The Soul Standard: Stories by Nik Korpon, Caleb J. Ross, Axel Taiari, and Richard Thomas
A nonstop thrill-ride down the darkened avenues and through the shadowed alleys of a nightmare town
Across four different districts of a city that has torn itself to shreds, four different interweaving tales (each written by a different author) play out. In “Four Corners,” a morally dubious banker must keep his employer happy at any cost. The next story, “Punhos Sagrados,” concerns a boxer who finds himself torn between honor and the woman he loves. “Golden Geese” follows a hardened criminal with a terrifying condition who must come to terms with the life he’s led. Finally, “Jamais Vu” provides a stunning denouement as a man searches endlessly for his missing daughter, a task which is complicated by a peculiar condition: his inability to recognize faces. Told in rugged, bare-knuckled prose, The Soul Standard is a nonstop thrill-ride down the darkened avenues and through the shadowed alleys of a nightmare town.
Richard Thomas is the author of six novels, over 100 stories, and has edited four anthologies, including Burnt Tongues, with Chuck Palahniuk. He lives in Chicago.
Nik Korpon is the author of The Rebellion’s Last Traitor; Stay God, Sweet Angel; and Bar Scars: Stories, among others. He lives in Baltimore.
Axel Taiari was born and raised in Paris, France. Publishing credits include Abyss & Apex, Fantasy Scroll, The Big Click, and others. Read more at axeltaiari.com.
Caleb J. Ross‘ writing has appeared widely, both online and in print. He is the author of five books of fiction and lives in Olathe, KS. Visit his official page at calebjross.com.
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Praise for The Soul Standard
Shared universe shit is hard to pull of. I’ve never been one who cared for it, but when it’s done and done well, it can be a great thing. This one succeeds. The writers involved while not all possessing the same style or vision have somehow aligned their talents into a lumbering monster that steps heavily from the exam table, pulls the cables from its neckbolts and shambles into the night of your brain. You’ll play on the events of this book for some time. – Ginger Nuts of Horror
The Soul Standard is unlike anything else you’re likely to read this year, or this decade. Think Sin City meets Blade Runner meets David Lynch and you’ll begin to have an inkling of what’s in store for you, but only a very small one. These four brilliant authors have brought their collective genius together to paint this unflinchingly violent, oppressively bleak city with the adroitness of world class painters, drawing vivid images on your imagination in varying shades of gray and frequent splashes of red. – This is Horror
Reviews from happy readers
“Amazing web of stories that when linked together make a beautiful but dark and hazardous city. Hazardous and beautiful.” – Jane, Amazon reviewer
“All in all four stories that would hold up just fine on their own but come together to make a powerful well built novel. I recommend this book to any fans of the author’s previous work as well as those into the dark literary fiction of say Craig Davidson or Ken Bruen. I assure you Soul Standard will not disappoint.” – David, Amazon reviewer
Format details for The Soul Standard
| Title | The Soul Standard: Stories |
| Authors | Nik Korpon, Caleb J. Ross, Axel Taiari, Richard Thomas |
| Genre | Crime/Noir |
| Price | $15.95 USD |
| # of Pages | 280 |
| ISBN | (10) 1938103041, (13) 978-1938103049 |
| Publication Date | July 26, 2016 |
