The Angry Red Planet

by Ralph Robert Moore

“We used to finish each other’s sandwiches.” Harry and Edna are a middle-aged married couple who probably did love each other when they were young and just starting out, but now maybe don’t any longer? Or possibly still do, in some ways? It’s so hard to tell sometimes, with people who have shared their lives for so many years. Harry, a big, angry, disappointed man with a sarcastic sense of humor, flips houses for a living in the greater Dallas area, buying run-down homes, supervising his crew as they go in and renovate the properties, reviving them so they’re once again a thing of beauty. Edna, his wife, has become increasingly promiscuous, and has had to undergo more and more invasive surgeries to try to eliminate an infection that has taken hold in her body. The Angry Red Planet is a sad, funny, scary exploration of the changing relationship between a man and a woman, and the daily social irritations that slowly grind them down, like they grind all of us down. About Ralph Robert Moore Ralph Robert Moore, nominated twice for Best Story of the Year by the British Fantasy Society (2013 and 2016), has been published in America, Canada, England, Ireland, France, India and Australia in a wide variety of genre and literary magazines and anthologies, including Black Static, Shadows & Tall Trees, Nightscript, Midnight Street, Chizine, and Sein und Werden. His books include the novels Father Figure, As Dead As Me, and Ghosters; and the short story collections Remove the Eyes, I Smell Blood, You Can Never Spit It All Out, and Behind You. “Moore’s work is consistently fascinating, original and devastating. His characters speak to you from whatever hell they inhabit, with clear, unambiguous voices.”–Trevor Denyer “[Moore’s] work is not quite like that of anybody else. He is a true original.”–Peter Tennant “Moore’s…work is always heartfelt, deep and superbly executed…a writer everybody with an interest in dark fiction should be reading.”–Grim Reader Reviews “Disturbing. Nightmarish. Terrifying. And above all, original...reinforces his reputation, amongst those in the know, that here we have a genre-storytelling giant in our midst.”–AJ Kirby “Moore’s writing is consistently powerful, his descriptions (even of the smallest minutia) terrifically rendered. He is not afraid to tap into his darkest imaginings and to go places most writers might very well shy away from. Indeed, he is one of the most singularly powerful authors I’ve encountered in a long, long while…”–C.M. Muller

193 pages, Paperback

First published November 18, 2018

About the author

“Moore's work is consistently fascinating, original and devastating. His characters speak to you from whatever hell they inhabit, with clear, unambiguous voices.” - Trevor Denyer

Ralph Robert Moore is a British Fantasy Society nominee whose dark fiction has been characterized as “morbidly graphic.” He’s been published in America, Canada, England, Ireland, India and Australia in a wide variety of genre and literary magazines and anthologies, including Black Static, Shadows & Tall Trees, Midnight Street, Chizine, and Sein und Werden.

His books include the novels Father Figure, As Dead As Me, and Ghosters; and the short story collections Remove the Eyes and I Smell Blood.

His second collection, I Smell Blood, tied with Justin Isis' I Wonder What Human Flesh Tastes Like for Peter Tennant's award of Best Short Story Collection of 2011. "...If I were to do a 'Top Thirty Short Stories of 2011' list, they would dominate it... Each is a superb stylist and each has a unique voice...Moore crafts tales that bristle with attitude and energy..."

“I Smell Blood, Ralph Robert Moore's second short fiction collection, reinforces his reputation, amongst those in the know, that here we have a genre-storytelling giant in our midst.” - AJ Kirby

"Tired of the usual suspects? Bored with the same old genre clichés? Then follow my advice and read Ralph Robert Moore, a hell of a writer whose work is provocative and refreshing, never ordinary, always imaginative and graced by a compelling narrative style…Moore has all the features of a great writer: he conceives original plots, creates credible characters and makes them speak plausible dialogues, and, most of all, is a terrific storyteller. Try him, you won't regret it." - Mario Guslandi

Ralph Robert Moore's website SENTENCE at www.ralphrobertmoore.com features a wide selection of his writings, including the full text of his novel Father Figure and over a dozen short stories, more than ten years of his online diary entries, essays, recipes, videos, and other features. His Facebook page is located at www.facebook.com/ralph.r.moore.

Moore and his wife Mary live in Dallas, Texas.

Reviews

[Jeremy Hepler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ralph Robert Moore once again delivers a superb story with his signature smooth and captivating writing style. Without spoilers, I can't explain the story better than Moore did himself: "The Angry Red Planet is a sad, funny, scary exploration of the changing relationship between a man (Harry) and a woman (Edna), and the daily social irritations that slowly grind them down, like they grind all of us down." For me, the story is reminiscent of some of John Irving's works, populated with well-rounded characters, relatable situations, and saturated with literary merit.

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unlike Ralph Robert Moore’s previous novel that I read (Father Figure), ‘The Angry Red Planet’ does not contain any supernatural elements, nor is it a horror story, as such. What you have is a tale of tumultuous relationships, complex themes and a growing sense of a bleak conclusion awaiting.
With such a recipe apparent, why did I find this such an absorbing read? Partly it’s the author’s prose style. The first half of the book contains scene after scene featuring a married couple carrying out everyday existence under exceptional circumstances. Yet the author manages to make a simple conversation in a hospital waiting room evoke a growing tension and anticipation about what is to happen. There are scenes where the seemingly mundane preparation and eating of food acts as a hook from which to suspend conflict between the quite unique characters. The internal dialogue opens a window into the protagonist’s every day struggle with events that confound and frustrate him.
Harry, the main character,has an anger management problem. Not just the typical middle-aged, getting tetchy kind of irritation that comes with age and the accompanying cynicism of life. More a growing, boiling magma of fury that can erupt spontaneously, usually triggered by trivial events. Often with deadly results. Harry engineers a rather unique method of dispatch for a gold-digging paramour of his wife using a cherry picker and a nest of killer wasps. And I won’t mention what happens in the last few chapters!
Central to the appeal of Angry Red Planet is the relationship between Harry and his wife, Edna. She is not a well woman, having undergone a series of progressively invasive surgeries. Harry supports her, gives her every attention and care his time and money will offer – yet she treats him like the proverbial brown stuff. Here is the complexity of Harry’s character – that he manages to control his temper to the extent that he does. Even when it comes to his insufferable in-laws.
As is the author’s trademark, you never quite know where the story is going to go, especially when one of Harry’s clients offers him a rather unique and fantastical opportunity. I won’t say what it is as this would constitute a spoiler, but suffice it to say – the book title is significant.
This is a disturbing read, but a gripping one. Like Father figure, you feel somehow changed at the end of it, like your perspective has shifted somewhat. I felt less judgmental towards certain character types at the close of reading when I understood that people are often driven by internal forces that are beyond their control; and sometimes, folks are often doing the very best they can under the circumstances. In other cases, you come to realise that some people are just dicks by choice.
Read ‘Angry Red Planet’ with anticipation, but don’t expect a peaceful happy experience.

[Steven Dines · Rating 4 out of 5]

A funny, absurd, insightful, insane novel. There are moments, entire scenes that should not work but thanks to Moore's inimitable and fearless prose somehow they do. This is something new from him, not horror but certainly horrific, like a Curb Your Enthusiasm episode on crack. Wonderful characterisation, memorable in so many ways. It won't be for everyone, but I for one thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Des Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

191 pages in total. Now read them all. Wish there had been 911 of them at least.
Thinking about it, this book is seriously even better than Philip Wrath, it really is. Meanwhile, lost count of all the differently coloured arms stretching out from between the prison bars. A reader is better than a cop by being able to witness what happens real-time instead of being called in later to investigate.

The detailed review of this book posted elsewhere under my name is too long to post here.
Above is one of its observations at the time of the review.

There are many other reviews of Ralph Robert Moore under my name elsewhere, too long or too impractical to post here.