Review by Alya17 -- A Second, Less Capable Head
Posted: 06 Jun 2019, 16:21
[Following is a volunteer review of "A Second, Less Capable Head" by James Hanna.]
4 out of 4 stars
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A Second, Less Capable Head and Other Rogue Stories by author James Hanna is a collection of short stories that delve into different themes. Some of them are stand-alone while others feature repeat characters, including Tom Hemmings, a Probation Officer. A few of the tales are also strictly fantasy/science fiction while others deal mainly with real-world issues.
A Second, Less Capable Head, The Guest and Fruits are the fantasy/science fiction tales. In the case of the titular story, a mass medical condition arises due to the effects of industrialization and pollution. These aspects of modern life are also discussed in Fruits, but in this case, they are used as justification for Jeb Judson, the antagonist’s, plans. These stories also deal with right-wing rhetoric, anti-abortion sentiment, labour, foreign wars and oil and the desperation of women. The Guest is the simpler of the tales but the most fantasy-like in describing Aphrodite’s, tiny women who come from space to be housed by families. For the first story, as enjoyable as it was, there was some imagery that was a bit disturbing. Perhaps this story is not suited for queasy readers. This collection is dubbed as not recommended for readers who will be easily offended, and this is maybe one aspect of it. Further, readers who veer toward the right may take offence but those with a good sense of humour should enjoy the piece. It really takes the reader down a particular path and forces him or her to consider what choices are right and wrong. Without giving anything away, there is a parallel with one of the themes that really makes one think.
The stories: Exposed; The Stalker; Honey Bunny; Hunting Bear; The Break; Hunter’s Moon; and Another Will Take Your Place feature crimes. Exposed, Honey Bunny, Hunting Bear and Hunter’s Moon are told from the criminal’s perspective. The final two tales listed feature the same character, Ryan O’Shaughnessy. The Stalker, The Break, and Another Will Take Your Place, cover both the criminals and some element of law enforcement or in the latter case, the victim. Exposed injects the most humour out of the tales. The writer uses language very effectively. It gives the reader a sense of what this piece is about without overtly stating it. Subject matter aside, this tale was a joy to read because of the writing. The language is grandiose to mirror the man’s ego and confident and artistic at the same time to show he believes he is an artist at heart, “a soul unencumbered by earthly snares and committed to only the Muse” (Hanna 2017, 39).
The Stalker and Honey Bunny both deal with varying aspects of stalking, but Honey Bunny is the more interesting read. The Stalker allows the reader a glimpse into an unlikely relationship between a retired probation officer and a criminal/stalker. This tale is really about Tom Hemmings but since the writer doesn’t explicitly mention Tom in the story, I decided to separate it. Honey Bunny dealt more with stalkers and the transference of affection as well as delusions and fantasy. It really shows how easy it is for stalkers to become fixated and twist signs and interactions to fit their delusions. The story also takes the time to show how easily stalking can escalate and become dangerous. Readers who enjoy crime thrillers and exploring the criminal mind will enjoy this story. On the other hand, for those who have experienced crimes like this, it may be disturbing for them.
Hunting Bear and Hunter’s Moon are the most graphic. The language is sexual and aggressive, but in some ways, it felt forced and not as genuine in its portrayal. There is no doubt that Ryan could use this language and be this way but some of it felt exaggerated, “Even buggering the Nancy boys had not kept the walls from crushing in on him,” (Hanna 2017, 135) or “Hymen like leather. ‘If you can bust her, you can have her,’ he had joked and Ryan had laughed heartily. ‘I’ll bust her,’ he said. ‘Busted me a thousand cherries,” (Hanna 2017, 136). There is also a strange mix of similes and metaphors, where some seem out of character, “Elfin teenage girl,” (Hanna 2017, 139) and “wailing like a banshee,” (Hanna 2017, 149) contrasted with, “one of its intestines is dangling like a dick,” (Hanna 2017, 150) which seems more accurate for Ryan. Hunter’s Moon continues Ryan’s story, only it introduces the psychiatric element in which the reader understands what is wrong with Ryan. There is the same element with the language, uses of the word bitch and quotes like, “Men who bust cherries with only one thrust. Real f****g men” (Hanna 2017, 207). This could very well be an accurate depiction of someone with his mental illness and narcissism, but it just felt like the author was trying too hard.
The Break was beautifully written. It was interesting and engaging but painted quite the picture of escapees from prison. The language was also quite effective in this piece, “I tickled the dirt in front of him...I combed his hair with the warning shot,” (Hanna 2017, 165), gives a vivid picture of this shooting. There is a lot of hunting imagery as well and the writing gives the reader a glimpse into how unforgiving and treacherous the terrain and climate are, “They could hear the creek snarl as it edged into sight. The earth had collapsed on the bank nearest them and a sycamore, partly uprooted, sagged over a mantle of earth. White water writhed beneath the shadow of the tree” (Hanna 2017, 167).
Another Will Take Your Place is perhaps the standout piece. It describes a rape victim confronting her rapist and is sure to be an emotional rollercoaster for any reader. It doesn’t just go into detail with the rape itself, but it explores the aftermath in a way that is genuine and feels natural. It also gives insight into the mind of a rapist and the ways victims view themselves as responsible for inviting this assault, particularly those who suffered abuse as children. This rapist was so calm and direct it was chilling. Perhaps, I tend to see rapists like Ryan O’Shaughnessy, in more animalistic ways. In any event, it would have resulted in the same unsatisfactory reasons for committing a crime of this nature.
The author has a vast amount of insight and experience with criminals, particularly those who engage in stalking and assault. Nowhere is this more apparent than his stories featuring Tom Hemmings. The Outback and The Dress take place in Australia while The World Baseball League and The Wall involve a young Tom. Of the stories unrelated to crime, The Dress and The World Baseball League were the most enjoyable to read.
The Dress was mythical in its language and tone which was complemented by the Australian setting and references to The Iliad, “He still anticipated the sunsets, that sliver of day when the spinifex grass softened and the rocks, as though preparing for the chill of a desert evening, appeared to be lit by an internal glow” (Hanna 2017, 127). The World Baseball League allowed the author to be very creative and clever in language and choices for the Baseball team, “I immediately signaled Joan to lay down a sacrifice bunt...Amazingly, she beat out the throw after sprinting like her pants were on fire” (Hanna 2017, 180). The Outback and The Wall were more formative with respect to helping develop Tom’s character. There is some experience with crime but on a much smaller scale. These tales focus more on intimate or personal relationships.
The other tales feature Tom Hemmings as a Probation Officer with the exception of The Sicilian, which takes place immediately after his retirement. The stories are not told in a linear fashion, so the reader is first introduced to Tom, by name, in The Outback as a young man and then as a retired Probation Officer in The Sicilian. Each story serves to fill in the blanks of Tom’s life and give the reader more insight into his character. The author uses Nietzsche and other pieces of literature such as The Great Gatsby and The Iliad to summarise Tom’s life at various points. Nietzsche is used the most, “When fighting monsters, Nietzsche warned, be careful you do not become one. But who but a fallen angel can fathom the criminal mind. If you choose to conquer what lurks in the void, you had best be a monster yourself” (Hanna 2017, 87) and “NIETZSCHE’S CUTTING QUOTE, ‘If you gaze into the abyss, the abyss will gaze into you,’ is by now a redundancy. And so, when I became a San Francisco probation officer, I prepared myself to keep company with the abyss” (Hanna 2017, 239). Each story covers a theme or allows a glimpse into an important aspect of being a Probation officer that only someone with that type of experience would be privy to. Readers can understand the feelings of powerlessness retirees are confronted with (The Sicilian), the ignorance of those in managerial positions as well as the effects of addiction (Breaking Vials). Some tales also explore the futility of understanding what motivates criminals or stalkers (Jimmy Likes Mermaids), “Narcissistic disorder with rescue fantasies. For stalkers with mental health issues, this was the boilerplate profile—a banality that failed to reassure me” (Hanna 2017, 119). Others examine meaninglessness (Cheating the Jail Out of Time) and the darkness and changes that consume someone who has worked in this area for far too long (The Body in the Bay).
What works well in this collection is the fact that Mr Hanna uses some of the same characters throughout, so the readers are already familiar and can focus on the stories themselves. The writing is excellent, the editing is exceptional, and the author is clearly well versed on his subject matter. There is a wide array of tales that can appeal to many different readers. I enjoyed this collection immensely, although some tales stood out more than others. Overall, I would give this novel 4 out of 4. It’s witty, clever, engrossing and the language and writing are on a different level.
******
A Second, Less Capable Head
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
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4 out of 4 stars
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A Second, Less Capable Head and Other Rogue Stories by author James Hanna is a collection of short stories that delve into different themes. Some of them are stand-alone while others feature repeat characters, including Tom Hemmings, a Probation Officer. A few of the tales are also strictly fantasy/science fiction while others deal mainly with real-world issues.
A Second, Less Capable Head, The Guest and Fruits are the fantasy/science fiction tales. In the case of the titular story, a mass medical condition arises due to the effects of industrialization and pollution. These aspects of modern life are also discussed in Fruits, but in this case, they are used as justification for Jeb Judson, the antagonist’s, plans. These stories also deal with right-wing rhetoric, anti-abortion sentiment, labour, foreign wars and oil and the desperation of women. The Guest is the simpler of the tales but the most fantasy-like in describing Aphrodite’s, tiny women who come from space to be housed by families. For the first story, as enjoyable as it was, there was some imagery that was a bit disturbing. Perhaps this story is not suited for queasy readers. This collection is dubbed as not recommended for readers who will be easily offended, and this is maybe one aspect of it. Further, readers who veer toward the right may take offence but those with a good sense of humour should enjoy the piece. It really takes the reader down a particular path and forces him or her to consider what choices are right and wrong. Without giving anything away, there is a parallel with one of the themes that really makes one think.
The stories: Exposed; The Stalker; Honey Bunny; Hunting Bear; The Break; Hunter’s Moon; and Another Will Take Your Place feature crimes. Exposed, Honey Bunny, Hunting Bear and Hunter’s Moon are told from the criminal’s perspective. The final two tales listed feature the same character, Ryan O’Shaughnessy. The Stalker, The Break, and Another Will Take Your Place, cover both the criminals and some element of law enforcement or in the latter case, the victim. Exposed injects the most humour out of the tales. The writer uses language very effectively. It gives the reader a sense of what this piece is about without overtly stating it. Subject matter aside, this tale was a joy to read because of the writing. The language is grandiose to mirror the man’s ego and confident and artistic at the same time to show he believes he is an artist at heart, “a soul unencumbered by earthly snares and committed to only the Muse” (Hanna 2017, 39).
The Stalker and Honey Bunny both deal with varying aspects of stalking, but Honey Bunny is the more interesting read. The Stalker allows the reader a glimpse into an unlikely relationship between a retired probation officer and a criminal/stalker. This tale is really about Tom Hemmings but since the writer doesn’t explicitly mention Tom in the story, I decided to separate it. Honey Bunny dealt more with stalkers and the transference of affection as well as delusions and fantasy. It really shows how easy it is for stalkers to become fixated and twist signs and interactions to fit their delusions. The story also takes the time to show how easily stalking can escalate and become dangerous. Readers who enjoy crime thrillers and exploring the criminal mind will enjoy this story. On the other hand, for those who have experienced crimes like this, it may be disturbing for them.
Hunting Bear and Hunter’s Moon are the most graphic. The language is sexual and aggressive, but in some ways, it felt forced and not as genuine in its portrayal. There is no doubt that Ryan could use this language and be this way but some of it felt exaggerated, “Even buggering the Nancy boys had not kept the walls from crushing in on him,” (Hanna 2017, 135) or “Hymen like leather. ‘If you can bust her, you can have her,’ he had joked and Ryan had laughed heartily. ‘I’ll bust her,’ he said. ‘Busted me a thousand cherries,” (Hanna 2017, 136). There is also a strange mix of similes and metaphors, where some seem out of character, “Elfin teenage girl,” (Hanna 2017, 139) and “wailing like a banshee,” (Hanna 2017, 149) contrasted with, “one of its intestines is dangling like a dick,” (Hanna 2017, 150) which seems more accurate for Ryan. Hunter’s Moon continues Ryan’s story, only it introduces the psychiatric element in which the reader understands what is wrong with Ryan. There is the same element with the language, uses of the word bitch and quotes like, “Men who bust cherries with only one thrust. Real f****g men” (Hanna 2017, 207). This could very well be an accurate depiction of someone with his mental illness and narcissism, but it just felt like the author was trying too hard.
The Break was beautifully written. It was interesting and engaging but painted quite the picture of escapees from prison. The language was also quite effective in this piece, “I tickled the dirt in front of him...I combed his hair with the warning shot,” (Hanna 2017, 165), gives a vivid picture of this shooting. There is a lot of hunting imagery as well and the writing gives the reader a glimpse into how unforgiving and treacherous the terrain and climate are, “They could hear the creek snarl as it edged into sight. The earth had collapsed on the bank nearest them and a sycamore, partly uprooted, sagged over a mantle of earth. White water writhed beneath the shadow of the tree” (Hanna 2017, 167).
Another Will Take Your Place is perhaps the standout piece. It describes a rape victim confronting her rapist and is sure to be an emotional rollercoaster for any reader. It doesn’t just go into detail with the rape itself, but it explores the aftermath in a way that is genuine and feels natural. It also gives insight into the mind of a rapist and the ways victims view themselves as responsible for inviting this assault, particularly those who suffered abuse as children. This rapist was so calm and direct it was chilling. Perhaps, I tend to see rapists like Ryan O’Shaughnessy, in more animalistic ways. In any event, it would have resulted in the same unsatisfactory reasons for committing a crime of this nature.
The author has a vast amount of insight and experience with criminals, particularly those who engage in stalking and assault. Nowhere is this more apparent than his stories featuring Tom Hemmings. The Outback and The Dress take place in Australia while The World Baseball League and The Wall involve a young Tom. Of the stories unrelated to crime, The Dress and The World Baseball League were the most enjoyable to read.
The Dress was mythical in its language and tone which was complemented by the Australian setting and references to The Iliad, “He still anticipated the sunsets, that sliver of day when the spinifex grass softened and the rocks, as though preparing for the chill of a desert evening, appeared to be lit by an internal glow” (Hanna 2017, 127). The World Baseball League allowed the author to be very creative and clever in language and choices for the Baseball team, “I immediately signaled Joan to lay down a sacrifice bunt...Amazingly, she beat out the throw after sprinting like her pants were on fire” (Hanna 2017, 180). The Outback and The Wall were more formative with respect to helping develop Tom’s character. There is some experience with crime but on a much smaller scale. These tales focus more on intimate or personal relationships.
The other tales feature Tom Hemmings as a Probation Officer with the exception of The Sicilian, which takes place immediately after his retirement. The stories are not told in a linear fashion, so the reader is first introduced to Tom, by name, in The Outback as a young man and then as a retired Probation Officer in The Sicilian. Each story serves to fill in the blanks of Tom’s life and give the reader more insight into his character. The author uses Nietzsche and other pieces of literature such as The Great Gatsby and The Iliad to summarise Tom’s life at various points. Nietzsche is used the most, “When fighting monsters, Nietzsche warned, be careful you do not become one. But who but a fallen angel can fathom the criminal mind. If you choose to conquer what lurks in the void, you had best be a monster yourself” (Hanna 2017, 87) and “NIETZSCHE’S CUTTING QUOTE, ‘If you gaze into the abyss, the abyss will gaze into you,’ is by now a redundancy. And so, when I became a San Francisco probation officer, I prepared myself to keep company with the abyss” (Hanna 2017, 239). Each story covers a theme or allows a glimpse into an important aspect of being a Probation officer that only someone with that type of experience would be privy to. Readers can understand the feelings of powerlessness retirees are confronted with (The Sicilian), the ignorance of those in managerial positions as well as the effects of addiction (Breaking Vials). Some tales also explore the futility of understanding what motivates criminals or stalkers (Jimmy Likes Mermaids), “Narcissistic disorder with rescue fantasies. For stalkers with mental health issues, this was the boilerplate profile—a banality that failed to reassure me” (Hanna 2017, 119). Others examine meaninglessness (Cheating the Jail Out of Time) and the darkness and changes that consume someone who has worked in this area for far too long (The Body in the Bay).
What works well in this collection is the fact that Mr Hanna uses some of the same characters throughout, so the readers are already familiar and can focus on the stories themselves. The writing is excellent, the editing is exceptional, and the author is clearly well versed on his subject matter. There is a wide array of tales that can appeal to many different readers. I enjoyed this collection immensely, although some tales stood out more than others. Overall, I would give this novel 4 out of 4. It’s witty, clever, engrossing and the language and writing are on a different level.
******
A Second, Less Capable Head
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
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