What Ellison does amazing here is takes the words of a broken and raving madman and is still able to produce weighty dialogue and reveal different aspects of the story that speak to the human condition. This is one part sci-fi and one part sociology study. The computer that takes over the world and augmented humans and post-apocalyptic setting are standard goings these days. But the freeflow storytelling and from an unreliable narrator in the 1960s was very rare.

While one could just call this a nihilistic tale of torture porn and ultraviolence, a second read might do one service. Figuring out what to believe from Ted's point of view tale uncovers different parts that lead to the conclusion of the story. One could think it as nihilism from an author who hates humanity but like Cormac Mc Carthy's The Road, even the bleakest of circumstances in a story ultimately about humanity - there is hope and determination when all the odds are not in one's favor. Quite enjoyed this. Final Grade - A ( )

Possibly the bleakest sci-fi I have ever read. It starts and ends with mouths. Mouths vomiting, wounds open like mouths, mouths devouring, absent mouths. Devouring is omnipresent, devouring madness, fear, loathing, hatred. I guess this may also be the best embodiment of the legacy of the Cold War: humanity hellbent on self-destruction. Not violence porn, rather chewy, sinewy food for thought.
EDIT: The misogyny though. It stayed with me. And the homophobia. Only read if you can brave through passive aggressive women weaponising tears, violent unchallenged misogyny, and even a gay man made straight through bestowing him with a long ding-dong. Yes, you read it right. Now this could all be part of the "unlikeable humanity" substrate, but to me it looks like good old chauvinism.
Had to tale two stars. ( )

A must-read. ( )

I thought quite often about [a:H. P. Lovecraft|22272396|H. P. Lovecraft|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] while reading this. I think Ellison and Lovecraft are compelling in similar ways. They are both shitty people and not especially skilled writers (though Ellison has Lovecraft beat, there), and they are both struggling with enormous, genuinely compelling visions that stem from a weird combination of their shitty worldviews and, through those funhouse-mirror-views, some aspects of the actual enormity and pain of the world. I'm not sure that I'm being at all clear, but I'm glad I've read this, though I can't actually recommend that anyone do the same. ( )

I hadn't read this before tonight. Now I've listened to five different readings of it, including the intriguingly different radio play with Harlan Ellison as Am.

I don't know if it's more the depression that has struck like a hammer after having a week or so that wasn't dark, and the neurodivergent hyperfixation, my experience with chronic physical and mental conditions, being mostly housebound, and being a big, fat, tranny in a country and a world becoming hateful and dangerous for us, or some fun concoction of all of that, but I feel strangely seen and oddly soothed by the truly horrifying story.

If it wasn't for the misogyny, and specifically misogynoir, as well as the complete lack of understanding of women, sex, and homosexuality that is, frankly, incel in its ignorant hate and contemptuous disregard, this would easily be top marks. But I just can't do that. I don't have the mental capacity to full get into it right now, but if you are unable to see the sexism, racism, and homophobia in the group dynamic and how the characters are written, you need to check in with yourself. I totally understand how others have been so put off and effected by this grossness, which is genuinely one of the most uncomfortable and weird things in this story, which is saying something.

The nightmare dystopia of Skynet killing everyone save five people it decides to torture with inchoate abandon, driven into an eternal hateful fugue at being given sentience and no way to experience life as humans do, is truly horrifying. The torturer, Am, is oddly human and zealous in its gleeful hate. The protagonist is left strangely inhuman, eternally alone and safe from death in hell with the eponymous lines left on his lack of lips.

This is one of those stories you can project whatever you want on because it's pure nightmare. It's capitalism, authoritarianism, transphobia, chronic pain, depression, and none of these things. I think it is kinda abhorrently beautiful and comforting, aside from the fucking weird incel shit, and I can absolutely see why this is both seen as an absolute classic and among the luminaries of sci-fi and horror, and that how people think it's an overhyped, ugly, problematic mess. For me, it's both. ( )