Dragonmoth and Running Snake: a daikaiju novel

Name: Dragonmoth and Running Snake: a daikaiju novel
Price: 12.99 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9781491275917

✍️ Michael Shrum

Reader Score

4.4

(1 review)

$12.99

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📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A novel linking three characters facing an apocalyptic event through personal and supernatural struggles.

This work examines how individuals cope with inevitable destruction through different lenses. Arthur Fields deals with addiction, Travis pursues love in Los Angeles, and Corliss fights a beast in wastelands. The connections between these paths reveal Shrum’s interest in human resilience. The narrative avoids typical genre tropes by focusing on emotional truth rather than spectacle. Each character’s journey contributes to a larger understanding of the impending end. The structure allows for varied tones, shifting from gritty realism to surreal horror. This variety keeps the reader engaged with the evolving stakes. The book offers a fresh perspective on apocalypse fiction by grounding the extraordinary in personal reality.

Key Themes

apocalyptic awareness personal redemption giant monster defeat

Literary Context

Published in 2013, this novel sits within the contemporary independent publishing landscape. It draws on the kaiju tradition while subverting expectations through literary fiction techniques. The setting includes underground Los Angeles and nuclear wastelands, reflecting post-apocalyptic anxieties.

Difficulty

●●● Challenging

Recommended For Fans Of

Thomas Ligotti · Junji Ito · Kazuo Ishiguro · H.P. Lovecraft

☣️

Apocalyptic

🏛 Createspace Independent Publishing Platform 📅 2013 📖 402 pages 🌐 English 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9781491275917

📝 Description: Dragonmoth and Running Snake: a daikaiju novel

Michael Shrum presents a narrative that intertwines three distinct storylines converging on an apocalyptic event. The text follows Arthur Fields, an alcoholic novelist who must achieve sobriety before confronting the end of the world. Parallel to his journey is Tricksy Travis, an underground Los Angeles poet seeking romantic success while aware of impending doom. A third thread features Tral Corliss, a storyteller navigating nuclear wastelands to defeat a giant monster named Godera. Shrum structures the novel around these overlapping perspectives, blending elements of kaiju fiction with personal struggle. The work draws on traditions of supernatural horror and gothic tension, though it resists simple categorization. The narrative does not rely on standard genre conventions but instead focuses on the internal states of characters facing external catastrophe. This approach creates a unique reading experience that prioritizes character depth over typical monster action. Readers who appreciate unconventional narratives and psychological complexity will find this book engaging. Those seeking traditional giant monster battles or straightforward horror plots may find the pacing deliberate. The text demands attention to its layered storytelling rather than passive consumption. Shrum’s background as a writer informs the distinct voices of each protagonist, ensuring that their individual quests feel grounded despite the fantastical setting.

💎 Our verdict on Dragonmoth and Running Snake: a daikaiju novel

“

🩸

Horror Reads editorial team

Horror desk

Shrum’s novel distinguishes itself by prioritizing internal character states over external kaiju action, creating a unique reading experience that blends gritty realism with surreal horror. The intertwining storylines of an alcoholic novelist, a Los Angeles poet, and a wasteland storyteller provide varied tones that keep the narrative engaging despite its deliberate pacing. While it may frustrate readers seeking standard genre conventions or passive consumption, it rewards attention to psychological complexity and emotional depth. The text successfully resists simple categorization, offering a sophisticated exploration of resilience through overlapping perspectives that converge on an apocalyptic event.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers seeking a departure from conventional monster movies or straightforward horror plots will find this novel compelling for its emphasis on emotional truth over physical spectacle. It is ideal for those who appreciate character-driven narratives that explore human resilience amidst inevitable destruction. The book appeals to individuals interested in the intersection of addiction, artistic struggle, and existential dread. By grounding an apocalyptic event in personal reality, it offers a fresh perspective on the end-of-the-world genre. Those willing to engage with layered storytelling and varied tones will gain a deeper understanding of how different psychological states cope with catastrophe.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Horror Reads —

Reader rating

4.4

Based on 1 reviews

Horror Reads editorial team

Shrum’s novel distinguishes itself by prioritizing internal character states over external kaiju action, creating a unique reading experience that blends gritty realism with surreal horror. The intertwining storylines of an alcoholic novelist, a Los Angeles poet, and a wasteland storyteller provide varied tones that keep the narrative engaging despite its deliberate pacing. While it may frustrate readers seeking standard genre conventions or passive consumption, it rewards attention to psychological complexity and emotional depth. The text successfully resists simple categorization, offering a sophisticated exploration of resilience through overlapping perspectives that converge on an apocalyptic event.