A review by thegreatbigben
I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream by Harlan Ellison

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

Wow, this short story was amazing. I chose to read it up because I kept seeing people online characterise the main antagonist as one of the most evil characters in fiction, and they were right. The writing perfectly catches the sense of cosmic terror without being classic cosmic horror. The story is so well-written and detailed that I could readily see its frightening nature, which is ideal for someone like me because I love to visualise everything. It's crazy to imagine that this piece was first written in the 1960s. If you like sci-fi and horror, you'll love this story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Physical abuse, Suicide, and Torture

Moderate: Violence, Cannibalism, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Death, Sexual assault, and War

The story contains explicit and vivid details of terrible physical and psychological torture, including disturbing body horror and a long scene involving a suicide, all perpetrated by the malicious AI, A.M.. The story also includes mild representations of violence and ongoing psychological pain, as well as descriptions of cannibalism that are disturbing but not gory. There are also small instances of sexual assault, references to a global war that precipitated the apocalyptic setting, and small mentions of death and dying, all of which contribute to the story's dark and oppressive tone.