Jeremy Hawkins

Set in a fictionalized version of the town I've lived in or near for pretty much all my life, this debut novel is about a dying video store in 2007 that is a fictionalized version of the video store where I used to rent all my movies. It's a light, humorous story, entertaining if a bit rough around the edges. The characters are the book's strength; the plot seems a little rambling, but pulls it together by the end. I could definitely see this as a movie, shades of High Fidelity, starring Jack Black maybe.… (mais)

Jeremy Hawkins' knowledge of film makes The Last Days of Video a unique novel that combines an interesting story with constant references to our movie culture. I've watched enough films to understand most of those references and I'm confident other readers will also enjoy them.

The book jacket calls it “...a hilarious elegy for a bygone era, a quirky and charming story...” I agree with the quirky and charming, but can't say I laughed from beginning to end as many other reviewers did. True, Alaura's time at the Reality Center shows a great (and funny) picture of people searching for truth in cult-like organizations and Jeff's background makes an interesting comparison with people who use religion for a similar purpose. But what makes this book great is that I was pulling for the characters in all their odd activities rather than laughing at them. Hawkins even got me to pull for Waring Wax despite the fact that the only time he isn't acting bitter is when he's too drunk to do anything.

I've always had a love for fictional lives. (That's why I write novels and have been active in local theater.) So I can identify with these characters, who also find their solace in fictional stories. I like Alaura best because she has other options. She stays with Star Video due to her love of classic films and I find her love to be contagious.

This is a wonderful novel for anyone who has ever watched a film, especially a rented one.

Steve Lindahl – author of Motherless Soul and White Horse Regressions… (mais)