Tim Lieder

There were only a couple of stories in this anthology that I really liked, but I'm not a fan of horror or the macabre, so that made a big difference in my enjoyment level.

These are *very* twisted takes on stories from the Bible -- and one from The Epic of Gilgamesh. The Gilgamesh story, by the amazing Catherynne Valente, is also different in that it's not really a story of terror, but of transformation through sex: the seduction and civilization of the "wildman" Enkidu by the temple priestess/prostitute Shamash. There's a twist at the end of the story, but even that does not, in my opinion, take the story into horror. Instead, it's a sensual evocation of communication and transformation through touch and the magic of words.

My other favorite stories were "Babylon's Burning" -- which could have been a plot from a Wolfram & Hart episode of Joss Whedon's "Angel," and "Whither Thou Goest," which turns Ruth into a succubus.

My problem with some of the other stories was that they didn't make sense - even in their own fantastical terms. "Judgment at Naioth" and "Jawbone of an Ass" both had potential, but I felt that they were exercises in imagination without a strong sense of 'why' behind them. Maybe I'm looking for too much from a short story, and perhaps the mystery was intended by the authors, but I was left feeling let down.

The other caution I would give about this book is that it does assume a fairly thorough knowledge of biblical stories. Unless you understand the reference to the "jawbone of an ass" or know who Tamar is and the fate of Absalom, or the Witch of Endor, you may feel lost. I'm not sure if many of these stories would have much power unless the reader knew the originals.

The exception is "Last Respects," which doesn't take any particular specialized knowledge. The theme is not new, but the take on the characters is.… (plus d'informations)

There are many flavors of biblical retellings. This one does it mainly from the horror short story angle. There are nine stories that are wildly divergent in style. It helps to know the stories referenced from the Bible. For instance, the disembodied supernatural hand writing on the wall. You remember that one- dontcha? The Babylonian king Belshazzar is partying hard while drinking from the holy cups plundered from Solomon's Temple when said hand pops up and writes a coded message on the wall. The gathered can't make heads or tails of it so they call in Daniel to interpret. He does so, telling them- basically, it says you're fucked. They were. It's carried down to today as 'handwriting on the wall' or 'writing on the wall' to portend bad things are on the way. The retelling of the story in a contemporary setting might seem odd without knowing the background story.

The reason I downloaded the book was for the Catherynne M. Valente story, Psalm of the Second Body, which is a sort of explanatory version of how Genesis consumed The Epic of Gilgamesh. As usual, her writing is exquisite and it also shows how deep she delves into ur-myths.

Good lord in a Ford! There is a Cthulhu based retelling of Jonah that is one of the weirdest things I have ever read, by Stephen M. Wilson. It left me scratching my head and murmuring WTF???? It is done in descriptive grotesquerie and Jonah is a serial killer with a third arm protruding from his chest and also has four testicles for some reason. To top it off, the story begins at the end.

The others stories lie in a range between those mentioned. There is one New Testament story that is pretty straight-up compared to some of the symbolism contained in the others. If you like retellings of things derived from the Bible then some of these stories might appeal. If not, stay away.… (plus d'informations)