Quirky and darkly humorous, this is literary fiction at best….
Nikolich’s fantastic debut not only showcases his powers of setting, character, and description but also shines light on his skill of giving a dark story a distinctive and humorous flair. A wildfire and murder of a young woman in Bull River Falls flares the small-town newspaper publisher and a Vietnam veteran Stan Przewalski’s PTSD symptom further. Medications and the past trauma make it impossible to distinguish reality from fantasy. So, when Chaz, a quirky gopher, seeks Stan’s help in his fight against unscrupulous real estate developers, Stan sees his opportunity at redemption. The chaos that seem to take hold of the plot— as the alternative narrative shuffles between the present and Stan’s flashbacks to the Vietnam combined with multiple plot threads driven by other characters — become all the more surreal as Stan’s frustrating but ultimately fantastic journey is powered by Chaz and Dora’s idiosyncrasies. The fantastic sense of place, memorable characters, and a stylish prose makes this a page-turner.
The Gopher King
By Gojan Nikolich
Black Rose Writing
Pub date November 12, 2020
ISBN 978-1684335732
Price $20.95 (USD) Paperback