Jon Armstrong's Grey now Podcasting!

I was lucky enough to read Jon Armstrong's Grey back when it was still a twinkle in his computer, as of yet unpublished and a wee bit unpolished. Then, I got to read the book again in its polished and published form and it was even better than I had remembered it...

Jane Austen meets William Gibson channeling Romeo & Juliet as chronicled by W Magazine, Gray is a futuristic techno-thriller comedy of manners with a fashionable edge. It's less science fiction than science fashion, a sartorial satire of the pret-a-porter future. That's the fun for the fashion geeks. For the tech geeks there is plenty of that too, along with a huge dose of wacky Japanese-style pop culture, and, of course, plenty of dystopia.

Many times you've been told about how original a book is or how its author is a compelling new voice. Usually these proclamations are just PR cant. But this time such sweeping statements are actually true. I can not, off the top of my head, think of one other book I've ever read that was even remotely like Gray. It's original and terrific. If you don't believe me, go to Jon's myspace page where experts agree. Then quit wasting your time and go read the book.

You can purchase Gray directly from the Night Shade Books Boys (their super-huge sale is still going on, too, what a deal) or you can listen to it via podcast, downloadable at Jon's website.


"A couture confection delineating the perils of slack-jawed sportswear and tyrannical parenting styles." The Warlord's Wear Weekly

"Star-crossed love amidst the ashes of corporate globalization and mergers of convenience." The Alta Califa

"Can a man of tasteful sartorial splendor survive and flourish in a world of crass decadence and trashy cultural trends? With style, subtlety and an expert tailor, anything is possible." The Sad Iron: Journal of The International Union of Haberdashers