Required Reading Remixed, volume 1

by Jeff Conner

Cultural icons as you've never seen them before, remixed for your pleasure. Huck Finn vs. Cthulhu, Billy the Kid meets Frankenstein, Poe vs. The Doors, Albert Einstein: Nazi fighter, and Captain Ahab in the Great White North!

Genres: Lovecraftian, Horror, Fantasy, Collections

140 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2011

About the author

Jeff Conner is a contributing editor for IDW Publishing and a World Fantasy Award Nominee.

Reviews

[Roger · Rating 4 out of 5]

I understand the idea behind required reading, or at least I think I do. My take: expose students to worthwhile literature they might otherwise not experience. I still always hated it as I do not like to be told what to read. However if I am being truthful: would I have read any Russian literature voluntarily if I were not forced to read it involuntarily first? Probably not. Required Reading Remixed features some famous people and literary characters-elements of fantasy and science fiction appear. The best description is probably the one on the back of the book: "Huck Finn vs Cthulhu. Billy the Kid Meets Frankenstein. Poe vs The Doors. Albert Einstein: Nazi Fighter. Capt. Ahab in the Great White North." Some talented authors contributed here: Joe Lansdale, Rio Youers, John Shirley, Mike Resnick, and Nancy Collins. I bought the collection for the Lansdale story and stayed for the rest. All of these stories are enjoyable and there are no Cliff Notes involved. I cannot imagine this anthology making a single person think "Wow I need to read Moby Dick" now but who knows?

[Craig · Rating 5 out of 5]

This a collection of five stories in the mash-up/alternate genre. There's an hilarious Mike Resnick story about Einstein and Eleanor Roosevelt fighting Nazis, a nice Nancy Collins about Captain Ahab, an interesting Joe Lansdale in which Huck Finn faces Cthulhu, and a good John Shirley in which Billy the Kid meets Frankenstein. The final story, by Rio Youers, is absolutely stunning. Entitled "Quoth the Rock Star," it's about Jim Morrison and Edgar Allan Poe, and it's absolutely brilliant; the best story I've read all year.

[Brett Bydairk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Five short genre mash-ups by five different authors. The subjects are:
Huck Finn Vs. Cthulhu
Poe Vs. Jim Morrison
Billy The Kid Meets Dr. Frankenstein
Albert Einstein: Nazihunter
Capt. Ahab In The Great white North
Some are tongue-in-cheek, and one is outright funny, this collection is a great read.