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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (June 2, 2011)
books BY JOHN LOCANTHI Fragments of a Compelling Story Oregon writer’s debut novel a hack job, literally R emember the old days of pulp fi ction, when writers eschewed plotlines and pithy social commentary in favor of stories loaded with violence, gore and sex? In Natasha Stultz’s self-published venture into fi ction writing, Fragments of a Social Conscience, the Eugene author confronts the reader with far more brutality than any non-sociopath could ever dream up. This macabre novella follows Saffron, a freelance journalist from Saddle Foot, Ore., as she covers the exploits of Angel, a serial killer/environmentalist seeking revenge for her dearly departed father. There is a plot, but it serves as little more than a vehicle for the reader to get from grisly murder to grislier murder. Angel’s killings are meant to represent a kind of poetic justice, as when a governor interested in deforestation is put through a wood chipper, but such violence goes comically overboard the further one gets into the story. Is being anally raped by a mastiff and then electrocuted truly a fi tting end for a sex traffi cker? Or a whaler having his penis impaled by the bone of a whale? All the while, the author makes very certain just how frequently (and easily) the characters are sexually aroused, be it by committing a gruesome murder or being questioned by federal agents. The vast majority of the characters simply want to knock boots with every person they meet. The whole book reads like a pornographer’s take on David Fincher’s fi lm noir Se7en. TEA LEAF GREEN SUNDAY JULY 31 WOW HALL 291 WEST 8TH AVE · EUGENE, OR · 6:00PM DOORS · ALL AGES TICKETS AT TICKETMASTER · CHARGE BY PHONE 1-800-745-3000 WORTH THE DRIVE! THURSDAY JUNE 16 ELSINORE THEATRE 170 HIGH ST SE · SALEM, OR 7:00PM DOORS · ALL AGES TICKETS AT SAFEWAY/TICKETSWEST CHARGE BY PHONE 1-800-992-TIXX Fragments is a very raw — by which I mean unedited — exploration into the “divine work” of a demented sociopath. The transitions between scenes are unmarked, rare double contractions are used, some terms are explained on the second reference, if at all, and frequent word choice errors mar the unnumbered pages. While there is a thirteenth chapter and a fi fteenth one, Chapter 14 is strangely absent from the book — kidnapped, perhaps, by a serial killer. This novel is a prudent reminder that, while anyone can publish a book these days, it’s not an easy task: Take your time, and work with a good editor. Fragments of a Social Conscience is available at Amazon.com for $12.33 in book form, $2.99 on your Kindle and is for sale at Blue Moon Books. ew Taking Care of Your Four-Legged Family for Over 30 Years Full Service Clinic: • Well Pet Care • Orthopedic Surgery • Cancer Management • Behavior Consultations • Dental Care Edwin McCain & DAVID RYAN HARRIS FRIDAY JUNE 17 ALBERTA ROSE THEATRE 3000 NE ALBERTA ST · 7:00PM DOORS · 21 AND OVER TICKETS AVAILABLE FROM ALBERTA ROSE BOX OFFICE CHARGE BY PHONE 503-764-4131 ONLINE AT WWW.ALBERTAROSETHEATRE.COM Cameron Jones, DVM Barbara Maki, DVM Cary Heyward, DVM Appointments Available 8am-6pm Weekdays 9am-4pm Saturday info@amazonparkvet.com • 541-485-0161 • 725 E. 25th Ave. Eugene WORTH THE DRIVE! IT’S A SOUP-CENTRIC UNIVERSE… AND YOU’RE INVITED! MONDAY SEPT 12 MCDONALD THEATRE & JESSICA LEA MAYFIELD SATURDAY JULY 16 LB DAY COMCAST AMPHITHEATRE 1010 WILLIAMETTE ST EUGENE, OR 7:00PM DOORS · ALL AGES TICKETS AT SAFEWAY/TICKETSWEST CHARGE BY PHONE 1-800-992-TIXX 2330 17TH STREET NE · SALEM, OR 5:30PM DOORS · ALL AGES TICKETS AT TICKETMASTER CHARGE BY PHONE 1-800-745-3000 On Sale FRI 10:00AM FRIDAY OCTOBER 7 WOW HALL 291 WEST 8TH AVE · EUGENE, OR 7:00PM DOORS · ALL AGES TICKETS AT TICKETMASTER CHARGE BY PHONE 1-800-745-3000 Wanna spoon? MON OCT 10 NEWMARK THEATRE 1111 SW BROADWAY PORTLAND, OR 6:30PM DOORS · ALL AGES TICKETS AT TICKETMASTER CHARGE BY PHONE 1-800-745-3000 WWW.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM • BLOGS.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM Over 80 Varieties of Soup O ur Menu Changes Daily! Soups ~ Salads ~ Sandwiches ~ Frozen Soup To-Go Sou Fu Full Espresso Bar! Open 7am M-F, Sat. 9-3 525 High Street (541) 683-1999 us on Facebook EUGENE WEEKLY JUNE 2, 2011 29
