The Spectacle that is Jack Coq and his Amazing Anatomie

Just started reading this and I'm with kate - it's like listening to Caliban. And it's just so clever, 'Ignore all the little errors the slips and the stumbles. They can't be helped, not by me, not by any of us. Fell secure in them, certain of your superiority as you spot them, one after the other, a nice neat tally, nicks in your bloody fingers. But do not search them out.... Bugger the spellage, sod the wordage..."
But the wordage, the very clever wordage, is very much what this is about.

I have just backed your book as you ask. Will you return the compliment and back mine, Penrose - Princess of Penrith? If you do, many thanks.
Best wishes,
John

Mercy, this is an original piece of palaverism! The author must indeed be a very clever cove...

So original! I'm totally impressed by your prose. I feel like I've just spent four chapters with Shakespeare's favourite fool. He could even be Caliban washed up in some kind of Georgian London theatrical underworld. Guess I'll have to read on to find out.
Great to find such quality. Six stars
Kate
The Licenser
btw - what is a catanapse?

What a marvellous rollercoaster of wonderfullness. Masterfully written, gloriously descriptive, unique. I bow before you, Sir!

Melanie
La Vie en Rosé

wow, what an interesting messed up book :-) brilliant read. I read a few chapters with my dictionary out... great pace of book. I have added 5*****

Jimmy Threepwoood and the Veil of Darkness

Ok. I bow before your wordsmithing. Very nice. Excuse me, if I go back now to cry over my lame imitations of writing. I would have to read a little more closely to you know, get to the heart of the story and such. I'll be back.

thanks for putting this up here.

Backed initially for the typography of the prologue. Even without reading, it looks good. Reading brings the conceit to life - the language, the character, the total immersion in the sounds and smells and sights of Jack's world. It's in a class of its own on authonomy. Wonderful stuff.

Very much enjoyed what I have read of this so far. Well done for committing so thoroughly to a typographical concept and on having a style of writing rich enough to warrant it.

Just started reading and having so much fun with it. As I read I am reminded of different plays I studied in theatre school and it just has such whimsy to it. I look forward to continue reading.
-GF

Oh, and the witty dialogue is superb .

Put Not forcChildren on your pitch

I remember backing this when in an earlier form. Much prefer it now. It is masterly. Not an easy read but unique and now fully worked out. You are v clever and creative and this is going on my shelf at the next space. Lara
A RELATIVE LOSS

What a crazy, mixed up, hysterically weird concept for a book.
I love it.
I was stunned when I read the first chapter, thinking is this thing for real. However, I could not stop reading.
Well written, fast pace and well thought out.
What can I say, but wow well done

what cock is this, i like it much, though it puases oft before it thrusts upon the scene,dribbles before it speaks, capturing a rapt audiences attention, a gay bunch for sure, haha, read the first four chapters which is my usual, i guess it is elizabethan of some sort, and perhaps it has the history right, there are some great puns and good phrased turns, original i can not tell, well placed nonetheless,.i star it well, believing such langauge beyond my reach, i pay homage to that, not necessarily to its anatomie, though sure it a large means off the play, i will back this, mentally not pysically fearing what presenting a back my bring, best wishes

Just had another dip into Jack and am once again filled with sadness at the disappearance of the art of swearing, cursing, effing and blinding. What a loss to the English language. Just the sound of these curses makes me laugh. Thank goodness part of this fine heritage has been saved in these pages.
Jane

Hi AJS,

I’m here for our read swap. So sorry it’s taken me this long to get here. Below are my comments/findings. They are, of course, my humblest opinions, so take them for whatever they’re worth.

Love the pitches. Unique and captivating. It’s rare that I don’t have anything to say about a pitch.

This has a certain brilliance to it. I’ll be honest, though, at the same time it’s somewhat tedious to read, which will make it not for everyone. But those who can appreciate it will love it. I’m not sure the unique, inconsistent fonts do much for you but distract the reader. They can be eye sores, but others may disagree.

At any rate, well done. You’ve created some incredibly unique and your voice is captivating. Given the right demographic, this will do very well. Best of luck with it. Consider me a fan.

Phil
(Deshay of the Woods)

What can I say? Except that you must have had great fun writing this. I particularly enjoyed the scene in the rag merchant’s. Two images made me smile: the place swallowing and digesting the customers, the crone sticking her finger in her ear and Jack expecting to see it come out the other side.
The words you use are like the words children dream up, mangled and rearranged and perfectly intelligible. I bet you don’t get many people making helpful comments about grammar and commas.
As you say, Jack is a reading experience. I’ve given it as many stars as is humanly possible, but don’t ask me to comment on it – I think you are the only one with the credentials.
Jane.

I'm going to have to do a piece-by-piece, slow-of-arrival set of comments; you can't chomp through this one quickly, and besides, the book comes near to defeat comment. It's staggeringly original, though I can't help but think of Marat/Sade (I'm sorry if you don't want me to think of Marat/Sade, but I was much struck by that in my university days).

So this is just about the soliloquy that starts us off. Which is a spectacular feat. The spectacle that is: and I can picture him, and hear him, in his theatre. The second time (when I wasn't dazed) I began to read this aloud – the way I have to with drama; I walk about the house with a copy of Julius Casear and act out, and I'd do that with your book, if you were in a book, where you belong. Anyhow, I began to act out in my chair. It is so actable. It is a soliloquy in every sense. Whatever I mean by that. I mean, it's as much fun as quothing Coriolanus speeches to my flat walls. AS much fun.

The first time, I had to skip through – find my feet, I guess, in the bizarre – but on only the second attempt (it often takes more) I don't feel lost and can wallow.

I can write why every sentence is wonderful. But I dare say you know. Or I can, if you want; I'd be most happy to tell you why this sentence or that is a wonder among sentences.

Also, best title in the universe. Never change the title.

This is exhausting, but amazing. I feel like you should be standing on a busy street-corner in your pyjamas throwing soiled wigs at passers-by and reciting this at varyingly loud and soft volume.

To be honest, I can't tell whether this is brilliant or self-indulgent. Maybe both? In any case, there are a lot of people I would buy this book for as gifts just so we could discuss it and feel a little of its insanity among us.

I'm going to back this, because I don't know what the hell else to do with it.

This book is utter madness and yet I cannot look away as if I'm trapped in Arkham Asylum itself, and I find myself coming back for more lol

How crazy is this?!!!! At first I thought you were taking the piss, honestly. But I read on to be absolutely stunned by this work of obvious genious. You are a wordsmith alright, and then some. I really can't crit this, even a master editor would have problems. (they wouldn't dare in case it was meant to be, and then they would feel silly) All I can offer is my thoughts. Like I said, three paragraphs in and I was about to throw in the towel. So pleased that I didn't, you have something quite special here I think. You know, I'm still not 100% sure that you aren't touched by madness as well as genious. All the best to you, Anthony, you give me hope that there are still some original works out there to be stumbled upon. All the best, Julie xx

Theatre - I love it. Absurd - crazy, innit! Specally like this, when you're in the stalls and sitting by the fire as well, laughing inside-and-beside yourself, and holding up the action to have another listen to a really juicy bit.
And what a story,what an amazing idea for a story, what characters to be able to invent, what scenes and wartsanall physiogs and outlandish costumes, and what opportunities of language to have command of, what new fiction, what a novel kind of novel to give promise of!
Must tell Curious Turtle about it, Meanwhile you're entitled, Anthony Adverse, to be awarded a special division of 7stars, and waggle yer wotsit on my shelf.
David Grant
"Pompey Chimes""

Nice to see this back on the site, Anthony (it is Anthony, isn't it??!!). I remember reading and loving this in its original incarnation a few years ago and it's just as good second time round. The prose is rich and evocative and very original. Terrifically evoked sense of time and place. There's an involving, almost filmic quality to the writing which, coupled with the exotic, often quite challenging turns of phrase and imagery, serves to immerse the reader in the narrative. Distinct and engaging characters. Convincing and often very funny dialogue. Good sense of an attractively unconventional story line taking shape. To be honest, I'm not sure whether I prefer this version or the original (as I remember, the original begins with a third person narrative where Jack is discovered naked in the street surrounded by baying onlookers??) but, either way, this really is wonderfully impressive writing. Terrific stuff. On my shelf and best of luck. A

This truly is literary fiction.
Anyone who has this much fun with the English language, and manages to tell a story deserves a lot of stars.

Right, I'm off to the opticians.

Diana
Pascual's Birthday

Anyone who can coin a word like 'giggilification' is alright by me...besides, you must have the patience of old nick to actually type the first chapter in this style and assorted font and that alone gets my vote! A publisher's nightmare but worth more than most of the stuff here put together!
Viva
Stewart

What fun that was. Very different; I smiled and smiled - I love watching a wordsmith at play. Will read more of it, if you post any more. Please let me know.

The language here is so brilliant I hardly dare to even suggest anything, but I did find a couple of things that I think might have been actual typos and not just stylistic choices. Let me know if you'd like them in a message. They may, of course, have been intentional. It's very hard to say with work of this nature!

Now, since I may applaud you, I do. You won't have a huge audience for this, but some of us will certainly appreciate the old-fashioned vulgar beauty of it.

Utterly absorbing read. First book that I have read all of (all that's been uploaded that is).
Did this because a) I was enjoying it so much b) I felt was being spun around in a hall of mirrors and needed to find some grounding (didn't - not a bad thing) c) Loved the deliciousness of the language and how it created the world without you having to stop for description or exposition. Quite a feat. (Your spell check must have been in overdrive!)
But (sorry for the but) reading the pitch, both before and after, not sure I can tally the two ie the pitch with the story so far. (I know it's incomplete so you can leave this 'but' alone for now)

Loved the punning, the phrasing ("cackle of taffeta" - to name but one - excellent!) Oh, and as a big fan of the panto I really enjoyed the slosh scene and so good to be able to trace that back to traditional theatre forms. Joy!

Some anachronisms (should it matter? not sure, but anyway)
'Hang out the bunting' just sounds too post second world war (I'm sure its probably medieval but it's what it made me think of so it jarred)
'Old Beak take a dim view' - you came over all Bertie Wooster there.
'losing one is a misfortune two is carelessness' - we all know where that comes from and it was well after the time your book is set.
You don't want to lose any of the cleverness and I felt you did there.

Extraordinary stuff. This might even be really great.
Starred and backed.

Oh you fool...

"He becomes the character he portrays."...what a true observation of absolutely everybody. Life is a dream, and we are the dreamers -
thank God is is not serious

I am bowing to this language, and the dark old atmosphere it takes me into. "I shrug.He nods.We shake.He leads.I follow. We leave." Now That's a poem for you.
I sense a greatness in this manuscript. For me now, I don't have the time to truly allow it to get me . it is all-absorbing - at least to me - and i cannot give it the time it demands from me. I think it is genius.
High starred, and best of luck. Oh, the wonder of finding great literature here, and a writer who has the musicality of a Mozart.

'What a bloody great cock.' Finally, at the end of chapter three. A magnificent achievement, the book, not the cock! Unique, here and elsewhere. I've been witness to its many manifestations, admired every switch, every progression. Best writer on here? Maybe no, but bloody close! The author's other work could scarcely be more diverse, which makes this even more remarkable.
On my shelf, again, with by now customary admiration.
Jake

Came to this via your post about the prologue.
This requires somewhat more attention than I can give it, it being late on a Friday evening. However, the quality shows magnifiently and congratulations on pushing not only what you can do in a novel, but perhaps even more so, pushing what you can do in the miserable reading format that is Authonomy!

I suspect there are things you want to do that you simply can't do in this format. Coloured text would be an obvious one, both 'blue' and 'white-washed' suggest font effects. And 'blew' would be still better if it blew across the following word or even into the line above. I did wonder if 'corner' might be beter starting large and growing smaller, rather than the other way and I did find one para devoid of typographical effects, so maybe a little more consistency is called for. I did wonder at times whether the text justified (no pun intended) a particular effect and you might like to question whether doing it too much might lessen the effect when you do.
I'm off to make space on my bookshelf.
Colin

NB: I read the Prof Branestawm books as a child. I remember nothing about them except the laughter.

Deliciously vulgar. A real wordsmith at play here.

The voice is original, the language slightly archaic, but it is intriguing stuff.

Are you British? It seems to me most of the really literarily-interesting "experimental" novelists I see on this thing are British, I wonder if British agents just don't have the "markets" to sell all the talent in. There's definitely something with the British character (or genome, for all I know) that pops out intricate, byzantine stuff (the French did not write those rhetorically-insane convolutions of Samuel Johnson, Shakespeare even).

Having said that, I also see some of the Brit "experimental" authors (most of whom aren't published, mind you) emulating this pre-20th century style, somewhat, sometimes doing Tristam Shandy stuff, or not. I myself am a fan of this, to some extent...but I wonder about it, whether it's a good fictional approach, "artistically" or populistly.

I've done a lot of thinking about "experimental" styles, mind you.

For me, I concluded if there is a physical or circumstantial reality being presented, present it as clearly and straightforwardly as possible. Tell, if you're stylistically averse to "showing." But I write so every "experimental" flourish is supposed to be some brain-thinking-about-stuff-in-a-real-physical-moment, in reality--if you're off to the Finnegans Wake, Gravity's Rainbow races, I don't know what to tell you.

I'm all for the weird typeface stuff. Approximately one book has done it: "House of Leaves"--and it was a huge, crazy, consistent success (it's still 800 on Amazon 11 years later.) I don't get how anybody in publishing concludes this could be a bad idea, when books have nothing else to distinguish themselves.

I can't say whether this is an unqualified artistic success, but it goes some ways toward demonstrating there actually is active hostility toward anyone even aspirantly new or interesting (assuming you've diligently labored to published this.) I ransacked the fiction shelves seeking anybody even trying to do something in this vein. The competent dullards (I'm not really exaggerating) they select and boost in "literary" fiction sell as poorly as any "experimental" novel might, with less chance of distinguishing themselves.

I might come back and lodge some more observations. This is cool though--my last session on Authonomy I read tons of stuff and only "backed" two writers, one of whom went on to win the Authonomy "American Idol" prize (I think somebody fringe decided to publish it, too.)

l don't like writers playing around with thier font style......HOWEVER! This really works. YOU give your book an extra dimention, a visual bonus, a literary appeal...well done for breaking the rules!
backed with pleasure...
six stars******
read SEASONS...

Phew! some torrent of words and amzing style. At first, I was transfixed, wondering if the style was just representative of the thought and words of the Narrator, and would slip into more usual prose once the style was established, cropping up here and there to remind us,

Unfortunately I started to struggle, I found I really had to read each paragraph due to its interesting style - it might just be me, becuase I see the earlier comment was completely different.

I like the idea, and short snaps of the wierd narrative may have been better, but I felt I was being clubbed by it, forced to sub,it to this unusual style.

Anyway, I wish you luck.

Regards
Warrick

Very interesting first chapter. It is somewhat different and drew me in. There was no lagging in the story which held my complete attention and kept me reading. It is well written, easy and fun to read. I have put you on my watch list and given you a well deserved high star rating. I will be back to read more and let you know what I think.

I hope you can get a chance to look at Menopause. A dark comedy about a menopausal serial killer who kills all the “bad” people she has known throughout her life in order to make the world a better place.

I am fairly new to authonomy and I would love to hear your thoughts on it.

Best of luck - Thanks. Helen