The Flesh Inherent

by Perry Meester

On a hot summer night, something enormous screams down from the sky and pierces into the desert not far from the small town of Farchapel. The stories that trickle back from the crater are strange indeed—those who find it and return claim to be forever changed, transformed into the better, ideal versions of themselves they've always wished to achieve.

Jamie, recent mysterious visitor in town, is a man on the run, all too eager to escape his current form no matter the cost. Sidney, local drunk, would rather face a hole in the ground than the things he’s done. As the two men venture into the desert canyons in search of their better selves, they soon discover that what hides there is much more terrible—and eager to lure them in.

Genres: Horror, M M Romance

118 pages, Paperback

Published September 10, 2024

Reviews

[ancientreader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Somewhere in the western US territories, at some point in what seems to be the 19th century, something falls out of the sky. Those who go to investigate mostly don't come back, or if they do they come back changed. Their horses come back, traumatized and screaming ceaselessly. And then two men, Jamie and Sidney, each for his own reasons desperate to be changed -- desperate enough to risk whatever is going on out there -- decide independently to go find that something.

I'm hesitating over what to say next. On the one hand The Flesh Inherent is original and strange, always a plus, and the changes in Jamie and Sidney aren't the ones they hope for but are satisfying in a way the hoped-for ones might not have been. On the other hand, there's a great gaping "But what about ...?" at the end. The alien spaceship/lab thing seems to be intact; doesn't that imply that more people will be killed and/or replaced by the invaders? I don't demand completely tidy resolutions from my fiction, but it seems like the local people should at least get a heads-up.

I also had trouble believing that either Jamie or Sidney would have had much interest in sex under the circumstances in which they find themselves -- the viscera would have been off-putting, surely? And, very trivially but it's the kind of thing jolts readers right out of a historical novel: Ms. Lillie, in what seems to be the 19th century? Nope.

So I can't quite bring this up to 4 stars, but Perry Meester can write and I want to see what he does next (hopefully with stronger editing). Thanks to the author and BookSirens for the ARC.

ETA: I don't have an "animal death" tag, but take this as a content note.

[Janet (iamltr) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't sure at first if this book was going to work for me. It was not the subject matter, it was the way it was written. But once I got into the story, I was able to go with it. It is a bit clunky and could be smoother, just as a heads up.

Anyways, this is about Jamie and Sidney. Two fellas who were lost and found each other in the most odd way.

First off, this is not really all that scary. It is a little gory, but not too much. I think it could have been a heck of a lot darker. Think of it as PG horror.

Second off, the twist at the end of what they were fighting and how they escaped really was written well. There was a bit of a head jump, but I think that was more or less done so that you could understand that this was happening at the same time.

Third off, I really did like the relationship between these two. I really wish it went deeper into that side before the end, but alas, it did not. I love me some romance in my horror.

Fourthly, I want some more details about the uh, bad guys? at the end. I am not going into details to not spoil it, but man do I want to know the how, when, why, and all that.

To sum it all up, this was a good story that had smidges of romance, lost men, overcoming the terrible thoughts one has about yourself, fighting against yourself and emerging as a better person.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, this is an incredible debut science fiction horror novella. It is so hard to review this without giving spoilers because my favorite things about the book are revealed over time. But I will say that the voice and characterizations of the two the main characters speak to you. The way you feel you are hearing the tale told to you around a campfire out west makes you not want to put the story down.

I wasn’t overly scared while reading it, but the suspense had me on the edge of my seat.

The gore is just the right amount and it is heavily balanced by strong emotions from Jaime and Sydney. I was surprised how much I was rooting for both characters by the end of the book.

I read this novella in one day!

Perfect for fans of:
- science fiction horror
- western scifi
- vivid descriptions
- can’t put down plot pacing (it all takes place over a few days time)
- T. Kingfisher style fantasy horror (I know this book is scifi but if you’ve read some of her work and you read this, you’ll understand) maybe fantastical horror is more the right term?

Thank you to Ghoulish Books and Book Sirens for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

[Milt Theo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent queer sci-fi horror in a Western setting! The writing and the imagery are both stunning; I'd never heard of this author before, and his approach to the feelings of his two main characters took me by surprise! The subtlety and the nuance of his prose is uncanny. The story itself touches on themes of queer identity, social acceptance, the queer body and its self-understanding, in several original and exciting ways: some wonderful nods to The Thing and Brokeback Mountain, a grand thematic questioning driving much of the plot (is the flesh inherently sinful?), the unexpectedly messy involvement of the bodily into the narrative, and the manner in which gore is structurally bound to the story - all of these make 'The Flesh Inherent' a majestic horror adventure into queer attraction and desire!

[Shrike · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Flesh Inherent has promising horror and speculative fiction concepts but could benefit from some revisions.

My most pressing concern is the writing. I find it difficult to follow alternating POV between paragraphs, especially during action sequences. At one point the perspective changes from third to second person. The overall effect is jarring.

As a trans man...I do not love how this book introduces  transmasculinity. I'm being vague to avoid spoilers, but one particular bit of dialogue really rubs me the wrong way. It could just be a me-problem, but I'm curious if anyone else feels similarly.

In terms of character development, I don't feel like I know the main characters very well. I would like to see them fleshed out so I can better understand their motivations and chemistry.

Although this book was not for me, I really appreciate the chance to check the ARC out for free. I hope these comments are helpful. I'm leaving this review of my own accord. 

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

****Thank you to Book Sirens for an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own though!****

It's not the horrors at the end of the trail, but the queerness you find along the way. ❤

First and foremost, I am not a sci-fi or western gal, but make it queer and I'll give it a shot! I was very pleasantly surprised by this short novel. I *loved* the MCs and how we learned more and more about them throughout the story. The pacing was great and the author was able to paint such a vivid image with so few sentences!

Also, this story is one of those that jumps from POV to POV without breaks or just between chapters, which I usually hate and can't fully keep up with, but the author did it so smoothly in this one that I didn't mind it one bit!

If you love sci-fi, gay 'cowboys', and the Old West, be sure to give this one a shot!

[Josh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

What price are you willing to pay to become the better version of yourself that you always dreamed of?

The Flesh Inherent was a fantastic debut read. It was equal parts queer, spooky, western and most surprising of all, hopeful. It looks at wants and desires, along with the high prices to pay to achieve these seemingly unreachable goals. I thought the pacing was handled perfectly, as Novella it can be tough to tell the story the writer wants with the limiting page count but Perry Meester does not waste a single word and tells a complete and very engaging story. I am very keen to check out future works by this author.

[Balthazarinblue]

DNF @ 75%

I love the cover art and the concept behind this book but the writing didn't click for me. I found some sections confusing, when the perspective switched and it wasn't entirely clear whose POV the action was happening from.

[Nichole · Rating 5 out of 5]

A little YEEE-HAW Mixed with aliens! Once I started I couldn’t put down; Jamie and Sidney’s development through such a short book was well done 🤌🏼

[Maryann Kafka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Farchapel is a small western town, where nothing exciting ever happens.

On August 5th, three odd events took place and something that fell from the sky disturbed this little town.

A curiosity grew amongst Farchapel’s towns people, three of the sheriffs men were sent to investigate. One of these men was the Sheriff’s son. The men headed out and rode East toward the canyon. The next three days, there’s still an oddness taking place. Three days later, the Sheriff’s son, walked back into town, alone. He looked and acted as if nothing happened. He had no voice to answer questions or explain. He then writes his father a letter and the only other person he mentions is Ms. Lillie, who works at the general store. The next morning he left town and headed north.

A rescue party is sent for the missing men. The only thing that they find are the men’s horses, still saddled and unharmed. But the horses are: panicked, fearful, uncontrollable and there’s only one thing that can give them peace.

When old Mrs. Marshe goes missing, on the second day she returns, well and unharmed but she has a peculiar message. The message will become rumor.
As the strangeness continues the Sheriff lays down the law, that no one is to enter the canyon.

Eight days later, two men come from opposite directions of Farchapel. Their paths cross as they both journey towards the canyon. Jamie Summers and his palomino will leave the B&B where he’s been staying. He’s a lonely man and he felt invisible to all people. No one will accept him for what he is. He has a secret and it’s why he needs to make this journey to the canyon.

Sydney Pace, is labeled a gunslinger and known for being trouble for the small town. He’s not proud of what he’s done and lives in a bottle. Traveling on his feisty horse Roscoe, he’ll go into the canyon looking for change or the end.

Both Jamie and Sydney don’t realize they have something in common. As they make it into the canyon they discover the unbelievable. Although they help each other, they do not see eye to eye and it leads to a brawling fist fight. They don’t trust each other no mater what the Thing is that they discover.

What are these two men chasing: a dream, a miracle, a legend or the want of things they shouldn’t have? Will Sydney and Jamie find a way to help each other? Will they survive what they find or die trying?

Perry Meester creates a very scary tale of terror and gore with “The Flesh Inherent”. The story surrounds a Piton, carvings, creepy beings and secrets. The story is clearly written, an easy read, with a variety of action, twisted dream sequences and with the horror it’s a definite page turner. It's very on the edge suspenseful and terrifying.

The author creates two characters that are likable: Jamie Summers and Sydney Pace. Both come to this tale with their own problems and want to find ways to make amends. They think this strange occurrence in the canyon will help them solve their issues. Or is it what they find in each other that makes the difference? I chose to not say too much because I don't want to give the scares and secrets away. The tale will leave readers wondering, just what is the Thing.

High potential for “The Flesh Inherent” by Perry Meester. I believe this is a debut book and the author does fantastic with this somewhat romantic, gory, western horror. I would be interested to see what other stories Perry Meester has to offer.

[Chris Bissette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a review copy of this novella via BookSirens.

I only heard about this book because I saw another author I follow talking about it on Bluesky, thus proving that the best marketing your book can possibly have is other people talking about how good it is.

"Weird west horror" is a genre that I absolutely love aesthetically but that I haven't read much of, and the same goes for science-fantasy, so this scratched a very specific itch for me. I didn't know what to expect at all going into it - I'm unfamiliar with Meester's writing and with the word that Ghoulish Books publish - but I was hooked immediately.

Meester's prose is mostly solid. At its best it's incredibly confident and evocative, doing a lot in a very short space of time. The stark, violent world we're presented with feels alive and real, the horrors crawling out of the crater in the night feel genuinely alien and unsettling, and the violence hits hard and fast. We're dropped into an ongoing situation and given no idea what's going on initially but it doesn't matter, as Meester drip feeds us exactly what we need to know when we know it with not a word wasted.

Where it falters is in the character work; I sometimes struggled to figure out whether we were in Jamie or Sidney's head, though that had more to do with some clumsy jumping between viewpoints in a couple of the action scenes rather than anything else.

What really shines here is Meester's portrayal of the messiness of queer relationships. Any story about queer relationships in a western setting is obviously going to draw comparisons to Annie Proulx but I think it's apt here, specifically in the way that sex is portrayed on the page. The sex scenes have the same urgent, aggressive intimacy as the earlier scenes of violence. That's something that I've always admired about Proulx's writing, and it's some of the strongest work in The Flesh Inherent, too.

This is a really solid debut novella, and I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for more of Meester's writing in the future.

[Eliza · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finally got around to reading this, I've had it in my TBR list for a while. I used to know Perry from a former job, and I think it is so cool that he has published his first book!!

This isn't the genre that I would typically read, I'm not a huge fan of gore or body horror. I'm just now getting around to enjoying some horror movies, but those elements are still not typically things I enjoy. However, I feel like it was totally fine reading it. I still felt like it was descriptive enough that I could imagine what was going on when there was some sort of physical altercation, especially with the humanoid creature things and what it looked like when they got injured.

Keeping in mind that this is only about 110 pages, I felt like things were paced extremely well and kept me interested. I would have loved to see Sidney and Jamie have more time to develop a sort of friendship/romance/partnership but since the book is shorter, there wasn't really space for that without making it a longer book. My biggest criticism of this book is that I just could not buy that they would be interested in any sort of sex during the time that it occurred. I am pretty sure they were surrounded by a ton of death and rot and physically gross with blood and other things. I just don't feel like that made a lot of sense.

I really liked the themes here with the LGBTQA+ community and how it was portrayed. I thought that it added a really compelling layer to the story and just was done so well. Sometimes I feel like characters are not written as people first, they are written as their sexual orientation, but this was absolutely not done here. Just a great balance. I especially liked the interactions with their sort of counterparts (trying not to be too spoiley) with this.

Overall, I thought this was a really interesting and fun read. Especially in October when it is starting to cool down. I will definitely be purchasing and reading anything else that Perry decides to publish!!

[Books For Decaying Millennials · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
-
Reading The Flesh Inherent tosses you head first into the desert. senses bombarded by the smells of leather and your own stale sweat. The path ahead offers the promise of a solution, one that leaves you filthy, soaked in blood and foul ichor of things beyond your ken.

The American West, of years past, was messy, cruel, and deeply queer. Perry Meester accepts and embraces these truths. They recognize that what held true then, remains true now. There is a saying often repeated and paraphrased "you play the cards you are dealt". But what if some cards are missing, and the game you are expected to play is in no way fair? Try as you might, you can't get a play a winning hand. So what options are left? You cheat, you say screw it and make a new game on your own terms. The Flesh Inherent Yells this to the reader, in a voice ragged raw, full of rage and passion. To struggle against the bonds what the world assumes you to do, to be. Pushing yourself to stare into the void, facing your shadow self, and accepting the pain the comes before the birth of your true, authentic self.
Perry Meester's novella is all of this and more. While I read it I found myself thinking back to Michael Tichy's The Winnowing Draw and Samantha Kolesnik's Elogona. These books do not necessarily run in the same herd as The Flesh Inherent , but I would say the frolick in the same meadows.

[Elliel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I requested and received this book from book sirens. My review is voluntary.

The Flesh Inherent by Perry Meester is a short queer horror novel that sent me on a journey of self acceptance. I wanted to read this book since reading some of an interview with the author, (GHOULGAB w/ Perry Meester, author of THE FLESH INHERENT). So when I found it on booksirens I nearly jumped out of my own skin with how fast I requested it. I was drawn in by the setting, the flawed characters, and the possibility of a romance. I did not expect to gain existential thoughts and a new appreciation for my own body.

The Flesh Inherent was a bloody, gorey, and sweet book. It was such a a fun read. I loved the characters. Jamie and Sidney are two deeply angry queers who desperately want to change. And I feel that through the book they do change, just not in the way they expected. And honestly I didn't expect it either. I did not expect to feel grateful and more confident in my own skin. This book made me feel so seen. The author managed to perfectly articulate something I struggle to put into words. It's strange to find catharsis in such a dark place but I did.

Overall The Flesh Inherent by Perry Meester is now one of my favorite queer horror books. It far surpassed any expectations I had for it. I'm so happy I got the chance to read it. The last few chapters really put things into perspective for me. This book has left me with a lot of existential thoughts. I read this book while having a flare up and it was so weird/strange to be grateful for and happy in my pain riddled body. I've rewritten this review a few times now. But, I genuinely cannot put into words how this book has affected me. Sometimes it's the shortest books that have the deepest impact. I hope that when you read The Flesh Inherent that you enjoy it as much as I did/do.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. I haven't had the best of luck with Indie published horror, but honestly, this was just as good, if not better than some traditionally published books I've read recently.

I thought the prose was very well done. The writing was smooth, I didn't notice any clunky passages or many typos. There was vivid imagery, the pacing was consistent, the characters felt incredibly deep (especially for a novella), and the setting was easy to picture in my mind. I enjoyed the relationship that developed between the MCs, though I did think the steamy scene location was a little strange and unrealistic, even for sci-fi horror.

My only real criticism would be the POV changes. I wish each chapter had followed one MC at a time. Too often we would just get the pronoun 'he' and I had no idea which character was doing the action. But besides that, this was a really great story and a fun time.

Thank you to BookSirens and the author for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

[Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

i received an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review :)

i loved this book. everything about it was incredible. my one reason for a lower than 5 stars is that it was confusing at bit, with the dual POVs at once. however the story? the characters? the horror aspect? incredible. i absolutely adored this book. it was the perfect length to get the idea across but not drag it out. i don’t want to spoil, as the reveal for one of the characters truly shocked me but made me absolutely giddy and feeling seen. thank you to the author for writing this

[Ava · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thanks, Book Sirens!

I love a weird Western and this balanced the usual gritty survivalism of the genre with the complex emotional relationship between the two protagonists very well. I wish there had been a bit more characterization of each of them at the beginning (not just backstory, since we get that later -- more just attributes and descriptors to tell them apart and help me be more invested from the start). The body horror was great!

[Rae Gee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not one for Westerns but this book really caught my attention. The story is one that will capture the attention of both fans of a good old fashioned Westerns and paranormal stories. The characters are well developed, detailed, and engaging. Interesting, different, and utterly brilliant. Great story and will be reading again.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Soscha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had this one recommended through a LGBT+ readers list. The scene is set as a horror novel however I'd there's more strangeness than scares.

Jamie & Sidney feel like misfits, losers in life. Jamie is fleeing from his past, Sidney is a drunkard. There's a crater in the desert where people who visit, should they return, are transformed into ideal versions of themselves.

This is a chance Sidney & Jamie are willing to take, come what may. 🏳️‍🌈

[Donna Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, what an amazing cosmic horror book! I loved how intriguing the Thing was and how it had no real proper origin, making it equally intriguing and terrifying. Our characters, Jamie& Sidney, felt closed off in the beginning until the end everything was out in the open. The setting and feeling of dread were unreal. I truly loved this book because of the characters, the Wild West setting, and conflict.

[Dex · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Sorry for the late review on this ARC but I had a difficult time pushing myself to read it through and not DNF. The story premise itself is wonderful and there are some great scenes especially as we get near the end BUT I have a very hard time with the head hopping POV to the point I kept putting the book down and reaching for something else.

[Simon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily, much appreciated for this opportunity. I realised that this ARC novella horror/western/gay was not my choice ;nothing against gay writing but realised as this was my first of this type. Story was succinct as it has to with the small size, writing for me was a little intense in style but an interesting mix of human 'feelings in a dire horrific situation situation. Certainly different.

[Charlie · Rating 4 out of 5]

the flesh inherent absolutely fucks. what a strange, fun, horrific concept for a book. the last few chapters genuinely could have brought me to tears. the symbolism. the themes. the imagery. with a fork and a knife, hoe.
i only wish it was longer. the pacing makes it feel a little disjointed and strange, and i would have absolutely loved to see this narrative fleshed out more entirely.

[Janelimay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Found the style a bit difficult to read. Got the characters confused, so reread the beginning to clear up the confusion. Not the science fiction I was expecting. (I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.)

[DLB2572 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting Story

I'm rounding this up from 3.5. This was actually a very interesting novella. There were just a few things that didn't work well for me.

I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion

[Phi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so fun and gross and cool and tense. Loved the queer themes and the characters.
I felt that a few sections could have been clearer or fleshed out, but overall, a delightful novella.