Peter Joseph Swanson

A dialog-driven novella set in the seedy world of old Hollywood, Peter Joseph Swanson’s Sex, Drugs & Murder on the Frankenstein Set is convincingly evocative, giving a fascinating behind the scenes view of low-budget horror. Slapstick humor lightens the tale. Differing priorities complicate it. And a vivid sense of the swinging 60s satisfies nostalgia while inviting questions for the modern day. More than a mystery, more than a trip down memory lane or a homage to Hollywood, this short mystery is enticing, weird and fun.

Disclosure: I enjoy the author’s writing and this novella is a fun addition to my collection.… (más)

What makes someone work in a group home, caring for those who maybe can’t care for themselves? What separates the inmates from the outmates? And what thin wall separates the rest of us from reflections of ourselves?

In Peter Joseph Swanson’s Group Home, readers are introduced to a wealth of characters, each with their own personalities, mysteries, secrets and lives. Hopes and dreams aren’t just for the successful, but they might be different, perhaps, for the differently challenged. And, as the story reminds us, we all have our challenges.

The sense of gritty reality both behind and in front of closed doors, the slippery slopes of rules and regulations, and the gentle touches of humanity, humor and concern, make this a book to be savored, pondered and enjoyed long after the reading is done. It’s short, but longer than a lunchtime. It’s complete, but leaves so much to be imagined afterward. It’s a smooth blend of icy realities and warming compassion. It’s beautifully told through a wealth of pitch-perfect dialog. And it’s a really good, entertaining, thought-provoking read, as one might well expect from this author.

Disclosure: It was on a deal and I love it!… (más)

Like a well-imagined fairy-tale for the modern day, Peter Joseph Swanson’s The Crows and the Jewels is simply told with a blend of smooth language, a nice sense of humor, clever timing, and beautifully colored, well-placed illustrations. The story races at the speed of a child from thankful crows to marauding ghosts and beyond, leaving readers and characters pleased and satisfied by the end. It all ties together. It’s all very strange. And it’s a very cool story to share with a newly reading child—not scary, not really; just fun.

Disclosure: I can never resist a deal on a Peter Joseph Swanson book.… (más)

Peter Joseph Swanson’s Multitude places the reader firmly in the confused and confusing mind of a cop on a strange new world, seeking out illegal thoughts and taking their thinkers to be healed. Soon he will rise on the elevator to heaven and all will be well. Maybe.

Clever dialog is coolly absorbing, revealingly humorous, and darkly enthralling as Thorn learns the truth of his world and of himself. But what is self, and where do memories and self-awareness fit in? Do computer-cars have souls? Do clones of clones of clones? And what makes a human worth more than a blobby red monster rising from the sea?

The follies of the foolish and wise collide in the history and future of mankind in this zany, scary, really-should-be-a-movie novel. Physical senses, hologrammed imagination, memories, dreams and radioed words in the mind from a multitude of others who might not be self… plus religion of course, plus the origin and need for religion… plus plenty for any reader to think about while enjoying the complex zany ride in the company of wise-cracking wonderfolk.

Disclosure: I couldn’t resist it!… (más)