interviews:
Author Spotlight Blog Tour: Jorah Kai interviewed by C.M. Rosens
- Publication: C. M. Rosens Author Blog Series
- Date: April 3, 2025
- Excerpt: “Hemingway’s ‘The Sun Also Rises’ is a novel I’ve admired for years—a brilliant, melancholic meditation on the Lost Generation, disillusionment, and human frailty.”
- Jorah Kai Author Interview
- Publication: Michael Parkes Author Blog
- Date: February 17, 2025
- Excerpt: “I’m Jorah Kai, a Canadian author, newspaper journalist, editor, English teacher, and self-described sand witch and existential detective.”
Life of an Artist: In Conversation with Jorah Kai
BookHookup: A Haunting Fusion of Hemingway and Lovecraft
- Publication: Not For Vanity
- Date: March 20, 2023
- Excerpt: “Writing is often a lonely grind, and the gratification of sharing your work is delayed immeasurably compared to music or visual arts.”
- Part One
- ‘Amos the Amazing’ Blends Chongqing Solarpunk Sci-Fi with High Fantasy, Says Canadian Writer &
- My Interview with Liu Cixin: ‘The Three-Body Problem’ as a Beacon for Global Voices in 2024’s TV Landscape
- Publication: iChongqing (Chongqing Daily News, English Desk)
- Date: December 13, 2022
- Excerpt: “Amos the Amazing is a solarpunk fantasy that takes a young boy on a magical journey through ancient and futuristic worlds to save his family.”
- My Interview with Liu Cixin: ‘The Three-Body Problem’ as a Beacon for Global Voices in 2024’s TV Landscape
- Publication: iChongqing/ Jorah Kai
- Date: March 25, 2024
- Excerpt: “Netflix’s adaptation of ‘The Three-Body Problem’ has taken the world by storm, a testament to the enduring allure of Liu Cixin’s storytelling prowess.” Jorah Kai, Existential Detective
CTV News Canada feature: 8 weeks before the Pandemic, Jorah Kai: The Canary in the Chongqing Coalmine (Coronavirus diary: Life inside China during the outbreak) January-March, 2020
Writing reviews and sharing books you love with your friends and family are the best ways to help authors realize their dream of immortality, sealing the magick of their twinned souls inside the tattooed pages of dead trees… ahem … I mean, we really appreciate it when you take a minute to click “write a review” and tell us what you think!
Praise for The Sun Also Rises on Cthulhu:
“A cosmic cocktail of Hemingway and Lovecraft—graceful, stylish, and gloriously strange. A wild ride.”
—Robert Rivenbark, award-winning author of The Cloud
“Honey, this book’s as wild as a fox in a henhouse! A slow-simmering pot of cosmic gumbo—rich, strange, and full of surprises. Just don’t read it before bed, bless your heart.”
—Dragonfly Reads
“If you told me one of the most bizarrely satisfying books I’d read this year would be a mash-up of Ernest Hemingway and Lovecraftian horror, I’d have raised an eyebrow and asked what you were drinking. And yet here we are—The Sun Also Rises on Cthulhu is real, and it’s absolutely something else. A fever dream with a beating heart; a love letter to lost souls wrapped in cosmic dread.”
—Ava, Coffee Book Couch
“A haunting, thought-provoking experience that seamlessly blends literary depth with psychological terror—and lingers long after the final page.”
—Donna Sundblad, author of Dragonborn and The Inheritance
(Not technically a blurb, but surprisingly on brand):
“I send my deep apologies, but am unable to provide a blurb at this time.”
—Brandon Sanderson, New York Times bestselling author
Reviews for The Sun Also Rises on Cthulhu:
If you told me one of the most bizarrely satisfying books I’d read this year would be a mash-up of Ernest Hemingway and Lovecraftian horror, I would’ve raised an eyebrow and asked what you were drinking. And yet here we are—The Sun Also Rises on Cthulhu is real, and it’s absolutely something else. Equal parts existential and absurd, literary and cosmic, it’s a beautifully strange collision of two vastly different worlds that somehow, through clever writing and unsettling vision, fits together.
Let’s get one thing out of the way: this isn’t your average genre pastiche. It doesn’t just slap tentacles on a classic and call it a day. Instead, it’s more like someone tore open the original The Sun Also Rises, let the madness of the Great Old Ones ooze in through the cracks, and let it fester until the lines between ennui and unreality blurred completely. The result is unnerving, hilarious, poignant, and frequently uncomfortable—in the best way.
The Characters Are Still Drifting—But This Time Through Madness
The Lost Generation was always about wandering, disillusionment, trauma, and too much alcohol. Jorah Kai keeps that spirit alive, but now their disconnection isn’t just from post-war society—it’s from time, space, and sanity itself. Jake (or Jack Schitt here) is still our anchor, but it’s like he’s holding on to a world that’s slowly dissolving into something ancient and hungry.
Brett Ashley is as magnetic and destructive as ever, but there’s a new layer of cosmic despair clinging to her every action. The other familiar faces from Hemingway’s version—Mike, Bill, Robert—get transformed into strange parodies of themselves, sometimes with new names or new forms. It becomes clear that whatever is lurking beneath this rewritten Paris and Pamplona isn’t content with just shadows and suggestion. Reality itself is in flux, and our characters are caught mid-spin.
The Writing Style is a Bold Gamble That Pays Off
Kai channels Hemingway’s clipped prose with reverence and boldness. It’s sparse where it needs to be, but infused with modern irreverence and horror surrealism that makes for wild tonal swings. One moment you’re caught in a beautifully mundane description of a wine-soaked café table, and the next you’re watching someone unravel into a grotesque, unknowable creature of the abyss.
That jarring mix should be disorienting—and it is—but somehow the rhythm works. I often found myself reading a passage twice: once to take in the language, and again to try and wrap my mind around what had just happened. There’s an unmistakable joy in how the book plays with genre and form. It wants you to feel off-balance.
Themes of Disconnection Hit Harder With Tentacles Involved
Here’s what surprised me most: the horror doesn’t dilute the emotional weight. If anything, it sharpens it. Hemingway’s original carried a deep sadness, a sense that something precious had been lost and could never be regained. Kai and Cthulhu take that sentiment and amplify it. The futility of love, the confusion of identity, the ache of disillusionment—they all feel more raw when the fabric of existence is literally tearing.
There’s a particular sequence involving a bullfight that will stay with me for a long time. What was once a symbolic moment of masculinity and artifice becomes something otherworldly, violent, and unspeakably strange. And yet, it still resonates in that aching, sad Hemingway way.
Final Thoughts: A Risk That Deserves Applause
The Sun Also Rises on Cthulhu is not a book for everyone. If you need clear resolution, tidy character arcs, or stories that play by the rules of either literary fiction or horror, you may struggle. But if you appreciate bold experiments, literary remixing, and stories that don’t so much answer questions as raise strange, beautiful ones—this is a must-read.
It’s a fever dream with a beating heart, a love letter to lost souls wrapped in cosmic dread. And somehow, it all works.
Rating: 5/5 ink-stained, sanity-frayed stars
Would I recommend it?
To the literary nerd with a Lovecraft shelf, to the reader tired of books playing it safe, and to anyone who ever looked at Hemingway’s world and thought, what if it went completely insane?—yes. Read this.
“5.0 out of 5 stars Like a pot of gumbo simmering on the stove
Reviewed in the United States on April 4, 2025
Well, honey, I picked up “The Sun Also Rises on Cthulhu” thinking it was just another one of those highfalutin literary mash-ups. But let me tell you, this book is as wild as a fox in a henhouse! Merging Hemingway’s classic with all that Lovecraftian horror? Bless their hearts, Kai and Hemingway sure cooked up something unexpected. The characters’ European escapades had me reminiscing about my own youthful adventures, though mine didn’t involve ancient cosmic entities, thank the Lord. It’s a slow burn, like a pot of gumbo simmering on the stove, but if you stick with it, you’ll find it’s rich with flavor and surprises. Just don’t read it before bed, or you’ll be dreaming of more than magnolias and sweet tea!”
Reviews for Amos the Amazing:
“A fun YA coming-of-age solarpunk fantasy that’s oozing with creativity and imagination.” – Marie Sinadjan, ‘Humans Media’
“I absolutely adore Amos. Like Harry Potter meets Lord of the Rings.” @book_st_gram
“My favorite book of the year.” – Brooke Auckerman @BrookLovesBooks23
“Full of excitement, adventure, and magic” – @lisabookishlife
“Once it got me turning the pages, I simply couldn’t stop. For me, that was the theme of Taoist thought, which gets me every time I encounter it in the wild. It is so beautiful — and here it is, like finding grass growing from glass. For other readers, the element that snags and pulls the imagination into this story might be one of a hundred others. That’s kind of this book’s magic…” – @Donasbooks
“The end left me gasping for the next installment,” – Richard Devall, Vine Voice
Writing a review & sharing a good book are kind ways to give back to authors & share the joy of discovery with a friend!
Professional / Trade Reviews:
“《艾摩司的奇幻之旅》与我之前看过的故事都不一样，它让我感受到一种全新的东西方文化交融的叙述故事的独特魅力。KAI用天马行空的想象与严密自洽的逻辑为我们构建了一个神秘的奇想世界。在这个世界中，各种动物妙趣横生，人物经历令人难忘，相信孩子们也会喜欢。”
“Amos the Amazing is different from the stories I have seen before. It makes me feel the unique charm of a new narrative story that blends Eastern and Western cultures in a mysterious world of whimsy full of wild imagination and unforgettable characters, and I believe that children will love it.” – 停云 Xiao Hua Hua, Senior MG/YA Editor, Chongqing Publishing Group, Publisher of Massive Sci-Fi Bestseller “The Three-Body Problem”
“In this coming-of-age story, Amos grows to think of others more as he runs a race to save his soul and his grandfather’s life. While this book falls into the YA (Young Adult) category, I think it carries appeal for readers of all ages who enjoy the magic of childlike wonder. Amos the Amazing is highly imaginative and action-packed with well-choreographed fight scenes… which Jorah Kai accomplishes with finesse! I highly recommend this book to readers of all ages who enjoy books like Harry Potter or the Percy Jackson series. If you are ready for adventure and enjoy exploring new fantastical worlds safely from home, this one is for you. I give it a hearty 5 stars!” (Read full review here on Book Hookup) – Donna Sundblad, author of Dragonborn.
“Amos the Amazing is a bedazzling and delightful adventure through a world of wonderment and imagination. The world Jorah Kai has created is full of colorful characters, layered historical depth, and cultural splendor; it rivals Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter in complexity and creativity while maintaining specificity and believability—a recipe for pure literary amazement! This book is a wordsmith’s wonderland, a poet’s playground, and a linguist’s luxury cruiseliner that weaves a love for everything Chongqing into a tale that is sure to become an international classic. I already can’t wait to read the next installment in the series. Keep them coming, Jorah Kai!” – Garrett H. Jones, American Author and Publisher
“I love this book…I can’t wait to see where it goes!” – Erin Bledsoe, American Author, and Editor
“Refreshing. You lifted my spirits. Reminds me of the first time I read Neuromancer.” – Jessie G.
“Although not a traditional authority of any kind Kai proved to be an essential source of sanity and safety during the onset of COVID-19 pandemic. He truly is a warrior poet.” -ill Gates, bass music superstar
“Such eloquent wording. Reading (you) out loud is an absolute pleasure.” – 大兵哥
“Wow. No one ever writes this way. No one whose books I’ve read.” – Amber Lyn Mills, writer
“We’re not worthy; we’re not worthy! Your writing…is amazing.” – Amanda Blighty, writer
“A fantastic piece of writing. As a virus fanatic, I find this a fascinating and horrifying breakdown that is as gripping as the best mystery novel and scary as the worst-case apocalyptic sci-fi thriller. My curious hunger fuelled by burning interest and chilling horror cannot stop reading every word, turning every page.” – Rhett Morita, actor, director
“A gifted writer.”- Monika Brewster-Villiger, writer
“Jorah Kai is the canary in the coal mine. His notes from beyond the start of this pandemic should serve as a roadmap for how to survive what it looks like we are all, sadly, going to go through.” – Andrew ‘Myagi’ Mavor, dance music legend
“Kai’s writing is very interesting. Both the setting, a dystopian (yet nonfiction) future, and how the western world is watching (it) and reacting poorly. I like the pollution decreases, the contemplation on who wins in things like this, and who loses. There’s a hysteria – meritable or not, but the insight is thought-provoking.” – Ky-Lee Hanson, author, and publisher, Golden Brick Road Publishing House
“Your writing is so lyrical, factual, and heart-tugging all at the same time.” – Rebecca Lippiatt, photographer and scientist
Amos the Amazing
A 'Chinese Rock 'N Roll Harry Potter' meets 'A Darker Alice in Wonderland'
What happens when you take an almost-famous D&D dungeon master with a history of headlining major music festivals and breathing fire in the circus and send him to a mountain in China to sit alone with his own thoughts? A new epic solarpunk fantasy novel, somewhere between a 'Chinese Rock 'N Roll Harry Potter' and a 'Darker Alice in Wonderland.'
Finding time can be difficult in today’s hypermodern world. Making time, however, can be magick.
In 2038, in the SOLARPUNK futuristic city of Chongqing, a dangerous story gets told that threatens our entire multiverse. The world’s spiciest ice cream, a trip to Chongqing’s rural countryside, & a strange collection of curious belongings begin this unforgettable tale that mixes Solar Punk science fiction and high fantasy for a thrilling modern fairytale about a boy who risks his soul to chase a 9-tail fox into the dreamlands for the adventure of a lifetime and the chance to save his family.
"A fun YA coming-of-age solarpunk fantasy that's oozing with creativity and imagination." - Marie Sinadjan, ‘Humans Media’
"I absolutely adore Amos. Like Harry Potter meets Lord of the Rings." @book_st_gram
"My favorite book of the year." - Brooke Auckerman @BrookLovesBooks23
"Full of excitement, adventure, and magic" - @lisabookishlife
"Once it got me turning the pages, I simply couldn't stop. For me, that was the theme of Taoist thought, which gets me every time I encounter it in the wild. It is so beautiful -- and here it is, like finding grass growing from glass. For other readers, the element that snags and pulls the imagination into this story might be one of a hundred others. That's kind of this book's magic…" - @Donasbooks
"The end left me gasping for the next installment," - Richard Devall, Vine Voice
Amos, a puckish 12-year-old boy who hides his insecurities behind a mask of mischief, dons strange artifacts he uncovers from his father’s childhood bedroom. A peculiar power pulses through his body as he slips into a world of magic and monsters, where the dangerous-amber-eyed huli jing—a nine-tailed fox spirit—draws him out, steals his soul, and poisons his grandpa.
Against all odds, Amos chases the fox into the dreamland, where he meets friends and foes along the way on a perilous and fantastic journey to recover his soul before all is lost. A spine-tingling adventure full of imaginative characters and dazzling creatures, Amos the Amazing will delight adults, teens, and anyone who dares peer beyond the shadows.
