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xach's review
4.0
TL;DR: I laughed when it was funny, I went "What the hell?" when I was supposed to, and I read it all in one sitting. Would recommend to friends looking for a sci-fi/horror novella.
LONGER VERSION:
For those who remember the X-Files episode "Field Trip," you will see ghosts of that in Boom Town, along with shades of The Puppet Masters, and a hint of The Fall of the House of Usher, in a kind of oblique way, and I'd say that Lovecraft's "A Color Out of Space" is referenced in the narrative as well.
The story is very fast-paced, with some chapters being only a single page long, and the narrative jumping from one character's POV to another within even the short chapters, so that the plot is always moving forward and being revealed through different insights and actions from all the characters. But for all its jumping around, the narrative is never confusing. The use of white space to indicate a new point of view is consistent, and the points of view only shift when there's a visual cue to the reader. It's very cleanly written and easy to follow. Each character has a distinct voice, individual motivations, and unique reasons for engaging in the narrative's through-line.
As the story progressed, I began to wonder if I'd ever actually get to the big reveal common in so many monster stories, where the reader understands the nature of the monster, but Boom Town takes a more Lovecraftian tack and denies full understanding to the reader. So if you're looking for a story with a neat wrap-up and no loose ends, this may not be for you. This narrative does not wrap itself up with a neat little bow, it presents an opening for a longer, larger story to follow it--something I hope happens, because I'd like to know more about the world. It also does not shy away from the uncomfortable plot points. While the story has the feel of a Steven Spielberg movie, it lacks the survivability guarantee for certain types of characters. No one is safe in this little town.
What would have taken this story from a 4- to a 5-star review would have been a bit more characterization of the town, more visceral details to really make the setting real for me, and to have those details revealed organically, rather than in an infodump--but this is personal preference, and not anything that I feel I am *owed* by the story. Also, I think there's a balancing act of how much to reveal of the mysterious monstrous presence, versus how much to keep hidden so the reader stays engaged, and I'm not entirely sure the story walked that tightrope perfectly the entire time. There were points when I would not have minded a little more understanding of what was going on, or at least characters' similar desire, rather than an acceptance of the situation.
I also have a pet peeve that was right in the beginning, when a character is referred to as a "professor of science," rather than naming a specific field of study. But, as a pet peeve, I can't really put too much weight on it as far as the overall quality of the story.
So, yeah. Enjoyable. Accept it for what it is, don't ask it to be anything more, and you'll be happy with it.
LONGER VERSION:
For those who remember the X-Files episode "Field Trip," you will see ghosts of that in Boom Town, along with shades of The Puppet Masters, and a hint of The Fall of the House of Usher, in a kind of oblique way, and I'd say that Lovecraft's "A Color Out of Space" is referenced in the narrative as well.
The story is very fast-paced, with some chapters being only a single page long, and the narrative jumping from one character's POV to another within even the short chapters, so that the plot is always moving forward and being revealed through different insights and actions from all the characters. But for all its jumping around, the narrative is never confusing. The use of white space to indicate a new point of view is consistent, and the points of view only shift when there's a visual cue to the reader. It's very cleanly written and easy to follow. Each character has a distinct voice, individual motivations, and unique reasons for engaging in the narrative's through-line.
As the story progressed, I began to wonder if I'd ever actually get to the big reveal common in so many monster stories, where the reader understands the nature of the monster, but Boom Town takes a more Lovecraftian tack and denies full understanding to the reader. So if you're looking for a story with a neat wrap-up and no loose ends, this may not be for you. This narrative does not wrap itself up with a neat little bow, it presents an opening for a longer, larger story to follow it--something I hope happens, because I'd like to know more about the world. It also does not shy away from the uncomfortable plot points. While the story has the feel of a Steven Spielberg movie, it lacks the survivability guarantee for certain types of characters. No one is safe in this little town.
What would have taken this story from a 4- to a 5-star review would have been a bit more characterization of the town, more visceral details to really make the setting real for me, and to have those details revealed organically, rather than in an infodump--but this is personal preference, and not anything that I feel I am *owed* by the story. Also, I think there's a balancing act of how much to reveal of the mysterious monstrous presence, versus how much to keep hidden so the reader stays engaged, and I'm not entirely sure the story walked that tightrope perfectly the entire time. There were points when I would not have minded a little more understanding of what was going on, or at least characters' similar desire, rather than an acceptance of the situation.
I also have a pet peeve that was right in the beginning, when a character is referred to as a "professor of science," rather than naming a specific field of study. But, as a pet peeve, I can't really put too much weight on it as far as the overall quality of the story.
So, yeah. Enjoyable. Accept it for what it is, don't ask it to be anything more, and you'll be happy with it.
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