“Two parts ‘Spinal Tap,’ one part Chekhov…Shilling both understands and overstates the cockeyed rock world. Writing about the boredom of touring, and the adoration given to anyone who plays music on a stage, he gets the rhythms as well as the ridiculous logic of the road, as his characters' distinctive voices mix hyperbole with pop culture references into their own particular narcissistic brews…underneath the broad humor, Shilling also recognizes the humanity of his characters. They create out of their personal pain. Just because their art is of dubious value doesn't mean that their stories aren't valid. And between the laughs he lets some recognition shine in. Filthy, covered in sores and disgrace, the Blood Orphans almost earn our - and each other's - respect. Beer in hand, they will, we sense, rock on.”
-- Boston Globe
Monday, January 12, 2009
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Reviews!
Hipster Book Club:
Characters this complex can be hard to write, especially in books meant to be comedic, but Michael Shilling handles this with little difficulty.
Book Launch Cafe:
From the first sentence, Rock Bottom grabbed me with its itchy hands and dragged me on a wild, frightening ride through the last day of the last tour of the failed and humiliated band Blood Orphans.
Emerging Writers Network:
A rollicking good read . . . a difficult book to put down.
LitMob:
Readers will likely find themselves rooting for this band of misfits (or at least most of the band members) and enjoying their wild ride into obscurity. In his world of sex, drugs, and rock & roll, Mr. Shilling certainly knows what he writes. The story is utterly believable.
Booklist:
Told in alternating chapters by each of the band members as well as their wise and raucous
female manager, this is an exuberant comic romp by a veteran of the Seattle music scene.
Characters this complex can be hard to write, especially in books meant to be comedic, but Michael Shilling handles this with little difficulty.
Book Launch Cafe:
From the first sentence, Rock Bottom grabbed me with its itchy hands and dragged me on a wild, frightening ride through the last day of the last tour of the failed and humiliated band Blood Orphans.
Emerging Writers Network:
A rollicking good read . . . a difficult book to put down.
LitMob:
Readers will likely find themselves rooting for this band of misfits (or at least most of the band members) and enjoying their wild ride into obscurity. In his world of sex, drugs, and rock & roll, Mr. Shilling certainly knows what he writes. The story is utterly believable.
Booklist:
Told in alternating chapters by each of the band members as well as their wise and raucous
female manager, this is an exuberant comic romp by a veteran of the Seattle music scene.
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