Dark Cults Books

An untapped corner of the horror novel genre involves stories about dead chickens. Until now, that is.

Bobby Garfundephelt buys a sprawling, multi-building farm, with the intention of turning part of it into a bed and breakfast. Included with the farm is a chicken coop, full of loud, stupid and filthy chickens. Janice, his wife, likes the chickens, and has to repeatedly remind Bobby to feed them. In a moment of frustration, one night, Bobby sets fire to the coop, with the chickens inside. Janice leaves him. Stuck somewhere between life and death, the zombie chickens go on the attack. Led by an evil undead Rooster, bigger than the average rooster, they chase Bobby throughout the labyrinthine rooms of the farmhouse. The house has been altered and added to so many times over the past 200 years, that it has gained a rudimentary intelligence, and assists in Bobby's torment.

Arnold is a young boy with a unique ability. Remember the famous movie line, "I see dead people?" Arnold could say, "I see dead chickens." After years of seeing a blue light coming from everyone, and being attacked by undead chickens, Arnold's parents ship him to a secret monastery in France. Their specialty is chicken exorcisms. On his deathbed, the present leader of the order transfers the being, or presence, living inside him to Arnold, making him the new leader. Many years later, Arnold, now called Armand, arrives at the farmhouse, to do battle with these undead zombie chickens. Amid everything else, Armand has to deal with a chicken spirit that takes over Bobby, so that, one minute, he is cowering in fear in the corner of a basement, and the next minute, he is trying to kill Armand.

If nothing else, this is a very different sort of novel, and it's a very good novel. It's nice and strange, and the author does a fine job with it.

Take one flock of zombiefied chickens, with an uber-rooster at the head. Throw in one inept wannabe farmer living in a haunted house. Top it off with an order (no pun intended) of secret zombie chicken hunters, with a particularly talented mortal off on a solo crusade to end the plague of undead fowl once and for all. Mix well with a good dose of off-the-wall humor, some camp, and enough talented description to give you a movie in your head, and you have the makings of one very fun read.

It started out a little questionably. While Knapp is a talented author and does a good job of describing what's going on, the intentionally campy writing got to be a bit much to slog through, especially after the umpteenth time there was a description of a zombie chicken moving in such a way that a random body part fell off. Camp doesn't really translate over to writing nearly as well as film, as far as I'm concerned, though Knapp made a really good effort of it. Additionally, the backstory took a while to build up to an interesting point, though for good reason-the story behind the story is actually somewhat complex, and made what could have been a relatively simple zombie chicken novel into a more solid read.

I urge prospective readers who find the beginning to be a bit tough to get into to hang in there; it all makes more sense the more deeply you get into the story. The second half of the book grabbed me much more firmly, and it was hard to put it down after that point. The writing, though still campy, had more going on plot-wise, so I was less distracted and more enthralled. While I think the ending (which I won't spoil for you) came out of left field to an extent, it was satisfying, and left me with a good feeling about the entire adventure through zombie chicken land.

Overall, while it has a few flaws and could use a bit of tightening up in the first half, "Cluck" is definitely an amusing read. It's particularly commendable as a self-published work, and is among the best self-pub works I've ever read, nonfiction or fiction. And, as I said, Knapp is very good with descriptions, and I had a clear mental picture of what was happening the entire time, even if it didn't make sense at first. Pick this one up if you have a long plane flight, need something to read on the morning commute, or simply want something entertaining to read over a weekend. It has good re-read potential, too, so you'll definitely get your money's worth.

They're chickens. They're zombies. What - you need more? Okay, there's more - an all-powerful rooster, a car that reads Ian Fleming, a possessed house, a prophecy-fulfilling chicken exorcist, and witty footnotes (yes, footnotes).

This was truly one of the most original books I have ever had the pleasure of reading. Full of intriguing characters and a wonderful story, 'Cluck: Murder Most Fowl' by Eric D. Knapp is an expertly written horror-comedy that will leave you begging for a sequel.

Eric D. Knapp's "Cluck: Murder Most Fowl" is one of the best books we've reviewed so far on Odyssey Reviews. This tongue-in-cheek (or beak) work of brilliance will surely make you laugh. The writing is on par with the likes of Terry Pratchett. The story is brilliant, the writing unbelievably good; and a nearly 100% spotless manuscript peppered with delightful egg-shaped illustrations by Ian Miller. The sheer professional sheen of the book itself, down to the artwork on the cover - is the standard all independent/self-published authors should strive for.

You will find yourself in a bizarre world of zombie chickens, Poultry Exorcists, hicks, an ancient secret organization of frauds, and a car with a bit of an attitude. There is a restless house, and something else, another force thrown into the mix just to keep it interesting.

Armand/Arnold, who is the first true "Exorciste de Volaille" in generations, discovers, after years of ridding the world of pesky undead fowl, that he's possibly met his match. A convergence of mystical forces brings together a massive rooster who's been to Hell and back, his flock of subordinate ghoulish chicken zombies; a mysterious, vengeful force; a fidgety house and a less-than-intelligent hick by the name of Bobby--and Arnold has just stepped into the filthy thick of it.

Rotten eggs, tomatoes and stumbling, rotting chickens... this bizarre world is waiting for you to discover it. I think it should be an obligation for all independent authors to add this book to their library as an example of a professional, self-published product.

This book has effortlessly earned its five medallions (stars)

I figured I could use the "best zombie chicken book ever written" quote, which would be entirely accurate, but instead I will lead this review with a warning. I DARE you...no, I double dog dare you...to look at a batch of chicken nuggets or a KFC drumstick the same again after reading this story. If this book does not put you off on eating chicken...ah, forget it. I am still a chicken eater and will probably always will be, even after reading this. In fact, I have a hankering for a spicey chicken sandwich right about now.

I did ponder during this story whether the author has a fondness or hatred for poultry based on the tone and tenor of this original recipe (yes, I went there) of a novel. It is hard to tell, because he makes it abundantly clear that there are three things you need to know about chickens from the outset: They are dirty, they are loud, and they are stupid. But that does not necessarily make them evil or in any way bad. Tasty maybe, but not destined to be diabolical.

In this epic tale of supernatural bantams, supernatural houses, and supernatural beings that dwell inside Chicken Exorcists (the ghosts of chicken exorcists past?), we are given the chance to see the world from both the chicken eye view (very low to the ground, where flying tomatoes and rotten eggs are downright irresistable) and the humans who challenge them.

While this story was perhaps a bit long in the beak from the standpoint of overall length, the author gives us a tremendously detailed farce that reminds me somewhat of something that Terry Pratchett might produce, footnotes and all. The sly, somewhat serious but not taking itself serious tone is pitch perfect for a story of this magnitude. For a independently produced work the editing and flow of this story is outstanding, with both likeable and dispicable characters including annoying, arrogant Frenchmen, which is something every story should have.

Overall, a terrifically amusing and entertaining tale of a man, his chickens, a rooster on steroids, the house they live in, and the exorcist who would somehow dare to save them all.

An absurd little jaunt into Bizarro-land during the yuletide, Christmas, or Jesus' birthday - whichever you may call it; Carlton Mellick III presents a comical, yet disturbing take on the traditional holiday tale. "Sausagey Santa" is the novel-version of what the best holiday-themed action-movie would be like. Similar to Mellick's other works, there is method to the madness. The traditional Christmas fairy tale proposes a kind of forced moral value down the throats of families everywhere - the tightly-woven, greeting-card-style family unit; complete with adoration and worship, replete with bullshit and fake sentiment.

Matthew Fry's family is enjoying another festive Christmas holiday; however, Matthew is not. He fears his dominatrix wife Decapitron, and surrenders to his children - he is the weakest family member. In the traditional holiday-special spirit, the Fry family must band together and help Santa and his elves defeat his arch enemy, Frosty, a true detester of Christmas. Santa is scary, crass, and undeniably made of sausages - despite what your parents may have told you as children.

Certainly an unconventional and eccentric holiday legend, "Sausagey Santa" is not for children. Although this story contains its fair share of "miracles," Mr. Mellick's intentions are not to deceive the reader, nor are they to merely entertain him/her. The trials and tribulations featured in a traditional Christmas fairy tale are meant to test the family unit: to survive; to rely on each other; to trust that they are acting on the side of good, and that good is infallable and unbeatable. However, throughout this story, Matthew (our protagonist) never has this epiphany. His character makes very little progress, and is interminably unhappy and afraid. Mellick shatters the predictable presuppositions of holiday stories and their idealistic feel-good happy-endings, undoubtedly reserved by the average reader.

Having read a number of other works by Carlton Mellick III, I've become aware of his inclination towards alpha-female, dominatrix-type characters. The character of Decapitron becomes a sort of anomaly in this story. She is the head of the family, and the children's storyteller. She sexually dominates Matthew, and also becomes an intimidating force in the fight against Frosty. Christmas legends have their heroes, and they are usually male: Scrooge, Rudolph, the Grinch, and Santa Claus. Mellick turns the tables by making the most powerfully menacing character, female. English critic and editor, Cyril Connolly wrote "In the sex war, thoughtlessness is the weapon of the male, vindictiveness of the female." (The Unquiet Grave, 1944) No one but Mellick has perfected this female character-type.

If you're looking for some adult-themed, action-packed holiday fun or maybe just some role models, do yourself a favour and check this book out.

The key factor to Carlton Mellick's success as a writer is his humor.
It's possible to get lost in the sea of absurdity that Mellick's paints. However, his humor tends to hold everything together nicely.
This is a North Pole loaded with sexual deviant elves, a nazi-Frosty, a Santa made of meat and chainsaw angel wings.
Definitely not your parents Holiday yarn. Mellick has once again proven he is one of the top cynical voices of our generation.

First of all, the cover, by Ed Mironiuk, is great. The colors are much more vibrant on the actual book. What you can't see on Amazon, is that on the back, there is a little snowman with hammers for arms and forks sticking out of its head. It's pretty funny.

Now, as for the story--this is a twisted take on the classic sort of Christmas tales that pop up a month or so before Christmas. It plays with the concept, though, because this is no sappy, sweet tale--this is a surly, irreverent version of Christmas where you leave beer for Santa instead of cookies.Can Christmas be saved? Do you care?

The style is concise, fast, and humorous. I laughed out loud at some points of the book. Mellick explores a lot of really interesting ideas, which is one of the things I liked the most.

So, may you have a Christmas. Read this book, and leave a beer for Santa.

--lotus rose
My book, which also includes a Christmas story called, "The Worst Christmas Ever":
The Corruption of Innocence

This book is totally hilarious. The story is basically about when an evil Frosty the Snowman who threatens to destroy Christmas, a character named "Sly Guy" Matthew Fry teams up with Santa and the elves along with Sly Guys totally wicked wife, Decapitron, to save the day. Santa is a crazy jolly pirate made out of sausage. Decapitron is has a candy cane samurai sword and is a pro street fighter. The elves are obsessed with dressing up like Dungeons & Dragons characters. And Frosty....well you'll just have to read the book to learn about Frosty.

This book is like South Park, Futurama, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, and The Night Before Christmas all wrapped together with a giant chainsaw bow and a fancy hairdo. It's a ball of laughs and totally fun!

I just got this book and I am going to race out and buy more copies to give as Christmas gifts. This book is a winner!

There has never been a Christmas Book as entertaining and f'd up at Sausagey Santa. Elf s3x! Christmas fetish! Snowmen with axes for limbs! This book is hilarious, poignant, and ultra smashing x-massey goodness.

I am so happy that there's a bizarro christmas book like this. And I love the cover!

In a future where pop culture has been taken over by serial killer mania, acts of senseless violence dominate the minds and actions of the populous. Death has become the predominant way of life. The world is quickly being overtaken by an alien vermin which exists only to process humans into machines for their own reproductive purposes and Jeremy Jenkins is the only one who can do anything about it. Using some of the best first person techniques that I have ever seen, Cook takes you deep into the mind of a schizophrenic serial killer come super anti-hero who embodies the very zeitgeist which he has declared war upon.

Garret Cook's "H8" is an excellent combination of fast paced narrative and creative satire which immediately and effectively submerges the reader in an all too believable nightmare world. The ample metaphor is personal rather than preachy, creating a rare work of prose which is every bit as intelligent as it is violent. It's hard to believe that this is a debut novel.

The only drawback to this novel is that it is too addictive and too short. It's the first part of a series which you immediately want to read the rest of. Good news though, part two should be out soon.

Garrett Cook's debut novel, MURDERLAND PART I-H8, is an intense, satirical and, above all, entertaining read. What stood out the most for me was this book's exuberant inventiveness. It is an extremely violent novel that is also an indictment of "violence culture." The society Cook creates (Reap culture) is a natural extension of our present war-, bloodsport-, gangster-, horror-loving culture. Although Cook manages to do this without being "preachy"; he realizes we are all a part of this culture and realizes its entertainment value but offers this as a cautionary tale. It's a future world that Cook probably had a lot of fun creating. Serial killers are now the national celebrities and, when the cameras are rolling, America never fails to rise to the occasion. These killers are the subjects of the top-rated talk shows. America has established "safe zones" where the killers can go unmolested by their detractors or the authorities. One of the more legendary killers, Johnathan "Godless Jack Cavanaugh, even donates money to a "reap professional" support group, to help them cope with any impending feelings of remorse.

The only thing that bothered me while reading this were the occasional perspective changes, sometimes in the middle of a chapter. However, upon concluding the book, I could see how these shift changes were necessary.

I'm look very forward to reading Part II.

(aka Ash Lomen)


Thou shalt not kill... unless, of course, you want to have a good time.

In Garret Cook's bizarro series "Murderland" America has given up its long charade and embraced its natural love of violence.

This first installment of the satirical dystopian horror introduces a world obsessed with snuff, a hero who removes women's uteruses for the good of society, roving gangs of Gacy clowns and classically clad Ripper wannabes... and things much, much worse.

Cook's writing style manages to be simultaneously experimental and page turning (a rare feat)... and the world he creates is bizarre and stylish. This book is brutal, smart, fast-paced... and part of a series that's most likely going to be worth investing your time in.

But if you end up using a bloody knife as a bookmark in your new carrier as an aspiring reaper... don't blame me.

Murderland I: H8 is Garrett Cook's first novel and it's an impressive one.

Immediately it is evident that the author has taken a lot of time to create the language he uses for this book. It takes place in the near future where serial killers are superstars akin to athletes and movie stars.

The book takes on different perspectives, back and forth from first person and third person, using both narratives and journal entries. It works well.

On the back of the book, the description states that "Jeremy's earth shattering two-fisted pulp destiny begins." The problem I have with that is that this is far from pulp. That word underestimates the merits of this book. This is truly interesting and dark dystopian bizarro story.

Using experimental and occasionally stream of consciousness writing, Cook shows us a world that is actually eerily similar to our own. Serial killer groupies who worship people who do things that they don't have the guts to do themselves, an idea that does have parallels in today's world. The worship of violence which is evident in the youth's worship of "gangsta rap" and violent video games. Cook creates and explores a society where our society's acceptance of violence is finally out in the open.

Mixed in with this future is the idea of beings from another dimension are turning people into "terrifying automatons and breeding machines." I found that this idea was just as interesting (if not more) than the world itself.

The writing itself is excellent and does show that the author has indeed worked on his craft before submitting this work to his publisher.

Because it is a first novel, I think it deserves 5 stars. I have not read a debut novel that was this good in a long time (or as far as I could remember.) However, because it is a first novel in a series of books.. I did find that the plot lacked a climax. It felt like this was just an intro to some more intense action. It feels like it should be the first third of a longer work. That doesn't make it any less enjoyable, really, but it makes the reader want more.

Lastly, Cook has a keen eye for observations about society. This book is filled with ideas about obsession, paranoia, self-doubt, and self-control.

This is an author to look out for. I believe that any further Murderland novels will be classics and this first installment is a great introduction.

Murderland I - H8 is a novel about a time in the not so distant future where serial killers are celebrity athletes. Their exploits are discussed on television as spectator sport. Just as people today rehash the previous evening's game ad naseum, so do people discuss the latest grizzly murder. It's not too far off the mark today with cable channels and websites galore dedicated to detailing true life crime.

The protagonist of this novel is Jeremy - a rather mild mannered pharmacist whose live in girlfriend is obsessed with these celebrity killers - as is most of the rest of society. Jeremy, however, has a secret. He's actually the greatest serial killer ever, and nobody knows it. He's also one of the very few people aware there are Lovecraftian type alien Dark Ones all around us looking for potential hosts for their seed so they can spread their kind across the Earth.

Murderland I - H8 is told mostly through Jeremy's inner dialogue and he is one sick puppy. Author Cook took a great risk choosing to show us events only filtered through such a twisted perspective but he's got the skill to pull it off. Jeremy's inner world is what makes the book so compelling. Jeremy perceives the world around him as a personal Hell - a world gone mad. This simple fact is what pulls us in and makes us accept Jeremy as a sympathetic character even though he's a psychopathic killer. This is what makes the book work.

Cook also has a great ear for language. I found myself reading a great part of this book aloud to myself - it cries out for a voice. The prose flies, never falters. It's an exciting read, a delicate balance between plot development, character details and tidbits about the future society woven together with great care. Its depiction of "Reap society" seems similar to Clockwork Orange, but not overly so. As we learn more about this world, where murdered victim's families are ridiculed for mourning their slain family members we can relate to Jeremy's hatred of much of what he sees around him. This, to me is the great strength of the book - it managed to make me relate to a twisted serial killer who sees evil alien beings all around him and LIKE him.

All in all, the book works on many levels - it's an exciting plot driven read. It's a captivating character study. It has a unique voice. Like all good science fiction it makes a statement about the world today. It's not going to be for everyone- if you're easily offended or if you have no appreciation for the weird- it's not for you. If, however, you enjoy discovering new territory, discovering new voices, enjoy fiction that pushes the envelope, challenges you, then this is right up your alley.

I have a few quibbles. Evil Nerd Empire really needs a proofreader. There were enough mistakes in the text to catch my attention, and that always bugs me. Also, this book is the first volume in a trilogy, and it reads like it. It's mostly exposition. I would have liked just a little more plotwise. Lastly, there's a development right at the end that, to me, seemed unmotivated. These points, I must emphasize, are really minor. None of them detracted from my enjoyment of an excellent first novel. I am eagerly awaiting the next volume in the series.

Carlos, the narrator, is a self-proclaimed recluse who is in love with Helen, his house. Normally, this would not be a problem save for the fact that Carlos considers his house a human being, so much that he gets married to Helen. The problem arises the day after their marriage, when Carlos awakes to find Helen, as well as the rest of the houses in the world, collapsed. Looking for answers, Carlos bumps into Tony (also spelled R'yony,) a self-declared superhero who just so happens to have an over sized member capable of "sexpounding" quasi-dimensional psychopomps into submission. As the two traverse the locale formerly known as Carlos' neighborhood, they encounter a man who identitifies himself as "Manhaus." Apparently, Manhaus shares characteristics similar to those of houses and humans, making him quite a unique character.

Manhaus eventually reveals himself as the interlocutor for "House Heaven" (the place where houses go when they die) and invites both Carlos and Tony to "House Heaven" as a "term of endearment" for their nonreciprocating love toward houses. As the story progresses, Carlos and Tony quickly realize that "House Heaven" was designed specifically for houses, and not humans. As Carlos faces challenges one would only face in "House Heaven," HOUSE OF HOUSES manages to create a surreal atmosphere one could only find in a Kevin Donihe book. Houses replace humans in "House Heaven" and humans become houses.

What is a fish zombie? What is a quasi-dimensional psychopomp? How do House Politics work? Do houses actually talk? Find the answers to these questions and more in the tale of Carlos' journey to "House Heaven." HOUSE OF HOUSES will make you feel sorry for your house and any superheroes you might know. As Carlton Mellick III said, "Donihe is the best kept secret of the bizarro fiction genre." After reading HOUSE OF HOUSES, you will never look at a house the same way twice.

In HOUSE OF HOUSES, author Kevin L. Donihe has hit his stride. The plot, a man falling in love with his house, seems almost too gimmicky to work over the course of a 100-plus page novel, but Donihe pulls it off with generous doses of surrealism, humor, and even something like house spirituality. The narrator, Carlos, begins his story by waking up to find his house collapsed around him. Naturally, he's confused. When he is finally able to escape the ruins, he finds a neighborhood greatly changed and a new life filled with loss and regret. Because Carlos didn't just live in his house, he loved his house. He was planning on marrying his house (whose name is Helen). He had even kept himself virginal, saving it for their wedding night. He had drilled a hole in her wall in preparation for this. Now she's gone. Once out of the house he meets Tony, a neighborhood guardian who looks kind of like a black Man-At-Arms from the He-Man cartoons. Tony introduces Carlos to "quasi-dimensional psychopomps" and his defense mechanism, "sexpounding." Sound weird? It gets weirder. Carlos enters a world, House Heaven, a polarized version of his normal world. House Heaven is run by a cruel tyrant named Manhaus, who seems to be part man and part house. Will Carlos be able to locate Helen's spirit body and escape?

Donihe surprised me on nearly every page of this book. It starts out as something that sounds like a joke, becomes an exploration (through the examination of house metaphysics and politics) of the human spirit and how it is dampened, and ends up being something rather sensitive and poignant.

This book is one of the most rememberable I've read this year. The minimalistic writing style and episode-like structure, not to mention black humor and angst, fit the subject matter perfectly. Correli peels the soul of Beatie Scareli like an onion, revealing exciting new layers every step of the way.

The writer really gets into the head of a teenager in the grip of reckless, incapable, damaged adults. The unapologetic and sometimes unemotional recounting of the most horrific parts of the story coupled with how Beattie's reactions to the events plays out in her friendships with other teenagers is brilliant. I frequently find myself thinking about the symbolism in the story as well as wondering if Beatie finds a better life after the story ends. This book deserves to be read by serious readers.

The seemingly bizarre world of Beatie Scareli can easily sync with that of the girl who sits next to me on the bus, with a friend or coworker, it can be anyone's reality, fantasy and fiction, strange and every day, surreal and real at the same time. California in the seventies has never been familiar to me since it was before my time and I have never been to the west coast but Beatie and her family, her home, school and hang outs were bright and clear in my head. The story line seems to resemble something out of the Twilight Zone but it's really about the dark paths of life, obstacles and challenges that reality seems to line us up with on the web of dreams we weave. Sometimes the dreams aren't big; we just want a normal life, happiness, a warm dinner on the table, parents who make sure we grow up well, security and warmth, sometimes we get lucky and things are easy and rainbow colored and sometimes like in Beatie's case life is nothing but a whacky TV show that one seems to be stuck in with no way to get out of.

The Italian father who lacks suaveness but not love, trapped somewhere in dark corners of his strange mind seems detached from the schizophrenic woman he married long ago, Frata. The red haired self proclaimed Lucy Ricardo, loving to her child but very much lost and gone upstairs, is standing at an edge of a mental cliff. She is barely holding on what is left of her memory and slowly sinking in phantasm of made up worlds, things she's seen on TV, people she thinks she is, accusing her husband of betrayal is losing grip on motherhood. Beatie, their young daughter appears to be the only sane person in the family, capable of making grown up decision, in reality taking care of both her parents, going to school and trying to survive extremely stressful and abusive situations that she just can't seem to avoid. She is the ethereal heroine, delicate but with an iron core. Her journey though two years of her early teens is nothing less than hair rising but while reading it one can see her story happening to any young girl given similar circumstances. For her to catch up to the reality would mean to break into the darkness of what her life has become instead of ignoring and pretending that mentally ill parents, custody battles, perversions, unfulfilled love and quest for happiness is easily obtained by day dreaming about it.

I found this to be a surreal but fascinating read, finishing the story in one day. The writing is very witty and humorous at times, I felt like laughing and crying back and forth as this book seemed to cross raw boundaries rarely touched with most books. Even the font, reminiscent of a typewriter makes this read like a script to a show that one would like to watch on TV but turn off when it gets uncomfortable. No such option exists for Beatie as she grows up and learns that sometimes you don't have anyone to depend on but yourself. Dark, bight, full of despair but also hope this story will touch anyone and I only hope that the author doesn't stop here, I see a bright future ahead of her.

- Kasia S.

Catch-22 is a jarring, thrilling, hysterical exposition of the oppression and dominance which pervades lives and lifestyles in the modern era. Full of classic dialogue, superb characters, wonderfully narrated, Catch-22 may be the best book ever written. A heartbreaking achievement of staggering genius!

Full of sarcasm, ridiculously funny, with wonderful prose interspersed. I am sure it was unique and shocking for its day but I believe it to be overrated and does not stand the test of time. He makes use of the dictionary, so keep one handy, and the ranting dialog gets to be too much. What Heller did was to spawn others to do the same, such as the novel "Castle Keep", which was better, and the movies Mash and Kelly's Heroes.

The protagonist, and antagonist is a W.W.II bombardier who finds himself at the breaking point. Along with bombing missions his other mission is to find a way out of the war. It doesn't help that the Generals keep adding more missions onto the squadron's quota. We find our way into the hospital quite often through this read. The characters are unordinary, finding any way they can to divert and diverge themselves from the war; we discover entrepreneurs, maniacs, ridicule, capitalists, ineptness........ but rarely normalcy.

Wish you well
Scott

Heller uses the most brilliant satire as he pens the story of Yossarian and his comrades, and their fight for survival in the midst of war and death. Sarcasm drips off every page, which makes the book a bit slow at times, but thoroughly humorous and enjoyable. And....what an ending!

If you love M*A*S*H, you will love this book! And if you love this book, you should seriously watch M*A*S*H!

Heller's classic is a surreal and sprawling story of immoral naivety and moral complexity. Ostensibly about the absurdity of World War II combat, Heller examines issues of group think and individual obligation with surprising philosophical clarity.

The Catch-22 that Yossarian, the erstwhile hero of our story, encounters maddeningly and repeatedly is any insoluble contradiction, expressed in his case in this infinite loop:

A. Yossarian realizes that continuing to fly combat missions is crazy because it puts his life at risk.

B. Therefore, he realizes he is crazy, and asks to be relieved and sent home because he is crazy.

C. Rejection of his claims by the Army doctors because the fact that Yossarian is aware that he is crazy for flying missions and is able to request to be relieved proves that he is sane, and therefore must continue to fly combat missions!

As stated succinctly in this exchange between Yossarian and Doc Daneeka:

"'So?' Yossarian was puzzled by Doc Daneeka's inability to comprehend. 'Don't you see what that means? Now you can take me off combat duty and send me home. They're not going to send a crazy man out to be killed, are they?'

'Who else will go?'" (p. 305 of this edition)

The contradiction, and Yossarian's persistent attempts to escape it, frames the absurdist humor that guides the book's organization. Physical comedy, ironic and witty verbal exchanges, fast-cut overlaps of scenes, characters, and forward- and backward-shifting time frames result in an existentialist masterpiece that belongs to every time and place.

But the theme of obligation drives a stubbornly-innocent Yossarian to a moral consistency that does mark him with a supremely heroic character:

"History did not demand Yossarian's premature demise, justice could be satisfied without it, progress did not hinge upon it, victory did not depend on it. That men would die was a matter of necessity; which men would die, though, was a matter of circumstance, and Yossarian was willing to be the victim of anything but circumstance." (p. 68 of this edition).

Like every hero, he makes the difficult and dangerous decisions his friends (and enemies) only wish they had the courage to make.

In the end, Yossarian faces his internal nightmares brought to life in a bizarre tramp through Rome after losing his closest friends and faces the difficult decision of denying his obligations to save his life, before learning that others have acted heroically in their own way and opened a way out of this absurdist trap.

Catch-22 will make you laugh, think, and feel good about being able to do all three.

"Catch-22" remains one of my favorite novels of all time. Its cleverness, wit and insight never cease to amaze me. Having read Heller's novel countless times, I can honestly say that I find something new and surprising about it each time I pick it up. With that being said, I did notice some objection to it both from fellow reviewers and friends to whom I have suggested it. My only theory behind the stark contrast between people who love the book and people who do not understand it is that the rhythm of Heller's writing takes a little while to seep in. Behind the joke is a level of seriousness and behind the seriousness is another layer of satire. It is this layer that is often hard to access, but once one does the entire novel plays out as a macabre caricature of life. I can only suggest that the reader plod along for a long as possible, put it down for a while, pick it up again from the beginning but always keep going. The truth of "Catch-22" is worth discovering.

Multiple people told me before I read this book and while I was reading it that it's a great book and one of the best they've ever read. With only twenty pages left, I agree that it is a well written and very interesting. I would recommend it to almost anyone that is looking for something different to read.
I didn't have any idea what this book was about before I started reading it. About halfway through the book, I could almost say the same thing, I wouldn't be able to summarize what had happened at that point. This book is not hard to read or understand, but in the beginning not very much happens. Mostly beginning introduces us to the characters and allows the reader to get to know them, and it also describes the setting, which is a mental institution. The characters are all well defined and unique; they're very interesting to read about.
Ken Kesey writes in a descriptive way, but not to the point that it's boring. Actually this book isn't boring at all; it's the type of book that keeps you turning the pages. For most people, the situations and characters aren't familiar at all, and it's hard not to become intrigued. Of all the classic books that I have read, this is by far the best one.

This book is a very good read. You feel as though you are truly experiencing the hospital through the eyes of the chief and it is refreshing to be in the third person from all the action. Found the book to be extremely refreshing.

This book was sent to me in great condition. i'm very happy with my purchase

'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest' is easily one of the greatest novels ever written. Chief Bromden is, by far, the most humanizing narrator I've ever read. Though this novel is an unyielding social criticism, it's also a very effective one in that it forces the reader to empathize with confined characters while realizing the authoritarians' actions - particularly those of Nurse Ratched - seem even more villainous due to the demoralization which is felt when one is corrected or otherwise censored without being capable of understanding what it is they've done to deserve such.

A beautifully written and timeless novel.

Let me first explain that I can no longer write a long review for Amazon: time after time I have spent an hour writing one only to be cut off before I can even preview it. It is no doubt the fault of my own system-- I am not blaming Amazon-- but in any case, if anyone wants I the full text of this review, they must refer to my blogspot. I shall try to put it in a nutshell, if that is possible: McMurphy seems to me to be the perfect metaphor for the terrorist suspect facing US interrogators today. The techniques used by Nurse Ratched are similar to those developed by the CIA in collusion with unscrupulous doctors. The cornerstone of this method is ECT. It is used in combination with narco-hypnosis, but the latter would not be effective without the erasure of memory which ECT causes. I must note that this book, famous for its depiction of ECT, greatly underrates the dangers inherent in the treatment. For one thing, it does not mention the long-term effects on memory. Secondly, it leaves the impression that ECT is going out of fashion, when in fact it is experiencing an upsurge. Some 100,000 people a year receive the treatment, according to Dr. Peter Breggin. But the most sinister thing about ECT is that was found very effective in creating "Manchurian candidates" by the CIA, and may now be being used to create "phony terrorists". Must finish here, if I write any more I will be cut off-- please consult my personal profile for my blogspot.

Cruddy is a little black diamond of a book that will resonate with those who possess an extremely dark sense of humor. While definitely not for the faint-hearted, Cruddy has vividly drawn characters and a complicated but satisfying narrative structure which alternates between 16-year-old Roberta's drug escapades in the present and the events that occurred five years earlier when authorities found her wandering the desert, covered in blood and unable to speak. Although the back-and-forth structure may at first be confusing, savvy readers will quickly orient themselves. The plot is compelling, but it is Roberta's voice and the way she reveals the horrifying details of her life with wry detachment that make this a great read. Don't bother with this unless you can chuckle at the more gruesome parts of humanity.

This book sticks to the mind, keeping the images and characters lingering for weeks after reading the book.

Unless you are a fan of horror movies, or prepared for dreadful dreams, you should not start reading Linda Berry's first and illustrated novel, Cruddy. Cruddy is a rich, dark, and raw story, with a strange sense of humor, full of violence and gross details, and no consideration for sensitive readers. Regardless of the reading interests, once started reading the novel, it becomes difficult to put it down. From the beginning, Roberta Rohbeson, the novel's sixteen year-old narrator and her story, hunt the readers day and night, even while asleep. Roberta, Berry's amazing handicraft, is a powerful storyteller. This book is her memoir, in which she tells two twisted stories, the story of a year-long horror-adventure killing spree treasure hunt she was tricked, or more accurately, forced to go with her father when she was eleven, which she has never told it before, and the story of her storytelling to a few wasted teenagers she has recently met. She takes the readers, along with her new found teenage acquaintances, to the places she and her father visited on the horror-adventure journey. She tells her horror stories in such an indifferent voice that the readers will be mortified to feel different. Cruddy has a powerful story and Berry proved that she is a powerful writer with amazingly strong imaginations.

...

Cruddy is indeed a worthy work of art. It is strong and effective, although some people may think it is too dark and nihilistic. Barry's illustrations for each chapter, mostly dark and ugly, are in perfect coordinates with the Roberta's life. The images she draws with her words are so vivid and so real for all senses that long after finishing the book, readers remember the scenes, the smells and the sounds. The story becomes a personal experience that is hard to differentiate from the reality. However, the story is not one of the easy-reads that can be read before going to bed, never make that mistake! If you do, expect the cruddiest dreams you have ever seen!

"Cruddy" is seriously noir stuff, but filtered through what may be the blackest sense of humor I have ever encountered. This book is not for everyone, but if it does happen to be for you, then you are in for a seriously major trip.

Ms. Barry's essentially outlandish premises (a daughter named Clyde?!), proprietary verbal inventions and astute wackiness remind me of Vonnegut, although her voice is much too unique to be derivative. There is more than a smattering of early John Waters-type trailer trash, and she leaves no doubt that she is right down there in the trenches with her characters (one hopes only temporarily!).

This author projects the most curious sense of indeterminate place, regardless of whether it is day or night (it seems like night much of the time, even if it's not). She does the same with time, essentially presenting two stories simultaneously, one of them actually a type of flashback.

Her equally dark illustrations, some of which could be the result of Picasso stumbling into a dark alley and coming out with a painting, are a perfect compliment to the text.

A remarkable read that captures the worst (or best, depending on your point of view) in human frailties and foibles and, yes, capacity for evil.

Hi. I've really enjoyed your work! Your looks on the other hand, not so much. I'd love to continue to buy and read your books. Unlike most of your readers who read it for free at their local Barnes & Noble or Borders, I shell out good money for your "art". So do me one favor, will ya? Please refrain from including your photo or any likeness of yourself on or in your books. You are what we in the male community like to describe as fugly. Which are the words F@cking & Ugly mashed together. Brilliant? I think so too.
signed, The American Males of our great nation.

This has been one of the most interesting collection of short stories I've read in a while....So bizarre, you wish it wouldn't end.

Jeremy Robert Johnson's name even sounds like a serial killer. His writing is like Burrough's Naked Lunch on twenty-hits of acid and nuclear bong hits: this dude can write.

The writing isn't bizzare to the point that you think he's trying too hard and he makes it flow nice and smooth while conjuring the strangest visions in your mind while reading these stories.

I term this Surreal Horror, to me at least, and good enough that I went right out and ordered a copy of Siren Promised. I plan on reading everything this guy has to offer.

I haven't read Carlton Mellick yet, and can't compare, but if you want something different, well written, that will buzz your head and make you think at the same time, then try these stories.

Thumbs-up to Morten Bak, the artist responsible for the killer artwork on the cover: defintely the kind of book you prop up somewhere where you can gaze into the cover after reading it.

Five stars!

I went into this book with a bit of trepidation. I was worried that the stories would contain drug, violence, etc just for the shock value. I was pleasantly surprised however. These drugged-out, self-mutilating, hostages and killers are only after what we are all after. Love, acceptance, and a sense of place. Wonderful writing, 4.5 stars!

(Ash Lomen)


This collection defines unbridled insanity. From reflections of humanity in the waters of a swimming pool to the birth of in abomination in a Facility that specializes in medical malpractice, this book is one hell of ride. Love, Drugs, Sex, Death... excessive masturbation (what more could you ask for ( :

(this review originally appeared at www.thirdeyemag.com)

Angeldust Apocalypse belongs to an emerging genre called Bizarro fiction, which holds disturbing imagery as one of its defining characteristics. I could focus on these often macabre situations in Angeldust Apocalypse -- moments of human body modification, subcutaneous worm trafficking, corporate logo shaped scars -- but to do just that would be doing this collection a severe disservice. This collection of 18 short stories does deliver on the promise of its post-modern genre, but doesn't stop at shock value. Where postmodern fails to offer direction, Jeremy Robert Johnson's Angeldust Apocalypse builds bright trail markers out of luminescent beetle guts and fetal sinew.

With this book, Johnson's only story collection, the events aren't disturbing for the sake of shock, but instead act to inform the characters, drive plot, and ultimately support each story as a crafted experience. In the opener, "A League of Zeroes," for instance, affection is gained and shared within the culture via body modification, much the way lipstick and eye shadow function in a "traditional" culture. There is an underlying exploration of acceptance as these self-imposed atrocities are encouraged due to the surrounding social context, not merely for the sake of morbid reader accolades. And like great characters should, Johnson's often translate their position among their particular sub-culture with clarity and poignancy: "We just ended up like this. We followed a natural progression from past to present. We're not Post-Apocalyptic, we're Post-Yesterday"

The collection isn't without its stylistic tangents. "Last Thoughts Drifting Down" reads like a prose poem built around the famous Bhagavadgita quote: "I am become death, the destroyer of worlds." (Later expressed by Manhattan Project scientist Robert Oppenheimer as he watched the first atomic bomb test.) The chaos surfaces in this story and, like its atomic inspiration, is uncontrolled. The closing story, "Wall of Sound: a Movement in Three Parts," though more reserved, is also afflicted by this experimental approach. These stories could have been left out of the collection without compromising unity, but because the collection is otherwise so strong, I can respect Johnson for including them. He seems to be testing the waters; telling his readers that he is willing to sacrifice a little if it means possibly discovering something deeper.

Other noteworthy stories include: "Snowfall," a beautiful story of a naïve child embracing nuclear winter on an aesthetic level, unaware of the tragedy the black snow conveys; "The Sharp Dressed Man at the End of the Line," a prologue to Johnson's impressive novella follow-up Extinction Journals; and an interesting addition called "Author Notes," in which Johnson delivers small behind-the-scenes anecdotes on each story.

Think of Angeldust Apocalypse as "Post-Yesterday" magical realism where a dismembered tongue orates the strange while simultaneously maintaining the taste for which it was intended.

Oh Carlton, I feel like you could have taken what began as a very interesting premise and done so much more with it. Unfortunately, that is not what happened. The ending was almost the equivalent of an insanity plea in the absurd way that it tried to wrap up all that had come before. And those 'illustrations'? At first I found them mildly entertaining because they were so rude and disgusting, but after the third or fourth it was like being an hour into the routine of a stand up comic who only knows fart jokes.

I thought you really had it going on in 'Satan Burger'. Perhaps weird-freaky-semi-lucid just doesn't interest me much anymore.

I read this book in between my college classes. It is fast paced and fun to read and made me laugh out loud about a dozen times. The characters are hilariously stereotypical but definitely that way by design. This book has definitely surreal moments and circumstances, as the title mentions, the mall is literally menstruating, which even though that is hard to picture or understand, it actually makes sense in the context of this book. I've read other books by Carlton Mellick III and I would say that this is one of his best. The plot is well fleshed out and the setting is very strange and compelling. Oh, and the illustrations are killer!

Faster, funner, grosser, funnier, cleverer, weirder... everything "-er." If you're sick of the same old 400 pg. snooze with a little twist at the end, read this instead. It's got the humor and the horror that makes a great horror movie, plus the pacing to get you through it.

This book is hyper fun. Ten characters shopping in a mall suddenly find that they can't bring themselves to leave, the mall closes, they are stuck there and find themselves in the middle of a mall-world that in undergoing some fundamental shift. The mall itself is like some kind of living being that is on its period and transforming in some weird ways. If that isn't distraction enough, the characters are starting to be killed off one by one in very strange and hilarious ways by a serial killer. This book is surreal, funny, irreverent, satirical, and touching. I highly recommend it!

Okay, there is this really big suburban shopping mall, but ordinary really big, not biggest-in-the-world big. On a Friday afternoon, it is pretty crowded, with lots of different kinds of people, some more ordinary than others. One of them is a guy named John, and he is a bit lonely, a workaholic, a bit drab, and very consumerismistic (probably not a word, so equate it with "Yuppie"). When the mall is about to close, John goes to leave . . . but cannot. He simply cannot get even close to the door, before he loses all ability to move forward. He does more shopping, tries to leave again, and still cannot. John really wants to go, so that he can work overtime and earn more money, so he can buy more things. He simply cannot leave. John even looks around for security guards, who would normally escort out those who will not leave, but he cannot find one. Not one. Frustrated and beginning to despair, John hides . . . in the john.

The next day dawns, John eats at the food court, and still cannot leave. He starts to notice that there are several people there, whom he saw the day before. As time goes on, it becomes clear that there are ten people who cannot leave the mall, and each is the epitome of whatever he or she is. John the Yuppie, Jen the Preppy, Spyder the Gamer, Cedrick the White Gangsta, Aaron the Cowboy, Brock the Jock, Chloe the Goth Girl, an old man (he does not give his name, I believe) who is the Retiree, Wyoming the Housewife, and Carole the Super-religious. The ten of them try to figure out how to escape the mall, but none of their ideas work. Then, they notice that nobody else is in the mall any more. There are many people standing outside, staring inside, expressionlessly.

Then, the first person dies, possibly by suicide, but probably not. Is the killer one of the remaining nine? They try to piece it together, but no luck. Another one dies, and it clearly is murder. The killer leaves a message behind, that the remaining eight can survive, if they can prove they are able to break out of their respective stereotypes. They act weirder and weirder, trying to prove they can go beyond their typical, mundane selves.

This sounds strange? It gets much, much more bizarre after that, ending up in what could be described as a suburban consumerist nightmare dreamscape. By the way, the title of the book is not symbolic, but literal. Does anyone survive? I will not tell. Would you want any of them to survive, by the end? I am not sure I did.

This is one of the most bizarre books that I have read, and I am sure that Carlton Mellick III (the author) would take that as the highest praise. I have read two other books of his: Sea of the Patchwork Cats (Avant Punk Book Club) and Punk Land, and those two are also some of the most bizarre books I have read. This author strives (and sometimes strains) to be bizarre. On to specifics:

While very strange, there is also a very, very interesting story here. I often found it revolting and disgusting, but it was also riveting. I had trouble stopping, despite often wanting to find a seek out the nearest incinerator in which to deposit this book.

By the way, this is not a novel, by formal definition. While it has over two hundred pages (which are not numbered!), it also has very large print, and it is littered with "illustrations" or "advertisements". I used the word "littered" very intentionally, as they were definitely the part of the book I liked the least. These pictures are on a par with public restroom (or high school bathroom) graffiti. I refer to both the quality of these line drawings, and to the vulgar, profane, and consistently scatological content of the drawings. They are parodies of advertisements of well-known franchise stores. I am surprised that the author, the illustrator, and/or the publisher did not get sued by many of these chains. I guess that the drawings are no outrageously insulting that they figured that no one could possibly take them seriously. I did not take them seriously, nor did I find them funny.

I did not enjoy reading this book. I did not hate reading this book. I will never read it again. I will never forget it. I will try to, but I fear that I will fail. But, I could not stop reading it either. When you were a little kid, and had a loose tooth, did you wiggle it, even though it hurt? That is a good analogy for reading this book. Wiggle, wiggle. Ow! Wiggle, wiggle.