Chapbook review: Selected Regions of the Moon, by J. E. Stanley

J. E. Stanley is a talented speculative poet.  Selected Regions of the Moon, his latest poetry chapbook, follows in the path laid down by Intrinsic Night, co-written with Joshua Gage, and Rapid Eye Movement.  (He's written other books, too, but those are the only two that I've read so far.)

Selected Regions of the Moon is a 40-page collection of 32 speculative poems, slanted heavily toward the science fiction end of the spectrum.  There's something in this collection for all readers of speculative fiction.  The book contains short poems -- including four speculative haiku -- and long poems like "Silver Nitrate Trilogy" and the Rhysling Award-nominated "Random Facts About Halley's Comet."  The poems are presented very nicely, each on their own page or pages, and the chapbook is professionally printed.

The book leads off with the title poem, a solemn tale about an alien threat, broken up into stanzas based on different areas of the moon.  The apocalyptic story told in the poem is well-balanced by the minimalist way in which it's conveyed.

"After Eye Surgery" is one of the best poems of the book, a surprisingly deep look at ourselves and our reflections, and what it all means.  A short poem but definitely powerful.

"inspiration" is a good short poem, one that uses its form visually.  It is inspired by a longer poem on the same theme, written by a much less-talented writer.

"Letter from Poe" is another good short poem.  It contains vivid imagery and well-placed allusion, and no word is wasted.

"Tidal Lock" is a longer poem, very surreal and entertaining.  This one is hard to classify, but definitely one not to be missed.

"The Sad Gravity of the Moon," "Color Blind," and "Thoughts on Cremation" are all slightly less-upbeat offerings, but provide profound revelations that stick with you long after you turn the page.

"Asteroid" is a great example of how to plant words in a poem.  A whole world is destroyed in five words (six, including the title) and nothing else needs to be said.

Stanley is obviously a master of many different forms of poetry, from the scifaiku to the cinquain to the ghazal, and much more.  He doesn't rely on one style of writing, but uses every tool at his disposal to tell the story that needs to be told, and he does it in a way that makes you want to read more.

Selected Regions of the Moon is published by the Cleveland-based NightBallet Press, and can be purchased from the NightBallet Press blog for $5 plus $3 for shipping and handling.  (Look for the chapbook link on the right-hand sidebar.)  The book can also be bought on Amazon for $8 plus $3.99 shipping and handling.

UPDATE: As of August 2017, the book is now $14 on Amazon, so you're probably better off buying it directly from NightBallet Press.

Book review: Rapid Eye Movement, by J.E. Stanley

Rapid Eye Movement is a chapbook of speculative poems by J.E. Stanley, who has also written other books as well as co-authored a book of cinquains with Joshua Gage.  The book is 20 pages long with 17 poems, and it's well worth the price.

The book includes short poems, including a couple of speculative haiku and a cinquain, as well as longer works. There's even a ghazal (which if you've never heard of it before is a pretty cool form).  The poems are all high-caliber, and many of them have appeared in magazines like Asimov's, ChiZine, Scifaikuest, and Star*Line.  Three of the poems were nominated for Rhysling Awards.

The book leads off with "City of Bridges," a very cool poem with great imagery.  It's one you could read over and over again.  "Pattern Recoginition" is also nicely written, with a good ending.  "Urban Surrender" is one of my favorite poems of the book, one that really draws you into the poem.  "Diner at the End of the World" is a great way to finish off the book, and the poem itself has a strong ending.

Many of the poems in this book have a darkly speculative tinge to them.  There's some science fiction and some horror, and much that can't be classified.  The chapbook itself is very nicely produced, with a heavy cover and thick paper, and plenty of white space throughout.

Rapid Eye Movement is available online from Crisis Chronicles for $5 plus $1 for shipping.  If you're a fan of Stanley's other work (either his previous books or individual poems that you've read in magazines) or if you just like good, dark speculative poetry, this book is for you.

Two new books

Two promising books have just been released by two great writers. Charles Gramlich's latest book, In the Language of Scorpions, is a collection of horror stories and poems (some previously published, some brand new).  The book is 244 pages and sells for $14.99 on Amazon.  ($2.99 for the Kindle version.)  You can find out more information about the book as well as read part of one of the stories on Charles' blog.

Fellow speculative writer J.E. Stanley's new chapbook, Rapid Eye Movement, is available from Crisis Chronicles press for just $5 plus a dollar for shipping.  The chapbook contains 17 poems, and it's very nicely produced.

I'll be reading both of these soon and posting a review.  They both look to be very good.

Book review: Intrinsic Night

Intrinsic Night is a book of cinquains co-authored by two of speculative poetry's rising stars, J.E. Stanley and Joshua Gage. Many (but not all) of the poems are speculative in nature -- some fantasy and horror but a lot of science fiction.

The cinquain is a hard form to write in, because it's so constraining, but both Stanley and Gage seem to have mastered it. This collection boasts 68 pages of cinquains, including some linked or sequential poems. Several of the poems have appeared in other publications, like Lilliput Review, Amaze: The Cinquain Journal, and Goblin Fruit.

The poems are broken into different sections, and don't appear to be in any particular order with regards to the poets themselves. Sometimes they alternate, while other whole pages will be devoted to either Stanley or Gage. This randomness of authorship works well, leaving the reader unable to nail down a specific rhythm between the two poets.

There are many great poems in this book, like Gage's "Kerouac:"

his ghost
haunts the highways,
watching the horizon
like a wisp of cigarette smoke,
thumb up

While the back of the book says that the cinquains contained within are "intended more to jog your mind... than to clarify the great secrets of existence," some of the poems do delve deeper, like Stanley's "Intraocular Implant:"

The lens
in my right eye
should last for thirty years.
What then, might it see after I
am gone?

Many of the poems in Intrinsic Night are allusory, referring to fairy tales, mythologies, or even mathematics. Some of these allusions went over my head, but that speaks more toward my ignorance than anything else.

Intrinsic Night is a solid collection of cinquains written by two talented poets. The book is professionally printed and perfect bound, with cover art by Scott Virtes. It is available from The Genre Mall for $5.85 plus shipping.

some new books, random news

For anyone looking for new books to read (or give as gifts), two new books have just cropped up from Sam's Dot Publishing. The first is a collaboration from poets Joshua Gage and J.E. Stanley titled Intrinsic Night. The book is a collection of cinquain, and it can be pre-ordered from the Genre Mall for $5.85 plus shipping. There are some sample poems from the book on Josh Gage's blog.

The second book is a novella by Niteblade editor Rhonda Parrish, "Shades of Green." The scheduled release date is January 1st, 2010, so it should be available for pre-order sometime before then. The book is set in the same world as her story "Sister Margaret," which has gotten some great reviews.

In other news, Necrography has just announced it will be closing. Another good magazine gone by the wayside. If you haven't read the first (and only) issue, copies are still available from the website.

For haiku enthusiasts, Don Wentworth (editor of Lilliput Review) has just announced the 2nd Annual Basho Haiku Challenge. Up for grabs this time is a copy of Bashō and His Interpreters: Selected Hokku with Commentary, edited by Makoto Ueda, as well as a 15-issue subscription to Lilliput Review. Winners will also be published in the contest anthology (and receive free copies). Entry is free, and the deadline is Oct. 31st.