Must Read (Runner Up and Honorable Mention): My Heart Said No, But the Camera Crew Said Yes!

Bradley Sands is an acquired taste. Bradley Sands is not for everyone. And, I’m relatively sure that Bradley Sands knows this. I’m also certain, that he knows that if I recommend this book to ten people, inevitably two are going to be pissed at the suggestion after reading it. That’s how Bradley Sands works. You either love his stuff, or you hate it.

Personally I find it enjoyable.

I did like IT CAME FROM BELOW THE BELT, though, at times, a bit A-D-D and, in some ways, too weird for my tastes. Still, I love the style, the voice, the wit, and the “oh-my-gods-I-cannot-believe-I’m-laughing-at-that” moments. Now, just because I fault the book for coherence issues, I had a delightful time reading it. An author’s style will do that for me. Especially if there’s a little meat and potatoes in the story to cling to my literary ribs.

When I cracked this one open, I didn’t even bother to read the description. I’m glad I didn’t. I’m famous for not being a huge fan of short-fiction and collections. I’m not sure why. Maybe it’s because I finish a story and if it’s good I crave more, but if it’s bad I don’t even want to look at the others in the book. Despite the “Table of Contents”, I plunged in and read. And I finished it rapidly.

The stories have the classic Bradley Sands style – the exact thing that attracted me in the first place. Yes, it’s crass. Yes, it may piss you off. Yes, it’s funny as hell. Even for a short-fiction hater, like myself, I left each story with a smile on my face.

The stories are good. They’re still God-awful weird (in some cases, too weird for me to make sense of, despite my childish giggles) and they still possess that air of A-D-D that I felt was ever present in BELOW THE BELT. The main difference here is that Bradley Sands has figured out what works. He knows that he uses potty humor spliced with clever wordplay, and Mr. Sands knows that he’s talented at this. So, he conquers the disjointedness by taking these elements up to eleven, so to speak.

Everyone will have their favorites (in particular, I loved “The Two-Toed Sapsucker” and “The Walri Republic of SeaWorld”) and their least favorites. Some of the stories, like “Terror in the Haunted House” get a little convoluted, but still are good for the typical Sands style and wit. Again, that’s a compliment. If I’m giggling or bemused while reading something I’m not certain I understand, that’s a very good thing.

All in all, if you’re looking for a bathroom reader (with bathroom humor), pick this up, set it by the toilet, and read a story at a time. The writing is better than Sands’ first effort, and disjointed as it may be, the shorter stories work better for Sands’ style.