Things are changing fast in the small town of Bull River Falls, Colorado. Dora McCoy, a longtime resident, hasn’t been the only one to notice the behemoth new resort growing steadily in the distance or the odd behavior of the strange, sickly looking coyotes roaming around her ranch. Vietnam War veteran Stan Przewalski runs the Bull River Falls Beacon-News. It’s one of the few ways he can keep his mind occupied these days that doesn’t involve drugs, prescribed or otherwise. The coyotes and the real estate changes suddenly take a backseat when a beautiful young woman is found dead. Stan tries to put everything together, but graphic flashbacks from the war mingle with persistent guilt in a toxic PTSD mix that renders him somewhat unstable. But fear not! Stan finds a kindred spirit when he meets the Gopher King. Together, the two work on the problems in Bull River Falls, and in Stan Przewalski.
The Gopher King: A Dark Comedy is exactly what it’s advertised to be. The humor is indeed dark, ranging from obscure to overt. Readers are first introduced to the Gopher King when he is hit by a car, where, “The little stinker is holding on to the wiper as it goes back and forth, hanging there with its tongue out.” Turns out, gophers are more intellectual than we imagined. They own stocks, are skilled strategists, and band together in red Willie Nelson bandanas when needed to take down an exterminator. The story is trippy, almost disorienting, lending realism to the struggles of Stan who is enduring the ravages of PTSD. Gojan Nikolich adds in for good measure some not-so-subtle commentary on our current tech addictions. The Gopher King is a quirky story enhanced by acerbic wit and unexpected creativity.
