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Impossible James
My father was dying. There was no hope. Then he took a screwdriver to the brain. Got pregnant. And found the cure for death. Impossible? That's my dad. IMPOSSIBLE JAMES "Danger Slater is fearless and should be ashamed of himself. Thank God he's not." -- JOSH MALERMAN, author of Bird Box "If Richard Brautigan and William S. Burroughs had a baby it would be Danger Slater" -- THE HORROR REVIEW "Bizarro horror at its best." -- SPLATTERPUNK ZINE
190 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 15, 2019
6 people are currently reading
169 people want to read
About the author
Danger Slater
37 books732 followersWonderland Award winning author Danger Slater is the world’s most flammable writer! He likes to use a lot of exclamation points!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
June 5, 2019
I can't review this right now. I have to interview Danger about this book for a fourth coming episode of Bizzong!
All will be revealed then.
And then I'll leave a better written review here.
All will be revealed then.
And then I'll leave a better written review here.
November 14, 2023
Update 23:
After rereading Impossible James, it turns out I've had as much fun as the first time, with probably a more detailed vision of the story.
My previous review still stands as is.
If possible, I liked it more than the first time!
I also found a quote that totally sums up what Bizarro really is - at least to me (and Danger too, then?) - :
----------------------------------------
I didn't laugh this much with a book for a long time! It is full of absurdities and incongruities which make "Impossible James" a great book to ease your trouble away!
But it isn't only about laughter. Mainly, this is a tale of... of... of what exactly? Errr... I guess, well.. Basically, strictly speaking and if I may venture myself into a description.. The way to escape death and the fear of death? The filial and fatherly love? The unbearing reality of our own mortality? Probably all of that and so much more at the same time!
Should you read "Impossible James"? Sure! Will you scratch your head while trying to understand what you're reading? Definitely! Will you laugh? I don't see how you wouldn't! Will you love it? There, there's the real question! I know I did :-)
PS: I do LOVE the giraffe ^^
After rereading Impossible James, it turns out I've had as much fun as the first time, with probably a more detailed vision of the story.
My previous review still stands as is.
If possible, I liked it more than the first time!
I also found a quote that totally sums up what Bizarro really is - at least to me (and Danger too, then?) - :
If you're looking for symbolism here, you're free to ascribe meaning at will. There's plenty to latch on to. For the rest of you who only enjoy things at face-value (and there's nothing wrong with that!) at least, entertainment-wise, this parable should suffice: (...)
----------------------------------------
I didn't laugh this much with a book for a long time! It is full of absurdities and incongruities which make "Impossible James" a great book to ease your trouble away!
But it isn't only about laughter. Mainly, this is a tale of... of... of what exactly? Errr... I guess, well.. Basically, strictly speaking and if I may venture myself into a description.. The way to escape death and the fear of death? The filial and fatherly love? The unbearing reality of our own mortality? Probably all of that and so much more at the same time!
Should you read "Impossible James"? Sure! Will you scratch your head while trying to understand what you're reading? Definitely! Will you laugh? I don't see how you wouldn't! Will you love it? There, there's the real question! I know I did :-)
PS: I do LOVE the giraffe ^^
August 22, 2019
Amusing and amusingly grotesque comedy body horror about life, death and the death of death!
Slater is a great and original storyteller. His skills undoubtedly being in place, in future I’d like to see his prose stand on its own merit without certain quirks: varying chapter length, lengthy digressions, poioumena, many flashes both forward and back, third person narrative told by largely absent first person narrator--sparingly, these all work--all of them together was a bit much for me.
I'm quite sure fans are gearing up to tell me the excess is the point--which is fine, I get that, and this book surely won't disappoint most readers of contemporary fiction, so please do give it a go :)
Slater is a great and original storyteller. His skills undoubtedly being in place, in future I’d like to see his prose stand on its own merit without certain quirks: varying chapter length, lengthy digressions, poioumena, many flashes both forward and back, third person narrative told by largely absent first person narrator--sparingly, these all work--all of them together was a bit much for me.
I'm quite sure fans are gearing up to tell me the excess is the point--which is fine, I get that, and this book surely won't disappoint most readers of contemporary fiction, so please do give it a go :)
June 20, 2019
Full Review
Impossible James is an absurd and hilarious story about family and relationships with a lot of heart. It tells a ridiculous story while exploring the difficult and painful aspects of romantic and familial relationships. It's an excellent example of what the bizarro genre is capable of in terms of storytelling and exploring truths both beautiful and ugly.
Impossible James is an absurd and hilarious story about family and relationships with a lot of heart. It tells a ridiculous story while exploring the difficult and painful aspects of romantic and familial relationships. It's an excellent example of what the bizarro genre is capable of in terms of storytelling and exploring truths both beautiful and ugly.
June 14, 2019
** Edited as the review is now live on Kendall Reviews!! **
Danger Slater was my first foray into true, full-on Bizarro fiction last year, when I read ‘I Will Rot Without You.’ I didn’t really know what to expect and at the time I said I’d probably not read more Bizarro. My brain actually functions very closely to how Danger’s books read, but overall I’m a horror fan through and through.
Saying all of that – Danger Slater is an author and Twitter user whose hustle I admire. He’s honest, upfront and I respect that if he says to message him about something, he’ll message back. There’s no smoke and mirrors with him – what you see is what you get.
Impossible James synopsis is misleading. Actually, scratch that – it is accurate because what Slater says will happen, happens. It’s inaccurate in its marketing approach. Why’s that?
Danger Slater is (gasp, cough, choke) maturing. Maybe not as a person, but as a writer, definitely.
Buried within the totally insane and crazy going-ons in this book are three other narratives. One such arc Slater (when writing as the narrator) breaks the forth wall and tells us directly – it’s a different take on the Frankenstein tale. A mad scientist, a test tube product and a trustworthy assistant. The second arc that really stood out was the sci-fi tale of The Grey Tide. The ‘amazon’ style work place and what happens as Jimmy Watson Jr. finds the cure for death and the world begins to melt down. I was stunned with the depth and fleshing out Slater poured into this part of the tale. He has the writing chops to produce a world-class sci-fi story sitting there already. If he were to expand upon that idea and run with it, I’d be a first day buyer.
The third side arc or plot line that I found utterly fascinating was the mature Danger Slater musing about life and death. There were some of the most breathtaking lines included. It felt foreign to me, that I was reading a book about a man who had a screwdriver impaled in his head and decided to impregnate himself and that I would re-read whole paragraphs regarding philosophy and Slater’s insight into someone with a terminal diagnosis.
And this becomes the crucial part to me as to why I ultimately gave this read a 4-star rating versus a 5-star rating. The stuff that would normally annoy me – I looked passed it, because of both author and genre. I need to remember to suspend my real life feelings towards how professionals should act and societal norms etc when reading Bizarro. I chuckled aloud when James Watson was given only 50 more years to live when finding out about the black spot on his brain. If Slater would have dropped that to 5 years instead of 50 I think he could get some folks emotional and some tears would have been shed while reading this book.
No, what ultimately dropped this down for me was seeing Slater’s capability of writing one of the best sci-fi or even a philosophical dialogue on man’s fragility and then it would be frequently disrupted by the Frankenstein tale. Look, I loved the Frankenstein tale, but now I know what Slater is capable of and whenever he dangled that literary carrot in front of my face, it would be dragged away into an Adam Sandler-esque scene. If the whole book had been just the James Watson storyline of screwdriver-impregnation and aftermath I would have been just fine, but DAMMIT DANGER why’d you have to offer up so many extra feels? Why did you have to make me think about what’s to come, so much?
Overall this book has so much going for it. Fast, bonkers chapters, which I really dug. Slater is so proficient that at times some chapters were merely a paragraph long but the amount of depth it added to the overall story was stellar. The story unravels like a Michael Bay – Hollywood blockbuster with more and more insane twists happening.
Slater never lets up and the ending works well to finish off this totally bonkers story. Slater has elevated himself from his peers with this release and I’m looking forward to seeing what he has in store coming up. I received this book as a pre-release digital ARC so I’m not dinging any stars or anything for some editing issues, I’m going to assume those will be dealt with long before the release date!
Cheers to Slater for writing this book and sending it out into the world. I think this book works well if it’s your first Bizarro read, first Slater read, or if you’ve been a long-time fan of the man known as Danger.
Danger Slater was my first foray into true, full-on Bizarro fiction last year, when I read ‘I Will Rot Without You.’ I didn’t really know what to expect and at the time I said I’d probably not read more Bizarro. My brain actually functions very closely to how Danger’s books read, but overall I’m a horror fan through and through.
Saying all of that – Danger Slater is an author and Twitter user whose hustle I admire. He’s honest, upfront and I respect that if he says to message him about something, he’ll message back. There’s no smoke and mirrors with him – what you see is what you get.
Impossible James synopsis is misleading. Actually, scratch that – it is accurate because what Slater says will happen, happens. It’s inaccurate in its marketing approach. Why’s that?
Danger Slater is (gasp, cough, choke) maturing. Maybe not as a person, but as a writer, definitely.
Buried within the totally insane and crazy going-ons in this book are three other narratives. One such arc Slater (when writing as the narrator) breaks the forth wall and tells us directly – it’s a different take on the Frankenstein tale. A mad scientist, a test tube product and a trustworthy assistant. The second arc that really stood out was the sci-fi tale of The Grey Tide. The ‘amazon’ style work place and what happens as Jimmy Watson Jr. finds the cure for death and the world begins to melt down. I was stunned with the depth and fleshing out Slater poured into this part of the tale. He has the writing chops to produce a world-class sci-fi story sitting there already. If he were to expand upon that idea and run with it, I’d be a first day buyer.
The third side arc or plot line that I found utterly fascinating was the mature Danger Slater musing about life and death. There were some of the most breathtaking lines included. It felt foreign to me, that I was reading a book about a man who had a screwdriver impaled in his head and decided to impregnate himself and that I would re-read whole paragraphs regarding philosophy and Slater’s insight into someone with a terminal diagnosis.
And this becomes the crucial part to me as to why I ultimately gave this read a 4-star rating versus a 5-star rating. The stuff that would normally annoy me – I looked passed it, because of both author and genre. I need to remember to suspend my real life feelings towards how professionals should act and societal norms etc when reading Bizarro. I chuckled aloud when James Watson was given only 50 more years to live when finding out about the black spot on his brain. If Slater would have dropped that to 5 years instead of 50 I think he could get some folks emotional and some tears would have been shed while reading this book.
No, what ultimately dropped this down for me was seeing Slater’s capability of writing one of the best sci-fi or even a philosophical dialogue on man’s fragility and then it would be frequently disrupted by the Frankenstein tale. Look, I loved the Frankenstein tale, but now I know what Slater is capable of and whenever he dangled that literary carrot in front of my face, it would be dragged away into an Adam Sandler-esque scene. If the whole book had been just the James Watson storyline of screwdriver-impregnation and aftermath I would have been just fine, but DAMMIT DANGER why’d you have to offer up so many extra feels? Why did you have to make me think about what’s to come, so much?
Overall this book has so much going for it. Fast, bonkers chapters, which I really dug. Slater is so proficient that at times some chapters were merely a paragraph long but the amount of depth it added to the overall story was stellar. The story unravels like a Michael Bay – Hollywood blockbuster with more and more insane twists happening.
Slater never lets up and the ending works well to finish off this totally bonkers story. Slater has elevated himself from his peers with this release and I’m looking forward to seeing what he has in store coming up. I received this book as a pre-release digital ARC so I’m not dinging any stars or anything for some editing issues, I’m going to assume those will be dealt with long before the release date!
Cheers to Slater for writing this book and sending it out into the world. I think this book works well if it’s your first Bizarro read, first Slater read, or if you’ve been a long-time fan of the man known as Danger.
August 26, 2019
It's as if Danger sat down and thought "What would Luke like to read?" and then set out to do just that.
Thanks, Danger!
Also, it isn't often that a book can make me howl with laughter but this book did it more than once.
Thanks, Danger!
Also, it isn't often that a book can make me howl with laughter but this book did it more than once.
May 21, 2019
Listen up people. This is the shiznit right here! I've been a big fan of Danger's writing for a while now. He continues to get better and better with each novel he puts out and you gotta believe me when I tell you he is fucking killing it right now. Impossible James is undoubtedly his finest novel to date. Not only is the story absofuckinglutely fabulous but the storytelling, and pacing... it's simply top notch!
No. Wait. Don't believe me. Go read it for yourself. And then come back so I can tell you "I toldya so"!
No. Wait. Don't believe me. Go read it for yourself. And then come back so I can tell you "I toldya so"!
January 9, 2020
“It wasn’t ineptitude that was his burden, merely left-handedness.”
Impossible James afforded me the chance to step outside my comfortable reality to a world where anything can and will happen. The first chapter had me in tears, the doctor James’ father sees is a master at dry humor. He’s a terrible doctor and I like the way Slater uses this opportunity to set the tone for the rest of the book.
Because while this doctor is imparting devastating news, the delivery is irreverent and leads the reader to confront the death sentence behind the safety of humor. I don’t want to give away too much here, part of the enjoyment surrounding this scene is discovering it for yourself. Themes of death (we all die), time (clocks are prevalent throughout), and family are set up in a non-traditional way and I dig it.
I haven’t read a lot of bizarro fiction, so I decided the best way for me to experience this book was to just let go of control, of everything that dictated the way I thought it should happen, and I took a leap of faith. This is what I tend to do with most reads, place my head and my heart wholly in the author’s hands, but bizarro can push us to resist that – to say “well this is nonsensical and I’m out.”
I appreciated the challenge and I’m glad I did it. At one point the narrator says something about just skipping to the end because reading the end first wouldn’t matter SO I DID. And I survived, and nothing was ruined for me. I trusted.
“…what should exist, either natural or not? By any metric one could measure such things, life on Earth is improbable at best. And yet here we are, me and you and everyone else. It’s a miracle. But it’s a miracle that comes with a price.”
By now this author-reader trust was well established for me. Insane, batshit crazy things happen that just blast out from the page. Screwdriver in the head? What if that is JUST what the character needed? Male pregnancy with NO female egg? Sure thing, let’s do this. Impossible Room? Yep, makes sense. I think the key for why I enjoyed this so much is that once I accepted the bizarre as normative, the underlying threads pulled all the harder. The above quote is one example of nuggets spread throughout the novel – the rest is up to the reader. And I’m here for that.
Slater has a back catalog that I can’t wait to get into. If there is no larger meaning, fine. If there is? Great. Whatever happens, I’m here for it.
Impossible James afforded me the chance to step outside my comfortable reality to a world where anything can and will happen. The first chapter had me in tears, the doctor James’ father sees is a master at dry humor. He’s a terrible doctor and I like the way Slater uses this opportunity to set the tone for the rest of the book.
Because while this doctor is imparting devastating news, the delivery is irreverent and leads the reader to confront the death sentence behind the safety of humor. I don’t want to give away too much here, part of the enjoyment surrounding this scene is discovering it for yourself. Themes of death (we all die), time (clocks are prevalent throughout), and family are set up in a non-traditional way and I dig it.
I haven’t read a lot of bizarro fiction, so I decided the best way for me to experience this book was to just let go of control, of everything that dictated the way I thought it should happen, and I took a leap of faith. This is what I tend to do with most reads, place my head and my heart wholly in the author’s hands, but bizarro can push us to resist that – to say “well this is nonsensical and I’m out.”
I appreciated the challenge and I’m glad I did it. At one point the narrator says something about just skipping to the end because reading the end first wouldn’t matter SO I DID. And I survived, and nothing was ruined for me. I trusted.
“…what should exist, either natural or not? By any metric one could measure such things, life on Earth is improbable at best. And yet here we are, me and you and everyone else. It’s a miracle. But it’s a miracle that comes with a price.”
By now this author-reader trust was well established for me. Insane, batshit crazy things happen that just blast out from the page. Screwdriver in the head? What if that is JUST what the character needed? Male pregnancy with NO female egg? Sure thing, let’s do this. Impossible Room? Yep, makes sense. I think the key for why I enjoyed this so much is that once I accepted the bizarre as normative, the underlying threads pulled all the harder. The above quote is one example of nuggets spread throughout the novel – the rest is up to the reader. And I’m here for that.
Slater has a back catalog that I can’t wait to get into. If there is no larger meaning, fine. If there is? Great. Whatever happens, I’m here for it.
September 13, 2024
My favorite thing about reading a Danger Slater book is the authorial voice with which he captivates the reader. He'll be tooling along writing vibrant, prosaic, heavily philosophical fiction in the vein of Kurt Vonnegut, and suddenly he'll go meta and hilariously comment on his own work, and then something intentionally dumb and insane will happen, and while you're reeling from that and reacting to it as best you can, suddenly he'll drop a beautifully tragic crystal of truth right in your lap, and all that's left to do is stare at it and feel feelings.
This is Slater's existentialist novel, the one wherein he wrestles with what it means to be alive, legacy, personhood, living up to expectations or defying them entirely, and what it all means. An apocalyptic novel in some ways, but much more personal than that term suggests. Highly recommended.
This is Slater's existentialist novel, the one wherein he wrestles with what it means to be alive, legacy, personhood, living up to expectations or defying them entirely, and what it all means. An apocalyptic novel in some ways, but much more personal than that term suggests. Highly recommended.
June 24, 2019
I Will Rot Without You may be Danger Slater’s most heartfelt book, Love Me may be his funniest and Puppet Skin may pack the most thrills, but Impossible James is certainly his SMARTEST book to date. Filled with nuanced, philosophical musings and skewering social satire, Impossible James is the kind of book that makes you simultaneously feel both smarter and dumber for having read it.
But is it Danger Slater’s best book? Well, I guess that depends entirely on what you’re looking for in your bizarro reads.
But is it Danger Slater’s best book? Well, I guess that depends entirely on what you’re looking for in your bizarro reads.
June 20, 2019
“What can one say when confronted with the irrevocable certainty of their own doom?”
June 25, 2019
Impossible James is a very good time in which very bad things happen. I enjoyed it immensely. The tone is light, the laughs are many, and before you know it you’re completely engulfed in a scene so vile or perilous or just plain weird—but mostly just so huge and all-encompassing—that there’s no way to stop reading until a modicum of resolution has been reached.
And a modicum is all we’re going to get. This book hurtles from a nearly recognizable present, through a delightfully preposterous set of circumstances, right toward annihilation. Along the way, it raises lots of questions about life, love, and finding meaning. And by raises, I mean it blows them up to the size of a southwestern state and surrounds them with enormous flashing arrows that can be seen from space. The answers, of course, are left up to us. This is bizarro at its best.
And a modicum is all we’re going to get. This book hurtles from a nearly recognizable present, through a delightfully preposterous set of circumstances, right toward annihilation. Along the way, it raises lots of questions about life, love, and finding meaning. And by raises, I mean it blows them up to the size of a southwestern state and surrounds them with enormous flashing arrows that can be seen from space. The answers, of course, are left up to us. This is bizarro at its best.
August 29, 2019
Danger does it again! His latest is a meditation on death that manages to be hilarious, heartwarming, and horrifying all at the same time. Imagine if David Cronenberg directed Junior and then combine that with Atwood’s Oryx and Crake. A strange combination, I know, but this is one hell of a strange book. I loved every page and I’m continuously impressed by Slater’s ability as a wordsmith and storyteller. A must-read.
September 9, 2019
Danger Slater is one of those writers that manages to get better and better with each book. Impossible James is his best yet, veering further into the weird horror direction of his particular style. This one gets GROSS.
When somebody is curious as to what bizarro is, Danger is the direction I point them to. This book is a perfect example of how chaotic yet smart the weird little genre can be.
When somebody is curious as to what bizarro is, Danger is the direction I point them to. This book is a perfect example of how chaotic yet smart the weird little genre can be.
August 28, 2019
If I was a smarter man, I would dig deeper into the yarns that Danger Slater spins to find some hidden meaning. Instead, I allow the strangeness to wash over me, much like the killer Gray Tide in this one. If you haven't read anything by Mr. Slater yet, this is a great place to begin.
July 7, 2019
If there be such creatures in the world of bizarro fiction, Danger Slater's protagonists often caution readers to not seek meaning in what they've just ingested. Jimmy Watson Jr, son of the Impossible James of this title and narrator of this novel, tells you the same thing. If there is meaning, he says, it's been lost already. You can reread the book if you want, but the words and sentences do not change.
He has a point.
However, there is no denying that Danger Slater's Impossible James is a distinctly human tale at its core. It's a story about birth and rebirth, about the life of the father as it reflects against and ultimately overpowers and outshines the son.
Or it could just be one hell of an entertaining tale.
Danger Slater has proven once again that he has a unique ability to take a single individual's life and make it consequential not only to the entire world but also to the galaxy and beyond. As much as we'd like to be able to confine ourselves to our impossible rooms, all the while believing we're safe from what rolls behind the walls, that creeping gray tide eventually rolls right over us.
If you're not already familiar with Danger Slater's work, Impossible James would make a fine introduction. Wonderfully bizarre, funny, and absolutely entertaining.
He has a point.
However, there is no denying that Danger Slater's Impossible James is a distinctly human tale at its core. It's a story about birth and rebirth, about the life of the father as it reflects against and ultimately overpowers and outshines the son.
Or it could just be one hell of an entertaining tale.
Danger Slater has proven once again that he has a unique ability to take a single individual's life and make it consequential not only to the entire world but also to the galaxy and beyond. As much as we'd like to be able to confine ourselves to our impossible rooms, all the while believing we're safe from what rolls behind the walls, that creeping gray tide eventually rolls right over us.
If you're not already familiar with Danger Slater's work, Impossible James would make a fine introduction. Wonderfully bizarre, funny, and absolutely entertaining.
June 21, 2019
This book was a ride from beginning to end. There were many twists and turns, and back and forths, but in the end, they all came together and, somehow, it all worked. And it was something I can't really properly put words to, but I'll try. Possible spoilers ahead, maybe.
James is a nobody with nothing and no one. He's not successful by any stretch and leads the world's most boring, unfortunate life possible. His wife wasn't even nice to him, and he's infertile. Of course, when he walks into his doctor's office one day, he finds out that everything will just get worse. Everything always did for James. That is, until the end, which I'm not even sure how to describe, other than the fact that James finally becomes something much bigger than what he ever thought he was capable. Quite literally.
And all because of a screwdriver. All because of pure, near impossible luck does he find a purpose and more meaningful outlook. And that's where Impossible James finds his life's goal.
I'm a sucker for philosophy, and this book was filled with it. I stopped a few times and went into thought about a lot of it, and it made me think deeper about myself as a person, what it means to be alive, and what it means to have goals. What it means to have fears, and what fears are even there for. I'm an irrationally fearful person of about, well, everything, so this was an unexpected and interesting trip during my reading of Impossible James.
Also, the twisted quantum physics-like science? Super interesting. (If I'm even thinking of the right kind of science here. I know scant about quantum physics, but I think that's what I'm going for. I could be completely in left field and people are scratching their heads at me right now.)
Danger has a very interesting mind, and I found myself unable to stop turning pages. Even though we know the outcome, and we know inevitably how everything happens before it happens -- sort of -- you still want to read more. You must know the little details in between, and they help to paint such a grotesque picture that it's almost impossible to conjure in your mind. Thankfully, Danger's vivid and disturbing descriptions do the work just fine. And they are grotesque. For example, imagine a flesh room. A room with bones growing out of the wood. Rooms that act as organ gardens to keep a house consumed by a man's deformed, growing body alive.
I will admit, I haven't read much in this genre yet, but based on what I have read so far, this book made me realize that I really do love bizarro fiction. I read this in one day, taking a break in between. I knew I wanted to process something like this all at once instead of splitting it up, and I'm glad I did. At least, the philosopher in me wouldn't let me put it down. Can I mention enough how that was one of my favorite things about this book?
It was definitely written in a curious way, with 116 chapters (I believe they were chapters) and three parts. I won't look too deep into it, unless there's a deeper reasoning, which my brain always wants to find. I could have missed something there, but that's not important.
What is important is if you love books that make you think, definitely give this a read. If you have a weak stomach, though, be prepared for some pretty wicked imagery, such as body parts being detached and sewn back on, and amateur surgery to disembowel poor James, although it didn't really seem to bother him too much. In fact, in this world, people (and animals) seem to survive some pretty crazy and awful body horrors.
Lastly, the ending? This isn't a bad thing, but it... just is. It is what it is. Maybe that's a part of the philosophical message of the whole thing, in which case, message delivered.
This is something you have to read for yourself to get the full effect. No review is probably going to be able to properly convey how interesting, and kind of brilliant, this book is. So give it a read.
James is a nobody with nothing and no one. He's not successful by any stretch and leads the world's most boring, unfortunate life possible. His wife wasn't even nice to him, and he's infertile. Of course, when he walks into his doctor's office one day, he finds out that everything will just get worse. Everything always did for James. That is, until the end, which I'm not even sure how to describe, other than the fact that James finally becomes something much bigger than what he ever thought he was capable. Quite literally.
And all because of a screwdriver. All because of pure, near impossible luck does he find a purpose and more meaningful outlook. And that's where Impossible James finds his life's goal.
I'm a sucker for philosophy, and this book was filled with it. I stopped a few times and went into thought about a lot of it, and it made me think deeper about myself as a person, what it means to be alive, and what it means to have goals. What it means to have fears, and what fears are even there for. I'm an irrationally fearful person of about, well, everything, so this was an unexpected and interesting trip during my reading of Impossible James.
Also, the twisted quantum physics-like science? Super interesting. (If I'm even thinking of the right kind of science here. I know scant about quantum physics, but I think that's what I'm going for. I could be completely in left field and people are scratching their heads at me right now.)
Danger has a very interesting mind, and I found myself unable to stop turning pages. Even though we know the outcome, and we know inevitably how everything happens before it happens -- sort of -- you still want to read more. You must know the little details in between, and they help to paint such a grotesque picture that it's almost impossible to conjure in your mind. Thankfully, Danger's vivid and disturbing descriptions do the work just fine. And they are grotesque. For example, imagine a flesh room. A room with bones growing out of the wood. Rooms that act as organ gardens to keep a house consumed by a man's deformed, growing body alive.
I will admit, I haven't read much in this genre yet, but based on what I have read so far, this book made me realize that I really do love bizarro fiction. I read this in one day, taking a break in between. I knew I wanted to process something like this all at once instead of splitting it up, and I'm glad I did. At least, the philosopher in me wouldn't let me put it down. Can I mention enough how that was one of my favorite things about this book?
It was definitely written in a curious way, with 116 chapters (I believe they were chapters) and three parts. I won't look too deep into it, unless there's a deeper reasoning, which my brain always wants to find. I could have missed something there, but that's not important.
What is important is if you love books that make you think, definitely give this a read. If you have a weak stomach, though, be prepared for some pretty wicked imagery, such as body parts being detached and sewn back on, and amateur surgery to disembowel poor James, although it didn't really seem to bother him too much. In fact, in this world, people (and animals) seem to survive some pretty crazy and awful body horrors.
Lastly, the ending? This isn't a bad thing, but it... just is. It is what it is. Maybe that's a part of the philosophical message of the whole thing, in which case, message delivered.
This is something you have to read for yourself to get the full effect. No review is probably going to be able to properly convey how interesting, and kind of brilliant, this book is. So give it a read.
July 8, 2020
As someone who Snopes assures me is Marianne Williamson but everyone else claims was Nelson Mandela and I always thought was Einstein once said, “Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.” I don’t think she ever pictured such a phrase as being relevant to a man getting a screwdriver stuck in his head and growing his own clone in his guts, but I wanted to start this review with a famous quote and that’s the first one that came to mind, so here we are.
Impossible James is the story of a man with no prospects and no hope discovering his light, his power - a brilliance which changes the world for the better at first, before reminding us why the world would’ve been better off had he continued to fear his light.
The book slaps chronological storytelling in the face, twisting its timeline in and around itself in a manner similar to the titular character’s intestines during his pregnancy. It’s some weird combination of body-horror and body-humour which treats issues like mortality and events like auto-brain surgery like a Looney Tunes skit. In the first few pages, we’re introduced to a doctor who’s like a character from a cartoon sitcom, and the cast just gets zanier from that point on.
The laughs were expected, but I wasn’t prepared for some of the individual sentences to hit me with as much emotional gravity as they did. Take note, other authors; this is how you put philosophy into a story. If the novella were more self-serious, a lot of these observations and ideas might’ve fallen on deaf ears. Much like how it’s often easier for a children’s cartoon to make you cry than the driest of adult dramas, the wackadoodle nature of this book helps it to put tidbits of profundity across more clearly, as the narrative never takes itself either too seriously or not seriously enough.
It’s a tale about not only the transience of life, but the need that people (maybe artists more than anyone else) feel to leave something bigger than themselves behind after they’re gone. Maybe bizarro is so niche that none of our stories will ever do that for us, but, well, there are worse monuments an author could leave behind than this book. 4.5 black brain growths out of 5.
Impossible James is the story of a man with no prospects and no hope discovering his light, his power - a brilliance which changes the world for the better at first, before reminding us why the world would’ve been better off had he continued to fear his light.
The book slaps chronological storytelling in the face, twisting its timeline in and around itself in a manner similar to the titular character’s intestines during his pregnancy. It’s some weird combination of body-horror and body-humour which treats issues like mortality and events like auto-brain surgery like a Looney Tunes skit. In the first few pages, we’re introduced to a doctor who’s like a character from a cartoon sitcom, and the cast just gets zanier from that point on.
The laughs were expected, but I wasn’t prepared for some of the individual sentences to hit me with as much emotional gravity as they did. Take note, other authors; this is how you put philosophy into a story. If the novella were more self-serious, a lot of these observations and ideas might’ve fallen on deaf ears. Much like how it’s often easier for a children’s cartoon to make you cry than the driest of adult dramas, the wackadoodle nature of this book helps it to put tidbits of profundity across more clearly, as the narrative never takes itself either too seriously or not seriously enough.
It’s a tale about not only the transience of life, but the need that people (maybe artists more than anyone else) feel to leave something bigger than themselves behind after they’re gone. Maybe bizarro is so niche that none of our stories will ever do that for us, but, well, there are worse monuments an author could leave behind than this book. 4.5 black brain growths out of 5.
November 7, 2025
as always, the question i have after finishing a bizarro fiction novel is akin to 'why dont i read more of them?'
then someone asks me what it was about? i mutter, fumble and attempt to answer the question with out sounding like some whackadoo degenerate who uncomfortably reads books with penis chapter header drawings on the train (true story)
in this case, i have been stalking Danger Slater's bookshelves for years. i was at powells books grabbing something read at a cafe back in july. had an itch for some Carlton Mellick III but they had none.. BUT they had Impossible James..
about a man who is dying, puts a screwdriver in his brain, cures death, and impregnates himself with his own progeny.... it was a fascinating read.
Impossible James cares not for the rules of biology, nor those of physics. it cares little for chapters longer than 2 pages. it cares a lot that you know how the world ends and that the inevitability of it all was captured on paper stock, even though carbon matter itself is all recycled in the end, including the book. the admittance and recognition captured within of how it all shakes out and the inept father/son love are what need to be spewn into the universe.
nn
as i read reality was also physically skewed.. many pages were cut on a diagonal, thus they were not fully glued in, thus they fell out as i went. i put them back but will not warn the future owner.
then someone asks me what it was about? i mutter, fumble and attempt to answer the question with out sounding like some whackadoo degenerate who uncomfortably reads books with penis chapter header drawings on the train (true story)
in this case, i have been stalking Danger Slater's bookshelves for years. i was at powells books grabbing something read at a cafe back in july. had an itch for some Carlton Mellick III but they had none.. BUT they had Impossible James..
about a man who is dying, puts a screwdriver in his brain, cures death, and impregnates himself with his own progeny.... it was a fascinating read.
Impossible James cares not for the rules of biology, nor those of physics. it cares little for chapters longer than 2 pages. it cares a lot that you know how the world ends and that the inevitability of it all was captured on paper stock, even though carbon matter itself is all recycled in the end, including the book. the admittance and recognition captured within of how it all shakes out and the inept father/son love are what need to be spewn into the universe.
nn
as i read reality was also physically skewed.. many pages were cut on a diagonal, thus they were not fully glued in, thus they fell out as i went. i put them back but will not warn the future owner.
November 11, 2019
This book reads like a fever-dream or LSD trip. It is my first Bizarro read ever. It jumps around, but is easy to keep track of where you're supposed to be in its crazy grasp. It feels like it addresses the concept of human existentialism constantly without solving it, which is exactly what being alive feels like every day - just put into a context that is extraordinary. At first, I didn't like that there were no page numbers. Then I came to the realization that like life, we don't really know when the story is going to come to an end, so why should we know here? You just float along until the end hits you.
It was truly an enjoyable read for me and I flew through the book. It was genuinely laugh-out-loud funny in parts. The descriptions were sometimes so moving and eloquent that it blew me away. The only reason I took away a star is because I found that the 'voices' of all the characters were the same as James' and I am unsure of if it was metaphorical because we're all technically the same (but feel unique) or if it's because Danger Slater has a funny voice that he enjoyed writing in so much that he used it for all of the characters. I also noticed a lot of editorial mistakes; spelling and missing conjunctions, which irked my OCD a little bit.
I definitely want to pick up more of his writing after this. He has clearly left his mark as a talented and memorable author.
It was truly an enjoyable read for me and I flew through the book. It was genuinely laugh-out-loud funny in parts. The descriptions were sometimes so moving and eloquent that it blew me away. The only reason I took away a star is because I found that the 'voices' of all the characters were the same as James' and I am unsure of if it was metaphorical because we're all technically the same (but feel unique) or if it's because Danger Slater has a funny voice that he enjoyed writing in so much that he used it for all of the characters. I also noticed a lot of editorial mistakes; spelling and missing conjunctions, which irked my OCD a little bit.
I definitely want to pick up more of his writing after this. He has clearly left his mark as a talented and memorable author.
December 21, 2019
Impossibly entertaining; an excellent read. "Impossible James" is the story of a put-upon average Joe who stands up and says NO: NO to death, NO to the mind-numbing monotony of his former life, and NO to whomever and whatever no longer serves him (fake friends, a-hole exes, etc). After a shattering medical diagnosis, he shucks his former life like a pair of soiled pants and proceeds to raise hell, embarking on a world-altering metamorphosis which involves flooding the world with carbon copies of himself on a bizarre and highly, highly entertaining existential journey.
Any similarities to the movie 'Junior' begin and end with the concept of a pregnant man. If you thought art couldn't get more macabre than an expecting Arnold Schwarzenegger, meet the weirdo delight that is "Impossible James." Author Danger Slater crafts a unique, often hilarious tale of an all-too-ordinary man who goes from invisible to all-powerful through sheer force of will. I couldn't help but salute him. Not only does James Sr. defy the very laws of nature and death, but this human propagation station gives the world exponentially more of what it sought to erase: Himself.
Impossible James will NOT be ignored.
If you enjoy bizarro, body horror, and being immersed in a fantastic story, do not hesitate to order your own "Impossible James" before the manspawn crowd us all out of the planet for good!
Highlight: Dr. Caterwaul.
Any similarities to the movie 'Junior' begin and end with the concept of a pregnant man. If you thought art couldn't get more macabre than an expecting Arnold Schwarzenegger, meet the weirdo delight that is "Impossible James." Author Danger Slater crafts a unique, often hilarious tale of an all-too-ordinary man who goes from invisible to all-powerful through sheer force of will. I couldn't help but salute him. Not only does James Sr. defy the very laws of nature and death, but this human propagation station gives the world exponentially more of what it sought to erase: Himself.
Impossible James will NOT be ignored.
If you enjoy bizarro, body horror, and being immersed in a fantastic story, do not hesitate to order your own "Impossible James" before the manspawn crowd us all out of the planet for good!
Highlight: Dr. Caterwaul.
July 20, 2022
What can be said of Danger Slater that cannot be said of 1970s Argentinian soccer player, Carlos Bianchi? A lot, apparently. Danger has never scored a goal in a FIFA match. Carlos scored six. Danger has never even been to South America. Carlos was born there. Yes, this is Carlos Bianchi's world and Danger, and everyone else alive, is just living in it.
But Danger has done something Carlos Bianchi never dreamed of. Danger wrote the book Impossible James. It's a book so difficult to describe I can't do it without puking. This is my seventh attempt at writing a review and I have only made it this far because my stomach ejected itself during the last round and is currently balanced on the bathroom trash can.
Impossible James is absurd. It is a fever dream of a book. It has some of the most vibrant passages I've read in years, and some of the most disgusting imagery ever committed to paper. The first twenty or so chapters reminded me of A Confederacy of Dunces' lovable antihero. If your favorite part of Catch-22 was Milo Minderbinder explaining how he buys and sells eggs, you will love much of this book. If you eat popcorn while watching 70s and 80s Cronenberg, you will love much of this book. If you are in a reading slump and want to read something wholly different than the last book you read - read this book.
But Danger has done something Carlos Bianchi never dreamed of. Danger wrote the book Impossible James. It's a book so difficult to describe I can't do it without puking. This is my seventh attempt at writing a review and I have only made it this far because my stomach ejected itself during the last round and is currently balanced on the bathroom trash can.
Impossible James is absurd. It is a fever dream of a book. It has some of the most vibrant passages I've read in years, and some of the most disgusting imagery ever committed to paper. The first twenty or so chapters reminded me of A Confederacy of Dunces' lovable antihero. If your favorite part of Catch-22 was Milo Minderbinder explaining how he buys and sells eggs, you will love much of this book. If you eat popcorn while watching 70s and 80s Cronenberg, you will love much of this book. If you are in a reading slump and want to read something wholly different than the last book you read - read this book.
July 1, 2019
Cloning is described as a process that can be used to produce genetically identical copies of a biological entity. The copied material, containing the exact same genetic makeup as the original, is referred to as the clone.
There are four different types of cloning: gene cloning, reproductive cloning, therapeutic cloning, and James Watson cloning.
Gene cloning produces copies of genes or segments of DNA. Reproductive cloning produces copies of whole animals. Therapeutic cloning produces embryonic stem cells for experiments aimed at creating tissues to replace injured or diseased tissues. James Watson cloning produces trillions of James Watson copies for the purpose of serving the entirety of James Watson as a whole.
While Gene cloning is a carefully regulated technique that is largely accepted today and used routinely in many labs worldwide. And while both reproductive and therapeutic cloning raise important ethical issues, they too are becoming more accepted in the scientific communities. However, the most dangerous cloning technique has proven to be the James Watson cloning.
As illustrated and detailed in this very book by the first of the James Watson clones, this technique results in a catastrophic end for all of mankind.
There are four different types of cloning: gene cloning, reproductive cloning, therapeutic cloning, and James Watson cloning.
Gene cloning produces copies of genes or segments of DNA. Reproductive cloning produces copies of whole animals. Therapeutic cloning produces embryonic stem cells for experiments aimed at creating tissues to replace injured or diseased tissues. James Watson cloning produces trillions of James Watson copies for the purpose of serving the entirety of James Watson as a whole.
While Gene cloning is a carefully regulated technique that is largely accepted today and used routinely in many labs worldwide. And while both reproductive and therapeutic cloning raise important ethical issues, they too are becoming more accepted in the scientific communities. However, the most dangerous cloning technique has proven to be the James Watson cloning.
As illustrated and detailed in this very book by the first of the James Watson clones, this technique results in a catastrophic end for all of mankind.
July 10, 2020
No one should open the pages of Danger Slater's 'Impossible James' with anything more than the synopsis on the back cover. Anything more would be cheating oneself of the full experience. Rather than hand out details about the book's plot and characters, I'll say that Slater is an outstanding writer whose prose is quick and sharp, and whose material marries the surreal with the mundane in such a way that the mind simultaneously recoils in disgust and hungrily craves more. With an undeniable wit coupled with his expert delivery and keen observation of humanity, Slater somehow creates something both absurd and profound...not to mention delightfully bizarre. It's a reading experience as oddly curious as discovering a pair of extracted vampire fangs in a junk drawer full of baby teeth. It's as raw and fearless as tearing off your own fingernail and then poking the tender flesh beneath. It's dark, but not without humor. It's unapologetically gross, but not without a moment or two of questionable beauty. And, best of all, it's one of those page-turning experiences that, once finished, a person can't help but sit back, slightly shaken, and say, "What the hell did I just read?"
July 15, 2019
This technically qualifies as a biopunk novel. I will not be taking questions at this time.
Seriously, though, there's a lot going on in this book -- narratively, philosophically, viscerally. Impossible James is sort of like if Kurt Vonnegut and David Cronenberg co-wrote an early 90s Nickelodeon cartoon. It gets gross at points, but does so to draw attention to the absurdity of your own temporary meatparts. Artful grossness.
The narrative paces its weird revelations well, alternating between the bizarro backstory and the present apocalypse it led to. All throughout, the book does a great job of switching between weirdness and profundity without bringing things to a halt for a Very Special Episode-style monologue or anything like that. If you have the stomach for it, don't be surprised if you binge through it in one sitting.
Seriously, though, there's a lot going on in this book -- narratively, philosophically, viscerally. Impossible James is sort of like if Kurt Vonnegut and David Cronenberg co-wrote an early 90s Nickelodeon cartoon. It gets gross at points, but does so to draw attention to the absurdity of your own temporary meatparts. Artful grossness.
The narrative paces its weird revelations well, alternating between the bizarro backstory and the present apocalypse it led to. All throughout, the book does a great job of switching between weirdness and profundity without bringing things to a halt for a Very Special Episode-style monologue or anything like that. If you have the stomach for it, don't be surprised if you binge through it in one sitting.
December 15, 2024
This is my second Danger Slater book so for the most part I knew what I was getting into in terms of bizarro fiction but this was definitely the craziest book I have ever read. It was definitely an entertaining and quick read. I had no idea where it was going and I still have no idea where it went. This book has a little bit of everything: elements of cosmic horror, body dysmorphia, clones, you name it 😅
Sometimes it was a little disjointed with the narration IMO, but overall I enjoyed this freakish read!
Sometimes it was a little disjointed with the narration IMO, but overall I enjoyed this freakish read!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 14, 2019
This my first book full length book in this category. I'm impressed. Danger Slater, does it right. I was reading this with my jaw dropped the whole time. What a great concept. You know it'll never happen, that's why it's impossible but, at the same time you're thinking. What if it did? This grey tide is scary.
October 22, 2019
Flojo
No llega realmente a dar risa, ni a dejar una sensación de algo profundo, aún queriendo hacer ambas. Se queda mucho en la superficie. La idea en general es buena, pero se queda corto en su desarrollo.
No llega realmente a dar risa, ni a dejar una sensación de algo profundo, aún queriendo hacer ambas. Se queda mucho en la superficie. La idea en general es buena, pero se queda corto en su desarrollo.
July 3, 2019
This is a weird, wild, fun book. Exactly the sort of thing I read Danger Slater for, though still quite new. Definitely one to check out.
August 18, 2019
Excellent!!! What a weird and twisted read. All I can say is it's quite the experience and I would recommend it. Slater has quite the imagination.
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