Crushed Mexican Spiders

The appearance of any new work by Tibor Fischer is a cause for celebration. Here, in a launch treat for Unbound readers, are two dazzling new stories that show why he is so admired. 'Crushed Mexican Spiders' is classic Fischer. Don’t be fooled by the title: the poet laureate of London grime is on home ground as a women returns home to discover the key to her Brixton flat no longer works…

Haunting images and crisp one-liners are about all that link it with the second tale, 'Possibly Forty Ships, the true story of the Trojan War. In a scene straight out of a Tarantino movie, an old man is being tortured, pressed to reveal how the greatest legend of all really happened. (Let's just say it bears scant resemblance to Homer: 'If you see war as a few ships sinking in the middle of the waves, a few dozen warriors in armour, frankly not as gleaming as it could be, being welcomed whole-heartedly by the water, far, far away from Troy, if you see that as war, then it was a war…')

The stories are being printed in a beautiful small hardback edition, each one illustrated by the work of the acclaimed Czech photographer Hana Vojáková . Although 'Possibly Forty Ships' is available as a download this highly collectible first printed edition is exclusively available through Unbound. It has two front covers: read one way you’re in south London at night; turn it over and you’re being burned by the harsh glare of Mediterranean sunlight. You can also buy prints of the two jacket images, signed by both Hana and Tibor

Below you will find the beginning of 'Crushed Mexican Spiders'…

UNBOUND TIP: Hip literary stocking-filler.

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Do you remember the first time you watched Reservoir Dogs, or Taxi Driver? The disorienting sense of not quite knowing whether you’re witnessing comedy or tragedy? That’s what reading Tibor Fischer is like. Few writers have a better feel for the inventive set-up: the Soviet invasion of Hungary from the point of view of the national basketball team (Under the Frog); life as narrated by a 5,000 year-old Sumerian bowl (The Collector Collector), a man who teaches himself to read two books at once (Don’t Read this Book if You’re Stupid) and south London loser who decides to become a deity in Miami (Good to be God). Fischer’s books are philosophical in the proper sense of the word: they make you think about and question every assumption life is founded on, but only when you’ve stopped laughing. He lives in Brixton and Budapest and teaches creative writing. His first novel was rejected by 57 publishers before going on to be shortlisted for the Booker Prize. What else do you need to know? That he’s one of very few contemporary writers where you will want to read everything he ever writes.

Makes most other contemporary English fiction look like irrelevant persiflage. WILL SELF

This cat can flat out write! TOM ROBBINS

Fischer’s powers of invention are well nigh heroic. JAY McINERNEY

The best thinking person’s entertainer since Iris Murdoch TIME OUT

Conrad with jokes. SUNDAY TIMES