Warring factions, a perilous new drug, a mysterious death and a small Illinois town on the edge...
Warring factions, a perilous new drug, a mysterious death and a small Illinois town on the edge...
Crime, Horror, Small town & rural
Hopkins Carver, a detective in a small town in Illinois, is caught between The Society, a white supremacist group headed by a disgraced pastor, and ARAFO, a violent anti-fascist resistance movement. The situation becomes critical when a black girl is found dead in an abandoned farmhouse. Is she just another victim in a local suicide epidemic, or is The Society involved?
The town is on edge, and Carver may be losing his mind to Grief Machine, a new drug that has hit the town. Reality and memory blend with history and hallucination, and the lines between man and animal, between one's own mind and the rest of the world, are blurred as the war reaches a fever pitch.
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5 Star rating: This novella is a heady, sometimes disorienting examination of the mind and where it fits in the world, both separate and as a part of it. The hallucinogenic drug Grief Machine serves as a dangerous opening between the conscious mind and the more base instincts which, paradoxically, are given a voice with a certain mad eloquence, making these segments of the story all the more surreal. The story features compelling characters on both ends of the moral spectrum, and it resonates well with today's social climate. ~ Kalaab M Pickering, Amazon
5 Star rating: Truthfully, I read this as my dad passed away. It was a much needed departure from the chaos I was experiencing while being chaotic page by page. It was incredibly hard to put down. I don’t know how to describe this brilliant piece of literature other than an amazing, introspective thrill-ride that took me through so many emotional stages. I will read this again soon. ~ Theo Long, Goodreads
5 Star rating: Weishaar never ceases to amaze me with his complex characters and vivid grotesque images. He challenges the reader to embrace humanity in ways that neither lead them toward grace or hell. I would recommend this short work to those who of course, enjoy good writing and also to those who embrace the complexities of existence- And maybe also fight their own inner darkness with amusement. ~ Felicia Dunlap, Amazon
