Tripping to Somewhere

First things first: thanks a lot, Kris! Really!

Now let's get down to bussiness: Some months ago, Kristopher Reisz gave us the good news, he had found an editor for his novel, Tripping to Somewhere!

About a month ago, Kris started an experiment: he would hand free copies of his book to some readers, provided they posted a revision of the book on their blogs. I offered myself for such an experiment, and here's the result:

Kris sent me a wonderfully signed copy of his book, a kind-of pocket-book edition, nicely bounded, and with a cover price which is way lower than its true value, and also way smaller than the s&h fares, I must say.

The cover of the book is pretty, in a weird sense of prettiness, and it's easy to spot within other books on a store. The craftmanship of the book is correct and it has dealt--after some 5,000 miles of flight--with handdling on commuter trains, subway, bus, walking and what-nots with fortitude and stoic elegance. The pages look clean and ample--not crampled like some other books you get out there-- and the fonts are easy going and, in some cases, right to the point as well.

That's for the physical book. Let's go to the entity.

Tripping to Somewhere is a strange book, a kind of Hero's Journey in several levels, which goes to nowere easily discernible, a tripping, indeed, of some adolescent girls. However there's method in the middle of this crazyness, and there's a definite goal in the middle of the confused minds and lives of the girls. Several monomyths, each with its own purpose, in a book where no character could be erased without affecting the story, maybe in a dramatic way.

I must say I have enjoyed this book a lot, way more than I even thought I would enjoy a fantasy book. Kris is a really skillful writer, and the reading flows easily and mesmerizingly from the book pages. Each chapter irremediably leads you to the next one, it was hard to close the book to go to sleep.

It was weird, the deeper I read it, the most I thought 'this would be a really great movie'! For the legions of those who don't read, at least it would be a poor substitute. But if you can read, then don't be fooled. The whole concept of the plot, flow of the story, the characterization of main and secondary characters, the way of cycloning them into the plot... Great rythm and powerful images!

The characters' language is... colorful, but the narration is very cult and correct; Kris manages to build the sentences and paragraphs so to look as natural as single words. I must say I am envious, I wish I was half as good in writing!

The subject is a bit alien to me, urban fantasy, when I am a historical fiction bunny. However the magic helped. The magic that got off the book, not inside the pages. That I am wiccan is certainly secondary. I felt some Neil Gaiman, some Silverberg, going on... Gotta be good!

The veredict? Go. Get. It. Now!

Thanks for the great gift, Kris!

You've won a fan in Spain!

Blessed be!