Book of the Bloodless Volume 1: Alternative Afterlives
Book of the Bloodless Volume 1: Alternative Afterlives is a collection of short stories by Christopher Fielden, published by Victorina Press. The book is available in audiobook, ebook and paperback formats.
"These darkly comic tales place the author snugly between Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett. Be sure: Chris Fielden is one funny feller."
Allen Ashley, British Fantasy Award winner
Book of the Bloodless Volume 1: Alternative Afterlives is a collection of my short stories published by Victorina Press, an independent UK publishing house that follows the principles of bibliodiversity. The book was officially released on 30th November 2019. The audiobook version was published on 7th January 2021.
The book is available in audiobook, ebook and paperback formats.
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Buy Book of the Bloodless Volume 1: Alternative Afterlives
Book of the Bloodless Volume 1: Alternative Afterlives is currently available from:
- Amazon in audiobook, eBook and paperback formats
- Audible in audiobook format
- Foyles in paperback format
- iTunes in audiobook format
- Victorina Press in paperback format (sadly, Victorina Press closed in 2024, so the book is no longer available from them)
- Waterstones in paperback format
You can preview the opening 20 pages of the book below.
Biblet for Book of the Bloodless Volume 1: Alternative Afterlives
About The Anthology
The book contains 14 of my short stories, many of which have won awards. All of the stories are themed around death. The genre is humorous fantasy.
The book has been awarded the title of 'Award-Winning Finalist in the Fiction: Short Story category of the 2019 International Book Awards', sponsored by American Book Fest.
Screenshot from the International Book Awards website for the category Fiction: Short Story
The book's cover won Author Shout's Cover Wars in December 2019. Congratulations to David Whitlam, the artist who designed the cover.
Screenshot of Author Shout's Facebook post, announcing the winner
The book was also nominated for a British Fantasy Society Award in 2020.
In October 2020, I recorded the audiobook version Alternative Afterlives at Room4 Studios in Bristol, UK. The stories in the book were narrated by me, Alison Banham and Mark Rutterford.
Here are some pictures from the recording sessions.
Alison Banham, narrating stories from Book of the Bloodless Volume 1: Alternative Afterlives
Mark Rutterford, narrating stories from Book of the Bloodless Volume 1: Alternative Afterlives
Chris Fielden, narrating stories from Book of the Bloodless Volume 1: Alternative Afterlives
Philip Davies, recording the book at Room4 Studios in Bristol
The audiobook is available from Amazon, Audible and iTunes.
The stories in the book are:
- Death of a Superhero (click the link to read the story in the book's biblet, or listen to the story in the videos below this list)
- Devil's Crush (click link to read an excerpt)
- The Ninja Zombie Knitting Circle (click link to read an excerpt)
- Troll's Head
- The El Paso Phantom Feeder
- The Cat, the Bull and the Madman (click link to read an excerpt)
- Mr Kill (click link to read an excerpt)
- The Treasure No Thief Can Steal (click link to read an excerpt)
- Shot in the Head and Left for Dead
- Dirty Deeds, Done Dirt Cheap
- I Am the Warlock
- The Day My Prayers Were Answered
- The Keith Of Death
- Bloodless (listen to an early version of the story performed at the Bristol Festival of Literature below)
'Bloodless', performed by Christopher Fielden and Christie Cluett at Talking Tales, a short story reading event run in conjunction with the Bristol Festival of Literature
'Death of a Superhero', performed by Christopher Fielden, featured in this video by Victorina Press
Many of these stories have been published before, in magazines, anthologies and online. Please note that the versions featured in this book have been edited extensively and some are very different to those previously published.
Victorina Press logo
Excerpts of some of the stories featured in the book are available to read for free in the Short Stories section of this website, or by clicking the links in the list of stories above.
What other people have said about Alternative Afterlives:
'These darkly comic tales place the author snugly between Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett. Be sure: Chris Fielden is one funny feller.' Allen Ashley, British Fantasy Award winner
'Sharp, subversive and always surprising, Chris's stories are like hiking without a GPS – you think you know where you're going but you end up somewhere else.' Dr Lynda Nash, creative writing tutor
'Extraordinarily good. Darkly laconic humour that made me smile, often when I felt as if I shouldn't.' Sue Moorcroft, Writers’ Forum
'Immaculately crafted stories that hold the attention through every unexpected twist. Keeps the reader surprised, amused and engaged.' Dr John Yeoman, PhD Creative Writing, founder of Writers’ Village
'There is excellent use of humour and the writing is colourful and bold.' Anthony Howcroft, founder and Executive Chairman of InkTears
Reviews
Below, you will find links to reviews along with quotes about the book:
- Review by Barnaby page, featured in Phantasmagoria issue #13 – "His [Fielden's] volume reminds me sometimes of David Eagleman's superb Sum: Forty Tales from the Afterlives (Canongate 2009), though Fielden's philosophical fancies are much less the focus of his stories; there may be morals, or lessons to ponder, but they co-exist with – rather than dominating – the entertaining narratives.There are hints of Douglas Adams and Roald Dahl, too, with the bulk of the collection lying closer to the latter – this is horror with a humorous tinge, rather than horror-comedy. Fielden knows that you can take a joke too far, and he never does."
- Review by the British Fantasy Society – "Short, brilliant and quirky stories. The dark, witty humour within the 174 pages is fantastic. Each story has it’s own appeal and for that reason alone I would recommend this book. Fielden is very talented."
- Review by Chris Morton, featured in Mythaxis issue #2 – "Christopher Fielden is an award-winning author and every story in Alternative Afterlives is worthy of a first prize. Whether you’re joining the zombie vampire knitting group, watching a troll inspire a revolution, or sitting face to face with a man called Slash Hack Maim Kill, the imagination and damn right realism pulls you inside a room of fantasy that compares to the very best of the Neil Gaiman... ...Familiar characters, familiar monsters, yet with Fielden’s masterful understanding of the fantasy world, rules are never broken but instead brought to life with a fresh modernity."
- Review by Dr Lynda Nash, creative writing tutor – "This is such an easy book to read because Fielden's prose is feather-light. The stories are original, cliche-less and quirky - and if you think you can guess the direction they are going then you'd be wrong."
- Review by KM Elkes, author of All That Is Between Us – "It is a book that has echoes of Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams, in the way it contains intriguing flights of fantasy while regularly subverting expectations. Read a few of these tales of the afterlife and you could well be dying to read some more."
- Review by Sara Rebotim, book addict and reviewer – "Absolutely loved every story in this book - impossible not to like!"
- Review by Steph Minns, author of The Obsidian Path – "Guaranteed to bring a chuckle and often a little thought provoking too, I thoroughly recommend this collection."
- Review by Stephen King, an Amazon customer from Spain (I wish I could say this was THE Stephen King, the American author also referred to as the "King of Horror", but I decided to be honest and admit it isn't - still, it's a lovely review by THE OTHER Stephen King and I'm sure this Stephen is known as the king of something, I just don't know what that something is) – "Extremely entertaining! Wish I'd discovered this author way before now. A rare mix of deep, dark imagination blended with a subtle, yet tea-expelling sense of humour. Will definitely be reading more of his work. Can't recommend enough."
You can see more on Goodreads and in the comments section at the bottom of this page. You can also read more reviews via Amazon, Foyles and Waterstones.
List of Advance Readers
Below is a list of advance readers, who have been kind enough to review the book prior to its publication.
Ann Leander, Barnaby Page, Caroline Price, Dan Brotzel, Dave Langdale, Eileen Baldwin, Gail Everett, J. Rosina Harlow, Jennifer Elphame Meyer, KM Elkes, Lesley Anne Truchet, Lynda Nash, Lynn Zeleski, Mark Rutterford, Martin Strike, Mel Ciavucco, Mike Scott Thomson, Pat Mudge, Paul Mastaglio, Sara Rebotim, Steph Minns and Steven Jenkins.
The Book’s Cover
The book cover for Book of the Bloodless Volume 1: Alternative Afterlives was designed by David Whitlam.
Dave also created 14 pieces of artwork for the interior of the book. One accompanies each story. Below is an example. It's the picture that accompanies 'I Am the Warlock'.
Interior artwork: 'I Am the Warlock'
David Whitlam is a surrealist artist and illustrator from Stockport. From an early age, he showed signs of a vivid imagination and a talent for drawing. He graduated from Leeds Metropolitan University in 2000 with a degree in Graphic Art and Illustration.
Since then, David’s artwork has adorned more than 20 book covers, including work for award winning authors like Ramsey Campbell, Gary McMahon and Christopher Fielden. He works in a variety of mediums, often combing traditional drawings and paintings with digital art.
David’s paintings have been exhibited in galleries in the UK and US and have sold to collectors around the world.
You can learn more about Dave and his artwork on his website.
Chris Fielden and Dave Whitlam, pictured in Manchester, UK
Book of the Bloodless Volume 1: Alternative Afterlives Book Launch
The book launch party took place on Saturday 30th November 2019 at Max Minerva's Marvellous Books, 39 North View, Westbury Park, Bristol, BS6 7PY.
Chris with Jess, who runs Max Minerva's Marvellous Books
Sophie and Jorge from Victorina Press came to Bristol for the event. I did a reading of 'Death of a Superhero', sophie talked about Victorina Press and we did a short Q&A session.
There were drinks and nibbles and a wide variety of cake (thank you Mum) and, of course, lots of lovely books. I'd like to say a big thank you to everyone who attended - your support is very much appreciated.
Below are some pictures taken by Tom Parker and Mel Ciavucco at the event.
Chris Fielden and Sophie Lloyd-Owen from Victorina Press
Lots of copies of Book of the Bloodless Volume 1: Alternative Afterlives
Me, reading 'Death of a Superhero', one of the short stories in the book
Some of the lovely people who attended the launch, featuring my frighteningly bald head bottom left (WTF HAS HAPPENED TO ALL MY HAIR)
Some of my awesome writing group, Stokes Croft Writers - without their critiques, help and support, this book simply wouldn't exist - they are LEGENDS
Me and Sophie, talking about serious publishing stuff. Or cats. We do like cats.
Some more of the lovely people who attended the launch
Me and Andy, looking very pleased with ourselves because we've known each other since we were five
My editor, Edward Field, trying not to look suspicious while stealing books
Hmm... I wonder if I turned off the gas...
Sophie, educating the audience about Victorina Press and the principles of bibliodiversity
Me, reading
Martin, plotting to take over the world, while Christie and Mel prepare for a cage fight
Me, being serious, professional and authory
Other Books
This website was established in 2011. In 2024, it was redesigned. Between 2011 and 2024, thousands of people commented on the site. I’d like to thank every person for their engagement – it’s greatly appreciated.
When the site was rebuilt, transferring comments comprising hundreds of thousands of words was not feasible on most pages. The Alternative Afterlives page comments are an exception and they appear below. New comments are welcome. Please feel free to share your thoughts and ask questions.
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 🙂
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