Mike Davis
Now, originally I had nothing to say about this book because I was rather appalled at first. After thinking on it for a long time I have come to realize this book is beautiful. The problem with fiction like this is that immediately, of course, you're offended and grossed out. Therefore, those that review books like this do not give them a fair review. This story is about finding your people, finding where you fit in, finding a home even. I read this quite a while ago, and it has stuck with me since then, but not for the reasons of the gore and horrific acts depicted. I felt like I was missing something about it, so on occasion I would go back and skim through to a sentence I remembered or phrase that was said, and each time I would be surprised I missed the meaning behind the words before. I understand that this book would not be for everyone, and you will focus on the more gross parts, but that is by design. Chandler knew exactly what he was doing with this book, and he has definitely succeeded. It took myself a while to realize what the story was about, but I am glad that in the end I have realized that through this lens Chandler has chosen, it is a bold choice but also it feels like the correct one.
~Mike
This was a departure for me. Now, I have read extreme horror in the past and I did enjoy some of it. The biggest draw for me is how absurd a book can be, and yet somehow also profound. Those that read books like this one straight aren't in on the joke. Now with that said, this book did...something I guess? It did not end how I expected, and it did keep me reading to see what would happen next. Stephen and his tumultuous relationship with his mother was effective in that it was upsetting. I get the message the book is putting out, and it is a good one. Getting past all of the “worse” parts, it does have an odd beauty to it. This really was a book I did not think I would enjoy. Yes, it is vile and yes it is absolutely the most unique in the sense of the violence and torture scenes that I have read. There is a fair amount of coprophagia in it, so trigger warning to those that cannot handle such activities. The writer here does a good job of ramping up, then we get to the surreal parts and then we kind of shift tone to a power struggle which was a fantastic contrast between Steven and his mother earlier, where she is the head honcho, and then he has to do the same with the Guernsey that seemed to be leading said cows. All in all, this was fine actually. Baby in a Blender is still the best and worst thing I've read so far in this genre though. Matthew, I just want to say you have infringed on my rights as a human and thank you. <3
Oddly enough, this was written with excellent prose and honestly it wasn't that bad in the sense of being gross. This was just someone's account of their own misdeeds but presented in a way that is unexpected and refreshing even. It did feel as though the main character had a compulsion, instead of a genuine love for the dead. All in all, I read this blind and was not disappointed. It is not for everyone of course but for those that appreciate art for art, this is one of those books.
This was excellent. My partner recommended this to me a while ago, and I was working through my backlog/some arcs and quite frankly one I had to DNF because it got gross. This one however was a good break from that. The characters are well written, the story is very coherent, keeps moving and has a great pace. It's also one of those books where it gets wild, then everything makes sense in the end. You do get a sense of how people with some of these disorders might navigate life, and it's really a great reminder that they are people too. I did however guess the twist during a dog walk haha. But either way, worth your time and money. It gets surreal and sometimes that's okay. It made me appreciate myself a little more and made me realize we are all... sometimes not okay, and that's okay. Bravo, Elton! Bravo.
Very interesting take on the genre. The characters were well done and the ramp up to the main event was well paced. Super fun and trippy. Well written, snappy and very much an odd adventure, which I am always here for.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Honestly, I was intrigued by the mix of western and cosmic horror, and I was not disappointed. This tale did not let up, kept moving along and had some very choice dialogue. Stinker was also a small but wonderful delight. I do feel some of the writing was a little loose, and moved quickly but that added to the charm for me, overall. It was an easy read, and something to cozy up with if you're even remotely a fan of cosmic horror or westerns. It was a nice mix of the two, and it's mythology was very coherent and interesting as well. All in all, decadent and creepy.
This was an interesting take on the idea of the boogeyman. Clean prose, good story, well thought out characters and just a great little story. Grady is continuously consistent and original with his writing. He's funny, witty, and writes humans and their relationships very well. A great, short read during your lunch break or during bath time.
This was unexpected, and unique. Very interesting way of telling the story from different perspectives. The cover doesn't really do it any justice in my opinion, as it is not just a story about a dog, it's about coming of age and tragedy. The dog is really well represented in its actions and motivations as well. The other characters are fine more or less, perhaps a little boring and predictable but the story is mostly about two characters, a boy and his dog. It does have some unpleasant parts of course and one event made me sad in the feels, and the author clearly wasn't doing it just for shock value. All in all it was different from my usual and was whole heartedly well written. Highly recommend.
Well well well. This is my first time reading an ARC and honestly, it couldn't have gone better. This was a wonderful read that covers the aspects of nuclear war, nuclear energy, the horrors of war and the like. Very comprehensive and contained account of what went on, how it was achieved and the steps to get there in the end in the development of an atomic bomb. Truly written in a way that kept me reading to the point I went over on a break at work. Whoops, but that's the magic that History Brought Alive wove here. Truly this book couldn't have come out at a better time, with interest in the Manhattan Project being renewed in a way. You cannot go wrong if you even have a vague interest in the subject matter. The lives of those that worked on the project were definitely forever changed and this book does ask you the hard questions about the weapon and the scope of what happened to the world after it was completed.
Alright so I decided to read this based on a few YouTube videos about it. Can't say it was... disappointing? But it was definitely a bit much in the sense that extreme horror has rules and they were all broken here. I get it, gross to be gross but this really wasn't enjoyable. I regret this purchase. It was vile, gross, disgusting? Grossgusting. There we go. I recommend this to no one. Ever.
JUST KIDDING. This was actually excellent. This went beyond what I expected and you know what? I STILL think about a certain scene in this that makes me cringe hard. Yes, it is written to be over the top and that's what makes it so funny. It was effective, it gave me exactly what it says on the tin and did not let me down. Frankly, excited to read the new edition that was put out recently. The Uncensored Manuscript (1978). Terry, you did something here few others have and written something that has stuck with me. Is it trash? Sure, if you say so. Is it good? Not even remotely. Is it effective? Yes. Yes it is.
This was an unexpected treat. The representation and prose is very good. As the characters and story develop, things remain interesting. It never lets up but gives the characters time to breathe while on their journey. The characters are well written and relatable, and it does pose some interesting thoughts and ideas to the reader. I am sometimes hesitant to read anything Lovecraftian or cosmic horror in nature, if that is the correct genre of course, because they tend to be a little boring sometimes. This was the opposite. I recommend this book to anyone curious enough to venture into unknown territory.
Wayne, you've gained a fan!
Dear lord. Johnstone just cranked out the insane hits, didn't he? We open with a foul mouthed kid telling his parents he hates then while they vacation in the islands. Then voodoo magic sand monsters happen and so does a whole lot else. Honestly it was a fun read but also just insane, as usual. Worth it.
Wow. Okay. I picked this up randomly and was immediately interested. The world building, relationships the main character has and the relationship between Hal and Jeannette were very well done. This was also very well written and enjoyable prose. I was not familiar with this author's work, and I'm glad I read this. Very much an enjoyable read, lots of details on how the world functioned, and great details on why those changes happened. Also that ending. Woo boy, I wasn't even expecting a twist at all, and yet there it was. Absolutely phenomenal, no exaggeration meant. Pick this up for something a little or a lot different.
Good lord this one kept me reading. Finished it in about 4 hours. Books rarely do that to me, and I don't regret it one bit. Outstanding, seriously. I can see why this book was regarded as something different and refreshing. It is an old theme that has been done before, however this was an interesting take on it. I enjoyed it very much and was excited to see what would happen next. Highly recommended if you enjoy psychological thrillers.
Honestly I love multiverse stuff and this wasn't a disappointment, however it did end up being somewhat predictable in the end. The story is told well, and our main character has several amazing experiences I would say. It is a fun read and is absolutely entertaining. The concept is also very well done and there were definitely surprises for me at least. Very good book.
