A Leviathan Behind the Dam is a follow-up to The Constant Speed of Light, author Chris Ridenour's first collection of art and verse (issued by Condiment Shelf Press, 2006.) This latest volume shows the growing maturity and sophistication of both the poet and the printmaker, with imagery in either arena running from austere to lush. The writings themselves are tight and evocative, while the linocut prints stand out from the page in their original vivid colors. The result is a lovely collection that pays homage to romance, loss, life, and the creative impulse that paves the way before and after.