Sleepeasy

By T. M. Wright
I picked this book up at a used book store in Virginia mostly because the cover contained an endorsement for the author by Stephen King. How can I go wrong with “T.M. Wright is a rare and blazing talent,” I thought?
This book is somewhat difficult to review. I guess it’s because there was a bit of it that really appealed to me (for some reason), and also there were a few things I didn’t like. It is also very different from anything I have read before. The book centers around Harry Briggs, who has died and finds himself in a new place. He arrives in Silver Lake looking for his wife. The afterlife is populated by the creations of the dead. Everyone who has died is given a certain area, and is allowed complete freedom to create their own world to “live” in. Harry soon discovers that his subconscious has created a murderer, troubling both the new realm and our plane of existence. Harry spends the book searching for his wife, and the criminal he is responsible for creating. We are given insight into “the afterlife” present in this book, and also visit the earthly realm. The book introduces some interesting ideas, and is well executed by sticking within the defined parameters. Simply put: it doesn’t contradict itself or venture further (theoretically) than is tolerable. Characters are reasonably developed, and unnecessary characters are simply forgotten. This is something I’m not typically used to, but the author omitted characters satisfactorily.
The story was certainly not engrossing, but I was definitely intrigued by the way it was presented. I find it rather difficult to give this book a concise review, because it is hard to articulate how I felt reading it. It wasn’t what I would call a “page turner,” and given the subject matter was different from anything else I’ve ever read. I commend Wright for his writing, and his style certainly appealed to me. Overall, the story was not completely engrossing, but definitely interesting enough to read and be moderately satisfied with the ending.
Rating: 3.5/5 Bunsen Burners
Up Next: The Fury by John Farris