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Spungunion
Spungunion: (pronounced: Spun-Gun-Yun) noun; 1.) a dish made from rotting road kill, usually a skunk or a opossum. The more fragrant or maggoty, the better. 2.) Something that's been on the road for a long and unfortunate time...
This is the story of Deke Larch, a widowed trucker who has lost everything and is struggling to find his place in a world and the person who took it from him. That journey puts him in touch with strange characters and bizarre places. Deke had always felt like he operated on the fringe of society, but he really had no idea...his journey will teach him that monsters are interpretive and sometimes what we think we want is not what we seek at all.
Spungunion is a story about grief and loss, about lonely roads and lost souls, about failure to let go and falling when you finally do. It's about livin' and dyin' and how sometimes the difference between is very slight.
This is the story of Deke Larch, a widowed trucker who has lost everything and is struggling to find his place in a world and the person who took it from him. That journey puts him in touch with strange characters and bizarre places. Deke had always felt like he operated on the fringe of society, but he really had no idea...his journey will teach him that monsters are interpretive and sometimes what we think we want is not what we seek at all.
Spungunion is a story about grief and loss, about lonely roads and lost souls, about failure to let go and falling when you finally do. It's about livin' and dyin' and how sometimes the difference between is very slight.
106 pages, Paperback
Published January 15, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
January 28, 2025
It's Not Too Late
to Pull Out
SPUNGUNION
by John Boden
No spoilers. 5 stars. SPUNGUNION definition: 1. A dish made from rotting roadkill, the more fragrant and maggoty the better 2. something that's been on the road for a long and unfortunate time...
Truck driver Deke Larch and his wife Lucille were living their best life in their decrepit trailer at the Morning Glory Trailer Park...
Until...
Someone slipped into the couple's trailer while Deke was on a long haul and murdered Lucille...
Following Lucille's death...
Deke spent two years moping and drinking and sleeping with a picture of Lucille on a pillow next to him in bed...
So...
One of Deke's coworkers sent him to see Tiny Smalls. Tiny's route was riding the Soul Road and delivering damned souls...
Tiny's clipboard smelled of sulfur, and the entries on his log were sometimes written in dead languages...
Standing with Tiny next to Tiny's big rig, Deke could hear moaning and groaning coming from the cargo trailer...
Tiny kicked the side of the trailer and told the souls inside: Shut up in there!...
Deke had asked Tiny to help him find the man who killed Lucille, but Tiny tried to discourage Deke from seeking his revenge in the dead of night on the Soul Road...
Meanwhile
More moaning leaked from Tiny's trailer...
Deke asked Tiny if he ever carries souls of friends or people he knew.
Tiny told Deke: Ain't nobody gonna squall louder than someone who wasted their life. I ran outta pity years ago...
Then...
Tiny told Deke: It ain't too late. You can always pull out if you don't like where the trail is leading you...
But...
Deke was determined to kill the man responsible for Lucille's death, and he was anxious to begin the run that Tiny would be sending him on...
This was a suspenseful story because you aren't sure where it's going, and I enjoyed the ride (pardon the pun, please).
WALK THE DARKNESS DOWN by this author is another good novella if you like this style of writing.
to Pull Out
SPUNGUNION
by John Boden
No spoilers. 5 stars. SPUNGUNION definition: 1. A dish made from rotting roadkill, the more fragrant and maggoty the better 2. something that's been on the road for a long and unfortunate time...
Truck driver Deke Larch and his wife Lucille were living their best life in their decrepit trailer at the Morning Glory Trailer Park...
Until...
Someone slipped into the couple's trailer while Deke was on a long haul and murdered Lucille...
Following Lucille's death...
Deke spent two years moping and drinking and sleeping with a picture of Lucille on a pillow next to him in bed...
So...
One of Deke's coworkers sent him to see Tiny Smalls. Tiny's route was riding the Soul Road and delivering damned souls...
Tiny's clipboard smelled of sulfur, and the entries on his log were sometimes written in dead languages...
Standing with Tiny next to Tiny's big rig, Deke could hear moaning and groaning coming from the cargo trailer...
Tiny kicked the side of the trailer and told the souls inside: Shut up in there!...
Deke had asked Tiny to help him find the man who killed Lucille, but Tiny tried to discourage Deke from seeking his revenge in the dead of night on the Soul Road...
Meanwhile
More moaning leaked from Tiny's trailer...
Deke asked Tiny if he ever carries souls of friends or people he knew.
Tiny told Deke: Ain't nobody gonna squall louder than someone who wasted their life. I ran outta pity years ago...
Then...
Tiny told Deke: It ain't too late. You can always pull out if you don't like where the trail is leading you...
But...
Deke was determined to kill the man responsible for Lucille's death, and he was anxious to begin the run that Tiny would be sending him on...
This was a suspenseful story because you aren't sure where it's going, and I enjoyed the ride (pardon the pun, please).
WALK THE DARKNESS DOWN by this author is another good novella if you like this style of writing.
January 14, 2020
SPUNGUNION! This book deserves all the stars, your time and your attention.
Deke is a truck driving man who returns home from an overnight run to find that his wife has been murdered. He cannot get over it. He's hanging on by a thread and I think he finally wants to let go, but he has questions that need answering first. Will he get those answers? Will he survive the weight of his grief? You'll have to read this to find out.
Immersed in the world of Deke's grief, riding with him in his 18 wheeler, listening to Waylon on the radio...I was there. I could smell the stale cigarette smoke, I could feel the air coming through the windows, (cracked open a bit so the smoke could escape)...I was there. I accompanied Deke on his search for knowledge, even though we both knew that the outcome wouldn't be good. I was there with Tiny, I was there with the behemoth and his small servant, I was there feeling the regret, feeling Deke's need to know. I was there.
Once again, John Boden has pierced my heart with his subtle wording, his outstanding writing, and his big, big heart.
"The reality is this: Life is just a balloon floating dangerously in a room full of cigarettes. At any moment, second, day or week, Pop! And then everything as you know is different or gone. Sometimes both."
This is my second time reading SPUNGUNION, the first time was back in 2017. I love it just as much now as I did back then. Maybe more, because there have been some Pops! in my life since that time. Those Pops! make you more aware, make you more grateful, because for some like Deke, those Pops! can spell the end.
This version of SPUNGUNION features the same marvelous introduction from Bracken MacLeod, and it also features a brand new short story: THE DRAWER. It was fabulous, as is everything that flows out from John Boden's hand.
I'm so happy to say that this novella will now be available to everyone- and every fan of dark fiction needs to read it. You need to immerse yourself in it and let it surround you. You will be better for it in the end. Perhaps you'll be more grateful and content when you're done? Because you never know when that Pop! is going to come.
My highest recommendation!
Available on January 15th, but you can pre-order here: https://amzn.to/2sQ4cem
*Thanks to John Boden for the e-ARC of this beautiful novella in exchange for my honest feedback. As always, this is it!*
Deke is a truck driving man who returns home from an overnight run to find that his wife has been murdered. He cannot get over it. He's hanging on by a thread and I think he finally wants to let go, but he has questions that need answering first. Will he get those answers? Will he survive the weight of his grief? You'll have to read this to find out.
Immersed in the world of Deke's grief, riding with him in his 18 wheeler, listening to Waylon on the radio...I was there. I could smell the stale cigarette smoke, I could feel the air coming through the windows, (cracked open a bit so the smoke could escape)...I was there. I accompanied Deke on his search for knowledge, even though we both knew that the outcome wouldn't be good. I was there with Tiny, I was there with the behemoth and his small servant, I was there feeling the regret, feeling Deke's need to know. I was there.
Once again, John Boden has pierced my heart with his subtle wording, his outstanding writing, and his big, big heart.
"The reality is this: Life is just a balloon floating dangerously in a room full of cigarettes. At any moment, second, day or week, Pop! And then everything as you know is different or gone. Sometimes both."
This is my second time reading SPUNGUNION, the first time was back in 2017. I love it just as much now as I did back then. Maybe more, because there have been some Pops! in my life since that time. Those Pops! make you more aware, make you more grateful, because for some like Deke, those Pops! can spell the end.
This version of SPUNGUNION features the same marvelous introduction from Bracken MacLeod, and it also features a brand new short story: THE DRAWER. It was fabulous, as is everything that flows out from John Boden's hand.
I'm so happy to say that this novella will now be available to everyone- and every fan of dark fiction needs to read it. You need to immerse yourself in it and let it surround you. You will be better for it in the end. Perhaps you'll be more grateful and content when you're done? Because you never know when that Pop! is going to come.
My highest recommendation!
Available on January 15th, but you can pre-order here: https://amzn.to/2sQ4cem
*Thanks to John Boden for the e-ARC of this beautiful novella in exchange for my honest feedback. As always, this is it!*
March 10, 2020
Originally published at Cemetery Dance:
https://www.cemeterydance.com/extras/...
Once every blue moon, a reader will encounter an author who possesses a storytelling style that works for them every damn time. I have a few of these authors. Let’s call them the “Do-No-Wrongs.”
John Boden is a “Do-No-Wrong.”
Whether he’s lending his voice to a collaboration with Chad Lutzke or Bob Ford or one of many authors with a story in an anthology—whatever the case may be, I’ll be a fan of it. Having read almost everything I could get my hands on of Boden’s work, it’s my opinion that Spungunion is the pinnacle. You could start here and have the best possible representation of Boden’s unique way of telling stories; his special brand of character development, and that magical sadness he weaves throughout.
Deke Larch is a man on a mission. It’s not a noble mission. It’s a self-serving quest to restore what little sanity the man has left and damn the consequences. Quite remarkably, Boden’s protagonist follows a disturbing rendition of the “hero’s journey.” There’s a mentor figure with an unusual occupation. There are obstacles and enemies that try to distract Deke from his mission, and then there is that threshold moment when our unlikely hero must make difficult choices and either return home the same as he was, or push himself harder and forever be changed.
As the reader bearing witness to the whole affair, I can assure you that you impossibly hope for the best. Your heart is given to Deke on page one and it’s hard to watch him run away with it. There’s one scene where I wanted to cry out, “Uncle! I give! I give!” but Boden doesn’t pull any punches for you, sorry to say. It’s another one of those trademark moves you can assign to certain authors. John Boden will not let you off the hook easily. There’s no sparing of feelings here.
How all of this happens in about one hundred pages is mind-blowing.
It’s that magical sadness I mentioned earlier. Somehow, some way, Boden is able to infuse authenticity and sincerity into everything. By the end of this novella, my emotions were a tangled heap; tears were shed, my heart broken.
But it’s what I expect with John Boden’s stories. It’s what fans of his work show up for time and time again. I can’t wait to see what’s next in 2020 for this author. I will read all of it.
If you’re an emotional reader who enjoys investing in well written characters going through heartbreaking trials, I highly recommend Spungunion to you. You will never forget it.
https://www.cemeterydance.com/extras/...
Once every blue moon, a reader will encounter an author who possesses a storytelling style that works for them every damn time. I have a few of these authors. Let’s call them the “Do-No-Wrongs.”
John Boden is a “Do-No-Wrong.”
Whether he’s lending his voice to a collaboration with Chad Lutzke or Bob Ford or one of many authors with a story in an anthology—whatever the case may be, I’ll be a fan of it. Having read almost everything I could get my hands on of Boden’s work, it’s my opinion that Spungunion is the pinnacle. You could start here and have the best possible representation of Boden’s unique way of telling stories; his special brand of character development, and that magical sadness he weaves throughout.
Deke Larch is a man on a mission. It’s not a noble mission. It’s a self-serving quest to restore what little sanity the man has left and damn the consequences. Quite remarkably, Boden’s protagonist follows a disturbing rendition of the “hero’s journey.” There’s a mentor figure with an unusual occupation. There are obstacles and enemies that try to distract Deke from his mission, and then there is that threshold moment when our unlikely hero must make difficult choices and either return home the same as he was, or push himself harder and forever be changed.
As the reader bearing witness to the whole affair, I can assure you that you impossibly hope for the best. Your heart is given to Deke on page one and it’s hard to watch him run away with it. There’s one scene where I wanted to cry out, “Uncle! I give! I give!” but Boden doesn’t pull any punches for you, sorry to say. It’s another one of those trademark moves you can assign to certain authors. John Boden will not let you off the hook easily. There’s no sparing of feelings here.
How all of this happens in about one hundred pages is mind-blowing.
It’s that magical sadness I mentioned earlier. Somehow, some way, Boden is able to infuse authenticity and sincerity into everything. By the end of this novella, my emotions were a tangled heap; tears were shed, my heart broken.
But it’s what I expect with John Boden’s stories. It’s what fans of his work show up for time and time again. I can’t wait to see what’s next in 2020 for this author. I will read all of it.
If you’re an emotional reader who enjoys investing in well written characters going through heartbreaking trials, I highly recommend Spungunion to you. You will never forget it.
December 20, 2017
Spungunion packs a huge heart. The book nails the feelings of loss and regret in rare form with the weird right there alongside them. The prose creates a world with all sights, smells, textures and tastes intact. As a whole, it's both poignant and irrepressible. This one is quite different from Jedi Summer and Dominoes, both of which I also enjoyed. I look forward the next time Boden graces the page.
February 13, 2018
Review copy
Spungunion: (pronounced: Spun-Gun-Yun) noun; 1.) a dish made from rotting road kill, usually a skunk or a opossum. The more fragrant or maggoty, the better. 2.) Something that's been on the road for a long and unfortunate time...
It's also the story of a long-haul trucker, the love of his life taken in a fit of violence, and his personal road to redemption.
Deke Larch is a road dog. John Boden tells his story with panache and gusto. Set in a world of rednecks. When Deke returns from an overnight run to find his wife, Lucille, dead in the bed of their trailer, he begins a strange quest to learn the truth. Even questioning his own guilt or innocence in the process.
I loved the story of how Deke and Lucille met in the diner and it was truly love at first sight. Yes, it does actually happen sometimes.
Their love was powerful and you can feel the weight of Deke's grief in the way Boden describes the character's loss.
At times the prose in this book is downright poetic...
"Deke sat in the truck and gazed out at the cemetery. His pap had always called them 'bone gardens.' The morning mist rose in finger curls from the crisp grass. The leaves were starting to change on the trees and a few early suicides littered the ground."
Then there are the clever head-nods to other popular horror writers. A joy for constant readers, like myself and you, if you read these reviews.
"Yardley, Lutzke and Janz were like department store mannequins." Then there's Sheriff MacLeod, another author reference, for sure.
Spungunion is currently available here and is well worth your time... http://dynatox.storenvy.com/products/...
From the author's bio. John Boden lives a stone's throw from Three Mile Island with his wonderful wife and sons. A baker by day, he spends his off time writing or watching M*A*S*H re-runs. He likes Diet Pepsi, cheeseburgers, heavy metal and sports ferocious sideburns. While his output as a writer is fairly sporadic, it has a bit of a reputation for being unique.
Spungunion: (pronounced: Spun-Gun-Yun) noun; 1.) a dish made from rotting road kill, usually a skunk or a opossum. The more fragrant or maggoty, the better. 2.) Something that's been on the road for a long and unfortunate time...
It's also the story of a long-haul trucker, the love of his life taken in a fit of violence, and his personal road to redemption.
Deke Larch is a road dog. John Boden tells his story with panache and gusto. Set in a world of rednecks. When Deke returns from an overnight run to find his wife, Lucille, dead in the bed of their trailer, he begins a strange quest to learn the truth. Even questioning his own guilt or innocence in the process.
I loved the story of how Deke and Lucille met in the diner and it was truly love at first sight. Yes, it does actually happen sometimes.
Their love was powerful and you can feel the weight of Deke's grief in the way Boden describes the character's loss.
At times the prose in this book is downright poetic...
"Deke sat in the truck and gazed out at the cemetery. His pap had always called them 'bone gardens.' The morning mist rose in finger curls from the crisp grass. The leaves were starting to change on the trees and a few early suicides littered the ground."
Then there are the clever head-nods to other popular horror writers. A joy for constant readers, like myself and you, if you read these reviews.
"Yardley, Lutzke and Janz were like department store mannequins." Then there's Sheriff MacLeod, another author reference, for sure.
Spungunion is currently available here and is well worth your time... http://dynatox.storenvy.com/products/...
From the author's bio. John Boden lives a stone's throw from Three Mile Island with his wonderful wife and sons. A baker by day, he spends his off time writing or watching M*A*S*H re-runs. He likes Diet Pepsi, cheeseburgers, heavy metal and sports ferocious sideburns. While his output as a writer is fairly sporadic, it has a bit of a reputation for being unique.
January 14, 2020
From my review at cemeterydance.com:
“The reality is this: Life is just a balloon floating dangerously in a roomful of lit cigarettes.”
A lonely truck driver sets out on a desperate course to find the one who killed his wife. A path that leads to mingling with the oddball, the grotesque, and the surreal in this weird fiction trucker tale by an author who is certainly no stranger to offering heartbreaking stories, which SPUNGUNION is above par with.
“...the other voice continued, each word dipped in honey and drain water, sweet and vile at the same time. Daddy long legs scurried over each syllable.”
Boden’s use of tragically poetic prose takes the reader on a gritty and somber––yet somehow romantic––journey as widower Deke Larch sets out to right the wrongs while the narrative sets the tone with passages like “Time was just something that shambled and dragged on behind him like so much mummy bandage.”
Bleak indeed.
Deke’s crusade is heart-wrenching and hard to watch, and you’re thankful the entire time that you’re only a bystander and not the bereaving victim. His day-to-day is spent reflecting on the loss of his wife and reveling in the memory of her, even if that means sleeping in the blood-stained mattress she bled out on, until given the opportunity to find the answers he's looking for from a co-worker who holds the voodoo-esque, shamanistic means to do so should Deke dare to pursue them. And he does. In Deke’s own words “I know when I find out who did it, the world will have to split in two to hold all the blood that’s coming. All the rage.”
SPUNGUNION was one of the best books I read in 2017, and I’ve read enough Boden now to be excited about what's coming next. For fans of Lansdale and weird fiction that never strays into bizarro and not too weird to alienate you.
“The reality is this: Life is just a balloon floating dangerously in a roomful of lit cigarettes.”
A lonely truck driver sets out on a desperate course to find the one who killed his wife. A path that leads to mingling with the oddball, the grotesque, and the surreal in this weird fiction trucker tale by an author who is certainly no stranger to offering heartbreaking stories, which SPUNGUNION is above par with.
“...the other voice continued, each word dipped in honey and drain water, sweet and vile at the same time. Daddy long legs scurried over each syllable.”
Boden’s use of tragically poetic prose takes the reader on a gritty and somber––yet somehow romantic––journey as widower Deke Larch sets out to right the wrongs while the narrative sets the tone with passages like “Time was just something that shambled and dragged on behind him like so much mummy bandage.”
Bleak indeed.
Deke’s crusade is heart-wrenching and hard to watch, and you’re thankful the entire time that you’re only a bystander and not the bereaving victim. His day-to-day is spent reflecting on the loss of his wife and reveling in the memory of her, even if that means sleeping in the blood-stained mattress she bled out on, until given the opportunity to find the answers he's looking for from a co-worker who holds the voodoo-esque, shamanistic means to do so should Deke dare to pursue them. And he does. In Deke’s own words “I know when I find out who did it, the world will have to split in two to hold all the blood that’s coming. All the rage.”
SPUNGUNION was one of the best books I read in 2017, and I’ve read enough Boden now to be excited about what's coming next. For fans of Lansdale and weird fiction that never strays into bizarro and not too weird to alienate you.
March 23, 2020
This is my second time reading John Boden, the first being Out Behind the Bar which was a collaboration with author Chad Lutzke. After finishing Spungunion I will say that Boden is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors.
The is a story focusing on some deep themes, love, loss, regret and revenge. We follow Deke. A trucker who returns home to find that his world has been shattered by the murder of the love of his life. Deke becomes a broken man, wallowing in his own self pity while a burning desire for revenge slowly eats away at the man he once was.
With the help of a fellow trucker Tiny, Deke sets out on a fantastical odyssey along dark highways and greasy roadside dives as he seeks out answers regarding his wife's death.
Boden weaves a hauntingly bleak tale of the odd, the grotesque and the beautiful as we travel alongside Deke to his many pitstops on the Soul Road. His prose drips off of the page painting vivid imagery within my minds eye.
I love the world building and mythology that has been created for Boden's version of Pennsylvania. There is just something about the setting that speaks to me. The gritty underbelly of America fused together seemlessly with these magical elements. The cast of characters we get to encounter are fascinating. My personal favorite was The Behemoth.
This was a sorrowful tale of what lengths a man will go to for revenge, even if it means maybe losing himself in the process. Bleak and poignant. I cannot recommend this enough. I will definitely be reading more from this author.
I received an ebook copy from the author for review consideration.
Video review: https://youtu.be/iLHMLoJW4BM
The is a story focusing on some deep themes, love, loss, regret and revenge. We follow Deke. A trucker who returns home to find that his world has been shattered by the murder of the love of his life. Deke becomes a broken man, wallowing in his own self pity while a burning desire for revenge slowly eats away at the man he once was.
With the help of a fellow trucker Tiny, Deke sets out on a fantastical odyssey along dark highways and greasy roadside dives as he seeks out answers regarding his wife's death.
Boden weaves a hauntingly bleak tale of the odd, the grotesque and the beautiful as we travel alongside Deke to his many pitstops on the Soul Road. His prose drips off of the page painting vivid imagery within my minds eye.
I love the world building and mythology that has been created for Boden's version of Pennsylvania. There is just something about the setting that speaks to me. The gritty underbelly of America fused together seemlessly with these magical elements. The cast of characters we get to encounter are fascinating. My personal favorite was The Behemoth.
This was a sorrowful tale of what lengths a man will go to for revenge, even if it means maybe losing himself in the process. Bleak and poignant. I cannot recommend this enough. I will definitely be reading more from this author.
I received an ebook copy from the author for review consideration.
Video review: https://youtu.be/iLHMLoJW4BM
January 4, 2020
Deke, a trucker, returns from a haul to find his life tragically changed. He sets out to find answers to who's responsible. Deke is no stranger to the bizarre and weird that can populate the lonely road. His journey for closure and revenge is filled with the beautiful and the odd. While Deke is a terribly sympathetic character, the ancillary characters in this one were my favorite. I could read a hundred more pages about Kristi and Tiny and I was close to rating this one four stars because it felt that some things needed to be more explored. I actually had to delete the 4-star rating from my twitter feed. What made me switch from a 4-star to a 5-star is that Boden creates a deep and fascinating reality that Deke just happens to inhabit. Deke is the protagonist of this story but the world is bigger than Deke so it makes sense that somethings would happen without a complete explanation. There is A LOT to chew on in this book and that's why I rated it 5-stars. Also, Boden's writing is just exquisite. Take this excerpt for example:
I will say that if John Boden ever writes a 700-page deep world-building novel about long haul truckers, I will be the first in line to buy it.
"The reality is this: Life is just a balloon floating dangerously in a roomful of lit cigarettes. At any moment, second, day or week, Pop! And then everything as you know it is different or gone."This is not a lighthearted read but a deep, contemplative piece of literature that also happens to be a damn joy to read.
I will say that if John Boden ever writes a 700-page deep world-building novel about long haul truckers, I will be the first in line to buy it.
January 8, 2020
*This review is based on the release from a previous publisher. All technical issues should be resolved under the new publisher of the book, though I have not seen that version.
John Boden's SPUNGUNION is a haunting tale. There is wonderful character development, emotional attachment to the story and a real sense of place. This is folksy trucker psychological horror. Find that somewhere else, I dare you.
I enjoyed Boden's Jedi Summer but I adored SPUNGUNION. The story is gripping, I had to force myself to put it down for the night lest I not get sleep for work the next day. Its not even really fair to compare his previous work to this. They are practically two different creatures. This is nearly flawless beginning to end.
There were two aspects that held me back from going 5 stars on this (and that may yet change in time). First, I fell in love with the simile and metaphor storytelling. I could be wrong but it read like Boden had been schooled hard by Kelli Owen. But I felt he took that ball and ran with it too far past the end zone. After awhile it felt like I was being beaten over the head with gorgeous comparisons. Sounds weird, I know, and maybe its because I enjoy pulp too much. Also of minor note were a few copy editing flaws which I can usually gloss over but in this case it was a repetitive extra space placed at the end of a quotation which caused the quotation marks to appear as openers for the next sentences (which weren't dialog) and became a tad jarring as I read.
SPUNGUNION is wonderful. Read it no matter what your general preference. Its a glorious story with lots of feels. Its the type of story that reminds you that you're a human living the human experience. And isn't that the essence of why we read books when all is said and done?
John Boden's SPUNGUNION is a haunting tale. There is wonderful character development, emotional attachment to the story and a real sense of place. This is folksy trucker psychological horror. Find that somewhere else, I dare you.
I enjoyed Boden's Jedi Summer but I adored SPUNGUNION. The story is gripping, I had to force myself to put it down for the night lest I not get sleep for work the next day. Its not even really fair to compare his previous work to this. They are practically two different creatures. This is nearly flawless beginning to end.
There were two aspects that held me back from going 5 stars on this (and that may yet change in time). First, I fell in love with the simile and metaphor storytelling. I could be wrong but it read like Boden had been schooled hard by Kelli Owen. But I felt he took that ball and ran with it too far past the end zone. After awhile it felt like I was being beaten over the head with gorgeous comparisons. Sounds weird, I know, and maybe its because I enjoy pulp too much. Also of minor note were a few copy editing flaws which I can usually gloss over but in this case it was a repetitive extra space placed at the end of a quotation which caused the quotation marks to appear as openers for the next sentences (which weren't dialog) and became a tad jarring as I read.
SPUNGUNION is wonderful. Read it no matter what your general preference. Its a glorious story with lots of feels. Its the type of story that reminds you that you're a human living the human experience. And isn't that the essence of why we read books when all is said and done?
December 31, 2019
What a strange and beautiful novella! I’ll write a full review once my heart has recovered. In the mean time, I’m going to buy everything John Boden has published. (Thanks for the review copy, John!)
OK! Gathered my thoughts! Here we go:
What I liked:
- Somber and beautifully written, Boden broke my heart a few times in this novella.
- Boden has created a melancholy and surreal magical world. This story was wildly unique and creative.
- Not reading anything about the book before I dived in, the mythical characters Deke meets on his journey were a surprise! I want to re-visit these characters; they have more to tell me.
OK! Gathered my thoughts! Here we go:
What I liked:
- Somber and beautifully written, Boden broke my heart a few times in this novella.
- Boden has created a melancholy and surreal magical world. This story was wildly unique and creative.
- Not reading anything about the book before I dived in, the mythical characters Deke meets on his journey were a surprise! I want to re-visit these characters; they have more to tell me.
December 30, 2017
A sad tale that haunts with memories of a loss love. Prose that opens every turn along the lonely stretch of road to nothing but a dead end. Regret, loss friendship and death is nothing but sadness but Boden tells it so well.
Every reader needs to read a book like this every so often, let "Spungunion" be the one.
Every reader needs to read a book like this every so often, let "Spungunion" be the one.
January 15, 2020
“Sleep will not come but maybe a little rest”
Bless John Boden for giving us a phonetic pronunciation for the title of this book(Spun-gun-yun), lest I spend the whole experience calling it “Sponge Onion”. Also bless John Boden for pouring his entire heart and soul into every story he puts to page. One imagines that when he’s finished, he must need a cool down period, to let the gears and pistons settle before embarking on another journey.
And this book is a journey, make no mistake. We meet and instantly love Deke, a lifelong trucker who found a perfect woman to settle down with, only to have her life stolen while he’s on the road. Don’t worry, that’s not so much a spoiler as the back-cover synopsis. Deke sets out on a journey (there’s that word again) to find the person responsible for her death and hold her responsible.
This is where the magic happens. Deke must follow a series of clues to help point toward the murderer. The characters who assist him along the way are fantastic. Not meaning just great, though they are that, but fantastic as in, larger-than-life, bordering on mythic. The story takes on something of a bizarro-Tolkien quality in its’ second half.
John Boden is an absolute master of the novella, at least in my experience. Walk the Darkness Down, Out Behind the Barn (written with Chad Lutzke), and Spungunion all fit magnificently into this length. The stories are complete, and although I may have wanted to stay longer, I’ve never once felt like I needed to spend more time to get the full intended impact. The characters are always fully fleshed out, and we’re invested in their outcomes within pages of beginning their course.
My apologies for allowing a review of Spungunion to turn into a review of John Boden, but the point is I will be picking up his other titles because I know I can trust him to tell a phenomenal story with vibrant characters in a world I can lose myself in, if only for an afternoon.
Spungunion is out January 15, 2020.
I received an e-book from the author for review consideration.
Bless John Boden for giving us a phonetic pronunciation for the title of this book(Spun-gun-yun), lest I spend the whole experience calling it “Sponge Onion”. Also bless John Boden for pouring his entire heart and soul into every story he puts to page. One imagines that when he’s finished, he must need a cool down period, to let the gears and pistons settle before embarking on another journey.
And this book is a journey, make no mistake. We meet and instantly love Deke, a lifelong trucker who found a perfect woman to settle down with, only to have her life stolen while he’s on the road. Don’t worry, that’s not so much a spoiler as the back-cover synopsis. Deke sets out on a journey (there’s that word again) to find the person responsible for her death and hold her responsible.
This is where the magic happens. Deke must follow a series of clues to help point toward the murderer. The characters who assist him along the way are fantastic. Not meaning just great, though they are that, but fantastic as in, larger-than-life, bordering on mythic. The story takes on something of a bizarro-Tolkien quality in its’ second half.
John Boden is an absolute master of the novella, at least in my experience. Walk the Darkness Down, Out Behind the Barn (written with Chad Lutzke), and Spungunion all fit magnificently into this length. The stories are complete, and although I may have wanted to stay longer, I’ve never once felt like I needed to spend more time to get the full intended impact. The characters are always fully fleshed out, and we’re invested in their outcomes within pages of beginning their course.
My apologies for allowing a review of Spungunion to turn into a review of John Boden, but the point is I will be picking up his other titles because I know I can trust him to tell a phenomenal story with vibrant characters in a world I can lose myself in, if only for an afternoon.
Spungunion is out January 15, 2020.
I received an e-book from the author for review consideration.
December 1, 2022
Deke is a truck driver devastated after the loss of his wife. She was murdered while he was on the road and the killer was never caught. Through flashbacks we find out how he felt when first met the love of his life and when he found out about her death. After a period of just going through the motions of living and working, he decides to find some answers by driving down the Soul Road, a road that lost souls and the damned are driven down.
An atmospheric story about love, loneliness, and revenge. I really liked the writing style. Some of my favorite lines:
“He was thinking like a highway being eaten by miles.”
“The new alarm clock rang at noon and Deke ignored it like a liar’s promise.”
“Outside, night had lumbered in and clubbed day to death, like a neanderthal.”
“The reality is this: Life is just a balloon floating dangerously in a roomful of lit cigarettes. At any moment, second, day or week, Pop! And then everything as you know is different or gone. Sometimes both.”
An atmospheric story about love, loneliness, and revenge. I really liked the writing style. Some of my favorite lines:
“He was thinking like a highway being eaten by miles.”
“The new alarm clock rang at noon and Deke ignored it like a liar’s promise.”
“Outside, night had lumbered in and clubbed day to death, like a neanderthal.”
“The reality is this: Life is just a balloon floating dangerously in a roomful of lit cigarettes. At any moment, second, day or week, Pop! And then everything as you know is different or gone. Sometimes both.”
April 13, 2020
Enough here to make me want to further investigate the work of John Boden, but not enough for me to push this up to four stars. Like the style, like the topic, but wasn't enthralled with the story. Good themes of love and loss, regret and revenge, but I really didn't get into the trip down soul road.
January 4, 2020
Wow. What can I say about Spungunion besides saying it blew my mind.
First off, thank you so much to the author for sending me a digital review copy!
My first introduction to John Boden was with Out Behind the Barn, and because it was co-written with Chad Lutzke, which also happened to be my first introduction to Chad’s work, I wasn’t quite sure who’s voice was who’s. Now I have a better idea 😁.
𝘿𝙚𝙨𝙘𝙧𝙞𝙥𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣:
SPUNGUNION
Pronounced: Spun-gun-yun
1. A dish made from rotting roadkill, usually a skunk or a possum. The
more fragrant or maggoty, the better.
2. Something that's been on the road for a long and unfortunate time.
This tale weaves it way thru your dreams, and nightmares, following a lonely truck driver name Deke after the love of his life is murdered. As his grief eats away at him day by miserable day, he searches for clues as to who may be responsible for his wife’s death.
“𝘚𝘪𝘹 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘨𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘋𝘦𝘬𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴, 𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘩𝘦’𝘥 𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘳”
This novella was nothing short of beautiful. The sheer amount of poetic and metaphorical imagery made this a soul searching journey down a highway of grief, meeting mythical creatures and traveling to bizarre places along the way. As a lover of fantasy as well as horror, I feel that my toe got dipped into both genres, combining to make a tale almost as unforgettable as when the first vinyl record dropped.
“𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘦𝘵 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘸 𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘮”
Did this story leave me with questions?! Hell ya It did! And I even thought about rating this slightly lower due to this very reason. Then I came to my senses, phew, and realized how brilliant it was to leave me pondering what really happened and how I have not stopped thinking about this story since I put it down! And then picked it up, put it down and picked it up again! Simply put, this is a story not to be forgotten....
“𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴: 𝘓𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢 𝘣𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘯 𝘧𝘭𝘰𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘭𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘮𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘭𝘪𝘵 𝘤𝘪𝘨𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘴”
What I do know is this; this story hit me hard and I can’t wait to pick up more of Johns work. You NEED to get your hands on this baby when it officially releases January 15th. You won’t be disappointed.
First off, thank you so much to the author for sending me a digital review copy!
My first introduction to John Boden was with Out Behind the Barn, and because it was co-written with Chad Lutzke, which also happened to be my first introduction to Chad’s work, I wasn’t quite sure who’s voice was who’s. Now I have a better idea 😁.
𝘿𝙚𝙨𝙘𝙧𝙞𝙥𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣:
SPUNGUNION
Pronounced: Spun-gun-yun
1. A dish made from rotting roadkill, usually a skunk or a possum. The
more fragrant or maggoty, the better.
2. Something that's been on the road for a long and unfortunate time.
This tale weaves it way thru your dreams, and nightmares, following a lonely truck driver name Deke after the love of his life is murdered. As his grief eats away at him day by miserable day, he searches for clues as to who may be responsible for his wife’s death.
“𝘚𝘪𝘹 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘨𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘋𝘦𝘬𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴, 𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘩𝘦’𝘥 𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘳”
This novella was nothing short of beautiful. The sheer amount of poetic and metaphorical imagery made this a soul searching journey down a highway of grief, meeting mythical creatures and traveling to bizarre places along the way. As a lover of fantasy as well as horror, I feel that my toe got dipped into both genres, combining to make a tale almost as unforgettable as when the first vinyl record dropped.
“𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘦𝘵 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘸 𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘮”
Did this story leave me with questions?! Hell ya It did! And I even thought about rating this slightly lower due to this very reason. Then I came to my senses, phew, and realized how brilliant it was to leave me pondering what really happened and how I have not stopped thinking about this story since I put it down! And then picked it up, put it down and picked it up again! Simply put, this is a story not to be forgotten....
“𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴: 𝘓𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢 𝘣𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘯 𝘧𝘭𝘰𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘭𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘮𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘭𝘪𝘵 𝘤𝘪𝘨𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘴”
What I do know is this; this story hit me hard and I can’t wait to pick up more of Johns work. You NEED to get your hands on this baby when it officially releases January 15th. You won’t be disappointed.
November 24, 2024
Great short story.
December 17, 2017
John Boden is quickly becoming one of my favorite writers. He took me back to childhood in Jedi Summer with the Magnetic Kid and now he takes us on an 18-wheeled murder mystery/revenge ride. The journey Deke takes to discover his wife's killer is both mythical and modern, introducing us to characters I'm sure Clive Barker would be proud to have created.
Boden's writing is so clear, and the ending so perfectly poetic, if he had ended this story but one or two scenes earlier I would have been furious. So hitch a ride and give it a go, you won't be disappointed what's at the end of the road.
Boden's writing is so clear, and the ending so perfectly poetic, if he had ended this story but one or two scenes earlier I would have been furious. So hitch a ride and give it a go, you won't be disappointed what's at the end of the road.
December 8, 2017
"Simple is a myth, carried in a basket by gods and imbeciles."
John Boden's tale of grief and weirdness is just too damn good. In all of his work, he consistently finds ways to blow you away by his use of language, and this book is no exception. Deke Larch's trips along the Soul Road are haunting, and as far as allegories of the afterlife goes, this one is truly unique. The chapter with the Behemoth just made me want to shower, but man, was it just fantastic.
I constantly fail to adequately describe how much John Boden's work hits me in the feels. I feel I'm gonna come up short here again, just suffice it to say it's one of the absolute best things I've read this year.
Five stars.
John Boden's tale of grief and weirdness is just too damn good. In all of his work, he consistently finds ways to blow you away by his use of language, and this book is no exception. Deke Larch's trips along the Soul Road are haunting, and as far as allegories of the afterlife goes, this one is truly unique. The chapter with the Behemoth just made me want to shower, but man, was it just fantastic.
I constantly fail to adequately describe how much John Boden's work hits me in the feels. I feel I'm gonna come up short here again, just suffice it to say it's one of the absolute best things I've read this year.
Five stars.
December 21, 2020
John Boden was kind enough to get a signed copy of “Spungunion” into my eager hands. This man knows how to write pain and emotions with a depth that cannot be compared to any other writer.
This story is about Deke Larch, a man who lost his wife to a tragic and senseless murder. He is a trucker whose life has been spent on the road, in and out of diners, and only having experienced one true love: Lucille, the woman he lost. His goal becomes to find Lucille’s killer and use any means possible to get his revenge. This includes meetings with supernatural beings and seers who provide him with information about Lucille’s death, but are unable to give him the means to process it.
This story is really about humanity’s inability to see the big picture because of our inherent tendencies towards dwelling in our own pain. By the end of the book, I felt like I was personally the target. However, I know anyone who reads this will feel the same way. Like a warning from the ghost of Christmas future, I took away from this short book a message to keep my emotions in check no matter what tragedies befall me in this life, lest I hurt the innocent in the pursuit of ill-gotten vengeance.
This book is written so well. John Boden has proven to me yet again that less is more. Every sentence he writes is carefully chosen and saturated with meaning. Every word goes deeper than it should. There were a few lines I want to quote that particularly struck me:
“The reality is this: Life is just a balloon floating dangerously in a roomful of lit cigarettes. At any moment, second, day or week, Pop! And then everything as you know it is different or gone. Sometimes both.”
“And when the plate of country fried steak and potatoes was set before him, his eyes followed the slender hand that delivered it up to the shoulder that met the neck that held the head which had the sweetest smile he’d ever seen. Beneath the palest grey eyes. She killed him in that moment, stabbed his heart with a spike of love-at-first-sight that one only sees in shitty movies. His heart hurt so bad, he almost looked to make sure he wasn’t bleeding into his food.”
“His stomach was a knotted jumble of quiver and nerves, a globe of slippery eels. He had a sense of unease that felt like the leaded apron draped over an X-ray patient.”
I loved this book. I love John Boden’s writing. It is certainly painful and emotional, but it feels so good to read it. It carries a kind of catharsis. Like if John Boden can get these feelings onto pages for the rest of us, we can read them so we might not hurt as hard later, when our time comes. And if we still hurt exceptionally hard, we can at least find some comfort in knowing we’re not alone in those feelings.
Review coming soon to Horrorbound.net!
This story is about Deke Larch, a man who lost his wife to a tragic and senseless murder. He is a trucker whose life has been spent on the road, in and out of diners, and only having experienced one true love: Lucille, the woman he lost. His goal becomes to find Lucille’s killer and use any means possible to get his revenge. This includes meetings with supernatural beings and seers who provide him with information about Lucille’s death, but are unable to give him the means to process it.
This story is really about humanity’s inability to see the big picture because of our inherent tendencies towards dwelling in our own pain. By the end of the book, I felt like I was personally the target. However, I know anyone who reads this will feel the same way. Like a warning from the ghost of Christmas future, I took away from this short book a message to keep my emotions in check no matter what tragedies befall me in this life, lest I hurt the innocent in the pursuit of ill-gotten vengeance.
This book is written so well. John Boden has proven to me yet again that less is more. Every sentence he writes is carefully chosen and saturated with meaning. Every word goes deeper than it should. There were a few lines I want to quote that particularly struck me:
“The reality is this: Life is just a balloon floating dangerously in a roomful of lit cigarettes. At any moment, second, day or week, Pop! And then everything as you know it is different or gone. Sometimes both.”
“And when the plate of country fried steak and potatoes was set before him, his eyes followed the slender hand that delivered it up to the shoulder that met the neck that held the head which had the sweetest smile he’d ever seen. Beneath the palest grey eyes. She killed him in that moment, stabbed his heart with a spike of love-at-first-sight that one only sees in shitty movies. His heart hurt so bad, he almost looked to make sure he wasn’t bleeding into his food.”
“His stomach was a knotted jumble of quiver and nerves, a globe of slippery eels. He had a sense of unease that felt like the leaded apron draped over an X-ray patient.”
I loved this book. I love John Boden’s writing. It is certainly painful and emotional, but it feels so good to read it. It carries a kind of catharsis. Like if John Boden can get these feelings onto pages for the rest of us, we can read them so we might not hurt as hard later, when our time comes. And if we still hurt exceptionally hard, we can at least find some comfort in knowing we’re not alone in those feelings.
Review coming soon to Horrorbound.net!
January 29, 2020
I reviewed this for High Fever Books, so look there for the full thing, but here's at least a little taste...
Reading Spungunion reminded me of sitting alone with a glass of whiskey and a Johnny Cash record spinning on the turntable. As you listen you are transported through moments of grief, anger, humor, weirdness, and by the end you've gone some places emotionally. John Boden's tale of a widowed trucker on a trail of closure seemed to come out of nowhere and has set a really high mark for 2020. It's a short book, but packs one hell of a punch.
Deke Larch is a truck driver that is at the end of his rope. With his murdered wife Lucille, a broken trailer, and a job that's slowly killing him, he's ready to be done with it all. Yet one night his boss has him talk to a coworker that drives the Soul Road. He is handed a quest that'll send him down that road, where he'll meet three helpful entities with answers to the question of who killed his wife. After that we are on our way with Boden as our guide, visiting some dark places and forced to face some hard truths.
This was the first thing I've read from Boden and holy crap if this is what he's like I'm fully on board. He does such a great job capturing emotion and putting it on the page. We feel Deke's grief as he reminisces about the first time meeting his wife as well as the fateful day he received the call of his wife's death. We hurt with him as he goes through his day-to-day struggle with life without Lucille, knowing that he won't move on. It's heartbreaking and a great example of controlling the reader's emotions.
Reading Spungunion reminded me of sitting alone with a glass of whiskey and a Johnny Cash record spinning on the turntable. As you listen you are transported through moments of grief, anger, humor, weirdness, and by the end you've gone some places emotionally. John Boden's tale of a widowed trucker on a trail of closure seemed to come out of nowhere and has set a really high mark for 2020. It's a short book, but packs one hell of a punch.
Deke Larch is a truck driver that is at the end of his rope. With his murdered wife Lucille, a broken trailer, and a job that's slowly killing him, he's ready to be done with it all. Yet one night his boss has him talk to a coworker that drives the Soul Road. He is handed a quest that'll send him down that road, where he'll meet three helpful entities with answers to the question of who killed his wife. After that we are on our way with Boden as our guide, visiting some dark places and forced to face some hard truths.
This was the first thing I've read from Boden and holy crap if this is what he's like I'm fully on board. He does such a great job capturing emotion and putting it on the page. We feel Deke's grief as he reminisces about the first time meeting his wife as well as the fateful day he received the call of his wife's death. We hurt with him as he goes through his day-to-day struggle with life without Lucille, knowing that he won't move on. It's heartbreaking and a great example of controlling the reader's emotions.
December 31, 2020
Spungunion is a word you just have to look up on your own to discover the definition of such a unique utterance. Having read other titles by John Boden such as Walk the Darkness Down, Jedi Summer and Out Behind the Barn (coauthored with Chad Lutzke) I knew I was in for quite a ride. I absolutely loved the dark channels of this book, you could feel what it would be like to ride those lonely night roads that truck drivers embark upon. The characters had a terrifying, strange, and mythical quality to them, I only wish we could have spent more time with these characters, as they were just so compelling!
Above all Spungunion is a tale of loss and revenge, but even up to the end I questioned if Deke had it right. I loved that element of the book, the right and the wrong all mixed up within a confused crusade of absolutes. I’m so glad I chose this as one of my final reads of 2020 and look forward to further titles by John Boden, all the stars!
Above all Spungunion is a tale of loss and revenge, but even up to the end I questioned if Deke had it right. I loved that element of the book, the right and the wrong all mixed up within a confused crusade of absolutes. I’m so glad I chose this as one of my final reads of 2020 and look forward to further titles by John Boden, all the stars!
January 26, 2020
This was a great quick read. John Boden has a way with words and with feelings. This supernatural story feels like spending the night standing under a lone dim yellow streetlight on the edge of nowhere. The characters are beautiful in their quiet ugliness and you just are not sure where this story will take you. I have a feeling I will dwell on this one. This one will draw me back
December 13, 2020
Plenty of books out there about how far you might go to bring back a loved one but none quite like this one. Boden does a great job of capturing the spirit of your everyday guy, nothing special about him just a guy who found the love of his life then lost her. His desperation to recapture those moments before a whole was ripped in the center of his life seem all that more relatable when taken in the context of his rather mundane life.
9/10
9/10
January 4, 2021
3.5 stars.
September 30, 2022
It's always very hard to write a review of a friend's book; and make no mistake, while we aren't "hang out" friends (not close enough for that), we are more than just "internet acquaintances", That being said, writing a review of his work is hard. Not because I don't feel I can be honest (those who know me know that's the furthest from the truth), but because I don't want a review to sound padded, or someone to say, "You only say those things because you're friends."
Let me put something to rest - John Boden doesn't need friends to pad his reviews. His writing and amazing storytelling does that on its own. I'm simply going to reiterate the obvious.
John puts a new twist on an old classic - The Odyssey. SPUNGUNION tells the story of Deke Larch, a man who, in his eye, lost everything with the murder of his wife. He has an opportunity to go on a trek to try and find some answers. Despite the numerous warnings he receives, we follow him on this self-serving mission - to a gut wrenching, and heartbreaking conclusion.
John's writing is so elegant that you are pulled in from the first page, and, while you beg and plead to be let go, he refuses - until the very end. John knows exactly what buttons to push to elicit emotions that few writers dare to attempt; and when you finally pick yourself up of the floor, you turn into Oliver Twist and say, "Please, sir, may I have some more please?"
If you've never read anything by John, first - WHY NOT?!? Second, SPUNGUNION is an excellent starting point, so get to it.
John puts a new twist on an old classic - The Odyssey. SPUNGUNION tells the story of Deke Larch, a man who, in his eye, lost everything with the murder of his wife. He has an opportunity to go on a trek to try and find some answers. Despite the numerous warnings he receives, we follow him on this self-serving mission - to a gut wrenching, and heartbreaking conclusion.
John's writing is so elegant that you are pulled in from the first page, and, while you beg and plead to be let go, he refuses - until the very end. John knows exactly what buttons to push to elicit emotions that few writers dare to attempt; and when you finally pick yourself up of the floor, you turn into Oliver Twist and say, "Please, sir, may I have some more please?"
If you've never read anything by John, first - WHY NOT?!? Second, SPUNGUNION is an excellent starting point, so get to it.
March 23, 2020
“She killed him in that moment, stabbed his heart with a spike of love-at-first sight that one only sees in shitty movies.” Spungunion is not your everyday horror. Boden’s words are heartbreakingly poetic and brutal. “One by one the crickets ceased until the only sound in the night was the whispering hitch of her weeping.” He makes you feel for this poor “motherfucker of misery”, seek out the killer of the love of his life with him. “Letting love die in your grasp is a sin”, and Deke Larch has no intention of going on any further with his life without answers as to who did it. If you want to immerse yourself into the world of truck drivers and greasy diner food, heartache and justice, stale cigarettes and loneliness, do yourself a favor and go pick this up now. You might come across some odd characters and a whole new love for music you’d never known was out there.
February 7, 2021
Spungunion—What a marvelous word! Even after discovering the definition.😉That’s the Appalachian humor in me. Gotta have it!
John Boden’s • Spungunion warmed up to me right from the get-go. Was it the Viceroy cigarettes like Momma smoked, or the trucker songs like Daddy listened to while driving the old Sunbeam truck? Whatever IT is — BODEN has it. That way of making his readers feel at home.
Unlike any other story I’ve read! I was right there alongside Deke in the 18 wheeler as he searched for answers. And when he was in those in between places, I was floating right beside him.
Heckuva Story, John Boden! You’ve found another fan in me!
John Boden’s • Spungunion warmed up to me right from the get-go. Was it the Viceroy cigarettes like Momma smoked, or the trucker songs like Daddy listened to while driving the old Sunbeam truck? Whatever IT is — BODEN has it. That way of making his readers feel at home.
Unlike any other story I’ve read! I was right there alongside Deke in the 18 wheeler as he searched for answers. And when he was in those in between places, I was floating right beside him.
Heckuva Story, John Boden! You’ve found another fan in me!
January 20, 2020
Time spent in John Boden's universe is always an enjoyable one. From his word choice to the world he creates, his imaginings are second to none. There is always something in every paragraph that stands out. And I think that's what I look forward to the most. It's poetic but never overdone.
Honestly, I've yet to be disappointed by anything he writes. When Spungunion came through the door I immediately stopped what I was reading.
It's just fantastic work.
A five star read.
Go buy it now.
Honestly, I've yet to be disappointed by anything he writes. When Spungunion came through the door I immediately stopped what I was reading.
It's just fantastic work.
A five star read.
Go buy it now.
April 3, 2024
Horrific and Haunting
A dark and sombre tale of grief and the quest for revenge. Losing the love of his life is a difficult pill to swallow for Deke but in this short novella he sets out to find his wife’s murderer but Deke ends up getting more than he bargains for. Horrific and heart wrenching Boden touches on the darker side of experiencing grief and the lengths one man will go to for answers.
A dark and sombre tale of grief and the quest for revenge. Losing the love of his life is a difficult pill to swallow for Deke but in this short novella he sets out to find his wife’s murderer but Deke ends up getting more than he bargains for. Horrific and heart wrenching Boden touches on the darker side of experiencing grief and the lengths one man will go to for answers.
March 3, 2020
A surreal road trip of grief and revenge. This is a long-haul odyssey on an intimate scale. I squealed my tires through this and could hear the soundtrack in my head as the story barreled down the highway.
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