Reviews:

"HOW TO UNread A BOOK"

"What I love and loathe most about
this admittedly eccentric text is the way
Vox Anon renders the lovers poems into relentless rhyme. Everything is urgent and visceral as if the book was scrawled in blood on the skin of some arcane scroll, skin, parchment.
Not notebooks. Something about The Unicorn Man is timeless almost biblical(CAIN/QAYIN).

When does a diary cease to be a diary and become poetry? I do not know. I do spy a beauty through the eyes of this man/beast. Only a mind so deprived of true beauty and beautiful truth may have conjured these poems from memory or dreams of love lost or forever unripe.

Vox Anon's spiritual and sexual content--his embrace of a unicorn man as symbol of beauty and deformity in the form of poetry is thrilling. The wild undisciplined measure and confessional prose has all the gothic charm.

While Vox Anon does warn the text and images are not for the faint of heart i dare say; they are not fit this side of a diary, tomb, or asylum wall. Suspend all disbelief and embrace post modernity's finest anonymous author and his sad collection of dark verses."

Sinistar Gazer - NY
Gothic Beauty magazine 

"EQUAL PARTS EVERYTHING"

"...The Unicorn Man is narrowly missing a car recklessly speeding by you, and shortly after noticing the smoke and sirens ahead.  You know what happens, but you are forced to navigate the inevitable.  The storyline(s) is a lucid dreamy current that pulls you away from the shore and into a rushing river of epic imagery and endless epiphanies.  You are Uni as he is discovers his identity and place in the devastating world.  He is a hero, but more of a tornado that happens to wipe out the bad guys.  The juxtaposition of concepts gives insight into the extremes of the intimate and otherworldly.  

The writings required something of me as a reader.  I waded through dungeons with dim light into and treasuries of gold, truths, and self loathing.  I rise and fall, fast and slow.  They call me to peer inside of a struggle that most people never consider, or choose to ignore...but it does exist.  The graphics are altogether fun, strange, and quasi educational.  It is thick depths and spiking heights that can be hard to appreciate the constant shifting gears.  But if you can hang on, it is a genuinely unique collection...and unique is rare.

Now what do I do?  Other writings are circular kiddie rides. There is nothing comparable, because it is a high concentration fusion of visual and lyrical flavors. It is equal parts everything, that leaves you full, and a little queasy-uneasy.   

My final thoughts are...did that really electrocute me?  Was it pain or something else?  How long can I stand it?  Let me try again."

- Günter Raymond

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"ODDLY HYPNOTIC"

"...There’s somewhat of a merging going on here between Old World science and today’s technology, yet filtered through a lo-fi aesthetic — the result is disturbing, but oddly hypnotic..."

Rod Lott - Bookgasm  READ COMPLETE REVIEW

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"Lush & Lyrical"

"A magnificent journey of 3 stories weaved into one epic tale. Based in Old Testament lore about a never ending love story. Vox Anon captures every scene with lush lyrical descriptions that pull the reader deep into the story. As the story unfolds, the reader is treated to more details about who Unicorn Man is, what he was and what he inspires to be. 

The following verses and images wonderfully compliment the story and reveal the diary of one who has lived since creation. A must read for anyone with biblical, mythological or fantasy interest in the supernatural."

Kaasha A, Paragon City

"Do you remember when you found out, there was no Santa Claus?  There was no Easter Bunny?  There was no Stork Baby?  There was no Tooth Fairy?  There was no Imaginary Friend?...well good news there is The Unicorn Man!  Buy it, read it, marry it, burn it, slay it, eat it, BELIEVE it..." Vox Anon

"This Book Will Ruin YOU..."

"In a very good way! I am through the looking glass! The Unicorn Man instantly antiquates everything that has come out in the past 20+ years. The Unicorn Man is not casual entertainment; it is a vivisected contradictory juxtaposition of dark yet illuminating imagery. With the voice of an otherworldly prophet, Vox Anon wildly pinballs between epic epiphanies and intimate vignettes. The Unicorn Man unfolds the tragic aspirations of becoming a new creature, but is brutally aware of the relentless limitations of the frail spiritual condition. I want to compare it to another book, but I cannot even think of something like it. It is a carnival ride that could fall apart as soon as it reaches the peak. The Unicorn Man is dangerous, but the elevated view is worth the risk! This book has the potential to be one of the great works of poetry for the new millennium. We need more art like this!" 

Future Martyr

"Medieval and Modern"

"Combining the sacred and pagan, the medieval and modern, along good doses of fear and comfort, The Unicorn Man reads like the long-lost poetic missives of a man sorting out the twin messes of humanity and love. Vox uses invented and reimagined words to pull you into dimly lit chambers where he sings to you of his pain and joy."

1203, NC

"A Voyuer's Mirror" 

"I was fortunate enough to get a test copy of The Unicorn Man reissue for the August 8, 2008 with the fairytale hair cover.  It is a gorgeous image to sheath the full body of texts inside.

Personally, I find The Unicorn Man poetry wonderfully otherworldly and challenging on a number of different levels. Just when I think I am on the outside looking in voyeuristically; I begin to realize it is me who is being spied through a keyhole.

The stories at the beginning of the book are quite charming and a bit unnecessary to preface the verses. I read all the poetry in almost 1 sitting the first time. Now as I reread them I discover more images and meanings on both superficial and deeper levels.

To the author Vox Anon (Unknown Voice), do not stare to closely into the mirror for too long. Mirrors do not reflect the beauty of your soul. The thought that "Qayin" killed Abel because of the beauty of his own Twin sister, he couldn't marry, is kinda way out there. But, I like it.

My whole idea of Unicorns is topsy turvy and upside down now. I've grown up too fast in too short a time. All in all this book is a labyrinth worth getting lost in. The Unicorn Man read it." 

Gwendolyn P, NY 

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"Real Unicorn Meat"  

"In the 8/8/08 edition of vox anon's The Unicorn Man, we are treated to three short stories that help to give extra meaning to the poetry in his earlier editions of the book. Each story has a style all its own: "I Awoke" brings to mind apocalyptic science fiction, "Once Upon a Time" is mostly a fairy tale complete with a damsel in distress and a more or less happy ending, and "Non Plus Ultra" is a semi-coherent collection of diary entries.

"Because the stories have their own unique styles, and also because they are primarily meant to set up the full story yet to be published, they sometimes on the surface appear to be disjointed and a bit confusing. Don't be put off by this, however. That's merely the author trying to give his reader a sense of what it might be like to be the strange, wonderful, cursed title character.

For me, personally, the real meat of this work is still the poetry. I've read most of the poems before, and enjoyed them without having the extra pieces of the Unicorn Man puzzle that the short stories now bring. There is an enlightenment that comes from having the narrative to back up the poetry, but at the same time many of the poems seem to have their own secret meaning that reveals itself to the reader's subconscious. The pesky conscious mind need not concern itself with the knowledge and pain that is gleaned from the haunted verses, but if it insists, it can find some comfort in the short stories.

The real downside to The Unicorn Man is that it can be confusing at times and you'll be left with a sense that there should be more, and that's probably intentional. The bulk of the story of the Unicorn Man is yet to come, and promises to be a wild ride. I'm looking forward to being able to say that I was there at the beginning."  

Cecil A, WV

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"One Book to Rule them All."

Typically I don't read much, but the unicorn man caught my attention! Wonderful, Dark, and inspiring. A must read!"  

Flames of War, NJ

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"Required Reading"

"This is not poetry.  These are not prayers.  They are not confessions.  These not thinly veiled   Moral myth or fairy tales.  There is NO context  For this book.  These are no psalms hymns or song lyrics. There is no Unicorn Man.  Where are the pretty unicorns?  Where is Cain? (Qayin).  Is this a dream or disease?  This book is alone Written by a misfit criminal Sideshow freak or saint.   Should be required reading Before bedtime and prayers."  

Curmudgeon, MI

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"Best Lyrics Never Written.  The Unicorn Man contains some of the best lyrics that U2, The Cure, Nine Inch Nails, and Radiohead NEVER wrote yet. The verses are very original but have sick familiarity to them. Poem after poem it is a relentless attack. The text rains down on you like those showers of code from The Matrix movies. Haha! Love the Artwork yeah. Not sure if there are rockstars of poetry but Vox is one in my book. Cool stuff even if you hate poetry like I do! Beg, Borrow, or Steal it!"

Halo King, CA

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"Hymns dipped in Vinegar."

This diabolical book of miasmic and otherwordly poetry came in a package covered with glittery My Little Pony stickers. Needless to say, I was scared to review it.

I finally cracked it open, although it's already pretty cracked. The prose is like a philosophy student being transformed into some hideous Lovecraftian monster during the Christian end times. But once you accept its dark-yet-brainy metaphysical style, it's not bad at all. Although it's also hard to tell if it's good.

Author Vox Anon (translation: Unknown Voice) isn't some dopey high school goth kid mired in angsty self-pity or inner "angels vs. demons" simplicity. Anon mixes grim Old and New Testament imagery with spirituality, sexuality, science, mythology, and mathematics into a bubbling alchemy of words that taste like hymns dipped in vinegar. 

A brief read-through brings to mind everything from the pagan earthiness yet spiritual symbolism of Aleister Crowley to PKDian musings on man/god duality and the Godhead to the indecipherable climaxes of overreaching apocalyptic anime. 

I honestly can't tell if it's good poetry or heavy-handed hackery or lunatic ravings that I should be afraid of. But maybe that reader's uncertainty is what makes it artful."

Adam Coozer, NY READJUNK.COM

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"Wait for the DVD" 

"I AM SORRY but, you either sing these LYRICS from a mountain top, in old catacombs, in a stadium arena, as sweet nothings or as scary bedtime stories.   

Maybe there should be an American Idol or Guitar Hero for poets. lol. Listen man, Poetry is dead and belongs to the past and to lovers of the past.  

Now if I could download The Unicorn Man to my cellphone or read it as email on my blackberry that would be the sweet. 

Maybe a paperback book is the best context or medium for it, but I think in this day and age authors, artists, and musicians need to make their work MORE accessible without compromising its integrity ya know? Times have changed Vox. I guess what is nice is your book feels a lil timeless, a lil old and new like as in the future.  

Am I right? I was listening to "IN RAINBOWS" by Radiohead while watching some SCIFI original movie. In a weird way it all seemed to sync up. heh. 

The Unicorn Man is alot of material to get through Soooooo...I will wait for the DVD version or action figures of The Unicorn Man. Thanks for the Test copy VOICE of the UNKNOWN :)" 

Frank Stein, House of 1000 WTFs 

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"A Waking Dream."

The Unicorn Man is an eclectic work filled with great imagery and meaning. It has the feel of a waking dream, or faint memories of a past life on the verge of remembering. Above all The Unicorn Man stirs the imagination of all its readers."  

Lirit , WV

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"Keep this book under your Pillow."

"Unicorns were one of the last unspoiled and unperverted ideas of beauty left in this world. Now there is nothing sacred. I had forgotten how much I loved them when I was a child. I had figurines, posters, and stuffed animals of them. Never much read into the potential symbolism the horn possessed. Fantasy = Fantasy. Childhood = Childhood. The Unicorn Man is nothing like what I thought it would or could be about. It is a sad love story told through poems.

The images and visions expressed in the book are the stuff of nightmares for me. I LOVE IT! It's like "Alice in Wonderland" meets Hieronymus Bosch, with a lil bit of "Lolita" mixed in. The 3 short stories are fun. The verses are what inspire me most. I have not figured out yet if this is all a dream or some of the real diary entries of "Qayin". If you like Sci Fi, Horror, and Fantasy in poetry form then this collection is for you. I keep The Unicorn Man under my pillow."  

Naomi B, WA 

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"A Groteque Masterpiece?"

How an omniscient, omnipotent, God would permit such a horror as The Unicorn Man to exist is a most difficult religious and medical question. These are strange poems about metaphysical love, truth, and beauty. Read it and Re-read it. "The Unicorn Man" is a grotesque masterpiece!"  

Darque Rider, USA

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"Get Well Soon"  

"The most poetry anyone reads anymore is on a get well or birthday card. Ancient, Medieval, and Modern epic poetry aside this is a very UNIQUE collection of poems. They seem to be written by no one or everyone about no one or everyone. There is No syntax and No punctuation. Each verse bleeds into the next, contradicting, and self-referencing until all you have left to do is spiral onto the next or reread what you just read.

One can tell the author is an artist because the text is all images, codes, and hieroglyphics. These moving images are more cinematic than narrative. This is an ambitious first collection of poetry written in a unique style. I hope The Unicorn Man is praised and heralded by intelligent readers, willing to suspend disbelief for a few hours. I mean this as the highest compliment The Unicorn Man is too academic for Hot Topic, too theological for Sunday School, and too good to be TRUE. 

I know Vox and know that he chose attending Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts instead of Westminster Theological Seminary. This book is evidence of a soul aspiring transcendence before it's time has come. Suicidal patience. Is this poetry or fiction or a memoir? 

There is a willingness these days for fans to follow their favorite Persona as they evolve or experiment with identities such as Singer, Actress, and Model. Vox is a poet and he knows it. 

As for your love sickness, self loathing, longing for beauty, fire and brimstone, doom and gloom, I say Get Well soon!?" 

Amanda W, Pa

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"A Cathedral of the Soul"

"Imagine that Da Vinci was a poet and Poe was a graphic artist, and they collaborated on a project. That is what the staccato imagery and visual montage of graphics contained in The Unicorn Man brings to mind. Each page is a darkly beautiful and painfully honest walk through the Gothic cathedral of Vox Anon's soul." 

Cyberzerker / C. Adams, GA

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"The First Last Book You will Ever Buy"

"Ahhh the Unicorn Man... Since prehistory there have been letters, numbers, and symbols. After the Oral tradition of remembering and telling stories many writing unarchival mediums and stylus were used on SKIN, scrolls, and graffitied on wet walls. 

In the past few hundred years, WE have used ink/print in the form of a book to translate ideas across time, space, children, peoples, cultures, and the world. New media forms starting with photography, radio waves, cinema celluloid, television optics, have all converged to the irreducible ENTER key on your computers keyboard. Everything has become binary, digital, or pixel to express or represent the WORD. Even the good news (gospel) of "The Word" that once became flesh, which will never pass away, is being unchangably spread across the world. What is the future of Books? Who will respect and retain the value of the once written word in BOOK form?

Electronically signing your name to pay for food, services, and artifacts connected to "CREDIT" as legal tender for all debts represented by federal reserve notes for hoarded Gold that I wonder of its existence and value at this point. Although they are fun; I do NOT have time for reality shows or video games I READ books all day and all night. The last show I remember watching was a show called "Survivor". 

Anyway, I do not foresee a crisis in the nature of books and reading but I do think that all the miniature hand held, wireless headgear, and personal gadgetry will NOT help you sink your teeth into the flesh off this book, The Unicorn Man.

Read "The Unicorn Man" Book or the Ffing download. This book will hopefully not be the last book you buy or read but if you are stuck on an island, with no cellphone, nintendo ds, or ipod/iphone, on a reality show called "Survivor" it will be your ally and true imaginary friend. Desert island Books FTW."

Malice in Wonderlust, me USA 

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"Casting Couches and Screen Tests"

"Upon reading VoxAnon's new version of, "The Unicorn Man", I honestly was taken on a roller coaster ride, not only with respect to the type of fairytale set in the near future, BUT at the writer's relentless and lyrical delivery of the words.  

In the fairy tale portion, there are all of the elements necessary and it is written with a sensitive sweetness. 

Not so the part where our hero is awaking prematurely during surgery, which is written in a total run-on stream of thought and expression of physical and emotional pain and confusion. This book certainly takes you from the heights to the depths and back again. It is a book not just to be read, but read alone in the dark for the best experience. 

Some of the poetry is pitch dark and tormented, but displays a constant theme of hope at the end of the tunnel, a very long, dark tunnel. Readers will enjoy this version of the book, and can look forward to seeing the stories illustrated in months to come. 

So much imagery to enjoy and picture on the wide screen. Can I be the Queen? I wonder who'll play the lead roles! Qayin And Evee?? Hmmm! Time for casting couches and screen tests!"

The Dutchess, NJ

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OTHER REVIEWS: 

"to hell and back without moving." Dante Alighieri

"one dizzying, mesmerizing, and disturbing trip." Lewis Carroll 

"I hope someone makes films based on this book." J.R.R. Tolkien

"never knew such true pure love could exist." Petrarch 

"your transformation is poetic yet monstrous." Franz Kafka

"inspired me to write the book Frankenstein." Mary Shelley

"some poetry should be kept private my dear." Emily Dickinson

"a very sad lonesome and tragic tale." Vincent Van Gogh

"this book scares the hell out of me." Edgar Allan Poe

"i would have never confessed to this!" St. Augustine

"a true renaissance man and beast." Leonardo Da vinci

"what an unbelievable metamorphoses!!!" Ovid

"ewww pretty" my Ecein.