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WORM$
Atiba Gordon is a forty-year-old unemployed IT consultant from the Weird Beautiful state of New Jersey. Living a somewhat normal as normal can be everyday existence. But life as it often does was about to throw one soul crushing power punch directly upside his semi balding head. (It's just a hairline issue and only noticeable when it's sunny, partly cloudy and/or when under any type of lighting. Semi-balding? Who wrote this?)
His now ex-fiancée canceling their engagement like a Netflix subscription. Leaving him, no choice but to move back home with the one person who knows how your tummy feels simply by looking at the color of your poop. And when his older brother Mason Gordon is murdered and starts communicating from a place called the In-Between? Atiba quickly realizes his life will never be the same!
His now ex-fiancée canceling their engagement like a Netflix subscription. Leaving him, no choice but to move back home with the one person who knows how your tummy feels simply by looking at the color of your poop. And when his older brother Mason Gordon is murdered and starts communicating from a place called the In-Between? Atiba quickly realizes his life will never be the same!
134 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 7, 2024
3 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
September 18, 2025
Book Review: Worm$ by Khari Gordon
Rating:5/5
Review:
👉Worm$ by Khari Gordon is not your typical novel. It is a daring combination of murder mystery, dark comedy, and surreal exploration of life, death, and the absurdity that often sits between the two. The story follows Atiba Gordon, a forty-year-old unemployed IT consultant whose life is already spiraling after the collapse of his engagement. Just as he is trying to come to terms with moving back home and facing the disappointment of lost plans, his brother Mason is murdered. What follows is a strange and unforgettable journey as Mason begins to communicate with Atiba from an eerie realm known as the In-Between.
👉The novel does not hesitate to embrace the bizarre. Murder clues appear in the form of tiny baby footprints, adding a chilling yet oddly comical touch to the investigation. Mason’s presence from the In-Between creates both tension and humor, turning grief into something unsettling but also darkly entertaining. Atiba is not alone in this chaos. His friends Nigel “Kinky” Walker and Sai “Pizza Hunter” Ganjees, alongside other eccentric characters, bring their own brand of mayhem to the story. Their personalities inject levity into situations that would otherwise feel heavy, making the narrative unpredictable and layered.
👉Khari Gordon’s greatest strength lies in his ability to balance outrageous comedy with genuine depth. He writes with sharp wit, turning even the most ridiculous situations into moments that feel strangely profound. At one moment the reader is laughing at a line so absurd it should not make sense, and in the next moment reflecting on the weight of grief, family loyalty, and the strange ways people cope with loss. This rhythm keeps the novel engaging from start to finish, never letting it slip into predictability.
👉What stands out most about Worm$ is its refusal to conform to a single genre. It is not just a murder mystery, not just a comedy, and not just a surreal exploration of life and death. It is all of these at once, blended into something chaotic, original, and unforgettable.
Happy reading 😁😁
#bookreview
Rating:5/5
Review:
👉Worm$ by Khari Gordon is not your typical novel. It is a daring combination of murder mystery, dark comedy, and surreal exploration of life, death, and the absurdity that often sits between the two. The story follows Atiba Gordon, a forty-year-old unemployed IT consultant whose life is already spiraling after the collapse of his engagement. Just as he is trying to come to terms with moving back home and facing the disappointment of lost plans, his brother Mason is murdered. What follows is a strange and unforgettable journey as Mason begins to communicate with Atiba from an eerie realm known as the In-Between.
👉The novel does not hesitate to embrace the bizarre. Murder clues appear in the form of tiny baby footprints, adding a chilling yet oddly comical touch to the investigation. Mason’s presence from the In-Between creates both tension and humor, turning grief into something unsettling but also darkly entertaining. Atiba is not alone in this chaos. His friends Nigel “Kinky” Walker and Sai “Pizza Hunter” Ganjees, alongside other eccentric characters, bring their own brand of mayhem to the story. Their personalities inject levity into situations that would otherwise feel heavy, making the narrative unpredictable and layered.
👉Khari Gordon’s greatest strength lies in his ability to balance outrageous comedy with genuine depth. He writes with sharp wit, turning even the most ridiculous situations into moments that feel strangely profound. At one moment the reader is laughing at a line so absurd it should not make sense, and in the next moment reflecting on the weight of grief, family loyalty, and the strange ways people cope with loss. This rhythm keeps the novel engaging from start to finish, never letting it slip into predictability.
👉What stands out most about Worm$ is its refusal to conform to a single genre. It is not just a murder mystery, not just a comedy, and not just a surreal exploration of life and death. It is all of these at once, blended into something chaotic, original, and unforgettable.
Happy reading 😁😁
#bookreview
October 15, 2025
What initially presents as contemporary urban fiction gradually reveals itself as speculative literature grounded in Black spiritual epistemology. Gordon's genius lies in making the supernatural feel inevitable rather than gimmicky because he's working within actual African diasporic belief systems where the dead communicate with living, where demons and angels literally compete for influence, where blood-drinking entities walk among us.
The "in between" where Mason exists isn't Christian purgatory but something more aligned with African concepts of ancestor realms, a liminal space where unfinished business anchors spirits. Mason's inability to reach heaven because he chose body "over principles" is played for laughs, but it's actually exploring how contemporary Black masculinity intersects with traditional spiritual consequences.
The worm therapy business transforms in speculative terms, these aren't just medical treatments but literal parasites that modify human biology, creating a black market that attracts Mexican mafia attention. Gordon's mixing biotechnology with criminal networks and supernatural interference anticipates where our near-future could head.
The time travel sequence with Hitler isn't random absurdism but Afrofuturist intervention fantasy - the Black protagonist literally pimping his way through changing history, using hypersexuality as both weapon and critique of white supremacy. The fact that it's Atiba's mental escape while contemplating patricide adds layers about how oppressed people fantasize different power structures.
Blood and her partner represent a different speculative element - are they demons, vampires, or humans possessed by something older? Gordon leaves this deliberately ambiguous, suggesting multiple ontologies can coexist.
This deserves comparison to Colson Whitehead's genre-bending work or Paul Beatty's surrealist social commentary. Gordon's creating space for Black speculative fiction that doesn't apologize for its contradictions.
The "in between" where Mason exists isn't Christian purgatory but something more aligned with African concepts of ancestor realms, a liminal space where unfinished business anchors spirits. Mason's inability to reach heaven because he chose body "over principles" is played for laughs, but it's actually exploring how contemporary Black masculinity intersects with traditional spiritual consequences.
The worm therapy business transforms in speculative terms, these aren't just medical treatments but literal parasites that modify human biology, creating a black market that attracts Mexican mafia attention. Gordon's mixing biotechnology with criminal networks and supernatural interference anticipates where our near-future could head.
The time travel sequence with Hitler isn't random absurdism but Afrofuturist intervention fantasy - the Black protagonist literally pimping his way through changing history, using hypersexuality as both weapon and critique of white supremacy. The fact that it's Atiba's mental escape while contemplating patricide adds layers about how oppressed people fantasize different power structures.
Blood and her partner represent a different speculative element - are they demons, vampires, or humans possessed by something older? Gordon leaves this deliberately ambiguous, suggesting multiple ontologies can coexist.
This deserves comparison to Colson Whitehead's genre-bending work or Paul Beatty's surrealist social commentary. Gordon's creating space for Black speculative fiction that doesn't apologize for its contradictions.
October 14, 2025
Our group recently discussed this book, and it sparked intense conversation about how grief defies narrative expectations. Gordon captures something essential about sudden loss, how it makes the world feel simultaneously more fragile and more absurd.
Atiba's response to his brother's murder perfectly captures denial's first stage: he immediately tries solving it like a mystery plot, theorizing about "gangs of babies" and snake-induced heart attacks rather than confronting the simple, senseless reality of violence. His brain literally invents elaborate explanations because straightforward grief is unbearable.
The supernatural communication with Mason reads as wish fulfillment that every grieving person understands, the desperate need for one more conversation, for guidance from beyond, for confirmation that death isn't the end of relationship. Whether Mason's voice is "real" or Atiba's psychological coping mechanism becomes irrelevant; the comfort it provides is real.
Gordon also captures grief's irritating comedy, how life's mundane absurdities continue despite devastation. Nigel's broken teeth, the guacamole-stained bathroom rug, Uncle George's inappropriate stories at the funeral create realistic depictions of how grief coexists with ordinary chaos.
The mother's response, immediately assigning tasks, maintaining routines, seeming oddly controlled, resonated with our group's discussions about performative strength in Black families. Gordon hints at her secret spiritual practices without judgment, suggesting how different family members process loss through different belief systems.
The revelation that Mason died for love transforms him from plot device into tragic romantic. His final request that Atiba complete his work gives grief purpose. Highly recommend for anyone processing complicated sibling relationships cut short.
Atiba's response to his brother's murder perfectly captures denial's first stage: he immediately tries solving it like a mystery plot, theorizing about "gangs of babies" and snake-induced heart attacks rather than confronting the simple, senseless reality of violence. His brain literally invents elaborate explanations because straightforward grief is unbearable.
The supernatural communication with Mason reads as wish fulfillment that every grieving person understands, the desperate need for one more conversation, for guidance from beyond, for confirmation that death isn't the end of relationship. Whether Mason's voice is "real" or Atiba's psychological coping mechanism becomes irrelevant; the comfort it provides is real.
Gordon also captures grief's irritating comedy, how life's mundane absurdities continue despite devastation. Nigel's broken teeth, the guacamole-stained bathroom rug, Uncle George's inappropriate stories at the funeral create realistic depictions of how grief coexists with ordinary chaos.
The mother's response, immediately assigning tasks, maintaining routines, seeming oddly controlled, resonated with our group's discussions about performative strength in Black families. Gordon hints at her secret spiritual practices without judgment, suggesting how different family members process loss through different belief systems.
The revelation that Mason died for love transforms him from plot device into tragic romantic. His final request that Atiba complete his work gives grief purpose. Highly recommend for anyone processing complicated sibling relationships cut short.
September 23, 2025
WORM$ by Khari Gordon: A Fearless and Authentic Literary Achievement
Khari Gordon’s WORM$ is a striking debut that captures the complexity of Black male experience with honesty, humor, and emotional weight. The novel introduces Atiba, a protagonist whose voice feels utterly real. His stream-of-consciousness narration brims with wit, vulnerability, and sharp insight, creating the impression of an intimate conversation with a close friend.
The book’s innovative structure uses music as a time machine, with each song serving as a trigger for memories. This approach seamlessly weaves together moments from Atiba’s past, building a layered story that examines trauma, identity, and resilience. The device never feels forced, instead deepening the emotional impact of each revelation.
Gordon handles difficult themes such as family dysfunction and the contradictions of father-son love with sensitivity and depth. The shift into supernatural territory in later chapters demonstrates his willingness to take risks and explore bold creative choices, pushing the story beyond traditional boundaries of coming-of-age fiction.
Dialogue is another strength. Conversations pulse with authenticity, capturing the humor and rhythm of real friendships. Uncle George stands out as a character both funny and deeply human, balancing lightness with emotional resonance.
Equally powerful is Gordon’s cultural commentary. Observations on race, class, and masculinity are integrated with subtlety, adding richness without ever overwhelming the story.
Above all, the novel’s fearless honesty makes it unforgettable. Gordon does not soften Atiba’s flaws, and this uncompromising approach results in a work that feels both personal and universal.
Khari Gordon’s WORM$ is a striking debut that captures the complexity of Black male experience with honesty, humor, and emotional weight. The novel introduces Atiba, a protagonist whose voice feels utterly real. His stream-of-consciousness narration brims with wit, vulnerability, and sharp insight, creating the impression of an intimate conversation with a close friend.
The book’s innovative structure uses music as a time machine, with each song serving as a trigger for memories. This approach seamlessly weaves together moments from Atiba’s past, building a layered story that examines trauma, identity, and resilience. The device never feels forced, instead deepening the emotional impact of each revelation.
Gordon handles difficult themes such as family dysfunction and the contradictions of father-son love with sensitivity and depth. The shift into supernatural territory in later chapters demonstrates his willingness to take risks and explore bold creative choices, pushing the story beyond traditional boundaries of coming-of-age fiction.
Dialogue is another strength. Conversations pulse with authenticity, capturing the humor and rhythm of real friendships. Uncle George stands out as a character both funny and deeply human, balancing lightness with emotional resonance.
Equally powerful is Gordon’s cultural commentary. Observations on race, class, and masculinity are integrated with subtlety, adding richness without ever overwhelming the story.
Above all, the novel’s fearless honesty makes it unforgettable. Gordon does not soften Atiba’s flaws, and this uncompromising approach results in a work that feels both personal and universal.
October 8, 2025
This book is straight-up like listening to a freestyle song that somehow becomes a complete album. Khari Gordon writes the way people actually talk - messy, funny, dark, jumping between subjects like your boys do when you're just sitting around. But there's method to it.
The voice is 100% authentic Black millennial experience. The references hit: Mobb Deep, Destiny's Child, Biggie, the specific way we roast each other. When Atiba describes his sweating condition and social anxiety through hip-hop metaphors, or when Nigel changes his middle name to "Kinky" unironically, that's the humor and pain of our generation compressed.
Gordon captures something real about growing up with contradictions: moving to suburbs but staying hood, having educated parents who still believe in demons and angels, navigating white spaces while maintaining Black identity. The scene where young Atiba gets beaten for pirouetting perfectly captures the policing of Black masculinity through generational trauma.
The supernatural elements work because they're grounded in actual Black spiritual traditions, not the sanitized version, but the real folk beliefs about voices, demons, and the thin veil between living and dead. When Mason starts talking from "the in between," it feels culturally authentic rather than gimmicky.
Plus any book that can make a Mexican mafia worm-selling operation the climax while also dealing with child sexual abuse, parental infidelity, and existential comedy deserves respect. This is what Black literature looks like when we stop performing for white gaze approval. I recommend this book.
The voice is 100% authentic Black millennial experience. The references hit: Mobb Deep, Destiny's Child, Biggie, the specific way we roast each other. When Atiba describes his sweating condition and social anxiety through hip-hop metaphors, or when Nigel changes his middle name to "Kinky" unironically, that's the humor and pain of our generation compressed.
Gordon captures something real about growing up with contradictions: moving to suburbs but staying hood, having educated parents who still believe in demons and angels, navigating white spaces while maintaining Black identity. The scene where young Atiba gets beaten for pirouetting perfectly captures the policing of Black masculinity through generational trauma.
The supernatural elements work because they're grounded in actual Black spiritual traditions, not the sanitized version, but the real folk beliefs about voices, demons, and the thin veil between living and dead. When Mason starts talking from "the in between," it feels culturally authentic rather than gimmicky.
Plus any book that can make a Mexican mafia worm-selling operation the climax while also dealing with child sexual abuse, parental infidelity, and existential comedy deserves respect. This is what Black literature looks like when we stop performing for white gaze approval. I recommend this book.
October 10, 2025
From a craft perspective, Gordon's comedic timing is impeccable, even when dealing with devastating subject matter. The juxtaposition technique, following intense emotional beats with absurdist humor, could feel jarring in less skilled hands, but here it creates a rhythm that's both disarming and deeply human.
The running gags build beautifully: Uncle George's foot odor and selective memory about Vietnam, Nigel's strip club addiction defended with economic justifications, Sai's "mom-wife" neologism that spirals into existential commentary on lost identity. These aren't just jokes - they're character development through comedy.
Gordon understands that real humor comes from specificity. The detail about Ms. Gordon spelling out curse words ("A-S-S") while freely dropping them in other contexts reveals character through contradiction. The extended riff on Mason's "gentle massage" of a wall to hide his strength is physical comedy that works on the page.
The meta-humor ~ Atiba literally writing the book we're reading, commenting on his own narrative choices, having his grandmother critique his writing style, could become self-indulgent, but Gordon uses it to explore serious questions about storytelling, memory, and truth. When Nana critiques his violent Hitler fantasy, then asks for more authentic writing from his "weird, beautiful soul," it's both funny and profound.
The dialogue captures the rhythms of Black vernacular humor perfectly, the strategic deployment of "nigga," the elaborate storytelling exaggerations, the ritual insults that mask affection. Recommended reading for anyone studying how comedy functions in serious literature.
The running gags build beautifully: Uncle George's foot odor and selective memory about Vietnam, Nigel's strip club addiction defended with economic justifications, Sai's "mom-wife" neologism that spirals into existential commentary on lost identity. These aren't just jokes - they're character development through comedy.
Gordon understands that real humor comes from specificity. The detail about Ms. Gordon spelling out curse words ("A-S-S") while freely dropping them in other contexts reveals character through contradiction. The extended riff on Mason's "gentle massage" of a wall to hide his strength is physical comedy that works on the page.
The meta-humor ~ Atiba literally writing the book we're reading, commenting on his own narrative choices, having his grandmother critique his writing style, could become self-indulgent, but Gordon uses it to explore serious questions about storytelling, memory, and truth. When Nana critiques his violent Hitler fantasy, then asks for more authentic writing from his "weird, beautiful soul," it's both funny and profound.
The dialogue captures the rhythms of Black vernacular humor perfectly, the strategic deployment of "nigga," the elaborate storytelling exaggerations, the ritual insults that mask affection. Recommended reading for anyone studying how comedy functions in serious literature.
October 15, 2025
This book starts like a personal memoir with unemployment, failed engagement, and moving back home, then casually drops the brother's murder and suddenly becomes supernatural crime territory, and it somehow all works.
The crime elements are genuinely compelling: a secret worm-selling operation making millions, Mexican mafia involvement, a cop who commits suicide after handing over evidence, mysterious briefcases with combination locks. These create great true crime material embedded in this deeply personal family story.
Gordon handles the mystery structure brilliantly. The mystery isn't "who killed Mason?" but "who WAS Mason?" Each revelation reframes what we thought we knew. He wasn't in government work but selling parasites illegally; he wasn't killed for money but over a woman; his successful image hid spiritual struggles.
The supernatural communication element works from a mystery perspective because it provides unreliable investigation assistance. Mason's ghost gives information but admits limitations, occasionally can't control his "demon voice," and his motivations for escaping the "in between" create genuine suspense.
The supporting characters add dimension: Nigel as the loyal best friend whose strip club addiction leads to crucial evidence; Sai as the seemingly buffoonish pizza delivery guy who actually saves everyone; the mother whose secret spiritual practices hint at hidden depths. These feel like real podcast interview subjects.
The humor prevents it from getting too dark, but the genuine grief and trauma keep it grounded. Would make incredible limited series adaptation.
The crime elements are genuinely compelling: a secret worm-selling operation making millions, Mexican mafia involvement, a cop who commits suicide after handing over evidence, mysterious briefcases with combination locks. These create great true crime material embedded in this deeply personal family story.
Gordon handles the mystery structure brilliantly. The mystery isn't "who killed Mason?" but "who WAS Mason?" Each revelation reframes what we thought we knew. He wasn't in government work but selling parasites illegally; he wasn't killed for money but over a woman; his successful image hid spiritual struggles.
The supernatural communication element works from a mystery perspective because it provides unreliable investigation assistance. Mason's ghost gives information but admits limitations, occasionally can't control his "demon voice," and his motivations for escaping the "in between" create genuine suspense.
The supporting characters add dimension: Nigel as the loyal best friend whose strip club addiction leads to crucial evidence; Sai as the seemingly buffoonish pizza delivery guy who actually saves everyone; the mother whose secret spiritual practices hint at hidden depths. These feel like real podcast interview subjects.
The humor prevents it from getting too dark, but the genuine grief and trauma keep it grounded. Would make incredible limited series adaptation.
October 15, 2025
I would use this book to teach ambitious students about the risks and rewards of unconventional narrative structure. Gordon makes countless choices that serve deliberate purposes.
The meta-fictional framing device, with Atiba writing the book we're reading and his grandmother critiquing his drafts, allows Gordon to directly address craft questions: Why include the violent Hitler fantasy? How much exposition is too much? When do flashbacks serve story versus self-indulgence? By having Nana intervene, Gordon acknowledges reader potential objections while defending his choices.
The dialogue authenticity is masterclass material. Gordon captures distinct voices through vocabulary, rhythm, and reference pools. Uncle George's Vietnam-era slang, Nigel's contemporary hip-hop inflections, Sai's immigrant-family cadences, the mother's code-switching between professional and vernacular create genuinely different character voices.
Point-of-view management is sophisticated. We're always clearly in Atiba's consciousness, but Gordon allows other voices like Nana, Mason, demon/angel, and friends to interrupt as Atiba himself experiences these interruptions. This is stream-of-consciousness technique adapted for contemporary ADHD-paced cognition.
The scene construction balances exposition with action effectively. Even dialogue-heavy sections include physical business that grounds abstract conversations. The strip club video revelation gains power from the mundane setting of Nigel just casually showing his phone.
Gordon's strengths far outweigh weaknesses. Would assign excerpts in advanced fiction workshops studying how to break rules successfully. Highly recommend this book!
The meta-fictional framing device, with Atiba writing the book we're reading and his grandmother critiquing his drafts, allows Gordon to directly address craft questions: Why include the violent Hitler fantasy? How much exposition is too much? When do flashbacks serve story versus self-indulgence? By having Nana intervene, Gordon acknowledges reader potential objections while defending his choices.
The dialogue authenticity is masterclass material. Gordon captures distinct voices through vocabulary, rhythm, and reference pools. Uncle George's Vietnam-era slang, Nigel's contemporary hip-hop inflections, Sai's immigrant-family cadences, the mother's code-switching between professional and vernacular create genuinely different character voices.
Point-of-view management is sophisticated. We're always clearly in Atiba's consciousness, but Gordon allows other voices like Nana, Mason, demon/angel, and friends to interrupt as Atiba himself experiences these interruptions. This is stream-of-consciousness technique adapted for contemporary ADHD-paced cognition.
The scene construction balances exposition with action effectively. Even dialogue-heavy sections include physical business that grounds abstract conversations. The strip club video revelation gains power from the mundane setting of Nigel just casually showing his phone.
Gordon's strengths far outweigh weaknesses. Would assign excerpts in advanced fiction workshops studying how to break rules successfully. Highly recommend this book!
October 15, 2025
Gordon’s novel is a rare and mesmerizing work that lingers in the mind long after the final page. What begins as a story of grief and inner turmoil becomes a profound reflection on consciousness and morality. As a reader, I found myself drawn into the way Gordon turns abstract philosophy into vivid emotional experience.
Atiba’s struggle with the opposing voices in his mind, one urging violence and the other restraint, feels both unsettling and authentic. Rather than framing it as a simple battle between good and evil, Gordon reveals how every human being contains both forces within. Mason’s reflections on this duality give the novel its moral depth, reminding us that the human soul is far more complex than we often admit.
The scenes involving communication with the dead are both eerie and thought provoking, suggesting that the line between the living and the spiritual may be thinner than we think. Equally striking is Sai’s merging of mother and wife in his consciousness, a moment that exposes how fragile and confusing our understanding of love and identity can be.
The novel’s structure adds to its brilliance. Atiba becomes the writer of the very story we are reading, while another voice critiques it from beyond, creating a sense of infinite reflection. Gordon has written more than a novel; he has created an experience that questions what it means to think, to feel, and to be truly human.
Atiba’s struggle with the opposing voices in his mind, one urging violence and the other restraint, feels both unsettling and authentic. Rather than framing it as a simple battle between good and evil, Gordon reveals how every human being contains both forces within. Mason’s reflections on this duality give the novel its moral depth, reminding us that the human soul is far more complex than we often admit.
The scenes involving communication with the dead are both eerie and thought provoking, suggesting that the line between the living and the spiritual may be thinner than we think. Equally striking is Sai’s merging of mother and wife in his consciousness, a moment that exposes how fragile and confusing our understanding of love and identity can be.
The novel’s structure adds to its brilliance. Atiba becomes the writer of the very story we are reading, while another voice critiques it from beyond, creating a sense of infinite reflection. Gordon has written more than a novel; he has created an experience that questions what it means to think, to feel, and to be truly human.
October 16, 2025
Gordon's voice is raw, unapologetically Black, and structurally experimental while remaining narratively ambitious.
The cultural specificity creates rich texture. References to Movie City Five, Pathmark, specific NYC subway dynamics, and early-90s Black childhood touchstones build authentic atmosphere. Gordon's refusal to translate for white/non-American audiences is refreshing.
The tonal range is remarkable: scatological humor, childhood sexual trauma, supernatural horror, family comedy, crime thriller, and metaphysical speculation all coexist. Gordon writes with genuine emotional investment in his characters while maintaining dark comedic distance.
The prose style shifts between registers appropriately. It's formal when filtering through Atiba's analytical mind, vernacular in dialogue, lyrical in memory sequences, and almost journalistic in the business-list sections. This sophisticated free indirect discourse reflects content through style.
The hook provides genre elevator pitch with worm-selling business, Mexican mafia, and supernatural communication with dead brother. The execution shows original voice and genuine weirdness worthy of serious consideration.
Readers don't miss this gem!! 💎
The cultural specificity creates rich texture. References to Movie City Five, Pathmark, specific NYC subway dynamics, and early-90s Black childhood touchstones build authentic atmosphere. Gordon's refusal to translate for white/non-American audiences is refreshing.
The tonal range is remarkable: scatological humor, childhood sexual trauma, supernatural horror, family comedy, crime thriller, and metaphysical speculation all coexist. Gordon writes with genuine emotional investment in his characters while maintaining dark comedic distance.
The prose style shifts between registers appropriately. It's formal when filtering through Atiba's analytical mind, vernacular in dialogue, lyrical in memory sequences, and almost journalistic in the business-list sections. This sophisticated free indirect discourse reflects content through style.
The hook provides genre elevator pitch with worm-selling business, Mexican mafia, and supernatural communication with dead brother. The execution shows original voice and genuine weirdness worthy of serious consideration.
Readers don't miss this gem!! 💎
August 27, 2025
So, Worm$ is basically what happens when murder mystery crashes headfirst into a dark comedy and decides to stay for dinner. It’s messy, it’s weird, and honestly? It’s hilarious in the most wrong way possible.
Atiba just lost his brother Mason, and the only clues are, tiny baby footprints? Yeah, not creepy at all. Just when you think things can’t get stranger, Mason starts chatting with Atiba from a place called the In-Between. Spoiler: it’s basically peanut butter with no jelly. Pure tragedy.
Enter the BFF squad: Nigel “Kinky” Walker (yep, he chose that name) and Sai “Pizza Hunter” Ganjees (whose relationship with pizza dough is… concerning). Throw in a weird uncle, some questionable advice, and you’ve got chaos with a capital C.
Khari Gordon knows how to blend the bizarre with the heartfelt. One second you’re laughing at a fart joke, the next you’re quietly impressed at how deep it all actually is. That’s the magic, it’s ridiculous, but it’s smart ridiculous.
Bottom line? Worm$ is unhinged, unforgettable, and unlike anything else on your shelf. If you like your stories equal parts spooky, funny, and totally bonkers, this one’s calling your name
Atiba just lost his brother Mason, and the only clues are, tiny baby footprints? Yeah, not creepy at all. Just when you think things can’t get stranger, Mason starts chatting with Atiba from a place called the In-Between. Spoiler: it’s basically peanut butter with no jelly. Pure tragedy.
Enter the BFF squad: Nigel “Kinky” Walker (yep, he chose that name) and Sai “Pizza Hunter” Ganjees (whose relationship with pizza dough is… concerning). Throw in a weird uncle, some questionable advice, and you’ve got chaos with a capital C.
Khari Gordon knows how to blend the bizarre with the heartfelt. One second you’re laughing at a fart joke, the next you’re quietly impressed at how deep it all actually is. That’s the magic, it’s ridiculous, but it’s smart ridiculous.
Bottom line? Worm$ is unhinged, unforgettable, and unlike anything else on your shelf. If you like your stories equal parts spooky, funny, and totally bonkers, this one’s calling your name
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews