Relative to the wider population of fantasy books available, literary fantasy is in short supply. Partly this is down to readership; most readers prefer a touch of literary at most, but many more don't seek that sort of discussion within their novels (which is, of course, completely fine). Partly it is somewhat hard to break into as a subgenre, being dominated by the existing giants of that specific fishbowl. And partly, anything literary is bound to be subjective and fickle in its reception, meaning an ambitious novel can miss its own mark with the slightest of missteps. All of these contribute to a 'type' of book which doesn't sell easily to either readers or agents, and which is--imo--under represented in the fantasy market.

It was therefore with a mix of trepidation and intrigue that I went and bought an unknown Lit-FA book from a small indie press (Unsung Stories--all their books are firmly in the literary end of speculative fiction).

The short version--I enjoyed it, and would recommend it, with some subjective preferences influencing my final rating (4 stars).

The longer version contains spoilers; read at your own risk .

'Metronome' follows the story of William Manderlay, an ex-sailor and former professional musician living out his last days in a retirement home. (Straight away the narrative gets a boost from me--older characters are very underrepresented in fantasy, and it's refreshing to see one lead the story.)

William begins to experience nightmares, either interspersed with memories or with the dreams themselves set within locations from his youth. His life unfolds in bits and pieces alongside the wider plot (or deeper plot, if you wish to be pedantic), drawing him further from his mundane life and into a plot involving his own musical compositions. The name of the novel is drawn from a ship which he sails on for much of the ensuing quest (but of course, has musical and psychological connotations too).

The writing is beautiful, musing, thoughtful; Manderlay's observations show intelligence and awareness, in both character and (no doubt) the writer. The thread of Manderlay's life is (I feel) the strongest element in the book; his self analysis is eloquent, and quietly tragic. There is nothing to fault in that respect.


Metronome was very nearly a five star for me (I try not to give those out very often). The things that held me back were all relatively small, but still significant in their own way. Firstly, the surreality. It's an expected--even required--element of any dream fiction, but at times the sheer disconnectedness diffused the focus of the novel. Secondly, there is a suggestion early on that some aspects of the narrative could be read as a descent into death, or dementia. But though the imagery is heavily suggestive, Manderlay's end is not explored or examined with the same gentle forensics which he applies to his own life, and I'm uncertain what the metaphysical consequences of Manderlay's final choice will be, if indeed any. Perhaps that is deliberate (probably so, in fact) but I'm not sure it works for me.

Still, so much of the novel is enjoyable and intriguing, and it's well worth the time to peruse. ( )

It is presumptuous of me but this lovely book lost a whole star because of lack of story. The idea, the writing and the characters are great but it just meanders dreamily along. And while I love the dream theme - acting it out leaves me wanting more. ( )

facebook // twitter // bloglovin // youtube

SUCH an interesting concept and fantastic execution, Metronome by Oliver Langmead is a thought provoking, yet fun read. Manderlay’s adventures into the land of dreams is exciting. The idea of nightmares as something that must be physically fought and defeated is great. What Langmead does with the nightmares, his description of them, is smart, keeping them relatively nondescript so that the reader can imagine what they are.

The story takes three turns, each of which are equally interesting. The first, we see Manderlay as an elderly man living in an assisted living home suffering from arthritis and repeated nightmares. Learning more about him and his life would have made for a lovely contemporary novel. How did he get there? Why? What’s happened to his family? We never find out as it isn’t necessary for the story, yet, I was so endeared by Manderlay, I really wish I knew.

The second turn happens when Manderlay decides to stay dreaming to correct a mistake. This is when all of the action happens and the people he comes across are so interesting, especially March. The more we find out about March and the bits we find out about his life outside of dreams, the more I love him and want a story about him and his adventures. All of the characters are people I’d love to know more about, which is a testament to how well Langmead writes that his side characters are just as developed and interesting as his main character.

The last turn, well, I won’t say much on that because it is a spoiler, but it’s a great one that leaves you wondering what the heck just happened! It’s such an interesting thing to think about, yet it just makes sense.

A fun, fast-paced, and well developed book, Metronome by Oliver Langmead is sure to please both fantasy fans, as well as surrealists and intellectuals. However, it will leave some frustrated and wanting more (which can be the mark of a good writer, I suppose, but still I WANT MORE!)

// I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this title. // ( )

It is presumptuous of me but this lovely book lost a whole star because of lack of story. The idea, the writing and the characters are great but it just meanders dreamily along. And while I love the dream theme - acting it out leaves me wanting more. ( )

http://speculiction.blogspot.com/2017/02/review-of-metronome-by-oliver-langmead.... ( )