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  <id>974296</id>
  <title><![CDATA[Black Butterflies]]></title>
  <isbn><![CDATA[0843948442]]></isbn>
  <isbn13><![CDATA[9780843948448]]></isbn13>
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  <description><![CDATA[John Shirley, often cited as the first writer of cyberpunk, has been for some years a topnotch craftsman of horror fiction. Those familiar with his novel <em>Wetbones</em> and his short story  collections, <em>Heatseeker</em> and <em>New Noir</em>,  treasure his work for its antic humor, neon intensity, and oddly endearing descriptions of graphic horror. It's an indication of how unique Shirley is that reviewers have compared him to such varied writers as J.G. Ballard, William S. Burroughs, Anton Chekov, Philip K. Dick, Franz Kafka, William Kotzwinkle, Elmore Leonard, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and Tom Wolfe.<p>  <em>Black Butterflies</em> is in two parts: eight stories set in &quot;This  World&quot; (what we call reality) and eight stories set in &quot;That World&quot; (where the door swings open into the realm of the surreal, the supernatural). In &quot;This World&quot; we meet a middle-class white woman who turns a mugging by two  black youngsters into her chance to pursue glory as a criminal; a cop who  knows his partner is guilty of murdering his wife; two hustlers who throw a sadistic  and drug-infested party at the expense of their bound and unwilling host (believe it or not, it's <em>hilarious</em>); &quot;a girl who died from cum&quot;;  and two bike messengers whose fate is to join hundreds of other people in  a freak accident so hideous it boggles the mind. Almost all of them seem  to find some kind of manic deliverance in the most outlandish and horrific  of circumstances. In &quot;That World&quot; we creep down a tunnel into a child's escape from reality, witness more than one scene of surreal cannibalism in the service of sexual pleasure and/or artistic creation,  and participate with horror and awe in a religious rite in the final days of the human species. <p>  John Shirley visits some very strange places, but he always comes back  to tell of his adventures in a spare, unaffected voice. He can carry you  into the edgiest of human situations and bring you back giggling nervously.  Take the risk; go on a ride with him. <em>--Fiona Webster</em></p></p>]]></description>
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  <original_publication_year type="integer">1998</original_publication_year>
  <original_title>Black Butterflies</original_title>
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  <authors>
    <author>
    <id>61958</id>
        <name><![CDATA[John Shirley]]></name>
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    <average_rating>3.63</average_rating>
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      <review>
  <id>32188914</id>
    <user>
    <id>80168</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Michael]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Waterford, MI]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/80168-michael]]></link>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[Black Butterflies]]>
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  <average_rating>3.46</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>50</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[John Shirley, often cited as the first writer of cyberpunk, has been for some years a topnotch craftsman of horror fiction. Those familiar with his novel <em>Wetbones</em> and his short story  collections, <em>Heatseeker</em> and <em>New Noir</em>,  treasure his work for its antic humor, neon intensity, and oddly endearing descriptions of graphic horror. It's an indication of how unique Shirley is that reviewers have compared him to such varied writers as J.G. Ballard, William S. Burroughs, Anton Chekov, Philip K. Dick, Franz Kafka, William Kotzwinkle, Elmore Leonard, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and Tom Wolfe.<p>  <em>Black Butterflies</em> is in two parts: eight stories set in &quot;This  World&quot; (what we call reality) and eight stories set in &quot;That World&quot; (where the door swings open into the realm of the surreal, the supernatural). In &quot;This World&quot; we meet a middle-class white woman who turns a mugging by two  black youngsters into her chance to pursue glory as a criminal; a cop who  knows his partner is guilty of murdering his wife; two hustlers who throw a sadistic  and drug-infested party at the expense of their bound and unwilling host (believe it or not, it's <em>hilarious</em>); &quot;a girl who died from cum&quot;;  and two bike messengers whose fate is to join hundreds of other people in  a freak accident so hideous it boggles the mind. Almost all of them seem  to find some kind of manic deliverance in the most outlandish and horrific  of circumstances. In &quot;That World&quot; we creep down a tunnel into a child's escape from reality, witness more than one scene of surreal cannibalism in the service of sexual pleasure and/or artistic creation,  and participate with horror and awe in a religious rite in the final days of the human species. <p>  John Shirley visits some very strange places, but he always comes back  to tell of his adventures in a spare, unaffected voice. He can carry you  into the edgiest of human situations and bring you back giggling nervously.  Take the risk; go on a ride with him. <em>--Fiona Webster</em></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>1998</published>
</book>

    <rating>2</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
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  <read_at>Tue Sep 23 00:00:00 -0700 2008</read_at>
  <date_added>Sat Sep 06 12:27:01 -0700 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Tue Sep 23 16:05:50 -0700 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Despite my rating, I would not call John Shirley a bad writer. Not in the slightest. There are some very creative story set-ups here, and some brilliant writing. <br/><br/>But...while I don't consider myself prudish by any means, I really have a problem with writing that is this sexually explicit ...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/32188914">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/32188914]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/32188914]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>64282080</id>
    <user>
    <id>2543078</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Sandy]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Madison, WI]]></location>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[Black Butterflies]]>
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  <average_rating>3.56</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>61</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[John Shirley, often cited as the first writer of cyberpunk, has been for some years a topnotch craftsman of horror fiction. Those familiar with his novel <em>Wetbones</em> and his short story  collections, <em>Heatseeker</em> and <em>New Noir</em>,  treasure his work for its antic humor, neon intensity, and oddly endearing descriptions of graphic horror. It's an indication of how unique Shirley is that reviewers have compared him to such varied writers as J.G. Ballard, William S. Burroughs, Anton Chekov, Philip K. Dick, Franz Kafka, William Kotzwinkle, Elmore Leonard, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and Tom Wolfe.<p>  <em>Black Butterflies</em> is in two parts: eight stories set in &quot;This  World&quot; (what we call reality) and eight stories set in &quot;That World&quot; (where the door swings open into the realm of the surreal, the supernatural). In &quot;This World&quot; we meet a middle-class white woman who turns a mugging by two  black youngsters into her chance to pursue glory as a criminal; a cop who  knows his partner is guilty of murdering his wife; two hustlers who throw a sadistic  and drug-infested party at the expense of their bound and unwilling host (believe it or not, it's <em>hilarious</em>); &quot;a girl who died from cum&quot;;  and two bike messengers whose fate is to join hundreds of other people in  a freak accident so hideous it boggles the mind. Almost all of them seem  to find some kind of manic deliverance in the most outlandish and horrific  of circumstances. In &quot;That World&quot; we creep down a tunnel into a child's escape from reality, witness more than one scene of surreal cannibalism in the service of sexual pleasure and/or artistic creation,  and participate with horror and awe in a religious rite in the final days of the human species. <p>  John Shirley visits some very strange places, but he always comes back  to tell of his adventures in a spare, unaffected voice. He can carry you  into the edgiest of human situations and bring you back giggling nervously.  Take the risk; go on a ride with him. <em>--Fiona Webster</em></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>1998</published>
</book>

    <rating>5</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
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  <read_at></read_at>
  <date_added>Mon Jul 20 16:55:09 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Mon Jul 20 16:56:07 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[This is by far my favorite John Shirley book. I don't care for short stories but this book is fantastic. The stories are strange and strangely horrific in an interesting way. ]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/64282080]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/64282080]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>41472290</id>
    <user>
    <id>1850584</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Brooke]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[The United States]]></location>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[Black Butterflies]]>
  </title>
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  <average_rating>3.56</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>61</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[John Shirley, often cited as the first writer of cyberpunk, has been for some years a topnotch craftsman of horror fiction. Those familiar with his novel <em>Wetbones</em> and his short story  collections, <em>Heatseeker</em> and <em>New Noir</em>,  treasure his work for its antic humor, neon intensity, and oddly endearing descriptions of graphic horror. It's an indication of how unique Shirley is that reviewers have compared him to such varied writers as J.G. Ballard, William S. Burroughs, Anton Chekov, Philip K. Dick, Franz Kafka, William Kotzwinkle, Elmore Leonard, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and Tom Wolfe.<p>  <em>Black Butterflies</em> is in two parts: eight stories set in &quot;This  World&quot; (what we call reality) and eight stories set in &quot;That World&quot; (where the door swings open into the realm of the surreal, the supernatural). In &quot;This World&quot; we meet a middle-class white woman who turns a mugging by two  black youngsters into her chance to pursue glory as a criminal; a cop who  knows his partner is guilty of murdering his wife; two hustlers who throw a sadistic  and drug-infested party at the expense of their bound and unwilling host (believe it or not, it's <em>hilarious</em>); &quot;a girl who died from cum&quot;;  and two bike messengers whose fate is to join hundreds of other people in  a freak accident so hideous it boggles the mind. Almost all of them seem  to find some kind of manic deliverance in the most outlandish and horrific  of circumstances. In &quot;That World&quot; we creep down a tunnel into a child's escape from reality, witness more than one scene of surreal cannibalism in the service of sexual pleasure and/or artistic creation,  and participate with horror and awe in a religious rite in the final days of the human species. <p>  John Shirley visits some very strange places, but he always comes back  to tell of his adventures in a spare, unaffected voice. He can carry you  into the edgiest of human situations and bring you back giggling nervously.  Take the risk; go on a ride with him. <em>--Fiona Webster</em></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>1998</published>
</book>

    <rating>3</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
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  <read_at>Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2004</read_at>
  <date_added>Thu Jan 01 00:15:30 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Fri Jan 02 19:48:47 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Spooky and engrossing.  I read this a few years ago, yet a few short stories still stick relentlessly in my brain.]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/41472290]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/41472290]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>53548108</id>
    <user>
    <id>2240827</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Count]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Everett, WA]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/2240827-count-jared]]></link>
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  <isbn13>9780843948448</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">7</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[Black Butterflies]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1179931377m/974296.jpg</image_url>
  <small_image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1179931377s/974296.jpg</small_image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/974296.Black_Butterflies</link>
  <average_rating>3.56</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>61</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[John Shirley, often cited as the first writer of cyberpunk, has been for some years a topnotch craftsman of horror fiction. Those familiar with his novel <em>Wetbones</em> and his short story  collections, <em>Heatseeker</em> and <em>New Noir</em>,  treasure his work for its antic humor, neon intensity, and oddly endearing descriptions of graphic horror. It's an indication of how unique Shirley is that reviewers have compared him to such varied writers as J.G. Ballard, William S. Burroughs, Anton Chekov, Philip K. Dick, Franz Kafka, William Kotzwinkle, Elmore Leonard, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and Tom Wolfe.<p>  <em>Black Butterflies</em> is in two parts: eight stories set in &quot;This  World&quot; (what we call reality) and eight stories set in &quot;That World&quot; (where the door swings open into the realm of the surreal, the supernatural). In &quot;This World&quot; we meet a middle-class white woman who turns a mugging by two  black youngsters into her chance to pursue glory as a criminal; a cop who  knows his partner is guilty of murdering his wife; two hustlers who throw a sadistic  and drug-infested party at the expense of their bound and unwilling host (believe it or not, it's <em>hilarious</em>); &quot;a girl who died from cum&quot;;  and two bike messengers whose fate is to join hundreds of other people in  a freak accident so hideous it boggles the mind. Almost all of them seem  to find some kind of manic deliverance in the most outlandish and horrific  of circumstances. In &quot;That World&quot; we creep down a tunnel into a child's escape from reality, witness more than one scene of surreal cannibalism in the service of sexual pleasure and/or artistic creation,  and participate with horror and awe in a religious rite in the final days of the human species. <p>  John Shirley visits some very strange places, but he always comes back  to tell of his adventures in a spare, unaffected voice. He can carry you  into the edgiest of human situations and bring you back giggling nervously.  Take the risk; go on a ride with him. <em>--Fiona Webster</em></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>1998</published>
</book>

    <rating>4</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
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  <read_at></read_at>
  <date_added>Tue Apr 21 21:29:07 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Tue Apr 21 21:29:07 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[This is an amazing collection, but how do you get over a 5 out of 5?]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/53548108]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/53548108]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>16619329</id>
    <user>
    <id>887873</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Roxanne]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Portland, ME]]></location>
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  <isbn13>9780843948448</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">7</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[Black Butterflies]]>
  </title>
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  <average_rating>3.56</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>61</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[John Shirley, often cited as the first writer of cyberpunk, has been for some years a topnotch craftsman of horror fiction. Those familiar with his novel <em>Wetbones</em> and his short story  collections, <em>Heatseeker</em> and <em>New Noir</em>,  treasure his work for its antic humor, neon intensity, and oddly endearing descriptions of graphic horror. It's an indication of how unique Shirley is that reviewers have compared him to such varied writers as J.G. Ballard, William S. Burroughs, Anton Chekov, Philip K. Dick, Franz Kafka, William Kotzwinkle, Elmore Leonard, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and Tom Wolfe.<p>  <em>Black Butterflies</em> is in two parts: eight stories set in &quot;This  World&quot; (what we call reality) and eight stories set in &quot;That World&quot; (where the door swings open into the realm of the surreal, the supernatural). In &quot;This World&quot; we meet a middle-class white woman who turns a mugging by two  black youngsters into her chance to pursue glory as a criminal; a cop who  knows his partner is guilty of murdering his wife; two hustlers who throw a sadistic  and drug-infested party at the expense of their bound and unwilling host (believe it or not, it's <em>hilarious</em>); &quot;a girl who died from cum&quot;;  and two bike messengers whose fate is to join hundreds of other people in  a freak accident so hideous it boggles the mind. Almost all of them seem  to find some kind of manic deliverance in the most outlandish and horrific  of circumstances. In &quot;That World&quot; we creep down a tunnel into a child's escape from reality, witness more than one scene of surreal cannibalism in the service of sexual pleasure and/or artistic creation,  and participate with horror and awe in a religious rite in the final days of the human species. <p>  John Shirley visits some very strange places, but he always comes back  to tell of his adventures in a spare, unaffected voice. He can carry you  into the edgiest of human situations and bring you back giggling nervously.  Take the risk; go on a ride with him. <em>--Fiona Webster</em></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>1998</published>
</book>

    <rating>0</rating>
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  <read_at>Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2002</read_at>
  <date_added>Thu Feb 28 11:37:20 -0800 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Thu Feb 28 11:38:27 -0800 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I believe I picked this book up at a bookstand in an airport. It has got to be one of the best short story anthologies I have ever read. Very dark, very psychologically twisted.]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/16619329]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/16619329]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>12261911</id>
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    <name><![CDATA[Clif]]></name>
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    <![CDATA[Black Butterflies]]>
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    <![CDATA[John Shirley, often cited as the first writer of cyberpunk, has been for some years a topnotch craftsman of horror fiction. Those familiar with his novel <em>Wetbones</em> and his short story  collections, <em>Heatseeker</em> and <em>New Noir</em>,  treasure his work for its antic humor, neon intensity, and oddly endearing descriptions of graphic horror. It's an indication of how unique Shirley is that reviewers have compared him to such varied writers as J.G. Ballard, William S. Burroughs, Anton Chekov, Philip K. Dick, Franz Kafka, William Kotzwinkle, Elmore Leonard, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and Tom Wolfe.<p>  <em>Black Butterflies</em> is in two parts: eight stories set in &quot;This  World&quot; (what we call reality) and eight stories set in &quot;That World&quot; (where the door swings open into the realm of the surreal, the supernatural). In &quot;This World&quot; we meet a middle-class white woman who turns a mugging by two  black youngsters into her chance to pursue glory as a criminal; a cop who  knows his partner is guilty of murdering his wife; two hustlers who throw a sadistic  and drug-infested party at the expense of their bound and unwilling host (believe it or not, it's <em>hilarious</em>); &quot;a girl who died from cum&quot;;  and two bike messengers whose fate is to join hundreds of other people in  a freak accident so hideous it boggles the mind. Almost all of them seem  to find some kind of manic deliverance in the most outlandish and horrific  of circumstances. In &quot;That World&quot; we creep down a tunnel into a child's escape from reality, witness more than one scene of surreal cannibalism in the service of sexual pleasure and/or artistic creation,  and participate with horror and awe in a religious rite in the final days of the human species. <p>  John Shirley visits some very strange places, but he always comes back  to tell of his adventures in a spare, unaffected voice. He can carry you  into the edgiest of human situations and bring you back giggling nervously.  Take the risk; go on a ride with him. <em>--Fiona Webster</em></p></p>]]>
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    <body><![CDATA[If you like weird stuff that's nasty for the sake of being shocking, then you'll probably still hate this book.]]></body>
    
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    <![CDATA[Black Butterflies]]>
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    <![CDATA[John Shirley, often cited as the first writer of cyberpunk, has been for some years a topnotch craftsman of horror fiction. Those familiar with his novel <em>Wetbones</em> and his short story  collections, <em>Heatseeker</em> and <em>New Noir</em>,  treasure his work for its antic humor, neon intensity, and oddly endearing descriptions of graphic horror. It's an indication of how unique Shirley is that reviewers have compared him to such varied writers as J.G. Ballard, William S. Burroughs, Anton Chekov, Philip K. Dick, Franz Kafka, William Kotzwinkle, Elmore Leonard, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and Tom Wolfe.<p>  <em>Black Butterflies</em> is in two parts: eight stories set in &quot;This  World&quot; (what we call reality) and eight stories set in &quot;That World&quot; (where the door swings open into the realm of the surreal, the supernatural). In &quot;This World&quot; we meet a middle-class white woman who turns a mugging by two  black youngsters into her chance to pursue glory as a criminal; a cop who  knows his partner is guilty of murdering his wife; two hustlers who throw a sadistic  and drug-infested party at the expense of their bound and unwilling host (believe it or not, it's <em>hilarious</em>); &quot;a girl who died from cum&quot;;  and two bike messengers whose fate is to join hundreds of other people in  a freak accident so hideous it boggles the mind. Almost all of them seem  to find some kind of manic deliverance in the most outlandish and horrific  of circumstances. In &quot;That World&quot; we creep down a tunnel into a child's escape from reality, witness more than one scene of surreal cannibalism in the service of sexual pleasure and/or artistic creation,  and participate with horror and awe in a religious rite in the final days of the human species. <p>  John Shirley visits some very strange places, but he always comes back  to tell of his adventures in a spare, unaffected voice. He can carry you  into the edgiest of human situations and bring you back giggling nervously.  Take the risk; go on a ride with him. <em>--Fiona Webster</em></p></p>]]>
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    <body><![CDATA[One of the more vile and creative books I've read.<br/>Definitely recommend it.]]></body>
    
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    <![CDATA[John Shirley, often cited as the first writer of cyberpunk, has been for some years a topnotch craftsman of horror fiction. Those familiar with his novel <em>Wetbones</em> and his short story  collections, <em>Heatseeker</em> and <em>New Noir</em>,  treasure his work for its antic humor, neon intensity, and oddly endearing descriptions of graphic horror. It's an indication of how unique Shirley is that reviewers have compared him to such varied writers as J.G. Ballard, William S. Burroughs, Anton Chekov, Philip K. Dick, Franz Kafka, William Kotzwinkle, Elmore Leonard, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and Tom Wolfe.<p>  <em>Black Butterflies</em> is in two parts: eight stories set in &quot;This  World&quot; (what we call reality) and eight stories set in &quot;That World&quot; (where the door swings open into the realm of the surreal, the supernatural). In &quot;This World&quot; we meet a middle-class white woman who turns a mugging by two  black youngsters into her chance to pursue glory as a criminal; a cop who  knows his partner is guilty of murdering his wife; two hustlers who throw a sadistic  and drug-infested party at the expense of their bound and unwilling host (believe it or not, it's <em>hilarious</em>); &quot;a girl who died from cum&quot;;  and two bike messengers whose fate is to join hundreds of other people in  a freak accident so hideous it boggles the mind. Almost all of them seem  to find some kind of manic deliverance in the most outlandish and horrific  of circumstances. In &quot;That World&quot; we creep down a tunnel into a child's escape from reality, witness more than one scene of surreal cannibalism in the service of sexual pleasure and/or artistic creation,  and participate with horror and awe in a religious rite in the final days of the human species. <p>  John Shirley visits some very strange places, but he always comes back  to tell of his adventures in a spare, unaffected voice. He can carry you  into the edgiest of human situations and bring you back giggling nervously.  Take the risk; go on a ride with him. <em>--Fiona Webster</em></p></p>]]>
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    <![CDATA[John Shirley, often cited as the first writer of cyberpunk, has been for some years a topnotch craftsman of horror fiction. Those familiar with his novel <em>Wetbones</em> and his short story  collections, <em>Heatseeker</em> and <em>New Noir</em>,  treasure his work for its antic humor, neon intensity, and oddly endearing descriptions of graphic horror. It's an indication of how unique Shirley is that reviewers have compared him to such varied writers as J.G. Ballard, William S. Burroughs, Anton Chekov, Philip K. Dick, Franz Kafka, William Kotzwinkle, Elmore Leonard, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and Tom Wolfe.<p>  <em>Black Butterflies</em> is in two parts: eight stories set in &quot;This  World&quot; (what we call reality) and eight stories set in &quot;That World&quot; (where the door swings open into the realm of the surreal, the supernatural). In &quot;This World&quot; we meet a middle-class white woman who turns a mugging by two  black youngsters into her chance to pursue glory as a criminal; a cop who  knows his partner is guilty of murdering his wife; two hustlers who throw a sadistic  and drug-infested party at the expense of their bound and unwilling host (believe it or not, it's <em>hilarious</em>); &quot;a girl who died from cum&quot;;  and two bike messengers whose fate is to join hundreds of other people in  a freak accident so hideous it boggles the mind. Almost all of them seem  to find some kind of manic deliverance in the most outlandish and horrific  of circumstances. In &quot;That World&quot; we creep down a tunnel into a child's escape from reality, witness more than one scene of surreal cannibalism in the service of sexual pleasure and/or artistic creation,  and participate with horror and awe in a religious rite in the final days of the human species. <p>  John Shirley visits some very strange places, but he always comes back  to tell of his adventures in a spare, unaffected voice. He can carry you  into the edgiest of human situations and bring you back giggling nervously.  Take the risk; go on a ride with him. <em>--Fiona Webster</em></p></p>]]>
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    <![CDATA[John Shirley, often cited as the first writer of cyberpunk, has been for some years a topnotch craftsman of horror fiction. Those familiar with his novel <em>Wetbones</em> and his short story  collections, <em>Heatseeker</em> and <em>New Noir</em>,  treasure his work for its antic humor, neon intensity, and oddly endearing descriptions of graphic horror. It's an indication of how unique Shirley is that reviewers have compared him to such varied writers as J.G. Ballard, William S. Burroughs, Anton Chekov, Philip K. Dick, Franz Kafka, William Kotzwinkle, Elmore Leonard, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and Tom Wolfe.<p>  <em>Black Butterflies</em> is in two parts: eight stories set in &quot;This  World&quot; (what we call reality) and eight stories set in &quot;That World&quot; (where the door swings open into the realm of the surreal, the supernatural). In &quot;This World&quot; we meet a middle-class white woman who turns a mugging by two  black youngsters into her chance to pursue glory as a criminal; a cop who  knows his partner is guilty of murdering his wife; two hustlers who throw a sadistic  and drug-infested party at the expense of their bound and unwilling host (believe it or not, it's <em>hilarious</em>); &quot;a girl who died from cum&quot;;  and two bike messengers whose fate is to join hundreds of other people in  a freak accident so hideous it boggles the mind. Almost all of them seem  to find some kind of manic deliverance in the most outlandish and horrific  of circumstances. In &quot;That World&quot; we creep down a tunnel into a child's escape from reality, witness more than one scene of surreal cannibalism in the service of sexual pleasure and/or artistic creation,  and participate with horror and awe in a religious rite in the final days of the human species. <p>  John Shirley visits some very strange places, but he always comes back  to tell of his adventures in a spare, unaffected voice. He can carry you  into the edgiest of human situations and bring you back giggling nervously.  Take the risk; go on a ride with him. <em>--Fiona Webster</em></p></p>]]>
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    <![CDATA[John Shirley, often cited as the first writer of cyberpunk, has been for some years a topnotch craftsman of horror fiction. Those familiar with his novel <em>Wetbones</em> and his short story  collections, <em>Heatseeker</em> and <em>New Noir</em>,  treasure his work for its antic humor, neon intensity, and oddly endearing descriptions of graphic horror. It's an indication of how unique Shirley is that reviewers have compared him to such varied writers as J.G. Ballard, William S. Burroughs, Anton Chekov, Philip K. Dick, Franz Kafka, William Kotzwinkle, Elmore Leonard, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and Tom Wolfe.<p>  <em>Black Butterflies</em> is in two parts: eight stories set in &quot;This  World&quot; (what we call reality) and eight stories set in &quot;That World&quot; (where the door swings open into the realm of the surreal, the supernatural). In &quot;This World&quot; we meet a middle-class white woman who turns a mugging by two  black youngsters into her chance to pursue glory as a criminal; a cop who  knows his partner is guilty of murdering his wife; two hustlers who throw a sadistic  and drug-infested party at the expense of their bound and unwilling host (believe it or not, it's <em>hilarious</em>); &quot;a girl who died from cum&quot;;  and two bike messengers whose fate is to join hundreds of other people in  a freak accident so hideous it boggles the mind. Almost all of them seem  to find some kind of manic deliverance in the most outlandish and horrific  of circumstances. In &quot;That World&quot; we creep down a tunnel into a child's escape from reality, witness more than one scene of surreal cannibalism in the service of sexual pleasure and/or artistic creation,  and participate with horror and awe in a religious rite in the final days of the human species. <p>  John Shirley visits some very strange places, but he always comes back  to tell of his adventures in a spare, unaffected voice. He can carry you  into the edgiest of human situations and bring you back giggling nervously.  Take the risk; go on a ride with him. <em>--Fiona Webster</em></p></p>]]>
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    <![CDATA[John Shirley, often cited as the first writer of cyberpunk, has been for some years a topnotch craftsman of horror fiction. Those familiar with his novel <em>Wetbones</em> and his short story  collections, <em>Heatseeker</em> and <em>New Noir</em>,  treasure his work for its antic humor, neon intensity, and oddly endearing descriptions of graphic horror. It's an indication of how unique Shirley is that reviewers have compared him to such varied writers as J.G. Ballard, William S. Burroughs, Anton Chekov, Philip K. Dick, Franz Kafka, William Kotzwinkle, Elmore Leonard, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and Tom Wolfe.<p>  <em>Black Butterflies</em> is in two parts: eight stories set in &quot;This  World&quot; (what we call reality) and eight stories set in &quot;That World&quot; (where the door swings open into the realm of the surreal, the supernatural). In &quot;This World&quot; we meet a middle-class white woman who turns a mugging by two  black youngsters into her chance to pursue glory as a criminal; a cop who  knows his partner is guilty of murdering his wife; two hustlers who throw a sadistic  and drug-infested party at the expense of their bound and unwilling host (believe it or not, it's <em>hilarious</em>); &quot;a girl who died from cum&quot;;  and two bike messengers whose fate is to join hundreds of other people in  a freak accident so hideous it boggles the mind. Almost all of them seem  to find some kind of manic deliverance in the most outlandish and horrific  of circumstances. In &quot;That World&quot; we creep down a tunnel into a child's escape from reality, witness more than one scene of surreal cannibalism in the service of sexual pleasure and/or artistic creation,  and participate with horror and awe in a religious rite in the final days of the human species. <p>  John Shirley visits some very strange places, but he always comes back  to tell of his adventures in a spare, unaffected voice. He can carry you  into the edgiest of human situations and bring you back giggling nervously.  Take the risk; go on a ride with him. <em>--Fiona Webster</em></p></p>]]>
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    <![CDATA[Black Butterflies]]>
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    <![CDATA[John Shirley, often cited as the first writer of cyberpunk, has been for some years a topnotch craftsman of horror fiction. Those familiar with his novel <em>Wetbones</em> and his short story  collections, <em>Heatseeker</em> and <em>New Noir</em>,  treasure his work for its antic humor, neon intensity, and oddly endearing descriptions of graphic horror. It's an indication of how unique Shirley is that reviewers have compared him to such varied writers as J.G. Ballard, William S. Burroughs, Anton Chekov, Philip K. Dick, Franz Kafka, William Kotzwinkle, Elmore Leonard, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and Tom Wolfe.<p>  <em>Black Butterflies</em> is in two parts: eight stories set in &quot;This  World&quot; (what we call reality) and eight stories set in &quot;That World&quot; (where the door swings open into the realm of the surreal, the supernatural). In &quot;This World&quot; we meet a middle-class white woman who turns a mugging by two  black youngsters into her chance to pursue glory as a criminal; a cop who  knows his partner is guilty of murdering his wife; two hustlers who throw a sadistic  and drug-infested party at the expense of their bound and unwilling host (believe it or not, it's <em>hilarious</em>); &quot;a girl who died from cum&quot;;  and two bike messengers whose fate is to join hundreds of other people in  a freak accident so hideous it boggles the mind. Almost all of them seem  to find some kind of manic deliverance in the most outlandish and horrific  of circumstances. In &quot;That World&quot; we creep down a tunnel into a child's escape from reality, witness more than one scene of surreal cannibalism in the service of sexual pleasure and/or artistic creation,  and participate with horror and awe in a religious rite in the final days of the human species. <p>  John Shirley visits some very strange places, but he always comes back  to tell of his adventures in a spare, unaffected voice. He can carry you  into the edgiest of human situations and bring you back giggling nervously.  Take the risk; go on a ride with him. <em>--Fiona Webster</em></p></p>]]>
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    <![CDATA[John Shirley, often cited as the first writer of cyberpunk, has been for some years a topnotch craftsman of horror fiction. Those familiar with his novel <em>Wetbones</em> and his short story  collections, <em>Heatseeker</em> and <em>New Noir</em>,  treasure his work for its antic humor, neon intensity, and oddly endearing descriptions of graphic horror. It's an indication of how unique Shirley is that reviewers have compared him to such varied writers as J.G. Ballard, William S. Burroughs, Anton Chekov, Philip K. Dick, Franz Kafka, William Kotzwinkle, Elmore Leonard, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and Tom Wolfe.<p>  <em>Black Butterflies</em> is in two parts: eight stories set in &quot;This  World&quot; (what we call reality) and eight stories set in &quot;That World&quot; (where the door swings open into the realm of the surreal, the supernatural). In &quot;This World&quot; we meet a middle-class white woman who turns a mugging by two  black youngsters into her chance to pursue glory as a criminal; a cop who  knows his partner is guilty of murdering his wife; two hustlers who throw a sadistic  and drug-infested party at the expense of their bound and unwilling host (believe it or not, it's <em>hilarious</em>); &quot;a girl who died from cum&quot;;  and two bike messengers whose fate is to join hundreds of other people in  a freak accident so hideous it boggles the mind. Almost all of them seem  to find some kind of manic deliverance in the most outlandish and horrific  of circumstances. In &quot;That World&quot; we creep down a tunnel into a child's escape from reality, witness more than one scene of surreal cannibalism in the service of sexual pleasure and/or artistic creation,  and participate with horror and awe in a religious rite in the final days of the human species. <p>  John Shirley visits some very strange places, but he always comes back  to tell of his adventures in a spare, unaffected voice. He can carry you  into the edgiest of human situations and bring you back giggling nervously.  Take the risk; go on a ride with him. <em>--Fiona Webster</em></p></p>]]>
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