Lazermall

by Sam Richard, Jo Quenell, Katy Quinn

Three novellettes by three different horror authors, each one implored to contain two very specific things: LAZERS and MALLS. The variety between these three stories was great, as each author took the concept and made it their own. And while the book might be labelled as 'horror' there are healthy doses of weirdness and humor running through the veins of each of these tales. A short read (seriously, it only took me like 2 hours to read the whole thing) but a helluva good time.- Danger Slater (author, I Will Rot Without You and Puppet Skin)
Just when you thought it was safe to go to the mall...Three authors (Katy Michelle Quinn, Jo Quenell, Sam Richard) of the strange, the unsettling, and the bizarre each conjure their own vision of lazer-infused mall-horror. From queer mall-goths fighting for their lives against androids with explosive genitals, to the American propaganda machine using coerced shock-rocker punk musicians to fight Soviet Communism, to a mall security officer high on the power of robots who seeks to crush the women who've scorned him.

We have it all, and more...

Welcome to the LAZERMALL.

144 pages, Paperback

First published April 30, 2022

About the author

Sam Richard is the author of several books including The Still Beating Heart of a Dead God and the award-winning To Wallow in Ash & Other Sorrows. He has edited ten anthologies, including the cult hits Profane Altars: Weird Sword & Sorcery and The New Flesh, and his short fiction has appeared in over forty publications. Widowed in 2017, he slowly rots in Minneapolis where he runs Weirdpunk Books. You can stalk him @SammyTotep across most socials or at weirdpunkbooks.com

Reviews

[Víctor Luca · Rating 5 out of 5]

The only bad thing I have to say about this is that it was too short.

[Leon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Need more fucking LAZER HORROR

[Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Firstly, the ridiculous nature of the stories, each premise (simply, "lazers" and "malls"), was all I needed to hear to be coaxed into giving this book a try. Why not? It’s small, and should read quickly.

And then…

Countless issues with grammar, descriptions, punctuation, layout, and formatting all make for distracting bumps while rollerblading on the cobbled road that is reading this book. Seemingly every other page has a lurking typo.

Clearly, I woke up the day after reading this and myself “chose violence.”

But I digress. The stated point of this book is to be bad, like an homage to 1980s B-movie horror, with a modern bent. Bad-on-purpose, for fun.

Three stories equals three unequal meals, like crusty bread, main course, and dessert. The third course probably has the most adept storytelling, because it flows and is easier to follow along and not lose the action or point. I liked that one, and frankly that saved the book a star. Dolce!

Note: My friends really liked this book and also did mention its blemishes, and I'll pass it along to the next friend... like a literary coldsore, or HPV!

So at least it’s a fun read! (I would possibly read more of their books, but I would need some serious guarantees about at least typos and formatting. I'd offer my services, but think this review is the equivalent of crapping my pants in the interview.)

[Carrie Blythe · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars