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Aug 27, 2008

Andersen rated it:

Garrett Cook's debut novel, MURDERLAND PART I-H8, is an intense, satirical and, above all, entertaining read. What stood out the most for me was this book's exuberant inventiveness. It is an extremely violent novel that is also an indictment of "violence culture." The society Cook creates (Reap culture) is a natural extension of our present war-, bloodsport-, gangster-, horror-loving culture. Although Cook manages to do this without being "preachy"; he realizes we are all a p More...

0 comments like (5 people liked it)

Jun 24, 2010

Mykle rated it:

This book is so beyond good and evil ... it's beyond positive and negative reviews, beyond star-counting, beyond being liked or disliked. It describes a future in which serial killing, as a practice, has been rehabilitated through media exploitation and liberal sensitivity until it's finally legalized as a sport, with its own scorekeeping commentators and an infatuated subculture of filking fanboys. And then against that dire background, Garret Cook tells a love story -- a love triangle, actua More...

3 comments like (4 people liked it)

Apr 02, 2009

Jason rated it:

(Reprinted from the Chicago Center for Literature and Photography [cclapcenter.com:]. I am the original author of this essay, as well as the owner of CCLaP; it is not being reprinted here illegally.)

As regular readers know, I'm a particularly big fan of so-called "bizarro" literature (or "weird" or "experimental" or "mindf-ck" or whatever you want to call it), precisely because I'm naturally attracted to strange and complicated things, and this More...

0 comments like (5 people liked it)

Jan 05, 2009

Ginnetta rated it:

I admire writers who understand and write about dark character motivations. Jeremy, the protagonist is an insane perpetrator. Yet, through Cook’s writing, a compelling portrait of an understanding sociopath is painted through Jeremy’s thoughts. I almost felt sorry for Jeremy, especially the struggles with self control, pity and the way he interprets his world.
I also liked the planting of the inner seed stuff going on. I thought this aspect added a gritty edge to the book.
The persp More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Mar 03, 2009

Garrett rated it:

I would not be writing my reviews if it weren't for random people giving my book 1 star ratings without reading it. One person was big enough to change his rating. Do not rate books you don't read. It hurts indendependent artists who must thrive on word of mouth. If I suck, tell me why.

3 comments like (6 people liked it)

Jan 24, 2009

Steven rated it:

Placed in a time when serial killers are understood to be misunderstood. Everyone knows they can't help themselves, after all they are mentally ill. Spawned from this, the serial killers have become celebrities in their own right. Their exploits have become all the rage, surpassing sports, film and other icons of pop culture. Jeremy, the protagonist, takes it upon himself to do away with some of the most notorious killers as well as becoming one in his own right by dispatching hundreds of potent More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Sep 23, 2008

S.t. rated it:

In a future where pop culture has been taken over by serial killer mania, acts of senseless violence dominate the minds and actions of the populous. Death has become the predominant way of life. The world is quickly being overtaken by an alien vermin which exists only to process humans into machines for their own reproductive purposes and Jeremy Jenkins is the only one who can do anything about it. Using some of the best first person techniques that I have ever seen, Cook takes you deep into the More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jul 19, 2008

Jordan rated it:

Murderland I: H8 is Garreet Cook’s first novel and it’s an impressive one.

Immediately it is evident that the author has taken a lot of time to create the language he uses for this book. It takes place in the near future where serial killers are superstars akin to athletes and movie stars.

The book takes on different perspectives, back and forth from first person and third person, using both narratives and journal entries. It works well.

On the back of the book, More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Mar 15, 2009

Ben rated it:

So this is really not the kind of book I usually read, a story about a bizarro world coursing with paranoia, madness and rage, where serial killers are king and hate is not just embraced, but celebrated. And yet, that's why it's so cool to pick-up a book I wouldn't normally read, because Garrett can really write, and because he creates a world that is so vivid and that he believes in so much you cannot help but be sucked into it yourself.

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Aug 02, 2010

David rated it:

Serial killers are pretty fascinating. There are plenty of maniacal murderers both in real life and in fiction, and yes, they seem to capture something about our culture and society. They’re complex anti-heroes and we idolize them for that. But much like vampires, the serial killer archetype can become clichéd and boring.

Then there’s Murderland, a little book that’s far better than it has any right to be. Garrett Cook is fascinated by serial killers, but it’s not enough to just t More...

2 comments like (2 people liked it)

Nov 24, 2009

Kelly rated it:

I understand what the author was attempting to do in this book, and I appreciate his need to strip the veneer from our celebrity-obsessed-ambulance-chasing-society. I,too, am disgusted with reality TV and society's voyeuristic joy in relishing others' pain and agony or simply their stupidity. I also find it abhorrent that plots such as the movie Untraceable (where a serial killer streams his victims on the internet and surfers are furious when the police catch him and stop the streaming) is ind More...

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Jun 05, 2009

Peter rated it:

A friend of mine wrote this book. It's crazy as hell! I give it four stars as it's more-or-less a leadup to other books in the Murderland series that ought to be coming out, hopefully soon.

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

Jul 08, 2009

Lance rated it:

Just finished Garrett Cook’s Murderland Part 1:h8. It’s about an alternate reality where serial killers are celebrities and their actions are legal as long as they occur in safe zones. The serial killers are major celebrities and are worshiped by the media and millions of adoring fans. I was intrigued by the concept of Murderland but wondered if it would just be some sort of attempt at an ultra-violence piece and focus more on graphic imagery than the story. My concerns were misplaced. Cook More...

4 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jul 22, 2008

Jeremy rated it:

Fast paced, high-energy, witty and sarcastic. Reaper-chic is the perfect construct for the fickle mentality of the trendoids and their fleeting dynasties. I found myself laughing out out loud and cringing in pain reading this bad boy. A cult author on the rise kiddies.

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jun 05, 2009

Bravenewworker rated it:

A savage, very original satire that openly mocks the American demigod-like worship of worthless celebrity with a future where despicable murderers become our new focus of adoration. It's as farcical as Swift's "A Modest Proposal," yet no less poignant.
Mr. Cook does a good job with creating a world for the story to live in, and treats the protagonist--who is an unannounced serial killer in a world obsessed with serial killers--with painstaking descriptions of a mentality sharp ye More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Sep 06, 2011

Kathryn rated it:

I have put off reviewing this book as I really wanted to get my thoughts in order. Murderland is rated on average fairly high and I hate being out of the norm on this site without explaining myself. So, two main points.

1), I loved Cook's Archelon Ranch and was hoping for something that made me feel the same. Ranch is one of the best bizarro books I have yet read and it has only grown on me with time. Yet I am sorry to say that my feelings for this book are not the same. Each book is More...

0 comments like (4 people liked it)

Jun 29, 2010

Randy rated it:

This is an absolutely magnificent book from an amazingly gifted and original author. It's just stunning all the way through and it will draw you in like quicksand. I would have to say one of my favorite parts is Garret's ability to aptly describe things most people can't put into words in just a sentence or two... "Peace is when you do something louder than your brain is." Simple. To the point. Ingenious. This whole book is very "short bus" meets "twilight zone" mee More...

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Aug 17, 2009

Nick rated it:

Murderland Part 1 was a very pleasant surprise. It wasn't like most dystopian novels that i have read. I loved how Jeremy Jenkins society wasn't so different from ours. In the book they give serial killers fame for doing nothing that betters society, while today in our society we have people who are just famous for being famous. I also love the allegory with the nannites and the robots. It seems now more than ever people are just robots, watch what they're told to watch, wear what they are told More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jul 15, 2009

Grant rated it:

Murderland H8 is part one of a ten part series. It's about a plausible future where killing has been made legal and as a result has become a pop culture phenomenon.Jeremy Jenkins kills as well,but only to make the world a better place. Garrett Cook takes the ethics of killing and turns it over on its head.In addition,his prose is simple and at times poetic. This is Natural Born Killers meets A Clockwork Orange.Highly recommended and I'm looking forward to the follow-up.

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Nov 26, 2009

Jessica rated it:

It's really hard for me to say whether I liked the book or not. For one thing, I loved the idea--satirizing the crap out of our obsession and cult-like desire for reality t.v. Cook makes some great connections to express how ridiculous society is when entertainment is a goal. However, I did not like the style, and I did not feel a "connection" with any of the characters....some may disagree, but I felt no need to get to know them anymore.

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Jan 26, 2010

Jason rated it:

This is an absolute "killer" story...get it, Garrett?? Seriously, what an idea! It takes 'Running Man', 'Natural Born Killers' and bits of 'Blade Runner' and melts them down into a very well constructed piece of literature. I still have to get Part II, but I'm looking forward to seeing how it picks up!

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Sep 20, 2009

Sabryn rated it:

I read this book months ago; however, computer problems have delayed my review. (Sincerely hoping the computer lets me finish this!)

I'll offer this disclaimer first off: I'm a copyeditor. So stuff that wouldn't bother other people jumps out at me. My impression is that a thoughtful editor could have taken this book from good to great.

Having said that, the story was very refreshing. I read a lot, both for my job and in my free time, and little surprises me anymore. This st More...

2 comments like (1 person liked it)

Nov 10, 2009

Kim rated it:

It really isn't fair for me to review this as I'm sure I was not the intended audience. I love dystopian satire, and I thought that's what this was, but it appears to be written by some gamer in his basement. I can't give an honest review, because I just couldn't finish this crass, over-the-top commentary, despite the fact that it's tiny. I felt dirty reading it. Perhaps it is like the type of book those who enjoy horror punk or SAW movies or Grand Theft Auto. That's certainly not me!

3 comments like

Sep 05, 2008

Lucianna marked it as to-read

Looks interesting! must read it!

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Jan 29, 2012

Charlotte marked it as to-read

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Jan 19, 2012

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Jan 05, 2012

Leanne marked it as to-read

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Jan 13, 2012

Lindsay is currently reading it

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Dec 17, 2011

Eleana marked it as to-read

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Dec 14, 2011

Fiona marked it as to-read

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