Strungballs is an extraordinary novella.
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.
“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
Read more great reviews for ‘Strungballs’ below… and take a peek inside the book on the amazon page:
“I picked up Strungballs expecting and hoping for a wonderfully strange novella and luckily my predictions and hopes were fulfilled.” Georgie Evans for Cultured Vultures
“Without a doubt, this is absolutely one of THE strangest and most unique books I have ever read. So much so that it pretty much defies genre or classification. I cannot even compare it to any other story. And that is a good thing! Bizarre and beautiful, I highly recommend giving “Strungballs” a read.” M Alexander, Goodreads
“I really liked this dystopian world. It’s delightfully creepy, and Russell portrays it brilliantly through the eyes of a ten-year-old boy who has just ‘come of age’… let me tell you, the places this novella goes, I guarantee you will not be able to predict… absorbing and damned enjoyable… It’s perfect if you want a healthy dose of the strange.” CDiston
“Author Mike Russell takes you on a crazy trip through a world where everyone functions and no-one questions… Ten-year-old Sydney breaks one rule and the place starts to fall apart. Now it’s your chance to see what lays beneath. So get this short novel and explore a new reality. And remember: Once a Strungball is inserted it must never be removed.” VeraI
“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
“It’s so refreshing to read something so different and creatively unique that really dances with your imagination… A thrilling novella… I found the ending truly beautiful.” Emma Mackay
“Strungballs is a must read for all who love the strange and unusual.” Liliyana Shadowlyn at The Faerie Review
“I just couldn’t stop thinking about this book.” London Damsel
“A beautiful vision on the perils of materialism and human conditioning… This sci-fi dystopian fable is a gem.” Urban Fox Reviews
“Strungballs is a mind-blowing experience… powerful and well written” Ruty
“Ever since I read his first story collection, NOTHING IS STRANGE, Mike Russell has been one of my favorite authors. His second collection, STRANGE MEDICINE, certainly did not disappoint and this new book, which is a single novella, is equally as mind-blowing, maybe even more so… you really need to read this and see how the story unfolds. As always, Mike Russell will mess with your mind and make you question the nature of reality!” JBarnes
“Taken to a bright and vivid world, I felt more alert in both thought and feeling…. Mr Russell uses words to empower his readers…a great read: VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.” BHurt
“This novella from Mike Russell is funny, strange, mysterious and thought provoking all at the same time. ‘Strungballs’ is a glorious story and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.” Miles
“Strungballs by Mike Russell may be one of the strangest books out there… Highly unusual and entertaining” Joyful Antidotes
“I’m a fan now! I was so hooked that I read it all in one sitting… I cannot wait to see what else Mike Russell has in store for us in the future! MR has reignited my love for reading again.” Asriel Aquino on Goodreads
“Strange, unexpected and definitely good fun – perfect if you like fiction that challenges your ideas or which is completely a world apart from anything else.” Charlie Edwards
“It’s such a utopia that it’s a dystopia… The book is so precise, and so fantastical… unique and enticing…Like Mike’s other books, you will begin questioning reality and life itself.” Briar at Goodreads
“Honestly one of the strangest things I have ever read, but I would recommend it for anyone who likes dystopian novels, sci-fi, or quick and odd reads!” ThisIsOne ForTheBooks
“Pick up this book if you want to read something quick, strange and mind-boggling…Do you think we live in the prisons of our mind? Do you think we are so blinded by society’s notion of what is right and what is wrong that we don’t see the truth? I found myself thinking about these poignant questions while reading Strungballs.” Snapstter
“Mike Russell manages to pack a lot of imagery and ideas into those pages, making this really like nothing I’ve ever read before… Something about the true uniqueness of this novella means it’s a story that will linger around the edges of my brain for quite some time.” JMcNulty
“I have never read anything like Strungballs, but I’m glad I did. I loved it!” BibliobeautyBooks
“Thoroughly recommended as a quick read before bed, perhaps with a good intake of an assortment of cheeses, to get those crazy dreams flowing.” The Strange and the Curious
“You should definitely read this novella if you’re into the weird and stomach flipping strangeness of a different world.” Chloe Magic
“One wild journey that is totally bananas… A brilliant novel from a mind full of madness, go give it a read.” Jason at Goodreads
“Strungballs is the strangest book I have ever had the pleasure of reading… I couldn’t put the book down.” Caitlin’s World of Pure Imagination
“This might be the strangest book I’ve ever read… I recommend it, especially if you’re a fan of strange tales.” Faded Tulips
“Strungballs was like walking into a surrealist art exhibition. You think it can’t get weirder, and then it does. You wonder if it’s art, and decide that it’s blown your mind too much for it not to be art… Just read it and enjoy every single strange second.” Advocate Of Books
“Bizarre but only in the best way possible… Russell bends our minds and our perspectives with his shamelessly crazy world building and prose… Russell’s writing is precise and engaging throughout. There is this constant state of wonder and surreal beauty.” Charlie Edwards
“A very well thought out piece of literature… this is by far one of the best times I’ve had reading a book… It also has anything you could possibly ask for, such as utopias, amputations, bullying, a grumpy old dude, and the weirdest sex described ever.” Sebas
“Rooted deeply in absurdism, this tale touches on themes of conformity and identity before moving on to reality and existence.” Jaffa Kintigh
“A unique, thought-provoking experience!” Pevalwen
“This definitely was a strange read, but I loved it!” Romi Reads
“Strungballs is the first of Mike Russell’s stories that I have read, but I am pretty sure it won’t be the last! …I felt Russell made a strong statement about society’s slavish devotion to ingrained ideas…. I could think myself round in circles for hours with this story!” Stephanie Jane at Literary Flits
“A definite thought provoker” JennlyReads
“Some stories give us a glance into a world like our own but just on the ethereal side of waking from a dream… Another strange, thought-provoking read from Mike Russell.” A Hart
“Take a look at possibly one of the few books on the market with giant sex, infinity & white dust all together in one place!” SelcouthStationPress
“If you enjoy sci-fi/fantasy stories, this novella is for you. Full of imagination.” HonestlyKourtney
“This is a highly original read… For the lover of all things weird and alternative this will be a great read for you!” Hannah Bullimore
“His ability to create such intense imagery in so little words still leaves me speechless.” Readers Enjoy Authors’ Dreams
“This weird and wacky novella is perfect for sci-fi lovers who prefer abstract storytelling and strong societal themes. If you are looking for a short, but thought provoking read then this is definitely for you… A pure sci-fi oddity.” KB Book Reviews
“Having read three of the British author’s short story collections – Nothing is Strange, Strange Medicine, Strange Secrets – I knew I’d be in for a hyperstrange whirligig treat with his Strungballs, and I wasn’t disappointed. 64 pages of mind-blowing weirdness… I’m reminded of Eric Fromm and his observations on what it means for a man or woman to be born into an insane society. How much of your own society would you judge insane? Have you been sliced and diced by the buzzsaw of suffocating culture? To better answer these questions, I highly recommend picking up a copy of Strungballs.” Glenn Russell (no relation) Goodreads
“What an imagination this man has, so glad he shares it.” Susan Hampson
“This story is definitely something which I haven’t read before. I thought the plot was gripping and I couldn’t even have imagined what happened at the end. Despite it being a small story, it made a big impact.” Books With Raven
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Mike Russell’s books have been described as Strange Fiction, Weird Fiction, Weird Lit, Surrealism, Magic Realism, Fantasy Fiction… but we just like to call them StrangeBooks.
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