The Minotaur Takes a Cigarette Break: A Novel

De: Steven Sherrill

Narrado por: Holter Graham

Award-winning author, narrator, and screenwriter Neil Gaiman personally selected this book, and, using the tools of the Audiobook Creation Exchange (ACX), cast the narrator and produced this work for his audiobook label, Neil Gaiman Presents.

A few words from Neil on The Minotaur Takes a Cigarette Break: "When Steve and I talked about the ideal voice for M, he suggested Holter Graham….because 'Holter’s handling of the Minotaur’s grunt was PERFECT. Exactly what I heard in my head.'"

Five thousand years out of the Labyrinth, the Minotaur finds himself in the American South, living in a trailer park and working as a line cook at a steakhouse. No longer a devourer of human flesh, the Minotaur is a socially inept, lonely creature with very human needs. But over a two-week period, as his life dissolves into chaos, this broken and alienated immortal awakens to the possibility for happiness and to the capacity for love. "Sherrill also insinuates other mythological beasts - the Hermaphroditus, the Medusa - into the story, suggesting how the Southern landscape is shadowed by these myths. The plot centers around the Minotaur's feelings for Kelly, a waitress who is prone to epileptic fits. Does she reciprocate his affections? As the reader might expect, the course of interspecies love never does run smooth." (Publishers Weekly) Steven Sherrill created the artwork used for the audiobook edition of The Minotaur Takes a Cigarette Break.

To hear more from Neil Gaiman on The Minotaur Takes a Cigarette Break, click here, or listen to the introduction at the beginning of the book itself.

Learn more about Neil Gaiman Presents and Audiobook Creation Exchange (ACX).

©2000 Steven Sherrill (P)2011 John F. Blair Publisher

Full of surprises, delightfully unexpected

I honestly can't remember the last time I was this surprised by such originality in storytelling. Bravo to Steven Sherrill for a tale that's both audaciously fanciful and very human (or half-human, I suppose). Delightful, bittersweet and utterly unexpected. I'm recommending this to my friends.
... Another outstanding performance by Holter Graham, one of the most listenable(?) readers in the world of audiobooks.
... Big thanks to Neil Gaiman for championing a fine work that might not have received the attention it deserves.
... And now I can't help but think about other legendary creatures from ancient literature. What are they up to these days?....

very good

I was very excited to see these selections by Neil Gaiman and this did not disappoint. The story was well written, rich with sensation and experiences, not all of them pleasant but the end of the book I felt completely satisfied. Sherill's writing made it easy for me to empathize with the Minotaur, and his character transcends the mythical beast and becomes very human and very familiar. Really glad I bought this book.

Thank you Neil Gaiman

Where does The Minotaur Takes a Cigarette Break: A Novel rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This is a very well done production. I think this series was a wonderful idea.

Any additional comments?

So worthy of an audio version.

Slice of Immortal life

It's a great slice of life story. Sure the protagonist is the mythical Minotaur, but the everyday struggles hit home.

I need a cigarette

wow, this is an amazing work of fiction. I picked it up on sale, but something this good is hard to put a price on. suffice it to say it's worth it if you pay full price. The thing I've always loved about good fiction, is that there is more truth in it than any non-fiction book you're likely to come across, and yes that's taking into account the fact that the main character is a minotaur.

This story is set in the south in what feels like the eighties, and reminds me quite a bit poetry i've read by Joe Bolton. I often suffer from feeling alone, and it usually hits me worst in a room full of people I know and love. listening to this book I know i'm not alone in what I feel. inertia and chance have a lot to do with how our lives unfold, and this concept is brought beautifully to bear in the form of the minotaur. the actions of the beast don't always make good sense, but that's kind of the point, he's a minotaur after all.

the narrator Holter Graham was excellent as well, and really brought the characters and the prose to life. I wouldn't hesitate to buy another book that he has narrated, or that the author Steven Sherrill has written. in fact the last hour of the book, I couldn't pull myself away. I hate books with a crappy ending, but this one did not disappoint. I could go on and on, but really quit reading this and do yourself a favor, buy the book.

Fun

The book is surreal and quirky. People that have never had the outsider experience may not appreciate the humor or reflections.

awesome!

Neil! Thank you for giving me a chance to enjoy Sherrill's book. It's awesome to get this earlier incarnation of a genre that's hard to describe but that I really love. Sherrill is funny in a great dead pan way and also really rather profound and touching...that's not easily done.

mmmMMMgh. I loved it.

I think I may have gone to high school with the Minotaur. The voicing of the grunt was priceless and you really get to know this unfortunate character. He reminded me of a Slingblade with horns. Plus, if you've ever worked at a restaurant - particularly in a kitchen, you'll recognize a few of these situations and like me, find a bit of nostalgia in being burned by fryer grease.

Excellent, very odd, and very sad

If you could sum up The Minotaur Takes a Cigarette Break: A Novel in three words, what would they be?

Sadness, lonliness, isolation

Who was your favorite character and why?

The Minotaur.

Have you listened to any of Holter Graham???s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No I have not

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No

Any additional comments?

This was a very good book, although the thing that really stays with you after both during and after finishing the book is the unrelenting sense of loneliness and sadness that the author imbues in the Minotaur. At times I found the book difficult to listen to because of this. The author did an amazing job of making the Minotaur feel like a real character that exists in the real world. He does such a good job at this that you sometimes forget that he is a mythical creature. This in and of itself can actually feel like a detriment, as the book loses some of the 'magic' that comes from writing about mythical creates.
Ultimately, I think that this is definitely worth listening to, but just remember that it is not about mythology, it is about the lonliness, sadness and isolation that comes from being different from everyone around you.

Most Satisfactory

What did you love best about The Minotaur Takes a Cigarette Break: A Novel?

I think that the best part of the book was the narration. I don't think I would have liked the book in print and would have just put it down, never to finish. The narration kept me interested.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I don't think I had a favorite character. The Minotaur is the obvious choice for a favorite, but I found his indecisiveness off-putting.

What does Holter Graham bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Holter Graham brought the Minotaur to life. I think that I might have gotten bored reading the actual print, as there were slow patches. Mr. Graham eased me through them with alacrity.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No. While I did enjoy the book, it wasn't something that stirred excitement or curiosity. It was a diverting listen, but one that went best when I was doing something else, like cooking, and just wanted something to listen to.