In his debut novel,
The Wilding, Benjamin Percy displays a flair for the horror/thriller genres as he delves into the American archetypes of nature. The plot follows a small band of people journeying through the Oregon wilderness, battling both obvious and hidden prey as they face the challenges of dealing with nature — and each other. Although some of the themes are universal, the settings are specific to Oregon. “We live in a placeless world,” says Percy. “Drop me anywhere in the country and I’ll show you the same cookie-cutter designs. I feel intensely connected to Oregon, and it’s the stage of virtually all my fiction.”
Percy has worked in a variety of forms, everything from short stories and essays to novels, screenplays and graphic novels. “I’m not too worried about the fences that corral different genres,” he says. “Good writing is good writing, and it doesn’t matter if there’s a ghost or a robot or a cowboy in it.”
Percy will read from his book today at 5:30 p.m. at St. Cajetan’s on the Auraria campus. Admission is free; for more information, call 303-556-2584 or visit www.ucdenver.edu.
Thu., March 3, 5:30 p.m., 2011
