Braineater Jones

FOREWORD

FOREWORD

BRAINEATER JONES is not high art. In fact, it is meant to be nothing more than pulpy horror fun. Nevertheless, I feel obliged to warn and inform my readers that this book contains the sort of racist, sexist, and bigoted characters that were commonplace to the era in which it takes place.

In researching this novel, I was faced with a stark reality: the 1930s was a time of intolerance. Novels of that era jarred my modern sensibilities. Racism, homophobia, and sexism weren’t just institutional; they were also casual and woven into the warp and woof of everyday life for every strata of society.

I had a choice: either whitewash the past and somehow attempt to ignore every issue of gender, race, and sexuality relevant to that time period, or address them and try to do so in a way that was true to life. You can probably guess from the fact that I have written this foreword that I chose the latter.

Readers who are familiar with the literature of the 1930s, and the noir genre in particular, will hopefully be more accustomed to this sort of language and behavior, though, I hope, will never be desensitized to it. For everyone else, please just bear in mind that these characters, including the narrator, are of a different era. If I nevertheless give offense, I sincerely apologize, and the responsibility is mine and mine alone.

Okay, with the heavy stuff out of the way, I hope you enjoy this book, my first, and I will leave you with the advice my father gave me on my wedding day. “Son, if you ever read a book about Nazi zombie robot detectives, try not to take it too seriously.”

Stephen Kozeniewski

P.S. If you happen to come across a term you don’t recognize—either 1930s slang or jargon specific to the world of Braineater Jones—please check the glossary at the end of the book prior to sending me irate letters.