Zod Wallop

Having read and loved Spencer's previous novel, the critically acclaimed Resume with Monsters, I thought he'd be hard pressed to match that effort. I can happily report that I was wrong--his follow-up, entitled Zod Wallop, is a thoroughly engaging, very wise dark fantasy, reminiscent of such modern classics as Jonathon Carroll's Land of Laughs. The tragic death of his daughter Amy sends Harry Gainesborough, the author of several popular children's books, into a depression so deep it destroys his marriage. Gainesborough is so despondent that his agent, Helen Kurtis, has him committed to Harwood Psychiatric. There, Gainesborough is instructed to deal with his feelings by writing. The product of this therapy is a very dark book called Zod Wallop, where, contrary to tradition, evil triumphs over good. The original manuscript is stolen and presumably destroyed by Raymond Story, a fellow patient and rabid fan of Gainesborough's work, who finds the book too disturbing for general consumption. At first outraged by the theft, Gainesborough eventually accedes to Raymond's fervent pleas to rewrite the book. The second version is less morbid, and later becomes a huge best seller. Raymond embraces this version, eventually coming to believe the events recorded inside actually occurred. Gainesborough finishes his treatment, and retires to his country estate, desiring only to be left alone. His solitude is disturbed, however, by Raymond and a ragtag bunch of inmates who have just escaped from Harwood. Raymond seeks "Lord" Gainesborough's assistance in protecting the "Ice Princess" (in reality, Raymond's wife, Emily, who is catatonic) from the evil Lord Draining. Gainesborough's initial reaction is to humor Raymond until he can be returned to Harwood. But suddenly, the landscape of his reality starts to shift--people start saying things right out of his book, and he encounters strange creatures who only exist in the world he created. Puzzled, he decides to accompany Raymond in search of answers, unaware that he and his new companions are being tracked by Roald Peake, doppleganger to Lord Draining. Peake wants to capture and study the group, who all received illegal doses of Ecknazine, an experimental drug which might be causing reality to warp. Zod Wallop is a well written, thoughtful book, full of surprises. Spencer is careful to provide several possible reasons for the impossible events he describes. Is Raymond a mutant? Did Gainesborough's extreme grief give his creations life? Did the Ecknazine create some kind of mass delusion so powerful it is now affecting even those who didn't take it? Whichever reason you choose, it will not diminish your enjoyment of the book. The "reasons" behind the events of the story are ultimately unimportant--they exist only to launch an enthralling flight of fantasy nicely suited to more modern, cynical tastes. Spencer is an excellent storyteller. Listen to what he has to say.

I read William Browning Spencer's "Resume with Monsters" and was quite impressed. Here is an author who knows how to combine quirky plots, horrific elements, and great character development into a seamless blend of grand entertainment. Why this guy is not sitting on the bestseller's list is a mystery of the highest order. Several of his books are not even in print anymore, another crime that needs a remedy as quickly as possible. Fortunately, public libraries often save the day when one looks for out of print material. His books are magical in that once read, they stay with you forever. This may be due in part to Spencer's habit of pouring himself into his stories. The familiarity shown in both "Zod Wallop" and "Resume with Monsters" with psychological problems and the difficulties of coping in modern society give hints into the author's knowledge about such unpleasant incidents.Harry Gainesborough wrote a book called Zod Wallop after the death of his daughter Amy. The tragedy of his daughter's demise sent Harry into a tailspin, requiring a short stay in a mental asylum. A psychologist in the institution recommended Harry continue writing as a means of therapy, so Harry continued to work on Zod Wallop during his hospital stay. But the book he wrote while incarcerated took on a much grimmer, more dangerous tone than your everyday children's story. The characters in the land of Zod Wallop began to resemble some of the other patients and doctors in the ward. There are characters that bear a striking resemblance to Harry's literary agent. The problem comes when there are real life people who resemble the evil characters in the book because Zod Wallop is more than a book; it has the potential to become reality. Harry is now out of the hospital and living alone in an isolated cabin. Amy's death still troubles him greatly, but he manages to get through each day until a triumvirate of patients from the mental institution arrives on his doorstep. Led by the over exuberant Raymond Story, this gang of miscreants includes Rene, a troubled but beautiful young girl; Emily, Raymond's new wife and a total invalid; and Allan, a man plagued with fits of violent rage. Joined by Lord Arbus, a monkey, the group tries to involve Harry in their quest to go to Florida where a showdown with the evil Lord Draining awaits. As Harry and his literary agent take part in Raymond's seemingly delusional odyssey, reality starts to warp on an increasingly disturbing level.There is a perfectly (well, maybe) rational explanation for the strange encounters endured by Harry and his friends. Two executives from rival pharmaceutical companies take a significant interest in these escaped asylum inmates. The reasons are best left unsaid here, but it is safe to say that it involves something both men want very badly for research and development. As it turns out, Harry and his friends shared something special, albeit slightly sinister, during their residence at the hospital. As the executiv

There's plenty of darkness and tense action that the characters must stumble through before they reach the light, but even in the most horrific situations, there is an elusive sense of joy infusing every scene. Whether the joy comes from Spencer's word play and humor, or from manic personality of Raymond Story, the bottom line is that it's the most enjoyable new story I've read in the last decade. I'll leave it at that; there's no need for me to repeat plot details that you can pick up from other reviews.

This book is one of the few that has made me cry - it happens every time I pick it up and come to those last few pages. Call it a ride through Harry Gainesborough's broken soul, if you will, still wounded from the death of his daughter... you can feel his pain as vividly as if it were your own. William Browning Spencer has crafted a masterwork - a novel that penetrates through to the heart. As an aside, I've had three copies of this book 'permanently borrowed' by friends - everyone that I've exposed to the world of Zod Wallop has been affected by the power of it.

Harry Gainesborough's life is more depressing than a country-western song. His daughter has died, his wife has divorced him, and he's spent a stint in a psychiatric institute as a result of a botched suicide attempt. Now, he just wants to be left alone. Only, the monster that's just eaten the paint off his car has other ideas. . . This book is for anyone who likes dark fantasy, particularly fans of Jonathan Carroll. "Zod Wallop" is "Bones of the Moon" on illegal substances. The line between fantasy and reality constantly wavers, and frequently disappears, as Harry Gainesborough and his . . . friends? abductors? careen across America on a voyage of madness, mayhem, and monsters . . . with, just possibly, the chance to change the world at the end