R. Tim Morris’ Rating: 8/10
Such a peculiar book. James Lasdun’s writing is wonderful; so much so that sometimes I find myself lost in the prose not knowing what exactly it was I had just read. The Horned Man is not for those who want answers or resolution. By the time the final page is turned you’ll maybe even find yourself with more questions than you had at any other point in the book. But, oh are there some fantastic scenes within! I should really mark my own copy so that I can open it anytime and read my favorite parts. When Lasdun gets a scene or a paragraph just right he absolutely nails it. From the opening paragraph, to when Lawrence finds the “secret space” in his office, to the most surrealistic moment in the book (you’ll know it if you’ve read it); these are all fantastic.
This book is dark, smart and it is unlike anything you’ll ever read. Cannot recommend enough.
.R Tim Morris. 