Deathbird Stories, part 4. The final four short stories in Harlan Ellisons’ anthology I go over are:
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
These last 4 have a particular punch. Each almost builds up from the other.
Contents
Ernest and the Machine God
Ernest and the Machine God takes a spin off The Face of Helene Bournouw. A femme fatate in a more contemporary setting, suddenly manipulating someone “touched by Vorlons” for her own selfish interests.
Rock God
Rock God feels like the setup for an Indiana Jones plot and leaves much to the imagination, and the desire to find out what happens next. A literal god awakens from its slumber, with its missing pieces — having granted power to their holders over the ages — finally coming together near a modern high rise construction building.
Adrift Just Off the Islets of Langerhans: Latitude 38° 54′ N, Longitude 77° 00′ 13″ W
Yes, that’s the title. This is part magic, science, surrealism, and elements found in Kafka, Siodmak, Asimov, Melville and Shelley. This story won two awards: the Hugo and the Locus Award for Best Novelette back in 1975. The story of a man wanting to die, and the journey he has to go to locate his literal and metaphorical soul.
The Deathbird
And finally The Deathbird. Also winning the 1974 Hugo Award for Best Novelette, and Locus Award for Best Short Story. Switching the God and the Devil around, having bible verses, a Garden of Eden retelling, and a few 4th wall breaks, where the author tries to give us a lesson and a quiz throughout the story. It is allegorical, meta, strangely beautiful, and like nothing you’ve ever read before.
Interestingly enough, if you know anything about Planescape: Torment, the last two stories share some very close similarities.
And if you do pick up this book, whether you’re a casual reader, or an aspiring author, there’s no way these stories won’t influence you. They’re so memorable, so visceral, straightforward, and punchy as all hell, you’ll be thinking about them for years, perhaps decades to come.
See my previous post in the Deathbird Stories series.
Pick up Deathbird Stories on Amazon.
