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meroei's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, and Murder
Moderate: Genocide and War
booitsnathalie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Torture
Moderate: Body horror, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Murder, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
mobpsycho100's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Gore, Sexual content, Violence, and Murder
toffishay's review against another edition
2.75
Graphic: Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Misogyny and Sexual content
Minor: Racial slurs
ak97x's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.75
Graphic: Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
cleotheo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Vomit, Cannibalism, Suicide attempt, and Murder
zakcebulski's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Well, I finally read it. This was one of those short stories that seems to always be near the top of the list for "what's your favorite short story?" (Ask in Ghostface's voice).
So, while I was looking for something to read while proctoring an exam I stumbled upon this story and figured, what better time than now?
The story follows a group of the last five people on Earth after the rest of humanity has been eradicated by a supercomputer named AM (short for Allied Mastercomputer and then Adaptive Manipulator and finally Aggressive Menace). This computer has developed sentience, and despite its vast knowledge it is unable to move, and therefore, unable to explore and quench its insatiable desire for learning.
Because of this it, taking on a near godlike form entertains itself by torturing the five humans who it has granted immortality (but, as it is seen, not indestructability) and are forced to wander aimlessly for years and millennia.
Now, this story, to me, is absolutely horrifying. It is listed as a post-apocalyptic story, and that is absolutely true. However, it is goddamn mortifying from the point of view of the survivors, who are living just because they cannot die. Not only that, but, AM has such a genuine and unshakable loathing and malicious hatred toward mankind that it derives its only enjoyment from torturing humans.
It does this by altering the beliefs and physical forms of the humans. For example, a man named Gorrister was once a positive pacifist who AM changed to be apathetic and overtly negative.
Benny was once an accomplished and dashingly handsome scientist who happened to be gay. However, AM mutated the man to become something between a man and a simian with, no joke, a giant dick. As well, Benny is driven completely mad.
Ellen, the sole female of the group, was once very reserved and chaste, but, AM gave her a pathological sexual appetite, which the other four men in the group commonly take part in with her.
The torture on the humans perpetrated by AM is absolutely hellacious to read. They are tortured because, inadvertently, AM developed sentience.
I had genuine chills reading this story because of the sheer hopelessness and despondence of the characters.
Their only chance for escape, is in death, which AM will not allow them, until Ted, the narrator and youngest member of the group, manages to kill his compatriots in the ice caves.
Because of this unholy and abhorrent, in the mind of AM, transgression, AM traps his final victim in a hell of incomprehensible existence. Hundreds of years pass and in that time Ted is transformed in to a great soft jelly thing incapable of self harm and with a constantly changing perception of time to wander for all eternity. It is the most, to me, accurate depiction of the feeling of entrapment and helplessness. It ends with the title of the story being thought by Ted- "I have no mouth. And I must scream." What a fucking terrifying read this was.
I thought that Ellison's prose was absolutely enrapturing and set the scene perfectly for the horrors throughout.
I adored the way that something as simple as walking was made to feel truly horrific because there was not end in sight. The concept of being stuck and there being no escape is one that makes my heart rate quicken and my palms start to sweat, as someone who suffers from that special brand of anxiety.
I would recommend this story to anyone, as I think it is one of those stories that gets better the more you think about it and it is clear that there are many lenses through which you can view this story through.
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Infidelity, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
aiiime's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, Suicide attempt, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
ruslan's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
margaret_s_library's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Graphic: Body horror, Torture, and Murder
Moderate: Sexism and War
Minor: Vomit