Book of the Bloodless Volume 1: Alternative Afterlives

Lynn Z
Book of the BloodlessVolume 1: Alternative Afterlives - now there's an eye catcher! What if the stories we are told about the afterlife are wrong? If not heaven, hell or oblivion, what else could there be? Christopher Fielden brings us a smorgasbord of delectable, thought provoking, fun tales that explore that very possibility. Full of unexpected characters, O. Henry like twists, and sublime drawings, this page turner will take you on a fantastic journey through alternate realities. Don't worry that the book ends too quickly. It is Volume 1, so we can look forward to Volume 2.

Chris Fielden
Thank you, Lynn - very much appreciated. Really glad you liked the book. Being likened to O. Henry has made my head swell in a most pleasing manner. Thank you.

Gail E
Book of the Bloodless Volume 1: Alternative Afterlives. Fantasy, horror and humour come together perfectly in this collection of short stories by Chris Fielden. Expect the unexpected – the weird and the wacky, the twists and turns as the plot develops, and the surreal surprises, all work together to make this book an interesting experience. Be careful if you're reading it in the presence of anyone else – there were several moments when my face must have been a picture, several others when I laughed out loud, and one famous occasion when I thought they might have me taken away in a plain van!

Chris Fielden
Thank you, Gail. I hope you managed to evade the men in white coats 🙂

Lesley T
I don't enjoy reading extended descriptive passages in writing and tend to skim them. That was until I read this book. In my opinion, it takes a great deal of skill to write long descriptions which hold the reader's attention. Mr Fielden does it brilliantly:

'An abundance of plant and animal life can be found near a beach, and, more often than not, a plentiful supply of intoxicated virgins, all intrigued by talk of carnal rituals. Most magic, especially an invocation of summoning, requires all these resources to be readily available.' (Quote from 'I am the Warlock')

He also has an exceptional capability to present surreal characters or situations as an ordinary event:

'I'd been enjoying a surreal dream. I was in a kitchen, watching an impossibly fat cook basting human heads on a baking tray. The heads were all chatting amiably about the manner in which they’d been murdered.' (Quote from 'The Cat, the Bull and the Madman')

These stories contain more direction changes than a labyrinth and each paragraph reveals yet another surprise angle, ensuring that the often 'twist' endings are impossible to predict, coexisting with elements of humour, some of which made me laugh aloud:

'I look at the rest of the band. None of them seem to be zombies, although it’s always hard to tell with the rhythm section.' (Quote from 'Shot in the Head and Left for Dead')

'Although dressed like Batman, the person standing before him didn't exhibit the level of physical fitness you might expect from a successful crime fighting vigilante.' (Quote from 'Death of a Superhero')

'Death of a Superhero' ends with a fitting and comic punchline and the conclusion of 'Shot in the Head and Left for Dead' is simply brilliant. Whilst savouring one particularly gory description regarding the removal of an eyeball in the story 'Dirty Deeds, Done Dirt Cheap', I actually put both my hands over my mouth.

14 superb stories. Dark, sharp, funny, curious, sometimes gory and all interwoven with death. I was mesmerized. Christopher Fielden is a gifted storyteller and an outstanding wordsmith. I haven't enjoyed a book so much since my first encounter with Bill Bryson's work.

And the icing – beautiful artwork to illustrate each story.

A gem of a book.

Chris Fielden
Thank you so much, Lesley 🙂

Paul M
BOOK OF THE BLOODLESS VOLUME 1. A varied range of stories depicting death with Chris's imagination in overdrive. My favourites were 'Death of a Superhero' featuring an amusing confrontation between the deceased, Doris, and the character, Death. Also, I loved 'The Ninja Zombie Knitting Circle'. The title alone was hilarious but the story hinted at something dreadful happening. Another good one was 'The El Paso Phantom Feeder'. A tense tale that had you on the edge of your seat. There's something for everybody here: humour, tension and moral tales like 'Bloodless' and 'The Treasure No Thief Can Steal' to make you think. A talented man, this Chris Fielden. When my time arrives, I'm definitely going as Batman!

Chris Fielden
Thanks, Paul. I've got my Batman costume at the ready too 🙂

Ann L
Loved these stories, Chis. I was way outside my comfort reading zone but hooked from the very first story. I love the way you combine the almost domestic to the grim and whacky and, in measured undertones, draw us into a dark and zany world. There is something oddly human about these fearsome monsters. Humour adds to the bizarre and I rarely stopped chuckling. I read the book in almost one sitting and I'll be looking out for Volume 2. Loved the artwork too.

Chris Fielden
Thank you very much, Ann. I'm glad you enjoyed the book, despite it being outside of your usual comfort reading zone 🙂

J. Rosina H
Alternative Afterlives is an energetic, colourful romp of a collection. (Hmm... romp... never thought I'd use that word in a book review!) It's an enjoyable, accessible read, easy to pick up and get drawn into each tale. In places it reminded me of a Matt Groening series and there are undeniable nods to the late greats – Terry Pratchett, Douglas Adams and the master himself, Tolkein.

Most of the stories have a strong element of humour and it really bursts out in one of my favourites, a vibrant Spinal Tap-esque tribute, 'Shot in the Head and Left for Dead'.

Other highlights for me were 'Troll's Head', beautifully written and quite poignant, and 'The Ninja Zombie Knitting Circle', which, I'm pleased to say, lived up to the promise in the title!

Many of Chris Fielden's characters are flawed rogues who travel through life on a wink and a guffaw, doing questionable deals with entities for a better life. We know how that too often ends...

In this collection you'll also find ghosts and ghouls, superheroes, gangsters, zombies, pirates and killers, as well as the Prince of Darkness himself.

I was expecting it to be heavier and darker, but although there is gore and some very visceral characters, the collection is a largely lighthearted and robust read, full of fun. I enjoyed it a lot.

Chris Fielden
Thank you, J. Rosina. I'm glad the Spinal Tap-esque-ness came through. One of my favourite films 🙂