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Mike Russell
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Strungballs Paperback – October 31, 2016

by Mike Russell (Author)
3.8 3.8 out of 5 stars 35 ratings
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Strungballs is an extraordinary novella from Strange Books author Mike Russell. What are Strungballs? Ten-year-old Sydney is about to find out... but first he must have a cube of his flesh removed. Sydney will transgress everything he was taught to believe in when he embarks upon a journey that will reveal the astonishing secrets hidden by the red balls on white strings known only as... Strungballs. Inspiring, liberating, otherworldly, magical, surreal, bizarre, funny, disturbing, unique... all of these words have been used to describe the stories of Mike Russell. Remember: Once a Strungball is inserted it must never be removed.
Previous page
  1. Print length
    66 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    October 31, 2016
  4. Dimensions
    5 x 0.15 x 8 inches
  5. ISBN-10
    1534957138
  6. ISBN-13
    978-1534957138
  7. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"This is like nothing I have ever read before... a highly unique, weird and perhaps even mind-altering reading experience." - JTivendale for Fantasy Book Review

"It is these types of stories, that make us question our own society, that I feel are going to be vital to literature in the coming years." - The Geek Lyfe Magazine

"Pick up this book if you want to read something strange and mind-boggling." - Snapstter

"I picked up Strungballs expecting and hoping for a wonderfully strange novella and luckily my predictions and hopes were fulfilled." - Cultured Vultures Magazine

"Strungballs by Mike Russell may be one of the strangest books out there... Highly unusual and entertaining." - Joyful Antidotes

About the Author

Mike Russell was born in 1973. He grew up in the small village of Pulborough in the south of England. As a child, he enjoyed daydreaming, art and writing strange stories. As an adult, he enjoys daydreaming, art and writing strange stories.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (October 31, 2016)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 66 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1534957138
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1534957138
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.72 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5 x 0.15 x 8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.8 3.8 out of 5 stars 35 ratings

About the author

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Mike Russell

Mike Russell

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Mike Russell was born in 1973. As a child, he enjoyed daydreaming, art and writing strange stories. As an adult, he enjoys daydreaming, art and writing strange stories. Mike Russell was awarded a Bachelor of Arts from Falmouth University and a Master of Arts from the University of Central England. Mike Russell’s books have been described as Strange Fiction, Magical Realism, Surrealism, Weird Fiction, Weird Lit, Absurdist Fiction, Metaphysical Fiction, Fantasy Fiction… but he just likes to call them Strange Books.

Customer reviews

3.8 out of 5 stars
3.8 out of 5
35 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Ashley S. Hart
5.0 out of 5 stars Ethereal and Thought Provoking
Reviewed in the United States on June 15, 2017
Verified Purchase
Some stories give us a glance into a world like our own but just on the ethereal side of waking from a dream. Strungballs tells the story of Sydney who receives his first Strungball, a red ball that replaces a chunk of his flesh as a coming-of-age tradition. He is told to never remove it but discovers that there are people in his constricted city that can live without them. In another strange, thought-provoking read from Mike Russell, Sydney learns the difference between a truth that is presented to him and a truth that he finds on his own.
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Abbie Foxton
4.0 out of 5 stars Strange days indeed.
Reviewed in the United States on April 21, 2017
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Ordered and mesmeric. This family's interactions can pause to an extent that almost becomes non existent. Do they exist only if all is involved in the conversation? An eerie language that connects time, memories and moments described to the second. So aware of time, of measurements, the foundation of their lives. This seems to be all they have except for Strungballs. One can hear the buzz of boredom in their ears. What do they have besides every boys dream. The most sort after accoutrement with all its status, dangly strings and models. So coveted one must remove a piece of flesh for, again and again until nothing really holds you together.
Reading this short story has one's imagination suffering as we plod through the minimal and awkward silences that is their lives. We peer into it and can't help being pulled into its trance and rhythm. It sounds unpleasant but that is good storytelling.
Ten year old Sydney is undergoing a rites of passage, done with a beautiful vision on the perils of materialism and human conditioning. His leap into a different spirituality that he discovers via room 333 and new friend Albert is a beautiful awakening. Where the body and his fears are non existent, triggers the spark for knowledge and realisation of his individuality. Unknown king of the inquisitive, he very quickly questions doctrine and all the whitewash and begins the great unlearning. Sydney is on the search to find himself.
All cultures are full of strange stories, telling them is in our dna. This sci-fi dystopian fable is a gem. I wanted it fatter though, a little more filler could of helped us hold onto its message more. So although, it is a quickie, I enjoyed the imagery. The proud father whose dreams of his son selling or promoting Strungballs is paramount, the melancholic suppressed mother in a backdrop of tears and fears, white, black and red, flesh & robot nurses is vivid. The slow minimalism perfectly empty. The reproduction anatomy lesson in the middle jarred a little, though amused enough. If that particular imparting of fact was extended into a psychedelic touchy feely fun parlour I would of enjoyed the trip a little more and a little longer. Overall, I got to know Sydney and wanted to see how his quest would end, so this taste of author of Mike Russell has me prying into his world.
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Paige G.
3.0 out of 5 stars Dystopian Recommended Age: 18+
Reviewed in the United States on March 25, 2017
Rating: 3/5

Genre: Weird Fiction, Dystopian

Recommended Age: 18+. Sex is mentioned and described a bit, so if you're allowed to read that then go ahead, but if not then don't please.

Favorite Quote: "I will never wear one again."

I was requested to read and review this book by Strangebooks Publishing Company. This did not influence my opinions.

Ever since the dawn of man there have been rites of ppassages that help transition young boys and girls into adulthood. Ten-year-old Sydney is about to experience his own rite of passage. He will be receiving his first Strungball. This will be his first of many Strungballs in his lifetime. To receive his Strungball though he must have a cube of flesh removed from his chest. The cube of flesh will travel and become apart of the wall that surrounds his city. When the procedure is over Sydney is supposed to be happy and good, but he can't stop but wonder about why we need Strungballs and what happens if we pull them out of the Strungball recesses in our bodies. It is then Sydney discovers a deeper reason for needing them than could ever be imagined.

Can you fault a book that's marketed as being strange? In my opinion, you can't. While this little novella (66 pages in length) was a bit odd, it had a decent story to it. The overall story was very good. It was your average dystopian novel for the most part and it would have been a good introductory story for beginning dystopian readers had it not had some mature scenes in it towards the end. The quality of writing and plot development, although it got outlandish at the end, was very well done and it made the story enjoyable for the most part and the story was a very easy read. The story also seemed to be conveying a deeper meaning about how to remain true to oneself and to question everyday life.

However, this book had some issues in my opinion. I feel that whatever message the author was trying to convey became lost in the strangeness of the story. While I generally enjoyed it, towards the end I was wondering what the author could possibly be trying to say with the scenes. There were also some unnecessary scenes that, without them, would have made the story better. Some of the more mature scenes could have been left out and the book would have been adequate for younger audiences. In fact, for the first half of the book, I was thinking the book would have been marvelous for a high school or college English class. I could tell the author was trying to send some message and I believe the book to not only be of weird fiction but also a dystopian. If the book was just a bit clearer in the meaning I think it would have met it's mark. The book also had some issues with pacing and characters. The pacing was very fast, even for a novella. I believe the author had more than enough material to slow down the scenes and have a full length novel if he wanted. I also think the characters needed a bit more explanation and back story. I kept wondering if I would get an explanation for how the city came to be and what motivated the characters to act as they did, but the explanations fell short in my opinion. I also had an issue with one of the scenes where there is bullying. If the characters have this idea of doing good, then why does bullying exist?

I'd recommend this book for any adults or children who are allowed to read mature material to read it. It's a quick read and it was a decent book all in all.
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2.0 out of 5 stars Meh.
Reviewed in the United States on May 31, 2017
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Mildly interesting, but "creative" and "different " aren't synonyms.
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Miles
5.0 out of 5 stars Mike Russell's Glorious Third Book
Reviewed in the United States on December 30, 2016
First there was "Nothing is Strange." Next, there was "Strange Medicine." Now, with the addition of "Strungballs," the "Ultimate Strange Trilogy," as I now refer to it, is complete.
This novella from Mike Russell is funny, strange, mysterious, and thought provoking all at the same time. When you read it, you will learn all about the curious red balls on white strings. I am not saying you will want one, but you will be happy to know about them.
When you read "Strungballs" for the first time, you will want to reread it. As stated in the book, "Once a Strungball is inserted it must never be removed." A similar rule can be applied to the book itself: "Once 'Strungballs' is read it must be reread."
Mike Russell, as before, has proved that there can be power in a short story when placed in the right hands. "Strungballs" is a glorious story, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. As usual, I look forward to the future stories from the genius mind of Mr. Russell.
*I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.
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Top reviews from other countries

M. Wilson
5.0 out of 5 stars Something very different
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 27, 2020
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A really great trip into a an alternative dystopia. Keeps you guessing untill the end. This was my first Mike Russell it definitely wont be my last.
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vera
5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent all-white and all-weird Sci-Fi
Reviewed in Germany on November 22, 2016
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No time wasted - on page 1 of this great novel you jump right into that fully measured and fully numbered dystopian place. Author Mike Russell takes you on a crazy trip through a world, where everyone functions and noone questions the set. A world where you'll have the honour to get a square hole cut in your chest as a sign for your adolescence. Where the amount of strungball strings hanging out of your gown represents your reputation. Where uncomfortable endless silence rules your day and repetition is the law. All-white and all-weird here ... but please don't question anything, because: it is all for the greater good.

Ten-year-old Sydney breaks one rule and the place starts to fall apart. Now it's your chance to see what layes beneath. So get this short novel and explore a new reality. And remember: "Once a Strungball is inserted it must never be removed."
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J. D. Denness
4.0 out of 5 stars Mike Russell is a mad genius
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 2, 2018
Verified Purchase
I have no understanding of what I've just read, it is one wild journey that is totally bananas. It starts off as potentially being a very interesting dystopian, then Mike Russell starts messing with infinity and there are giants and breast feeding and that was me lost.

It is a brilliant novel from a mind full of madness, go give it a read.
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