Paingod and other delusions by
Harlan Ellison
Entertaining
Robert Heinlein says, This book is raw corn liquor. You should serve a
whiskbroom with each shot so the customer can brush the sawdust off
after he gets up from the floor. Perhaps a mooring cable might also be
added as necessary equipment for reading these eight wonderful stories:
They not only knock you down - they raise you to the stars. Passion is the
keynote as you encounter the Harlequin and his nemesis, the dreaded
Tictockman, in one of the most reprinted and widely taught stories in the
English language; a pyretic who creates fire merely by willing it; the last
surgeon in a world of robot physicians; a spaceship filled with hideous
mutants rejected by the world that gave them birth. Touching and gentle
and shocking stories from an incomparable master of impossible dreams
and troubling truths.
Personal Review: Paingod and other delusions by Harlan
Ellison

Ellison writes with humanity that you can feel in your gut and an
imagination that makes Star Wars look like C-SPAN. On top of all of that
there is often alot of humor and cutting wit weaved into his stories aswell.
Think Paul Auster + HP Lovecraft + Philip K Dick and you might get some
idea of what you're in for. It's science fiction as poetry. Ellison never insults
the intellect of his readers (in fact he challenges it) but he also isn't afraid
of dealing with science fiction pulp standards like mutants, aliens and
spaceships. I'll give you one quick sample line:
"The dead were everywhere, sighing soundlessly with milk-white eyes at a
tomorrow that had never come."
(that line is from a story where the main character is an alien riding a giant
rat named Thomas carrying a bag of skulls. Yeah...)
Also the short story "Repent Harlequin!", Said the Ticktockman is included
in this book, which is one of my personal favorites! The introductions
before each story are also great and give you an insight into Ellison's
personality, as do the stories themselves. If youre unfamiliar with Ellison
this is a good starter or check out The Beast That Shouted Love at the
Heart of the World.
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