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Sideshow
Meet Didier Rain – that antihero with noble aspirations, that poet with the fickle pen, that eager paramour ever in search of someone to love. In this adventure-laden novelette, we glimpse the rogue as he was in those days prior to his now famous exploits in DELIVERING VIRTUE and FORTUNA AND THE SCAPEGRACE (due out summer 2018). Prepare yourself to be amazed at Rain’s cleverness, daring, and near-to-honorable acts of madcap heroism as he lends a helping hand to a friend. For what self-respecting bard (even when distracted by the promises of a voluptuous one-legged trollop) would deign to allow the mistreatment of a fellow poet, no matter how much a freak of nature that fellow poet might be? This novelette gives us Didier Rain at his finest as a flawed human being. It shows us the man before he became the Chosen One, and maybe even grants us insight into why the gods would eventually pick him for that exalted station so sung in his further novels. So sit back and get to know the man behind the dubious legend.
Prepare yourself to be amused!
Prepare yourself to be amused!
- GenresFictionShort Stories
60 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 3, 2018
65 people are currently reading
70 people want to read
About the author
Brian Kindall
9 books28 followersBrian Kindall is an author living in the mountains of Central Idaho, a world with long winters perfectly designed for holing up and writing novels. His books range in diversity from classically written middle-grade novels - Blue Sky, Pearl, and Sparrow - to the ongoing adult fiction series, The Epic of Didier Rain novels, Delivering Virtue and Fortuna and the Scapegrace, to his most recent adult novel, Escape from Oblivia – One man’s midlife crisis gone primal. His accolades include gold medals in children's literature at the Moonbeam and Global Book Awards (Sparrow), a finalist for ForeWord Reviews literary novel of the year award (Delivering Virtue), A Seal of Excellence awarded by Awesome Indies (Delivering Virtue), and Editor’s Choice at the Historical Novel Society (Delivering Virtue). Twisted humor is a given in Brian’s work, as those long winters mentioned earlier tend to drive a writer slightly mad.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
September 7, 2021
At only 37 pages this wonderful little story touches on the ideas of pity, commonality and justice vs freedom.
Didier Rain imagines himself a poet when he comes across a traveling sideshow. Finding a sideshow freak that is a fellow poet as well as a captive slave. Didier finds a fellow suffering poet and decides to free the captive slave.
The characters while not having the life of a full novel still manage to be varied and lifelike. The story also reminds us that if we are not free to choose our own way than one cage is as good as another, no matter how much better one may seem than the other.
Well written and in many ways quite an original story with a wonderful insight into life and the struggle to be who we are
Didier Rain imagines himself a poet when he comes across a traveling sideshow. Finding a sideshow freak that is a fellow poet as well as a captive slave. Didier finds a fellow suffering poet and decides to free the captive slave.
The characters while not having the life of a full novel still manage to be varied and lifelike. The story also reminds us that if we are not free to choose our own way than one cage is as good as another, no matter how much better one may seem than the other.
Well written and in many ways quite an original story with a wonderful insight into life and the struggle to be who we are
September 4, 2018
Read this about a month ago, and even after reading the synopsis, I cannot remember a thing about it.
July 31, 2018
“SideShow” takes place before “Delivering Virtue” and “Fortuna and the Scapegrace”. As I have read the latter two it was really fun to get a picture of who Didier was before those two great adventures take place. “SideShow” is both a great introductory and companion to flesh out the world of Didier Rain. If you start with “SideShow” you’ll be hooked. For so little pages, it does a great job of showing the complexities of the world through the eyes of my favorite swashbuckling dandy. He is the kind of man who destiny calls in the darndest of ways. Didier is an unlikely hero who, eventually, kinda gets the job done. He’s passionate, philosophical, empathetic but also deeply….oh so deeply selfish. He is fundamentally flawed but his flaws are also what makes him so unique and so precious to me. Didier rain is truly the blue rose in a field of red.
Check out my blog for more reviews like this. https://alliesopinions.wordpress.com/
Check out my blog for more reviews like this. https://alliesopinions.wordpress.com/
May 19, 2018
Ahh, the travails of our traveling bard; against his better judgement he once again finds himself pulled off course and set on a perilous path. Brian Kindall has thrown us another tasty morsel in the troubling times of Didier Rain. You could, as Kindall does, call Sideshow a novelette, or you could call it a short story, or perhaps it is a tantalizing appetizer for another full-length book about the adventures of this loveable, but easily distracted scholar as he crisscrosses the old west—his busy psyche dueling with philanthropy in one direction and philandery in the other.
Strolling past a placard advertising a “Marvel from the Moon,” Rain can’t —or doesn’t¬— resist the urge to peek behind the curtain of circus wizardry. Behind the curtain he meets the mystery of the pinheaded moon man, whose tiny cranium, he is told, is incapable of forming “complicated sentences” but is adept at spouting snippets of the “simplest form of expression” —poetry. You can imagine that our sensitive protagonist might feel a certain camaraderie with the poor sideshow exhibit.
As in Delivering Virtue, his first full-length adult novel, Kindall peppers his prose with layers of subtle and not so subtle subtexts, adding depth for those astute enough to catch them. Didier Rain dreams of being a poet worthy of Chaucer, thereby he introduces himself to the band of circus scoundrels as Jeffrey Chaucer. Of course, the joke jets far above their scruffy chapeaux.
“How would the story of my courageous adventure ever get out into the world if the only potential word-spreaders were carp-nibbled corpses in the bottom of the river? No. Murder and robbery was for dullards and wanks. What I strove for was a purer and more heroic form of poetic justice,” reports Rain, aka Chaucer, as he sets off an adventure to right another wrong in the world.
Don’t miss this delightful tidbit from author Brian, Kindall.
Strolling past a placard advertising a “Marvel from the Moon,” Rain can’t —or doesn’t¬— resist the urge to peek behind the curtain of circus wizardry. Behind the curtain he meets the mystery of the pinheaded moon man, whose tiny cranium, he is told, is incapable of forming “complicated sentences” but is adept at spouting snippets of the “simplest form of expression” —poetry. You can imagine that our sensitive protagonist might feel a certain camaraderie with the poor sideshow exhibit.
As in Delivering Virtue, his first full-length adult novel, Kindall peppers his prose with layers of subtle and not so subtle subtexts, adding depth for those astute enough to catch them. Didier Rain dreams of being a poet worthy of Chaucer, thereby he introduces himself to the band of circus scoundrels as Jeffrey Chaucer. Of course, the joke jets far above their scruffy chapeaux.
“How would the story of my courageous adventure ever get out into the world if the only potential word-spreaders were carp-nibbled corpses in the bottom of the river? No. Murder and robbery was for dullards and wanks. What I strove for was a purer and more heroic form of poetic justice,” reports Rain, aka Chaucer, as he sets off an adventure to right another wrong in the world.
Don’t miss this delightful tidbit from author Brian, Kindall.
December 7, 2021
A philosophical western which is also a compassionate heist story
This short book positions itself as a prequel to other books in the “Epic of Didier Rain” series, although it works just as well as a standalone novella. It is set in the old west, but a somewhat more plausible version than the usual “cowboys and indians” stuff. The main character is Didier Rain, a drifter and poet who starts the book on the way to a brothel after some long riding but is distracted by the curious sideshow of the title.
When Didier pays his dollar his heart goes out to the imprisoned “curiosity”: a microcephalic prisoner who only speaks in poetry. Didier decides at this point that it is his personal mission to rescue the poor poet, and he sets about concocting a plan. As with all such plans, things do not go entirely as he hopes, but at every stage his humanity shines through, particularly when he resists the easy options of violence and gunplay.
I enjoyed this book. It was thought provoking and different. A western heist story without the usual tropes of either genre, but which felt personal and compassionate at every stage.
This short book positions itself as a prequel to other books in the “Epic of Didier Rain” series, although it works just as well as a standalone novella. It is set in the old west, but a somewhat more plausible version than the usual “cowboys and indians” stuff. The main character is Didier Rain, a drifter and poet who starts the book on the way to a brothel after some long riding but is distracted by the curious sideshow of the title.
When Didier pays his dollar his heart goes out to the imprisoned “curiosity”: a microcephalic prisoner who only speaks in poetry. Didier decides at this point that it is his personal mission to rescue the poor poet, and he sets about concocting a plan. As with all such plans, things do not go entirely as he hopes, but at every stage his humanity shines through, particularly when he resists the easy options of violence and gunplay.
I enjoyed this book. It was thought provoking and different. A western heist story without the usual tropes of either genre, but which felt personal and compassionate at every stage.
June 4, 2019
Nice balance of irony and childishness, very enjoyable linguistic cocktail. Language style that is so over the top (in a good sense) that it is amusing and endearing, conjures up some cartoonish Old Wild West. Minimum words and enough space to fill in the prairie, the crackling fire and circus freaks by yourself. Having said that, I must agree with some other folks here that the story feels unfinished. If only there was a (more or less) satisfying ending to it, I wouldn't hesitate to give it five stars!
On the other hand, this short piece of writing definitely whets the appetite for more. I shall read some longer works now.
On the other hand, this short piece of writing definitely whets the appetite for more. I shall read some longer works now.
September 17, 2018
This little novella held some hope of being unique and wonderful. It got the unique part down, but totally missed on the wonderful part. It's the story of a pinhead (i'm sure there's a politically correct name for these unfortunates, but i don't know it) poet who is enslaved by sideshow owners and used as an attraction. A fellow poet sees this and is drawn to try and save the poor fellow from his captors. It had potential, but did nothing with it. Too bad.
May 15, 2018
A Prairie Home Companion Sequel
As I read this "novelette" I felt transported back to a Saturday evening past; imagining myself listening to Garrison Keillor spinning another masterfully humourous tale of early American virtue on the high plains... Where the hero didn't exactly fail, but also did not, like in this tale.... necessarily win. What could be better than that!!!!
As I read this "novelette" I felt transported back to a Saturday evening past; imagining myself listening to Garrison Keillor spinning another masterfully humourous tale of early American virtue on the high plains... Where the hero didn't exactly fail, but also did not, like in this tale.... necessarily win. What could be better than that!!!!
July 24, 2018
Billed as a "novelette" but even shorter than some short stories I've encountered. Meant to give an introduction to the world of the main character who wanders the countryside and happens upon adventures. Before you're halfway through it, it's done ... satisfying enough but rather unremarkable.
May 14, 2018
Enjoyable quick read
Colorful characters. Quirky situation. Got me interested in the protagonist, Didier Rein. Will have to look up the novel featuring Him.
Colorful characters. Quirky situation. Got me interested in the protagonist, Didier Rein. Will have to look up the novel featuring Him.
October 22, 2023
A very enjoyable novelette with an interesting protagonist.
May 16, 2018
Charming short story in the old west
A self styled poet of the plains stumbles across a side show that's exhibiting a pinhead as a Poet from the Moon. Recognizing an artistic soul, Didier Rain vows to free him from his captors.
This is a charming tale, with a narrator that by all rights should be a pretentious twit, but his wordplay proves endearing. Looking forward to more.
A self styled poet of the plains stumbles across a side show that's exhibiting a pinhead as a Poet from the Moon. Recognizing an artistic soul, Didier Rain vows to free him from his captors.
This is a charming tale, with a narrator that by all rights should be a pretentious twit, but his wordplay proves endearing. Looking forward to more.
July 16, 2018
Truly weird. But I did laugh a bit.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews