The Exploding Book

by Mike Russell

There is a book with the power to destroy any book different from itself. Do not fear. This is not that book. This is the story of that book. An explosion occurs in a library, destroying all the books except one: an untitled book whose author is unknown. Unless someone can prevent it, the untitled book will soon become the only book in existence. Mike Russell’s The Exploding Book is a unique, surreal novel. Filled with bizarre characters and fantastic imagery, The Exploding Book will take you on an extraordinary journey of cosmic proportions.

274 pages, Paperback

Published April 29, 2019

About the author

Mike Russell is a British author renowned for his unique, surreal short story collections and novels.
Russell's books have been praised for their originality, inventive storytelling, rich imagery and the questions they raise about the nature of reality. Russell has a distinctive narrative voice that blurs the line between reality and imagination. His work is noticeable for its minimalist style that often contrasts with the complex themes he explores.
Russell's debut Nothing Is Strange (2014) is a highly imaginative collection of short stories that introduced readers to his peculiar and mesmerising work. Each tale in the collection is a blend of the bizarre and philosophical, inviting readers to explore the deeper meanings within the stories. Russell’s subsequent short story collections Strange Medicine (2016), Strange Secrets (2018), Strange Wonders (2020) and Strange Concentrate (2023) have continued to challenge storytelling norms and question reality in a way that is as entertaining as it is unusual.
In addition to these collections, Mike Russell has authored a number of novels and novellas. Like his short story collections, these surreal and enigmatic works are characterised by their absurd humour, eccentric characters, unexpected twists and questioning of conventional thought.
Strungballs (2017) is a fantastical, dystopian, science fiction novella that delves into themes of conformity, individuality, materialism and societal structures.
The Exploding Book (2019) is a complex, surreal novel full of dark humour and astonishing imagery. It encapsulates Mike Russell's talent for crafting narratives that are as mind-bending as they are entertaining. The novel takes an unconventional form in which the reader participates by having an out of body experience, entering the story and influencing the narrative.
Magic (2020) is a magical, often comical, novel filled with the imagery of the stage magician. Told from the perspective of a young man who believes that stage magicians can perform real acts of magic, it has been praised for its unique and uplifting story, its endearing protagonist and for being entertaining and accessible at the same time as profound and unusual. In Magic, Russell’s evocative storytelling and vivid imagery create a narrative that is as touching as it is strange.
The Man Whose Wife Was the Moon (2021) is a surreal novella set during the time of the first moon landing. It exemplifies Mike Russell's skill in weaving fantastical elements with deep emotional resonance.
Mike Russell continues to live and write in England, where he remains dedicated to exploring the unusual and unknown through his uniquely strange books.

Mike Russell was awarded a Bachelor of Arts from Falmouth University and a Master of Arts from the University of Central England.

Mike Russell’s books have been described as Strange Fiction, Weird Fiction, Weird Lit, Surrealism, Fantasy Fiction… but he just likes to call them Strange Books.

“Russell’s stories are humorous, engaging and poetically direct.” Beautiful Bizarre Magazine

“Simple yet wacky, funny and charming. Mike Russell seems to have mastered the art of throwing absurdities onto paper, while keeping his writing bright and interesting at the same time.” Cultured Vultures

“I always look forward to Mike Russell’s work – he’s so out-there that it’s refreshing.” Oddly Weird Fiction

Reviews

[Glenn Russell]

The Exploding Book - Mike Russell’s strange fiction, this time, following his three collections of short stories and a novella, a full length novel that expands to the outer reaches of the outlandish to flabbergast with each flip of the page.

We’re in the village of Gladeville and immediately witness a colossal explosion in the town library. What happens next defies description (at least in this review since I will not spoil the many surprises in store for a reader). I will, however, share a provocative quote about one distinctive book in the library's collection, a black book, 'the Dark Book', that has been read by every single person in Gladeville: “The book's cover is so dark that it exudes darkness, emanating a monstrous black aura."

So many strange surprises, so many weird-ass wonders, too many for me to trace the pathway of plot, thus I'll shift to a clutch of tantalizing themes where I'll link my comments with a direct quote from Mike's book most exploding:

ITS ALL ABOUT YOU
"You see a gold temple.
The gold temple is glowing: it is emanating a gold aura of extraordinary brilliance. The gold light touches you and you feel bliss."

Oh, yes, Mike's novel is written in the second person. Noting like putting you the reader in the middle of his fantastic tale, a tale containing many elements of myth - one myth that comes immediately to mind is the Gnostic myth of the Hidden Pearl where we are spirits lost in a world of matter and forgetful of our true origin.

OOBE
"You hover above your body, then you fly back inside it. You do not possess it, however; you remain as a single point of awareness. Surrounded by flesh, blood and bone, you search for just a hint of a glint of gold. You fly through this glorious, glistening mass of solid, liquid and gas, causing no injury as you pass through muscles and tendons, causing no pain as you pass through nerves; your physical senses are oblivious to you."

Not only are you in the novel but you are in the novel having an extended out-of-body experience. Now that, my friends, is a special twist of Mike Russell signature strangeness!

BEAUTY AND MORE BEAUTY
"The door now opens and a little ginger-haired girl wearing a black school uniform enters the building. the girl's name is Jennifer Yates. She walks toward the circular, yellow desk.
You hover in front of the little girl. She looks right through you.
'Hello, Liberty,' Jennifer says, looking up at the smiling librarian."

Little Jennifer and Liberty the librarian are among the beguiling, curious inhabitants. And as these delightful denizens exchange words, there is a conspicuous Tock and/or Tick as if a cosmic clock is forever counting down from first page to last. Did I say cosmic clock? Perhaps stated more accurately - an eschatological time bomb.



OH DEATH WHERE IS THY STING-A-LING-A-LING?
'What is this box?' Mr Edwards wondered aloud.
As soon as the question has been voiced, both Mr Edwards and PC Carter know the answer. In unison, they both say:
'Death.'
PC Carter and Mr Edwards stare at one another.
'How did I know that word?' Mr Edwards says. 'I don't remember ever having heard it before.'
'Nor do I,' says PC Carter. 'Yet I understand its meaning.'
'So do I,' says Mr Edwards. 'I feel strange."

After their initiation into the reality of death, male Mr Edwards and female PC Carter partake of their first experience of sexual ecstasy. Ah, eros and thanatos linked in ways most marvelous - and, of course, infused with hefty helpings of Mike Russell scintillating strangeness.



LIGHT, LOVE, BLISS
"Their clothes dissolve in the gold light, then they merge with one another to become one single spirit, with an appearance that is a combination of both their features, the two unique gold temples inside them becoming one gold temple with the combined attributes of both."

Having read these words, are you up for joining Mike Russell in the strangeness of exploding imagination? I certainly hope so. Go for it! Picture yourself on the bicycle below with the book illustrated as not other than The Exploding Book.



I've included the vivid surreal art of contemporary Polish artist Igor Morski since the clarity and explosiveness of the artist's images are, to my eye, perfect counterpoint to Mike Russell's novel.


British author Mike Russell, born 1973

[Kitty Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a fan of magical realism, I went into The Exploding Book thinking "I'll be ready for this, challenge accepted." In actuality, nothing could have prepared me for how unusual this title is. I read it in small chunks, often in the dark and with a flashlight. I think this is most effective to get immersed in the style.

Thankfully, I like experimental prose and this offers that in spades. If some random aliens crash-landed to earth and we had access to their novels I'd imagine our rough translations of their work would somewhat resemble the character development here, and not in a bad way.

My favorite aspect is the writing style, and how it includes the reader who is described as observing a menagerie of side characters. But is the reader the main character? Not necessarily. I'd always felt a third presence between the main character and side characters, a sort of hidden narrator. I was glad to see their presence acknowledged by book's end.

Back to the side characters for a moment, there are several of them. Their behavior varies from quirky to inexplicable and sometimes allegorical. This takes place in a town that seems far removed from earth but relative to it. The activities of these characters and their actions are open to interpretation, making for a poetic effect.

Speaking of poetic effect, the two things I somewhat struggled with along the way were 1. The use repetition (which seems to be for artistic effect, so it's not without purpose) and 2. I didn't really
care for the characters. But that feeling seemed suitable given the otherworldly nature of them.

I found the beginning and ending to be the most effective, but to be fair, I often feel that way about books. If you get midway through, I recommend following this one through to the end as I was left feeling like this book found itself, or rather, reaches its most effective moments during the climax and ending.

I was left wondering whether the author was making deep commentaries about cultural relativity or whether its a dreamlike exercise too far removed from simple or direct interpretation. An interesting feeling to have toward a book and I feel more open toward experimental/surreal fiction in the future.

Note : I received a copy of this book for the purpose of review.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mike Russel has taken the art of strange fiction to new levels over the past few years, and this, his latest book -- an actual novel rather than a collection of short stories of a novella -- does not disappoint. In fact, I think it is his best yet. It is set in a village called Gladeville, where people have visions of a gold temple, each temple being different for each person. They also find out that their village is enclosed in a black box. There is also a book, simply called the Dark Book which, when it explodes, destroys all books except itself. I would love to say more about it, but I think this is as far as I can go without spoiling it. If you are a lover of the strange, the offbeat, allegory, and stories in which you can get lost (and I should mention that YOU are also in this book), you must read it! It is a tour de force!

[Valia]

Today I’m here to present you a book like no other.

This vibrant yellow beauty is by one of my favorite authors. I’m used to the thin books filled with shorts stories, so it was a pleasant surprise when i recived this thick book. (well, not really big one, bur really bigger compared to the rest of Mike’s books)

There are millions of books in the world, so i know whatever i read, it wont be a completely new or original idea. It will have something in common with a book that i’ve read or i’ve heard of. But Mike always proves me wrong. I don’t know how, but he always manages to surprise me with idea like no other, with writing style so unique and pecular that my mind barely accepts it.

And The Exploding Book is the real proof for that. Yeah, it took me some time to get used to the book and read it. A week or two, i think. I wasn’t used to this “you” form that I’ve seen only in the fanfictions. And the fact that he repeats a lot of stuff a lot of times to the point where it can get a bit annoying. At least for me tho. Because i pay attention to the details and readin again and again abaut the details slowed me down.

However, it didn’t stop me from fully enjoying the book. A hundreds of thoughts flew through my head. A conspiracy theories, a religion cults and the pure stupidity of the human race. Reading this book, you can make so many connections, can see so many hidden meanings, but at the end, it’s just a book and you can’t really know if the author wanted it to have a meaning or he just told you a random story.

The plot itself is very different, very strange and weird, completly crazy. It looks like a mess of nonsenses, but it actualy has it’s own way. Everything hapens with a reason and in order. Sometimes i was wondering why it happens like this or that some parts were completely useless and meaningless. But at the end they’re all part of the book.

I absolutely love the plot and the flow of the story. But i love and hate the end of the book. I won’t spoil anything, but at the last pages there are a few lines about everyone. I find it useless. Maybe it was to make it longer, or to note every single character, but it wasn’t on my taste. That’s why I hate it. I love it because of the idea, of the end itself. The part with the gide and the reader, beautful, mindblowing. And of course, I love the very last page. I haven’t seen a more perfet end.

I don’t know if i can’t say anything mor

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e without spoiling the book or getting deen in some conspiracy theory – this review will get way too long and way too much out of the topic.

I’m sorry I’ve read this book almost two monts after reading it, but things in uni and life were hard and even books couldn’t help it.

I’m really thankful to Mike and Jay for giving me the oportunity to read this book so soon.

I highly reccomend it for everyone who likes a weird reads or wants to try something new and a bit different.

[Lauren Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mike Russel has taken the art of strange fiction to new levels over the past few years, and this, his latest creation is no different in his latest book which differs to his usual books as this is a full length novel rather than a collection of short stories. This book will make you feel strange, the characters are uncanny and believe in all kinds of mysterious things. The world that weaves with his world is a treat to read. I think it is the best use of imagery.

The plot itself is very different, very strange and weird, completely crazy. I had some moments where I thought why the book is leading me this way or that some parts were completely insane, but in the end, everything happens with a reason and in order. If you’ve seen my previous reviews of Mikes work, you know that I loved his writing style.

I try not to dissect Mike Russell’s stories they are just simply what they are the day I read them, tomorrow I will see something else in them. However, while reading this book, you can make so many connections, see so many hidden meanings, but at the end, it’s just a book you can’t know if the Mike wanted it to have a meaning or he has just told you a story.

[Ben Arzate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full Review

The Exploding Book is an enjoyable surreal fantasy with a lot of interesting perspectives on language, perception, identity, and literature. I believe this is worth picking up, especially if you've enjoyed Russell's short work in the past.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

The astounding thing about Russell’s books is you never quite know what to expect. Trust me, as an avid bookworm I have greedily consumed his other works in quick succession and STILL been left speechless. I’ve always seen Russell’s writing as an intriguing enigma that never fails to leave me craving more. You enter a world where everything is not as it seems with strange and peculiar characters navigating their way mindlessly through Russell’s labyrinth, not knowing if the next turn with lead them to freedom or a dead end.

Prepare to discover an outer body experience as you float up into the dark sky and observe the residents of Gladeville. Never escaping the constant tick…tock…that accompanies you, giving a sense of urgency to continue on before time runs out. You fly through the skies with only the dim streetlights to guide you in hopes you will once again feel bliss the moment you find the gold temple. I enjoyed reading the narrative in second person and bearing witness to the inevitable BANG! It’s definitely an experience, one that will take you out of your comfort zone and head first into the unknown.

Similar to his pervious books, I was pleased to find Russell’s frequently used technique that he applies to his characters. Everything is uniformed, follow the rules and stay inside the box. (Ha! How ironic.) Russell’s stories open in blacks, greys and whites before slowly bleeding in blobs of colour from the outskirts, watching it spread frantically out of control, tainting anything it comes into contact with. It’s bewitching and surreal to read, like watching the sun rise for the first time. The slow fading of the dark night sky into warm welcoming rays of pinks, reds and oranges. Sensational.

Russell writes human emotions that are raw and honest. He isn’t afraid to put it out there in ink for all the world to read. His characters can be closed off and sedate, not knowing any other way of life, bottling up grief and pushing it down beneath the surface. However they can also be full of life and colour, bursting to brim with charisma. There’s a healthy balance of the norm and strange that works flawlessly in Russell’s writing.

The residents of Gladeville were interesting to follow, all appearing similar yet each hiding their own secret desires. Characters such as PC Carter and Mr Edwards who never realised they knew the word sex or what it meant. Confused and lost, these characters all want the same thing but are in complete denial. The most being Mr Smith who is…well, you will just have to read the book and find out dear reader. They all have their parts to play and put on an astounding show. Bravo.

What you gain from reading this book is your personal perspective. It could mean many things to you but something completely different to someone else. You may read it as a strange tale of events that don’t make sense and wonder, is it a duck or a rabbit? And that’s the beauty of it. It’s down to interpretation, which is a strong message that flows throughout the book. We are all different and see things differently yet we can come together and unite as one. It baffles the mind and gives it a much needed work out for you find yourself questioning and wondering about life outside the box.

I give The Exploding Book By Mike Russell a Five out of Five paw rating.

Always a mesmerising experience reading Russell’s writing, one that stays with you long after you’ve finished reading. He is a fantastic writer with a unique imagination. A much needed and refreshing approach to literature that leaves you questioning and pondering about, well life. What is normal? What is strange and why is that deemed strange? Who says so? Society? Pah! Now who’s the strange one?
Tock…

[Emily | bookswith.emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very strange but very enjoyable, it was exactly what I would expect from a Mike Russell book. This one was set as the reader as the invisible narrator, as such, which was very unique and it involved the reader more as well. I thought the plot was kept very open at the start of the book but it got more concentrated as the paragraphs went on. The book focuses on people in a village who are having visions of gold temples and where all books are exploding except from The Dark Book. It all sounds very strange but I don’t want to say too much about the plot because I don’t want to spoil it.

The other characters in this book appear to be very naive and vulnerable. They seem to discover new things throughout the book that they have never heard of before. The characters seem to be in their own work, away from the outside world. It was entertaining to read about these characters and everything they do, especially when it came to the new things they discovered which hadn’t been mentioned in The Dark Book.

I thought this book had a deeper meaning to it. With the characters having different views on certain things says that not everyone will see or interpret everything in the same way. It is highlighted in this story because the characters discover new things which people have different thoughts on.

It is so refreshing to read a book which is entertaining but meaningful. I found the text in this book to be quite poetic and it flowed really well. The book had a good pace to it as well, it never felt rushed at all. I thought the ending of the book was good and it fit in with the rest of the book. I highly recommend this book and this author. I have read many of his other books before and they are all very strange and unique.

[Ravneet Kaur · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Exploding Book by Mike Russell takes you on a surreal journey to a weird world. The residents of the town believe that their town is inside a big box and nothing lies beyond it. And then, BOOM, the library of the town explodes killing the librarian and leaving nothing but one book behind. Similar explosions take place subsequently all over the town. And the story continues..

This book like other books by Mike Russell makes you feel strange. The characters are uncanny and believe in all kinds of mysterious things. The world that the author weaves with his world is a treat to read. I think it is the best use of imagery.

The best part of the book is that it invites you into its world. You are not just a passive reader but an active witness of the unusual happenings of the town. Since you are a part of the world, it keeps you engaged and on the edge of your seat.

If you like reading surreal, weird, and mystifying stories, then this is the book for you. I highly recommend reading it.