The Variant (Kindle Edition)

by John August (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

After 35 years working at the Central Library, Vincent Lewis has perfected the art of unremarkability. But when a terrified woman falls through his bathroom ceiling, he's forced back into a life of gunfights, double agents and paranormal research. The secret he's been keeping for nearly four decades might reunite him with his lost love, or kill millions.

This new short story by John August falls into the genre of paranoid "spy-fi" popularized by writers like Jorge Luis Borges and shows like The Prisoner and The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

== What Others Say ==

"I really dug the story. Gave it a glance just to see, got totally hooked, and blazed on through to the end."

-- Michael Chabon (The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, The Yiddish Policemen's Union)

"The Variant" is both a good, fun, smart story and an interesting experiment in indie self-publishing for fiction."

-- John Gruber, daringfireball.net

== About the Author ==

John August is the screenwriter of eight feature films, including Go, Big Fish, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Corpse Bride. He wrote and directed the 2007 movie The Nines.

He can be found on Twitter, @johnaugust

An excerpt of The Variant is available at johnaugust.com/variant

Product Details

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 28 KB
• Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
• Language: English
• ASIN: B0029ZAPRW
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (50 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #8,850 in Kindle Store (See Bestsellers in Kindle Store)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #31 in	Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Science Fiction > Short Stories
  #84 in	Kindle Store > Kindle Books > Fiction > Short Stories

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Surprising, tense and enjoyable, May 21, 2009

By	Todd Johnson - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

John August has been one of my favorite screenwriters and bloggers for some time now, and this short story just makes me an even bigger fan. August manages to cram a novel's worth of intrigue, character and suspense into 25 pages. If you've got a Kindle, this purchase is a no-brainer.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Noir + a splash of Borgesian complexity, May 21, 2009

By	R. A. Porter "coyotesqrl" (PHX, AZ) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I've been a fan of John August's for a long time, but I didn't realize he had this story in him. Its twists are clever and unexpected, and the philosophical questions raised will leave you pondering the story days after you've finished it.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An engrossing read that leaves you wanting more, June 22, 2009

By	Nima Yousefi - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

"The Variant" is about old man trying to discover why a woman clawed her way through his bathroom ceiling in the middle of the night and ran naked through his apartment. To call this story engrossing is an understatement.

It is difficult to talk about this story without giving away any of its secrets, and this is a story full of secrets. The main character is described in the first line thusly: "Everyone knew Vincent Lewis. But no one knew a thing about him." By the end of the story, we've learned a couple fascinating things about Lewis, but you're dying to learn more. We're given bits and pieces of his past, and each bit pulls us in deeper and deeper.

At $0.99 this eBook is a steal. It's a quick read, but thoroughly enjoyable, and worth every penny.