| Title | : | Chasing The Dragon |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 199811225X |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781998112258 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 234 |
| Publication | : | Published March 23, 2024 |
Drugs, filth, and a lack of human decency are starving it of hope. Introducing Simon Dooley, our wannabe superhero, the relentless voice of his dead mother pleading with him to "end the chaos."
The town needed a hero... it got Reformo.
Chasing The Dragon Reviews
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Also available in Kindle Unlimited!
Towse went full-on Shrek with this one, because not unlike the beloved ogre feels about himself, this story has layers. Like an onion. Please keep in mind that I did not compare their looks in any way. I am not cruel enough to do that to the big green guy.
Look at the onion as it sits there. It gives you the impression that it is ready to eat, but it doesn’t dictate what it should be cooked with. And as you look at the cover of this book, you might think to yourself that it is a superhero, cartoon-ish story, but you have no idea what is waiting inside.
Take that onion and peel back that first layer. Looks nice, fresh and wholesome. And when start to read this story, you find a guy who wants to be a hero, who hates to see the chaos around him and wants to bring back hope. You know, like you’re listening to Bonnie Tyler’s HOLDING OUT FOR A HERO in that first part.
Peel back the next layer of that onion and the smell hits you, but you manage to keep it out of your eyes. And you soon realize that this guy in the story is driven by more than just the desire to be a good guy. And the soundtrack shifts to Rev Theory’s VOICES. But there’s this glimmer of hope that comes through.
Next layer gone and the onion is getting smaller. Of course, at this stage he will meet the unattainable woman of the night. The forbidden love in the hopeless situation they find themselves. And the song changes to something like the Arctic Monkeys’ CRAWLING BACK TO YOU – you know, there’s a sexiness competing with the darkness.
Yank back the next layer, and it squirts you right in the eye in the only way an onion can take revenge. As the tears flow, you realize that you have reached the point in the story where…for a lack of a better description, shit becomes real.
Really, really real.
Because we have moved so far past that comedic lightheartedness of the story, you can’t even remember what was so funny to begin with. Which brings us to the next song on our soundtrack, Architects’ ANIMALS catches the shift in the mood fairly well.
And as you pull back the next layer of the onion, you see a worm has spoiled the onion that you thought was so beautiful when it sat there. And the much expected pushback comes at this point. Let’s change the soundtrack to Fall Out Boy’s MY SONGS KNOW WHAT YOU DID IN THE DARK.
This leaves you with one of two options: Get rid of the onion you’d spent so much time on, or just see it as a protein bonus. And I can’t make this choice for you, because the final quarter of the story might surprise you. But I will leave you with a final song: Phil Collins’ IN THE AIR TONIGHT, but you have the option of listening to the version by the band State of Mine.
This one surprised me. A lot. While I liked most of what I have read by this author, this one blew me away. It is hands down the best thing I have read by him so far. The mix of genres does not interfere in any way with the storyline, instead it complements it and gives it a natural flow.
Most of all, I am not quite done with the onion yet, because as you peel back the layers from comedy to crime to mystery to romance to thriller to noir to drama to horror, this story will give you more than you expect.
And at the very core, where the worm is also crying because of all the onion juices it finds itself in, there is a very deep look psychological damage caused by abuse and trauma. And you will feel with this one, so be prepared.
There is not really an audience I can pinpoint for this one, but because of the darkness and violence that ensues through the latter part of the story, I would suggest horror, thriller, fantasy and action readers should give this one a go.
Very easy 5 Stars! -
This was an interesting read. The cover reminded me of Brightburn, but a little less scary. So we followed a wannabe superhero, Simon/Reformo, as he strived to save his fair city. He’s not a very good hero and made Dave Lizewski from Mark Millar’s Kick-Ass look like a pro. But he meant well and tried desperately to find his way amongst all the corruption and bad hombres in the city. Oh, and he also has flashbacks and heard his deceased mother egging him on, too. Norman Bates, much? Lots of comedy and decent amount of action. Not really many horror-related elements, but they were around. The quality of Mark Towse’s writing is on point and crisp as can be. It always is. I’ve read most of his books at this point and, even if I have some critiques, above all else, the writing is solid. Now this did feel long-winded and some of the jokes really were pushed too often and too many times, losing their impact. Perhaps cutting out some of the repetition and just tighting up certain aspects would have streamlined everything a bit, but that’s not to put down the story. It was very enjoyable and worth a read for either new or established fans of Towse.
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A Horror Bookworm Recommendation
Chasing The Dragon by Mark Towse
https://horrorbookwormreviews.com/
Determined to put his town back on the map, Simon wants to officially do away with the seediness and hopelessness that has taken over. Let’s face it, his city is in need of a makeshift superhero to bring back law & order. The Reformer has arrived to restore hope and cease the grip hold of drugs, weapons and prostitution that corrupts his local township.
Author Mark Towse transports the reader to the dilapidated part of town where crime has spread like a toxic mold and the air is thick with permeable dread. But fear not dear readers, Towse has introduced a costumed savior just in time to stop the unbridled chaos. This caped disciple has taken it upon himself to teach respect to wrongdoers so residents can live in harmony once again. However, interacting with villains such as Tattoo Man, Bum Fluff, Butter Balls and the deadly Dragon, brings forth the reality that comes with a heavy price.
Within this full length novel are tragedy tie-ins, constant villain conflicts and a hero that has his flaws all shrouded in a delusional reality. Chasing The Dragon hits all the masked marvel marks…adrenaline, violence and a perfect amount of humor (not to mention the severe emotional Norman Bates mother issues). Who says becoming a superhero was going to be easy.
Picking up after your dog, keeping music to a reasonable level, littering that is unacceptable and illegal parking…this superhero is never off duty. Chalk this one up as a victory for Mark Towse and Eerie River Publishing…a Wham! Smash! Kapow! Horror Bookworm Recommendation for those of us who need to believe. -
This was a fantastic read from Mark Towse. A superb superhero romp, with heart! I'm not normally a fan of superheroes, but I adore this one! Don't be put off by that though, it's still full of horror, blood and guts, but done in a brilliantly entertaining, often hilarious and always addictive way!
Set in a rundown, gone to shit town, where the drug lords have taken over and everyone cowers behind closed doors and pulled curtains, with the lights down low, after 7pm, one man, Simon, or Reformo (after MUCH deliberation) is adamant things are going to change for the better, and he is going to be the one to make it happen! But first, he has to collect his costume and cape and try it on for size. He soon discovers that this superhero malarkey is not going to be as easy as he'd imagined, although, eventually, the costume does start to inspire bravado in him.
His mission to make the town great again, starts with stopping littering and dogs pooping on pavements, to stopping the baddest of baddies after dealing with his henchmen along the way. His first mission is to find and stop Bum Fluff, he then proceeds to work his way up the local thug hierarchy, until he reaches the final Boss, otherwise known as The Dragon! However, the more he tries to do good, the more it seems to backfire, in equally horrific and hilarious ways. But, does some of the good get through….?
Drummed into him from an early age by his mother, that changes start with him and that small steps lead to bigger things, her voice haunts him to this day, and that's just how he intends to approach things now. He just wants to bring back hope and put an end to the chaos, and his mothers unrelenting voice, once and for all….
The story builds at a fast and steady pace, with some eye opening revelations that make for a brilliant twist of an ending!
A story of childhood, of its innocent wonder and memories, good and bad, to adulthood and the grim realities of life. Of the childish yearning to make everything right again. The story builds smoothly, the hilarity swapping out for anger, revenge, determination, and blood! It's gripping, emotional, uplifting, and horrific. Real comic chaos and carnage! It starts lighthearted and gets pretty dark and disturbing, yet with a grim sense of humour continuing to thread through the horrors.
I highly recommend you make your underwear, outerwear, sit back in your favourite armchair and enjoy the ride!! -
This book is pure awesomeness!
I love reviewing, and this book is simply heaven for reviewers, and I'm sure it'll be deeply loved by all readers as well. A lot of my appreciation lies in the emotional experience it offers: Towse has crafted an exciting, multi-genre story that comes with a heavy emotional impact, equally the euphoria of joy and the laughter of plain good humor, and the terror of grief and regret. Donning the superhero suit has never felt more like a brain candy than this!
The book starts a bit similarly to the beginning of a popular comic book hero (whose story was adapted into a couple of commercially successful movies): Simon dreams of being a vigilante superhero and cleaning up his city of crime and corruption; he gets a costume and, though he has no superhuman powers, throws himself into superhero action, "bringing hope back to town"! However, in inimitable Towse style, after a hilarious couple of chapters where Simon tries to find his superhero name (ending up with Reformo!), things start getting quite dark. Simon has undergone some serious family trauma in the past, his decision to become a superhero is due to a pledge to his abusing mother, and his mental make-up is not entirely usual superhero material.
Although there's minimum gore and vulgarity and very few really uncomfortable situations, the book has many twists, and the humorous tone cannot always avoid provoking overwhelming emotional reactions to the reader. The hero of 'Chasing The Dragon' is deeply traumatized, and many times his inner monologue hits right in the feels: Reformo is simultaneously sad and funny, his chosen life very dangerous and difficult, but he's also a true costumed crime-fighter, in all its bloody consequences - and every superhero needs a villain. And he does get one. This is the ultimate twist, and you gotta read it to believe it!
A no-holds-barred 5-stars from me! -
Five giant super nova stars for this book. What an amazing character Simon/Reformo is. It's like the pages are layers and each page you read gives you just that little bit more insight into the character. The supporting characters you don't get that much insight into, except for Vera and The Dragon, but that's ok, they still steal the scenes they're in. Some of the names alone make them interesting and had me laughing.
A bloody vigilante story that is kind of like reading a graphic novel without the illustrations. Loved the "sound effects"! It also felt like Reformo could have been Deadpool's distant cousin. -
Chasing the Dragon is Mark Towse’s debut novel, and ladies and gents it is coming in hot!!
If you enjoy dark, gritty genre blending reads, lots of humor, and superheroes then I highly recommend you pick this one up! Fresh out of prison, Simon intends to keep the vow he made to his deceased mother, by ending the chaos and bringing hope back to the streets.
“All I have is now and tomorrow, and my mission still stands.”
Reformo is a crazy, hilarious and lovable superhero who just wants to right his wrongs by making the world around him better. In the throes of grief he is adamant to fulfill his vow to his deceased mother by reclaiming order in the world. Donning his superhero costume (a leotard and cape) he takes to the streets and begins, one dog shit at a time. 😂
With classic Towse humor, Chasing the Dragon will have you laughing uncontrollably and cheering on reformo in this dark horror fantasy adventure. It packs all the punches and was an absolute treat to read. Congrats Mark, you’ve truly written a masterpiece! -
I had the pleasure of getting an ARC of Mark Towse’s newest novel, “Chasing The Dragon”, and boy, what a wild ride that was. Telling the tale of Simon, a flawed but sincere man who has one goal in life: to restore chaos, and kick a lot of ass in the process. We follow Simon as he begins his hilarious, vulgar journey from zero to hero, from rectum-fire, to ‘returdo’ to Reformo. Reminding me of “Kick-Ass” meets “Falling Down”, this hilarious, violent and vulgar odyssey kept me turning the page as I found myself grimacing and laughing on the same page.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️5 dog-shit smeared leotards out of 5. -
DNF at 66%
This book has many, many 5 stars so I think it’s a “me” problem. The writing style just wasn’t for me. The author was incredibly kind and sweet when approaching me to review his book so I’m devastated it didn’t work for me. In order to be fair, I am not setting a star rating.
I will add that Simon (the MC) was a sweetheart and I hope he got a proper closure that was due to him considering his childhood trauma. -
Well what can I say? This book is absolutely brilliant.
It's the perfect blend of humour, horror, action and depiction of a character that has a mental illness based off trauma but fights for what he believes is right.
Simon is a reformed guy, fresh out of jail and returns to town to find it overrun with crime. People are scared and lock themselves away inside, the town is filled with drug dealers and people who have lost hope and pride in their town and don't bother to do the right thing because of it.
Simon brings his childhood fantasy about becoming a superhero to life and begins the task of cleaning up the town.
The first half of the book features humour that had me laughing out loud. With names like Bum-Fluff, and Butter Balls to name a few as the bad guys, how could you not?
It's also a story of someone who is battling mental illness and the depiction of it is fantastic. Not only does he have a huge battle to clean up the town starting from scratch with no superhero abilities, he has to battle his past and face his own redemption and there are quite a moments where it pulled at my heart strings as he battles almost impossible odds.
I hope this book gets the attention it deserves and hopefully, we can look forward to more Reformo in the future! -
Holy cow! I am not big into superhero stories aside from watching Marvel and whatnot with the kids, but Chasing the Dragon by Mark Towse won me over!
Reformo goes through quite a transformation while establishing himself as a local hero and bringing hope back to his town. I had no idea where this story was headed, but I’m a huge fan of all the twists and turns. My brain did the little explosion bit (🤯) over one of the kickass reveals I DID NOT see coming.
Five out of five POWS for this superhero arc.
💥💥💥💥💥 -
"I’m intoxicated with hate and high on trauma, the lines between reality and fantasy a blur."
This was pretty brilliant. Superhero horror? 👌👌 yes, please.
Full review coming soon. -
We’ve got ourselves a new superhero friends. A story about one Big man, his too-tight leotard, and the haunting voice in his head screaming at him to clean up the streets.
Chasing the Dragon is hands down, the most fun I’ve ever had with an ARC.
Mark Towse has given us a new humanitarian hero narrative; a perfect mix of satire and sincerity. It's a kick-ass blend of Sin City's dark atmosphere and the unconventional heroism of Unbreakable. Beneath the comedic surface, the novel tackles some serious themes like domestic abuse and poverty and while it clearly pokes fun at certain elements, it never loses sight of the weightier subjects it addresses.
“Chasing The Dragon is a hybrid of all genres, a fever-dream mash-up of horror, fantasy, comedy, crime, thriller, mystery, and even a bit of bloody romance.”
A Huge THANK YOU to the author @towsewrites for the opportunity to read Chasing The Dragon as an eArc. It publishes in March ‘24. I'm looking forward to seeing more love for Reformo. -
Full review at Happy Goat Horror:
https://happygoathorror.com/2024/07/1...
This is a great genre mash-up. It's horror, thriller, adventure, comedy, a little romance thrown in there, and more!
Reformo is.... er... not quite the hero you might hope for, but he's surprisingly effective and just wants to clean up the streets, damn it! His encounters don't usually go to plan, with comical consequences, but his heart's in the right place. His efforts are paired with an underlying traumatic backstory that kept me guessing about whether or not he was actually responsible for said traumatic backstory.
A fun read with a lot of heart! -
Thank you Mark for letting me be an ARC reader for your book.
Chasing the Dragon is such a unique book. Mixed genre, you'll certainly find yourself laughing, crying and on edge wondering what will happen.
Mark has created such a memorable character here. A man desperate to bring hope back to town, creating his own super hero image and doing his best to save the streets. His experiences are varied but his attitude stays positive to keep going with his plan even when it backfires and he quite literally gets kicked in the balls / laughed at for his costume or name.
Despite the dark humour, this is an emotional book that looks at the trauma that follows us through life, shaping us and haunting us. A perfect example of how childhood memories can linger whether we like it or not. Simon's internal / intrusive thoughts could be intense, but it really built who he was, his background and what he was trying to achieve. It seemed so real among the dangerous chaos he landed himself in. Although this book was unique, alongside Mark's writing style, these intrusive thoughts he incorporated did give me some Stephen King vibes which was super cool.
I can imagine this so perfectly as a movie or a TV show. Mark created such a memorable character and such a vivid world that it's one of those books that when I wasn't reading, it would linger in my mind and I would think "Hold on now, is this a book I am reading or a show I am watching?" it was almost like I could hear Simon's voice in my head.
Mark is an excellent writer and I have enjoyed many of his books... Crows, Hope Wharf and Gone To The Dogs among my favourites. He is has the ability to create the most terrifying old people and has ruined (but in a great way) my desire to want to stay in a B&B! However, I do believe this book here is Mark's best writing and character development. I think you'll be thinking of this one long after it's finished. I'm always looking forward to reading more of Mark's books and I highly suggest you check out his work! -
This book was a fantastic way to start my 2024 reading challenge. Towse takes us through a dark and dreadful city plagued by fear and despair. The residents have mostly tuned out, they hide behind thick curtains and triple locked doors. Abandoned buildings with boarded-up windows and graffiti line the streets. Drug lords have taken over, but things are going to change around here thanks to Simon Dooley or should I say Reformo. He’s bringing hope back to town. You’ll see!
I love the environment Towse created. His descriptions really give a great look at how far gone the city is and why Reformo wants to make it better. His ways may be a tad off, but if it gets the job done, who cares? Reformo’s antics were highly entertaining, which made him a wonderful character I won’t forget. He is a character that everyone needs to meet. He’s broken yet hilarious. The voice of his mother that haunts him throughout the book reminds me a bit of the movie Psycho. The “conversations” between him and his mother really add so much to this book. There are so many layers to pick apart in this one and each layer brings on something new, whether it’s tragedy, struggle, friendship or all the other things Towse offers in this novel. Parts of it are hard hitting, which only strengthened my attachment to Reformo. The goof in the leotard has feelings too, you know.
I feel like Towse really outdid himself with this one. Everything about it is highly enjoyable. He has always done an excellent job with his characters, but I think Reformo has officially replaced Nana as my favorite character. Sorry Nana. The humor I have grown to love in the author’s books is sprinkled heavily throughout this one. I enjoy what it brings to the story and the main character. It’s not easy being a superhero, but Reformo gives it his all.
Chasing the Dragon is a great mix of genres that seamlessly flow and deliver an ending you won’t see coming. This book is one that should be on every reader’s list this year. -
My favorite superhero is back with a story about a superhero. One, forged of trauma and the iron will to fix all that is wrong with this world. Including collecting your litter and dog poo.
Ladies and gentlemen, brace yourself for another Mark Towse shining diamond of a story. Novel length and packed with equal amounts of sublime humor, heart pounding action and good old fashioned romance.
Although not horror, this delicious story portrays in a unique and utterly beautiful way the horrors of the mind.
Enter 'Chasing the Dragon'. The new superhero opus by Mark Towse featuring a new kind of a protagonist. A new breed of a superhero.
A twat in a leotard with a hobo sidekick and the power of the voices in his head.
Will he slay all the bad apples, save the damsel in distress and save the world from littering, dog poo, loud music and mob bosses? Or will he lose his life and perhaps his own mind trying?
Are you intrigued yet? Oh believe me dear reader, you definitely should be.
The author masterfully blends genres and puts his artfully crafted characters in a wild story where Norman Bates meets Wade Wilson meets Luke Skywalker.
The result is a prime example of cinematic entertainment and a maelstrom of emotions through the pages of a book. A phenomenal blend of 'Psycho' and 'Deadpool' shot in a film noir style romance.
Highly entertaining, hilarious and devastating, this new release by the author sits proudly among my top 3 reads for 2023. Hell, even 2024 since it will be released in March.
Dear reader, you need this book as much as you need air and water. And you definitely need Reformo haunting your city streets at night.
Pre-order now at the links below.
Ps.: no Tomei's or Dragons were hurt during the process of writing this story. I hope.
https://www.eerieriverpublishing.com/...
https://www.eerieriverpublishing.com/... -
This book was a great read, it truly is a master of all trades, a dark hybrid of horror with a noir crime thriller feel with plot twists, love interests and just whacky fight scenes! genuinely fell in love with Reformo, whether he was doing the wrong thing for the right reasons or the right things for the wrong reasons, he is a loveable, hateable superhero all in one
would highly reccomend pre ordering this, Oh, and there are really dragons in this book -
This was by far my second favorite book of the year. Reformo, is a wonderfully crafted vigilante character with a personality that you want to love to hate, but just can’t. In a way, he reminds me of Deadpool. When I say I ate this book up, I mean I ate this book up like it was my last supper. I have work in four hours, it’s 2 am. Do I regret this? No. Not at all. This is a novel you do NOT want to miss.
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Towse has written some of my favorite horror novellas, so when the opportunity to read his first novel came up, I couldn’t pass that up. 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗼𝗻 is everything you expect from Towse, there’s dread, gore, humor, but way more! The atmosphere was perfect, he really set the scene for a town in shambles and run by criminals and I was rooting for Simon the whole way through, even though he didn’t have his shit quite together. This one was a lot of fun and I can’t wait to read whatever he writes next. If you’re a fan of Mark Towse or enjoy some humor with your drama, you have to pick this one up. You won’t be disappointed. Many thanks to Mark Towse for sending me an eARC! 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗼𝗻 is available today!
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*Huge thanks to Mark and Eerie River for sending me a digital ARC of this one!*
I’ll be honest here. I had no idea what I was getting into with this one. I knew it was a pseudo-superhero type story, but I saw snippets and some things online about it being humorous. Oh dear. I truly struggle with reading humour. Doesn’t matter if it’s fiction or non-fiction, there’s just something that really doesn’t connect with me. Saying that, I’m a massive fan of British/UK humour when it comes to series. The Inbetweeners, Cuckoo, Psychoville, and even the dark humour of The Misfits series are some of my most favourite shows I’ve ever watched. So, I went into this hoping that it would read kind of like one of those shows and to my delight, it was essentially a mix of all of them.
What I liked: The story follows Simon, struggling to make his horribly abusive mother proud. She’s dead, but her constant tearing down of him that she delivered over his entire life has left deep scars and now, he’s out to show her that he can do good. This is coupled with the reality that where he lives is now a cesspool. Crime is rampant, residents fear for their lives while drug use skyrockets and the streets are ran by Kingpins and the cops could care less.
Bolstered by a few cheesy sayings his mother used to say, Simon decides that the only way for things to turn around is for someone to take the lead and start the change themselves. So, Reformo is born – Simon in a custom made suit – and he takes to the streets to try and make the wrongs go away.
Towse does a wonderful job of walking the line between silly and serious. We see Simon constantly battling that inner monologue of his mother ripping him to shreds. The truth is, while Simon cares, he is getting stronger and starting to understand that what she says no longer matters. He falls for a streetwalker, one who he promises to help her leave the life behind. And he slowly, incident after incident, gets the towns people on his side.
Simon is a wonderfully flawed character. Big heart, bigger dreams and for a long time, going head first with no fear. As things pick up and he makes his way from low level to thug, to mid level and ultimately to the highest of the high, his body gets beaten down, but his mind never falters. It makes for a highly engaging story, one that had me rooting for Simon all the way through.
The ending is great, a true bright spot when considering everything that Simon goes through and ultimately does the very rare job of giving the reader the idea that anything is possible and hope can light the darkest of days.
What I didn’t like: I did struggle with some of the ‘sillier’ aspects. I’m looking at you, names-of-thugs. Butter Balls and Bum Fluff and the like. I know it’s designed as a mood-lightener and a funny, tongue-in-cheek look at crime, but when it kept happening, it lost it’s hilarious touch and became an eye roller.
Why you should buy this: When an action-adventure book is done well, you’ll race through it and be whole-heartedly invested in the story and characters and this was 100% one of those books. Towse has created such an amazing figure with Simon/Reformo and it worked well to act as purely a story, but also as a larger piece on the state of the world. This was a really fun read and one that I’m glad to have tackled, as normally this wouldn’t be something I would ever seek out. -
I will not be going into full details because the full review + interview will be up on Tribune Wired and my podcast and socials. here are the flat ratings to pique your curiosity for those wanting to read it.
5/5 Characters,
5/5 Genre,
Plot 5/5,
Writing 5/5,
5/5 overall.
I will update this review with the links to the interview and article. Thank you for following along and make sure you give this book a read!
P.S.
As always, I read each book twice for in-depth reviews and articles. Dates show second read through + note timing. -
If Ken Loach wrote a superhero story sprinkled with tongue in cheek sharpness - or perhaps if Psycho met Unbreakable - it might result in Chasing The Dragon. Comedy aside, this is actually a really dark and at times bleak story addressing some heavy issue such as domestic abuse, street crime, poverty and violence. The storytelling style switches between humour and intensity as if the two belong together which means everything balances out well. Whilst poking fun at many aspects, overall it doesn’t make light of the social commentary running throughout nor does it bog you down in potentially depressing details.
This certainly seemed like something different from the author although there’s a definite style I’m beginning to recognise. If you have a dark and sarcastic sense of humour, this one is for you. And also - why would you NOT want to read a book about a drug dealer called Bum Fluff?! -
This was sooooo much fun to read! My third read from Mark and gets better every time!
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This was honestly such a fun read. This dude has some parental issues that’s for certain. So Simon decided on the advice of his dead mother that he’s going to clean house and the neighbourhood. So he invents Reformo the super hero everyone needs. Now all the way through this book I couldn’t stop laughing which when you’re on a bus full of people you get crazy looks. You can tell the author has poured everything into this book and it really has paid off. It’s dark, funny, bloody , violent and even a little emotional at the end there. Please read any trigger warnings as it does touch a few and it is dark and violent with some graphic details.
I was kindly given this to me by the author in return for an honest review. -
Thank You to the author for an e-copy for review.
Chasing the Dragon by Mark Towse is a genre bending novel; part horror, generational trauma, love story and action/adventure.
I wasn’t sure what to think when I first met the main character, Simon. Poor guy was having an internal conversation with his extremely abusive dead mother, while picking up his hand-made “leotard” superhero suit from a local seamstress. His goal? To bring order back into his neighborhood.
This book made me giggle out loud quite a few times. The more I read, the more I got to know Simon, or Reformo as he’d rather be called. He found little ladies who didn’t pick up their dog’s droppings as infuriating as the local drug dealers. Definitely not your typical Marvel superhero, but so endearing.
The horror scenes were extremely horrific. Decapitations, burnings, fish-tank torture and full diapers. The ending had quite a twist with an epic boss battle.
This book appeals to all kinds of readers. If you like a strong main character that will make you laugh and also make you cringe, pick this one up! -
Oh man, where to start with this thriller “super hero” tale!
It’s a little silly, a lot of crazy, and overall has a gritty feel to it. The city, the plot… there’s a lot of darkness and hopelessness.
Then there’s Reformo (or is it Wee-formo) who is trying to be a beacon of hope, a sign that if everyone does their part, things in town will turn around. Needless to say, his escapades are highly entertaining.
Overall, Mark has a great story, one that can capture the reader’s imagination, make them laugh and make them tense up with anxiety. I went in thinking this would have a bit more of a serious tone, but Mark does stay true to his comedic horror roots. -
When you’re the kind of person raised by a drill sergeant of a mother who demands order and CLEANLINESS, that image tends to stick in your head long into adulthood. And that’s the case with Simon Dooley, an ex-con determined to bring order to his town in the new novel Chasing the Dragon by Mark Towse.
The only problem with trying to bring order to a town that has fallen into disorder is that nobody wants any of that. They want to continue littering, allowing their dog’s excrement to just end up wherever it ends up and ignoring the laws. And speaking of, the police don’t really care about the laws either. They are too lazy and disinterested. Everybody has pretty much accepted that their town is in chaos and that’s how life is.
But not Simon! He is DETERMINED to change things!
So this is all the more reason to take on the role of a superhero, right? That’s what Simon does. Believing he is the one capable of restoring order and hope to his town, he throws on a leo – er, costume, adopts a name and catchphrase, and strolls on out into the horrible nightmare that is his town. Simon transforms into Reformo, superhero extraordinaire who is brave enough to fight against corruption and decay – even if it means getting his butt kicked along the way. What ensues are hilarious antics of people accusing him of being a stalker, rapist, pedo, and meddler. “But I’m just trying to help!” he continuously cries, as he is hit with a chair in the head, kicked in the nuts, smeared with dog doo-doo and thrown against a car he is trying to rescue from a thief.
There are many villains Reformo must face in this story, and most of them range from the amateurish to the comical. Crime never sleeps, and Reformo is on the job, taking on them all!
There are also big villains he goes up against. Big Villain #1 is Bum Fluff – a notorious drug dealer. Will he achieve his goal in restoring order and eliminating the bad guys?
Then comes Big Villain #2, Butter Balls, and Big Villain #3, The Dragon.
As I read this novel, I was laughing, shaking my head and face-palming my way through it all to find out if Reformo escapes from them all. There are so many humorous scenes, even the painful ones. This book is loaded with humor, romance, action, excitement, a bit of horror, mystery and a good dose of family drama.
Being a superhero without abs of steel, special powers and an invulnerability to pain is not easy work, but Reformo is going to keep trying, even if he has to bring down a bad guy with only one good arm!
After getting his butt kicked by bad guys so much, you might wonder what it is that keeps driving Reformo on his quest to restore order to the town. Not only did he make a promise to his late mother to get rid of the chaos but he is also inspired by the many comic books he read growing up. In fact, that and his time in prison gives him ideas on how to handle the bad guys. But is he willing to give it all up for love? That’s the question that held me in suspense. Would he really do it? Or would he make sure Reformo does not die?
There is so much that I loved about this book. It’s got a lot of humor, yes, but also a lot of superhero action scenes – complete with the sound effect words of comics from the old days!
There’s that plus Simon’s mother constantly nagging him. He uses this as fuel to keep going and to try to prove he’s not a failure, like she thought he was. His mother also makes appearances in the story in scattered memories Simon occasionally dwells upon.
The biggest thing that I loved about this book, though, is the quest that Simon is on to break free from generational trauma. He’s trying to establish his own identity. His whole life was haunted by a nagging, domineering mother who probably endured the same kind of treatment when she was growing up. She was convinced Simon would be just like his father, but this is something which Simon refuses. A huge part of why he chooses to become a modern-day superhero is because he’s fighting against the prediction that he will turn out to be weak, just like his father was weak (weak to stand up for him, anyway). So in establishing a new identity as Reformo, he is fighting against that prediction. And in becoming Reformo – sticking to this new identity no matter what it takes – he finds himself and discovers his real superpower: His own unique identity.
Chasing the Dragon was an action-packed, adventurous and inspiring novel to read. I love the idea of someone actually being brave enough to don a costume and become a superhero to restore order to town! Reformo may have become a superhero in the eyes of civilians in this story, but he has also become a superhero to this reader! The world needed someone like Reformo, and our superhero answered that call to fight for order as well as self-respect. -
“Chasing the Dragon” is the debut novel of Mark Towse, a prominent name in the indie author community, and follows the efforts of Simon Dooley to “bring hope back to town” using a cobbled together superhero guise. After spit balling a few potential superhero names, he eventually lands on “Reformo” and sets out to right such wrongs as litter picking, graffiti, dog mess on the streets, and unsociable neighbours and soon winds up involved in the city’s seedy criminal underworld as he goes toe to toe with underlings of the titular “Dragon”. As a massive comic book fan, I was intrigued by “Chasing the Dragon” from the concept alone and reading it brought to mind such seminal, grounded superhero works as “Watchmen” (Moore, et al, 1986-1987) and “Kick-Ass” (Millar, et al, 2008), with Simon having a fractured mindset not unlike Walter Kovacs/Rorschach but being an ordinary guy in a ridiculous outfit like Dave Lizewski/Kick-Ass. Although Towse may have been influenced by these and other superhero/vigilante stories and characters, “Chasing the Dragon” isn’t bogged down by a slew of cheeky references or Easter Eggs. I have to say I admire this restraint as I’m not sure I could’ve held back from that, and it helps the book to stand on its own merits and craft a unique and engaging narrative about a young man who’s deeply disturbed and carrying a great deal of emotional baggage but is determined, laser focused, on improving the local community.
Simon isn’t alone in his quest; he has a handful of reluctant allies, many who comment on his poor hygiene and unstable personality, and is constantly joined by the chastising, enraged voice of his hyper-critical, long-dead mother. Sick of the state of things, the weakness she saw in Simon and his father, and enraged by how freely people disregard the needs of others, Simon’s mother was an overbearing force on his childhood who made him promise that he does everything he can to turn things around. Released from prison some years after her death, Simon has a local seamstress fashion him a makeshift costume and gets to work, armed only with bags of dog poop and his self-righteous conviction that everyone needs to do their part, however small, to make things better. Although he lacks the superpowers of his comic book idols, Simon is a surprisingly formidable fighter; even against guys twice his size, armed, or when outnumbered, he still cracks wise, corrects people’s grammar, and preaches his philosophy even when he’s taking a beating. His time in prison helped strengthen his body and fighting skills, too, so he’s no slouch in a scuffle, but Simon’s main strengths are his conviction, adaptability, and willingness to fight dirty – and get his hands bloody – in his pursuit of justice.
“Chasing the Dragon” lives and dies by your connection to Simon; the entire book follows his perspective and really dives deep into the psychosis and trauma he suffered at his mother’s hands. At times, his mantra can get repetitive but, as other characters comment on this, mock it, or are downright exasperated by it (and him), it goes a long way to galvanising just how off his rocker (or deeply committed) Simon is to his Reformo gig. Towse does a great job of depicting Simon’s fractured mental state and doesn’t shy away from showcasing, in gory detail, the outcomes of his fights. While much of Simon’s superhero career hinges on the absurdity of his appearance and character and the luck that many of his opponents underestimate him, Towse ensures that real consequences follow Simon’s actions; people get hurt and die, but the public are also swayed into supporting Reformo when his extreme methods get results. While it seemed as though Towse was building towards a slightly different climax, the finale was suitably dramatic and action-packed and this was a really enjoyable read, with a unique gimmick of included inverted pages for each chapter and depicted just how crazy a real-life superhero would have to be to take to the streets in an il-fitting gimp outfit.
