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jonahahaha's review against another edition
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
lakserk's review against another edition
4.0
Το (Morbid Angel-ικώς ονομαζόμενο) Gateways to Abomination του Matthew Bartlett, είναι εξόχως σύντομο, αποτελούμενο από πλειάδα (34) πολύ σύντομων ιστοριών (με όχι τυπική μορφή πάντα - είθισται η αποσπασματικότητα και η κατακερματοποίηση, υπό την ομπρέλα ενός αδρού γενικού κόνσεπτ με ελαφρώς αποκαλυπτική χροιά, υπάρχουν ιστορίες με μορφή αποκομμάτων εφημερίδας, κ.ο.κ.).
Αναμενόμενα (ή όχι και τόσο, αν σκεφτεί κανείς τη μορφή των Παγανιστικών Δοξασιών), το φορμάτ με αποσυντόνισε στην αρχή, αφενός από την άποψη της συνοχής, αφετέρου από το ύφος κάποιων ιστοριών, οι οποίες αρέσκονταν στην ανάπτυξη αποστροφής μέσω της βύθισης στην παρακμή του σύγχρονου αστικού κόσμου (για να το κάνω λιανά, εικόνες με παρατημένες συνοικίες, με αποτσίγαρα, με εμφανώς διαβρωμένους στην όψη χαρακτήρες, δεν είναι το φόρτε μου) αλλά και του λίγο-παραπάνω-από-όσο-προτιμώ gore σε σημεία.
Όμως όσο οι μονο-, δι-, πεντα-σέλιδες ιστορίες προχωρούσαν, ο ιστός που απλώνονταν μέσω κοινών στοιχείων που διέτρεχαν το βιβλίο (όπως ένας μυστηριώδης ραδιοφωνικός σταθμός) αποκτούσε ενδιαφέρον, ενώ οι δύναμη των μυριάδων ιδεών που είναι σπαρμένες εντός του βιβλίου άρχισε να ξεχωρίζει. Και κάπου προς το τέλος, υπάρχει ένα καταπληκτικό διήγημα (the investigator), το οποίο σε μόλις 7 σελίδες epub tablet (καμιά δεκαπενταριά φαντάζομαι σε έντυπο) ήταν αφύσικα λειτουργικό όσον αφορά το Παράδοξα Τρομακτικό.
Το βιβλίο προτείνεται, και κατά προτίμηση διαβάζεται πολύ γρήγορα σε πρώτη φάση, έτσι ώστε να μη σπάσει η λεπτή συνεκτική κρούστα λόγω απλώματος (οι 4-5 μέρες που μου πήρε ήταν περισσότερες από όσο θα έπρεπε).
Αναμενόμενα (ή όχι και τόσο, αν σκεφτεί κανείς τη μορφή των Παγανιστικών Δοξασιών), το φορμάτ με αποσυντόνισε στην αρχή, αφενός από την άποψη της συνοχής, αφετέρου από το ύφος κάποιων ιστοριών, οι οποίες αρέσκονταν στην ανάπτυξη αποστροφής μέσω της βύθισης στην παρακμή του σύγχρονου αστικού κόσμου (για να το κάνω λιανά, εικόνες με παρατημένες συνοικίες, με αποτσίγαρα, με εμφανώς διαβρωμένους στην όψη χαρακτήρες, δεν είναι το φόρτε μου) αλλά και του λίγο-παραπάνω-από-όσο-προτιμώ gore σε σημεία.
Όμως όσο οι μονο-, δι-, πεντα-σέλιδες ιστορίες προχωρούσαν, ο ιστός που απλώνονταν μέσω κοινών στοιχείων που διέτρεχαν το βιβλίο (όπως ένας μυστηριώδης ραδιοφωνικός σταθμός) αποκτούσε ενδιαφέρον, ενώ οι δύναμη των μυριάδων ιδεών που είναι σπαρμένες εντός του βιβλίου άρχισε να ξεχωρίζει. Και κάπου προς το τέλος, υπάρχει ένα καταπληκτικό διήγημα (the investigator), το οποίο σε μόλις 7 σελίδες epub tablet (καμιά δεκαπενταριά φαντάζομαι σε έντυπο) ήταν αφύσικα λειτουργικό όσον αφορά το Παράδοξα Τρομακτικό.
Το βιβλίο προτείνεται, και κατά προτίμηση διαβάζεται πολύ γρήγορα σε πρώτη φάση, έτσι ώστε να μη σπάσει η λεπτή συνεκτική κρούστα λόγω απλώματος (οι 4-5 μέρες που μου πήρε ήταν περισσότερες από όσο θα έπρεπε).
stitching_ghost's review against another edition
3.0
The prose in this one was really pleasant but the stories felt a little underdeveloped for the violence and dreamlike nature of the stories to really have the full impact.
ameliareadsstuff's review against another edition
3.0
That's ★★★ for enjoyment, but in terms of actual quality? This one is too weird to easily say.
There is something to be said on diminishing returns in regards to the grotesque (physically, sexually, or otherwise) in a flash fiction format, but that might be personal preference.
There is something to be said on diminishing returns in regards to the grotesque (physically, sexually, or otherwise) in a flash fiction format, but that might be personal preference.
_danhill's review against another edition
5.0
A shambling, rotting, cackling collection of vignettes that reads like a fun house mirror version of 'Welcome to Night Vale' (which the collection predates).
sisteray's review against another edition
3.0
This is one of those things where I totally get being drawn to this book, and if anyone loves it I feel like I should be there with you. If I were to try to sell anyone on this book I would immediately compare it to Brian Evenson’s immediacy of horror and gore from Dark Property, Thomas Ligotti’s chilling nowhere quality of a town overrun by horror to make it commonplace like Teatro Grottesco, or even the weirdo radio schtick from Welcome to Night Vale. For me though it felt like it was trying so hard to be those things, but it rarely felt like it was naturally there. It was like a pretty good fan fiction of those things.
Occasionally, things clicked and the pieces fit together with ease (namely The Investigator) but for the most part it just felt random and absurd with shocking images delivered like an edgelord troll on the internet. Moments like having an uncle have his family hammer his wang with a meat tenderizer, or a scary clown with syringes in his back, just feel tired and contrived.
Part of it was that he was really good at avoiding having to use dialogue so that when characters actually said stuff it was clear why he avoids it.
For me, the vignettes were so abstract that there was rarely anything for me to sink my teeth into. I had hopes that their interconnectedness was going to build a bigger picture, but the world building buried under his insistence on unreality. There was no payoff at the end.
It had a few great moments and was thankfully short enough that it didn’t feel like a waste of time. This is totally going to be someone’s favorite book, but it certainly isn’t mine.
Occasionally, things clicked and the pieces fit together with ease (namely The Investigator) but for the most part it just felt random and absurd with shocking images delivered like an edgelord troll on the internet. Moments like having an uncle have his family hammer his wang with a meat tenderizer, or a scary clown with syringes in his back, just feel tired and contrived.
Part of it was that he was really good at avoiding having to use dialogue so that when characters actually said stuff it was clear why he avoids it.
For me, the vignettes were so abstract that there was rarely anything for me to sink my teeth into. I had hopes that their interconnectedness was going to build a bigger picture, but the world building buried under his insistence on unreality. There was no payoff at the end.
It had a few great moments and was thankfully short enough that it didn’t feel like a waste of time. This is totally going to be someone’s favorite book, but it certainly isn’t mine.
jonmhansen's review against another edition
2.0
Eh.
Okay, to be clear: it's not "collected short fiction". That implies these were published in various places before being collected. They were clearly not. Almost none of these could stand alone, as they lacked such things as characters or plots. Many of them read like a group of interstitials that abandoned their novel because they thought they could go it alone. They cannot.
Imagery is impressive, the rest of it, not at all. At least it was short, because I was honestly bored by the end.
Okay, to be clear: it's not "collected short fiction". That implies these were published in various places before being collected. They were clearly not. Almost none of these could stand alone, as they lacked such things as characters or plots. Many of them read like a group of interstitials that abandoned their novel because they thought they could go it alone. They cannot.
Imagery is impressive, the rest of it, not at all. At least it was short, because I was honestly bored by the end.
philly393's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Really dig the vibe of this whole thing. Can’t wait to read more from Leeds/WXXT
jdcorley's review
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
The single-author horror short story anthology is more difficult to handle than it seems. If you make the stories completely independent it's hard to get across a horror scenario quickly enough to bring the reader into it. If they're not independent you feel like you'd spend your time better on a novel. Bartlett hangs his hat on a tone - both narrative and stylistic - and tries to tell you about what amounts of extrusions in that tone into more grounded situations (a kid going over to your weird friends' house, going to the dentist after waiting too long, etc.) It works, essentially, but by the time you're halfway through, you "get it". The mythology is suggestive and interesting, so you're drawn along in order to learn more about it, but in the end there really isn't a single story that is sharp enough to be truly memorable. I credit this collection for attempting a new approach to this type of anthology, and for the inventiveness of the horror mythology, but it doesn't quite add up. A "normal" anthology with a couple of hot stories might have more merit overall.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Murder, and Sexual assault