“In this wry, heartbreaking fantasy, Youers explores the dark landscape of a healthy mind trapped in an unresponsive body … deftly captur[ing] the voice and raw emotion of a young man struggling to delay the inevitable.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)“All superheroes get their powers from somewhere. A radioactive spider bite. A science experiment gone awry. I got mine from a surfing accident in Tofino. The ultimate wipeout. I woke up with the most powerful mind on the planet, but a body like a wet paper bag...” Meet Westlake Soul, a twenty-three-year-old former surfing champion. A loving son and brother. But if you think he's just a regular dude, think again; Westlake is in a permanent vegetative state. He can't move, has no response to stimuli, and can only communicate with Hub, the faithful family dog. And like all superheroes, Westlake has an archenemy: Dr. Quietus—a nightmarish embodiment of Death itself. Westlake dreams of a normal life—of surfing and loving again. But time is running out; Dr. Quietus is getting closer, and stronger. Can Westlake use his superbrain to recover... to slip his enemy's cold embrace before it's too late?Signed Limited Hardcover Edition: Limited to only 400 signed and hand-numbered copies Introduction by Owen King Personally signed by Rio Youers and Owen King on a specially designed full-colour illustrated signature page Larger 6.14” x 9.21” trim size Printed in two colours throughout and featuring ten duotone interior illustrations Printed on a heavier 100gsm acid-free paper Bound in premium cloth with coloured head and tail bands Hot foil stamping on the front boards and spine Offset printed and bound with full-colour endpapers Sewn binding for increased durability Gorgeous wraparound dust jacket artwork and interiors by Vincent Sammy
PRAISE FOR WESTLAKE SOUL“In this wry, heartbreaking fantasy, Youers explores the dark landscape of a healthy mind trapped in an unresponsive body … deftly captur[ing] the voice and raw emotion of a young man struggling to delay the inevitable.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)“[Westlake Soul draws] a fine domestic portrait of a tight-knit family under pressure while asking compelling questions about the nature of consciousness … and what it means to be human.” —National Post“After reading this thematically deep, emotionally super-charged, and utterly unforgettable novel, you will see the world—and your life—in a different light. Westlake Soul is a novel to be cherished because it reminds us all not only just how impermanent life is but also how awe-inspiring and heartbreakingly beautiful every moment of our existence can—and should—be.” —Barnes & Noble Book Club“This imaginative mix of fantasy and reality combines highly dramatic subject matter with a narrative touch that is surprisingly light and funny. The ending, though, is haunting and more than a little emotionally charged. A daring and completely successful book.” —Booklist“With Westlake Soul, Youers has established himself not only as one of the very best voices in speculative fiction, but as one of the best and most important voices in all fiction … [It] is a masterpiece. It’s the type of novel that will be read and re-read for years, a novel that writers will point to as the book that made them want to write or taught them how. It’s that good. I could continue to pile on the praise, but I don’t think that’ll do this review or the book any justice. Just read it, and you’ll understand.” —FearNet“Rio Youers is as close to a unique voice as you’re likely to find in today’s world of emerging new talent. The term poetic prose springs to mind. In the hands of another author, Westlake Soul might have floundered. It is ambitious, thought-provoking, and by the protagonist’s very nature a difficult story to write. Youers possesses a skill that, despite the adult themes presented, never makes it a chore. There’s a light-hearted approach in the writing style, a kind of cool touch that makes Westlake Soul a powerful and engrossing read. As brilliant as it is sad.” —Starburst“I loved it all. Every word. It is the most achingly beautiful story I have ever read, and it will probably always be that book for me … top tier in perfection and greatness.” —Sadie Hartmann (Mother Horror)
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