Tales of the Moore
'Illuminations' includes eight short stories and one novella, 'What We Can Know About Thunderman', which is itself a set of connected tales about a group of comic book fans turned industry professionals and how the business ultimately chews them up and spits them out. The other works range from the pure fantasy of 'Hypothetical Lizard', about revenge, ambition and heartbreak in a magical brothel, to the time-tricksy tale of cryptozoological self-preservation 'Not Even Legend', and the paranormal payback story 'Cold Reading'. 'Illuminations' is a warning against letting nostalgia claim your present (literally), while 'Location, Location, Location' imagines how the Day of Judgement may pan out. Every story is dark, creative and a startling twist on reality.
Bright Ideas
I love a good short story and the range in this collection is stunning. Moore is clearly a writer who loves to experiment, so to start a story is to plunge yourself into a lucky dip where the prize could enlighten, shock or electrify. 'Illuminations' is an education for any creative writing student, demonstrating how limitless and versatile the short story form can be, and that it pays to be brave and let your imagination explore. I loved his descriptions, from the snobbish appraisal of a run-down estate in 'Cold Reading' to the phenomenal array of synonyms for an abundance of porn mags in 'What We Can Know About Thunderman', I marvelled at how vivid and engaging his language is. Regardless of anything else, 'Illuminations' is a jaw-dropping masterclass in creativity and how not to get stuck in a formulaic rut.
Not Light Reading
Because this collection is so creative and diverse, I found it hard to love every story. While I admired everything, I found the character-driven plots more accessible than the high concept pieces. There were two stories that I just couldn't finish; 'The Improbably Complex High-Energy State' which seemed to be about the Big Bang, and 'American Light: An Appreciation', a narrative told through literary analysis of a beat poem. Both were clever, innovative and educational, but I found them a bit too high-brow and started to get a headache. Instead, I preferred the more mischievous pieces, like 'Cold Reading' (a ghost story for both sceptics and believers) and 'Not Even Legend' (which juggled with timeframe), and the more heartfelt, like 'Illuminations' (the story of a man whose grief-stricken search for solace in nostalgia takes an unexpected turn). 'And, at the Last, Just to Be Done with Silence' (which is hard to explain without giving the game away, but reminded me a bit of 'Waiting for Godot' because of its use of dialogue) lies somewhere in between, in that I liked the twist, but by the time I got to this final story in the collection, my brain was a bit mangled. Although I often struggle with fantasy and know nothing about comic books, 'Hypothetical Lizard' and 'What We Can Know About Thunderman' surprised me by drawing me in with interesting plots about emotionally fragile characters.
Overall
'Illuminations' is a book for readers who are not afraid to be challenged. Moore appears to be a writer who prefers to tell tales on his own terms, a literary Loki playing tricks on his audience for their mutual enjoyment. I suspect some will dislike his religious and political views, but get the impression Moore couldn't care less about pandering to an audience, preferring to explore ideas and culture in the way he wants. The image of Artistotle striding round the Lyceum, lecturing as he went and expecting his students to keep up springs to mind. Thinking about it, the author photo in 'Illuminations' does suggest a free-wheeling ancient philosopher. Perhaps I've had a lightbulb moment.
Now, what next...?
'Illuminations' by Alan Moore was published by Bloomsbury in 2022. This post is based on the hardback edition. Note that this book includes adult themes.
