Description
“Rey does not disdain or deny the spirit. He would like to think he embraces it. But the reality is that it fills him with fear. It’s the only thing that makes him afraid. He’s afraid of me. But this he would never admit.”
1980’s Los Angeles. All eyes are on the world premiere of Moon Wars, adapted from the hit science fiction novel by Lance Rey. Fans and paparazzi loll their tongues over Moon Wars’ star-studded cast, unaware of the dark web of crime and murder centered on the book’s reclusive “author.” A struggling artist, an amateur kickboxer, an unhappy trophy wife, an undercover FBI agent; these and more are the women who know who Lance Rey truly is, who’ve had their lives torn apart by his machinations, and who are now out for revenge.
Luminaria is a poignant examination of love, vengeance, and conspiracy in modern America. Blending science fiction, fantasy, action, and romance, K.H. Mezek’s novel portrays life through the eyes of women from all walks of life and provides a piercing commentary on American culture.
Originally serialized on Terror House Magazine from 2020 to 2021, Terror House Press is proud to bring this modern classic into print.
“In Luminaria, K.H. Mezek introduces us to Lana, a character who pays attention to all of the beautiful details that surround the seemingly mundane scenes that play out around her, from the ‘eggs, the delicate, pure white shells shining like enormous pearls in the surrounding grime’ to the ‘back room, trance music, big screen flashing paintings. Michelangelo’s God and Adam from the Sistine Chapel. Da Vinci’s Birth of Venus. Bruegel’s Fall of the Rebel Angels. Creation and death.’ To this character, the world is revealed as a work of art, a mix of the earthly and divine as she makes her way through the holy dust of Los Angeles. Then we are introduced to Hannah. We come to learn that Hannah is married to a guy named Slick and that she wants more out of life than just being his wife. This postmodern tale of an anti-hero centers around Hannah’s search for meaning in life, and this is what causes her to contemplate the eggs, pregnancy, marriage, sex, self-harm, aliens, longing, death, and fireflies. Reminiscent of Thomas Pynchon’s The Crying of Lot 49, Hannah searches through a world that doesn’t make sense, on a journey to read the tarot of the world, creating some semblance of order out of all of this chaos. Then we meet Natasha. And Lilly. And Adonai. Erolin. Farida. Jessica. Ith Daktar San. Mavis. Each of these unique characters forms the center of their own universe, their own place in the universe where space-time shifts, each its own shining Luminaria.” — Leslie D. Soule, author of Fallenwood and My Mentor, Death
Excerpts
Luminaria: Tales of Earth and Oran, Love and Revenge is also available in e-book format. To purchase the e-book edition, click here.
