{"product_id":"9781555977597","title":"Thrill Me : Essays on Fiction","description":"\u003cstrong\u003eThrill Me\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor(s): Benjamin Percy\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBold new essays on how to craft a thrilling read--in any genre--from the bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eThe Dead Lands\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAnyone familiar with the meteoric rise of Benjamin Percy's career  will surely have noticed a certain shift: After writing two short-story collections and a literary novel, he delivered the werewolf thriller \u003ci\u003eRed Moon \u003c\/i\u003eand the postapocalyptic epic \u003ci\u003eThe Dead Lands. \u003c\/i\u003eNow, in his first book of nonfiction, Percy challenges the notion that literary and genre fiction are somehow mutually exclusive. The title essay is an ode to the kinds of books that make many readers fall in love with fiction: science fiction, fantasy, mysteries, horror, from J.R.R. Tolkien to Anne Rice, Ursula K. Le Guin to Stephen King. Percy's own  academic experience banished many of these writers in the name of what  is \"literary\" and what is \"genre.\" Then he discovered Michael Chabon, Aimee Bender, Cormac McCarthy, Margaret Atwood, and others who employ techniques of genre fiction while remaining literary writers. In fifteen  essays on the craft of fiction, Percy looks to disparate sources such as \u003ci\u003eJaws\u003c\/i\u003e,\u003ci\u003e Blood Meridian\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eThe Girl with the Dragon Tattoo \u003c\/i\u003eto  discover how contemporary writers engage issues of plot, suspense, momentum, and the speculative, as well as character, setting, and dialogue.  An urgent and entertaining missive on craft, \u003ci\u003eThrill Me \u003c\/i\u003ebrims with  Percy's distinctive blend of anecdotes, advice, and close reading, all  in the service of one dictum: Thrill the reader.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eReview(s):\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e“[A] lively, helpful guide. . . . [Percy] provides precise advice concerning basics like suspense, setting, and style. . . . His evocative personal anecdotes invigorate even familiar material. . . . In each essay we glimpse an industrious Percy at the daily grind of writing, rereading and editing his fiction. . . . . Beyond craft or theory, and perhaps more helpful than any advice, this book serves as a reminder that writing is hard work.”\u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eThe New York Times Book Review \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“[Benjamin Percy] peppers his observations of today's literary scene with homey, witty anecdotes, and he couches his analysis in no-nonsense wisdom. . . . Not only does he frame the ins and outs of the writing process with warm, wry reminiscences drawn from his own life, he refuses to lapse into stereotypical preciousness or pretentiousness. He talks bluntly and amiably about how stories work and why they matter, an approach that doesn't take a fellow writer to appreciate.”\u003cb\u003e—NPR Books\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“[Benjamin Percy] demonstrates he’s one of contemporary fiction’s sharper critical minds, an author with a rare talent for explaining his craft. . . . \u003ci\u003eThrill Me\u003c\/i\u003e is packed with concise, practicable counsel.”\u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eStar Tribune\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e (Minneapolis) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“[\u003ci\u003eThrill Me\u003c\/i\u003e] is a fine choice for readers and writers looking for a holistic take on writing that spans genres and styles.”\u003cb\u003e—Tor.com\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Percy dives in head first, and his enthusiasm, in conjunction with his eye for substance and style and his skillful explication, prove a heady mix. . . . \u003ci\u003eThrill Me\u003c\/i\u003e is comprehensive in its scope, touching on most of the important pieces of storycraft from stylistic choices to character development . . . with character and vigor, and with a joyful populist tone.”\u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eElectric Literature \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Expertly balanced, extensively researched, and written in a vibrant, demanding style that can offer you a flower as easily as punch you in the gut. . . . Everyone can learn from [Benjamin] Percy’s essays.”\u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eKenyon Review\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“\u003ci\u003eThrill Me \u003c\/i\u003eturns the interior, plodding process of writing into a heart-pounding read, and imparts some excellent lessons along the way.”\u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eWashington Independent Review of Books \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“\u003ci\u003eThrill Me\u003c\/i\u003e offers a concise, lucid anatomy of the bones that support narratives ranging from \u003ci\u003eJaws\u003c\/i\u003e to \u003ci\u003eBlood Meridian\u003c\/i\u003e.”\u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eLocus Magazine\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Percy is a master wordsmith and he delivers his messages with the panache and style of the grizzled veteran he is, both as teacher and author, engaging you so intensely that you don’t even realize you’re learning something, having become so involved in the telling.”\u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eHellnotes\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e   \u003cbr\u003e“Percy’s essays skillfully dissect the structure, mechanics, and concrete details of what makes good writing sparkle.”\u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Now we all have the opportunity to learn from Percy, whose genre-busting, electrifying fiction is opening doors for a new generation of writers. . . . This book also reads like a sly memoir, with the killer ratio of brilliant mind to generous heart. Warmly personal and deviously scholarly, \u003ci\u003eThrill Me\u003c\/i\u003e is terrific.”\u003cb\u003e—Karen Russell\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“The magnificent Benjamin Percy has written a warm, personal and deeply considered book on the nature of storytelling, genre and fiction that I recommend unreservedly. It laughs and snarls and sparks fire in the mind. Masterful.”\u003cb\u003e—Warren Ellis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN:  9781555977597\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ","brand":"Graywolf Press","offers":[{"title":"Paperback \/ softback","offer_id":40596907557070,"sku":"9781555977597","price":16.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0600\/7029\/7806\/products\/getimage_4e3195c2-5a73-4e2d-8e35-86047b40e95a.jpg?v=1637869221","url":"https:\/\/pickwickbookshop.com\/products\/9781555977597","provider":"Pickwick Bookshop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}