“Teenagers from Mars” by the Misfits is the first thing that comes to mind here. I don’t entirely know why, but reading Corpse of Freedom just reminds of it. In the same way that something like Joe Meno’s Hairstyles of the Damned puts awkward, honest, and painful adolescence onto the page, Dax and Lloyd Garner’s book brings the surreal-ness of teenage paranoia into the light. It sure as hell can’t be wrapped up nice and neat, but it definitely will make an impression. Everdale, USA is like every suburb you’ve seen in a horror movie, with eerie hints and clues that everything is not all right, and something slightly sinister lives in the shadows of pre-planned perfection. Even if those shadows hide nothing besides the trials and tribulations of weird, cute girls, busted cars, and flakey friends, sometimes—we can eventually figure out—those are enough to make any life seem crazy enough. The combination of this with the more real mystery unraveling in the background makes this an interesting read; not an easy one, but definitely interesting enough to ensure you’re going to be going back to re-read all the parts you didn’t get, because you’ll want to know just what’s going on. –Constantine Koutsoutis (Books On Fire, 8018 N 55th Ave, Glendale, AZ85302)
