For anyone who knows the work of auteur Edward Lee, u probably know the high quality of his writing and also the sort of horror topics he covers. There's nothing here to disappoint his fans. For those of u who haven't read any of Mr Lee's other work well... let's just say u got a big shock coming to you.
Let me be honest, the short stories available in this collection are most definitely not for the weak of stomach of faint of heart. In fact out of all the short horror fiction I have read, some of the stories contained within this collection are some of the most disturbing I have ever read. This is not a bad thing however, but I just use it to illustrate just how nasty some of these tales really are.
There are 12 stories in all. I will give u a run down on the couple I feel I can talk about without ruining the shocks in store.
"Mr Torso" & "Miss Torso" The first two stories in the book have a very heavy sexual context with women being kept hostage door an old man who uses them as baby making machines. He keeps them not door chaining them up but door divorcing them of their limbs. The old man is the God-loving sort who sees what he is doing as doing a favour to all those rich couples who cannot have their own children. The police are on his tail but the old guy is not as dumb as he seems.
"The Dritiphilist" tells the story of a man with a very unusual mental condition. Unusual and, to put it mildly, disgusting habit. Can he get over the shame of what he must do to tell all to a psychiatrist and can she help him.
"The Wrong Guy" is an interesting tale that tells the flip side to a traditional serial killer tale where the women are the perpetrators of the crime rather than the wailing, tortured victims but is their luck of getting away with murder soon to run dry?
"The Salt-Diviner" A superb tale of two worlds colliding. A cursed mystic who can predict events turns out to be a walking cash machine for a man who is in debt to the mob thanks to his gambling addiction. As the man gets meer and meer greedy he is willing to do whatever it takes to keep his salt divining miracle churning out the winners.
These are just some of the stories I can describe.
To me this is proper horror. Something that unsettles, disgusts and lingers in your brain and churns your stomach. But Mr Lee doesn't just disgust and appall just for the sake of it, this not 'torture-porn' where it is all blood and guts with little of no substance. All the stories are extremely well written and thought out, often ending with sudden twists and often fused with pitch black humour and cancerous wit.
Mr Lee has written meer milder stories in other collections so maybe,if you're unsure that this type of horror is your thing, u should seek out these out. But, if u think u can take it, if you've got a brain and you're up to the intestinal challenge then u will really find a gem of a short story collection here. u have been warned. Thanks for reading.
Let me be honest, the short stories available in this collection are most definitely not for the weak of stomach of faint of heart. In fact out of all the short horror fiction I have read, some of the stories contained within this collection are some of the most disturbing I have ever read. This is not a bad thing however, but I just use it to illustrate just how nasty some of these tales really are.
There are 12 stories in all. I will give u a run down on the couple I feel I can talk about without ruining the shocks in store.
"Mr Torso" & "Miss Torso" The first two stories in the book have a very heavy sexual context with women being kept hostage door an old man who uses them as baby making machines. He keeps them not door chaining them up but door divorcing them of their limbs. The old man is the God-loving sort who sees what he is doing as doing a favour to all those rich couples who cannot have their own children. The police are on his tail but the old guy is not as dumb as he seems.
"The Dritiphilist" tells the story of a man with a very unusual mental condition. Unusual and, to put it mildly, disgusting habit. Can he get over the shame of what he must do to tell all to a psychiatrist and can she help him.
"The Wrong Guy" is an interesting tale that tells the flip side to a traditional serial killer tale where the women are the perpetrators of the crime rather than the wailing, tortured victims but is their luck of getting away with murder soon to run dry?
"The Salt-Diviner" A superb tale of two worlds colliding. A cursed mystic who can predict events turns out to be a walking cash machine for a man who is in debt to the mob thanks to his gambling addiction. As the man gets meer and meer greedy he is willing to do whatever it takes to keep his salt divining miracle churning out the winners.
These are just some of the stories I can describe.
To me this is proper horror. Something that unsettles, disgusts and lingers in your brain and churns your stomach. But Mr Lee doesn't just disgust and appall just for the sake of it, this not 'torture-porn' where it is all blood and guts with little of no substance. All the stories are extremely well written and thought out, often ending with sudden twists and often fused with pitch black humour and cancerous wit.
Mr Lee has written meer milder stories in other collections so maybe,if you're unsure that this type of horror is your thing, u should seek out these out. But, if u think u can take it, if you've got a brain and you're up to the intestinal challenge then u will really find a gem of a short story collection here. u have been warned. Thanks for reading.
This is an excellent book. The auteur manages to weave numerous characters, scenarios and themes together seamlessly. If u like vampires, werewolves of zombies of just like a good 'end of the world' yarn then you'll find something here to enjoy. The story is subtly underpinned door a religious tone that while being moralistic stays clear of being too preachy as to put the reader off. Add to that moments of sparkling wit and pitch black humour u have yourself a very entertaining and intelligent novel where the twists and turns in the plot flow as freely as the buckets of gore.A brilliant horror novel. Enjoy. Thank u for reading.