Slither

It's difficult to know what to say about this book, aside from the fact that it's something of a pornographic mess.

The highlights--few and far between--are the passages which focus simply on science, and allow the biological questions and discussions (which should theoretically be more central to the book) to take focus, but these are so rare, they come as a pleasant surprise. And, in truth, they may or may not be all that impressive or even remotely accurate to real-world biology, but they're such a pleasant reprieve from the obsession with sex and the unlikable, immature characters, the passages are still refreshing.

But the characters are central to the book's issues. For the most part, they're drawn more like sex-obsessed, show more body-image-obsessed, unthinking teenagers, and it's a rare moment when any of the supposed professionals act like adults. The book's back cover blurb and even moments in the book hint that the worms are driving the preoccupation with sex--the more disgusting, the better, apparently, to the writer's way of thinking--but the problem with that is that the characters are focused on each other's bodies, and sex, even before they reach the island. And that's all aside from the fact that the characters, simply put, don't act like adult professionals. They feel more like the stereotypes you'd get if you asked 12-year-old boys to think up porn involving nerdy scientists, army guys, and a gorgeous photographer. But then again, I'm probably doing a disservice to 12-year-old boys there.

If you can't already tell, I've been left thoroughly unimpressed, and the totally out-of-left-field twist toward the end of the book didn't up my estimation. I doubt I'll be picking up another book from either the author or the publisher any time in the future. show less

Superficial stereotypes, monstrous worms, hidden military agendas. We've seen it a million times (well, maybe not in worm form, although Tremors is close enough). Slither breaks no new territory here, although it does get the Edward Lee treatment. That means almost all the horror is of a perverse nature, it's his forte and it works. Slither is mean and dirty, with almost no likeable characters, yet the combination of adult-themed horror and a genuine desire to see how people will die keeps you flipping the pages. Don't pick up Slither expecting to get cerebrally challenged, but expect an easy read which it entertaining enough, even though wildly improbable.

What is it with slithering sluggy things that sends horror writers' minds into the gutter?
(I'm thinking of the horror movie of the same name no relation to this book. In the movie a man gets infected by an alien slug parasite - paradoxically the alien turns him in a better man and husband but in a reverse beauty and the beast ending his wife is icked by the monster does him in and elopes with Gaston). Anyhow.
I personally found that I don't really mind that horror often goes hand in hand with sex especially if it's campy like in a Carlton Mellick story or this particularly enjoyable effort by mr Lee.
It's just campy and fun B-movie goodness - executed really well - even if you are put off by body horror or torture-porn don't worry you'll show more sail through the book without trouble, the narration is so light-hearted and scatterbrained. show less

Another excellent book by Edward Lee. Certainly not classical literature, but still, a fun story with good character development. Normally I find myself getting burned out on an author after reading two or three books of their books in a row. But I've read several of Lee's books and the characters and stories are always different enough to keep me coming back for another.

Giant parasitic worms? Oh my!!

I learned that there is a reason I don't like worms. Can't trust the little buggers.

This was good. He had me totally fooled until the very end. And what an ending! Loved that.

Very disturbing. I liked it. I've only read a couple of Lee's books, but they have all seemed very formulated and were predictable. Still a descent read.

1E1p, LE, HC, DJ, sig, F/F