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Calibration 74
Numbers. Keys.
Locks and boxes.
Mermaids, eggs, and trees.
Past, present, future.
Time collapses and expands.
Mazes, paths, and destiny.
A library card.
A skull.
A mouse.
Truth and lies and peace.
-----
CALIBRATION 74 is a surreal adventure of existence and a search for meaning and escape.
Written in the midst of a global pandemic, this story is an experimental poetic flow-of-consciousness experience exploration of reality and fantasy and the places in-between.
Locks and boxes.
Mermaids, eggs, and trees.
Past, present, future.
Time collapses and expands.
Mazes, paths, and destiny.
A library card.
A skull.
A mouse.
Truth and lies and peace.
-----
CALIBRATION 74 is a surreal adventure of existence and a search for meaning and escape.
Written in the midst of a global pandemic, this story is an experimental poetic flow-of-consciousness experience exploration of reality and fantasy and the places in-between.
184 pages, Paperback
Published January 22, 2021
7 people are currently reading
327 people want to read
About the author
William F. Aicher
24 books324 followersWilliam F. Aicher is the author of The Trouble With Being God, A Confession, The Unfortunate Expiration of Mr. David S. Sparks., Calibration 74, and the Phoenix Bones: International Monster Hunter series, as well as a series of short horror and suspense pieces collectively referred to as “Creepy Little Bedtime Stories.” Tending to lean toward the creepy and fantastical, his work has appeared alongside such well-known writers as Stephen King, Richard Chizmar, and Neil Gaiman.
A graduate of the University of Wisconsin, Madison, he holds degrees in journalism and philosophy. He currently lives outside Milwaukee with his wife, three sons, and a pair of lazy cats.
A graduate of the University of Wisconsin, Madison, he holds degrees in journalism and philosophy. He currently lives outside Milwaukee with his wife, three sons, and a pair of lazy cats.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
January 25, 2021
Surface comparisons might take a reader to House of Leaves, the film The Number 23, Kabbalah and other numerology, but I read this for the poetry. Aicher opens up in his most honest and vulnerable writing to date. The poetry lives in each line, stanzas build and break themselves over and over before adding up to sections. Lyrically, musically, a species of breathing notation seems to hover around the text. I would like to see this book performed. The intensity is a mounting anxiety, thrilling and an utter delight.
October 20, 2023
This was a bizarre novella. I read it for my bookclub and I think I have more questions than answers. First of all, I have to be honest. Stream of consciousness has always been difficult for me. It is hard is definitely not on my list of favorite types of writing. So starting this made me immediately want to stop. But I am glad I paused forward.
I will say it’s a fever dream of a book. Lots a rhymes and strange imagery. Kind of like Dr. Seuss on crack….or more likely, psychedelics. The author wrote this experimental fiction while in the midst of the pandemic and you can definitely see his inching toward insanity. Honestly, I’m still not sure if it is supposed to be metaphor or if this was actually happening to him or if it was all in his fractured mind. But it left my thinking. And feeling. It is definitely not everyone’s cup of tea but if you want to try something different, the writing is really very good.
Sword.
Pencil.
Spear.
Truth.
Things you can stab people with.
I will say it’s a fever dream of a book. Lots a rhymes and strange imagery. Kind of like Dr. Seuss on crack….or more likely, psychedelics. The author wrote this experimental fiction while in the midst of the pandemic and you can definitely see his inching toward insanity. Honestly, I’m still not sure if it is supposed to be metaphor or if this was actually happening to him or if it was all in his fractured mind. But it left my thinking. And feeling. It is definitely not everyone’s cup of tea but if you want to try something different, the writing is really very good.
Sword.
Pencil.
Spear.
Truth.
Things you can stab people with.
January 28, 2021
Thought-provoking and surrealistically gripping.
In Calibration 74, Aicher delivers a powerful offering that draws readers into a world behind the façade, to the inner workings of the mind, and a life exposed. One part musings of a mad man and two parts surrealistic-like fever dream, Calibration 74 deftly takes readers by the hand and leads them deeper down the literary rabbit hole forgoing standard storytelling.
At its start, Aicher showcases his ability to spark interest with his opening narration of a man obsessed with numbers and embroiled in a quest for a door leading to salvation, renewal, life. Within Calibration 74’s few first pages, we soon learn this will be no simple task and that our experience will be anything but typical for the novella’s duration as Aicher masterfully blends free-form poetry into the mix breaking down the barriers of outside versus inside, and the drive, the force behind a man’s moving parts.
Combining pacing that features scattered thoughts and blurry visions of both past and present experiences, Aicher allows his readers to experience the dark gritty corners of a man’s troubled and fractured mind before delivering sharp flashes of poetic justification that pulls back the curtains of meaning and encourages deeper philosophical inspection with his created revelations. As readers draw closer to Aicher’s crafted end of Calibration 74, what we know and believe versus what is imagined and false blur in expertly detailed snippets of realization that will leave many on a course of retrospection unpacking and comparing all that was offered.
At times psychologically illuminating, Aicher delivers a brave presentation on how the mind works when dealing with life, processing trauma, circumventing reality, and living with past and present conflicts. Its poetic flourishes flawlessly meld with a college course on abnormal psychology and will push and pull your mind and emotions in every direction equally. Troubling, endearing, comical, and abrupt, Aicher’s work is a giant onion consisting of layers hiding meanings hiding deeply rooted scars of clarity. With references aplenty peppering his prose throughout involving literary, musical, and cinematic offerings, Aicher’s expert foray into a world behind the eyes is broken and beautiful, raw and untouched, eroded and used.
As it reads, Calibration 74 feels like an old radio in a dark basement being manually tuned. Snippets of music fight through the static, the squelches, the talking, the silence. Readers will hear bits and pieces forming visual cues and directions in their mind only to be lead away on another course by the master of the dial until we are left with the knowledge we so desperately crave, to the ending we so rightfully deserve.
If one is searching for a run-of-the-mill simple read, Calibration 74 is very unconventional in that regard and does its best work for those looking for something different, something lasting and memorable. A feather, a knife, a heart pleading, a mind steering a body, Calibration 74 is a beautiful and broken mosaic expertly collected into a glowing tapestry once completed and viewed from afar.
Within a moving gallery of creation, every reader will interpret Aicher’s work differently, will find a connection within themselves among the jumbled art pieces of his storytelling that reflects personas both bright and damning. Weaving through man’s inner turmoil, desire, escapism, conflicts, and personal constructs set adrift among a brackish ocean of reality and fantasy, Calibration 74 will stay will you long after the final page.
In Calibration 74, Aicher delivers a powerful offering that draws readers into a world behind the façade, to the inner workings of the mind, and a life exposed. One part musings of a mad man and two parts surrealistic-like fever dream, Calibration 74 deftly takes readers by the hand and leads them deeper down the literary rabbit hole forgoing standard storytelling.
At its start, Aicher showcases his ability to spark interest with his opening narration of a man obsessed with numbers and embroiled in a quest for a door leading to salvation, renewal, life. Within Calibration 74’s few first pages, we soon learn this will be no simple task and that our experience will be anything but typical for the novella’s duration as Aicher masterfully blends free-form poetry into the mix breaking down the barriers of outside versus inside, and the drive, the force behind a man’s moving parts.
Combining pacing that features scattered thoughts and blurry visions of both past and present experiences, Aicher allows his readers to experience the dark gritty corners of a man’s troubled and fractured mind before delivering sharp flashes of poetic justification that pulls back the curtains of meaning and encourages deeper philosophical inspection with his created revelations. As readers draw closer to Aicher’s crafted end of Calibration 74, what we know and believe versus what is imagined and false blur in expertly detailed snippets of realization that will leave many on a course of retrospection unpacking and comparing all that was offered.
At times psychologically illuminating, Aicher delivers a brave presentation on how the mind works when dealing with life, processing trauma, circumventing reality, and living with past and present conflicts. Its poetic flourishes flawlessly meld with a college course on abnormal psychology and will push and pull your mind and emotions in every direction equally. Troubling, endearing, comical, and abrupt, Aicher’s work is a giant onion consisting of layers hiding meanings hiding deeply rooted scars of clarity. With references aplenty peppering his prose throughout involving literary, musical, and cinematic offerings, Aicher’s expert foray into a world behind the eyes is broken and beautiful, raw and untouched, eroded and used.
As it reads, Calibration 74 feels like an old radio in a dark basement being manually tuned. Snippets of music fight through the static, the squelches, the talking, the silence. Readers will hear bits and pieces forming visual cues and directions in their mind only to be lead away on another course by the master of the dial until we are left with the knowledge we so desperately crave, to the ending we so rightfully deserve.
If one is searching for a run-of-the-mill simple read, Calibration 74 is very unconventional in that regard and does its best work for those looking for something different, something lasting and memorable. A feather, a knife, a heart pleading, a mind steering a body, Calibration 74 is a beautiful and broken mosaic expertly collected into a glowing tapestry once completed and viewed from afar.
Within a moving gallery of creation, every reader will interpret Aicher’s work differently, will find a connection within themselves among the jumbled art pieces of his storytelling that reflects personas both bright and damning. Weaving through man’s inner turmoil, desire, escapism, conflicts, and personal constructs set adrift among a brackish ocean of reality and fantasy, Calibration 74 will stay will you long after the final page.
February 10, 2021
I knew this book would be for me as soon as I read the description: an experimental, poetic, flow-of-consciousness exploration of reality, fantasy and all the spaces in between. Yes please!
This is the kind of book you bring yourself to, in that you’re never 100% sure whether your experience is what the writer intended or whether you pasted your own meaning over the top of their words. There’s enough continuity, enough thread to hang onto, to make the text flow through an arc, but it also leaves a lot to interpretation.
I read this as the narrator delving into and confronting his own psyche. Perhaps it comes from knowing this was written during the first pandemic wave, when many felt isolated and helpless, but I see someone grasping desperately at straws to find meaning; someone left alone with his thoughts and falling deeper into their clutches. He picks at scabs, seeks out dark corners, obsesses over repeating motifs and patterns, and he digs.
There is a sense throughout of everything slowly loosening, slowly losing a grip of reality, as we follow a wild trail of association. The narrator makes the assumption that everything holds meaning; that taking logical steps will lead to the ultimate answer. He pushes on through a point of no return, an ego-death of sorts, and appears to make a commitment to coming back out as something altogether more whole or as mush. He is looking for truth, looking for hope, looking for a way out. I think it’s up to the reader to decide whether he finds what he sought.
As I was reading this, I thought of other books where the landscape is the psyche. It’s probably where the House of Leaves comparisons some reviewers are making come from. I thought of books by Logan Ryan Smith and Kenny Mooney, both masters of this ‘internal monologue as space’ kind of territory. I thought of the movie Pi. But it isn’t exactly like any of those. It’s something weirdly familiar, but all of its own.
Prose-wise, Calibration 74 just sings. It has a strong voice and begs to be read aloud in parts. It is littered with popular culture references, rhymes, myths and motifs. Each chapter (or ‘calibration’) is so short I found myself not wanting to put it down – just one more bite, one more bite. I imagine it could be an experience to read in one sitting, though I took a couple in the end.
I find that books containing odd trails of meaning or synchronicity like this attract such in my life (or at least encourage me to notice coincidences more often). First I found one particular passage extremely close in imagery to something I’d been working on the week before. Then I noticed one of the same number sequences appear in an unrelated document. Finally, a book I was reading simultaneously spoke of the fragmentary novel and the frequency of them including missing cats and declining mental states. So maybe this is a sign that I need to walk that trail. Check out the page numbers, the bookmarks, the footnotes. Find the values of the common words, divide them, multiply them, twist them into the shape of a doorway…
Find Calibration 74.
This is the kind of book you bring yourself to, in that you’re never 100% sure whether your experience is what the writer intended or whether you pasted your own meaning over the top of their words. There’s enough continuity, enough thread to hang onto, to make the text flow through an arc, but it also leaves a lot to interpretation.
I read this as the narrator delving into and confronting his own psyche. Perhaps it comes from knowing this was written during the first pandemic wave, when many felt isolated and helpless, but I see someone grasping desperately at straws to find meaning; someone left alone with his thoughts and falling deeper into their clutches. He picks at scabs, seeks out dark corners, obsesses over repeating motifs and patterns, and he digs.
There is a sense throughout of everything slowly loosening, slowly losing a grip of reality, as we follow a wild trail of association. The narrator makes the assumption that everything holds meaning; that taking logical steps will lead to the ultimate answer. He pushes on through a point of no return, an ego-death of sorts, and appears to make a commitment to coming back out as something altogether more whole or as mush. He is looking for truth, looking for hope, looking for a way out. I think it’s up to the reader to decide whether he finds what he sought.
As I was reading this, I thought of other books where the landscape is the psyche. It’s probably where the House of Leaves comparisons some reviewers are making come from. I thought of books by Logan Ryan Smith and Kenny Mooney, both masters of this ‘internal monologue as space’ kind of territory. I thought of the movie Pi. But it isn’t exactly like any of those. It’s something weirdly familiar, but all of its own.
Prose-wise, Calibration 74 just sings. It has a strong voice and begs to be read aloud in parts. It is littered with popular culture references, rhymes, myths and motifs. Each chapter (or ‘calibration’) is so short I found myself not wanting to put it down – just one more bite, one more bite. I imagine it could be an experience to read in one sitting, though I took a couple in the end.
I find that books containing odd trails of meaning or synchronicity like this attract such in my life (or at least encourage me to notice coincidences more often). First I found one particular passage extremely close in imagery to something I’d been working on the week before. Then I noticed one of the same number sequences appear in an unrelated document. Finally, a book I was reading simultaneously spoke of the fragmentary novel and the frequency of them including missing cats and declining mental states. So maybe this is a sign that I need to walk that trail. Check out the page numbers, the bookmarks, the footnotes. Find the values of the common words, divide them, multiply them, twist them into the shape of a doorway…
Find Calibration 74.
January 25, 2021
Going into this book, as with any free-form, surrealist-style piece, I was unsure of what to expect. My experiences with experimental style stories has been varied with some big hits and some equally big misses. That being said, Calibration 74 by William F. Aicher solidly hit the mark.
Calibration 74 is a novella that tells the story of an unreliable narrator whose obsession with numbers (and a door) lead him on a surreal journey of self-discovery.
Written in a wordplay filled, stream of consciousness style, reminiscent of Danielewski’s House of Leaves, the tale twists and turns between narrative and poetry to weave a tale that, on its surface feels like a dream-like (though sometimes gritty and dark) journey sprinkled with nods to pop culture and literature. Upon further inspection, however, it reveals a deeper allegory about reconciling past selves with present selves and the disillusionments and struggles faced when one is on the quest to discover deeper meaning.
With a minimalist style, this book is a relatively quick read, despite having a lot of ideas and imagery to chew on. In the best of ways, this book does not hold your hand as it throws you into the obsessive, churning mind of the narrator and the ending leaves room for personal interpretation and reflection.
I found, personally, that Part 1 piqued my interest with the narrator’s musing of number combinations and the smart wordplay (there were parts that read almost like slam poetry that I found myself re-reading aloud) along with the establishment of blurred lines between the narrator’s reality and fantasy. Part 2 jumps into the narrative of the story, where you begin to follow the narrator on his quest to make sense of the things he perceives as clues, pointing him in the direction of the door he’s become obsessed with finding - a door of light, behind which hides truths unknown. By Part 3, I found myself entirely invested and rooting for the narrator as he leaves everything behind, becoming his own Ahab on a relentless pursuit of his white whale.
This book made me laugh out loud at times, scratch my head at others, make note of wonderfully quotable moments, and stay up late into the night, unable to put it down once it had its hooks in me.
If you are a fan of surrealist stories, free-form poetry, or philosophical musings, I believe this book would be a solid addition to your bookshelf!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
... And then I bought a hardcopy because, honestly, I liked it that much and I want a copy for my bookshelf.
Calibration 74 is a novella that tells the story of an unreliable narrator whose obsession with numbers (and a door) lead him on a surreal journey of self-discovery.
Written in a wordplay filled, stream of consciousness style, reminiscent of Danielewski’s House of Leaves, the tale twists and turns between narrative and poetry to weave a tale that, on its surface feels like a dream-like (though sometimes gritty and dark) journey sprinkled with nods to pop culture and literature. Upon further inspection, however, it reveals a deeper allegory about reconciling past selves with present selves and the disillusionments and struggles faced when one is on the quest to discover deeper meaning.
With a minimalist style, this book is a relatively quick read, despite having a lot of ideas and imagery to chew on. In the best of ways, this book does not hold your hand as it throws you into the obsessive, churning mind of the narrator and the ending leaves room for personal interpretation and reflection.
I found, personally, that Part 1 piqued my interest with the narrator’s musing of number combinations and the smart wordplay (there were parts that read almost like slam poetry that I found myself re-reading aloud) along with the establishment of blurred lines between the narrator’s reality and fantasy. Part 2 jumps into the narrative of the story, where you begin to follow the narrator on his quest to make sense of the things he perceives as clues, pointing him in the direction of the door he’s become obsessed with finding - a door of light, behind which hides truths unknown. By Part 3, I found myself entirely invested and rooting for the narrator as he leaves everything behind, becoming his own Ahab on a relentless pursuit of his white whale.
This book made me laugh out loud at times, scratch my head at others, make note of wonderfully quotable moments, and stay up late into the night, unable to put it down once it had its hooks in me.
If you are a fan of surrealist stories, free-form poetry, or philosophical musings, I believe this book would be a solid addition to your bookshelf!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
... And then I bought a hardcopy because, honestly, I liked it that much and I want a copy for my bookshelf.
February 26, 2021
It took me a while to figure out how to write this review because there’s just so much to think about packed into a relatively short book. I think I could read it over and over again and come away with something new each time. I’m going to try to focus on a few thoughts:
First, there are so many nuggets of truth, of wisdom scattered throughout the book. I could write a whole list of favorite quotes or lines I still think about. The book is a journey through the unnamed narrator’s mind as he searches, as he says in Calibration 42, for the answer to the ultimate question: “Life. The universe. Everything.” There are so many explorations of reality - what is reality? Is it perception? Is it mental? Not surprisingly since it was written during this pandemic, the book is so timely in a world where we’re increasingly living virtually, disconnected and yet hyperconnected.
Second, while it’s at times evocative of mental illness it’s not ABOUT mental illness. I identified with the narrator from the start, reflecting multiple times in early Calibrations that my stream of consciousness often mirrored his. At first this was comforting—maybe I’m not so strange after all!—but it eventually became slightly disturbing and I started to wonder whether I wanted to identify with this guy… I mean, there has to be something wrong with a guy who peeps in a woman’s window and boils skulls! I think, ultimately, that’s part of the exploration of reality, of humanity. Of how fine the line often is between being okay and not being okay.
Finally, I really liked that I never knew what to expect from the next Calibration. By the end of the book especially, it’s like reading a dream sequence. Things seamlessly change and morph in a completely nonsensical way that at the same time seems perfectly natural. Reading it felt like when you’re recounting a dream to someone – it all makes sense but then you say it out loud and you realize it makes no sense at all but it FELT like it made sense when you were in it. It’s trippy, but it works. Really well.
I didn’t know what to expect when I picked this up, but I was thoroughly pleased and impressed. It’s philosophical, edgy, and very different from anything else I’ve read. I’m so thankful to have had the opportunity to read this book and will definitely look forward to Aicher’s upcoming work!
First, there are so many nuggets of truth, of wisdom scattered throughout the book. I could write a whole list of favorite quotes or lines I still think about. The book is a journey through the unnamed narrator’s mind as he searches, as he says in Calibration 42, for the answer to the ultimate question: “Life. The universe. Everything.” There are so many explorations of reality - what is reality? Is it perception? Is it mental? Not surprisingly since it was written during this pandemic, the book is so timely in a world where we’re increasingly living virtually, disconnected and yet hyperconnected.
Second, while it’s at times evocative of mental illness it’s not ABOUT mental illness. I identified with the narrator from the start, reflecting multiple times in early Calibrations that my stream of consciousness often mirrored his. At first this was comforting—maybe I’m not so strange after all!—but it eventually became slightly disturbing and I started to wonder whether I wanted to identify with this guy… I mean, there has to be something wrong with a guy who peeps in a woman’s window and boils skulls! I think, ultimately, that’s part of the exploration of reality, of humanity. Of how fine the line often is between being okay and not being okay.
Finally, I really liked that I never knew what to expect from the next Calibration. By the end of the book especially, it’s like reading a dream sequence. Things seamlessly change and morph in a completely nonsensical way that at the same time seems perfectly natural. Reading it felt like when you’re recounting a dream to someone – it all makes sense but then you say it out loud and you realize it makes no sense at all but it FELT like it made sense when you were in it. It’s trippy, but it works. Really well.
I didn’t know what to expect when I picked this up, but I was thoroughly pleased and impressed. It’s philosophical, edgy, and very different from anything else I’ve read. I’m so thankful to have had the opportunity to read this book and will definitely look forward to Aicher’s upcoming work!
July 12, 2021
This short book by William F. Aicher is a quick read if you opt to treat it as such. On the other side of the same coin, we find something dense that is better digested in smaller pieces over time. The later is how I decided to approach this work. Aicher takes us through a narrative of a mind that is haunted, though it seeks a closure that can never be found. Short chapters, or ‘calibrations’ offer 74 separate segments over 186 pages. It’s an uncompromising romp through psychological terrain of the damaged variety, right up my ally. Calibration 74 is a harrowing exploration of experimental fiction that is worth a deeper dive, so give it the time of day.
Rich in thought provoking prose and vivid imagery, I take solace in relatable poetry, if such a thing should be admitted. Our narrator is unreliable in direct ways that relate to numerical obsession, in the moments where he miscounts. It happened on one occasion where he’s counting large numbers, making big picture statements/asking big picture questions between the numbers,
[One billion four hundred twenty-eight million two hundred sixty-three five hundred and nine.
The soul is indistinguishable from the body.
One billion four hundred twenty-eight million two hundred sixty-three five hundred and nine.
Where do we go when we die?]
Numerical obsession and the fallacy of the human mind is the vessel that moves the story forward. Before and after this hiccup, the count progresses as expected. This break from the logical pattern is enough to suggest the blur is intentional.
I found solace in the rhythmic use of language. It’s a scattered collection of ashes and even at my slow pace I struggled with authorial intent, so I placed my own meaning where I saw fit. Between the covers, Aicher’s philosophical background is in full view. Direct answers are elusive, but that’s the fun of this kind of read. I definitely recommend Calibration 74. Give it a read.
Rich in thought provoking prose and vivid imagery, I take solace in relatable poetry, if such a thing should be admitted. Our narrator is unreliable in direct ways that relate to numerical obsession, in the moments where he miscounts. It happened on one occasion where he’s counting large numbers, making big picture statements/asking big picture questions between the numbers,
[One billion four hundred twenty-eight million two hundred sixty-three five hundred and nine.
The soul is indistinguishable from the body.
One billion four hundred twenty-eight million two hundred sixty-three five hundred and nine.
Where do we go when we die?]
Numerical obsession and the fallacy of the human mind is the vessel that moves the story forward. Before and after this hiccup, the count progresses as expected. This break from the logical pattern is enough to suggest the blur is intentional.
I found solace in the rhythmic use of language. It’s a scattered collection of ashes and even at my slow pace I struggled with authorial intent, so I placed my own meaning where I saw fit. Between the covers, Aicher’s philosophical background is in full view. Direct answers are elusive, but that’s the fun of this kind of read. I definitely recommend Calibration 74. Give it a read.
January 22, 2021
Reality optional. A book for losing yourself on a dark night. Dark, artistic, ambiguous.
This is a short but provocative book that left me guessing, full of surreal imagery and actions that often occur only in the mind of the narrator.
The narrator is unreliable, the only main character, and the only point of view in the book as he talks to himself and to the reader about the world around him. It’s never fully clear how far he goes, or what truly happens during his search for peace.
There are snippets of the past history that drives him to his actions, but I was never quite sure if I should be decoding his rhymes and references as clues to help me understand a complicated puzzle, or if it was nonsense and I had already reached the best conclusion. The references themselves are not particularly obscure and feature some pop culture favorites. But as they become more frequent, they do lend the last third of the book an even less grounded feel as we leave ordinary life and more fully enter the character’s/narrator’s inner world.
I confess the urge to skim parts of the book, especially as it lost anchor with the more concrete world and became repetitive in tone. But overall it held my attention, and was short enough that I finished it in a couple of sittings with no threat of abandonment.
Similar to the action scenes, the ending is ambiguous. Did he find the peace he needed? Or will it prove unsatisfying in the end? Nothing is certain.
I would recommend this book to fans of psychological mysteries, ambivalent endings, and characters overwhelmed by inner fantasy.
This is a short but provocative book that left me guessing, full of surreal imagery and actions that often occur only in the mind of the narrator.
The narrator is unreliable, the only main character, and the only point of view in the book as he talks to himself and to the reader about the world around him. It’s never fully clear how far he goes, or what truly happens during his search for peace.
There are snippets of the past history that drives him to his actions, but I was never quite sure if I should be decoding his rhymes and references as clues to help me understand a complicated puzzle, or if it was nonsense and I had already reached the best conclusion. The references themselves are not particularly obscure and feature some pop culture favorites. But as they become more frequent, they do lend the last third of the book an even less grounded feel as we leave ordinary life and more fully enter the character’s/narrator’s inner world.
I confess the urge to skim parts of the book, especially as it lost anchor with the more concrete world and became repetitive in tone. But overall it held my attention, and was short enough that I finished it in a couple of sittings with no threat of abandonment.
Similar to the action scenes, the ending is ambiguous. Did he find the peace he needed? Or will it prove unsatisfying in the end? Nothing is certain.
I would recommend this book to fans of psychological mysteries, ambivalent endings, and characters overwhelmed by inner fantasy.
February 28, 2021
William F. Aicher's "Calibration 74" is where poetic lyricism and the song of self converge into a beautiful tapestry of soul-seeking through rolling layers of a vibrant imagination.
Technically, the novella is on-point with sparse, yet poignant language - each word meticulously useful, and sometimes self-aware of its own silliness on the page. Referencing Dr. Suess, for example, in lines heavy with rhyme and alliteration lightens the tension of the maddening quest to solve a puzzle that only gets harder to uncover the deeper the narrator descends into the maze of their creative self-consciousness and playful language.
Each section of this work is brief and its own calibration. The story itself changes from one to the next. Almost as if the end of one calibration is prompt to begin the next.
Further, the calibrations feel connected but disparate enough to remain interesting. I think William Aicher was spot on with the length of this piece. Easily digestible in a couple of sessions, but not laborious in prolonged exercise (a la "House of Leaves").
Numbers. Keys. Long hallways. Twisting stairwells. Like so many great and experimental works of fiction, the journey of "Calibration 74" into its own self is the story.
And, it's brilliant.
Technically, the novella is on-point with sparse, yet poignant language - each word meticulously useful, and sometimes self-aware of its own silliness on the page. Referencing Dr. Suess, for example, in lines heavy with rhyme and alliteration lightens the tension of the maddening quest to solve a puzzle that only gets harder to uncover the deeper the narrator descends into the maze of their creative self-consciousness and playful language.
Each section of this work is brief and its own calibration. The story itself changes from one to the next. Almost as if the end of one calibration is prompt to begin the next.
Further, the calibrations feel connected but disparate enough to remain interesting. I think William Aicher was spot on with the length of this piece. Easily digestible in a couple of sessions, but not laborious in prolonged exercise (a la "House of Leaves").
Numbers. Keys. Long hallways. Twisting stairwells. Like so many great and experimental works of fiction, the journey of "Calibration 74" into its own self is the story.
And, it's brilliant.
January 30, 2021
I loved this book. It reminded me of House of Leaves and Glamorama in its style. Not because it's any way like those books or derivative of them, but in that it gives the reader nothing to hold onto. All three, for me, have narrators that themselves have a tenuous grip on reality, offering the reader that same tenuous grip. This isn't like, say, American Psycho which also has an unreliable narrator, but one whom is deliberately misleading the reader. Here, the narrator is as lost as the reader and it makes for a much more disconcerting experience.
I can't really say what this book is about because it isn't really about anything, unless you can say it's about the meaning of reality itself, or more exactly our interpretation of reality. I can see this book being quite 'marmite' - you'll either love or hate it. If you want a solid plot and definite meaning this isn't the book for you. But if you want to question what it even means to be a novel then give it a go.
I can't really say what this book is about because it isn't really about anything, unless you can say it's about the meaning of reality itself, or more exactly our interpretation of reality. I can see this book being quite 'marmite' - you'll either love or hate it. If you want a solid plot and definite meaning this isn't the book for you. But if you want to question what it even means to be a novel then give it a go.
May 13, 2021
This is described as an experimental novella but I saw it more as a poetic journey into not only the main character's mind, but my own as well. There were so many lines in this story that made me stop, say "wow," and re-read them several times. I've highlighted several of those moments on my Goodreads account. Each calibration is a journey unto itself exploring issues like the quest for meaning, purpose, and understanding. There were snippets of other pieces of work and some pop culture references stitched into the narrative which I really enjoyed. Some calibrations provided clarity while others left me with even more questions.
This is a stunning and masterful piece of abstract fiction written during a time of great uncertainty in our world. This will be a piece of art in written form that I return to time and time again. It is so hard to describe because, like the human experience, each piece has meaning but the whole is breathtaking and beautiful. Highly recommend.
This is a stunning and masterful piece of abstract fiction written during a time of great uncertainty in our world. This will be a piece of art in written form that I return to time and time again. It is so hard to describe because, like the human experience, each piece has meaning but the whole is breathtaking and beautiful. Highly recommend.
March 21, 2021
'Calibration 74' is incredible experimental fiction that strikes like 'The Phantom Tollbooth' for adult fiction. Aicher skillfully uses cultural, historical, literary, and religious references and idioms to build upon the concept that numbers give purpose, give meaning.
While the plot meanders between a real story and an allegorical tale, the reader is treated to a roiling wave of thoughts, triggering deeper emotions about one's search for the meaning of not just life, but anything. It is initially through random numbers that Aicher's narrator analyzes and gives significance to, hoping that the answers in life would be revealed. As the novella continues, the reader is drawn deeper and deeper into the spiral, like a ride down a twisty slide with no clue where the end will land them.
I highly recommend 'Calibration 74.'
While the plot meanders between a real story and an allegorical tale, the reader is treated to a roiling wave of thoughts, triggering deeper emotions about one's search for the meaning of not just life, but anything. It is initially through random numbers that Aicher's narrator analyzes and gives significance to, hoping that the answers in life would be revealed. As the novella continues, the reader is drawn deeper and deeper into the spiral, like a ride down a twisty slide with no clue where the end will land them.
I highly recommend 'Calibration 74.'
January 9, 2022
Wild trip into a deranged mind
This an incredible book. I felt I had entered someone else’s mind who had suffered a severe psychotic break for reasons unknown. There are places in the book where the man seems to almost surface, but those are few and far between. In places, it made me actually gasp.
Read it for the great prose, read it for the captivating story, or read it for the occasional book/movie reference and sly societal references. Just read it.
This an incredible book. I felt I had entered someone else’s mind who had suffered a severe psychotic break for reasons unknown. There are places in the book where the man seems to almost surface, but those are few and far between. In places, it made me actually gasp.
Read it for the great prose, read it for the captivating story, or read it for the occasional book/movie reference and sly societal references. Just read it.
August 30, 2021
Calibration 74 is a schizophrenic examination of the world through the eyes of a man who has lost everything. Very thought-provoking and also very funny at times (the quotes from pop culture made me smile), it has the perfect ending. I loved it.
April 17, 2021
Wow. Such a great read! It’s definitely worth revisiting several times. A strange, surreal, bizarre, incredible experience. I loved the cadence in this, the way it was told, the poetry.
July 15, 2021
If a traditional book’s narrative could be akin to a painting of a street scene, then this book would be akin to an abstract painting.
Or perhaps it’s more of a collage, with items glued to a canvas. There’s a variety of items: library card, photo of a cat, pages from a diary, a screenshot from the “Lost” TV show, pages from “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.” Let’s say the collage is in an art gallery. The card on the wall next to the collage states its title and the artist and the year of creation.
However, no explanation is given for the collage. So we, as the viewer of the collage, will look at the mixture of items and draw our own conclusions for the artwork’s meaning. Actually, the meaning that each of us sees in the artwork.
That’s the same with “Calibration 74.” The narrator looks for clues around him, clues based in numbers. He believes in a door leading to a place that’s different than this world. Another part of the multiverse. This door is possibly underneath his house, so he pulls up carpeting and hardwood flooring, then breaks the concrete pad.
The search isn’t over there. Ah, we’ve only just begun. The narrator goes on a journey, one clue leading to the next, in his exploration for the door. And the narrator attaches a kind of logic to each clue. Some of those connections might not make sense to us readers, but William Aicher portions out the story so we see how the connections make sense to the narrator.
I found the book to be a wild journey in itself. A maze built of the narrator’s interpretations of the world, mentions about the narrator’s past, and references to culture. If you’re looking for meaning, isn’t that maze what you have to navigate? We’re collages of those interpretations, memories, cultural influences.
If you’re open to taking a recess from stories with traditional narratives, I recommend this book. I really enjoyed the trip through it. The ambiguity sparked my thinking to craft my own meaning from it.
Or perhaps it’s more of a collage, with items glued to a canvas. There’s a variety of items: library card, photo of a cat, pages from a diary, a screenshot from the “Lost” TV show, pages from “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.” Let’s say the collage is in an art gallery. The card on the wall next to the collage states its title and the artist and the year of creation.
However, no explanation is given for the collage. So we, as the viewer of the collage, will look at the mixture of items and draw our own conclusions for the artwork’s meaning. Actually, the meaning that each of us sees in the artwork.
That’s the same with “Calibration 74.” The narrator looks for clues around him, clues based in numbers. He believes in a door leading to a place that’s different than this world. Another part of the multiverse. This door is possibly underneath his house, so he pulls up carpeting and hardwood flooring, then breaks the concrete pad.
The search isn’t over there. Ah, we’ve only just begun. The narrator goes on a journey, one clue leading to the next, in his exploration for the door. And the narrator attaches a kind of logic to each clue. Some of those connections might not make sense to us readers, but William Aicher portions out the story so we see how the connections make sense to the narrator.
I found the book to be a wild journey in itself. A maze built of the narrator’s interpretations of the world, mentions about the narrator’s past, and references to culture. If you’re looking for meaning, isn’t that maze what you have to navigate? We’re collages of those interpretations, memories, cultural influences.
If you’re open to taking a recess from stories with traditional narratives, I recommend this book. I really enjoyed the trip through it. The ambiguity sparked my thinking to craft my own meaning from it.
July 29, 2021
From the very first sentence Calibration 74 reminded me of what it felt like before I became a writer.
The random thoughts that almost formed coherent sentences to me but would mean nothing to anyone else.
And from the first Calibration I knew I had stumbled onto something special.
There was method here. An order to the disorder. And much like the protagonist of this story I needed to open the door.
Many times reading this novella felt like seeing the mind of a writer organising his thoughts in real time. Like a descent into the hole the writing process often leaves you in.
But the genius here is that whilst it is certainly free-form, Aicher knows what he's doing and where he's going. Did he know when he started this project? I imagine he would say no but I think he did.
Nothing about this story is safe. Nothing about it is mainstream. It doesn't pander, and isn't remotely apologetic for that.
And something wonderful happened a few calibrations in; I discovered the most enjoyable way to read this story is out loud. Reminding me of how I used to read graphic novels. Becoming the character.
The possibility of a purple pug pouncing playfully, preempting preposterous pointillism is reason enough for me to recommend this gorgeous gem.
Praise to Bill for perfectly articulating what is byf ar the most engrossing dissection of a fractured soul.
The words not his are now not mine and the lock without a key remains a box.
A box you need to open.
Such is the nature of the treasure contained within.
The random thoughts that almost formed coherent sentences to me but would mean nothing to anyone else.
And from the first Calibration I knew I had stumbled onto something special.
There was method here. An order to the disorder. And much like the protagonist of this story I needed to open the door.
Many times reading this novella felt like seeing the mind of a writer organising his thoughts in real time. Like a descent into the hole the writing process often leaves you in.
But the genius here is that whilst it is certainly free-form, Aicher knows what he's doing and where he's going. Did he know when he started this project? I imagine he would say no but I think he did.
Nothing about this story is safe. Nothing about it is mainstream. It doesn't pander, and isn't remotely apologetic for that.
And something wonderful happened a few calibrations in; I discovered the most enjoyable way to read this story is out loud. Reminding me of how I used to read graphic novels. Becoming the character.
The possibility of a purple pug pouncing playfully, preempting preposterous pointillism is reason enough for me to recommend this gorgeous gem.
Praise to Bill for perfectly articulating what is byf ar the most engrossing dissection of a fractured soul.
The words not his are now not mine and the lock without a key remains a box.
A box you need to open.
Such is the nature of the treasure contained within.
July 29, 2021
4.5 stars rounded up. I keep seeing blurbs in which this title is referred to as “The Phantom Tollbooth for adults.” For me, a more accurate description would be Notes from the Underground or a Samuel Beckett play mixed with Salad Fingers…that’s at least the best that I can do in describing it! The story is dark and unsettling; the style incorporates beautiful prose. Can I fully explain what I finished reading in the wee small hours this morning? Not at all, but I can’t recommend it enough! I spent the first half straining to figure out what was going on and the second half completely engrossed and refusing to worry about the little things (like what was happening and if what occurs is accurate or not). I’ll definitely be revisiting this title and author in the future!
April 23, 2021
For fans of Mark Z. Danieliewsky, and films such as Pi, and The Number 23 - this remarkable story is a twisted tale... 1 part poetry, 2 parts fiction, and 3 parts stream of consciousness. The MC of this piece is obsessed with numbers. He wants to see a pattern, to make sense of things. He wants to learn some basic deep truth. There is a murder mystery and perhaps an alien abduction but those elements pale to the greater story at hand, and that is the exploration into self and consciousness. The ending of this book sets it aside from the other works mentioned before. Will Aicher brings us to a conclusion I've not seen or heard of before. Check it out!
March 25, 2021
I was worried that the experimental nature of this novella would make it hard to connect with it/understand it, but there was a steady balance of grounding moments/actions/references in conjunction with the more stream of conscious, poetic voice. There were moments that resonated with me and moments that gave me an existential crisis, and what more can you ask for from a book? Calibration 74 is certainly nontraditional, tending more toward the poetry side of things, but it is definitely worth a read.
June 8, 2021
This book is a trip. I didn't really know what to expect, but based on word of mouth I knew it was quite unique. I liked where it took me. The narrator leads readers on a journey, through stream of consciousness, and the subconscious. Often, I'd find myself pausing to reflect on a particular page, or line, or blank space. I think much of the writing here is thought provoking, and perfect for some deep conversation. It's playful, while diving into existentialism, and refreshingly poetic. Such a cool experience.
August 13, 2021
I don’t shy away from challenging reads and William Aicher’s CALIBRATION 74 definitely fit the bill as “challenging.” I deliberately did not sit down to read this masterwork, unless I felt I could devote the time and focus required to lose myself in the mind-stream of the author’s epic mental wanderings. I’m not always sure where the journey took me—yet I do know that while I was reading I was truly immersed in the raving flow and artistry of the words. For me, that made for a very successful experiment.
Recommended.
Recommended.
February 14, 2021
A unique and intriguing style. I got the feeling of walking through a surrealist painting as I read. Another reviewer mentioned that this one could be cool read live...I agree; there is a catchy and satisfying rhythm here in the midst of the stream of consciousness and surrealism. This book was just what I needed, as I have been heavy into non-fiction lately.
February 15, 2021
Interesting surreal book that within its pages and through the world-play that the author does (through narrate and poetry like written sentences), he tackles a lot of ideas and makes the reader think of various issues about the past, the future, the presence, the fantasy, the reality etc.
I received a free ARC copy of this book but that did not affect my review in any way.
I received a free ARC copy of this book but that did not affect my review in any way.
January 25, 2022
Yes, this captures what many of us did during Lockdown: explore graveyards and the wasteland of darkling streets; swim through a sea of masks and doom-laden conspiracism; descend into a grimy, mystical abyss below our godforsaken abodes in search of meaning or a missing cat . . . yes, something smells - and it's the unnerving scent of a deep elsewhere.
March 21, 2021
If it wasn't so short, may be considered a cursed artifact
Finished in two sittings and was very difficult to put down the first time, so be sure you are watered and fed before you start. A psuedo narrative told through a series of disturbing poems written by a mad man.
Finished in two sittings and was very difficult to put down the first time, so be sure you are watered and fed before you start. A psuedo narrative told through a series of disturbing poems written by a mad man.
Read
March 9, 2021This book is a masterstroke of writing. Aicher doesn't just take you behind the curtain, he makes you feel like you are the curtain, choosing when and what to reveal. It's a trip to behold and definitely a must-read for anyone who is looking for something other than the same old rehashed stories that are so popular in today's market.
I've seen other people refer to it as an "experimental novella," which sums it up nicely. It's not too long, but you may find yourself rereading several parts – not because they're bad or confusing, but because you want to truly wrap your mind around it.
As always, I shy away from anything that could be a spoiler when I review something. But I love batshit insanity, and this book is that in all the best ways. Go f'n read it.
I've seen other people refer to it as an "experimental novella," which sums it up nicely. It's not too long, but you may find yourself rereading several parts – not because they're bad or confusing, but because you want to truly wrap your mind around it.
As always, I shy away from anything that could be a spoiler when I review something. But I love batshit insanity, and this book is that in all the best ways. Go f'n read it.
April 11, 2021
Interesting read
July 21, 2021
Posted from my Reedsy Book Reviewer Profile
Calibration 74 is the perfect example of the magic realism genre. Filled with strange and absurd happenings, the story constantly has the reader questioning what is real and what is constructed in the character's mind.
Written as diary-like entries in a flow-of-consciousness narrative, this experimental novel exhibits moments of fantasy and sci-fi. Beginning with a random set of numbers plucked out of thin air, the protagonist seeks to find meaning and purpose by applying these in the real world. He constructs 74 calculations, or calibrations, in an attempt to have these numbers make some sense. These attempts send the character on a whirlwind adventure to libraries and cemeteries, losing his cat Carlos, and boiling the skull of a dead girl called Marcy. Poetry and nursery rhymes are tied in with the action, and there’s even a chapter where the sky turns into a giant toilet.
Put simply, Calibration 74 is a story of madness, randomness and a mind led adrift. It is a story of man who, attempting to seek purpose and meaning in the world around him, is led down a path of delirium. Although there are themes of philosophy and wisdom, the overall strangeness and absurdity of the book means these moments are only fleeting. Descriptively, setting and objects are noted in great depth and detail. Whether these details are necessary or not to the narrative isn’t important; what’s important is that these thoughts exist in the first place. There is a pleasing simplicity to the nature of these descriptions. Mundane everyday objects such as books and keys become centre stage; a small plot in the storyline, yet described with all the vigour a main character would be given.
Calibration 74 is the perfect book for those wanting to branch out and experiment with the genre of magic realism. Although the story follows a loose narrative, which at face value makes little sense, these writings hold snippets of wisdom and intrigue to be reflected. As the madness and absurdity can be overwhelming at times, these moments are a welcomed pause through all the noise
Calibration 74 is the perfect example of the magic realism genre. Filled with strange and absurd happenings, the story constantly has the reader questioning what is real and what is constructed in the character's mind.
Written as diary-like entries in a flow-of-consciousness narrative, this experimental novel exhibits moments of fantasy and sci-fi. Beginning with a random set of numbers plucked out of thin air, the protagonist seeks to find meaning and purpose by applying these in the real world. He constructs 74 calculations, or calibrations, in an attempt to have these numbers make some sense. These attempts send the character on a whirlwind adventure to libraries and cemeteries, losing his cat Carlos, and boiling the skull of a dead girl called Marcy. Poetry and nursery rhymes are tied in with the action, and there’s even a chapter where the sky turns into a giant toilet.
Put simply, Calibration 74 is a story of madness, randomness and a mind led adrift. It is a story of man who, attempting to seek purpose and meaning in the world around him, is led down a path of delirium. Although there are themes of philosophy and wisdom, the overall strangeness and absurdity of the book means these moments are only fleeting. Descriptively, setting and objects are noted in great depth and detail. Whether these details are necessary or not to the narrative isn’t important; what’s important is that these thoughts exist in the first place. There is a pleasing simplicity to the nature of these descriptions. Mundane everyday objects such as books and keys become centre stage; a small plot in the storyline, yet described with all the vigour a main character would be given.
Calibration 74 is the perfect book for those wanting to branch out and experiment with the genre of magic realism. Although the story follows a loose narrative, which at face value makes little sense, these writings hold snippets of wisdom and intrigue to be reflected. As the madness and absurdity can be overwhelming at times, these moments are a welcomed pause through all the noise
March 22, 2021
Less a descent into madness than a continuation thereof.
I read Calibration 74 because I've seen it compared, favorably, to House of Leaves, by Mark Z. Danielewski. I can see how it's similar to Johnny Truant's story, though it reminded me more of Blake Butler's There is no Year, and The Way Through Doors, by Jesse Ball. The story is very dreamlike, poetic, and forces the reader to fill in the gaps. Or maybe I'm trying too hard to make sense where there doesn't need to be any. Regardless, I enjoyed it.
I read Calibration 74 because I've seen it compared, favorably, to House of Leaves, by Mark Z. Danielewski. I can see how it's similar to Johnny Truant's story, though it reminded me more of Blake Butler's There is no Year, and The Way Through Doors, by Jesse Ball. The story is very dreamlike, poetic, and forces the reader to fill in the gaps. Or maybe I'm trying too hard to make sense where there doesn't need to be any. Regardless, I enjoyed it.
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