Craig Buchner's debut collection of stories, Brutal Beasts, offers us characters that are human and enchanting. I loved these stories. Poetic, voice-driven, and elegant, this book deserves placement somewhere between Kafka and Donald Barthelme, on the Dark Comedy shelf. Kudos all around.
George Singleton, author of You Want More: Selected Stories
These stories come at you hard, dark and disturbing (and at times hilarious) visions delivered with glittering bursts of language. Buchner's characters are often outcasts and losers, but he never allows the reader to lose sight of their humanity as they reveal the wreckage in their hearts.
Ron Rash, author of Serena
Startling at every turn, gorgeously written, grotesquely realistic, soulful as hell, and righteously funny, Brutal Beasts is a jovial mix of magic and mayhem. Transgressive, nimble, and quick-witted, Buchner's stories keep us transfixed on characters made animal by loss-of family, of friends, of a future anyone can believe in. There are monsters in these pages, but behind every horror is a heart longing for love...and a question: In a cataclysmic world defined by violence and cruelty, how far will we go to make sense of our lives?
Kim Barnes, author of In the Kingdom of Men
Craig's unique voice is undeniable as he shape-shifts through his carefully created worlds. The characters explore their desires, fears, and relationships in a captivating and engaging manner that demands the reader to turn the page. There is a sadness mingled with joy within the stories, encapsulating both the mundanity and unpredictability of life. I recommend Brutal Beasts for anyone who wants to lose themselves in the lives of others, to look through the windows of the houses of strangers, to get a glimpse of another world.
Jerry Sampson, editor of Buckman Journal
North Carolina fiction writer and poet Buchner's dazzling assortment of 18 tales offers a diverse cast struggling with some outlandish situations, both earthly and otherworldly... One of the assortment's greatest assets is its sublime unpredictability... The book crosses boundaries and traverses genres with seamless ease... Buchner's literary talents are on brilliant display... There is indeed mild, sunlit horror embedded in Buchner's stories, but he also demonstrates a deep understanding of human nature and how it operates in times of desperation and when faced with the paranormal.
Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review)
