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New Bizarro Author Series
House Hunter
Finding a good house is a house hunter's job. If you want a great house, you need Imogen. She's the best at capturing young houses and training them to be homes. But all of her skills will be tested when the Association goes after the mythical Jabberhouse in order to breed houses in captivity. With a mysterious helper, Imogen and her house fight to stay alive and keep houses free.A bizarro adventure, with cockroach people, spider-cars, assassins, house-fights, and a big-ass castle stomping into battle against an ancient temple. House hunting has never been so weird.
104 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 23, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
January 4, 2013
In a world of sentient houses, Imogen is a house hunter. When dark forces seek the mythical Jabberhouse for their own nefarious purposes, Imogen must sacrifice everything she holds dear to stop them...
Another year, another round of the New Bizarro Author Series. As with past NBAS books, you never know what you're going to get.
House Hunter is a bizarro adventure tale, more akin to fantasy quest stories than most bizarro tales. It reminded me more of the 1980's classic movie The Labyrinth more than anything else, with hints of China Mieville's Un Lun Dun.
The world STC creates is delightfully strange. Sentient houses walking around and battling one another isn't something you come across every day, especially houses with nipples on their walls. The pygmy houses were by far my favorite of the creatures he created. The story follows a fairly standard quest structure, complete with Imogen suffering some crippling setbacks before rising to the occasion and saving the day.
I do have a few gripes, though. Imogen wasn't overly interesting as a lead character. Also, there were a few occasions where I felt like I was missing something or turned over two pages at once. Other than that, the only other gripe I have is that "cannon" was misspelled "canon" on quite a few occasions. Other than that, it was a fun weird romp and a good way to spend a lunch hour.
Another year, another round of the New Bizarro Author Series. As with past NBAS books, you never know what you're going to get.
House Hunter is a bizarro adventure tale, more akin to fantasy quest stories than most bizarro tales. It reminded me more of the 1980's classic movie The Labyrinth more than anything else, with hints of China Mieville's Un Lun Dun.
The world STC creates is delightfully strange. Sentient houses walking around and battling one another isn't something you come across every day, especially houses with nipples on their walls. The pygmy houses were by far my favorite of the creatures he created. The story follows a fairly standard quest structure, complete with Imogen suffering some crippling setbacks before rising to the occasion and saving the day.
I do have a few gripes, though. Imogen wasn't overly interesting as a lead character. Also, there were a few occasions where I felt like I was missing something or turned over two pages at once. Other than that, the only other gripe I have is that "cannon" was misspelled "canon" on quite a few occasions. Other than that, it was a fun weird romp and a good way to spend a lunch hour.
May 24, 2013
When I first started reading this book, I was drawn in by what I thought might be a nod to Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind. Therein we have a female protagonist who understands an invasive species: powerful, lumbering creatures that either intentionally or inadvertently destroy the world around them. We as viewers/readers are blind to how graceful they truly are because of how alien they are to us. We view the creatures as a threat perhaps. But the similarities end there. In Nausicaa, the inhabitants of the world are unaware of the significant role the giant insect-like creatures play in environmental salvage. In House Hunters, our protagonist and the people she runs into have quite a bit of respect for the large beings inhabiting Cartledge's world. These are living houses. Our protagonist is a sort of house whisperer who has been tasked with finding the Jabberhouse, a legendary house powerful enough to save or destroy the world as we know it.
There's a lot to take away from this book on a literary level. Is this book a take on the dangers of urban sprawl? I thought it might be. Is it a treatise-turned-fiction addressing the collapse of the housing market? Could be. I think there's something deeper going on, a question as to the true nature of "houseness." The book is a search for the most powerful, ultimate house. But not in a guns-a-blazing sense of powerful or ultimate. Rather, we're looking back to the root of houseness. Why'd we build these damned things in the first place? We've gotten so far away from what the function of a home or house really is, that houseness is something that merits exploration.
I've never really sat down to wonder, "what the fuck is a house?" or "what would the ultimate house be?" But I did take an anthropology course in undergrad where we were asked questions similar to this. A lot of people ended up drawing these elaborate houses with pools and two-car garages. Like many material possessions in our lives, the function of a home has been lost. We're more concerned with status. Houses have become an indirect form of competition in our society.
Seriously, who the fuck needs a house this big?
Cartledge takes the passive aggressive competitive streak most materialists have, and scratches passive from the equation to create a story riddled with action, one of the seeming tenets of bizarro fiction as of late. Of course, the houses are the active aggressors while the owners kind of sit back passively and control their houses, so the potential symbolism isn't compromised. All in all, the battles are symbolic of our passive aggressive nature. Subsequently, the hunt for the legendary Jabberhouse is our desire to return to our roots. At least that's my take on it.
There are other possibilities. Is this Jabberhouse a further critique of capitalist culture, or is it the salvation to alleviate us of our greed? Is the Jabberhouse a contemplation of what the true nature and function of a house is, or is it a symbol of our downfall as we continue to fill the earth with garbage in an attempt to die with more toys than our neighbors? It is worth taking a look at the book to see what you think.
That being said, this story had unlimited potential to explore some important questions and recent issues in our society in a less subtle way. I'm not saying that I wanted to be spoon fed, but I wanted more reflection. I wanted things in this fictional world to be tied a bit more to our own. I also have a feeling that these things might have been present in the book if there wasn't a such a strong push for action writing in bizarro as of late. But just about everything I said in the above paragraph I have also said about Tarantino's films, and people love those to death. At heart I'm an ancient literary critic with no scholarly publications, so you may want to ignore my qualms here.
Of course, the same observation I was met with when my book was released applies here as well. The NBAS limit on length prevents authors from sometimes exploring multiple themes in depth. Like my book, House Hunters would have worked better as something shorter or longer. But as it stands, it works well and is worth checking out. I had fun with it and had a great time trying to get inside the author's mind.
There are so many great things I didn't touch down on in this review. There were ideas that made me envious, like the origami houses that had me going, "why didn't I think of that?!" Cartledge really took the concept as far as the length of the story would allow, and for that reason, and a handful of others, I look forward to his next project.
There's a lot to take away from this book on a literary level. Is this book a take on the dangers of urban sprawl? I thought it might be. Is it a treatise-turned-fiction addressing the collapse of the housing market? Could be. I think there's something deeper going on, a question as to the true nature of "houseness." The book is a search for the most powerful, ultimate house. But not in a guns-a-blazing sense of powerful or ultimate. Rather, we're looking back to the root of houseness. Why'd we build these damned things in the first place? We've gotten so far away from what the function of a home or house really is, that houseness is something that merits exploration.
I've never really sat down to wonder, "what the fuck is a house?" or "what would the ultimate house be?" But I did take an anthropology course in undergrad where we were asked questions similar to this. A lot of people ended up drawing these elaborate houses with pools and two-car garages. Like many material possessions in our lives, the function of a home has been lost. We're more concerned with status. Houses have become an indirect form of competition in our society.
Seriously, who the fuck needs a house this big?
Cartledge takes the passive aggressive competitive streak most materialists have, and scratches passive from the equation to create a story riddled with action, one of the seeming tenets of bizarro fiction as of late. Of course, the houses are the active aggressors while the owners kind of sit back passively and control their houses, so the potential symbolism isn't compromised. All in all, the battles are symbolic of our passive aggressive nature. Subsequently, the hunt for the legendary Jabberhouse is our desire to return to our roots. At least that's my take on it.
There are other possibilities. Is this Jabberhouse a further critique of capitalist culture, or is it the salvation to alleviate us of our greed? Is the Jabberhouse a contemplation of what the true nature and function of a house is, or is it a symbol of our downfall as we continue to fill the earth with garbage in an attempt to die with more toys than our neighbors? It is worth taking a look at the book to see what you think.
That being said, this story had unlimited potential to explore some important questions and recent issues in our society in a less subtle way. I'm not saying that I wanted to be spoon fed, but I wanted more reflection. I wanted things in this fictional world to be tied a bit more to our own. I also have a feeling that these things might have been present in the book if there wasn't a such a strong push for action writing in bizarro as of late. But just about everything I said in the above paragraph I have also said about Tarantino's films, and people love those to death. At heart I'm an ancient literary critic with no scholarly publications, so you may want to ignore my qualms here.
Of course, the same observation I was met with when my book was released applies here as well. The NBAS limit on length prevents authors from sometimes exploring multiple themes in depth. Like my book, House Hunters would have worked better as something shorter or longer. But as it stands, it works well and is worth checking out. I had fun with it and had a great time trying to get inside the author's mind.
There are so many great things I didn't touch down on in this review. There were ideas that made me envious, like the origami houses that had me going, "why didn't I think of that?!" Cartledge really took the concept as far as the length of the story would allow, and for that reason, and a handful of others, I look forward to his next project.
April 16, 2013
Imogen is a House Hunter. Those suckers have legs and just take off. Don't you just hate it when that happens, but that was a nice view house. No I want to stretch my legs here, but you're a house house shouldn't you stay in one place. Not in bizarroland.
Bizarro how I love it. Unique reads entertain me like few others. Yes I like the big popular reads that many know about and read but bizarro gives me something different. Gives me a chance to stretch my brains legs and go wander places.
Imogen and her lovely home take down a runaway house with some serious kung-fu skills and then trains it to be a good little home. I like the world that Shane has built seriously strange, elaborate and fantastical. Wonderful stuff. The hunt for the Jabberhouse to keep the evil association away really creates some fantastic scenes. Wonderful creatures too, there are moments however that I became lost and felt like something had been skipped but I wasn't sure if it was me or just an odd quirk of the story. Despite these moments I enjoyed the story.
I thank Shane for contacting me and letting me delve into his world.
Bizarro how I love it. Unique reads entertain me like few others. Yes I like the big popular reads that many know about and read but bizarro gives me something different. Gives me a chance to stretch my brains legs and go wander places.
Imogen and her lovely home take down a runaway house with some serious kung-fu skills and then trains it to be a good little home. I like the world that Shane has built seriously strange, elaborate and fantastical. Wonderful stuff. The hunt for the Jabberhouse to keep the evil association away really creates some fantastic scenes. Wonderful creatures too, there are moments however that I became lost and felt like something had been skipped but I wasn't sure if it was me or just an odd quirk of the story. Despite these moments I enjoyed the story.
I thank Shane for contacting me and letting me delve into his world.
July 26, 2019
Think of cool things like video games, secret societies, gangster movies, otherworldly and very dangerous forests, epic quests, Lara Croft-like heroines like, and violence. Now put all of it together in your head. Whatever you came up with probably pales in comparison to S.T. Cartledge's House Hunter, his contribution to the 2012 New Bizarro Author Series from Eraserhead Press.
You can read Gabino's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
You can read Gabino's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
November 22, 2012
House Hunter by S.T. Cartledge follows Imogen, a house hunter by trade. But she isn't your typical, everyday house hunter. Imogen hunts down and trains wild houses. You see, in her world, houses, skyscrapers, temples, and pretty much every structure is a living (and moving) creature. When she becomes wise to a plot by the House Hunters Association (think of the most evil Homeowners' Association you can think of) to find and control the Jabberhouse, a building of legend, and remake cities in their image, she has to stay one step ahead of them and find the Jabberhouse before they do.
House Hunter is part of the 2012-2013 class of the New Bizarro Authors Series of books, meaning that this is author's first published novel. Unfortunately, it shows.
Let me start with what I like about this book. The world the author has come up with is certainly interesting and imaginative. The idea of an actual house hunter is kind of cool, if not a little funny. The various creatures are great, and the idea that even ancient legendary structures like temples and castles could be living creatures of great power is an awesome idea, and I had very little trouble picturing the scenes in my head, even playing them out like a movie. The author is great at describing scenes and battles, making this one of the more action-packed books in this year's NBAS so far. It adds a sense of fun to the book.
However, there are editing problems. So far, the other books I have read in this year's NBAS have not fallen into this trap, something I've complained about with several bizarro books in the past. It's been a pleasant surprise, as technical editing is something that sticks in my craw and can really take a reader off the page and out of a story if it's not done properly. Sadly, “House Hunter” seems to have fallen into this trap, and there are enough editing mistakes to make it a problem for me, especially for such a short book.
But that's a technical issue. What about the story, you might be asking? Well, it's okay. It's not bad, but it ends up not being anything all that special or unusual, especially in such a unique world. It also feels like we're supposed to know a lot more about what's going on than we do. It feels like there's supposed to be a much bigger story here that we aren't getting to see. There isn't enough explanation for what's going on. There's some motivation for the characters and the action sequences, but that's about it.
Another issue I have is with the main character, Imogen. Honestly, I just couldn't bring myself to like her. She's supposed to be this great house hunter, compared in the Editor's Note to Lara Croft, but I don't see it. She alternates between crying over little things or a basic fight to being completely focused and unfazed by huge battles. When she loses her own house, she gets over it way too quickly, and it makes her seem cold, which is a huge change what from we had just seen of her character only pages before. It made her character confusing, and a little cookie cutter, like she was being jammed into a preset mold without being able grow on her own.
Ultimately, what I think it comes down to is that the author was so caught up in world-building (which is done really, really well and created high expectations) that he got lost in his own world. Sometimes this is good, and can really make it an immersive story. Unfortunately, I think he got a little too lost, to the point that it detracted from a lot of other things. Because of the world-building alone, I wanted to like this so much more, but the other issues are significant enough that it made it very hard to get past them, and I have to give it a very middle-of-the-road review.
House Hunter by S.T. Cartledge earns 2.5 spider-bears out of 5. Since we can't give half stars here, I'll give the benefit of the doubt and give it 3.
House Hunter is part of the 2012-2013 class of the New Bizarro Authors Series of books, meaning that this is author's first published novel. Unfortunately, it shows.
Let me start with what I like about this book. The world the author has come up with is certainly interesting and imaginative. The idea of an actual house hunter is kind of cool, if not a little funny. The various creatures are great, and the idea that even ancient legendary structures like temples and castles could be living creatures of great power is an awesome idea, and I had very little trouble picturing the scenes in my head, even playing them out like a movie. The author is great at describing scenes and battles, making this one of the more action-packed books in this year's NBAS so far. It adds a sense of fun to the book.
However, there are editing problems. So far, the other books I have read in this year's NBAS have not fallen into this trap, something I've complained about with several bizarro books in the past. It's been a pleasant surprise, as technical editing is something that sticks in my craw and can really take a reader off the page and out of a story if it's not done properly. Sadly, “House Hunter” seems to have fallen into this trap, and there are enough editing mistakes to make it a problem for me, especially for such a short book.
But that's a technical issue. What about the story, you might be asking? Well, it's okay. It's not bad, but it ends up not being anything all that special or unusual, especially in such a unique world. It also feels like we're supposed to know a lot more about what's going on than we do. It feels like there's supposed to be a much bigger story here that we aren't getting to see. There isn't enough explanation for what's going on. There's some motivation for the characters and the action sequences, but that's about it.
Another issue I have is with the main character, Imogen. Honestly, I just couldn't bring myself to like her. She's supposed to be this great house hunter, compared in the Editor's Note to Lara Croft, but I don't see it. She alternates between crying over little things or a basic fight to being completely focused and unfazed by huge battles. When she loses her own house, she gets over it way too quickly, and it makes her seem cold, which is a huge change what from we had just seen of her character only pages before. It made her character confusing, and a little cookie cutter, like she was being jammed into a preset mold without being able grow on her own.
Ultimately, what I think it comes down to is that the author was so caught up in world-building (which is done really, really well and created high expectations) that he got lost in his own world. Sometimes this is good, and can really make it an immersive story. Unfortunately, I think he got a little too lost, to the point that it detracted from a lot of other things. Because of the world-building alone, I wanted to like this so much more, but the other issues are significant enough that it made it very hard to get past them, and I have to give it a very middle-of-the-road review.
House Hunter by S.T. Cartledge earns 2.5 spider-bears out of 5. Since we can't give half stars here, I'll give the benefit of the doubt and give it 3.
May 10, 2013
This is a 3.5 star review.
I am torn about this book because it has so much going for it yet pings a lot of problems I have with female characters in fringe literature. It’s almost become a cliche to me that when a badass female character is introduced and she has an unnatural hair color, I’m gonna hate her because her hair serves as her personality. Imogen, the heroine of this book, has blue hair and is not my cup of tea, so my dayglo-hair theory is still intact. The characterization in this book, as a whole, isn’t great but it’s also a plot-driven book. In fact, it’s a pretty decent plot, but like so many NBAS books, it suffers from being novella-length. This is another one that really needed space to expand and develop its plot.
The gist of House Hunter is this: Imogen is a House Hunter. Houses, in this novel, are living creatures, some domesticated for human use, some still running wild. Imogen is a very good house tamer and is pulled into a plot wherein a cabal of architects are trying to use a legendary house called the Jabberhouse that can destroy homes and create new ones, entire communities, that will permit the architects to take control of the houses and control all the communities and the people who live within them. The wild houses will be stamped out and liberty will be lost. Imogen is drawn in by a man named Clint and they engage on a quest to stop this from happening. Clint is not who he says he is, and that plot twist really doesn’t change things as much as you might think. There are interesting details, like cockroach people and pygmy houses and overall, this is a pretty good first effort.
You can read my entire discussion here.
I am torn about this book because it has so much going for it yet pings a lot of problems I have with female characters in fringe literature. It’s almost become a cliche to me that when a badass female character is introduced and she has an unnatural hair color, I’m gonna hate her because her hair serves as her personality. Imogen, the heroine of this book, has blue hair and is not my cup of tea, so my dayglo-hair theory is still intact. The characterization in this book, as a whole, isn’t great but it’s also a plot-driven book. In fact, it’s a pretty decent plot, but like so many NBAS books, it suffers from being novella-length. This is another one that really needed space to expand and develop its plot.
The gist of House Hunter is this: Imogen is a House Hunter. Houses, in this novel, are living creatures, some domesticated for human use, some still running wild. Imogen is a very good house tamer and is pulled into a plot wherein a cabal of architects are trying to use a legendary house called the Jabberhouse that can destroy homes and create new ones, entire communities, that will permit the architects to take control of the houses and control all the communities and the people who live within them. The wild houses will be stamped out and liberty will be lost. Imogen is drawn in by a man named Clint and they engage on a quest to stop this from happening. Clint is not who he says he is, and that plot twist really doesn’t change things as much as you might think. There are interesting details, like cockroach people and pygmy houses and overall, this is a pretty good first effort.
You can read my entire discussion here.
November 25, 2012
S. T. Cartledge's HOUSE HUNTER starts with a bang, as titular House Hunter Imogen single-handedly takes down a rampaging farmhouse with specialized weaponry and a skill-set rivaling any action heroine. But soon, what might have been a five-star debut becomes bogged down in a rambling quest narrative hobbled by editorial inconsistencies.
The worldbuilding in HOUSE HUNTER is its strongest suit, as semi-sentient houses skitter about the countryside on multiple insect legs, a shadowy Housing Association exerts control, opposed by a cult of architects, and independent House Hunters like Imogene intercede on the fringes of the Association's domain. Set pieces abound, and the landscape of HOUSE HUNTER is large enough to encompass not only wandering houses, but domiciles locked in house-to-house combat, a temple huge enough for houses to wander through, a locomoting labyrinth, and a crazed castle.
But HOUSE HUNTER falls short on an emotional level, its architecture never quite feeling like a home, and continuity errors abound. One such example comes when a character loses an arm, but throws her hands into the air in frustration in the following chapter, only to have another character comment on the missing limb a few paragraphs later. Sloppy.
Despite the flaws of HOUSE HUNTER, author S. T. Cartledge does come across as a talented, engaging, and entertaining storyteller, and I look forward to reading more from him in the future.
The worldbuilding in HOUSE HUNTER is its strongest suit, as semi-sentient houses skitter about the countryside on multiple insect legs, a shadowy Housing Association exerts control, opposed by a cult of architects, and independent House Hunters like Imogene intercede on the fringes of the Association's domain. Set pieces abound, and the landscape of HOUSE HUNTER is large enough to encompass not only wandering houses, but domiciles locked in house-to-house combat, a temple huge enough for houses to wander through, a locomoting labyrinth, and a crazed castle.
But HOUSE HUNTER falls short on an emotional level, its architecture never quite feeling like a home, and continuity errors abound. One such example comes when a character loses an arm, but throws her hands into the air in frustration in the following chapter, only to have another character comment on the missing limb a few paragraphs later. Sloppy.
Despite the flaws of HOUSE HUNTER, author S. T. Cartledge does come across as a talented, engaging, and entertaining storyteller, and I look forward to reading more from him in the future.
September 3, 2022
A part of the New Bizarro Authors Series, House Hunter represents the debut novella from S.T. Cartledge. It's a fun read, with a subject matter that is entirely fitting for the Bizarro style, along with a narrative style that makes it immediately accessible. Even those readers who don't regularly dabble in the Bizarro may find themselves drawn to this one.
Cleverly constructed around the theme of what makes a house a home, this is a story that's entirely self-aware of its puns, its tongue-in-cheek moments, and its literary influences. There are moments where you get caught up in the excitement, cheering Imogen on in her fantastic battles, that you entirely forget it's an entire freakin' house she's attempting to either take down or tame. In her world, just one half-step removed from our own, buildings are living, breathing, sentient creatures, loyal to their owners, and protective of themselves. Sometimes they do go rogue, however, and battling a multilevel dwelling that can crush you with a single step is a task best left to the professionals.
There are so many little touches here that keep the reader engaged, long after the initial novelty has worn off. Cartledge does something interesting with the idea of haunted houses that I quite liked; the twist on the proverbial Housing Association is a bit obvious, perhaps, but fun; and the mythology of the Jabberhouse is almost worthy of a story all on its own. There's a definite insect influence throughout the story, but it's never dwelt upon, allowing it to be just another part of the story/setting that occasionally pokes you in the arm and smiles back from the page.
The characters are a bit thin and lacking in emotion, but serviceable; the world-building is extraordinary; and the action very well-done. On the surface, there appeared to be some continuity/editing gaffes, but by the end I was wondering if they were intentional, and part of the story . . . which wouldn't surprise me for the genre. I was concerned about where it was all headed, and whether the conclusion could live up to the tale, but it's an entirely satisfying end to an interesting tale.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
Cleverly constructed around the theme of what makes a house a home, this is a story that's entirely self-aware of its puns, its tongue-in-cheek moments, and its literary influences. There are moments where you get caught up in the excitement, cheering Imogen on in her fantastic battles, that you entirely forget it's an entire freakin' house she's attempting to either take down or tame. In her world, just one half-step removed from our own, buildings are living, breathing, sentient creatures, loyal to their owners, and protective of themselves. Sometimes they do go rogue, however, and battling a multilevel dwelling that can crush you with a single step is a task best left to the professionals.
There are so many little touches here that keep the reader engaged, long after the initial novelty has worn off. Cartledge does something interesting with the idea of haunted houses that I quite liked; the twist on the proverbial Housing Association is a bit obvious, perhaps, but fun; and the mythology of the Jabberhouse is almost worthy of a story all on its own. There's a definite insect influence throughout the story, but it's never dwelt upon, allowing it to be just another part of the story/setting that occasionally pokes you in the arm and smiles back from the page.
The characters are a bit thin and lacking in emotion, but serviceable; the world-building is extraordinary; and the action very well-done. On the surface, there appeared to be some continuity/editing gaffes, but by the end I was wondering if they were intentional, and part of the story . . . which wouldn't surprise me for the genre. I was concerned about where it was all headed, and whether the conclusion could live up to the tale, but it's an entirely satisfying end to an interesting tale.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
September 15, 2013
Imagine a world in which a shadowy agency funded by the government pulls strings behind the scenes to create a state of perpetual war and devastation in the name of progress. No no, wait, I don’t mean OUR world, I mean the fascinating and violent world of S. T. Cartledge’s House Hunter. Okay, well there might be some allegory at work here, it’s true, but at least we don’t have enormous buildings wandering around our skeletal cities pounding the hell out of each other with lightning cannons. We save lightning cannons for conflicts in the middle-east.
House Hunter is set in a society where buildings are semi-sentient and capable of much more than simply providing shelter and places for birds to crash into. Using a cerebrum, which is a sacred object imbued with special properties that allow a user to control the structure, houses can engage in combat, protect their users, and transform into a variety of animals, flying machines, weapons and creatures from our mythic lore. House hunters are those who wrangle the most ornery of houses and train them to be peaceful and helpful, something like wildlife conservationists with an added mixer of daring adventurer and the occasional splash of cock-fighting aficionado.
Cartledge introduces us to Imogen, a house hunter who quickly ends up going from a normal life (as normal as house hunting gets, anyway) to being on the run from a syndicate of influential people interested in consolidating their power using the might of the fabled Jabberhouse. Her only ally, a mysterious figure named Ellis who hides a past that leads to some great twists later in the book. From there, Cartledge spins a tale of adventure that takes the characters through ancient jungles, dark labyrinths and mysterious monasteries to try and stop the Association. This is a fun book, the story riddled with battles between bizarre monsters and exciting transfigurations. It’s obvious Cartledge is a fan of cartoon violence and giant monster flicks, as the series of battles in House Hunter hearkens back to battle scenes from the classic Godzilla films, with the addition of smaller figures (such as his human characters) swinging around and shooting lightning cannons, setting traps, and generally adding to the chaos.
The plot is lightning fast and lots of fun. Cartledge wisely sticks mostly to one through-line and though he occasionally riffs on things with slight detours, every chapter serves the central arc and drives toward the conclusion. It’s difficult to diverge from the main story in a book this short and keep things moving in the right direction, so we’re treated to a very tight and direct plot, which works well. The prose itself belies the author’s youth, and reads far better than a typical first novel. It’s obvious Cartledge has a love of language and storytelling, and that voice comes through in House Hunter. There is also a distinctive noir feel to the style of the book, with the gritty feel of urban environments utilized as characterization instead of setting, which is interesting.
I wish that there had been more room for House Hunter to really explore the world that we get glimpses of in the book. There are all sorts of amazing creatures and concepts on the periphery as we read through the book, everything from minotaurs and sprites to the weird insectile facial features and mutations of the citizenry. In that vein, House Hunter walks a line between the world of the familiar in a sort of magical-realism way and all out full-on bizarro. Because of the book being novella length, it always feels like there’s more just outside the reader’s line of sight. Perhaps we’ll see more of this world in future books, as there seems to be a great deal more to see. Intriguing, fascinating and strange, House Hunter is definitely worth picking up, especially for adventure fans and people who want the grime of noir jammed into their weird action stories. I’m also a huge fan of epilogues that cast the story they follow in a new light, or recontextualize pieces and parts of the narrative – something the author uses here to great effect. A great debut from Cartledge, who is sure to rise in the bizarro scene like a flaming house about to cold-cock a skyscraper.
House Hunter is set in a society where buildings are semi-sentient and capable of much more than simply providing shelter and places for birds to crash into. Using a cerebrum, which is a sacred object imbued with special properties that allow a user to control the structure, houses can engage in combat, protect their users, and transform into a variety of animals, flying machines, weapons and creatures from our mythic lore. House hunters are those who wrangle the most ornery of houses and train them to be peaceful and helpful, something like wildlife conservationists with an added mixer of daring adventurer and the occasional splash of cock-fighting aficionado.
Cartledge introduces us to Imogen, a house hunter who quickly ends up going from a normal life (as normal as house hunting gets, anyway) to being on the run from a syndicate of influential people interested in consolidating their power using the might of the fabled Jabberhouse. Her only ally, a mysterious figure named Ellis who hides a past that leads to some great twists later in the book. From there, Cartledge spins a tale of adventure that takes the characters through ancient jungles, dark labyrinths and mysterious monasteries to try and stop the Association. This is a fun book, the story riddled with battles between bizarre monsters and exciting transfigurations. It’s obvious Cartledge is a fan of cartoon violence and giant monster flicks, as the series of battles in House Hunter hearkens back to battle scenes from the classic Godzilla films, with the addition of smaller figures (such as his human characters) swinging around and shooting lightning cannons, setting traps, and generally adding to the chaos.
The plot is lightning fast and lots of fun. Cartledge wisely sticks mostly to one through-line and though he occasionally riffs on things with slight detours, every chapter serves the central arc and drives toward the conclusion. It’s difficult to diverge from the main story in a book this short and keep things moving in the right direction, so we’re treated to a very tight and direct plot, which works well. The prose itself belies the author’s youth, and reads far better than a typical first novel. It’s obvious Cartledge has a love of language and storytelling, and that voice comes through in House Hunter. There is also a distinctive noir feel to the style of the book, with the gritty feel of urban environments utilized as characterization instead of setting, which is interesting.
I wish that there had been more room for House Hunter to really explore the world that we get glimpses of in the book. There are all sorts of amazing creatures and concepts on the periphery as we read through the book, everything from minotaurs and sprites to the weird insectile facial features and mutations of the citizenry. In that vein, House Hunter walks a line between the world of the familiar in a sort of magical-realism way and all out full-on bizarro. Because of the book being novella length, it always feels like there’s more just outside the reader’s line of sight. Perhaps we’ll see more of this world in future books, as there seems to be a great deal more to see. Intriguing, fascinating and strange, House Hunter is definitely worth picking up, especially for adventure fans and people who want the grime of noir jammed into their weird action stories. I’m also a huge fan of epilogues that cast the story they follow in a new light, or recontextualize pieces and parts of the narrative – something the author uses here to great effect. A great debut from Cartledge, who is sure to rise in the bizarro scene like a flaming house about to cold-cock a skyscraper.
June 24, 2015
One thing this book does give you is plenty of bang for your buck. S. T. Cartledge's exceptional ability to produce entertaining and easy to follow action sequences featuring houses of all things will keep you reading right through to the end.
The plot in HOUSE HUNTER follows Imogen as she sets out on an adventure that will take her from her day job of taming houses (oh yes, one thing you should know is that houses in this book are personified) to possibly preventing a world changing plan involving a legend known as the Jabberhouse, said to possess the power to tear down and rebuild cities at will. Not exactly a walk in the park on a Sunday afternoon. More like an Epic quest of gigantic proportions with the fate of the world at stake. Not bad for an 80 page story. And that is an issue.
HOUSE HUNTER is a BIG story in a small book. Unfortunately, I feel this is detrimental to the overall telling of the tale. Some scenes were scantily clad. Characters were underdeveloped, and the scale of the drama seemed remote, rather than immense.
BUT whatever I felt about the story being rushed through dialogue and forced through seemingly unmotivated actions on the parts of minor characters, it all washed away every time Cartledge introduced an action scene. They were expertly written, clear, and adventurous. Imagine if you can, two houses engaged in a gruelling one on one battle. Difficult? Not after you've read this book – and trust me, you will want to imagine it, because it is a beautiful, crazy thing. Now imagine a castle battling a strange labyrinth house. Exactly. S. T. Cartledge is able to give you the vision that your poor creative mind cannot currently fathom. For that, he should be commended.
I think, given more room, S. T. Cartledge will be capable of weaving a magnificent story. There are marks of brilliance throughout, and his imagination is sublime. I believe he writes from a fantasy background, and the creatures in the book show a firm understanding of the genre, whilst adding something new to each (be it a strange mix of bear and spider, or even house and bird). The protagonist, Imogen, was likable and showed emotion through action that as a reader I could resonate with. I think the dialogue could have been stronger, as I often felt it was devoid of that same emotion (despite the use of some profanity) – but then, the protagonist may have been a teen, which perhaps would explain the relative lack of emotive dialogue, but clear emotive actions on her part. I am unsure about the age of the protagonist, as she also owns a home.
A couple of editorial mistakes also jarred me (for example, on the second page of the story – page 8 – there is a double print of the word and), but they were few and far between.
Overall, I found the book lacking, but only due to the scope of the adventure it sought to tell but couldn't fully due to word limitations, rather than a lack of ability on the part of Cartledge to write. Indeed, it was his writing that persuaded me to continue to the end – after reading his awesome house fight, I really wanted to read about a castle battling a temple. (Though, I was not a fan of the first sentence at all.)
If you are a fan of the bizarre or fantastical, I recommend checking this out. There are some beautiful scenes, interesting creatures and fast, well choreographed action sequences that make the brief journey (through an epic adventure) well worth taking.
The plot in HOUSE HUNTER follows Imogen as she sets out on an adventure that will take her from her day job of taming houses (oh yes, one thing you should know is that houses in this book are personified) to possibly preventing a world changing plan involving a legend known as the Jabberhouse, said to possess the power to tear down and rebuild cities at will. Not exactly a walk in the park on a Sunday afternoon. More like an Epic quest of gigantic proportions with the fate of the world at stake. Not bad for an 80 page story. And that is an issue.
HOUSE HUNTER is a BIG story in a small book. Unfortunately, I feel this is detrimental to the overall telling of the tale. Some scenes were scantily clad. Characters were underdeveloped, and the scale of the drama seemed remote, rather than immense.
BUT whatever I felt about the story being rushed through dialogue and forced through seemingly unmotivated actions on the parts of minor characters, it all washed away every time Cartledge introduced an action scene. They were expertly written, clear, and adventurous. Imagine if you can, two houses engaged in a gruelling one on one battle. Difficult? Not after you've read this book – and trust me, you will want to imagine it, because it is a beautiful, crazy thing. Now imagine a castle battling a strange labyrinth house. Exactly. S. T. Cartledge is able to give you the vision that your poor creative mind cannot currently fathom. For that, he should be commended.
I think, given more room, S. T. Cartledge will be capable of weaving a magnificent story. There are marks of brilliance throughout, and his imagination is sublime. I believe he writes from a fantasy background, and the creatures in the book show a firm understanding of the genre, whilst adding something new to each (be it a strange mix of bear and spider, or even house and bird). The protagonist, Imogen, was likable and showed emotion through action that as a reader I could resonate with. I think the dialogue could have been stronger, as I often felt it was devoid of that same emotion (despite the use of some profanity) – but then, the protagonist may have been a teen, which perhaps would explain the relative lack of emotive dialogue, but clear emotive actions on her part. I am unsure about the age of the protagonist, as she also owns a home.
A couple of editorial mistakes also jarred me (for example, on the second page of the story – page 8 – there is a double print of the word and), but they were few and far between.
Overall, I found the book lacking, but only due to the scope of the adventure it sought to tell but couldn't fully due to word limitations, rather than a lack of ability on the part of Cartledge to write. Indeed, it was his writing that persuaded me to continue to the end – after reading his awesome house fight, I really wanted to read about a castle battling a temple. (Though, I was not a fan of the first sentence at all.)
If you are a fan of the bizarre or fantastical, I recommend checking this out. There are some beautiful scenes, interesting creatures and fast, well choreographed action sequences that make the brief journey (through an epic adventure) well worth taking.
March 16, 2013
Id Says:
Our house! In the middle of our... gladiatorial arena?? Shitbricks! Shitconcrete and Shitplaster while you're at it, because these houses are wild. It takes a professional like Imogen to wrangle these strange beasts and train them into the kind of homes families can be proud of.
Trouble is, there's this House Hunter Association 'round the land that sees fit to take out people like Imogen so they can corner the market. There's even talk that these douchebags are looking to capture the mythical Jabberhouse as part of a plan to start breeding houses in captivity.
Holy fuck and there's a giant house cult thingy and a rainforest full of giant ass bugs and total house pandemonium as Imogen and her new friend Ellis try to stop the Association from completely ruining home ownership forever!
Ego Says:
Imogen is all business, I conject. She's worked hard to become one of the best house hunters there is. She works for herself and has few friends. She is closest with her own house, named Sonica. The bond she shares with Sonica is strong, and she doesn't allow anyone else to operate the home.
Of her known associations are fellow house hunter Francesca, once a childhood best friend but now the two don't stay in contact as their careers went in different directions. A newer acquaintance is Ellis, who earns Imogen's trust by stopping an assassin sent by the Association before they can get to Imogen. Ellis is friendly but secretive, he knows more than he's saying.
Along her journey to find the Jabberhouse, Imogen encounters the architects, a monastic-like order that shows Imogen a slightly different way to connect with houses. I believe this is the defining moment in the book for the protagonist. She is asked to show her mettle in a contest against one of the architects, and it's the final piece of sorts for Imogen's breaking away from her previous life with the Association.
Super-Ego Says:
How should property be treated? Do we owe it to the things we claim ownership of to see that their needs are met even if we have to neglect ours?
These are questions that I find myself asking after reading Mr. Cartledge's adventure story involving domesticated domiciles and otherworldly landscapes. There are a variety of factions here all seeing the process of interacting with houses in their own ways. This is, in a way, comparable to our current state with animal rights and to a similar but more extreme example slavery.
The action rarely slows down, moving from city to temple to a different kind of rainforest. Imogen is up against several threats, and she tries her best to keep a level head through it all. Thrust into an insurmountable situation, she'll need her wits, her weaponry, and a little bit luck to discover what it really means to be a homeowner.
Our house! In the middle of our... gladiatorial arena?? Shitbricks! Shitconcrete and Shitplaster while you're at it, because these houses are wild. It takes a professional like Imogen to wrangle these strange beasts and train them into the kind of homes families can be proud of.
Trouble is, there's this House Hunter Association 'round the land that sees fit to take out people like Imogen so they can corner the market. There's even talk that these douchebags are looking to capture the mythical Jabberhouse as part of a plan to start breeding houses in captivity.
Holy fuck and there's a giant house cult thingy and a rainforest full of giant ass bugs and total house pandemonium as Imogen and her new friend Ellis try to stop the Association from completely ruining home ownership forever!
Ego Says:
Imogen is all business, I conject. She's worked hard to become one of the best house hunters there is. She works for herself and has few friends. She is closest with her own house, named Sonica. The bond she shares with Sonica is strong, and she doesn't allow anyone else to operate the home.
Of her known associations are fellow house hunter Francesca, once a childhood best friend but now the two don't stay in contact as their careers went in different directions. A newer acquaintance is Ellis, who earns Imogen's trust by stopping an assassin sent by the Association before they can get to Imogen. Ellis is friendly but secretive, he knows more than he's saying.
Along her journey to find the Jabberhouse, Imogen encounters the architects, a monastic-like order that shows Imogen a slightly different way to connect with houses. I believe this is the defining moment in the book for the protagonist. She is asked to show her mettle in a contest against one of the architects, and it's the final piece of sorts for Imogen's breaking away from her previous life with the Association.
Super-Ego Says:
How should property be treated? Do we owe it to the things we claim ownership of to see that their needs are met even if we have to neglect ours?
These are questions that I find myself asking after reading Mr. Cartledge's adventure story involving domesticated domiciles and otherworldly landscapes. There are a variety of factions here all seeing the process of interacting with houses in their own ways. This is, in a way, comparable to our current state with animal rights and to a similar but more extreme example slavery.
The action rarely slows down, moving from city to temple to a different kind of rainforest. Imogen is up against several threats, and she tries her best to keep a level head through it all. Thrust into an insurmountable situation, she'll need her wits, her weaponry, and a little bit luck to discover what it really means to be a homeowner.
June 3, 2013
This is a fairly decent start for Cartledge. He writes a rather fantastical tale about houses that have legs and walk around, House Hunters-who do exactly what they're named, the Order of the Architects-who are a bunch of Zen-like monks, and finally the House Hunter Association-which is a sort of nefarious organization that is wants to do um bad things with houses.
Imogen is kind of a renegade House Hunter, she left the HHA under circumstances that aren't quite explained. She meets up with the mysterious Ellis, who convinces her to hunt down the Jabberhouse, a house of legend and fairy tales. They go on an adventure, that doesn't always go well for them.
I really enjoyed the descriptions of all the houses. It was fun to think of all of them wandering around town, going wherever they wanted. I wasn't so invested in the characters themselves. They didn't grab me as much.
Imogen is kind of a renegade House Hunter, she left the HHA under circumstances that aren't quite explained. She meets up with the mysterious Ellis, who convinces her to hunt down the Jabberhouse, a house of legend and fairy tales. They go on an adventure, that doesn't always go well for them.
I really enjoyed the descriptions of all the houses. It was fun to think of all of them wandering around town, going wherever they wanted. I wasn't so invested in the characters themselves. They didn't grab me as much.
June 9, 2013
You'll never look at your home in the same way again. And i am thinking about giving mine a name.. how do i find out if it is male of female?
I got lost alittle bit at the final fight scene, trying to picture buildings fighting it out is not all that easy, even when the writing and descriptions are pretty good. I got the gist of it though :)
I didnt care much for the characters (you dont get to know them too well), but the story is non stop action and kept me interested till the end.
I won this book in the goodreads giveaway and glad i did. This made my Sunday pass by pleasently.
I got lost alittle bit at the final fight scene, trying to picture buildings fighting it out is not all that easy, even when the writing and descriptions are pretty good. I got the gist of it though :)
I didnt care much for the characters (you dont get to know them too well), but the story is non stop action and kept me interested till the end.
I won this book in the goodreads giveaway and glad i did. This made my Sunday pass by pleasently.
March 4, 2014
This is a good book. The writing is solid for the most part and the story is really interesting/bizarre. However, something about the book kept me from getting really into the story. I thought about it for days and couldn't pinpoint what it is that kept me out of the story (Anyone else feel this way?). So I'll leave it at this... If you like bizarro or surreal fiction, buy this book. Give it a chance. I'm happy I did. Also, I look forward to reading Cartledge's next book whenever it drops.
April 8, 2013
While I have found myself quite fond of the bizarro genre in general, this short story failed to pull me in at all. The writing style is solid enough, but the plot is dull and the characters leave you thinking "who cares" with every major event. Glad to have this one behind me. Back to some Konrath to help me get back on the metaphorical bizarro horse, after falling off with this one.
September 8, 2021
Although I found the premise interesting and felt it had a lot of potential, I had a hard time getting into this one. Shame as I really wanted to love it!
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