"Children of the Neon Bamboo = an engaging journey through a vivid landscape painted with the hues of nostalgia and modernity.
Kimmey crafts a narrative that is both a personal odyssey and a commentary on the intersections of culture, history, and identity.
With its rich, immersive storytelling and eclectic blend of references, the book captivates the reader's imagination, transporting them to a world where past and present coalesce.
The writing is evocative and reflective, making it not just a story, but an experience that will resonate with a wide range of readers.
This book is a testament to the power of narrative to bridge time, place, and emotion, offering a unique lens through which to view the complexities of life and the enduring spirit of adventure."
- Jon Pham ★★★★★
"This book will roundhouse kick your imagination into world we all remember, but is forever outside our reach."
When Saturday morning cartoons were the only place to catch GI Joe or X-men on screen,
every man you met in a black t-shirt and wranglers were ex-special forces and ninjas hid on every rooftop with an arsenal of specialized weapons.
Read it now if you want to be on the right side of history.
- Dyglar ★★★★★
"This book pulls you in.
The writing is great and the characters are complex and interesting; you can’t help but feel invested.
Children of the Neon Bamboo is full of nostalgia and adventure and will leave you thoroughly entertained."
- Kindle Customer ★★★★★
"It was a fun read. There's nostalgia and plenty of surprises.
The chapters are shorter, which is great if you read in short intervals or struggle with your attention span.
I think the character building was well done and the plot was not predictable.
The setting is probably the best time to have grown up in America, and all the extraordinary events really added to it."
- cj14 ★★★★★
I met the author at a book shop in Van Buren, AR;
bought the book and he signed it for this old lady, writing
"Debbie! Thanks for your interest. I hope you enjoy" and boy, did I.
I consider reading a "guilty pleasure" as I always find other things to do, reading a little per day.
As he pointed out, there were sites from Van Buren and Fort Smith that would be familiar in reading the book.
That made it extra interesting to read, however, as I read deeper into the book, there was such excitement, I couldn't put the book down!!
I was sad to get to the end. I wanted to meet these people that I had invested time in.
Come back to VB, B. Glynn Kimmey ;) You are a gifted writer. Witty. Amusing. Historical. Exciting. And, full of random facts about soda and great knowledge of music. Bravo!!
- Debbie Gehret ★★★★★
"Children of the Neon Bamboo" is a total power-up for your imagination. This book glitches between hilarious, bizarre, and straight-up heart-pumping.
Think side-scrolling beat-em-up meets a road trip fueled by way too much Mountain Dew. It's got ninjas, oddball heroes, and a quest so ridiculous you won't be able to put it down.
If you loved the raw energy of early console gaming, and the anything-goes vibe of summer with your best friends, this book's your hidden boss battle.
Get ready for a wild ride that'll leave you wanting to start New Game+.
- Kaci Allen ★★★★★
Underneath the neon-bright weirdness, "Children of the Neon Bamboo" beats with an unexpectedly powerful heart.
Sure, it's got the crazy laughs and off-the-wall action, but at its core, this book is about finding your people, your courage, and that flicker of hope even when everything feels impossible.
It's a reminder that the human spirit, with all its quirks and flaws, is the most potent weapon against whatever darkness the world throws your way.
This book will stick with you long after you close the final page.
- Christian ★★★★★
I grew up in that peculiar era of 10 speeds, Stingrays, and then BMX bicycles, cigarette smoke in restaurants, the dark magic arcade cabinets, roller rinks, answering machines, and adults who often had only a vague idea where you were for several hours.
So this book hit a very specific neurological doorbell.
What I loved most wasn't simply the nostalgia. Nostalgia is easy. What Glynn Kimmel does is harder. He captures the feeling of living through that world.
The book moves through youth, friendship, music, mistakes, strange encounters, and those tiny moments that somehow remain permanently lodged in your brain.
Children of the Neon Bamboo understands that territory.
There is plenty of humor, but underneath it is real life heart. He's looking back at people and places with affection, curiosity, and the understanding that none of us realized how temporary everything was while we were standing inside it.
I recognized the landscape immediately, even when the experiences weren't exactly my own: music leaking from car radios, malls at night, neighborhood characters, questionable adventures nobody would permit today, and friendships that once seemed ordinary but quietly became part of who we are.
I thoroughly enjoyed the story, the journey, and especially the humanity underneath it.
Children of the Neon Bamboo feels less like someone telling you about the past and more like opening an old box in the attic and discovering that, somehow, a few of your memories are in there too.
Highly recommended for Gen X readers, music lovers, memory archaeologists, and anyone who has ever heard a forty-year-old song and suddenly remembered the exact smell of the room.
- William C. Bowers ★★★★★
3,000 years from now if someone decides they want to know something about Generation X, this will be the book to start with.
B. Glynn Kimmey has captured the real essence of 1990. I know because I was there, doing my best to get my hands on a Sega Genesis console just like Art and Loo.
The plot is propelling. A summer odyssey for 12 year old Art from CA to AR and then to FL.
He is joined by his granddad, his new friend Loo, and his Uncle Kenny.
Great times and bad times ensue.
I loved the adventure aspects of the story but Kimmey has a philosopher's heart and he lays down some observations that are as sharp and insightful as you will find in a Bellow novel.
What Uncle Kenny says about dissonance and music is a foundation for a complete life philosophy in my opinion.
A lot of people have made the connection between this and The Goonies.
I say it's like The Goonies meets Stand by Me meets Northern Exposure meets Raiders of the Lost Ark meets The Adventures of Augie March meets Miami Vice meets The Republic.
- Cedar ★★★★★
