Deathbird Stories eBook Harlan Ellison
Download As PDF : Deathbird Stories eBook Harlan Ellison 
Masterpieces of myth and terror about modern gods from technology to drugs to materialism—“fantasy at its most bizarre and unsettling” (The New York Times).
As Earth approaches Armageddon, a man embarks on a quest to confront God in the Hugo Award–winning novelette, “The Deathbird.”
In New York City, a brutal act of violence summons a malevolent spirit and a growing congregation of desensitized worshippers in “The Whimper of Whipped Dogs,” an Edgar Award winner influenced by the real-life murder of Queens resident Kitty Genovese in 1964.
In “Paingod,” the deity tasked with inflicting pain and suffering on every living being in the universe questions the purpose of its cruel existence.
Deathbird Stories collects these and sixteen more provocative tales exploring the futility of faith in a faithless world. A legendary author of speculative fiction whose best-known works include A Boy and His Dog and I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream—and whose major awards and nominations number in the dozens, Harlan Ellison strips away convention and hypocrisy and lays bare the human condition in modern society as ancient gods fade and new deities rise to appease the masses—gods of technology, drugs, gambling, materialism—that are as insubstantial as the beliefs of those who venerate them.
In addition to his Nebula, Hugo, World Fantasy, Bram Stoker, Edgar, and other awards, Ellison was called “one of the great living American short story writers” by the Washington Post—and this collection makes it clear why he has earned such an extraordinary assortment of accolades.
Stories include
“Introduction Oblations at Alien Altars”
“The Whimper of Whipped Dogs”
“Along the Scenic Route”
“On the Downhill Side”
“O Ye of Little Faith”
“Neon”
“Basilisk”
“Pretty Maggie Moneyeyes”
“Corpse”
“Shattered Like a Glass Goblin”
“Delusion for a Dragon Slayer”
“The Face of Helene Bournouw”
“Bleeding Stones”
“At the Mouse Circus”
“The Place with No Name”
“Paingod”
“Ernest and the Machine God”
“Rock God”
“Adrift Just Off the Islets of Langerhans Latitude 38° 54' N, Longitude 77° 00' 13" W”
“The Deathbird”
As Earth approaches Armageddon, a man embarks on a quest to confront God in the Hugo Award–winning novelette, “The Deathbird.”
In New York City, a brutal act of violence summons a malevolent spirit and a growing congregation of desensitized worshippers in “The Whimper of Whipped Dogs,” an Edgar Award winner influenced by the real-life murder of Queens resident Kitty Genovese in 1964.
In “Paingod,” the deity tasked with inflicting pain and suffering on every living being in the universe questions the purpose of its cruel existence.
Deathbird Stories collects these and sixteen more provocative tales exploring the futility of faith in a faithless world. A legendary author of speculative fiction whose best-known works include A Boy and His Dog and I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream—and whose major awards and nominations number in the dozens, Harlan Ellison strips away convention and hypocrisy and lays bare the human condition in modern society as ancient gods fade and new deities rise to appease the masses—gods of technology, drugs, gambling, materialism—that are as insubstantial as the beliefs of those who venerate them.
In addition to his Nebula, Hugo, World Fantasy, Bram Stoker, Edgar, and other awards, Ellison was called “one of the great living American short story writers” by the Washington Post—and this collection makes it clear why he has earned such an extraordinary assortment of accolades.
Stories include
“Introduction Oblations at Alien Altars”
“The Whimper of Whipped Dogs”
“Along the Scenic Route”
“On the Downhill Side”
“O Ye of Little Faith”
“Neon”
“Basilisk”
“Pretty Maggie Moneyeyes”
“Corpse”
“Shattered Like a Glass Goblin”
“Delusion for a Dragon Slayer”
“The Face of Helene Bournouw”
“Bleeding Stones”
“At the Mouse Circus”
“The Place with No Name”
“Paingod”
“Ernest and the Machine God”
“Rock God”
“Adrift Just Off the Islets of Langerhans Latitude 38° 54' N, Longitude 77° 00' 13" W”
“The Deathbird”
Deathbird Stories eBook Harlan Ellison
I enjoyed it overall, but I think I'm not educated/intellectual enough to appreciate the writing fully. There were such elaborate descriptions of some fantastic images, I was overwhelmed, albeit not picturing it; and wondered what was the point of so much of it all? I have a bachelor's degree, but in science, not literature. I'm sure there were references to literature that I didn't get. There was a lot I didn't understand. I do believe I understood the basic premise having to do with God. That was an interesting idea. Also, the situations were fascinating at times. I finished the book. My apologies for my non-intellectual take on it; it's just that some of the lengthy, picturesque, descriptive details were overdone for my level of understanding and enjoyment. I wish I could explain it better.Product details
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Deathbird Stories eBook Harlan Ellison Reviews
A little science, a lot of horror/fantasy/surrealism, Ellison riffing on God/Gods, the Book of Genesis and other belief related themes. And a couple of femme fatale stories included. A good collection, but I didn’t realize I had already read a few of them in earlier collections - my bad, must remember to check/cross-reference his s.s. collections in future. But it’s a good collection for Ellison fans. Creepy, irreverent, funny.
This was my first exposure to Ellison and frankly it was a bumpy ride. The first few stories were reminiscent of a bad acid trip, as in unpleasant and disturbing. I almost stopped reading.
I'm not sure whether I became inured to the writing style or the stories just got better but by about half way through this collection of short stories I was becoming an Ellison fan. By the end I definitely was. Amazing and bizarre perspectives that contort, dissect and then disembowel conventional reality.
Highly recommended for adventurous readers who want a truly surreal reading experience. Seriously.
If you have found your way to this review, then you likely are already well aware of the writings of Harlan Ellison. If you are not, then I highly suggest this as one of the two books to introduce you to him–the other being I Have No Mouth & I Must Scream. This collects many of Ellison's finest stories–most notably the titular "The Deathbird." The book's original and full title is Deathbird Stories A Pantheon of Modern Gods. Knowing Harlan Ellison to be "a practicing atheist," I was somewhat skeptical about what this book would be. With a basic unifying concept of an examination of gods in the modern world, it seemed poised to be a tirade against organized religion. That fear was misplaced–except for the story "Bleeding Stones" that depicts a literal attack on organized religion.
The collection combines some of the finest fantasy of the 20th century mixed with a loose thread to tie the work together. The collection begins with the Caveat Lector a warning to the readers to not attempt to read the book in one sitting. For most of the stories, this advice is unnecessary. The utility will vary from reader to reader based upon how each story impacts him/her. For me, it was certainly good advice after the story "Paingod." The collection begins with "The Whimper of Whipped Dogs," a story for the uninitiated that will provide a baptism by fire. It is not for the sensitive persons of the world who cry foul upon reading a four letter word. It is at times extremely graphic (depicting the savage slaughter of a person and depicting a forceful sexual encounter). However, it is the final story to which the Caveat Lector is most applicable. "The Deathbird" is a peculiar story in so much as it is written in a format that is intended to resemble a school exam. There are two portions of the story that can bring the most stoic of readers to their knees. One portion is a section that reads as a short story penned the day after the author put his pal Abu–a pet dog–to sleep. The line "don't leave me with strangers" first arises in the portion dedicated to Abu and then is echoed with tremendous effect later on.
In short, I gave this book five stars and quite enjoy the writing of Harlan Ellison. I recommend that you give this book a chance. If you are not sure whether you will like Ellison, pickup the book and jump to "Pretty Maggie Moneyeyes" and "Along the Scenic Route." If neither of these stories works for you, then set the book back down and walk away Harlan Ellison is not for you. If either of these stories works for you, read on.
I enjoyed it overall, but I think I'm not educated/intellectual enough to appreciate the writing fully. There were such elaborate descriptions of some fantastic images, I was overwhelmed, albeit not picturing it; and wondered what was the point of so much of it all? I have a bachelor's degree, but in science, not literature. I'm sure there were references to literature that I didn't get. There was a lot I didn't understand. I do believe I understood the basic premise having to do with God. That was an interesting idea. Also, the situations were fascinating at times. I finished the book. My apologies for my non-intellectual take on it; it's just that some of the lengthy, picturesque, descriptive details were overdone for my level of understanding and enjoyment. I wish I could explain it better.
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