Unsafe Spaces

by Brian Keene

In World Horror Grandmaster Award-winner Brian Keene’s latest non-fiction collection, nothing is sacred…or safe. Be it thoughtful examinations of the works of writers like Jack Ketchum and Mary SanGiovanni, loving tributes to authors J.F. Gonzalez and Tom Piccirilli, ruminations on middle-age, a rueful look at how publishing and writing have changed, sarcastic barbs at pop culture’s obsession with superhero movies, or a hard look at both sides of the social justice war, Brian Keene once again offers an honest, no-holds-barred critique our lives, our culture, and our world, and proves that we are all inhabiting …UNSAFE SPACES.

Genres: Horror, Nonfiction

244 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 2016

About the author

BRIAN KEENE writes novels, comic books, short fiction, and occasional journalism for money. He is the author of over forty books, mostly in the horror, crime, and dark fantasy genres. His 2003 novel, The Rising, is often credited (along with Robert Kirkman’s The Walking Dead comic and Danny Boyle’s 28 Days Later film) with inspiring pop culture’s current interest in zombies. Keene’s novels have been translated into German, Spanish, Polish, Italian, French, Taiwanese, and many more. In addition to his own original work, Keene has written for media properties such as Doctor Who, Hellboy, Masters of the Universe, and Superman.

Several of Keene’s novels have been developed for film, including Ghoul, The Ties That Bind, and Fast Zombies Suck. Several more are in-development or under option. Keene also serves as Executive Producer for the independent film studio Drunken Tentacle Productions.

Keene also oversees Maelstrom, his own small press publishing imprint specializing in collectible limited editions, via Thunderstorm Books.

Keene’s work has been praised in such diverse places as The New York Times, The History Channel, The Howard Stern Show, CNN.com, Publisher’s Weekly, Media Bistro, Fangoria Magazine, and Rue Morgue Magazine. He has won numerous awards and honors, including the World Horror 2014 Grand Master Award, two Bram Stoker Awards, and a recognition from Whiteman A.F.B. (home of the B-2 Stealth Bomber) for his outreach to U.S. troops serving both overseas and abroad. A prolific public speaker, Keene has delivered talks at conventions, college campuses, theaters, and inside Central Intelligence Agency headquarters in Langley, VA.

The father of two sons, Keene lives in rural Pennsylvania.

Reviews

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unsafe Spaces is a collection of short essays, most of which originally appeared as blog entries on Keene's website from 2014-2016. It's a pleasant mix of satire, humor, sharp social commentary, and several very moving and heartfelt pieces on the passing of his friends and contemporaries, Tom Piccirilli and J.F. Gonzalez. Keene adopts a tone of charming arrogance much of the time that reminded me of some of the fannish rants of Harlan Ellison. He comments on the writing business and details the collapse of publishers and how authors are impacted. He notes how the country is becoming more and more divided politically, and I wonder if he dreamed how much worse things would become a few years later. (He also seems to predict the impending collapse of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, so it's good to see that he left his pieces intact even when he was wrong.) I thought it would have been helpful had the pieces been labeled with the dates on which they were written, or perhaps when they were first published. I enjoyed his detailed analysis of the problems of HWA, but grew a bit tired of his repeated lamentations of aging. Another piece I found intriguing was his "Rules for a Successful Public Reading". I've attended a whole lot of readings over the years and thought his advice would have improved a lot of them if the writers would have followed his advice. Harlan Ellison was the best performer I ever saw, but Gary Braunbeck was a close second. Keene reads well himself, as does Maureen McHugh, and as did Victor Milan. Some of the biggest names were some of the poorest readers I ever saw, curiously enough. Anyway, Unsafe Spaces is an interesting review of our recent past, and Keene is thought-provoking, well-spoken, and always entertaining.

[Karl · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Brian Keene’s book “Unsafe Spaces” he offers the reader a collection of of essays, satire, and opinions regarding writing, the horror genre, the publishing industry, pop culture, current events, and people in the public eye.

The material in the book was first published at Brian Keene dot com between 2014 and 2016. There are also approximately a dozen additional entries including about half of that dozen original to this collection and the remainder coming from other sources.

If you enjoy Mr. Keene’s non-fiction, or enjoy his pod cast then this book will be right up your ally. As the description of the book states, these entries are heart felt and at times quite personal.

The book is beautifully produced in the high standard of Thunderstorm Books and the foil stamp on the cover is produced by Zach McCain. The book also features half a dozen color photographs in the middle of the book featuring various trips Mr. Keene took to Centralia PA. the last of which is a photograph of Mr. Keene posing amidst a highway full of penis graffiti (which no longer exist today).

A fine addition to the Keene library and bookshelf.


This is copy 14 of 100 signed numbered copies signed by Brian Keene.

[Stephen Kozeniewski · Rating 5 out of 5]

As this book is dedicated to me (an honor I wholly was not expecting) it's perhaps not fair for me to review it, but, fuck it, I'm going to anyway.

Brian Keene had a bad year. A rotten, fucked-up, no good, piece of shit year. People died. People suffered. Most of all, Keene suffered.

And yet, in all that gloom, there was something that couldn't be overridden: Keene's belief in the almighty power of the written word. The power of words to heal, to harm, to breathe life back into the dead, and to bury that which should never stir. The belief that writing can be therapeutic, that a pointed joke can do more to tear down an empire than a thousand cannons or a million men-at-arms. The ultimate, non-ironic belief that the pen is, in fact, far mightier than the sword.

And so, armed with nothing but a keyboard, Keene steers both the reader and himself through the shittiest, most no-good annus horribilis a man can experience, showing us not only that it can be done, but it can be done again and again and again. Good news for these dark times.

I had a bad year myself recently. I anticipate at least three more. Fuck it. I've got a keyboard. I've got this. Hold my Old Crow and Coke. We're going in, Chuy.

[Dan Howarth · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice mix of rants and advice.

[Ralph Carlson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of highly interesting essays.

[Albert Kadmon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Como apunta el autor al final, ciertamente es un libro sobre los amigos fallecidos y el miedo que eso provoca. Sin embargo, con un poco de perspectiva, es también un libro sobre autores de horror dándolo todo en nombre de otros autores de horror, eso les honra más allá de lo literario.

[Nicole Amburgey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to come!