Vol. 13

by Jon Konrath

Absurdist writer Jon Konrath returns with another collection of hilarious and demented short fiction. Twenty laugh-out-loud tales of the post-apocalyptic and abnormal drift from reality to the bizarre, from killdozer marathons to UFO cults to Satanic fast-food roast beef.

The author of Atmospheres and cult classic Rumored to Exist weaves a chaotic nonlinear tapestry of pop culture, heavy metal, and offensive absurdity.

The Gonzo stylings of Vol.13’s narrative twist the reader through the dystopian landscape while positing serious inquiries about the meaning of existence, the folly of man, and the pain of nostalgia, but answers them with scenes of an absurd destruction of society. The book is a personal journey that questions reality, but reveals a fragmented chaos, while being hilarious and impossible to put down.

Bonus: Vol.13 includes three stories from the now out-of-print rarity Mandatory Laxative #14.

194 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2016

About the author

Jon Konrath is an American author born in 1971. He grew up in Indiana and studied computer science and English at Indiana University. After college, he worked as a software developer and technical writer, but eventually turned his attention to writing fiction.

Konrath is the author of several books, including "Rumored to Exist," "Thunderbird," and "The Earworm Inception." His writing is known for its unique blend of humor, absurdism, and surrealism, often blurring the lines between reality and fantasy.

In addition to writing, Konrath is also an accomplished photographer. He currently resides in California.

Reviews

[Arthur Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

If there is a writer working today who is more proficient at taking all of the horror, banality, and general awfulness of life on this planet and presenting it in a way that is even more awful to the point of sheer hilarity, I am unaware of their existence.

[Rodney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vol. 13 is a big serving of nihilism, horrible pop culture, old electronics, obsolete media formats, fast food, nostalgia and cured meat products thrown in a blender on the highest speed with the lid off. There is a impressive amount of knowledge behind all of this, always amusing and often laugh out loud funny. Vol. 13 delivers.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'll buy and read any fiction Konrath puts out at this point and I ordered this one right away. The contemporary Richard Brautigan mixed with Hunter Thompson and viewed through a dextromethorphan hydrobromide haze. Loved every word. Been waiting for more, and Konrath never disappoints.

[G. Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Konrath's best book. The stories here are equally personally relatable and preposterously ludicrous. One wonders how Jon Konrath knows so much about weapons, cars, pharmaceuticals, radios, remote control vehicles, babes, and farm animals, but more than that--one wonders how Konnie knows so much about LIFE.

[Mongo Rhea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gnarly. Read the 121 page kindle version. The book version is like 195. Gonna be tore up if I got shafted those 70-ish pages. Easily my new favorite writer.

[Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

More Taco Bell, more UFOs, more metal, more disturbed people doing desperate things. If you are already a Konrath fan, this will satiate your absurd-hole. If not, it will make one for you.

[Chris Rhatigan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This may be Konrath's best (though Thunderbird is magical, too). These stories are a bit longer than his normal flash style, but they're just as absurd, nihilistic, funny, and thought-provoking. They also have more of a story quality, though they're still nonlinear. Konrath might be the only original author of our time. No one does anything close to what he does. I'm going to write a longer review at some point, but for now go buy the book and read it.