Misadventure: Stories by Nicholas Grider

by Nicholas Grider

In this gripping debut collection, men search for themselves, for each other, for the sources of sanity and sickness, power and grief. These stories speak frankly about desire and how we are bound―literally and figuratively―to each other. Inviting the reader to participate in narrative games and investigations, Misadventure buzzes with brainy energy. Full of disorientation, urgency, gallows humor, and, ultimately, hope.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction

Paperback

First published February 1, 2014

Reviews

[Jack Waters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Evocative, provocative, and perhaps a few more -vocatives fill this tiny volume of stories. It’s hard to realize how much punch Grider concentrates into his stories. His editing process must be arduous and thus monumental. I imagine him staring at a sentence for a few hours before finally whittling the right two or three words away. I’d read a story of his in Hobart before reading this collection, but even that did not prepare me for the stories. Not all of them resonated with me, but the final 25 pages, the story, “Cowboys,” is one of the finest short stories I have read in quite a while. It was uncomfortable and gripping and tied up in all sorts of those aforementioned -vocatives. Pick it up, read it on an airplane or your day off. It’s one of those collections of writing that makes a person appreciate the craftwork behind fine writing.

[Downward · Rating 4 out of 5]

Misadventure is a book largely about bondage, both in content and in theme. The stories, often sexual in nature, feature characters bound and abandoned, helpless to the rope (or handcuffs) that keep them immobile, often gleefully so. The bondage transcends the physical act of tying someone up, however, and extends to the idea of being obsessively tied to an idea - an inability to let things go. Grider takes great pains to be formally innovative and challenging throughout, but importantly, the style reflects and supports the content, whether we're being offered single sentence breathless paragraphs or a formal history of a friendship with a guide on how to tie someone to a chair so they can't escape, the marriage of style and substance remains satisfying. Some forgettable stories in the middle, but bookended by some real knockouts.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely not something I would have picked up without the Rumpus Book Club, so that's always a fun treat to read something different. This is only about 150 pages and it's a collection of short stories, so it's also an incredibly easy read. I really liked this guy's writing style and each story sort of felt like the answer to a different assignment in a creative writing class. That said, it didn't overall feel 'fulfilling' in the way books or collections of short stories typically do. It felt more like potential. I did appreciate the writing and some of the common themes he carried throughout though, so I'm looking forward to our Rumpus chat with the author and to seeing where this writer goes next.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

These are some good stories, but I was really impressed by the readable yet innovative approaches to how to tell a story. Inventive is not always approachable, but Grider manages to do both. It's an impressive collection and I enjoyed it immensely.

[Lauren Dandridge · Rating 4 out of 5]

As with most short story collections, some were great and some just didn’t click with me. Overall, a solid collection - Grider is a talented storyteller; I just wish a few the stories had a bit more substance to them.

[Melissa Ragsdale · Rating 5 out of 5]

With themes ranging from bondage to chronic illness, Misadventure reaches into the nooks and crannies of the human experience, fusing the divide between the things we know about ourselves and the things we are reluctant to admit. In each piece, Grider plays with form, perspective, and the conventions of narrative in the way that a poet would, sweeping his readers up in the game. Though Grider's writing is certainly all his own, fans of David Foster Wallace will be drawn to the inquisitive and honest aspects of Grider's writing style, as well as the way that Grider is unafraid to go past the boundaries of human consciousness. Misadventure is for any reader looking to explore the seemingly-unreal realities of the world around us.

[Sheldon Compton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This will be the last book I will have finished in 2014, and what a book to go out on.

I'll say this right up front: this is one of the best short story collections I've read, this or any year. Grider's control and command is masterful in every story. Pure confidence. It's the kind of collection people will recommend both because the stories in it are near perfect examples of storytelling and also hugely important to the ongoing symphony of human existence.

I'll have much more to say about this book (which I inhaled in two sittings just before the new year rang in) and those thoughts will most likely be at Revolution John, with a link added here in the future.

Go. Read it. See for yourself; this collection is nothing if not fantastic.

[Catarina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't remember why I bought his book but it's one of those books that you can't put down. I'm not a fast reader nor am I one to sit in one day and read a book, so the fact that I finished this one so quickly says a lot. Grider really has a way of catching the audience (anyone willing to pick this book up) and takes you to a place that you may be familiar with or secretly wish you'd been there. It gives you the mix of heartache and fun page after page. I wouldn't recommend this book to everyone seeing as it might not fit the norm of what most of my friends tend to read but I would let others know, if asked, it was worth the read. Overall good book, but sometimes makes you take a second look at what's being said.

[Michelle Gragg · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was like flipping through a dermatology atlas. It is interesting to look at the pictures and read the descriptions but not much sticks with you. Each story, except a couple, is a snapshot in the character's life. A couple of times I wondered what happened next but mostly I was able to read and move on. I was entertained by the readings and the messy characters but I wasn't overly invested and they didn't instill a long lasting fascination. I don't read many short stories, and I wouldn't have chosen this on my own. It was a book club pick.

[J.I. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of the stories in this collection are haunting, and I will have a hard time shaking them. They don't follow what we expect of a story, instead making us uncomfortable in such a way that we persist only to find out what happens, only to be left at the end without a resolution, yet glad for it to end that way. Other times, things simply feel strange, strange people doing strange things for reasons we are not privy to. Oh well.

Dark and haunting and unusual, these short stories never fail to incite thought, even if it could have used some strong editing.

[Ryan Roth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a solid collection of short stories. The author did a great job of using several different styles of writing. I kept waiting for all the stories to some how tie together at the end, and was disappointed they didn't. That's more my problem then the authors. As the Rumpus Book Club selection for February, I look forward to hearing from the author and his ideas behind several of the stories.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://therumpus.net/2014/02/horn-rev...

[Poland · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Joe Milazzo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartbreak is a knot.

[Chase · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. A full-length review to come.

[A L e X a N D e R · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting interplay between the universal and the individual.

[J · Rating 3 out of 5]

Different for me.

[Laura Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book blows my mind every time. maybe someday I'll write an actual review of it.