M’rth by Todd Rigney
From Todd Rigney, the author of FOUND, comes the hallucinatory horror story M’RTH. Happiness seems to elude reclusive writer Dylan Mercury on a regular basis. During his fruitless quest for contentment, Dylan stumbles across a drug called M’rth, a miracle pill that magically transports him to the happiest moment of his entire life. However, the…
From Todd Rigney, the author of FOUND, comes the hallucinatory horror story M’RTH. Happiness seems to elude reclusive writer Dylan Mercury on a regular basis. During his fruitless quest for contentment, Dylan stumbles across a drug called M’rth, a miracle pill that magically transports him to the happiest moment of his entire life. However, the longer he stays in the wonderful world of M’rth, the more his reality starts to change for the worse. When his loved ones begin to disappear one by one, Dylan realizes he needs to kick his addiction before it robs him of everything he holds dear.
“Hallucinatory, Terrifying, and Poignant.”
Five Star Review on Amazon By Michael Schutz-Ryan
The much-anticipated new book from T. Rigney is finally here. And what a terrific treat! In M’rth, Todd Rigney weaves words together as lyrically as David Markson accomplished in Wittgenstein’s Mistress. But Rigney’s book is strongly plotted and vividly realized.
In Dylan Mercury (who is, indeed, as mercurial as they come) we have a washed-up writer. With one book under his belt—and an acclaimed film adaptation—his well has run dry. His increasing drug habit doesn’t help much. Then his dealer gives him a taste of a truly different high: a pill that returns him to his happiest moment. But nightmares lay in wait just around the corner. And the terrifying journey that overtakes Dylan is as tragic as it is horrifying.
M’rth reads a bit like a modernized, expanded prose poem about J. Alfred Prufrock, especially with gorgeous lines like: “Strung out strippers smoke cigarettes outside seedy clubs filled with drunken husbands dodging diseases.” And this book is a lot like the drug-induced trips it describes. Hallucinatory and beautiful, I did not want the spell of this narrative to end. Rigney manages the nearly impossible feat of writing a book that is both lightning fast and deeply developed. Both fierce and funny. Visceral and gross but with moments of true poignancy.
This is a fantastic book. I highly recommend!
About the Author
My name’s Todd Rigney, and I’m the guy responsible for penning a handful of interesting albeit obscure stories. Way back in 2004, I published my first novel, a dark coming-of-age saga entitled “Found,” to the deafening sound of crickets. Although a moderate critical success, the book never really found (cough) it’s audience, due in part to my embarrassing lack of promotional skills. However, despite my inability to properly market the tome, “Found” eventually landed in the capable hands of independent filmmaker Scott Schirmer, who transformed it into an acclaimed, multiple award-winning motion picture. I live in Lexington, Kentucky with my lovely wife and cats.