Re: A good weird/horror/sci-fi book to recommend
Posted by:
Sawfish (IP Logged)
Date: 16 April, 2021 11:16AM
Knygatin Wrote:
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> Sawfish Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Ellison certainly seemed to be a master
> > self-promoter. It seemed to me that he had a
> sort
> > of "splash" talent--could write overwhelmingly
> > emotional content, so much so that it exceeded
> my
> > personal boundaries of taste. Sentimentalism,
> > like Hemingway when he was in an alcoholic
> > stupor.
> >
> > Naturally, I'm overstating for effect...
>
> I have not read anything by him. Jojo Lapin X
> (previous ED poster) said Ellison was unreadable
> (as well as Ligotti). I don't know about Ellison,
> but I find Ligotti highly readable (at least some
> of it that isn't too allegorically naval-gazing
> and self-pitying); I love Ligotti when he uses his
> humor, and when he is a true extension of
> Lovecraft's perspective.
By your recommendation I read some Ligotti and it was a revelation. Quite effective, I thought.
My only problem with him is purely subjective: I can get to feeling like I do when reading about a horrible and degenerate mass murderer, like Gacy.
I got this same feeling when reading the death parts of James Ellroy's Black Dahlia. That level of blind, senseless, almost *celebratory* cruelty is extremely repellent to me.
Much as I hate group activities, I could almost be convinced to join a good-natured, enthusiastic lynch mob for Gacy, or Jack the Ripper (if he could be found). "Doing the species a favor", as I'd see it.
FWIW, you can overlook Ellison entirely and not miss much. It's not so much that he's unreadable as that he quickly comes across as a ham-fisted narcissist--to me, at least.
It's a problem of literary voice...
--Sawfish
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"The food at the new restaurant is awful, but at least the portions are large."
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