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Mangled Meat
No writer is more hardcore, offensive, or notorious than Edward Lee. His world is one of torture, bizarre fetishes, and alien autopsies. Prepare yourself, as these three novellas from the king of splatterspunk are guaranteed to make you gasp, gag, and laugh your ass off. The Decortication Technician What secrets do a crashed alien spaceship hold? One man and his surgical tools will find out. The Cyesolagniac A man with a pregnancy fetish meets the girl of his dreams-and his worst nightmares. Room 415 From his hotel room window, Flood will see his darkest desires become real.
108 pages, Paperback
First published July 26, 2011
11 people are currently reading
312 people want to read
About the author
Edward Lee
269 books1,456 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
Edward Lee is an American novelist specializing in the field of horror, and has authored 40 books, more than half of which have been published by mass-market New York paperback companies such as Leisure/Dorchester, Berkley, and Zebra/Kensington. He is a Bram Stoker award nominee for his story "Mr. Torso," and his short stories have appeared in over a dozen mass-market anthologies, including THE BEST AMERICAN MYSTERY STORIES OF 2000, Pocket's HOT BLOOD series, and the award-wining 999. Several of his novels have sold translation rights to Germany, Greece, and Romania. He also publishes quite actively in the small-press/limited-edition hardcover market; many of his books in this category have become collector's items. While a number of Lee's projects have been optioned for film, only one has been made, HEADER, which was released on DVD to mixed reviews in June, 2009, by Synapse Films.
Lee is particularly known for over-the-top occult concepts and an accelerated treatment of erotic and/or morbid sexual imagery and visceral violence.
He was born on May 25, 1957 in Washington, D.C., and grew up in Bowie, Maryland. In the late-70s he served in the U.S. Army's 1st Armored Division, in Erlangen, West Germany, then, for a short time, was a municipal police officer in Cottage City, Maryland. Lee also attended the University of Maryland as an English major but quit in his last semester to pursue his dream of being a horror novelist. For over 15 years, he worked as the night manager for a security company in Annapolis, Maryland, while writing in his spare time. In 1997, however, he became a full-time writer, first spending several years in Seattle and then moving to St. Pete Beach, Florida, where he currently resides.
Of note, the author cites as his strongest influence horror legend H. P. Lovecraft; in 2007, Lee embarked on what he calls his "Lovecraft kick" and wrote a spate of novels and novellas which tribute Lovecraft and his famous Cthulhu Mythos. Among these projects are THE INNSWICH HORROR, "Trolley No. 1852," HAUNTER OF THE THRESHOLD, GOING MONSTERING, "Pages Torn From A Travel Journal," and "You Are My Everything." Lee promises more Lovecraftian work on the horizon.
Edward Lee is an American novelist specializing in the field of horror, and has authored 40 books, more than half of which have been published by mass-market New York paperback companies such as Leisure/Dorchester, Berkley, and Zebra/Kensington. He is a Bram Stoker award nominee for his story "Mr. Torso," and his short stories have appeared in over a dozen mass-market anthologies, including THE BEST AMERICAN MYSTERY STORIES OF 2000, Pocket's HOT BLOOD series, and the award-wining 999. Several of his novels have sold translation rights to Germany, Greece, and Romania. He also publishes quite actively in the small-press/limited-edition hardcover market; many of his books in this category have become collector's items. While a number of Lee's projects have been optioned for film, only one has been made, HEADER, which was released on DVD to mixed reviews in June, 2009, by Synapse Films.
Lee is particularly known for over-the-top occult concepts and an accelerated treatment of erotic and/or morbid sexual imagery and visceral violence.
He was born on May 25, 1957 in Washington, D.C., and grew up in Bowie, Maryland. In the late-70s he served in the U.S. Army's 1st Armored Division, in Erlangen, West Germany, then, for a short time, was a municipal police officer in Cottage City, Maryland. Lee also attended the University of Maryland as an English major but quit in his last semester to pursue his dream of being a horror novelist. For over 15 years, he worked as the night manager for a security company in Annapolis, Maryland, while writing in his spare time. In 1997, however, he became a full-time writer, first spending several years in Seattle and then moving to St. Pete Beach, Florida, where he currently resides.
Of note, the author cites as his strongest influence horror legend H. P. Lovecraft; in 2007, Lee embarked on what he calls his "Lovecraft kick" and wrote a spate of novels and novellas which tribute Lovecraft and his famous Cthulhu Mythos. Among these projects are THE INNSWICH HORROR, "Trolley No. 1852," HAUNTER OF THE THRESHOLD, GOING MONSTERING, "Pages Torn From A Travel Journal," and "You Are My Everything." Lee promises more Lovecraftian work on the horizon.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
September 8, 2025
From brand new things found in space, to a glorified peeping tom this book had a really fun variety.
The story I liked the most was the last one of course titled Room 415, A man who literally can’t cum or get hard without thinking of his ex wife and loosing all his momentum, finds a crack in the curtains that he can look into a hotel room on the floor under him. When he sees what is happening in that room it’s the first time he was able to cum. Considering it was something for a lack of better word “ uncouth” he starts to feel really weird about things, and overly interested.
This was a really fun collection!!
The story I liked the most was the last one of course titled Room 415, A man who literally can’t cum or get hard without thinking of his ex wife and loosing all his momentum, finds a crack in the curtains that he can look into a hotel room on the floor under him. When he sees what is happening in that room it’s the first time he was able to cum. Considering it was something for a lack of better word “ uncouth” he starts to feel really weird about things, and overly interested.
This was a really fun collection!!
January 6, 2014
Mangled Meat is a flesh / meat / mind kicking flavored novella containing three short stories from Edward Lee who is pretty much synonymous with gut churning literature and believe me, in his hands it can go anywhere and beyond that as well... that’s why we love him so much right, for his bravery to take it out there. He reminds me Richard Laymon; one of THE horror’s greatest and greatly missed since he’s no longer with us.
Story #1 - I adore his stuff but that said the first story, The Decortication Technician did nothing for me, I would have omitted it from this book entirely and still had a good read with the rest, it made me curious with nothing really in the end, perhaps a future re-read will give me insight but for now it’s a zero! It was so space-agey that it had no soul and without a soul to tarnish how can it seduce? I love math and science as any deep geek but this was a leftover rain puddle story wise, missed its mark in my opinion. This was about an alien discovery and uncovering its secrets layer by layer, trying to blast through its armored suit, but it was all wait and no honey, an empty tree hole from Lee, boo!
Story #2 - The Cyesolagniac deals with a guy who is very sharp and clever but has a fetish for pregnant chicks, he doesn’t mean any harm but his hot evening doesn’t quite turn out as he thought…The name itself is meant to twist the reader before he / she even gets to the meat, seriously Lee, you want me to get all hot and bothered by some Bermuda Triangle spelling bee style here? lol… that’s what this feels like, but the tale had a snap to it, I was sort of squeamish before anything even happened since it’s a very delicate topic but the end gave the guy a kick. Well done, very tricky!
#3 is Room 415 is like Rear Window with heavy smut style, a guy witnesses a rather weird exchange between a very sexy woman and some men across from his window and realizes that he has came across something dark and extremely perverse yet he can’t stand to look away or help for the woman by calling for help… her well being is 2nd on his mind and way beyond the intense cloud he’s caught in, a real conscience stirrer for someone bad like the guy watching who needs a lot of help for what gives him release. Soon he’s caught up in something that he can’t control and abandon because his pleasure is too dependent on it.
This was a cool little batch of stories about humans or rather what we are once churned through the word grinder; flesh, meat, protein, electricity with our conscience as it makes the game higher when you mess with it, this wasn’t perfect because the first story was so alien but these are all very well written, I think that’s the beauty of Lee’s work, he is such a craftsman, so clear and immaculate in the delivery, he has a real gift when it comes to writing books and his stuff is pretty bad in a good way :P Not perfect but still a fun read and a nice addition to my horror library.
- Kasia S.
Story #1 - I adore his stuff but that said the first story, The Decortication Technician did nothing for me, I would have omitted it from this book entirely and still had a good read with the rest, it made me curious with nothing really in the end, perhaps a future re-read will give me insight but for now it’s a zero! It was so space-agey that it had no soul and without a soul to tarnish how can it seduce? I love math and science as any deep geek but this was a leftover rain puddle story wise, missed its mark in my opinion. This was about an alien discovery and uncovering its secrets layer by layer, trying to blast through its armored suit, but it was all wait and no honey, an empty tree hole from Lee, boo!
Story #2 - The Cyesolagniac deals with a guy who is very sharp and clever but has a fetish for pregnant chicks, he doesn’t mean any harm but his hot evening doesn’t quite turn out as he thought…The name itself is meant to twist the reader before he / she even gets to the meat, seriously Lee, you want me to get all hot and bothered by some Bermuda Triangle spelling bee style here? lol… that’s what this feels like, but the tale had a snap to it, I was sort of squeamish before anything even happened since it’s a very delicate topic but the end gave the guy a kick. Well done, very tricky!
#3 is Room 415 is like Rear Window with heavy smut style, a guy witnesses a rather weird exchange between a very sexy woman and some men across from his window and realizes that he has came across something dark and extremely perverse yet he can’t stand to look away or help for the woman by calling for help… her well being is 2nd on his mind and way beyond the intense cloud he’s caught in, a real conscience stirrer for someone bad like the guy watching who needs a lot of help for what gives him release. Soon he’s caught up in something that he can’t control and abandon because his pleasure is too dependent on it.
This was a cool little batch of stories about humans or rather what we are once churned through the word grinder; flesh, meat, protein, electricity with our conscience as it makes the game higher when you mess with it, this wasn’t perfect because the first story was so alien but these are all very well written, I think that’s the beauty of Lee’s work, he is such a craftsman, so clear and immaculate in the delivery, he has a real gift when it comes to writing books and his stuff is pretty bad in a good way :P Not perfect but still a fun read and a nice addition to my horror library.
- Kasia S.
October 18, 2012
I'm a huge fan of Edward Lee and if you aren't, this may not be the book for you. While the first story is tame by his standards and seems more mainstream, the next two in here are far from it. Is it wrong that I liked them? Maybe, but what do I care. I know what I am getting into when I read his work and look forward to how far he will push the boundaries.
May 14, 2024
Edward Lee is an author who has written over 50 books throughout his career, mostly all related to horror in some way shape, or form. He's written horror stories about government conspiracies, demons, aliens, and sexual deviants. He's an author who always surprises me despite how many books he's written. I don't always like his stories, but 8 times out of ten they're a lot of fun. I'm currently going through his collections at the minute and so far Carnal Surgery is my favorite from him.
The Decortication Technician:
Out in deep space, a group of military thugs and a Decortication Technician by the name of Dug Jonsin have come across a genuine UFO. Despite humanity having established 50 colonies throughout the known cosmos, they still have yet to establish contact with alien life that aren't insects, and it seems with this UFO they might finally have found something. But in discovering this ship, they might have set off a chain of events that may have dire consequences.
Edward Lee has written a neat science fiction story about a guy who performs autopsies on aliens. It's nothing amazing in the grand scheme of things. But its ending does heavily imply that it might very well be a prequel of sorts to 'In the Year of Our Lord: 2202' and I kid you not, I was absolutely delighted with this revelation, not only because it's one of my favorite novellas from this author, but the first story I'd ever read from him. 8/10
The Cyesolagniac:
Heyton is a businessman who has always had a bizarre kink for pregnant women, nothing else can get him off. However, when he picks up a pregnant prostitute after successfully making a mind-blowing deal, it isn't long before his life takes a turn for the worst. After all, people are never what they seem.
Edward Lee has written a cautionary tale that is tense, tragic, and shocking. While it does deal with another of his main protagonists having a bizarre fetish, it's by no means a particularly harmful one, but the trouble it does get him is both terrifying and depressing. It's a grim story about why you shouldn't trust people you don't know and the ending is brutal. 9/10
Room 415:
Flood is staying at a hotel for a convention to help advertise a business he works for. But when he sees a young woman being brutally beaten by a pair of pimps in another hotel room outside of his window, he soon realizes his life is about to change forever. He hasn't been the same since his ex-wife divorced him, but perhaps he's found a solution at long last.
Edward Lee has written a story about a depressed man who can't get his rocks off since the love of his life cheated on him with multiple men before divorcing him. But then he discovers a kink for pain and humiliation. It's a grim little novella about the harsh reality some sex workers face when walking the streets, it's a sad tale with horrifying moments of violence and abuse. A well-written story but not a comfortable one and it's ending... damn! 8.5/10
Overall: 25.5/30
The Decortication Technician:
Out in deep space, a group of military thugs and a Decortication Technician by the name of Dug Jonsin have come across a genuine UFO. Despite humanity having established 50 colonies throughout the known cosmos, they still have yet to establish contact with alien life that aren't insects, and it seems with this UFO they might finally have found something. But in discovering this ship, they might have set off a chain of events that may have dire consequences.
Edward Lee has written a neat science fiction story about a guy who performs autopsies on aliens. It's nothing amazing in the grand scheme of things. But its ending does heavily imply that it might very well be a prequel of sorts to 'In the Year of Our Lord: 2202' and I kid you not, I was absolutely delighted with this revelation, not only because it's one of my favorite novellas from this author, but the first story I'd ever read from him. 8/10
The Cyesolagniac:
Heyton is a businessman who has always had a bizarre kink for pregnant women, nothing else can get him off. However, when he picks up a pregnant prostitute after successfully making a mind-blowing deal, it isn't long before his life takes a turn for the worst. After all, people are never what they seem.
Edward Lee has written a cautionary tale that is tense, tragic, and shocking. While it does deal with another of his main protagonists having a bizarre fetish, it's by no means a particularly harmful one, but the trouble it does get him is both terrifying and depressing. It's a grim story about why you shouldn't trust people you don't know and the ending is brutal. 9/10
Room 415:
Flood is staying at a hotel for a convention to help advertise a business he works for. But when he sees a young woman being brutally beaten by a pair of pimps in another hotel room outside of his window, he soon realizes his life is about to change forever. He hasn't been the same since his ex-wife divorced him, but perhaps he's found a solution at long last.
Edward Lee has written a story about a depressed man who can't get his rocks off since the love of his life cheated on him with multiple men before divorcing him. But then he discovers a kink for pain and humiliation. It's a grim little novella about the harsh reality some sex workers face when walking the streets, it's a sad tale with horrifying moments of violence and abuse. A well-written story but not a comfortable one and it's ending... damn! 8.5/10
Overall: 25.5/30
December 18, 2023
Cyesolagniac - the hotel smelt like a porn palor, cockroaches chittered in the bathroom with fungus everywhere, heyton liked fleabag hotels because that meant fleabag whores and Heyton liked that. Heyton was a cyesolagniac, he loved fucking pregnant women. The only thing that got him off. He carried magazines with these women portrayed. He would patrol the sleazy whore lanes but pregnant ones were hard to find. He loved them as far along as possible, just before they popped. He would pick one up, an absolute stunner, Heyton was so happy. Things turn quickly, he is drugged, money stolen, and when he goes to use the toilet, floating is a dead baby. Zero to a hundred, panic sets in, he disposes the baby and his life changes as the police start asking questions.
Room 415 - Flood has some problems since his divorce 3 years prior. He can't keep it up and blow his load, just before he comes his wifes vision is in his head as he becomes smaller than flaccid. He witnesses an assault in a hotel room across from where he is staying. He gets excited, the assault made him feel something, feel alive, he should have rung the cops but his pleasure was more important. He felt cured. Another girl has her breast implants stabbed with an ice pick, red tinted saline dripping, the bags of fun now pooped bags of skin. He now feels like an unredeeming piece of shit. He couldn't ring the cops. But maybe he could get pleasure and make his wife disappear.
Room 415 - Flood has some problems since his divorce 3 years prior. He can't keep it up and blow his load, just before he comes his wifes vision is in his head as he becomes smaller than flaccid. He witnesses an assault in a hotel room across from where he is staying. He gets excited, the assault made him feel something, feel alive, he should have rung the cops but his pleasure was more important. He felt cured. Another girl has her breast implants stabbed with an ice pick, red tinted saline dripping, the bags of fun now pooped bags of skin. He now feels like an unredeeming piece of shit. He couldn't ring the cops. But maybe he could get pleasure and make his wife disappear.
May 1, 2013
first off don't be deceived into buying this thinking you are getting three novels. I was pretty pissed of when my three novels turned out to be three short stories, but I'm not rating it based on the price though. coming from a huge edward lee fan this book sucked. room 415 was the only decent story of the three, the other two stories are barely even stories at all and if I even told you what they where about I would be giving full spoilers. as far as plot, climax, resolution, and all those other important things that are needed in a story go's they have the equivalent of a drunken gross out story. here is an example "I was so drunk last night I puked in my lap and then I saw this piece of unchewed pizza that still had the cheese and pepperoni and everything on it so I ate it" the end. add about 15 pages of detail about what the vomit smelled like and I guarantee it would be a better story than the first one in this collection was.
April 3, 2012
1.5 Stars
I really wanted to stamp 5 stars on this just because it's Edward and the cover is awesome, but I cannot in good conscience praise this read for it was unworthy of my hard earned money. It kills me to say this, but the first story (if you can call it that) sucked big space balls. Story 2 was decent, but made me questions my own reading tastes. Finally, story 3 made me think I might need a therapist just from reading it. What a way to get your jollies off. Borrow it. Not worth S+H.
I really wanted to stamp 5 stars on this just because it's Edward and the cover is awesome, but I cannot in good conscience praise this read for it was unworthy of my hard earned money. It kills me to say this, but the first story (if you can call it that) sucked big space balls. Story 2 was decent, but made me questions my own reading tastes. Finally, story 3 made me think I might need a therapist just from reading it. What a way to get your jollies off. Borrow it. Not worth S+H.
May 24, 2014
I read Edward Lee to be shocked....shocked like in "The Stick Woman". While the stories are not bad, I found them tame. Room 415 came the closest to the shock value I was looking for. If you've never read him before and have no expectations, give the book a try.
October 8, 2015
As like some of the other reviews the first story was a bit poor, the second better and the third my favourite. I wasn't especially grossed out by any of the stories but i'm sure that says more about me than them. The last two were well thought out and didn't go/end as expected, which I like.
October 13, 2011
Good book! I didn't really like The Decortication Technician, but The Cyesolaniac and Room 415 were classic Lee!
December 29, 2016
The Decortication Technician: A weird sci-fi entry from Lee. This is the second sci-fi story I have read by him and they both have a similar theme, which I won't spoil here.
The Cyesolagniac: First of all, I learned a new word, which is funny given that my wife is pregnant. Second I enjoyed this story. A good twist ending tail.
Room 415: This story shared the travelling salesman angle with the previous tale. It also shared the prostitutes. Seems almost like a companion piece. The outcome is completely different and gruesome.
I love the title of this small collection but it could not apply less. Kudos to Deadite press for sucking you in with the title and cover, but come on, shouldn't they at least apply?
The Cyesolagniac: First of all, I learned a new word, which is funny given that my wife is pregnant. Second I enjoyed this story. A good twist ending tail.
Room 415: This story shared the travelling salesman angle with the previous tale. It also shared the prostitutes. Seems almost like a companion piece. The outcome is completely different and gruesome.
I love the title of this small collection but it could not apply less. Kudos to Deadite press for sucking you in with the title and cover, but come on, shouldn't they at least apply?
January 17, 2022
Excellent
I adore Edward Lee, his work always amazes me. This book of 3 shorts is no exception. My favourite has to be the final story. I was reading it in bed after I'd taken some meds and once I'd started I was on the verge of sleep. I was so into the story I forced myself awake to read til the end. It has it all, brutality, sex, intrigue an that twist that you know is going to happen, but are still in awe of. Mr Lee has an amazing extreme way of telling a story that just hits you right. I definitely recommend and look forward to reading more of his work if I can find any that I've not read yet.
I adore Edward Lee, his work always amazes me. This book of 3 shorts is no exception. My favourite has to be the final story. I was reading it in bed after I'd taken some meds and once I'd started I was on the verge of sleep. I was so into the story I forced myself awake to read til the end. It has it all, brutality, sex, intrigue an that twist that you know is going to happen, but are still in awe of. Mr Lee has an amazing extreme way of telling a story that just hits you right. I definitely recommend and look forward to reading more of his work if I can find any that I've not read yet.
June 12, 2021
first time reading Edward Lee and gotta say i am very disappointed. these stories were not what i was expecting and just did nothing for me. writing was better than expected at times but also needed better editing, the spelling and punctuation errors got quickly annoying. as for the content i don’t have much to say other than B O R I N G
if Lee is supposed to be this master of gross-out horror/splatter punk i would seriously hate to read those who aren’t considered greats. nothing of value here whatsoever
if Lee is supposed to be this master of gross-out horror/splatter punk i would seriously hate to read those who aren’t considered greats. nothing of value here whatsoever
March 22, 2019
Interesting mix from Edward Lee. The first story is surprisingly tame for him. Established fans might find it too tame. New readers may be lured into a false sense of security. Either way, it is a nice lead up to the other two stories in the collection, which are more in line with Lee's usual.
September 10, 2020
Eh, definitely not my favorite Lee stories. They seemed kind of bland and quite tame for him. Nothing really stuck out as shocking or scary at all. Usually I count on at least something disgusting, but not in this short collection. Luckily it was short, the deadite version was only 108 pages.
November 28, 2019
2 of the stories I really enjoyed.
November 27, 2022
A slightly nasty (by Lee's standards) but entertaining little book.
March 17, 2023
The first story was a short sci-fi. Did not enjoy that one. But the other two stories were excellent 👌
January 30, 2024
Right in between 3.5. The alien story is horribly bad. The other two rule.
July 10, 2014
I like Edward Lee most of the time, although sometimes he's a little too stomach churning for me. These three stories are not as graphic as some of his, except for the middle one, about a pregnant prostitute (?) Who manages to destroy the life of a man struggling with a perverse attraction towards pregnant women. (Sexual perversion is a common theme in Edward Lee's works). The first story had a very interesting setting, (the far future, on a starship) but I was disappointed in the ending – for one thing it was predictable, for another it left the ending too open, without really resolving much – I thought the idea itself was not that good. I mean, Jesus is an alien? Seriously. My favorite was the third story – it really drew me in and was very suspenseful. It was unpredictable, and I like the ending. It was definitely one of Lee's best stories that I've ever read by him. The other two were not as good, but the third one was so good that I'm giving this book 4 stars even though the other stores would be maybe two stars and three stars, respectively
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 25, 2012
Edward Lee is one of the modern day masters of hardcore horror writing and this collection of three short stories is perfect is you like your horror books to be a bit on the strong side.[return][return]Within this collection is three short stories which all vary so you'll never get bored and want to put the book down, it's a real page turner - and it even features Lee delving into the realms of sci-fi. Whilst I don't want to give away the contents of the stories as that would only ruin the surprises within; it has enough gore for hardcore fans and the stories are varied enough.[return][return]This is a worthy addition to any horror collection, even if you are new to Edward lee's work, you won't be disappointed.
March 21, 2013
Awesome coolio wicked good!!!
August 1, 2014
Disappointed.
January 9, 2015
Da fuck did i just read? -______-
October 24, 2011
Another great Deadite Release
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews