Eric LaRocca is back with another one of his dark horrific pieces of work that will leave you scratching your head, but grinning because you realize it is so messed up, people are going to be offended and confused and weirded out and you’re just going to sit back and watch. I know this because I am the OG when it comes to reading and talking about Eric LaRocca’s writing. I’ve read and reviewed everything from the beginning, so I probably don’t get as shocked as newer LaRocca readers. But his work never ceases to amaze me.
THEY WERE HERE BEFORE US is being described as A Novella in Pieces. It is made up of a combination of short stories, snippets, a few longer pieces, but when put together you have this bigger picture of a story. And to say there are parts of this collection truly disturbing enough to scar your mind would be an understatement.
The unique life and nature perspectives present quite the array of emotions from love to rage to sadness to disgust. You name it, you probably experience it within these pages. Within those emotions hides the naturistic beauty of life, and all of the flaws that make up the Universe. The flaws that seem necessary for different life cycles and food groups to survive. The center of the flaws we find a reoccurring theme of love. Love seems to be the link holding everything together, and at the same time it’s the link that causes turmoil.
Whether or not I’m anywhere close to the real meaning in my ramblings and dissection of his work, I know there is always more there than what we read on the surface. He always manages to give us hidden meanings within his presentation. And so, we have to work a little, and keep digging a little to make connections and figure out what is really happening.
It’s because of some of these actions, or some of these relationships, it’s safe for me to say this book isn’t going to be for everyone. Eric, and myself now, can only warn you.
Eric has a smooth flow to his writing, without being over descriptive he is still able to create these fantastic images in your mind as you make your way through. But be prepared for those images to burn holes through your eyes.
Title: They Were Here Before Us
Author: Eric LaRocca
Publisher: Bad Hand Books, LLC
Publication Date: October 25, 2022
Pages: 104
Language: English
Format Reviewed: eBook
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