Archelon Ranch
Written in a style that's an odd triangulation of Thomas Pynchon, Donald Barthelme, Jasper Fforde, Philip K. Dick, and Jonathan Lethem (Girl in Landscape and Amnesia Moon in particular), Archelon Ranch offers a surprisingly clever and engaging meditation on writer's block and authorial angst, especially for a book with no real author. --Philadelphia Stories, February 9th, 2010But this is not just weird for weirdness' sake; Cook's story is an ever-shifting barrage of ideas, emotions, and metafiction of the funniest order. Cook himself is part of the quest of these fascinating characters, who attempt to understand (through violent, thought-provoking, and always funny situations) who they are and where they stand in their creator's eyes. Cook's use of a shopping mall as a barrier between classes and gateway to potential paradise brings out stronger social commentary than was even hinted at in Romero's DAWN OF THE DEAD (1979) --The Horror Fiction Review, March 1st, 2010This was a very good and very enjoyable book. The idea of minor characters breaking the fourth wall and attempting to grab a bigger part of the story has been toyed with before, mainly in the small press, but I have never read a story with such a satisfactory result. Cook really opens up near the end and shows more of his personal side, which always adds to the quality of any writing. --Withersin, November 25th, 2009Cook as an author has grown considerably as a storyteller in this book, which is quite an achievement since all three of his novels have been written in a relatively short period of time. I suspect Garrett felt more at home with the free-wheeling nature of this story, as opposed to the rather tightly plotted Murderland volumes. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys challenging material and surreal storytelling, but who also like to be thoroughly entertained when reading. --Never Ending Wonder, March 16th, 2010