The Fan Man Review

While there are many novels which could be considered classics, perhaps none of them reach the caliber of William Kotzwinkle's The Fan Man. Published in 1974, this overlooked classic brings readers into its world in the most phantasmagorical way possible. Originally published in Esquire Magazine in 1973 as a short story titled, Horse Badorties Goes Out, Kotzwinkle's novel adds more to the narrative and life of Horse Badorities. While not exactly a sequel, The Fan Man could be at best seen as an expanded continuation. In other words, further chronicling the misadventures of our deranged, loopy protagonist.

Written in the first person narrative, what sets The Fan Man apart is the in-depth attention to detail. In vivid descriptions given by Horse Badorties, readers will feel as if they were experiencing the events actually happening. We have all been taught to show, not tell, in our writing. William Kotzwinkle's The Fan Man seems to take it to the next level. As a result, Kotzwinkle does more than show readers Horse Badorties's world; they live in it. However, it should be noted that some readers might be put off by the retro hippy/beaknik vernacular spoken by Horse Badorties. Even more unsettling would be the living conditions of Horse Badorities as well. Through Kotzwinkle's extensive imagination, readers might gag at the squalor our protagonist calls "home". In fact, one could possibly even smell the perverse odors of Horse Badorties' "Number One Pad".

Another great attribute about The Fan Man, is it provides a perfect example of a limited first person narration. Not only do we read about the extensive descriptions of Horse Badorties' life, we also read from his perspective. Aside from Horse, there are no other characters mentioned nor named in this entire novel. The only other characters in The Fan Man are random nameless figures whom appear sporadically. This serves to benefit the novel as any other characters would clog up the narrative.

Despite being written, and allegedly, taking place in the 1970s; The Fan Man could possibly occur in modern day. The lack of detail concerning any historical events in the 1970s enables readers to envision the events of The Fan Man happening in real time. This allows The Fan Man to become a timeless tale of the escapades of Horse Bardorties. Regardless if the ordeals of Horse happened in the Eighties, Nineties, or the turn of the twenty-first century, the escapades of The Fan Man would still be fresh.

Sadly, not many people are aware of this great work of literature. Many people have overlooked this obscure American classic. Whenever one reads a list of the greatest American contemporary novels of all time, it seems The Fan Man is noticeably absent. Whatever the reason, people seem to ignore this novel in favor of more widely known works. Perhaps it is because not everyone is aware of The Fan Man. Although a Google search will provide other reviews of The Fan Man, still this novel remains largely unknown to the reading public. Which is a tragedy in itself.

It is of great exigency that one should read The Fan Man. Such a vividly descriptive novel should not be passed up. Regardless of one's taste in literature, The Fan Man will entertain readers all over. Not only for the deranged exploits of Horse Badorties, but the way in which he describes his experiences. A classic worthy of reading!

Want to read William Kotzwinkle's classic? The Fan Man is for sale on Amazon Kindle at https://www.amazon.com/Fan-Man-William-Kotzwinkle-ebook/dp/B00G0Q6XYU/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=fan+man&qid=1613277772&s=books&sr=1-1

You may also find The Fan Man at Barnes and Noble at

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fan-man-william-kotzwinkle/1102785037