david_agranoff's review
4.0
This novel is set partly in a strange and totally bizarro land, so weird that it is like nowhere else on this earth. The author of this novel grew-up in this realm known as Green Bay Wisconsin. MP Johnson is a one in a million person/ author who grew-up a punk rocker and an aspiring drag-queen in this small town that is known as the Vatican city for american football. It was worthy of winning the wonderland award for the best novel because it is personal and empowering.
Johnson is a talented writer, and has been for a long time, even early in his career when he was prolifically releasing his zine freak tension or writing for the well known punk zine razorcake. I first discovered his work when he submmitted a short story to an anthology I co-edited called the Vault of Punk Horror. This was pre-bizarro movement, but the story (Gone to Seed) while closer to mainstream horror was crazy weird enough to get my attention.
With this novel Johnson is getting well deserved praise. The story of SLeazella La Ruse, Green Bay's top Drag Queen who is pulled by a wizard into a high fantasy realm. You see the wizard was looking for a super glamorous queen for his king and really who is more glam than Sleazella? The only problem is the proposed future queen has a dick. Once there she hooks up with warrior women Blada Femma, and that leads to an amazing training sequence.
This is high concept Bizarro that really delivers on the concept while telling an important story. Only Johnson could have brought the quality story telling and sensitive portrayal to it. You see this author is not tourist, I think that is important. this book developed an audience already but it deserves a bigger one. If I have any complaints with the book is it's short length, I almost never say this but another 50 pages or would have helped the story breathe a little.
Word is Johnson is working on a sequel. Can't wait.
Johnson is a talented writer, and has been for a long time, even early in his career when he was prolifically releasing his zine freak tension or writing for the well known punk zine razorcake. I first discovered his work when he submmitted a short story to an anthology I co-edited called the Vault of Punk Horror. This was pre-bizarro movement, but the story (Gone to Seed) while closer to mainstream horror was crazy weird enough to get my attention.
With this novel Johnson is getting well deserved praise. The story of SLeazella La Ruse, Green Bay's top Drag Queen who is pulled by a wizard into a high fantasy realm. You see the wizard was looking for a super glamorous queen for his king and really who is more glam than Sleazella? The only problem is the proposed future queen has a dick. Once there she hooks up with warrior women Blada Femma, and that leads to an amazing training sequence.
This is high concept Bizarro that really delivers on the concept while telling an important story. Only Johnson could have brought the quality story telling and sensitive portrayal to it. You see this author is not tourist, I think that is important. this book developed an audience already but it deserves a bigger one. If I have any complaints with the book is it's short length, I almost never say this but another 50 pages or would have helped the story breathe a little.
Word is Johnson is working on a sequel. Can't wait.
miramanga's review
1.0
This book is so bad it took me over a year to read. As someone who loves drag and dungeons and dragons I couldn't find any redeeming features. Loads of gross out moments that are just plain icky.
ferencb's review
4.0
I received this book through a Goodreads giveaway.
That being said, I was fearful of this book. Don't have any drag queens around here, never met one, and while I don't judge them, I don't understand them either. So I was afraid I won't like this book because I won't understand the main character's motivation.
But there was so much blood, gore, and other biological secretions in this book, that the drag queen's character was the least of my problems.
Just to make things clear. I have never read a bizarro book before. That might explain why I was so shocked by this book. Shocked and amused. I might even say I liked this book, because of its witty humor and ironic style.
Not being a fan of the genre (didn't know there is such a genre) I can't give it five stars. Won't give less then four either, because I can't decide how good this book actually is, without proper comparison to other similar books.
PS: It's not a really tedious reading, so if you get your hands on it, read it. Especially if you haven't read this kind of fiction before (like me).
That being said, I was fearful of this book. Don't have any drag queens around here, never met one, and while I don't judge them, I don't understand them either. So I was afraid I won't like this book because I won't understand the main character's motivation.
But there was so much blood, gore, and other biological secretions in this book, that the drag queen's character was the least of my problems.
Spoiler
Not to mention the story. A drag queen, mistakenly considered a real queen, abducted to become the wife of a serpent-lord. Which eventually happens, and after some really-really (and I mean really) strange intercourse gets pregnant (in her wig!). Just to give an example of what happens in this book.Just to make things clear. I have never read a bizarro book before. That might explain why I was so shocked by this book. Shocked and amused. I might even say I liked this book, because of its witty humor and ironic style.
Not being a fan of the genre (didn't know there is such a genre) I can't give it five stars. Won't give less then four either, because I can't decide how good this book actually is, without proper comparison to other similar books.
PS: It's not a really tedious reading, so if you get your hands on it, read it. Especially if you haven't read this kind of fiction before (like me).
maleficentknits's review
4.0
Drag Queen, Sleazella, finds herself teleported into another dimension/alternate reality where she is destined to be a real queen, mated to a flying slug who rules the land.
Sex battles (literally) and disgusting, oozing creatures with a bit of torture thrown in. What can I say. Funny as hell and never a dull moment.
Thanks, Dawn, I really needed a laugh and this book hit the spot.
Sex battles (literally) and disgusting, oozing creatures with a bit of torture thrown in. What can I say. Funny as hell and never a dull moment.
Thanks, Dawn, I really needed a laugh and this book hit the spot.
lpniskanen's review
5.0
This book had me laughing throughout the entire story. Sleazella is one of a kind and we should all aspire to have a little bit of her spunk in all of us.
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