Thursday, February 26, 2009

REVIEW: Cluck by Eric D. Knapp--Free Book Friday


Title: Cluck: Murder Most Fowl
Editor: Eric D Knapp
Genre: Humor/Horror
Price: $15.99
Publisher: BookSurge
ISBN: 9781419682643
Posted by: veinglory

Cluck: Murder Most Fowl by Eric D Knapp is wonderfully presented, cleverly promoted and skillfully written book. As a lover of chickens and of horror stories I approached it with great expectations. I was hoping for something along the lines of the small budget agri-horror zombie movie 'Black Sheep'.

Cluck, however, is a much more mixed bag. The first third of the book meanders somewhat, where some mysterious event touches a rooster and a boy who move rather erratically towards their fated roles. The middle section brings together the rooster, now a villain with a harem of followers and the boy, now a rather strange poultry-oriented leader of a secret occult society (with an unfortunately an inept farmer in the middle). And everything is, at least temporarily, tidied up for a feel-good ending.

The problem for me was a writing style that as witty and whimsical by relentlessly tangential, round-about and parenthetical (foot-note-ical and otherwise wandering). This meant that for a large part of the book, where there is more a promise of a plot than an actual plot, the book was very easy to put down. I read Cluck intermittently over many months which probably interfered still further with the coherence of the story.

It was rather like the author was constantly pointing out things of interest but so obtrusively present that he obstructed my view, as a reader, of the very things he was pointing out. While the book is highly original, written with assurance and flair, and full of the kind of things I normally enjoying a book (yes, I normally even enjoy humorous authorial intrusion such as practiced by R A MacAvoy in the Damiano trilogy)… I was never very engaged by this book. I think wry whimsy is a great condiment, like mustard, but if you add too much it really can spoil a meal.

I would give this book a 10 in its objective qualities, but no more than a 5 in terms of how much I enjoyed it, so I will split the difference and call it 7.5. For free book Friday I will give you a chance to decide for yourself. Just reply here with an email address. A winner will be chosen on Monday to received a brand new copy of Cluck.

55 comments:

mar said...

This books sounds so unique and interesting - thank you for the chance to win!

Rhonda said...

Interesting. I would like to read this.

lisaray said...

Certainly sounds different. I'd like to give it a whirl.

Anonymous said...

I'd like to read this. Thanks for the contest.

mverno said...

love to win one mverno@roadrunner.com

Sue said...

Looks good! Thanks for the giveaway~

melsywsou said...

This looks like a great read!

linett said...

sounds like a good read

Susan said...

sounds like a good book!

agordon10 said...

thanks

danosor said...

I would love to read this book.I am a subscriber.

Gabriel S-J. said...

Sounds like a great book. Great contest.

susan1215 said...

Please enter me

raretreasures95 said...

Thanks for the cool giveaway!

Andria said...

It sounds like an interesting book. I would love a chance to win

Anonymous said...

please enter me!

delorezb@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

would love to be entered.


roro219708@yahoo.com

demmi said...

please enter me con5459(at)gmail(dot)com

mkboldin said...

This book sounds crazy. Hope I win, cuz I can't wait to read it.

Princess Golden Hair said...

It sounds interesting

teechbiz at gmail dot com

chromiumman said...

sounds wild

The Merry Death said...

This book sounds awesome!
meredycat*lycos*com

Qwill said...

Gonna wing this one.

D Q said...

Interesting!-Would love to read it.

vboackle said...

this sounds kooky but i would like to read it.

Belinda said...

This sounds like a unique storyline. I would love to win.
Thanks!
1bmore @ gmail . com

ky2here said...

Certainly not a boring read - I like eccentricity. Bring it on!

tawndam said...

sounds unique... and I think my daughter will like it...

toughturtles said...

well i can judce it myself

Lady Roxi said...

Love to have this.

Thanks,

darkfyre1(at)gmail(dot)com

Carol EL said...

Even though you don't give the book a ringing endorsement,I would still like to win it and read it for myself. jelly15301@gmail.com

Carol EL said...

I subscribe thru My Yahoo reader. jelly15301@gmail.com

mindy said...

sounds unique thanks for the giveaway

sweetsue said...

I'd like to win this for my mom, she would love the cover!
smchester at gmail dot com

Miss Spoken said...

Love the title....great cover art, too
gkstratos@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

this book sounds very unique. Thanks for the giveaway!

jwright (at) iowatelecom (dot) net

Leona P said...

sound good

Anonymous said...

I'd like to read this book. Thanks.
-Terra H.
partymix25(at)hotmail(dot)com

Sunnyvale said...

Well, this sounds interesting, different.

Kim (Randominities) said...

From your critique, I'm not sure what kind of book it is. But even for it's faults you still gave it a 7.5, I think I'd like to read it as well. It sounds like a different sort of book, and thats just what I've been looking for. Thanks for the contest, I love finding new books.

Ellie Wright said...

Thanks for the giveaway. Please enter me.

jayne said...

It sounds like a great book! Thanks for the review and the giveaway!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the giveaway.
This book sounds like an interesting read!


clarkmurdock@yahoo.com

Betty C said...

Sounds very different and I'm always looking for something new.

Jinxy and Me said...

Sounds good. My e-mail address is in my Blogger profile. Thanks for the giveaway!

Angela said...

I'd like to give it a shot.

Pamela S said...

Sounds interesting. I'd love to try it!!

Kathy P said...

PLEASE COUNT ME IN ON THIS AWESOME GIVEAWAY :)

countrybear07 said...

Sounds like a great read.

Candie L said...

Definately a unique style of book. Thank you for giving others a chance to form their own opinion.

candieluster(at)gmail(dot)com

kitnlov said...

The book sounds interesting.

Anonymous said...

thanks for the chance...

ammodawg2u@gmail.com

liliesrnice said...

Looks like an interesting read and I have a huge need for books since I'm on bedrest.

Henry Baum said...

Hey, where are all these people the rest of the week? Stop lurking, people!

veinglory said...

GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED. The winner will be contacted soon.