Three Chords of Chaos

Chambers collects previously published short stories and a revised novella showcasing antihero Gorge, a burly, obstinate punk rock guitarist in 1970s New York who was banished from the faerie kingdoms. A ferocious player, he extracts energy out of his audiences to gain enough magical power to open the Way of the Bone pathway back home, where he plans to exact his revenge on the ruling elite who condemned him. The title novella pits Gorge against Bruno Rice, a megalomaniacal mortal record mogul who collects magical artifacts and threatens Gorge into a record deal. After Rice kidnaps Delilah, Gorge’s human paramour, Gorge shows how little Rice really knows about the power of the fae. “Way of the Bone” has Gorge finally playing the song that will open the Kingdom’s gateway, but his enemies are waiting for him. In the farcical “Feed the Fair Folk Sweet,” Gorge combats mischievous sprites unleashed from a magical wax cylinder recording. Departing from the main story line, “Faerie Ring Blues” is set in 1958 Los Angeles, where Gorge negotiates with a fae to help a blues singer’s career. While the stories combine fierce punk riffs and psychedelic ripples of magic, the promising characters deserve more backstory and a comprehensive world in which to flourish. Music lovers who enjoy the fusion of pop culture and faerie magic will empathize with Gorge and Delilah. (July)