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songwind's review against another edition
3.0
The book was enjoyable, but one gets the impression more than once that Ellis enjoyed being shocking or plain weird for its own sake. It sometimes got in the way of the story.
zmull's review against another edition
3.0
Warren Ellis knows he's writing to a brand new set of readers on his debut novel. And, for that reason, I suppose, he tries waaaay too hard. I think... By the end of the novel the endless stream of comically over the top filth starts to feel artful and exhilarating. At this point, Warren Ellis might actually think he IS Spider Jerusalem. Maybe that's a good thing. The book doesn't have much in the way of plot. It's mostly a deeply fuck-up version of News of the Weird with bits of story stringing it together.
One puzzler though. Ellis sets this novel in the US with American characters, including its first person narrator. But, it's written with tons of British idioms ("car hire," "called" instead of "named" and so on). Isn't fixing this kind of thing what editors do?
One puzzler though. Ellis sets this novel in the US with American characters, including its first person narrator. But, it's written with tons of British idioms ("car hire," "called" instead of "named" and so on). Isn't fixing this kind of thing what editors do?
ellsea's review against another edition
5.0
Fun, twisted read.
This was awesome. Conspiracy theories, twisted, messed up characters, excellent pacing. Mike is a character you can sympathize with, even when you're wanting to yell at him for his flaws. Everything Mike goes through makes the ending so satisfying. Most excellent.
This was awesome. Conspiracy theories, twisted, messed up characters, excellent pacing. Mike is a character you can sympathize with, even when you're wanting to yell at him for his flaws. Everything Mike goes through makes the ending so satisfying. Most excellent.
kit90's review against another edition
dark
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
jmoses's review against another edition
5.0
A delightfully strange and interesting ride, with stops in disturbing and funny as hell. So...typical Ellis. It's excellent, and you may learn something.
misterjay's review against another edition
3.0
Crooked Little Vein is a treat for anyone already familiar with Warren Ellis' comics, especially those on the farther reaches of normalcy, like Transmetropolitan. The dialogue is witty and filled with references to pop-culture and new ideas; the narration is a glimpse inside a mind that functions in polite society, but only just. The characters are likewise vintage Ellis. With only a few lines of description, the author paints a picture as vivid as anything one could see in one of his comics.
The flaw in the book is the action, or rather, the lack of it. The plot moves at a very steady pace but lacks suspense or much narrative tension. Instead, actions happen in a logical sequence and our heroes are rarely in any physical danger greater than becoming sick to their stomachs at the horrors they witness. Still, for fans, this is a longer, more detailed, less visual Warren Ellis story like so many others we know and love.
For those not yet fans, this is maybe not the best starting point. Instead, read through Transmet or Fell or Desolation Jones. Then, when Ellis' particular visual sense has crept into your subconscious, pick up Crooked Little Vein and let it carve its way through your brain.
The flaw in the book is the action, or rather, the lack of it. The plot moves at a very steady pace but lacks suspense or much narrative tension. Instead, actions happen in a logical sequence and our heroes are rarely in any physical danger greater than becoming sick to their stomachs at the horrors they witness. Still, for fans, this is a longer, more detailed, less visual Warren Ellis story like so many others we know and love.
For those not yet fans, this is maybe not the best starting point. Instead, read through Transmet or Fell or Desolation Jones. Then, when Ellis' particular visual sense has crept into your subconscious, pick up Crooked Little Vein and let it carve its way through your brain.
adamcagey's review against another edition
4.0
This is a nasty little book. Anyone who has read the comics of Warren Ellis will find themselves on familiar ground with this, his first prose novel. The story is simple enough: Mike McGill, our hero, must search through the sordid underbelly of America to find, well, a McGuffin, really. The true highlight of the book isn't the plot, it's watching Ellis debate with himself, using the voice of the book's main characters, about whether or not the future is headed toward hell in a handbasket. Ellis has interesting ideas about the future of our culture and watching that debate can be a heady experience.
Reading this novel brought home a point that I'd always suspected but never quite grasped before: like the best mystery writers, and despite the cynicism and bravado on display in his prose, Ellis is a Romantic. One can see evidence of this is his best comics series, Planetary, Transmetropolitan, et al.
If I have any complaints, it's that this very brief book is paced too quickly. Ellis is writing about the great expanse of America, but the pacing barely gives any sense of the country's size. And the pacing also makes the climax of the book slide by almost unrecognized. But this is a minor quibble and wouldn't keep me from recommending it. This book is not for the faint of heart, but for those who can stomach it, it is well worth the read.
Reading this novel brought home a point that I'd always suspected but never quite grasped before: like the best mystery writers, and despite the cynicism and bravado on display in his prose, Ellis is a Romantic. One can see evidence of this is his best comics series, Planetary, Transmetropolitan, et al.
If I have any complaints, it's that this very brief book is paced too quickly. Ellis is writing about the great expanse of America, but the pacing barely gives any sense of the country's size. And the pacing also makes the climax of the book slide by almost unrecognized. But this is a minor quibble and wouldn't keep me from recommending it. This book is not for the faint of heart, but for those who can stomach it, it is well worth the read.
amelia_horseman's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
2.75
I was told this would be a “weird book” - but I liked “Gun Machine” a lot and thought it would be similar. Hell. No. This book is a drugged up fever dream wherein the author is likely coming to terms with some stuff through writing this - and I don’t wanna guess what that stuff is. Every chapter brought two “wtf” moments. And it got to where I would pause just to say “what” out loud repeatedly. No. I do not recommend this book. No. It is weird. And wrong. In a lot of ways. If you read it just remember that you did it to yourself.
That said - it flows fast, does some shock and horror, is morbidly interesting, and can be read in less than a day.
That said - it flows fast, does some shock and horror, is morbidly interesting, and can be read in less than a day.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Drug use, and Child abuse
Moderate: Drug use, Pedophilia, Murder, Body horror, Violence, Cursing, Dementia, Classism, Dysphoria, Excrement, Hate crime, and Injury/Injury detail