zelenyj

I have reviewed numerous Alexander Zelenyj’s short story collections and every time I take the plunge something fresh catches my eye, or I uncover further depths to his writing. There are few short story specialists as prolific, endlessly entertaining, creative, and simply batshit crazy. Long Teeth of the Night (2022) included twenty-eight of his best stories from the period 1999-2019 and is a startlingly unique blend of the uncanny to the weird, via horror and science fiction. After such a huge career defining accomplishment many writers might have stepped back and taken stock, but not Zelenyj, who bounced straight into Beware us Flowers of the Annihilator, a stunning undertaking, [AZ1] close to 500-pages in length. These bizarre stories often capture unique moments, startling snapshots of life, coming-of-age moments, heartbreak, or individuals trapped within the ripples of otherworldly occurrences. The natural ability to effortlessly flow between genres is a rare literary gift and few do it better, where literary rulebooks are discarded and the monsters are frequently the most compassionate characters. He has an unpredictable and jarring writing style, which takes plots and narratives into bizarre directions, often slipping down sideroads, instead of directing his narratives into the realms of the crowd pleasing money shot. He refuses to play by any literary rulebook, except his own. This is all part of Alexander Zelenyj’s unique charm.

- Tony Jones, Horror DNA