Des Lewis will be 77 years old on 18 January 2025
Those who have read these episodic brainstorming reviews of mine must know they are very personal — rough-shod and spontaneous. Synchronicity and anagram mixed. I know they are not professional, never potentially publishable other than in the madness of my head, but I do hope they show grains of dark truth and cosmic panache.
These Des Lewis Gestalt Real-Time Reviews were founded in 2008.
‘What’s the loveliest word in the English language, officer? In the sound it makes in your mouth, in the shape it makes on the page? What do you think? Well now, I’ll tell you: E-L-B-O-W. Elbow.’ — THE SINGING DETECTIVE
“How shall a man find his way unless he lose it?” — Walter de la Mare
To any current genre author I have reviewed before — if you have a new story recently published or soon to be published in a collection or anthology, you may have a review by me of the story that also showcases where it is published. See HERE. (This is because I am no longer well enough to review as many books as I once did.)
Fresh Fictions, free to read HERE.
No AI input in preparation of my texts whatsoever.
THE NEW NONSCENIC
Photos here: https://conezero.wordpress.com/2024/02/24/d-f-lewis-recent-photos-1/
There is quite a number of items of such artwork by Alan Casey within the book!
That girl’s eyelid…
Someone mentioned elsewhere:
“This pic looks to be an artistic representation of the Shadow Of Love single by The Damned: HERE”
I could not resist sharing two more artworks I have taken snapshots of from this book, a book I have owned for several years. Plus an aide-mémoire below to help the reader.
There are many other Alan Casey artworks throughout this book, artworks perhaps even more incredible.
CHAPTERS 1 to 4
“Blisters,” he said. He removed a bag of ginger biscuits. “For each injury sustained on the quest, a simple pleasure in return.”
Alternately, we read as if two mind-fizzing stories, firstly one about a highwayman called Darktree in conversation with his own portrait. But if I am wrong, you must correct me, as Nick Abbot might say. And, secondly, the gravedigger with Shovel and Raven. A bit UnderMilkwoodish with references to a backwards Holdall. And a god called Beer’or. This work is unique even for Rhys Hughes. Producing here early on in his writing career something roughly where he intends to end up — his greatest work till he produces his last one.
“Did you grope her fancy?”
I have been Dabbling with Diabelli for most of yesterday evening and this afternoon, oops, Dabbling with this novella…
“You read too many novellas.” – it says at one point in it. Talk about self-referential or reta reta meta-made. Even a pub called THE NAMELESS TAVERN renamed from THE CTHULHU ARMS and much much more. It is probably the worst or best novella you have ever read, according to your taste. Nothing in between. The blurb on the back gives you no idea as to its multi-references and fizzing narratives. Having read it before, I was glad to see it has weathered well. Nobody else has managed to break the meaning-barrier like this author during the period in between except this author himself, or a portrait of himself. But which is real? And the multifarious artworks by Alan Casey are genuinely even more staggering and stunning after percolation during all the intervening years since I saw them (I have only shown a few of them above).
Eyelidiad is a book that if it didn’t exist before it would have to exist now. Nothing I can say in a real-time review proper could possibly do justice to it. So I have decided that shortly I shall spend my time doing justice, instead, to another book* that I can hopefully bring out of the closet properly and give attention to what I remember being prime RhysHughesian stuff that is reviewable, unlike Eyelidiad that is beautifully UNreviewable. I am glad I got at least one Owl eyelid in a photo above of the book.
*Engelbrecht Again! (https://dflewisreviews.wordpress.com/2019/04/24/engelbrecht-again-rhys-hughes/)
I have also ordered a rare copy of LEVIATHAN #2 whereby I can review The Darktree Wheel, in due course.
My many other reviews of Rhys Hughes: https://dflewisreviews.wordpress.com/494-2/
Hobbes’ Leviathan was mentioned in a book reviewed earlier today: https://dflewisreviews.wordpress.com/2019/04/16/their-dark-secret-alchemy/#comment-15482