The Kirkus Reckoning: Mainstream magazine reviews Much Ado About Corona

Blazing Reader,

America's prestigious book review magazine, Kirkus Reviews, has reviewed my novel, Much Ado About Corona. 

What does this mainstream outlet have to say about my controversial novel? Do they praise it for its daring counter-narrative? Do they denounce it as the ramblings of a delusional conspiracy theorist? Or are they coldly indifferent?

I don't know. I haven't read the review yet. And it's not public yet.

Tomorrow, Jordan Henderson, the novel's cover artist and illustrator for the novel, and I are getting together on a YouTube livestream for the... Kirkus Reckoning:

We'll unveil an advance copy of the Kirkus Review, and review the review together... and you're invited to join us.

When: Saturday, January 24, 2026 @ 11 am PST / 2 pm EST / 8pm CET

Where: https://www.youtube.com/live/IkktYDPD60g 

You can click that link now, then click the "Notify me" button to get a reminder. Or you can just add it to your calendar. 

You can also tie an electric eel around your wrist. Every time it shocks you, it'll serve as a reminder that you wanted to join Jordan and me for what may be a shocking review of Much Ado About Corona.

See you then,

—John C.A. Manley

P.S. Please share this post about the event on X.

John C. A. Manley is the author of Much Ado About Corona, All The Humans Are Sleeping and other works of philosophical fiction that are "so completely engaging that you find yourself alternately laughing, gasping, hanging on for dear life." Get free samples of his stories by becoming a Blazing Pine Cone email subscriber.