Lisa's Take: Gil's All Fright Diner (A. Lee Martinez)

I’d like to start this review by noting that I typoed Mr. Martinez’s name twice as A. Leet Martinez. This mistake can certainly be attributed to the fact that’s he’s one hell of an awesome dude, as much as it can be blamed on my slow and under-caffeinated fingers. But that’s neither here nor there, I suppose…

Gil’s All Fright Diner is Martinez’s first book, released in 2005, and while it’s marginally less polished than his more recent 2 releases, it’s still a fantastically fun read. The story follows Duke, the werewolf, and Earl, the vampire, a couple of rednecks who happen to be in the right town at the wrong time. The word “hellmouth” springs to mind, for you Buffy fans out there – but I’ll refrain from saying more, as the book is pretty short and I wouldn’t want to spoil. Throw in a devious and nubile teenage Japanese seductress, an overly compassionate ghost and Loretta the Diner Cook, and you have a massively entertaining idiosyncratic rollick. That’s right, rollick as a verb. I said it.

What else is there to say? Obviously the premise is as outrageous as all of Martinez’s other books, and just as laugh worthy. I will mention that, much like his other works, he has a tendency to grow more serious (and more gory) towards the end of the book. That said, it’s still an excellent read, cover to cover – and damn if the pages in between don’t fly by quickly. I knocked this one out in maaaybe 5 hours total. DEEEElicious!

Finally, I’d like to make a quick note of my Great Approval for authors that release a book every year. A good book, at that. Authors whose names are subsets of Mr. Martinez’s could learn a thing or two about this. And now go! Make for the Leet reading!