, Simon is thrown into a dangerous cat-and-mouse game that finally leads to a sleazy carnival of squid violence...
204 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2008
7 people are currently reading
406 people want to read
About the author
Jordan Krall
102 books258 followersBooks include:
TENTACLE DEATH TRIP
FISTFUL OF FEET
MOTEL MAN
KING SCRATCH
BEYOND THE VALLEY OF THE APOCALYPSE DONKEYS
PIECEMEAL JUNE
SQUID PULP BLUES
NEWLY SHAVEN SAINT
UNFRUITFUL WORKS
PRELUDE TO SPACE RAPE!
SQUID KILLS
THE PISTOL BURPS
ALL POEMS MUST DIE
FALSE MAGIC KINGDOM
BAD ALCHEMY
THE GOG AND MAGOG BUSINESS
YOUR CITIES, YOUR TOMBS
TENTACLE DEATH TRIP
FISTFUL OF FEET
MOTEL MAN
KING SCRATCH
BEYOND THE VALLEY OF THE APOCALYPSE DONKEYS
PIECEMEAL JUNE
SQUID PULP BLUES
NEWLY SHAVEN SAINT
UNFRUITFUL WORKS
PRELUDE TO SPACE RAPE!
SQUID KILLS
THE PISTOL BURPS
ALL POEMS MUST DIE
FALSE MAGIC KINGDOM
BAD ALCHEMY
THE GOG AND MAGOG BUSINESS
YOUR CITIES, YOUR TOMBS
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
May 15, 2012
THANK YOU, MR KRALL. For a while now, I’ve been thinking that the crime noir subgenre was decidedly lacking in two major ingredients: (1) diaper wearing, incontinent hit men and (2) deranged drug dealers with out of control foot-fetishes. Well Squid Pulp Blues (SPB) has allowed me to cross both of those items off my literary bucket list.
Folks, welcome to Thompson, New Jersey, a seamy, gritty, completely BIZZARED UP version of an East Coast town that just oozes WTF. SPB is made up of three inter-locking novellas all set in this quaint little burg.
Beginning with...
The Haberdasher:
This story sets the stage very well by having your “things are a tad off” radar start beeping pretty early. Henry Hooper is on parole and is meeting up with a couple of like-minded buddies to plan their next score. Sounds pretty straight forward until you add in:
A. Item #2 above.
B. Woman waking up to find she is footless (NOTE: not footloose).
C. Strange woman with stranger machine that is responsible for B above.
D. A marathon of the TV show “The Golden Girls.”
E. A major hallucinogenic drug made from squid called….uh Squid.
F. A seriously baffling lap dance.
G. Crab monsters disguised as humans….maybe?
H. Your standard case of opportunistic necrophilia.
Moving right along, we come to our second wholesomely fuckoed tale...
The Longheads:
This one requires a little background on the title. The Longheads are war veterans who were exposed to a bio-weapon in an unnamed war that caused their skulls to elongate (think coneheads from SNL).
Superfluous commentary aside, "The Longheads" concerns a couple of small time hoods looking to score some guns while staying away from a psychotic mobster named Peachy Keen. However, the boys soon discover that the community of Longheads have been buying up all of the cities weapons for weeks. What are they planning? Oh, that would be telling. Fun little bizarro tidbits in this novella include:
A. Item #1 above (aka Peachy Keen).
B. An angry dwarf hooker who can’t seem to get a John.
C. Barbara Stanwyck as a herald of the apocalypse.
D. Serial killer who draws detailed comic panels on his victims.
E. A gang rape minded Police Detective.
F. An unhealthy obsession with a comic donkey named Little Bing Bong (see next tale)
Finishing up our trio or trippy tales, we have...
The Apocalypse Donkey:
In this insane little nugget, a comic artist named Simon finds himself in possession of a mysterious black envelope, making him the target of a pissed off hit man. The storylines from the previous two novellas mash together in this third tale, raising the bizarro factor to 11, and allowing you to experience the following fun-filled fuckaroonies within:
A. Little Bing Bong, a squid-donkey hybrid and herald of the Apocalypse.
B. Angry dwarf hooker gets a gig from a John with an unusual fetish (big surprise there). C. St. Stanley’s Carnival with some rather HOLY SHIT-like attractions.
D. A most “gag-reflex” testing birth of a squid-like demigod.
E. Avant-garde Jazz, Thompson style.
Well, if the above does not intrigue you, this is not the book for you. Krall does a very good job bringing all of the stories together in the end and has created a group of tales that certainly quenches the bizarro thirst.
3.5 stars. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for Bizarro fans, especially if they are also fans of crime/noir fiction.
P.S.
One final comment/warning on the story for the more sensitive among you. There's one aspect of the low-life gangster lifestyle that doesn’t get a lot of play from mainstream crime/noir. These guys are heavy drinkers and smokers, they take a lot of drugs, and eat a ton of crappy bar food. Obviously this is going to take its toll on the digestive system.
Well Jordan Krall does not shy away from this topic. He swings wide the stall on this previously shrouded aspect of the thug life and provides plop by plop coverage of every expulsion you can imagine. Thus, be prepared…
..tis bizzaro after all.
Folks, welcome to Thompson, New Jersey, a seamy, gritty, completely BIZZARED UP version of an East Coast town that just oozes WTF. SPB is made up of three inter-locking novellas all set in this quaint little burg.
Beginning with...
The Haberdasher:
This story sets the stage very well by having your “things are a tad off” radar start beeping pretty early. Henry Hooper is on parole and is meeting up with a couple of like-minded buddies to plan their next score. Sounds pretty straight forward until you add in:
A. Item #2 above.
B. Woman waking up to find she is footless (NOTE: not footloose).
C. Strange woman with stranger machine that is responsible for B above.
D. A marathon of the TV show “The Golden Girls.”
E. A major hallucinogenic drug made from squid called….uh Squid.
F. A seriously baffling lap dance.
G. Crab monsters disguised as humans….maybe?
H. Your standard case of opportunistic necrophilia.
Moving right along, we come to our second wholesomely fuckoed tale...
The Longheads:
This one requires a little background on the title. The Longheads are war veterans who were exposed to a bio-weapon in an unnamed war that caused their skulls to elongate (think coneheads from SNL).
[Quick Comment: I may be reading more into this than is warranted, but I thought the idea of having the Longheads with this “physically in your face” condition was a pretty biting commentary on the lack of sympathy people often give for the long term “not readily apparent” harm soldiers suffer through exposure to war time bio/chemical agents. Krall makes several references to characters “feeling bad” when they see the Longheads because of what they suffered while fighting. Anyway, just my take]
Superfluous commentary aside, "The Longheads" concerns a couple of small time hoods looking to score some guns while staying away from a psychotic mobster named Peachy Keen. However, the boys soon discover that the community of Longheads have been buying up all of the cities weapons for weeks. What are they planning? Oh, that would be telling. Fun little bizarro tidbits in this novella include:
A. Item #1 above (aka Peachy Keen).
B. An angry dwarf hooker who can’t seem to get a John.
C. Barbara Stanwyck as a herald of the apocalypse.
D. Serial killer who draws detailed comic panels on his victims.
E. A gang rape minded Police Detective.
F. An unhealthy obsession with a comic donkey named Little Bing Bong (see next tale)
Finishing up our trio or trippy tales, we have...
The Apocalypse Donkey:
In this insane little nugget, a comic artist named Simon finds himself in possession of a mysterious black envelope, making him the target of a pissed off hit man. The storylines from the previous two novellas mash together in this third tale, raising the bizarro factor to 11, and allowing you to experience the following fun-filled fuckaroonies within:
A. Little Bing Bong, a squid-donkey hybrid and herald of the Apocalypse.
B. Angry dwarf hooker gets a gig from a John with an unusual fetish (big surprise there). C. St. Stanley’s Carnival with some rather HOLY SHIT-like attractions.
D. A most “gag-reflex” testing birth of a squid-like demigod.
E. Avant-garde Jazz, Thompson style.
Well, if the above does not intrigue you, this is not the book for you. Krall does a very good job bringing all of the stories together in the end and has created a group of tales that certainly quenches the bizarro thirst.
3.5 stars. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for Bizarro fans, especially if they are also fans of crime/noir fiction.
P.S.
One final comment/warning on the story for the more sensitive among you. There's one aspect of the low-life gangster lifestyle that doesn’t get a lot of play from mainstream crime/noir. These guys are heavy drinkers and smokers, they take a lot of drugs, and eat a ton of crappy bar food. Obviously this is going to take its toll on the digestive system.
Well Jordan Krall does not shy away from this topic. He swings wide the stall on this previously shrouded aspect of the thug life and provides plop by plop coverage of every expulsion you can imagine. Thus, be prepared…
..tis bizzaro after all.
July 7, 2011
Squid Pulp Blues is a collection of three Bizarro crime novellas all taking place in Thompson, New Jersey, a mollusk-obsessed working class town populated by dwarf hookers and the deformed war veterans called Longheads.
The Haberdasher: Fresh out of the joint, Red Henry Hooper meets up with a couple other lowlifes at a seedy motel to plan a job. Only there's a woman with no feet in the next room and The Haberdasher is on his way...
There's a lot of odd things in the first novella in this collection: a drug called Squid, a gangster with a shoe fetish, a filthy woman that stole another woman's feet, and possibly crabs disguised as people.
Even with the weirdness, The Haberdasher is a good crime tale and a great way to start the collection.
The Longheads: Tommy Pingpong and his partner Jake are looking to buy some guns for a heist, all the while evade their former partner, a diaper wearing bastard named Peachy Keen. But why are the Longheads buying up all the guns?
The Longheads, which made a cameo in the story, go on a homicidal rampage in this story but it's mostly in the background. The main part of the story is the pursuit of Tommy and Jake by Peachy. Throw in an image of Barbara Stanswick in the sky and a serial killer that draws comic strips on the backs of his victims and you have quite a tasty morsel of bizarro noir on your hands.
On a side note, I noticed Karate Kid references in the first two stories: John Kreese and Dan Laruso.
The Apocalypse Donkey: Comic artist Simon Palmer is in the wrong place at the wrong time and has a mysterious black envelope dropped in his lap...
The Apocalypse Donkey is by far the strangest story in the collection. From the weird sex acts at the carnival to the dwarf hooker finally seeing some action and the title donkey, The Apocalyse Donkey is something to behold. Isn't there a detective Harry Bosch in some other books? The Karate Kid reference in this story was Terry Silver and now that I've read about Jordan Krall's interest in Karate Kid III in his author bio in the back, it makes sense.
Squid Pulp Blues is fun mix of noir, squids, dwarf prostitues, and foot fetishes. My only complaint would be that the Cthuloid detective on the cover never makes an appearance.
Click here to read my interview with Jordan Krall.
The Haberdasher: Fresh out of the joint, Red Henry Hooper meets up with a couple other lowlifes at a seedy motel to plan a job. Only there's a woman with no feet in the next room and The Haberdasher is on his way...
There's a lot of odd things in the first novella in this collection: a drug called Squid, a gangster with a shoe fetish, a filthy woman that stole another woman's feet, and possibly crabs disguised as people.
Even with the weirdness, The Haberdasher is a good crime tale and a great way to start the collection.
The Longheads: Tommy Pingpong and his partner Jake are looking to buy some guns for a heist, all the while evade their former partner, a diaper wearing bastard named Peachy Keen. But why are the Longheads buying up all the guns?
The Longheads, which made a cameo in the story, go on a homicidal rampage in this story but it's mostly in the background. The main part of the story is the pursuit of Tommy and Jake by Peachy. Throw in an image of Barbara Stanswick in the sky and a serial killer that draws comic strips on the backs of his victims and you have quite a tasty morsel of bizarro noir on your hands.
On a side note, I noticed Karate Kid references in the first two stories: John Kreese and Dan Laruso.
The Apocalypse Donkey: Comic artist Simon Palmer is in the wrong place at the wrong time and has a mysterious black envelope dropped in his lap...
The Apocalypse Donkey is by far the strangest story in the collection. From the weird sex acts at the carnival to the dwarf hooker finally seeing some action and the title donkey, The Apocalyse Donkey is something to behold. Isn't there a detective Harry Bosch in some other books? The Karate Kid reference in this story was Terry Silver and now that I've read about Jordan Krall's interest in Karate Kid III in his author bio in the back, it makes sense.
Squid Pulp Blues is fun mix of noir, squids, dwarf prostitues, and foot fetishes. My only complaint would be that the Cthuloid detective on the cover never makes an appearance.
Click here to read my interview with Jordan Krall.
June 28, 2010
This book is pulpy goodness like when you accidentally buy high pulp orange juice instead of no pulp and take the first sip and choke on all the pulp because you're not expecting it but then you realize it's really good and you'll never go back to no pulp. That's how this book was for me.
I don't want to give too much away about this book because it's a must read for those fans of the bizarro and noir groups. However, I will highlight some of my favorite parts.
First of all, I throughly enjoyed all the squid connotations. The squid ashtray that kept popping up in every story, squid drugs, and stinky squid winds, were just fantastic.
Secondly, I throughly enjoyed the tale of the Longheads and the ending was really very creepy but really very good all at the same time.
Finally, and my most favorite part of the whole story was Little Bing Bong, The Apocalyptic Donkey. He just rocks in all his many forms he takes on throughout the three novellas that make up one smashing novel, but don't take my word for it. Get a copy for yourself today and give it a try. You'll be glad you did.
I don't want to give too much away about this book because it's a must read for those fans of the bizarro and noir groups. However, I will highlight some of my favorite parts.
First of all, I throughly enjoyed all the squid connotations. The squid ashtray that kept popping up in every story, squid drugs, and stinky squid winds, were just fantastic.
Secondly, I throughly enjoyed the tale of the Longheads and the ending was really very creepy but really very good all at the same time.
Finally, and my most favorite part of the whole story was Little Bing Bong, The Apocalyptic Donkey. He just rocks in all his many forms he takes on throughout the three novellas that make up one smashing novel, but don't take my word for it. Get a copy for yourself today and give it a try. You'll be glad you did.
July 23, 2008
Jordan Krall’s writing takes you places you never knew you wanted to go. In Squid Pulp Blues, the place is called Thompson, New Jersey. And here, you’ll find no shortage of violence, trauma, and most importantly, squid. The locals may not be friendly. In fact, most of them are psychopathic assholes. But as long as they stay on the pages where they belong, you’ll have one bloody good time in their company.
May 19, 2008
Squid noir writer Jordan Krall returns with his second book from Eraserhead Press, a collection of three novellas called SQUID PULP BLUES. If you’ve read and enjoyed PIECEMEAL JUNE, you’re going to love SQUID PULP BLUES. In “The Haberdasher,” the opening novella, Red Henry Hooper gets paroled and is immediately confronted by circumstances more bizarre and violent than he can possibly imagine. “The Longheads” focuses on Tommy Pingpong and his pal Jake. They are on the run from Peachy, one of the more entertaining crime villains I’ve encountered. I won’t ruin it for you but he has this certain... quirk. The closing novella, “The Apocalypse Donkey,” is my favorite one in the whole collection. Simon, a comic book artist, accepts a mysterious package from a stranger and attends a comic book signing while waiting for his elusive friend Chaps (who is finally rendered in hilariously ominous detail in the last few pages of the book).
Krall explores Thompson (an overt homage to legendary crime writer Jim Thompson), New Jersey in all of its violent, surreal (squid powder anyone?), often comical detail. It’s somewhere you probably don’t want to go but definitely don’t mind reading about. His plotting almost seems like standard crime novel fare: deals gone bad, angry psychopathic assassins, bosses wronged; but he adds a sort of squidy Krallness that will greatly appeal to lovers of bizarro fiction.
I’m looking forward to seeing a full-length work by Krall.
And I really, REALLY want to know more about Chaps.
Krall explores Thompson (an overt homage to legendary crime writer Jim Thompson), New Jersey in all of its violent, surreal (squid powder anyone?), often comical detail. It’s somewhere you probably don’t want to go but definitely don’t mind reading about. His plotting almost seems like standard crime novel fare: deals gone bad, angry psychopathic assassins, bosses wronged; but he adds a sort of squidy Krallness that will greatly appeal to lovers of bizarro fiction.
I’m looking forward to seeing a full-length work by Krall.
And I really, REALLY want to know more about Chaps.
August 6, 2011
Great follow-up by Krall to Piecemeal June.
Strap in because this is a wild ride to Thompson, New Jersey. This collection of stories has a lot of odd'ness described in detail that keeps the reader gripped and engaged.
There are so many things to like: we meet a filthy woman with an odd machine that took a woman's feet leaving no blood, The Longheads, war veterans that came back home disfigured with elongated heads, we see a longhead on the side of the road with an interesting machine that looks like it makes pasta, a piano full of said pasta , and we see what might be crabs disguised as humans. We also get introduced to the infatuation the town has with Barbara Stanwyck not just as an actress but almost as a Goddess one can physically see in the sky who brings love or destruction, a Fauntleroy comic book which has a Squid/Donkey hybrid character named Little Bing Bong, a hallucinogenic drug made from Squid called Squid, a hitman who has a serious stinky foot/shoe fetish, a bald dwarf prostitute who can't bag a john, this book even has avant-garde jazz, it has it all, and just when you think it doesn't have enough Golden Girls or Karate Kid references, BAM they are right there in your face and you have to applaud Mr. Krall for putting all of this bizarro gooey fresh baked goodness into one, make that 3 awesome novellas that string together nicely and go down smooth.
The only mini-gripe I would have about this book comes down to editing, in the 2nd-3rd novellas I found a lot of typos or word repetitions.
Strap in because this is a wild ride to Thompson, New Jersey. This collection of stories has a lot of odd'ness described in detail that keeps the reader gripped and engaged.
There are so many things to like: we meet a filthy woman with an odd machine that took a woman's feet leaving no blood, The Longheads, war veterans that came back home disfigured with elongated heads, we see a longhead on the side of the road with an interesting machine that looks like it makes pasta, a piano full of said pasta , and we see what might be crabs disguised as humans. We also get introduced to the infatuation the town has with Barbara Stanwyck not just as an actress but almost as a Goddess one can physically see in the sky who brings love or destruction, a Fauntleroy comic book which has a Squid/Donkey hybrid character named Little Bing Bong, a hallucinogenic drug made from Squid called Squid, a hitman who has a serious stinky foot/shoe fetish, a bald dwarf prostitute who can't bag a john, this book even has avant-garde jazz, it has it all, and just when you think it doesn't have enough Golden Girls or Karate Kid references, BAM they are right there in your face and you have to applaud Mr. Krall for putting all of this bizarro gooey fresh baked goodness into one, make that 3 awesome novellas that string together nicely and go down smooth.
The only mini-gripe I would have about this book comes down to editing, in the 2nd-3rd novellas I found a lot of typos or word repetitions.
June 13, 2009
Crime fiction is not my cup of tea. Sure, I'll watch the odd CSI episode, or the Ocean's films, but generally it doesn't interest me as a genre of literature.
Jordan Krall may have changed my mind.
His sophomore offering from Eraserhead Press, "Squid Pulp Blues" is (as the cover lets you know) three novellas, all inter-related with little connections. A character in one will reference a character or event from another, with some over-arching themes and references across all.
What little crime fiction I have read usually bored me, either with over-descriptive romantic style, or a protagonist that I could not relate to. Krall solved this for me by making me at once lost and strangely at home in the urban wasteland that is the small town of Thompson, New Jersey. He also dispenses with flowery language and description and gets straight to the point. You know where the characters are, what is happening to them, and he does not force you through a several chapters-long chase when it can be done in two or three pages.
Having grabbed me with his fast paced and well-crafted style, Krall also engaged me by seamlessly incorporating very weird elements that further keeps the reader interested. The hot drug in this dirty winter wonderland? A narcotic produced from squid harvested from the local river. What's more sinister and menacing than the criminal main characters? Disfigured war veterans with an agenda of their own. While these are just two examples and they may seem very strange for some, trust me when I say it works, and works VERY well.
"Squid Pulp Blues" is definitely a strong successor to Krall's first novella "Piecemeal June". Add this book to your "to-read" shelf as soon as you can. Jordan Krall does not disappoint.
Jordan Krall may have changed my mind.
His sophomore offering from Eraserhead Press, "Squid Pulp Blues" is (as the cover lets you know) three novellas, all inter-related with little connections. A character in one will reference a character or event from another, with some over-arching themes and references across all.
What little crime fiction I have read usually bored me, either with over-descriptive romantic style, or a protagonist that I could not relate to. Krall solved this for me by making me at once lost and strangely at home in the urban wasteland that is the small town of Thompson, New Jersey. He also dispenses with flowery language and description and gets straight to the point. You know where the characters are, what is happening to them, and he does not force you through a several chapters-long chase when it can be done in two or three pages.
Having grabbed me with his fast paced and well-crafted style, Krall also engaged me by seamlessly incorporating very weird elements that further keeps the reader interested. The hot drug in this dirty winter wonderland? A narcotic produced from squid harvested from the local river. What's more sinister and menacing than the criminal main characters? Disfigured war veterans with an agenda of their own. While these are just two examples and they may seem very strange for some, trust me when I say it works, and works VERY well.
"Squid Pulp Blues" is definitely a strong successor to Krall's first novella "Piecemeal June". Add this book to your "to-read" shelf as soon as you can. Jordan Krall does not disappoint.
November 4, 2013
3 Stars
Harberdasher:
A dark and twisted tale that comes across as a bizzaro crime noir. It includes everything from drug addicts, naked women, lap dances, people being shot, stabbed, and even bashed in.
There is a woman with no feet, a marathon of The Golden Girls, and even a crab like man.
It all adds up to one completely messed up crime novella that will leave you scratching your head... Fun fun.
=========================================================================
Longheads :
The second story centers on the same town and has a very different feel. This story contains a group of crooks and hoodlums, strippers and hookers. There is a very bad police detective. An angry dwarf hooker looking for some work. The plot seems to revolve around actress Barbra Stanwood. There are shootings, killings and maimings. To make things even worse and even stranger, there is also an artistic serial killer and an apocalyptic donkey named Little Bing Bong.
What a fun read.
===============================================================================
The Apocalypse Donkey
This was to me the weakest of the three stories. Overall it was the strangest of them all but it failed to hold my interest as the other stories did.
I enjoyed this read, it was worth my time.
Harberdasher:
A dark and twisted tale that comes across as a bizzaro crime noir. It includes everything from drug addicts, naked women, lap dances, people being shot, stabbed, and even bashed in.
There is a woman with no feet, a marathon of The Golden Girls, and even a crab like man.
It all adds up to one completely messed up crime novella that will leave you scratching your head... Fun fun.
=========================================================================
Longheads :
The second story centers on the same town and has a very different feel. This story contains a group of crooks and hoodlums, strippers and hookers. There is a very bad police detective. An angry dwarf hooker looking for some work. The plot seems to revolve around actress Barbra Stanwood. There are shootings, killings and maimings. To make things even worse and even stranger, there is also an artistic serial killer and an apocalyptic donkey named Little Bing Bong.
What a fun read.
===============================================================================
The Apocalypse Donkey
This was to me the weakest of the three stories. Overall it was the strangest of them all but it failed to hold my interest as the other stories did.
I enjoyed this read, it was worth my time.
April 22, 2011
This is one of my first forays into pure Bizzaro, and i think i'm in love! An addictive blend of pulpy crime noir with a healthy dose of foot fetish an squid weaved in.
Krall does a stupendous job of catching the seedy, seamier side of real life which many authors have trouble capturing authentically. And, how most people are essentially unmoved, or only affected on the surface, by the heinous acts done to other people if it does not involve them directly
Another aspect of the story i enjoyed was the use of multiple, concurrently occurring plot lines that eventually converge. I'm always a sucker for that and Krall does it magnificently. An absolutely captivating book and i can't wait to read more from him!
February 4, 2009
Jordan Krall's first published novella, "Piecemeal June", stood out from the pack with its unique combination of body-fluid splatter and bizarro horror. "Squid Pulp Blues" is his second release from Eraserhead Press and is a continuation of these themes. The book is three novellas, each taking place in Thompson, New Jersey, concerning blood, cum, drugs, and squids.
"The Haderdasher" is the first story. Henry has just gotten out of prison and is meeting up with some old friends for booze, cards, and planning a caper or two. The night takes a turn for the worse when one of his friends has a bad reaction to a new street drug derived from squids. Meanwhile in the next room a woman has had her feet literary stolen off her legs. When a local gangster named The Haderdasher comes by to drop off drugs, the two stories combine in a shower of bullets and blood.
The next tale is "The Longheads." The Longheads are a group of veterans who came back from the war with hideous deformations from chemical weapons. They are stocking up on weaponry and preparing to make an assault on Thompson. Caught in the middle of this are Tommy and his partner Jake who are on the run from Peachy, a diaper-wearing criminal with a bone to pick.
Finishing the book is "The Apocalypse Donkey," a humorous story about Simon, a popular comic book creator, who is in town promoting his latest graphic novel. While waiting out front of the store, a strange man gives him a black envelope containing obscene photos. Once the man realizes he gave the envelope to the wrong person, Simon is on the run for his life.
Krall has a distinctive story telling style which combine noir-crime fiction, hard-core horror, and bizarro literature. The problem with this combination is it stands to alienate many readers. For those few who understand the wonderful weirdness of it all, Krall satisfies in a way few authors can.
While the book is three separate stories, it feels like one full novel. Characters, events, and themes cross over in all the tales. Many disturbing details are just hinted at in the background. Krall plants lots of intriguing clues to the town's many secrets and creates the sense that Thompson is a real place, though one you might not want to go to.
Combining together a variety of genres, "Squid Pulp Blues" is a fun read filled with violence, laughs, and squids. Jordan Krall has shown on his second work that he is no one-hit-wonder. For those hankering for a weird trip, Thompson is just the travel destination you need.
"The Haderdasher" is the first story. Henry has just gotten out of prison and is meeting up with some old friends for booze, cards, and planning a caper or two. The night takes a turn for the worse when one of his friends has a bad reaction to a new street drug derived from squids. Meanwhile in the next room a woman has had her feet literary stolen off her legs. When a local gangster named The Haderdasher comes by to drop off drugs, the two stories combine in a shower of bullets and blood.
The next tale is "The Longheads." The Longheads are a group of veterans who came back from the war with hideous deformations from chemical weapons. They are stocking up on weaponry and preparing to make an assault on Thompson. Caught in the middle of this are Tommy and his partner Jake who are on the run from Peachy, a diaper-wearing criminal with a bone to pick.
Finishing the book is "The Apocalypse Donkey," a humorous story about Simon, a popular comic book creator, who is in town promoting his latest graphic novel. While waiting out front of the store, a strange man gives him a black envelope containing obscene photos. Once the man realizes he gave the envelope to the wrong person, Simon is on the run for his life.
Krall has a distinctive story telling style which combine noir-crime fiction, hard-core horror, and bizarro literature. The problem with this combination is it stands to alienate many readers. For those few who understand the wonderful weirdness of it all, Krall satisfies in a way few authors can.
While the book is three separate stories, it feels like one full novel. Characters, events, and themes cross over in all the tales. Many disturbing details are just hinted at in the background. Krall plants lots of intriguing clues to the town's many secrets and creates the sense that Thompson is a real place, though one you might not want to go to.
Combining together a variety of genres, "Squid Pulp Blues" is a fun read filled with violence, laughs, and squids. Jordan Krall has shown on his second work that he is no one-hit-wonder. For those hankering for a weird trip, Thompson is just the travel destination you need.
June 23, 2009
Tell me I can only use a single sentence to review this book and I may tell you that "Jordan Krall is the Quentin Tarantino of the bizarro world." To that sentence, I'll also add "SQUID PULP BLUES is like Pulp Fiction and Mulholland Dr put into a blender." The Lynch reference isn't only because it's weird; a lot of things are left unanswered but just like in the film, some of these questions can easily be answered though a few are forever left unsolved.
What exactly was in the back of Dix's trunk? What and, perhaps more importantly, who were in those pictures Harry accidentally gave to Simon? Lynch gives us 12 clues to solve the ending, Krall does it his own way, with: infectious dialogue, bizarre scenarios, and Apocalyptic Donkeys.
The Tarantino reference makes sense because the violence in SQUID PULP BLUES is up to snuff (if not even more over-the-top) with most of Tarantino's films we have come to love. Also, since the novel is technically three different stories strung together with different characters, it's all still in the same universe. Just like Tarantino's recurring Red Apple cigarettes, Krall reintroduces a certain comic book, a few characters and a handful of locations.
There is a strange fascination with squid in all three stories and there are even some fetishes featured in this book I never thought could be described with such detail... Krall does it all. This is the quickest I have ever read a book and yes, I even re-read a few chapters/pages more than twice just to "completely" feel engrossed and it was worth every second. I want to go back to Thompson, I already miss it so but now I'm ready for FISTFUL OF FEET and will probably pass the time with PIECEMEAL JUNE until it arrives.
Thank you so much Jordan and seriously folks, when they tell you: "characters make stories;" Krall doesn't fuck around...
What exactly was in the back of Dix's trunk? What and, perhaps more importantly, who were in those pictures Harry accidentally gave to Simon? Lynch gives us 12 clues to solve the ending, Krall does it his own way, with: infectious dialogue, bizarre scenarios, and Apocalyptic Donkeys.
The Tarantino reference makes sense because the violence in SQUID PULP BLUES is up to snuff (if not even more over-the-top) with most of Tarantino's films we have come to love. Also, since the novel is technically three different stories strung together with different characters, it's all still in the same universe. Just like Tarantino's recurring Red Apple cigarettes, Krall reintroduces a certain comic book, a few characters and a handful of locations.
There is a strange fascination with squid in all three stories and there are even some fetishes featured in this book I never thought could be described with such detail... Krall does it all. This is the quickest I have ever read a book and yes, I even re-read a few chapters/pages more than twice just to "completely" feel engrossed and it was worth every second. I want to go back to Thompson, I already miss it so but now I'm ready for FISTFUL OF FEET and will probably pass the time with PIECEMEAL JUNE until it arrives.
Thank you so much Jordan and seriously folks, when they tell you: "characters make stories;" Krall doesn't fuck around...
March 19, 2025
I'm gonna need a bigger Depends.
August 31, 2010
Following the success and acclaim of his first novella, Piecemeal June, Jordan has collected three novellas all set in the same seedy city. Thompson, New Jersey is your typical blue-collar city on the surface, but when the sun sets, the creeps come out to play. The hotels are filled with the worst of the worst, bizarro fetishists lurk in the shadows, and Jordan’s signature squid-related creepies are on hand. It’s an excellent merging of horror and noir.
First up is The Haberdasher, in which parolee Henry Hooper meets up with his friends on the outside and is lured into the “lifestyle” once again. Their boys' night out is ruined when one of his friends takes some bad drugs (that may or may not be squid) and sets the night on its ear. While trying to defuse the situation in a hotel, they’re sucked into the mysterious case of a woman in the next room who’s had her feet removed. In The Longheads, we’re introduced to Peachy, a diaper-wearing gangster with a penchant for death. We also meet the “longheads”, a group of deformed war veterans who are buying all the guns in the town of Thompson and planning something decidedly big. And finally, there’s The Apocalypse Donkey, a tale of mistaken identity gone horribly wrong, which features sleaze, carnivals, and squidy violence.
Squid Pulp Blues reads like three distinct episodes of a hybrid of Tales from the Crypt and Twin Peaks. Each tale is paced rapidly and the stories stand alone, but also work well when read together. Fans of bizarro will notice the signature touches of the weird. Squid Pulp Blues is a nice marriage of mystery and horror, and should appeal to fans of Quentin Tarantino and Elmore Leonard, as well as fans of Edward Lee and Brian Keene.
Contains: Strong and explicit language, adult content and situations, graphic violence.
Reviewed by Eric Mays
We have a second look review of Squid Pulp Blues by Rhonda Wilson.
Love crime? Love noir? Love bizarro? Love comedy? If you said yes to any of these questions, then Squid Pulp Blues is for you! The book is made up of three novellas and has been described as squishy-noir, and contains all of the genres I just listed.
The first novella, The Haberdasher, is about bad drugs, missing feet, and other weird things that Red Henry Hooper is up against after obtaining parole. The Longheads is the second novella and has probably one of the most interesting, yet disturbing characters I’ve come across in a bizarro title to date… Peachy, a diaper-wearing gangster. I’ll leave it to your imagination about exactly WHY Peachy wears a diaper, as it’s best to find out for yourself. Peachy is actually not the main focus of this story, however. The story centers on a group of veterans called the Longheads who are tracking down other characters who end up having a run-in with Peachy. The final novella in this collection is titled The Apocalypse Donkey. This was my favorite of the three stories, though they are all extremely good. The Apocalypse Donkey is about Simon, the artist of a popular comic book, who is on his way to an autograph session when someone hands him a package. Unfortunately, it’s a case of mistaken identity and the package isn’t really for him. Once this is discovered by the other party, the chase is on!
All three novellas in Squid Pulp Blues are loosely connected, making for an even more interesting read. Characterization is one of the strongest points of Squid Pulp Blues, as is the case for all of Krall’s books. Each story contains several characters and each and every one of them has special attributes/features that are unique to them. I keep thinking that Krall will run out of ideas for new and interesting characters, but he hasn’t disappointed yet. Randomly gross, most often hilarious, and almost always full of squid references, this is one of Jordan Krall’s finest works. I would recommend this to anyone as there is something in it for everyone. Highly recommended!
Contains: Adult Language, Adult Situations
Review by Rhonda Wilson
First up is The Haberdasher, in which parolee Henry Hooper meets up with his friends on the outside and is lured into the “lifestyle” once again. Their boys' night out is ruined when one of his friends takes some bad drugs (that may or may not be squid) and sets the night on its ear. While trying to defuse the situation in a hotel, they’re sucked into the mysterious case of a woman in the next room who’s had her feet removed. In The Longheads, we’re introduced to Peachy, a diaper-wearing gangster with a penchant for death. We also meet the “longheads”, a group of deformed war veterans who are buying all the guns in the town of Thompson and planning something decidedly big. And finally, there’s The Apocalypse Donkey, a tale of mistaken identity gone horribly wrong, which features sleaze, carnivals, and squidy violence.
Squid Pulp Blues reads like three distinct episodes of a hybrid of Tales from the Crypt and Twin Peaks. Each tale is paced rapidly and the stories stand alone, but also work well when read together. Fans of bizarro will notice the signature touches of the weird. Squid Pulp Blues is a nice marriage of mystery and horror, and should appeal to fans of Quentin Tarantino and Elmore Leonard, as well as fans of Edward Lee and Brian Keene.
Contains: Strong and explicit language, adult content and situations, graphic violence.
Reviewed by Eric Mays
We have a second look review of Squid Pulp Blues by Rhonda Wilson.
Love crime? Love noir? Love bizarro? Love comedy? If you said yes to any of these questions, then Squid Pulp Blues is for you! The book is made up of three novellas and has been described as squishy-noir, and contains all of the genres I just listed.
The first novella, The Haberdasher, is about bad drugs, missing feet, and other weird things that Red Henry Hooper is up against after obtaining parole. The Longheads is the second novella and has probably one of the most interesting, yet disturbing characters I’ve come across in a bizarro title to date… Peachy, a diaper-wearing gangster. I’ll leave it to your imagination about exactly WHY Peachy wears a diaper, as it’s best to find out for yourself. Peachy is actually not the main focus of this story, however. The story centers on a group of veterans called the Longheads who are tracking down other characters who end up having a run-in with Peachy. The final novella in this collection is titled The Apocalypse Donkey. This was my favorite of the three stories, though they are all extremely good. The Apocalypse Donkey is about Simon, the artist of a popular comic book, who is on his way to an autograph session when someone hands him a package. Unfortunately, it’s a case of mistaken identity and the package isn’t really for him. Once this is discovered by the other party, the chase is on!
All three novellas in Squid Pulp Blues are loosely connected, making for an even more interesting read. Characterization is one of the strongest points of Squid Pulp Blues, as is the case for all of Krall’s books. Each story contains several characters and each and every one of them has special attributes/features that are unique to them. I keep thinking that Krall will run out of ideas for new and interesting characters, but he hasn’t disappointed yet. Randomly gross, most often hilarious, and almost always full of squid references, this is one of Jordan Krall’s finest works. I would recommend this to anyone as there is something in it for everyone. Highly recommended!
Contains: Adult Language, Adult Situations
Review by Rhonda Wilson
February 25, 2013
This was my first experience with Bizzaro Pulp. Honestly, I can state that it's not for me.
'Squid Pulp Blues' is a collection of three interesting short stories. Each is fairly interesting in its own right, with a unifying theme running through each of them to tie them all together. The writing is fairly well done, though at points it gets confusing. Really confusing. Be it a trait of Bizzaro Pulp, or the writing style itself, there were points where it was hard to follow just what was going on.
Certain things are done really well. Concepts like the Longheads are both interesting and create a mystery which entices the readers. Some of the unifying elements are also mysteries. It is these elements that keep the reader going. Other things, like a world ending donkey, an obsession with squid imagery, and the like, creates an experience that feels like a wacked out dream. And there's some appeal in that.
Some elements didn't work for me. Most of the fetish elements didn't click. The foot obsession that played through the entire book was one of them. It tended to feel forced, and in some cases, over the top. Especially with the first story in this collection, it seemed too much. Yet, as you can see from the other reviews, it worked really well with those that enjoy the genre of Bizzaro.
All in all, despite the confusion at points with the writing, there is a lot to admire in this book. If you are into Bizzaro Pulp, this book will be right up your alley. If you have never read it before, like myself, you may want to look elsewhere. However, if you are interested in an unusual and interesting experience, give this book a try.
'Squid Pulp Blues' is a collection of three interesting short stories. Each is fairly interesting in its own right, with a unifying theme running through each of them to tie them all together. The writing is fairly well done, though at points it gets confusing. Really confusing. Be it a trait of Bizzaro Pulp, or the writing style itself, there were points where it was hard to follow just what was going on.
Certain things are done really well. Concepts like the Longheads are both interesting and create a mystery which entices the readers. Some of the unifying elements are also mysteries. It is these elements that keep the reader going. Other things, like a world ending donkey, an obsession with squid imagery, and the like, creates an experience that feels like a wacked out dream. And there's some appeal in that.
Some elements didn't work for me. Most of the fetish elements didn't click. The foot obsession that played through the entire book was one of them. It tended to feel forced, and in some cases, over the top. Especially with the first story in this collection, it seemed too much. Yet, as you can see from the other reviews, it worked really well with those that enjoy the genre of Bizzaro.
All in all, despite the confusion at points with the writing, there is a lot to admire in this book. If you are into Bizzaro Pulp, this book will be right up your alley. If you have never read it before, like myself, you may want to look elsewhere. However, if you are interested in an unusual and interesting experience, give this book a try.
January 29, 2009
"Krall has quite a flair for outrage as an art form, and with SQUID PULP BLUES, he's created a wholly unique terrascape of Ibsen-like naturalism and morbidity; an extravaganza of white-trash urban/noir horror." - EDWARD LEE, author of THE BIGHEAD, TERATOLOGIST, and BRIDES OF THE IMPALER.
“An intriguing mix of film noir storytelling strained through a colander of pure bizarro.” – TOM PICCIRILLI, author of A CHOIR OF ILL CHILDREN and THE MIDNIGHT ROAD.
This is a collection of 3 bizarro-noir novellas that all take place within the same sleazy New Jersey town. There are brutal murders, odd fetishes, squid, deformed war-veterans called longheads, and more. It's been said that my work is similar to stuff by the Coen Brothers as well as Elmore Leonard though I imagine readers will find it much weirder than both (just put David Lynch and Cronenberg in a blender and then sprinkle some of it on top).
SQUID PULP BLUES is fast-paced, violent, and weird.
Bizarro Noir for Lovers.
If you're from NEW JERSEY, it's a MUST READ!
“An intriguing mix of film noir storytelling strained through a colander of pure bizarro.” – TOM PICCIRILLI, author of A CHOIR OF ILL CHILDREN and THE MIDNIGHT ROAD.
This is a collection of 3 bizarro-noir novellas that all take place within the same sleazy New Jersey town. There are brutal murders, odd fetishes, squid, deformed war-veterans called longheads, and more. It's been said that my work is similar to stuff by the Coen Brothers as well as Elmore Leonard though I imagine readers will find it much weirder than both (just put David Lynch and Cronenberg in a blender and then sprinkle some of it on top).
SQUID PULP BLUES is fast-paced, violent, and weird.
Bizarro Noir for Lovers.
If you're from NEW JERSEY, it's a MUST READ!
April 9, 2013
Squid Pulp Blues, what can I say? I thoroughly enjoyed the first two novella's (The Haberdasher and The Longheads), they were so easy to read I just powered through them. The third novella (The Apocalypse Donkey) was a little disappointing compared to the first two and wasn't as easy to read, I guess that is probably because I didn't find the story AS interesting as the first two novella's. As for the bonus short story (Billy Roanoke) it was okay I guess. All in all I did enjoy this collection of stories, I actually ended up reading it all in one sitting. This was my first Bizarro Fiction book and I can definately say that I will be coming back for more Bizarro Fiction, it is truly awesome.
February 15, 2009
The second book from Jordan Krall is a collection of three novellas.All of these take place in the seedy town Thompson,New Jersey. A place where dwarf prostitutes,men looking to make some cash by any means necessary,and of course a nice helping of squid all run amok. The writing is fast paced and smooth. If crime fiction had sex with bizarro, this would be the result. Please spend a day with this child,you won't regret it.
May 27, 2010
This was the first bizarro fiction I ever read.
It changed my life in the most wonderful of ways...
I don't think there would have been a better intro book for me than this one. Some sort of cthulhu mythos/naked lunch/bizarro crime fiction, fantastic.
It changed my life in the most wonderful of ways...
I don't think there would have been a better intro book for me than this one. Some sort of cthulhu mythos/naked lunch/bizarro crime fiction, fantastic.
March 30, 2016
Waste of time
This author is fascinated with body fluids - drooling, blow jobs, slit throats, and especially diarrhea. I kept trying to discover a plot, but it wasn't there. I got a more coherent story from a 4 year old after a nightmare.
This author is fascinated with body fluids - drooling, blow jobs, slit throats, and especially diarrhea. I kept trying to discover a plot, but it wasn't there. I got a more coherent story from a 4 year old after a nightmare.
Want to read
November 29, 2011Oh wow. Squid Noir. I have the feeling this is going to be a whole new genre. I'm so in.
April 3, 2023
I would have liked to see a bit more resolution to the long running plot devices and some of the characters. Who was the dirty woman in the first story? What does the device do? What happened to the Longhead revolution? What's up with the squids and Barbara Stanwyck? Surely there must have been a reason for their constantly reoccurring as a motif.
If you want a fast, sleazy, ride on the bizarro side, this is for you. Just look away from the editing issues, if major publishers and news organizations can't edit their work, I'm not going to condemn an author or indie publisher trying to do it all on their own and missing a few things here and there.
If you want a fast, sleazy, ride on the bizarro side, this is for you. Just look away from the editing issues, if major publishers and news organizations can't edit their work, I'm not going to condemn an author or indie publisher trying to do it all on their own and missing a few things here and there.
August 3, 2021
I found this book intriguing, funny, and amusing. I totally give it five stars. That being said, I would not necessarily recommend this book to most people. It is strange. It is disturbing. It is filled with violence. There is a diaper wearing gangster, guns and deformed veterans, and lots of feet. If that sounds interesting, check out this book. If it sounds strange, it may not be for you.
November 9, 2018
OMG this was so much fun!
Read
December 12, 2021did not like it, would not recommend
April 20, 2012
Come to Thompson, New Jersey, home of longheads and Little Bing Bong, the apocalypse donkey.
Squid Pulp Blues by Jordan Krall is certainly different. It is a collection of three novellas (and one short story in the Kindle version) which focus primarily on the seedy underbelly of Thompson, New Jersey. It ties together in terms of theme with Krall's other books I've read, Fistful of Feet and Beyond the Valley of the Apocalypse Donkeys . Like Fistful of Feet was a tribute to the western genre with a bizarro twist, so too is Squid Pulp Blues a tribute to pulp crime stories with a similar twist.
Most of the characters in these novellas are criminals in some form or another. In addition, there has been a war in which many of the veterans came back with elongated heads and exhibit weird behavior, hence the name “longheads.” There's also a comic strip described in the novellas about Fauntleroy Leroux and his attempt to stop Little Bing Bong, the apocalypse donkey, something that may be more real than people think.
The first novella, “The Haberdasher,” focuses on the goings on one night near the Solar Lodge Motel, involving several criminal types, an unidentified crazy woman, and the Haberdasher himself, a bipolar mafioso captain with strange sexual fetishes. The second novella is “The Longheads,” which focuses on some other criminal types running from an incontinent partner out for revenge, all while the longheads in town begin exhibiting particularly weird behavior, even for them. Finally, we have “The Apocalypse Donkey,” following the comic artist of the current Fauntleroy Leroux comics, who becomes the victim of a case of mistaken identity. All the novellas loosely tie together.
The characters are generally interesting if somewhat cookie cutter. There does seem to be a common problem with some of the characters being able to control their bowels. Note to self: Bring your own water when visiting Thompson, New Jersey.
The main problem with the book comes in with the stories themselves. While the stories are all entertaining, they become predictable in the overall sense. The details are different, but as the second novella plays out, you realize that it's going to end very similar to the first one, and there's not much surprise with how the third one will play out. It's mostly a question of who lives and who dies.
Despite this, the stories are fun reads and worth your time, especially if you like violence, depraved sex acts, squids, and donkeys.
Squid Pulp Blues by Jordan Krall earns 4 straight razors out of 5.
Squid Pulp Blues by Jordan Krall is certainly different. It is a collection of three novellas (and one short story in the Kindle version) which focus primarily on the seedy underbelly of Thompson, New Jersey. It ties together in terms of theme with Krall's other books I've read, Fistful of Feet and Beyond the Valley of the Apocalypse Donkeys . Like Fistful of Feet was a tribute to the western genre with a bizarro twist, so too is Squid Pulp Blues a tribute to pulp crime stories with a similar twist.
Most of the characters in these novellas are criminals in some form or another. In addition, there has been a war in which many of the veterans came back with elongated heads and exhibit weird behavior, hence the name “longheads.” There's also a comic strip described in the novellas about Fauntleroy Leroux and his attempt to stop Little Bing Bong, the apocalypse donkey, something that may be more real than people think.
The first novella, “The Haberdasher,” focuses on the goings on one night near the Solar Lodge Motel, involving several criminal types, an unidentified crazy woman, and the Haberdasher himself, a bipolar mafioso captain with strange sexual fetishes. The second novella is “The Longheads,” which focuses on some other criminal types running from an incontinent partner out for revenge, all while the longheads in town begin exhibiting particularly weird behavior, even for them. Finally, we have “The Apocalypse Donkey,” following the comic artist of the current Fauntleroy Leroux comics, who becomes the victim of a case of mistaken identity. All the novellas loosely tie together.
The characters are generally interesting if somewhat cookie cutter. There does seem to be a common problem with some of the characters being able to control their bowels. Note to self: Bring your own water when visiting Thompson, New Jersey.
The main problem with the book comes in with the stories themselves. While the stories are all entertaining, they become predictable in the overall sense. The details are different, but as the second novella plays out, you realize that it's going to end very similar to the first one, and there's not much surprise with how the third one will play out. It's mostly a question of who lives and who dies.
Despite this, the stories are fun reads and worth your time, especially if you like violence, depraved sex acts, squids, and donkeys.
Squid Pulp Blues by Jordan Krall earns 4 straight razors out of 5.
August 13, 2011
Love crime? Love noir? Love bizarro? Love comedy? If you said yes to any of these questions, then Squid Pulp Blues is for you! The book is made up of three novellas and has been described as squishy-noir, and contains all of the genres I just listed.
The first novella, The Haberdasher, is about bad drugs, missing feet, and other weird things that Red Henry Hooper is up against after obtaining parole. The Longheads is the second novella and has probably one of the most interesting, yet disturbing characters I’ve come across in a bizarro title to date… Peachy, a diaper-wearing gangster. I’ll leave it to your imagination about exactly WHY Peachy wears a diaper, as it’s best to find out for yourself. Peachy is actually not the main focus of this story, however. The story centers on a group of veterans called the Longheads who are tracking down other characters who end up having a run-in with Peachy. The final novella in this collection is titled The Apocalypse Donkey. This was my favorite of the three stories, though they are all extremely good. The Apocalypse Donkey is about Simon, the artist of a popular comic book, who is on his way to an autograph session when someone hands him a package. Unfortunately, it’s a case of mistaken identity and the package isn’t really for him. Once this is discovered by the other party, the chase is on!
All three novellas in Squid Pulp Blues are loosely connected, making for an even more interesting read. Characterization is one of the strongest points of Squid Pulp Blues, as is the case for all of Krall’s books. Each story contains several characters and each and every one of them has special attributes/features that are unique to them. I keep thinking that Krall will run out of ideas for new and interesting characters, but he hasn’t disappointed yet. Randomly gross, most often hilarious, and almost always full of squid references, this is one of Jordan Krall’s finest works. I would recommend this to anyone as there is something in it for everyone. Highly recommended!
Contains: Adult Language, Adult Situations
Review also posted at www.monsterlibrarian.com
The first novella, The Haberdasher, is about bad drugs, missing feet, and other weird things that Red Henry Hooper is up against after obtaining parole. The Longheads is the second novella and has probably one of the most interesting, yet disturbing characters I’ve come across in a bizarro title to date… Peachy, a diaper-wearing gangster. I’ll leave it to your imagination about exactly WHY Peachy wears a diaper, as it’s best to find out for yourself. Peachy is actually not the main focus of this story, however. The story centers on a group of veterans called the Longheads who are tracking down other characters who end up having a run-in with Peachy. The final novella in this collection is titled The Apocalypse Donkey. This was my favorite of the three stories, though they are all extremely good. The Apocalypse Donkey is about Simon, the artist of a popular comic book, who is on his way to an autograph session when someone hands him a package. Unfortunately, it’s a case of mistaken identity and the package isn’t really for him. Once this is discovered by the other party, the chase is on!
All three novellas in Squid Pulp Blues are loosely connected, making for an even more interesting read. Characterization is one of the strongest points of Squid Pulp Blues, as is the case for all of Krall’s books. Each story contains several characters and each and every one of them has special attributes/features that are unique to them. I keep thinking that Krall will run out of ideas for new and interesting characters, but he hasn’t disappointed yet. Randomly gross, most often hilarious, and almost always full of squid references, this is one of Jordan Krall’s finest works. I would recommend this to anyone as there is something in it for everyone. Highly recommended!
Contains: Adult Language, Adult Situations
Review also posted at www.monsterlibrarian.com
October 23, 2012
I’m reaching a point at which I’m entering Bizarro books with less and less skepticism. Not to be a complete snob, but I see “weirdness” as a delicate thing. Too many people try to be “weird” and “random,” but their efforts fall flat, aren’t interesting, and stink of “trying too hard.” You probably know the type. After a couple of years of reading books that fall into the Bizarro category, though, I’ve hardly been let down. When I picked up Squid Pulp Blues, I faintly felt my skeptic swimming around, just below the surface- but by the time I got to chapter 3, he must have drowned, and I was hooked on Krall’s story.
I can be a bit lazy with books, even short ones, but I finished this one the same day I started it. The world of Squid Pulp Blues is a colorful and interesting place- one of my absolute favorite aspects of the book is that Krall doesn’t attempt to explain everything the characters encounter. There are strange and mysterious things in Thompson, New Jersey that remain strange and mysterious to both the reader and the town’s inhabitants. Life doesn’t always give you answers and, thankfully, neither does Krall. Of the 3 stories, I feel that the first and third are stronger than the middle child, but all 3 are pretty entertaining.
As a minor sticking point, there were just a few too many squid references. Every once in a while, I’d think “yeah, ok, squids, I get it.” The book could also use another round of editing. There’s typos, and a few instances of duplicated words. At one point, the word “both” was spelled “book.” How does that even happen? OVERALL, this is a quick, addictive read, and it’s convinced me to pick up another Krall book in the near future.
I can be a bit lazy with books, even short ones, but I finished this one the same day I started it. The world of Squid Pulp Blues is a colorful and interesting place- one of my absolute favorite aspects of the book is that Krall doesn’t attempt to explain everything the characters encounter. There are strange and mysterious things in Thompson, New Jersey that remain strange and mysterious to both the reader and the town’s inhabitants. Life doesn’t always give you answers and, thankfully, neither does Krall. Of the 3 stories, I feel that the first and third are stronger than the middle child, but all 3 are pretty entertaining.
As a minor sticking point, there were just a few too many squid references. Every once in a while, I’d think “yeah, ok, squids, I get it.” The book could also use another round of editing. There’s typos, and a few instances of duplicated words. At one point, the word “both” was spelled “book.” How does that even happen? OVERALL, this is a quick, addictive read, and it’s convinced me to pick up another Krall book in the near future.
July 10, 2011
this book is certainly not for everyone. it is totally bizarre, but a truly fascinating read filled with illegal drugs made from squid parts, dwarf hookers, unsavory killers, vets with long heads, women crawling around with no feet, apocaliptic donkeys and of course, Barbara Stanwyck! these are three stories in a NJ town that all sort of connect while going their own seperate ways. it gets bloody and gross in spots, it is perverse and profane...the stories run in circles while staying parallel and perpendicular at the same time (if that's possible)! there is a certain updated counterculture feel to this book that reminds me of a modern, more graphic and perverse reincarnation of the late richard brautigan (one of my favorite authors). the writing style is fluid, easy-going and deceptively simplistic...yet there is a vivid, unique imagination at work that you can't help but admire. i have a feeling that the inside of jordan's head is like a condemned building that serves as a flophouse for a homeless genius who has run out of clean laundry. i don't read a lot of bizarro fiction....i like a big variety in my reading. but bizarro fiction can be a great diverse break-away from normal fiction sometimes. and when you run into a writer like krall and a book like this, it's a sheer pleasure! i'm glad i found this book....and although it's not for everyone, i can highly recommend it to fans of the morbidly bizarre!
June 23, 2012
Jordan Krall has written a fun book here.
Featuring memorable characters, fun plots (if a little predictable) and solid writing, I'm glad that I finally sat down and gave this book the attention that it richly deserves.
Mixing pulp noir with splatterpunk horror and sprinkling the batter with some sex fetishes and weird shit, Krall weaves a world across three novellas that really comes alive.
From the seedy motel setting and foot-loving antagonist of the first story, through the disfigured war vets known as "the longheads" going crazy in the second (not to mention the truly bizarre antagonist!), right up to the typical pulpy noir concept of mistaken identities and secret photos in envelopes in the last story, Krall really does well to give the town of Thompson and its messed up residents a visceral feel.
Drugs made from squids, those disfigured war vets, and some of the other characters too, as well as *that* donkey, all make appearances throughout the stories that serve to tie them together that little bit tighter, and help with creating the world seem that much more real.
Definitely recommend giving this book a read, even if you think "that's not my usual cup of tea", because it is so fun that you will probably come away completely converted to the worship of Bing Bong, the apocalypse donkey... I wonder, what does stroking a donkey that has rammed it's head through a person feel like?
Featuring memorable characters, fun plots (if a little predictable) and solid writing, I'm glad that I finally sat down and gave this book the attention that it richly deserves.
Mixing pulp noir with splatterpunk horror and sprinkling the batter with some sex fetishes and weird shit, Krall weaves a world across three novellas that really comes alive.
From the seedy motel setting and foot-loving antagonist of the first story, through the disfigured war vets known as "the longheads" going crazy in the second (not to mention the truly bizarre antagonist!), right up to the typical pulpy noir concept of mistaken identities and secret photos in envelopes in the last story, Krall really does well to give the town of Thompson and its messed up residents a visceral feel.
Drugs made from squids, those disfigured war vets, and some of the other characters too, as well as *that* donkey, all make appearances throughout the stories that serve to tie them together that little bit tighter, and help with creating the world seem that much more real.
Definitely recommend giving this book a read, even if you think "that's not my usual cup of tea", because it is so fun that you will probably come away completely converted to the worship of Bing Bong, the apocalypse donkey... I wonder, what does stroking a donkey that has rammed it's head through a person feel like?
February 8, 2009
In Jordan Krall's second offering from Eraserhead Press, there are more than a few ways of getting yourself hurt. You must make sure your crystal meth isn't really 'squid ink', you gotta watch out for diaper-filling psychos with loose bowels and a hair trigger temper. Then there's the detective that just happens to run his own prostitution ring. There's a bad dude hypersensitive to his wife being a whore, the returning disfigured military vets called 'Longheads', you never know what they're going to do next. And, of course, the 'Apocalypse Donkey' that shares body space with both Chris and a squid. Everyone is more than a little bit 'off' in Thompson, New Jersey and most are packing heat in this Bizarro nod to hard-boiled gumshoe tales of old. Where Ms. Stanwyck is still lovely , a woman with missing feet attempts to crawl for help and a comic book writer is signing autographs, hoping the killer getting closer and closer in line forgets all about what happened earlier. Jordan Krall's 'Squid Pulp Blues' is three novellas where Bizarro lives and breathes. Order yourself some squid today.
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