The Mazes of Pandemonium: a modern day mythology

The Mazes of Pandemonium...a modern day mythology… The Elevator Pitch - Two lost souls, One Maze; both must separately fight The Monsters within. Kirkus Reviews - A quirky take on a quest for identity and life’s meaning that delivers its themes with punchy irreverence. In Dornisch’s horror-fantasy novel, a young man and woman, caught in an ever-shifting maze, fight to reclaim themselves from trauma. Juan and Juanita meet for the first time in the sinister, dreamlike architecture of the Mazes (“Twisted angulation, corridors that lead nowhere”). It’s a setting that quickly reveals itself as a shape-shifting labyrinth built on past traumas, ready to upend their self-help efforts at a moment’s notice: “The Mazes were watching, listening. Taking it all down.” Juanita must overcome the disapproving Greek chorus of the “Ghosts of Her Past Relationships”: “those loved ones of hers, who could never hear her, walk in her wake as the anchors to her past.” Juan, for his part, eventually finds himself staring down a teenage version of himself, his abusive stepfather, and his victimized mother, their eyes all glued to yet another episode of the 1960s military TV drama Combat! As if those obstacles weren’t formidable enough, the duo encounter a dizzying series of surreal antagonists—notably, “The Monsters Dressed as Clowns”: Dracula, Frankenstein’s monster, and the Wolf Man, vainly trying to reinvent themselves in this uncertain, ambiguous landscape as Sucko, Patches, and Dog Gone, respectively; it’s one of the novel’s funniest twists. What follows is an extended meditation on a search for identity among a series of chases, close calls, and harrowing confrontations, and an examination of how that quest is often slowed by self-doubt. Juan acknowledges his own grim reality after one of his bids to escape the Mazes collapses: “as massive as it is, it’s claustrophobic and airless. A gigantic coffin. Not even a window.” Such passages will resonate with readers who may be struggling to escape similar demons. Juanita, meanwhile, starts constructing emotional armor to protect her from ghosts and, eventually, the aforementioned Monsters. She repels that trio’s attack on her in a sequence that drives home the novel’s key theme of self-deliverance through self-awareness. Dornisch never resorts to overt moralizing; for example, here’s Juanita’s wry advice to Frankenstein’s famous creation: “Wassup with that crap, Frank? Hiding your bolts?…Claim your bolts, man, you earned them. Be proud.” For Juan, such realizations take a bit longer, climaxing in a stunning transformation; readers won’t see it coming, but it effectively ties up the remaining loose ends of the plot. The scene also comes as a welcome exclamation point after a series of extended, ruminative conversations that sometimes tend to go on longer than they should; this authorial choice is a minor issue, though, in such a deft and cheeky work. The novel is ultimately an update on the mythological aspects of mazes, but it also has an unexpected appendix about a reptilian language, and even a description of the creed of those who speak it. Such touches may be a tough sell to more grounded readers, but those who are willing to buy a ticket will be rewarded by an exciting ride. A quirky take on a quest for identity and life’s meaning that delivers its themes with punchy irreverence. Kirkus Reviews
ASIN: B0GV7YKNL1
VSKU: BVV.B0GV7YKNL1.G
Condition: Good
Author/Artist:Dornisch, Walton
Binding: Hardcover
Note: Any images shown are stock photographs and product may differ from what is shown.
Condition Notes: The item shows wear from consistent use, but it remains in good condition and works perfectly. All pages and cover are intact including the dust cover, if applicable . Spine may show signs of wear. Pages may include limited notes and highlighting. May NOT include discs, access code or other supplemental materials.