A. Lee Martinez
Books: Fantasy
Gil's All Fright Diner (2005)
Anthologies
Death's Excellent Vacation (2010)
Gil's All Fright Diner (2005)
A vampire and werewolf walk into a diner… Not in those words, but that's pretty much the start of Gil's All Fright Diner. Duke the werewolf and Earl the vampire end up spending time at Gil's All Night Diner, to help Loretta the owner deal with her zombie problem. Meanwhile, Tammy, a young and bored teenager, is working to bring about the end of the world with her follower and boyfriend, Chad.
The story is an irreverent romp. Both Duke and Earl are rednecks as well as supernatural, and neither has a supernatural beauty–though Earl does have a vampire's sexual charisma.
And… I have to admit that it was interesting, but for me it was just a tad bit too long. I think I would have enjoyed it more as a novella. But that's almost certainly just me, as I wasn't that enamored of Christopher Moore's Bloodsucking Fiends either.
So very amusing, but not my thing. Bet Michael will enjoy it though.
Rating: 7/10
Anthologies
Death's Excellent Vacation (2010) edited by Charlaine Harris & Toni L. P. Kelner
Yeah, I'm a sucker for anthologies. Especially ones where I know the majority of the stories will be good.
Mind you, I wasn't impressed enough with the list of authors to pay full price (this still isn't out in paperback yet?!) but there were plenty of used copies floating around, which is how I got my fix.
- Blondes by Charlaine Harris
- The Boys Go Fishing by Sarah Smith
- One for the Money by Jeaniene Frost
- Meanwhile, Far across the Caspian Sea… by Daniel Stashower
- The Innsmouth Nook by A. Lee Martinez
- Safe and Sound by Jeff Abbott
- Seeing Is Believing by L.A. Banks
- The Perils of Effrijim by Katie MacAlister
- Thin Walls by Christopher Golden
- The Heart Is Always Right by Lilith Saintcrow
- The Demon in the Dunes by Chris Grabenstein
- Home from America by Sharan Newman
- Pirate Dave's Haunted Amusement Park by Toni L. P. Kelner
The Innsmouth Nook was, as I expected from A. Lee Martinez, quite funny.
"So two single guys from the big city move to our little town and open a bed-and-breakfast. But you're not gay."
"We're just friends," he said.
"Right. Because straight men open bed-and-breakfasts all the time."
That–and several other bits–cracked me up. It's also, now I look at it, as good a summation of the story as any.
So, a pretty good collection. As always there were stories I didn't like, but most of them were simple a conflict of taste rather than bad stories. But really, it's been two and a half years. How is this not out in paperback already?
Published by Ace
Rating: 7/10