Review by Thurston Howl
Sometimes, Furry Book Review tackles what I often call "furry-adjacent literature." The book may not be directed specifically at the furry fandom as a market, but it might still appeal to furries. That is the case with Gregory Kimbrell's short book, The Ceremonial Armor of the Impostor.
As the back-cover blurb states, this book is a combination of two sequences of long narrative poems, set respectively in the 16th century, focusing on the mercenary Sous-Terrain, and the 19th century, focusing on an aristocrat hunting down a lion furry.
Largely, the work is Gothic surrealist, and its slow yet evocative style proves that. Sous-Terrain's narrative is a lot slower than the aristocrat's, and it felt a lot more cosmological. I found myself struggling to keep up with his plight, and I found myself struggling to care, too. Not much work is put into setting the scene, and the character stays an enigma throughout the book.
The aristocrat's narrative however was a lot more involved and had a greater awareness of plot. Not just because of the sexy lion furry but also because of the first-person perspective of the piece and the attention to setting details. I really enjoyed that narrative all on its own. I had a much clearer goal in mind, and I found myself consistently more invested in his story than Sous-Terrain's.
I probably would not recommend this book to the average furry. But if you love Gothic lit, this book is definitely up your alley. I ain't lion.