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Science Fiction and Fantasy Association of New Zealand |
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A Festival Of Skeletons by RJ Astruc Crossed Genres Supplied for review by Crossed Genres |
Reviewed By: Simon Litten |
| A Festival of Skeletons is R. J.
Astruc’s first novel, but she is an accomplished writer at the short story end of the
science fiction and fantasy market so I had hopes of a competently written story if
nothing else. If this edition is anything to go by Ms Astruc has a very promising future
as a writer of comedic prose at novel length. New writers inevitably draw comparisons to the established/known talents and for me the obvious comparator is early Terry Pratchett, with his sly satire and juxtaposition of the ordinary and the absurd; the less obvious is Christopher Moore, who treats the usual standards of horror or fantasy as fit targets for lampoons and pratfalls – so it is with Ms Astruc, who happily uses satire, lampoon and pratfall, often to hilarious effect. Her story is populated by cross-dressing morticians, monomaniacal police, a cook with charisma and zombies, courtesy of a soupcon too much necromancy, delivered within a deftly told story populated by characters that I cared about. And more importantly, A Festival of Skeletons is a fun read – so much so I was most disappointed when I finished the book. R. J. Astruc is fortunate that I don’t know where she lives otherwise I would be besieging her domicile and demanding, with money and menaces, a sequel…or a new novel, either will do. |
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SFFANZ is a non-profit organisation
and registered charity designed to bring together fans of the fantastic in New Zealand |
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Contact us by email at: enquiries@sffanz.org.nz |
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