Peril in the Old Country by Sam Hooker
What's It About?
Rare is the author that writes like Sam Hooker.His latest book, Peril in the Old Country, draws the reader into a kaleidoscope of absurdist humor, stunning imagery, and a fantastical plot. Hooker is an expert when it comes to dark humor, and it clearly shows.
In a land where rules are everything – also known as the Old Country – Sloot Peril is an accountant who’s really just trying to do the best he can and stay in the realm of mediocrity for as long as possible. That, unfortunately for him, is now what happens. Instead, he fixes an accounting error, gets invited to a high-class dinner party he doesn’t belong at, and finds out that he’s actually from Carpathia, Old Country’s bloodthirsty, cannibalistic neighbor. Peril is then taken on one adventure after another, while never really knowing quite what he’s doing – which only makes the darker moments even funnier.
Full of action, adventure, and fantasy, each journey Peril is swept into is perfectly presented: the characters are dynamic and refreshingly new, and Hooker’s attention to detail when writing fully immerses the reader into the world he’s built, each plot thoroughly planned out to be neatly tied up at the end, everything coming together.
Admittedly, the book is a little difficult to get into. The world Hooker has created is so well developed and detailed that it can be tricky to orient yourself when you first start reading. But the humor makes up for any confusion, and a chapter or two later, you’ve become so immersed in the world that it feels like you’ve been there all along. Hooker’s wit and unexpected twists of humor mix delightedly with the more absurdist and fantasy elements of the book. The first book in a new series, Peril in the Old Country is a must-read for anyone in need, or looking for, an escape.
Peril in the Old Country is now available for purchase.