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Didn't love as much as Haunted, which is another short story collection by Palahniuk.
But there were a handful of good stories in this one. I particularly loved Phoenix. Even after finishing the anthology, it remained the only story that stood out to me.
But there were a handful of good stories in this one. I particularly loved Phoenix. Even after finishing the anthology, it remained the only story that stood out to me.
Stories to make you queasy and haunt your perspectives of society. I liked them.
An excellent collection of short stories by Palahniuk. They're not all great - the Fight Club prequel "Expedition" is a surprising miss - but there are enough hits here to heartily recommend this book. I'd say this is a better collection than [b:Haunted|22288|Haunted|Chuck Palahniuk|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1391152326s/22288.jpg|1602272], if only because it lacks that book's forced (and really unpleasant) connecting narrative.
Some of these stories are great, many of them are disgusting, ALL of them are disturbing.
My favorite stories where Torcher, CSI meets Burning Man, and the novella Inclinations about boys that pretend to be gay to get sent to a "rehab"...spoiler they regret that choice.
As far as the audio narration....Chuck Palahniuk needs to stop. Please do not read your own stories. Your monotone California inflection is droning and distracting.
Overall, I cannot in good conscience recommend this book to anyone because I did almost vomit during one of the stories (Cannibal). READER beware you are in for....something dark, twisted, and gross.
My favorite stories where Torcher, CSI meets Burning Man, and the novella Inclinations about boys that pretend to be gay to get sent to a "rehab"...spoiler they regret that choice.
As far as the audio narration....Chuck Palahniuk needs to stop. Please do not read your own stories. Your monotone California inflection is droning and distracting.
Overall, I cannot in good conscience recommend this book to anyone because I did almost vomit during one of the stories (Cannibal). READER beware you are in for....something dark, twisted, and gross.
Çoxdandır ki, həyəcanla kitab mağazasına gedib nəsə almırdım. Palanikin bir hardasa 10 kitabını oxumuşam və yeniyetməlik dövrümdə sevimli yazıçılarımdanıydı. Amma son 10 kitbı filan yaxşı deyildi deyə daha onun yazdığı heç nəyi almırdım. Yaxşı rəylərdən sonra gedib bunu aldım, amma yenə də ilk kitabları kimi yaxşı deyildi.
Əvvəla, ənənəvi Palanik romanı əvəzinə hekayələr kitabıydı, ona görə. Həm də bəzi hekayələr olmamışdı. Amma belə işgəncə çəkmədim oxuyanda. Çox vaxt zövqlü idi və köhnə stilin nostaljisini görür, durub düşünür, uşaqlığıma qayıdırdım filan.
İşarələdiyim xeyli yer oldu, amma rəqəmsaldan oxumadığım üçün bir-bir bura yazmağa həvəs yoxdur. :D Ya da o qədər də güclü sözlər deyildi ki, məni buna vadar eləsin. Maraqlıydı, pis deyildi. Amma sadəcə o qədər.
Rahatlamaq və zehninizi boşaltmaq istəsəniz, oxuya bilərsiniz. Amma belə oxuyandan 3 gün sonra yaddan çıxacaq qədər önəmli kitab da deyil yəni. :D
Əvvəla, ənənəvi Palanik romanı əvəzinə hekayələr kitabıydı, ona görə. Həm də bəzi hekayələr olmamışdı. Amma belə işgəncə çəkmədim oxuyanda. Çox vaxt zövqlü idi və köhnə stilin nostaljisini görür, durub düşünür, uşaqlığıma qayıdırdım filan.
İşarələdiyim xeyli yer oldu, amma rəqəmsaldan oxumadığım üçün bir-bir bura yazmağa həvəs yoxdur. :D Ya da o qədər də güclü sözlər deyildi ki, məni buna vadar eləsin. Maraqlıydı, pis deyildi. Amma sadəcə o qədər.
Rahatlamaq və zehninizi boşaltmaq istəsəniz, oxuya bilərsiniz. Amma belə oxuyandan 3 gün sonra yaddan çıxacaq qədər önəmli kitab da deyil yəni. :D
dark
tense
fast-paced
Inclinations - the best story in this collection. Absolutely heartbreaking.
This is probably the most unique set of short stories I have ever read. Actually more like the strangest story lines I've ever experienced. I honestly can't decide whether I liked it or not, but I do know that it made me want to read Palahniuk's novels. So, whether I actually enjoyed the different plots and somewhat grotesque topics, I guess they kept me interested!
I *loved* this book! I did roll my eyes at the Fight Club references but I laughed, too. I dont know why the book has such a low rating here, they aren't supposed to be beautiful or soft. I was moved by some, unnerved by others, and there was one I didn't particularly care for but I thought they were all well written.
I received this book as part of the First Reads giveaway program.
I remember the first time I was exposed to the work of Chuck. I spotted “Haunted” sitting in the library and was drawn into its cartoony cover of a shocked, blurry face. Then I began reading and was thoroughly disgusted by opening sonnet “Guts” (my imagination taking over from me and making it one of the most visceral, grotesque things my brain could picture). Suffice it to say, I became a fan.
Since then I have read and purchased almost all of his novels, his non-fiction work (“Stranger than Fiction”), and became a member of “The Cult” (as his webpage refers to fans). There have certainly been some ups-and-downs within his work from the highs of “Fight Club”, the aforementioned “Haunted”, and “Lullaby”; the middle ground of “Doomed”, and my least favourite “Tell-All”. It’s gotten to the point now where I feel Chuck is almost cranking out too much work publishing a new book every year which only dilutes the politically incorrect, antagonistic attitude he delivers so well.
This brings me to “Make Something Up”. After fourteen novels it only makes sense that a short story collection was due. Gathering together over twenty stories he has written over the years they certainly run the gamut of topics and deliver the pop culture skewering, gross-out, and just plain f*cked up imagery you’d expect. Over time I have become aware that I, personally, have a hard time with short story collections simply because of their hit-or-miss nature – and that’s how I felt while reading this. I had already read two of the tales within as I downloaded “Phoenix” when it was released as a Kindle single and “Cannibal” appeared in Playboy – which is possibly why they are still two of my favourites here.
I appreciated the trio of tales throwing the animal kingdom into human situations (“Why Coyote Never Had Money for Parking” being one) and how they tied together, there was an almost beat poet-like vernacular to “Eleanor”, and I dug the suicide pact nuttiness of “Zombies” and the off-colour bestiality of “Red Sultan’s Big Boy”.
However, there are a handful of throwaway tales I just wasn’t into which is why I can only give this three stars. If you’re not familiar with, or a fan of, Chuck’s work then there is absolutely no reason to check this out as it’s not going to change your opinion of him (he’s pretty damn polarizing) but if you’re a card carrying member of “The Cult” then, by all means, give this a read!
I remember the first time I was exposed to the work of Chuck. I spotted “Haunted” sitting in the library and was drawn into its cartoony cover of a shocked, blurry face. Then I began reading and was thoroughly disgusted by opening sonnet “Guts” (my imagination taking over from me and making it one of the most visceral, grotesque things my brain could picture). Suffice it to say, I became a fan.
Since then I have read and purchased almost all of his novels, his non-fiction work (“Stranger than Fiction”), and became a member of “The Cult” (as his webpage refers to fans). There have certainly been some ups-and-downs within his work from the highs of “Fight Club”, the aforementioned “Haunted”, and “Lullaby”; the middle ground of “Doomed”, and my least favourite “Tell-All”. It’s gotten to the point now where I feel Chuck is almost cranking out too much work publishing a new book every year which only dilutes the politically incorrect, antagonistic attitude he delivers so well.
This brings me to “Make Something Up”. After fourteen novels it only makes sense that a short story collection was due. Gathering together over twenty stories he has written over the years they certainly run the gamut of topics and deliver the pop culture skewering, gross-out, and just plain f*cked up imagery you’d expect. Over time I have become aware that I, personally, have a hard time with short story collections simply because of their hit-or-miss nature – and that’s how I felt while reading this. I had already read two of the tales within as I downloaded “Phoenix” when it was released as a Kindle single and “Cannibal” appeared in Playboy – which is possibly why they are still two of my favourites here.
I appreciated the trio of tales throwing the animal kingdom into human situations (“Why Coyote Never Had Money for Parking” being one) and how they tied together, there was an almost beat poet-like vernacular to “Eleanor”, and I dug the suicide pact nuttiness of “Zombies” and the off-colour bestiality of “Red Sultan’s Big Boy”.
However, there are a handful of throwaway tales I just wasn’t into which is why I can only give this three stars. If you’re not familiar with, or a fan of, Chuck’s work then there is absolutely no reason to check this out as it’s not going to change your opinion of him (he’s pretty damn polarizing) but if you’re a card carrying member of “The Cult” then, by all means, give this a read!