50 Rooms by Jason Allan Cole © 2008 Zumaya Publi****ng ISBN
978-1-934135-75-4 276 pages Paperback $14.99 (U.S.)
Unlike many of the fiction books I have reviewed over the years the one
word
I would have to use to describe this book is "depressing." The first
story
"50 Rooms" kind of sets the tone - the "hero" is a 16-yeard-old,
alcoholic,
drug using runaway whose major accomplishment is surviving. There isn't
much to celebrate in this story. It isn't escapist, unless you've never
experienced despair.
Throughout the course of the book we periodically re-encounter this
individual (and a select few of his friends), but never in anything
approaching a positive light. These stories are set in the seamy side of
Los Angeles and reflect, unfortunately, the reality of existence for a
****tion of the population of that, or any other sprawling city.
The language used, and the images conveyed are, if not quite ****ographic,
quite raw. This is most definitely not a book for readers who are young,
sensitive, or squeamish. It reflects an attitude (predominantly) of
desperation and defeatism. Does that make this a bad book? Not by any
stretch of the imagination. It does make a book with an appeal to a
rather
narrow audience.
Many, if not the majority, of readers will walk away from this book
thinking
(of the lives ****trayed) "What a waste," and that is a valid, if
superficial, observation. But on another level, there is a certain
quality
of persistence within the covers of this book.
One thing I have to say about the books I have read from this publisher is
that, in many ways, they are never what you expect. They come at a topic
from an unexpected angle, or reveal unanticipated depths. Zumaya is a
small
operation and their output may be s****adic, but their quality is
uncompromising. They publish authors who put their entire beings into
what
they write; they produce quality products; and they provide (beyond any
question) good value for the money spent.
Whether or not this book appeals to you, based on this review, you woe it
to
yourself to visit their website (www.zumayapublications.com) and look over
their listing of available works. You may be surprised at what you find.
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