I used to be a huge fan of Steve Erickson. As time goes on, however, his books have less of the vivid dreamlike imagery that I like and more of the overblown pretentiousness that I don't.
Shadowbahn starts with a very Erickson-like image: the World Trade Center towers reappear in the Badlands of South Dakota, and everyone hears music coming from the empty buildings... but different songs for different people. Most of the story, however, is an alternate version of the past in which Jesse Garon Presley survives rather than his twin Elvis Aron Presley, causing significant changes in cultural history. The bulk of the text is Greil Marcus-like rumination on songs and how they reflect America.
Shadowbahn starts with a very Erickson-like image: the World Trade Center towers reappear in the Badlands of South Dakota, and everyone hears music coming from the empty buildings... but different songs for different people. Most of the story, however, is an alternate version of the past in which Jesse Garon Presley survives rather than his twin Elvis Aron Presley, causing significant changes in cultural history. The bulk of the text is Greil Marcus-like rumination on songs and how they reflect America.
He heads toward a west that is the dreamer's true north, where the desert comes looking for us and curls at the door, a wild animal made of our ashes; hijacking the sun halfway, Jesse leaves his shadow at the crossroads.Ooof. Has Erickson's writing changed or has my taste? I'll have to go back to his earlier books at some point.
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