This new Deadite Press release from Edward Lee features three works of short fiction, each featuring a very unique male protagonist. These tales read quickly and this collection is easily read in one sitting.
“The Decortication Technician.” The titular character lives in a future where over 50 planets have been colonized. As suggested by the title, his job is to “open things.” He is an expert at getting into the outer layers of ships, aliens, cockroaches the size of automobiles—you name it, he cracks it open as safely as possible. This narrative is in answer to an unseen interlocutor’s eloquent question: “have you ever shit your pants?” His job at hand results in encountering an alien who remains alive after several decortications to learn more of its nature. The ending is both surprising and poignant.
“The Cyesolagniac.” In case you don’t know—and if you don’t, no worries–I had to look it up—a cyesolagniac is one who fetishizes pregnant women. Once I knew that, and remembered this was an Edward Lee tale, I sat back to enjoy the ride, knowing it would be a good one. The opening line of the story—“Look at me…Heyton sat in the chair with his pants down.”—told me I was right (LOL).
Heyton is a successful executive embarrassed by this fetish. To ease this obsession, he hires pregnant hookers and seeks out specialty porn mags. Though warned a certain hooker is dangerous, he hires her because she is pregnant. Heyton makes the mistake of telling the hooker the truth and she slips him a roofy. When he wakes up, she is gone, has stolen his cash and Rolex and left behind a gruesome surprise—her aborted fetus. She then reports him to the police, saying he assaulted her and is responsible for the abortion.
I won’t spoil any more but this leads to a great twist at the end. This was my favorite of the collection
“Room 415” takes up the second half of this collection. Since his divorce, Flood has been incapable of an orgasm. Each time he approaches one, he thinks of his wife and goes limp. While on a business trip, he discovers he can see Room 415 through his window. He witnesses a scene of brutality against a call girl and is horrified when it gets him off.
This is “Rear Window” vis-à-vis Edward Lee. Nobody writes characters with these kinds of sexual hang-ups and fetishes better than Lee and he takes the character and plot to a satisfying climax (pun intended).
I highly recommend this collection, another fine example of Lee’s fantastic imagination and superb writing.
– George Wilhite
- Interview with J.R. Bookwalter - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Andrew J. Rausch - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Rick Popko and Dan West - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Director Stevan Mena (Malevolence) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Screenwriter Jeffery Reddick (Day of the Dead 2007) - January 22, 2015
- Teleconference interview with Mick Garris (Masters of Horror) - January 22, 2015
- A Day at the Morgue with Corri English (Unrest) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Writer/Director Nacho Cerda (The Abandoned, Aftermath) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actress Thora Birch (Dark Corners, The Hole, American Beauty) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actor Jason Behr, Plus Skinwalkers Press Coverage - January 22, 2015
