Been doing a lot of reading during this cold and snowy winter, and unable to do much else since smacking my head on the ice in January. The reverberations in my head have finally calmed down, and I'm starting to write some reviews of recently read books. In books I'm always looking for something that looks at life from a different angle, and "Kockroach" by Tyler Knox certainly fits the bill. Here's my review:

Kockroach wakes one morning to find his body has been morphed into that of a human. A horrible development for sure, but cockroaches don’t spend a lot of time dwelling on the past. So Kockroach leaves his colony and ventures forth into the bright light and the strange society of humans. Cockroaches have been around for millions of years and will probably still be here long after humans are gone, because they are very adaptable, so it’s no surprise that Kockroach finds a pair of sunglasses and quickly learns to adapt to his new condition, observing human behavior from the shadows in which he lurks, then gradually interacting with humans, imitating their sounds and gestures until he learns the language and modes of behavior. Cockroaches are self-centered creatures whose every instinct is pointed to survival. A cockroach wants only food, sex, dominance, and security within the colony; a lot like humans, in other words. So Kockroach fits right in, and not only adapts, but thrives and prospers. How can this be, when so many humans try and fail? What makes Kockroach different is that he is unscrupulous. When he plays the human game, he plays to win. And win he does, climbing the ladder of success first in the mafia, then in the extermination business, leaving behind a trail of betrayal and ruined lives. But Knockroach doesn’t care, because it’s just not the way his brain is wired. As the book ends Kockroach has his sights set on the supreme prize, and I have a feeling he’s going to win it.

Kockroach is a blast to read cover to cover, loaded with humor and insight. The author knows a lot about cockroaches, and gets you to really feel for this seemingly heartless character. Kockroach does have feelings, and the passages describing the safety and security he felt within the swarming mass of his fellows, crawling over one another and happily chirping, touching antennae and smelling each other’s pheromones and so forth, are really quite moving, in a strange kind of way.

Kockroach may not gain a place among the great classics of literature, but I found it an inventive, wonderfully quirky and offbeat novel, thoroughly entertaining and beautifully written, unlike anything else I’ve read. I really enjoyed this book.