What do you think?
Laser House on the Prairie
On a lawless frontier of fiber optic plains, Jeph longs only for a simple life with his husband in their house that floats on a laser beam. Then comes a posse of his old war buddies—the coolest, baddest, razor-sharpest gunslingers on the prairie. They’re on a quest to steal the Red Orb, the world’s most addictive laser weapon, and they want Jeph’s tireless skills with a gun.
All that stands in their way are a bunch of NERDS.
Obsessive, entitles, consumerist, know-it-all nerds, squirreled away in a decadent secret city where even an ancient doomsday device can be lost to the detritus of pop culture. Nerds are the opposite of cool—speaking in references and catchphrases—mindlessly worshiping the convoluted mythologies of their favorite STUFF. They’ve no idea that the smoothest criminals in the land are coming to rob them blind.
It should be an easy score, but nerds ruin everything. Old Jeph will have to fight for his life to escape this quagmire of toxic fandom and return to his LASER HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE.
All that stands in their way are a bunch of NERDS.
Obsessive, entitles, consumerist, know-it-all nerds, squirreled away in a decadent secret city where even an ancient doomsday device can be lost to the detritus of pop culture. Nerds are the opposite of cool—speaking in references and catchphrases—mindlessly worshiping the convoluted mythologies of their favorite STUFF. They’ve no idea that the smoothest criminals in the land are coming to rob them blind.
It should be an easy score, but nerds ruin everything. Old Jeph will have to fight for his life to escape this quagmire of toxic fandom and return to his LASER HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE.
160 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2019
About the author
David W. Barbee
18 books91 followersDavid W Barbee, human about town. Check out my blog-thing: http://www.davidwbarbee.wordpress.com
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
May 18, 2019
Barbee once again crafts a universe unto his own, where a simple-yet-neon wild west buts up against the techno-nightmare of a nerd-culture controlled future, and yes, there will be blood. There's really not many books out there like this; that are so unabashedly confident in their own weird little world, while at the same time propelled forward by a protagonist with the most relatable of goals: to escape his past and be left alone. Funny, gory, weird, and full of action. If you haven't read David W. Barbee yet, you're doing books wrong.
August 18, 2019
In Laser House on the Prairie, Barbee creates a neon land of laser beams, where a group of aging gunslingers convince their old partner to come out of retirement for one last hiest - the hunt for the Red Orb, the world's most saught after and mentally addictive laser weapon in the world. So addictive that people literally tear their eyeballs right out of their own heads in order to wear the orb in its socket and control its deadly powers.
Highly entertaining, but we should expect nothing less from Barbee! His world building is aces, he has a knack for writing horrible characters that you just can't help but like, and of course, there's blood, lots and lots of blood.
Highly entertaining, but we should expect nothing less from Barbee! His world building is aces, he has a knack for writing horrible characters that you just can't help but like, and of course, there's blood, lots and lots of blood.
May 10, 2019
Every time I thought I had a handle on what this book was, it changed. It's a dayglo western, a capitalist nightmare, a consumerism showdown.
Welcome to the new world. It's very bright and there's a man called Sexy Jeph.
Welcome to the new world. It's very bright and there's a man called Sexy Jeph.
June 18, 2019
Laser House on the Prairie is a fantastic read. It’s strikingly original without seeming at all contrived. It’s unpredictable without being arbitrary. The characters, the premise, the social commentary—all spot on and super fun. It hangs together beautifully. In the end, I think what makes it work so well is that it’s smart. It keeps the reader in on the joke without giving too much away, and that is a difficult balance.
May 20, 2019
Full Review
Laser House on the Prairie is an incredibly entertaining page-turner that combines the Western and science fiction genres in a wonderfully creative way and includes some funny satire about modern consumerism. It's also the most accessible I've read of Barbee's books, being a fairly simple story for an author who creates some very bizarre worlds. It's a quick read, but one well-worth the time.
Laser House on the Prairie is an incredibly entertaining page-turner that combines the Western and science fiction genres in a wonderfully creative way and includes some funny satire about modern consumerism. It's also the most accessible I've read of Barbee's books, being a fairly simple story for an author who creates some very bizarre worlds. It's a quick read, but one well-worth the time.
October 3, 2019
David Barbee's LASER HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE might be the most "on brand" book I've read in 2019. It is southern-fried bizarro, this time with a western twist. Barbee is the most pure bizarro writer I have read of late, joining the ranks of Emma Johnson and Carlton Mellick III as such.
LASER HOUSE has every bit of bizarro you could ask for then spices it up as a western and gives itczip with a sci-fi edge. Top it all off with a healthh dose of nerd cultur and you've got yoirself a David Barbee classic like nobody else could ever tell.
What I discovered, or maybe confirmed, is that westerns just arent my thing. If it werent for the weird of the story i wouldnt have found as much enjoyment with it. It is still a great bizarro book at its core and should have universal appeal as such. Added in, the bonus of sci-fi and/or western outlaws and thevappeal broadens for those with those tastes. Don't pass it up if any or all of that sounds like some good reading vittles!
Yee-ha!
LASER HOUSE has every bit of bizarro you could ask for then spices it up as a western and gives itczip with a sci-fi edge. Top it all off with a healthh dose of nerd cultur and you've got yoirself a David Barbee classic like nobody else could ever tell.
What I discovered, or maybe confirmed, is that westerns just arent my thing. If it werent for the weird of the story i wouldnt have found as much enjoyment with it. It is still a great bizarro book at its core and should have universal appeal as such. Added in, the bonus of sci-fi and/or western outlaws and thevappeal broadens for those with those tastes. Don't pass it up if any or all of that sounds like some good reading vittles!
Yee-ha!
August 19, 2019
Reading Bizarro is generally a crapshoot. Because it’s so…well, bizarre. This one was a kindle freebie, had really good reviews across the board and was invitingly short. Turned out, the reviews were well deserved. This was a pretty awesome read. Yes, it was as bizarre as the genre demands, but all of the bizarreness worked. All of the components worked, in fact. Entertaining, developed characters, featuring killer monikers. Terrific world building, in neon flashes. Plenty of action, terrific social commentary, a thoroughly engaging likeable protagonist named Sexy Jeph. Are you intrigued yet? You should be. So basically this is a standard story of a gang of older outlaws who get together for one last job. Jeph is no longer Sexy (well, he is to his man, but otherwise he’s put on weight, developed morals and ethics and built for himself and his spouse the eponymous place he loves), so he’s the only one who has to be cajoled into it. The rest are all in it to win it, it being the coveted Red Orb, an object of seriously boombastic power. For this they shall travel to Obscuria, which is essentially what the insides of the internet probably look like. Everyone’s hyper and hyped up, trendy and trended, soft in body and spirit, sustained by pizza, social media and games. Everyone’s always on the lookout for the next best thing for the next five minutes. Needless to say, a quartet of old school desperadoes are going to create quite a stir. And so, amid the flashing lights and flashy characters, lets the games begin, the quest for the Red Orb is on. It’s really impressive how much this book succeeds on so many levels, because it has such a crazy premise and settings and not that many pages and yet…it works. It works as a social satire (so well), as an action adventure, as a science fiction, it thrills, charms entertains. It’s humorous and surprisingly warmhearted for a novel with so many freaking lasers. And Jeph…Jeph is just awesome. And yeah, pretty Sexy too. Really fun read. For a wide range of speculative fiction fans. Recommended.
July 21, 2019
Barbee brings us the first offering from Excession Press showing they're coming out swinging with a heavy hitter right out of the gate. A standout in all of David Barbee's work is his world building, and Laser House is no exception. From the laser prairie to the land of Obscuria you become rooted in these places taking in the elements, and finding yourself slinging bright colored lasers right along with Classic Bill and Sexy Jeph! Ultimately this is a story of friendship, loyalty, and love set in the middle of a world that runs on the obsessive fandom of people clamoring to collect and imitate over and over again. Barbee weaves a subtle commentary on the lightning-fast, easy come easy go, waves of what people consume, and how quickly something you love becomes disposable, and easily replaced.
May 7, 2019
This is the first Goodreads review I've written in some time, and I'll state my bias right off the bat - I published this book through Excession Press, and it's our first release. But there's a reason we published it, and having read Laser House on the Prairie five times, I'd consider myself an expert on the text. Barbee's fiction is inventive, fun, laugh-out-loud humorous, and most of all, full of heart. Even after my last round of edits, I found myself falling in love with the characters all over again, and enjoying the story anew as it unfolded.
June 23, 2019
Something like a fun little western stuffed with neon light.
September 11, 2019
★ ★ ★ 1/2 (rounded up)
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
In a not-so-distant past, Jeph was a solider, then a gunslinger for hire. And then he fell in love, got married and gave it up. Now all he wants is to live a quiet life at home. But, those best-laid plans have met up with an old comrade-in-arms (and crime) who wants to pull off one more heist before he dies of some horrible disease. Jeph's not interested and tells them so definitively. But he's cajoled, badgered and threatened into going along with them. We all know this story, having read/seen it more times than we can count. But you've never seen it told this way.
Their target? A weapon called The Red Orb. Not only is it unbelievably lethal, but its users become addicted to it—the power and the way it ingratiates itself with the user's mind. A devastating weapon and users jonesing to wield it. There's only a billion ways that could go wrong.
A lot of the science/gadgets/weapons in this science-fiction-y novel makes no sense, and that's okay. It's not supposed to, it's just a plot device to get the characters and/or conflict to be where Barbee wants it. I said it before, and I'll say it again, I don't really understand the conventions (or lack thereof) of Bizarro fiction, but it seems to me that it's just whatever strange and odd bit of sciency thing the author comes up with at the moment—the stranger the better—while telling his story. Feel free to correct me in the comments. The important thing is that the SF elements are cuckoo-bananas and the reader should just roll with it.
The Red Orb is in a city not that far away called Obscuria. Which is basically what would happen if you took San Diego Comic Con, transported it into a Ready Player One meets Blade Runner future and then turned it into a city. Jeph and the band have to learn how to play by the rules of Obscuria and hopefully to hijack these rules in order to find and secure the Orb. Making the book a thinly disguised critique of Geek/Internet culture but it's done in such a way that you can tell that Barbee is steeped in the sub-culture he's examining and commenting on. Jeph's account may be scathing, but it's not spiteful. Nor is it dour, and all negative—you typically can't help but grin as you see what Barbee is commenting on (and, honestly, it's hard to disagree with most of his commentary).
When I sat down to write, I had a very clear idea how I was going to express "What this book is about." But the more I think about it, I'm not sure I can unpack it all. There's a lot about self-determination, about choosing to make your present and future different from your past. About how the wounds of the past and our self-deception aren't easily overcome to stop our self-destructive tendencies. About our own tendencies to be trapped by our perceptions. It's about in the Internet/Geek culture how do we determine the worth of someone/an act/a thought? Is it the quality? Is it the rareness? How easily it can be licensed and commodified? Why do anything if it isn't related to clicks, likes, influences? What about those who've rejected and/or not-embraced that kind of life? How can they make their way through a Geek culture? And I think I'm really just scratching the surface.
So, yeah, you've got a tried-and-true setup, morphed into a SF-ish reality as an excuse to talk about what's worth pursuing in our contemporary culture. Told in a strange, generally amusing and sometimes funny way. You won't get through this book easily (it's not a difficult read, but sometimes the imagery takes longer than usual to conjure up), but you may come through it better.
While it shared many sensibilities with last year's Jimbo Yojimbo , it was a bit more restrained and a lot more heartfelt. It's probably a better book overall—I didn't enjoy it as much personally, but it's one of those times I remind myself that ratings are about my overall appreciation, not (necessarily) the merits of the novel. I've liked both works by Barbee that I've tried so far, I need to find more by him.
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
“I’m not trying to be a hero, man. I’m kinda the opposite, actually. Right now, I just have to do what’s right.”
In a not-so-distant past, Jeph was a solider, then a gunslinger for hire. And then he fell in love, got married and gave it up. Now all he wants is to live a quiet life at home. But, those best-laid plans have met up with an old comrade-in-arms (and crime) who wants to pull off one more heist before he dies of some horrible disease. Jeph's not interested and tells them so definitively. But he's cajoled, badgered and threatened into going along with them. We all know this story, having read/seen it more times than we can count. But you've never seen it told this way.
Their target? A weapon called The Red Orb. Not only is it unbelievably lethal, but its users become addicted to it—the power and the way it ingratiates itself with the user's mind. A devastating weapon and users jonesing to wield it. There's only a billion ways that could go wrong.
A lot of the science/gadgets/weapons in this science-fiction-y novel makes no sense, and that's okay. It's not supposed to, it's just a plot device to get the characters and/or conflict to be where Barbee wants it. I said it before, and I'll say it again, I don't really understand the conventions (or lack thereof) of Bizarro fiction, but it seems to me that it's just whatever strange and odd bit of sciency thing the author comes up with at the moment—the stranger the better—while telling his story. Feel free to correct me in the comments. The important thing is that the SF elements are cuckoo-bananas and the reader should just roll with it.
The Red Orb is in a city not that far away called Obscuria. Which is basically what would happen if you took San Diego Comic Con, transported it into a Ready Player One meets Blade Runner future and then turned it into a city. Jeph and the band have to learn how to play by the rules of Obscuria and hopefully to hijack these rules in order to find and secure the Orb. Making the book a thinly disguised critique of Geek/Internet culture but it's done in such a way that you can tell that Barbee is steeped in the sub-culture he's examining and commenting on. Jeph's account may be scathing, but it's not spiteful. Nor is it dour, and all negative—you typically can't help but grin as you see what Barbee is commenting on (and, honestly, it's hard to disagree with most of his commentary).
When I sat down to write, I had a very clear idea how I was going to express "What this book is about." But the more I think about it, I'm not sure I can unpack it all. There's a lot about self-determination, about choosing to make your present and future different from your past. About how the wounds of the past and our self-deception aren't easily overcome to stop our self-destructive tendencies. About our own tendencies to be trapped by our perceptions. It's about in the Internet/Geek culture how do we determine the worth of someone/an act/a thought? Is it the quality? Is it the rareness? How easily it can be licensed and commodified? Why do anything if it isn't related to clicks, likes, influences? What about those who've rejected and/or not-embraced that kind of life? How can they make their way through a Geek culture? And I think I'm really just scratching the surface.
So, yeah, you've got a tried-and-true setup, morphed into a SF-ish reality as an excuse to talk about what's worth pursuing in our contemporary culture. Told in a strange, generally amusing and sometimes funny way. You won't get through this book easily (it's not a difficult read, but sometimes the imagery takes longer than usual to conjure up), but you may come through it better.
While it shared many sensibilities with last year's Jimbo Yojimbo , it was a bit more restrained and a lot more heartfelt. It's probably a better book overall—I didn't enjoy it as much personally, but it's one of those times I remind myself that ratings are about my overall appreciation, not (necessarily) the merits of the novel. I've liked both works by Barbee that I've tried so far, I need to find more by him.
July 25, 2019
Jeph just wants to enjoy his retirement with his husband in their shack on the prairie, but before his retirement he was known as Sexy Jeph, the most notorious outlaw in the laser filled wild west. A band of outlaws show up to his home and force him out of retirement for one last score. Together they must steal the world's most powerful weapon from a secret city filled with the most dangerous creatures of all....nerds.
As soon as I saw the title for this, before I'd even read the briefest of descriptions, I knew I desperately needed to read this book. I instantly had visions of pure fun, weirdness, and humor--and it delivered on all counts--and then some. I've heard plenty of praise for Barbee's world building, and while I can't compare due to this being my first read from him (you better believe I'll be fixing that), I'm definitely in agreement. The marriage of classic frontier imagery and laser soaked futurism couldn't be more satisfying, and the secret city Obscuria is fully realized (and as fascinating as it is insufferable). He's no slouch when it comes to characters either. Jeph is a delightful protagonist who desperately wants to leave his dark past behind him, and genuinely just wants to be a good person. While the "man haunted by his dark past" character is a familiar one, the common tropes attached to it have been dodged, and replaced with more nuance. The supporting characters are quirky and distinct, with one in particular having an amazing arc that was impressive given the short length of the story (not to mention how much was already going on).
Toxic fandom is taken to it's absolute height with no obsession or subculture left unscathed, but done with a wit and cleverness that somehow never feels condescending It feels like the jokes about the Internet "being like the Wild West" was made literal, and it doesn't have any right to be imagined as so well, but it is! It was a blast from beginning to end, I couldn't put it down, and at the risk of going against the themes of the story....I really need a neon soaked, synth filled, animated movie adaptation.
As soon as I saw the title for this, before I'd even read the briefest of descriptions, I knew I desperately needed to read this book. I instantly had visions of pure fun, weirdness, and humor--and it delivered on all counts--and then some. I've heard plenty of praise for Barbee's world building, and while I can't compare due to this being my first read from him (you better believe I'll be fixing that), I'm definitely in agreement. The marriage of classic frontier imagery and laser soaked futurism couldn't be more satisfying, and the secret city Obscuria is fully realized (and as fascinating as it is insufferable). He's no slouch when it comes to characters either. Jeph is a delightful protagonist who desperately wants to leave his dark past behind him, and genuinely just wants to be a good person. While the "man haunted by his dark past" character is a familiar one, the common tropes attached to it have been dodged, and replaced with more nuance. The supporting characters are quirky and distinct, with one in particular having an amazing arc that was impressive given the short length of the story (not to mention how much was already going on).
Toxic fandom is taken to it's absolute height with no obsession or subculture left unscathed, but done with a wit and cleverness that somehow never feels condescending It feels like the jokes about the Internet "being like the Wild West" was made literal, and it doesn't have any right to be imagined as so well, but it is! It was a blast from beginning to end, I couldn't put it down, and at the risk of going against the themes of the story....I really need a neon soaked, synth filled, animated movie adaptation.
August 1, 2019
Start with a ridiculous premise: everything is powered by lasers. There are laser sharks. Grass made of lasers. People pluck out their eyeballs and put in laser orbs.
Add humanity: an old tired veteran who was once a feared outlaw, now getting sucked into one last heist by an old partner.
What do you get? Laser House on the Prairie.
The story, as bizarre as it is with fan cults, laser orbs, and catching sharks by dangling your feet off the porch, comes down to trying to live down your past and hoping to get to a quiet life where people aren't trying to kill you. Throw in an allegory about destructive fan culture, and you've got a ripping tale from David Barbee.
Add humanity: an old tired veteran who was once a feared outlaw, now getting sucked into one last heist by an old partner.
What do you get? Laser House on the Prairie.
The story, as bizarre as it is with fan cults, laser orbs, and catching sharks by dangling your feet off the porch, comes down to trying to live down your past and hoping to get to a quiet life where people aren't trying to kill you. Throw in an allegory about destructive fan culture, and you've got a ripping tale from David Barbee.
May 9, 2019
Hey there sonny. Pull yourself up a chair and lemme tells you a story...There ya go Sonny..MA bring me out another cuppa that lemonade for my friend here
I knows why you're here. It's why they all come. Thems wanna hear about them there gunslingers. That dammed 4s of em and that gosh darn red orb..
Sonny this story is something ya needs ta hear before you keep amovin across the praire.....
I got an advanced copy from the author for an honest review. That above is my review. I suck at em but I try.
I did enjoy this one and recommend it.
I knows why you're here. It's why they all come. Thems wanna hear about them there gunslingers. That dammed 4s of em and that gosh darn red orb..
Sonny this story is something ya needs ta hear before you keep amovin across the praire.....
I got an advanced copy from the author for an honest review. That above is my review. I suck at em but I try.
I did enjoy this one and recommend it.
November 19, 2019
This is some great genre-bending fun. Westerns, lasers, fandom, there’s a lot going on here and it actually integrates it well, and even into a good story no less. Great concept that actually follows through in execution. Very enjoyable to read.
August 21, 2019
I loved everything about this... I dream in neon.
April 10, 2020
I know what you're thinking...this book can't possibly have lasers in it, right?
Well, guess what buckaroo, this book has PLENTY OF LASERS IN IT!
Well, guess what buckaroo, this book has PLENTY OF LASERS IN IT!
May 10, 2019
First things first, this book is sadly not a retelling of the classic stories by Laura Ingells Wilder about her childhood in the American Midwest. This book is something better. Unless of course you're a hardcore fan of Laura Ingells Wilder, in which case there is no hope for you. This book is a swashbuckling tale set in the future of America, after the great laser wars. It starts off on a prairie that is covered in fiber optic cables instead of wild grass, and moves swiftly through to a legendary city on the other side of a black hole.
The main character in the story is a retired soldier turned mercenary named Sexy Jeph. Sexy Jeph's life with a laser gun was legendary. He was one of the most skilled killers with a laser gun and well known for his sexual prowess as well. All that is in the past though, Sexy Jeph is retired and lives in a small, scrap metal shack with his husband Jack. Soon enough a character from his past shows up with a plan for one last heist and an offer Sexy Jeph cannot refuse. Here is where the book gets truly down to bussiness.
Sexy Jeph and his former associates are off on a quest to find the red orb, a powerful laser weapon that is sort of futuristic wearable with a wicked twist. To find the red orb they will also have to find the location of a rumored city that lies on the other side of a black hole in the prairie, Obscuria. The rest of the book deals with the adventure to find the red orb and all places it leads and characters they run into.
If you have read any of David Barbee's previous books then you will know that he has a flair for vivid descriptions and fleshed out settings. There's a current of country folk wisdom and attitude that flows through his words that gives the personalities a sense of familiarity, at least for me it does as I have a number of family from the backwoods of America.
I won't spoil the ending except to say that it is fitting for the book and in the tradition of classic tales of one last heist. After looking at their website I think this is the first book from Excession Press, the publisher of Laser House on the Prairie and looks to be a great start! I am left looking forward to the next book from Mr. Barbee and future titles from Excession Press. So go check it out yourself, it's Doctor recommended reading!
also
As a matter of doctor/client privilege I am under oath to inform you that I received a copy of this book for free in order to review it and give it a Doctor's approval. So now you know! My video review is available free on youtube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVcjO...
The main character in the story is a retired soldier turned mercenary named Sexy Jeph. Sexy Jeph's life with a laser gun was legendary. He was one of the most skilled killers with a laser gun and well known for his sexual prowess as well. All that is in the past though, Sexy Jeph is retired and lives in a small, scrap metal shack with his husband Jack. Soon enough a character from his past shows up with a plan for one last heist and an offer Sexy Jeph cannot refuse. Here is where the book gets truly down to bussiness.
Sexy Jeph and his former associates are off on a quest to find the red orb, a powerful laser weapon that is sort of futuristic wearable with a wicked twist. To find the red orb they will also have to find the location of a rumored city that lies on the other side of a black hole in the prairie, Obscuria. The rest of the book deals with the adventure to find the red orb and all places it leads and characters they run into.
If you have read any of David Barbee's previous books then you will know that he has a flair for vivid descriptions and fleshed out settings. There's a current of country folk wisdom and attitude that flows through his words that gives the personalities a sense of familiarity, at least for me it does as I have a number of family from the backwoods of America.
I won't spoil the ending except to say that it is fitting for the book and in the tradition of classic tales of one last heist. After looking at their website I think this is the first book from Excession Press, the publisher of Laser House on the Prairie and looks to be a great start! I am left looking forward to the next book from Mr. Barbee and future titles from Excession Press. So go check it out yourself, it's Doctor recommended reading!
also
As a matter of doctor/client privilege I am under oath to inform you that I received a copy of this book for free in order to review it and give it a Doctor's approval. So now you know! My video review is available free on youtube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVcjO...
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