Luke Thacker is a drifting hobo in Depression-era America, riding the rails of the nation and surviving by crumbs and hope. Along the way, he learns the iconography of transients–the Hobo Code–better than anyone else, and deciphers a secret that thrusts him into Athanasia, the middle ground of memories. Here he learns that all around us is the realm of the deadeye, where the deceased persevere … persevere by how they are remembered. The memories Luke meets will do anything to never be forgotten, whether by trickery, violence, or daring. Luke learns, too, that what’s remembered yesterday is not always the same as what will be remembered tomorrow, and he sets off to keep alive the memories of those he loves in the way a ‘bo does best: telling tales of old legends, and making up new ones alike. Now, fifty years later, the tall crossbucks of Luke Thacker are repeated by homeless King Shaw, who’s struggling to keep Luke’s own legend alive and with it, perhaps, his own.’ Cause it don’t matter if you rob banks with a dead John Dillinger, are hunted over the years by vengeful Earp brothers, or go against the monstrous railroad guard Smith McCain: when a story is told, all who are part of it become a little stronger
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I wasn’t sure what to expect when I got this book. Once I started I could not put it down. Luke was a true hero. I really liked the “history” of Ben Franklin. How will you be remembered? Just a fantastic story.
This is the tale of Luke Thacker and many others. He’s a hobo who finds the code has special meaning for some, and this leads him to Athanasia, a place of memories…
This covers the life of the hobos in the beginning. It’s both romanticized and shown bluntly. Even as it shows them free to roam and riding the rails as they wish it also touches on dark subjects often, the hunger, fear, loneliness, and other dangers that they face, such as violence and rape. It captures this time perfectly and is just as enjoyable by itself as it is with the later fantasy elements.
After Luke learns he can read the special code, he discovers Athanasia. There the dead live a second life of sorts, just as they are remembered in life. However people speak of you is how you remain, so some stay stuck in thievery or murderous ways just because that’s how their story goes. However, most are quickly forgotten, and something called the pox descends on them and devours them. It does this to all things, even inanimate objects as they are forgotten by the real world.
So as you can imagine, those that are remembered most are the celebrities, world leaders, and other important types in history. Luke has a run-in with quite a few, and I won’t spoil which as I found it rather fun having them pop up. They continue to do what they were most known for in life, and some are very concerned about keeping their legend alive and possibly growing it. One such person takes this to an extreme, becoming quite tyrannical in their attempt, which sets up the main conflict in the book. With his ability to freely cross back and forth from Athanasia, and others that are later expanded on, he begins a slow battle against this person to stop them…
This book varies in tone greatly, sometimes it is funny, and sometimes sad, other times it has scenes that would feel right at home in a full-blown horror novel. The characters, and there are many, are all done so well and enjoyable. The story itself has so many layers, and stories within stories. It’s actually being told by Daniel Greenberg, who was told by King Shaw, a hobo who knew Luke. He interviewed him for a piece on helping the homeless population and becomes caught up in these tales himself. It jumps around constantly between characters, and years, the real world, and Athanasia. It’s hard to bring up everyone and everything, there are so many moving pieces, and it is great.
I found the book to be well-paced and written. I loved all the characters, and the mix of action, drama, and horror. The look at hobos was so interesting, as they were hardly what I would have considered worth reading about, at least before this book. The fantasy elements had so much wonder and terror in them and they were also incredibly interesting. All the historical figures that appeared were often given different takes that you wouldn’t expect, which was fun to see and think about. This was definitely worth the read.
In Doorways to the Deadeye, Eric J. Guignard tells the tall tales of Crossbuck Luke Thacker, a rail-riding hobo in Depression-era America. The stories are told within the framework of a reporter recording tales told by a fellow ‘bo who knew Luke firsthand. These tales are somewhat episodic, telling of various important moments in Luke’s life, but with an overarching storyline. Luke lives his life on the rails following the Hobo Code, a series of symbols that help guide wayward vagrants like himself. One day, the Code leads him through a hidden doorway to a realm where the dead live on as memories. Here he meets famous people from history, cavorting with everyone from Harriet Tubman to John Dillinger.
Guignard has created a fun and unique concept with the Deadeye, or Athanasia, as it’s citizens call it. Athanasia is something of a shadow world, existing right alongside the world of the living. The more widely known and remembered a person was in their life, the stronger they are in the Deadeye, and the longer they will persist. But once a person fades from the collective human memory, they fade from Athanasia as well. Guignard uses Athanasia to explore the concepts of life and death, of creating a personal legacy, and of how we are shaped by the way we are remembered.
Doorways to the Deadeye was selected as a finalist for the 2019 Horror Writers Association Bram Stoker Awards® for Superior Achievement in a First Novel. I have some mixed feelings about this nomination. I absolutely loved this book, but I’m not entirely sure how squarely it falls into the category of horror. There are a few dark concepts, and a bit of violence. I don’t think I would classify it as horror myself though. That being said, Doorways to the Deadeye is a phenomenal novel that certainly deserves recognition. Luke’s tall tales are whimsical and fantastic. The worlds that Guignard builds are wondrous and immersive and full of magic. This one really defies being put into a genre box, with elements of fantasy and adventure and historical fiction, with a little darkness mixed in as well.
My absolute favorite aspect of Guignard’s work is the overall tone. As I mentioned, all of the stories found within the novel are being relayed by King Shaw, a homeless man on his deathbed, to a reporter in 1985. As he spins his yarns, Shaw talks to Daniel about the importance of storytelling and how to captivate an audience. The tone is reminiscent of stories told around a campfire, colorful and lighthearted. Guignard truly captures the spirit of the American tall tale, and that is the real draw of Doorways to the Deadeye.
This is a book that I believe will stick with me for a long time. The love poured into this work is evident. Though not strictly or classically horror, I still strongly recommend reading Doorways to the Deadeye. It is a novel that will make you think and feel, and that is perhaps one of the more important metrics of a good piece of writing. I don’t often reread books, but I get the feeling that this will make another appearance on my nightstand down the line.
Does the memory of a person change who that person was?
This is a novel about Luke, a train-hoppin’ hobo in the first half of the 20th Century. He travels to and from Athanasia where memories of the dead live.
PROS:
The hobo symbol-communication is truly interesting.
The novel feels like a historical novel at times, and I like the way Guignard includes real people from history like when Lizzie Borden chased after the train Luke was in, and she had an axe! At other times the book feels surreal, especial when the Code Maker appears. And still other times, it feels like a book of philosophy.
Being a chocolate lover myself, I like how chocolate is used as a weapon against one of the bad guys in the book.
A character named Zeke is especially empathetic (and tugs on your heart strings). And Smith McCain is a super scary dude. Guignard thinks up some awesome characters!
I did not see the ending coming. It is touching. It is perfect.
CONS:
In the first half of the book I lost track of what Luke was trying to do. Survive, yes, but it is a series of one thing happening to him then another. I couldn’t identify what makes him tick. Then halfway through the book, Luke decides to deal with the business of living people’s memories of dead people, and the plot picks up.
OVERALL:
It’s like a Twilight Zone story stretched out into a novel, which is cool, but I didn’t “get it” until the last half of the book. Overall, four stars: a little wonky on the plot, but an imaginative premise and cool settings and awesome characters.