The New Weird
New Weird Tales
This avant-garde anthology that presents and defines the New Weird—a hip, stylistic fiction that evokes the gritty exuberance of pulp novels and dime-store comic books—creates a new literature that is entirely unprecedented and utterly compelling. Assembling an array of talent, this collection includes contributions from visionaries Michael Moorcock and China Miéville, modern icon Clive Barker, and audacious new talents Hal Duncan, Jeffrey Ford, and Sarah Monette. An essential snapshot of a vibrant movement in popular fiction, this anthology also features critical writings from authors, theorists, and international editors as well as witty selections from online debates.
Personal Review: The New Weird
More than just a brilliant selection of tales written in the "New Weird" milieu, the Vandermeers' THE NEW WEIRD is also a thought-provoking meditation on the very nature of literary movements.
The book is broken down into five interesting different parts: 1) INTRODUCTION is written by Jeff Vandermeer, author of CITY OF SAINTS & MADMEN, who comes off as an exceptionally broad-minded and insightful editor and literary critic of sorts. His intelligent and entertaining introduction sets the stage well. 2) STIMULI consists of tales by authors who predated the New Weird movement, but whose widely varied sensibilities, taken together, influenced and instigated the concept of NW. These authors, mostly of legendary status, have influenced genres as diverse as Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Dark Fantasy, Horror, Historical, and Modern "Literary" Fiction. For me, the personal high point is a rare early story by the modern master of the Old Weird, Thomas Ligotti. 3) EVIDENCE is the part of this book that most anthologies are comprised entirely of - newer stories by "movement" or "moment" authors. These are top-notch selections from truly cutting-edge talents like China Mieville, Brian Evenson, and Jeffrey Ford. This is where you'll really get a feel for what the NW sub-genre is all about. 4) SYMPOSIUM is a wide-ranging exploration of what literary movements the New Weird in partuicular, of course - mean to readers, writers, publishers, and editors from practical as well as philisophical perspectives. Of special interest is a partial reproduction of the internet message-board discussion that is generally credited with having helped kick-start the NW. Great stuff. 5) LABORATORY is a round-robin story-cycle by seven or eight authors, all writing in the NW mode, that, to my surprise, ends up being one of the great revealtions of the book. Paul Difilipo set the stage, and each subsequent author took the story and developed it in their own unique and suprising way, successfully creating a single story that no single mind ever would have. LABORATORY actually makes me wish there were anthologies comprised of nothing but round-robin experiments... Anyways, THE NEW WEIRD is simply one of the most engaging, vital, and intellectually stiumulating "genre-fiction" anothologies I've ever read. 5 big weird stars.
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