Serpent’s Tail Paperback £l0-00

This is the other Serpent’s Tail release I read about in the ‘Prism’ news section and way did this one catch my little eye? Look at the author’s name people. Surely no stranger to BFS types.

Well known in small press circles for his well received and often disturbing short stories, Joel Lane is also an award winning poet and a collection of his short stories ‘The Earth Wire’ was published a few years ago. However, ‘From Blue to Black’ is the first novel to appear from this Brum based (Exeter born) regular convention attendee.

So, some might say, why has Mr. Lane chosen the music genre as opposed to the dark fantasy/horror genre for his major debut. Then again, I might say, "Oh, he has, has he?" Because what we’re dealing with here is a very well written travelogue of tortured souls. Moods of disorientating strangeness and creeping unease.

Before we go any further, the cards need laying out. If homophobia is your baby, flick off now. This book is not for you! That said we’ll move progress.

It’s the early 1990’s, the tories rule supreme, hard at work creating a new social structure, the underclass. Over in Birmingham a small-time Indie band with a cult following, ‘Triangle’ start to earn a bit of a rep. A gig here, a gig there and the following grows. The main man Karl, a gifted but troubled Irishman with a dark, haunted past, picks up with ex-blues bassist David. They hit it off and begin an affair of sorts.

The band finally get noticed by the music press, their fame spreads and their troubles begin big-time!

Karl is the enigma that holds the band together (and this book). He’s also losing it, torn between men and women, fame or oblivion and sounds or silence. David is the poor sap who should have blown him out ages ago. But he doesn’t. He sticks it out, gets dumped on time and time again, yet still comes back for more.

Not much happiness here dear reader. Just a very powerful observation of human emotions, an early 90’s enviable musical knowledge, more than a little psychological darkness and some bloody fine fiction writing.

Joel Lane has added his own version to the many rock’n’roll myths we lap up. A neat twist on the "we’re all off to hell on a handcart" scenario. An excellent debut with more to come?

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