Review: Dolph the Unicorn Killer and Other Stories by Martin Lastrapes

For anyone tired of vampires that glitter and werewolves who are really just confused about their identity, Dolph the Unicorn Killer and Other Stories by Martin Lastrapes is right up your alley. This award-winning author has stepped away from his hit novels and into the realm of raucous short stories, and this is a collection of high-fantasy weirdos with a healthy dose of drugs, sex and rock ‘n’ roll tossed in for good measure.

Set in modern-day Las Vegas, this madcap stream of stories has everything that a horror fan would love, but certainly doesn’t miss a beat for fans of film noir, classic fantasy, or grimy pulp fiction. He effortlessly draws readers into stories, whether its through a compelling vampiric protagonist who just wants to eat (humans) in peace, or the titular character’s unrelenting campaign against those sacred one-horned creatures of the magical wilds.

If Hunter S. Thompson and Neil Gaiman got together for a surreal spin through Vegas, this is the kind of madness that might have come from their minds. Lest one think the collection is a pummeling snarkfest, there is remarkable depth to each of these stories, with visceral settings and character development, offering a wild romp through some of the most relatable elements of human nature – desperation, loneliness, isolation, desire, and grief – which are presented through such a unique lens that readers can’t help but reevaluate their own perspective on these poignant subjects.

Not that there is much time to breathe between the one-liners and cringe-worthy moments of graphic gore. Lastrapes has no problem pulling readers’ minds down into the gutter mere moments after making them scratch their heads and stare up at the stars. It is a special writer who can entertain, embarrass, engage and enthrall readers with a motley crew of desert-bound monsters. The versatility in these stories is staggering, yet it somehow works specifically because of each story’s unpredictability.

To say that Lastrapes’ style is unique is a massive disservice. From nearly poetic strings of horrific prose to off-the-cuff references to “Big Bang Theory” and Mon Ami Gabi, Lastrapes skillfully weaves a ludicrous universe readers will be all too ready to believe. Dolph the Unicorn Killer pops up in multiple stories, referenced as a veritable comic book hero, unlike the misunderstood monsters of the other stories – the darker denizens of the Strip. When Dolph’s story finally comes around, it doesn’t fail to live up to the hype, and shows why it deserves to be the titular tale.

In terms of the writing, there’s no avoiding the profanity, sex and vulgar moments throughout these pages, but it’s never included for the sake of shock value. Lastrapes has created a gritty and gruesome world in which these characters can live, and the unusually harsh tone of the writing fits this horrific vision like a glove.

All told, Dolph the Unicorn Killer and Other Stories is a bizarre, gleefully gratuitous, riotously fun collection.