Editorial Reviews for Nominees
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 Score: 90/100 (9.0 out of 10)
Do you need an escape from reality? Do you want to dive into some absurdist fun involving anthropomorphic animals and surrealist situations? Well, The Surreal Adventures of Anthony Zen may be the short-story collection for you. Anthony Zen is a collection of surrealist, absurdist, and—quite frankly—ridiculous short-stories by Cameron A. Straughan! Who says that literature has to be serious, deep, and complex? Sometimes, literature can just be weird, funky, and fun. This book follows the titular character, Anthony, through many hijinks, shenanigans, and mundane/daily events that often inevitably turn into hijinks and shenanigans. In “Anthony Gets Up for Work,” we are introduced to Anthony and his strange pet cat, Monty, who often rings like an alarm clock for some reason. This story kinda pokes fun at the cliché of having the main character tell the reader who he is by looking in the mirror while telling us little at all (ironically). For example, we are told that he appears to be around 13 to 96. Well, that's a huge range! Most of the story implies that his age is probably in early adulthood. He's even explicitly called a “responsible adult.” He goes to court, he works, he shaves, and he is said to have facial hair at some times but not other times (like when the giraffe pulls on his non-existent beard). However, despite these mature features, activities, and characteristics, he often acts like a 9-year-old. The same can be said about his parents, as we'll later discuss. This first story sets up the idea that Anthony's life is far from ordinary, filled with random and nonsensical events that he navigates with bemused detachment. This also introduces us to the author's dry, deadpan sense of humor. No matter how wild, wacky, or crazy things are in the book, it's almost always presented in a matter-of-fact, so I guess that's just the way it is manner. There are some relatable things about Anthony that emerge in the first couple of stories (“Anthony Gets Up for Work” and “On the Way to Work”). For instance, we can already tell that's he quite a self-conscious person. We're told: “He was picky about his appearance. He liked to arrive at work looking his absolute best; it put him in a positive state of mind and increased his self-confidence.” Despite all the crazy stuff that happens in this book, it's human things like this that help us to relate to the character. His parents are a bunch of oddballs, arguably even weirder than Anthony himself. His army-boots-wearing mom makes sport of crank-calling/pranking just like Anthony's supposed “friends” do. His dad seems to be a nudist, or at least a fan of going without clothes in public. Why? Well, it's best you don't ask. There's no good explanation for a lot of things in this book. Anthony encounters a variety of bizarre and whimsical animals throughout The Surreal Adventures of Anthony Zen. These creatures play significant roles in the absurd and surreal situations that unfold around him. Here are a few examples: While Anthony is running to work, he is plagued by flocks of flying snapping turtles that pluck strands of hair from his head as they fly by. These acrobatic creatures are described as pests that often nest atop a government money tower. Why? Well, don't bother asking. In one surreal episode, a giraffe aggressively grabs Anthony by his beard and shakes him violently, throwing him into various obstacles. This encounter is strange and unsettling, yet Anthony eventually realizes the absurdity when he remembers he doesn't have a beard. Why? We do get the pretty humorous passage: “Anthony didn’t know what business the giraffe had on that side of town. Quite frankly, he found the situation rather startling. After all, the entire area had been designated a 'Giraffe-free Zone.'” Anthony observes a police hippo, a giant creature wearing a blue tie and hat, who aggressively enforces justice after a chaotic scene. The hippo engages in a battle with a tall man, swinging its massive body around and causing destruction. Why? At an arena, brightly colored butterflies flock to Anthony’s improvised trousers (made of black hockey tape) and become stuck to him. This kinda reminded us of the sisters made of flies from Resident Evil Village. Anthony also meets a sheep who happens to own a restaurant. Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? WHY? WHY? WHY?! That's the question that kept reverberating in our heads the whole time. It's not like we're unfamiliar with satire. We've read Jonathan Swift, Voltaire, Kurt Vonnegut, and others. We'd admit that the author's style is most like Vonnegut. Like Vonnegut, Straughan’s short-stories often read like a dream, with unexpected twists and shifts in reality, akin to Vonnegut’s non-linear and fragmented storytelling. Both authors play with structure and reality to convey their messages, leaving readers with a sense of disorientation and dark humor as they navigate worlds where logic and reason are frequently upended. These stories also have similarity to Terry Gilliam films like Brazil or Time Bandits. Gilliam's films are filled with bizarre and fantastical imagery that often distorts reality. We did have some takeaways in regard to social commentary. In "Anthony Goes to the Arena,” a violent game called "Dead as a Doornail" is described in detail. The game involves players trying to kill each other while rabid badgers are tied to their waists. The story critiques society's obsession with violence and spectacle in sports, echoing real-world issues while pushing them to the extreme. As fans of pro wrestling, football, boxing, and MMA, this spoke to us. "Anthony Goes to Court" is a humorous courtroom drama in which Anthony finds himself in legal trouble for reasons that are never quite clear. The proceedings are equally nonsensical, with the judge and lawyers engaging in absurd arguments and ridiculous antics. The story pokes fun at the legal system, portraying it as just another area of life where reason has little influence. The justice system and courts in general are overly complex and complicated, full of jargon, procedures, and codes/expectations of conduct that get ridiculous at times. Ironically, this is something that Justin Kojok's lawyer character talked a lot about in Driving for Justice last season. There were some other things we found amusing: - The Shakespearean soliloquy from Hamlet, “To be or not to be”--often touted as the greatest passage in the English language—is recreated and satirized in full as “to bathe or not to bathe.” This must've taken a little thinking and creativity on the author's part. - On a similar note, we get the line, “Shakespeare is the Brussels sprouts of the literary world... I don’t really like him. I’m just forced to have him because he’s supposed to be good for me.” This passage might appeal to anyone who has ever wondered why Shakespeare's plays— which often involve murder, minors getting married and having sex, suicide, betrayal, and glorification of Machiavellian concepts—are forced on impressionable middle school and high school students. - There's a somewhat humorous story about visiting a doctor who happens to have a psychiatrist on hand. Both of them simply point out the obvious like “you have two ears.” This kinda got to us because we work with doctors all the time. Some of us literally live with doctors. Some are brilliant and others... well, we often wonder how they ever got into college. Having an MD or a PhD doesn't make you an insta-genius. Sometimes, as the Big Bang Theory points out, doctors can lack common sense like the rest of us. They're not immune to human stupidity and incompetence. - The author seemed to satirize actors, celebrities, and other people with long, strange, or like-sounding names that create a confusing environment. This reminded us of how we poked fun at all the authors in the last contest who had needlessly complicated names and pen names. Anthony talked about movies starring “Bobbie Dana Taylor, Dana Bobbie Taylor and Taylor Dana Bobbie” (obviously a reference to Millie Bobby Brown). This might also poke fun at the fact that it seems like every movie and TV show has guys like Ryan Reynolds, Chris Pratt, and Pedro Pascal in them. - There was the line “I’m a professional bus driver... I have to know these things!” which reminded us of Monty Python and the Quest for the Holy Grail, going back to how this reminded us of Terry Gilliam. Hey, that might also explain the name of the cat. - There was a creative and humorous reference to a “Mount Tingtension” (obviously phonetic for “Mounting Tension”) which “originates in Holland; where it then twists through Belgium, passes through Germany, cuts up through Russia, bends back to France, completely avoids Switzerland and continues to China where it goes beneath the earth and resurfaces somewhere in the Canadian Prairies” We had two major problems with this book: 1. It really wasn't that funny (to us). We've read much funnier and cleverer books like Way of the Wall Street Warrior by Dave Liu and Bacon Grief by Joel Shoemaker. We rarely so much as cracked a smile or a laugh. 2. It never seemed like anything really mattered. There were no lasting consequences. Things just kept happening seemingly for the sake of happening. However, this was still a worthwhile read that might appeal to you if you just need a bit of escape from cold, harsh, overly-serious reality. Check it out on Amazon!
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 Score: 94/100 (9.4 out of 10)
The Snow Goose and Other Tales is a poignant and heartwarming collection of short-stories surrounding the American Civil War Era by Ellen Eschell Murphy! It is a solid collection of historical fiction stories that are sure to pique your interest. It should be noted that this book primarily focuses on rural civilian life in America during the time period rather than combat or warfare itself. This isn't really a military fiction novel. Therefore, details and descriptions of violence (with the exception of some wounds and blood) is kept to a minimum, making it appropriate for a teen or young-adult audience to read. It is also heavily focused on the Confederate or Southern side of the conflict as the grand majority of the main characters live in rural Northern Virginia. There's a good reason for this, however. The author later explains that these stories are actually publications of oral tales passed down to her by her grandmother and aunt, who happened to have lived in Virginia. It is also revealed in another book in the series, The Survivors, that the author's great-grandfather was an officer in the Confederate army, presumably the Army of Northern Virginia under the legendary General Robert E. Lee. There are three main stories or smaller “books” in this book: “The Visitor,” “The Snow Goose,” and “Blossom Time.” Although they differ in substance, they overlap thematically and even tend to blend and blur together at times. Perhaps the prevailing themes of these three stories are compassion and humanity. In one way or another, each of these three stories explores how—despite conflicts like war—human beings are still human beings. They share certain commonalities. They bleed the same blood. They speak the same languages. They marry. They love. They hate. They feel. They have hopes, dreams, and passions. This isn't just true about the Northerners (Union) and Southerners (Confederates) throughout the book, it's also true about all of these characters in the 19th century and us (the readers) in the 21st century. It's actually extraordinary to think how familiar these people and even their technologies were during that time. We often forget that the American Civil War didn't take place during ancient, prehistoric, or even colonial times. It happened only about a century and a half ago. So, we were amused to read about technologies like household stoves and ovens, trains, canned goods, and more being used back then. It really makes you think about how far we've come yet how much has remained the same. The first story, “The Visitor,” really hits on the themes of compassion and humanity. In this story, we're introduced to Kathy Adams, a young woman who manages her household due to several circumstances. Firstly, her father, John, lost one of his legs in a farming accident early in his life, exempting him from military service. However, this doesn't prevent him from being productive, especially on the family farm. Secondly, Kathy's mother died two years before the events of the story. Thirdly, Kathy's sister, Beth, died while giving birth to Baby Carl. So, in effect, Kathy must accept increased responsibility and mature exponentially as she becomes the surrogate caretaker of the house, her father, and Baby Carl. This actually reminded us a lot of how Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games became the surrogate mom of her family due to circumstances. Kathy is a strong willed woman who admits that she always says what she thinks. Anyway, she encounters a heavily wounded, feverish, and famished Confederate soldier, James, just outside the house. Though their initial encounter is a bit frightening and tense, it quickly becomes apparent that James doesn't mean Kathy any harm and just needs food, lodging, and help. James was left for dead by his regiment after being injured. However, rather than returning to the fighting, he effectively becomes a deserter, making him being there a bit of an ethical dilemma. Could he be dangerous and want more than just help? What if her father finds him or finds out about him? What if the Yankees or Confederates discover him hiding there? Should Kathy harbor him and care for him? Well, Kathy doesn't have to think long before deciding with her conscience. It is heartwarming to see humanity and compassion prevail. Adding a romantic twist, this story becomes a bit of a love-triangle, albeit a lopsided one. It turns out that Kathy has been arranged to marry a despicable man named William who makes disparaging remarks about her and doesn't seem to appreciate or value her at all. He says that he will “take her off the shelf, I guess” like an unwanted item. He also speaks negatively about her beauty, comparing her negatively to other women referred to as “Southern Belles.” Meanwhile, it seems as though James and Kathy genuinely have chemistry, often making each other smile and laugh. The lingering question throughout the story is: Can Kathy break off the arranged marriage with William and marry James instead? James & Cathy are nominees for “Best Couple.” This story also makes it clear that the Northerners, referred to disparagingly as “the Yankees,” are far from the white knight, heroic good guys that they're often portrayed as. Throughout the story, Kathy concerns herself with the atrocities committed by the Yankees and how they could impact her life and the lives of her family and neighbors. For example, the Yankees burn the tobacco fields, causing the price of tobacco to go up. They could also threaten to kill the only virile male pig in the community, which would ruin any hope of sustainable pig farming. It is said in this story that the Yankees steal and take what they want. It's also said that their prisons are hellholes scarce on food and medical care. On one hand, this does kinda point out the Confederate/Southern bias of this book and series. On the other hand, it portrays an honest and genuine view of the conflict—one that isn't sugarcoated. The Union Army wasn't really kind to the rebellious South. You could talk about the naval blockade of southern ports (the “Anaconda Plan”) that made it all but impossible for southerners, including civilians uninvolved in the war effort, to get goods necessary for living. There were countless incidents of plundering. This all was exacerbated under General Ulysses S. Grant, under whom General William Sherman executed his infamous 1864 March to the Sea. During the March to the Sea, the Union troops practiced "total war,” targeting not just Confederate military forces but also infrastructure and civilian property. They destroyed railroads, factories, and farms, leaving a path of destruction intended to break the South's will to fight. Sherman's troops seized or destroyed crops, livestock, and homes, displacing civilians and causing widespread hardship. This included the 1864 Burning of Atlanta. So, the North/Union was far from benevolent. They were involved in many despicable deeds that caused mass suffering. However, like the atomic bombing of Hiroshima & Nagasaki, it could be argued that these terrible deeds may have accelerated the end of the war. The second story, “The Snow Goose,” brings a special kind of charm. The story follows Nancy Hendricks, who lives on a 200-acre farm in Northern Virginia, a farm which is constantly under threat from predators and is without male help (due to Nancy's husband, Tom, being deployed to war). Nancy dreams of having a good guard dog who can scare off the predators and others who might threaten her property and way of life including potential thieves, squatters, marauders, and soldiers from either army. Well, God works in mysterious ways (and probably has a sense of humor) as Nancy finds herself adopting a “guard goose” instead. Nancy discovers a snow goose whose wing appears to have been shot. She helps to nurse him back to health. Throughout the story, Sir Snow Goose (as Nancy calls him) constantly alerts the family to real or perceived danger from Confederate deserters to visitors from the neighborhood. Nancy cutely says that the goose “thinks he's a minuteman.” There is a bit of a hint or soft implication that the goose may be the reincarnation of an actual human person (perhaps a soldier or deceased family member), though it's much more comforting and amusing to think that he's just a goofy animal doing goofy animal things. This is far and away the cutest, most amusing, and most charming story in the book, if not the whole series. The third story, “Blossom Time,” follows a widowed woman named Eileen Barb. Due to the death of her husband, James, in the Civil War, she is left alone with her kids (Ryan, Stacey, and Stephanie) on a farm. The farm seems to contain a lot of apple trees that need to be tended to, trimmed, and picked frequently. She is devastated by the loss of her husband and overwhelmed with being left alone with all the kids and so much work. Although this seems to be the most dismal and depressing of the three stories, it has its bright spots. Once again, the themes of compassion and humanity shine through. Robert, a local man (and friend of James) who has harbored feelings for Eileen all their lives, steps in to help fill the hole in her heart. Meg Anderson and Lillian, two members of the community, also step in to help Eileen with her household/farm work and childcare. While this story isn't a knockout on a surface level, when you really step back and think about it, it's actually quite beautiful. It's about rising from the ashes just like America after the Civil War. Check it out on Amazon! |
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