The Virtual Menagerie and Other Stories

In this collection of 19 surreal stories Andrew Hook rides the slipstream through a series of fantastic yet familiar scenarios which, despite their peculiarities, are often only one step removed from reality. Weaving life into death and death into life he skates the twilight zone of our imaginations.

His skewed images are both disturbing and vibrant: a daffodil is inserted into an open wound, a giant beaver rampages through a small town, a boy's coming of age is reflected through schlock horror vignettes, and the planet's Eco-system is downloaded on computer disk.

Here are some sample reviews:

"The best stories here are among the finest that the independent press has to offer." - Pete Tennant, The Third Alternative

"A collection that is enigmatic, dark, occasionally amusing, occasionally sad, quite often infuriating, but always classy." - Dave Price

"A strong collection." - Time Out

The contents were as follows:

• The Virtual Menagerie
• The In-Between Days
• Slender Lois, Slow Doris
• The Illusion of Life
• Spilt Beaver
• One Day, All This Will Be Fields
• The Release
• Monochrome Tiger
• Wreckage
• The Honey Badger's Child
• Baby
• The Girl Who Ran And Ran And Ended Up In A Bed In A Strange Inn
• Awkward Scenes With Girls
• Cats' Teeth
• The Chair
• Delight In Living Things
• Man Was In The Forest
• April Syrup
• Pussycat