Zod Wallop

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Sly humor and eccentric characters raise Spencer's third novel (following Rsum, with Monsters) far above run-of-the-mill fantasy fare. Since his daughter drowned three years ago, children's-book author Harry Gainesborough has settled into a life of quiet desperation. He hasn't written a word, and though his agent is badgering him to spin out another book or at least to sell the film rights to Zod Wallop, the phenomenally successful novel he wrote just before Amy died, Harry is in no mood to do either, or in fact to have any contact with the outside world. But he can't avoid Raymond Story, an inmate of a local asylum who's so enchanted by Zod Wallop that he breaks out, hunts down Harry and tells him that the characters of the novel are coming to life. And the lunatic seems to be right: Fantastic creatures that have hitherto existed only in Harry's books now seem to take great delight in indulging in acts of antic destruction, from ruining the paint job on Harry's car to blowing up a helicopter. The line between reality and imagination blurs further when it's revealed that Harry knows Raymond through his own psychiatric hospitalization. By raising the question of who is crazy and who is sane, Spencer seduces the reader into considering the underlying question: What is craziness and what is sanity? Happily, this very talented author has not only the irreverent humor, but also the insight into the manic rhythms of madness, to pull this query off. (Nov.)

Library Journal

The accidental death of his daughter has left children's author Harry Gainsborough bereft of hope. Harry's final book, written while he was institutionalized, begins to intrude upon the real world. Along with a group of mental patients, Harry embarks on a journey toward healing or self-damnation. The author of Resume with Monsters Permanent Pr., 1994 delivers a comic and bittersweet fable of magical realism. Artfully written, with an eye for the fragile boundaries between the real and the imaginary, this novel should appeal to a broad readership. A good purchase for fantasy or general fiction collections.

Melanie Duncan

Children's writer Harry Gainesborough is institutionalized following the drowning death of his daughter, Amy. At the institution, he meets Raymond Story, a young man obsessed with Harry's books. As part of his therapy, Harry writes "Zod Wallop", a twisted fairy tale in which the young heroine, Lydia, dies and the world ceases to exist without her. Raymond is so disturbed by the manuscript that Harry writes a version with a "happy ending," which is published. Raymond doesn't forget about Harry or "Zod Wallop" and becomes obsessed with bringing the book to life--including Lydia, who is based on Harry's daughter. As Harry joins Raymond and other institutionalized patients in trying to make sense of the changing world, the loving father must make a choice: the return of his daughter or the end of all existence? Wonderfully zany with sinister overtones, "Zod Wallop" could be the story of Robin Hood and his Merry Men on LSD. It is a strange fairy tale for adults and should be purchased wherever Spencer's books are popular or for adventurous fantasy collections.