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The Throne of Bones
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July 2020 monthly read: Brian McNaughton's The Throne of Bones
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After a brief hiatus due to computer issues (#$&!XC@!), I am back and looking forward to reading this with the group.
I read the first story "Ringard and Dendra", skipped the titular story-cycle for now (I've read it before and so will save it for last), and then continued with "The Vendren Worm" and "Meryphillia".I'm not sure I will actually have a lot to say about this collection. This sort of dark fantasy-horror is so completely up my alley. The style of description reminds me of CAS and the sardonic nonchalance & dry wit remind me of my favorite author, Jack Vance.
"Ringard and Dendra" - I was shocked at how sadistic this was, first at the image of the pregnant tree, and then at the cruelly ironic ending. Not usually a fan of such sadism, despite horror being my favorite genre. Still, I loved the story. "Botany is no field for the squeamish" - LOL
"The Worm Vedren" - loved the protagonist! Although have to say that I was somewhat confused by what exactly his true nature is supposed to be. Very much a fan when he is a sarcastic, murderous, voyeuristic cult author. But perplexed when realizing he is actually... what now?
"Meryphillia" - oh boy, this one was perfect for me, from beginning to end
I'm sorry but I don't think this book is for me. It may have been years ago when I first got it but not now. The first story was an okay sort of fairy tale. I had read it before and then put the book down but didn't remember it at all. The second story, however, was too gross for me. If that is what the rest of the collection is like then I'm going to have to quit. The writing is not really good enough to keep me going.
:(understandable though. This book is mainly about ghouls and their habits, and "gross" will no doubt be something that happens throughout the book. My favorite so far "Meryphillia" was incredibly disgusting at times - don't read it, Scott!
Although I'm surprised you don't think much of the writing. Different strokes I guess, no critique from me on that. I think he's an incredible writer. Although this is only my 3rd book by him, I really admire his way with words.
I enjoyed "Ringard and Dendra". I often have trouble with what's usually considered "fantasy", because of the over-explanations. McNaughton leaves enough of the magical loose ends alone, so I'm not bothered as much. I like how the plants just kind of do their (sometimes sadistic) thing, like in real life (see my greenhouse for instance, haha); it's not clear how much control the old guy actually had over specific developments.Since Mark has skipped ahead to "Meryphillia", I'll do that as well.
Scott wrote: "I'm tempted to peek at it."you were warned! :)
Bill wrote: "Since Mark has skipped ahead to "Meryphillia", I'll do that as well...."
Don't skip over "Vedren Worm" please! I'm hoping we can figure out together what this worm is supposed to be.
Probably a giant maggot that came out of someone's buttocks.
Wrong end, but close!
Oh my! I am just starting this and both laughing and gasping in, um, horror at some of what you gents have said! Really though, I'm liking this first story a lot. I haven't got to the sadistic bits (eek!) but I love how McNaughton dumps us right into the situation/relationship and the zinginess of the dialogue is very enjoyable. Hope to read more later tonight and catch up with you all in a day or two.
mark wrote: "Don't skip over "Vedren Worm" please!."Sorry, I meant "Vendren Worm"!
Well that was another entertaining foray, especially for 3am insomnia. Again, I'm not a big fan of a lot of fantasy genre world building. But McNaughton obviously makes fun of this. The Cluddites? Akilleus Bloodglutter? Vulnaveila Vogg? Heh. And the over-the-top bluster in the dialog and narration, from our most unreliable narrator. I would have trimmed some of the fantasy genre background detail spinning, but I'm known as a bloodthirsty editor with a manqueller (umm, prosequeller?) And it's funny enough, I can lay off the shears for now.
"Meryphillia" is over the top. Sure, it's about ghouls, but ghouls with ribald humor. (Despite my "morbid interests", I'm too old to turn into one, no worries.) It's pretty funny, and hard for me to be grossed out by all the chomping.I couldn't get into "Reunion in Cephalune". But a necromancer named Mobrid Sleith? Heh.
I'm about 3/4 through the long title story (novella? group of linked stories?) and having a blast. McNaughton's world is just so much fun and I can't help but imagine him having his tongue firmly stuck in his cheek as he created it. Some of the names are just hilarious and there is a definite spirit of spritely fun running through the whole thing while there's also some sharp social satire (those Cluddites seem all too familiar). I don't usually read high fantasy, even of the dark kind, but this is a hoot, and I'm enjoying it immensely even if I cringe occasionally at the rape and bodily fluids.
Bill wrote: ""Meryphillia" is over the top. Sure, it's about ghouls, but ghouls with ribald humor. (Despite my "morbid interests", I'm too old to turn into one, no worries.) It's pretty funny, and hard for me t..."Really wondering what "Meryphillia" is about now as we've had ghouls (and their appetites and noxious effluvia) galore in earlier stories. Is this one really that much more gross? *Asking for a friend*
Only if that friend finds descriptions of corpse eating to be gross! I'm not sure why in the world they would though.I think if you've made it through the titular story-cycle, "Meryphillia" won't be bringing anything more over the top to the table.
So, I'm now about 70% through this (just finished 'Reunion in Cephalune') and am enjoying it much more than I initially thought I would (I'm not usually a high-fantasy reader and this is very high indeed!)As I told Bill earlier, I really like McNaughton's imagination-it's rich and Rabelasian and full of a dark, antic humour. Crotalorn and its surrounding city states are quite remarkable creations and I love the names (people, places, gods). It's hard not to imagine that many of these are deliberately ridiculous and that McNaughton has his tongue firmly planted in his cheek throughout. I could do with a little less rape, but overall this is zesty and ribald and really quite a hoot.
Also, I must be getting indelicate and callous in my old age, but I have yet to find anything particularly gross (view spoiler). Don't judge me, but I actually found parts of 'Meryphillia' and 'Reunion in Cephalune' rather sweet and heartwarming. *eek* I think McNaugton's formal and rather baroque language keeps it all from being too disgusting; there's always a level of detachment, a very writerly eye looking down on even the most grotesque events that prevents too much identification and keeps the reader's gorge from rising.
I imagine I'll probably get through the rest of this over the weekend. Looking forward to it!
I'm at the final story, though I skipped the titular cycle earlier. The shorter stories from "The Art of Tiphytsom Glocque" to "The Retrograde Necromancer" remind me somewhat of Clark Ashton Smith's warped tales with the fairy tale-like arcs. (McNaughton has mentioned Smith as an influence. And Tanith Lee as well, though her collection that's a buddy read this month is quite different.)"The Retrograde Necromancer" has the (by now) expected great names like Glititia (a voluptuous noblewoman, haha), un-Smith-like sexual escapades, ridiculously messy magic, over the top swordsmanship and decapitations etc. I can guess what the dust on the cloak might be. Otherwise (!), if I tried really hard, I suppose I could imagine this happening in Zothique or Hyperborea.
By now we kind of know what to expect from "The Return of Liron Wolfbaiter". The drinking, swordplay, unrequited lust and messy magic are all entertaining. And I'm thankful that McNaughton is less fond than Clark Ashton Smith of words like "eldritch".I recall a couple other LH regulars who voted for Throne of Bones. How are you guys doing on this?
I've finished all of the stories besides the six in the title. Very, very enjoyable. The irony, the decadence, the nonchalance, the over the top morbidity... delightful! So many bizarrely comic moments."Reunion in Cephalune" - the image of the necromancer being annoyed by wild animals ravaging his confused zombies made me smile. Strangely, so did the ending, with lovers being reunited, kinda.
"The Art of Tiphytsorn" - this city Sythiphore with its incestuous painted nudists was very amusing. As was the name "Dildosh"
"Vendriel and Vendreela" & "The Retrograde Necromancer" - I loved the monstrous protagonist Vendriel the Good. Really connected with his irritation at hearing the same things over again and wish I had a handy bodyguard/executioner around so that I could also make my feelings clear about that!
"The Return of Liron Wolfbaiter" - this was fascinating, the dreams impacting reality and the changing structure of the Inn. This one, along with the first story and "Meryphillia" are my favorites so far.
Really love McNaughton's way with words.
mark wrote: "As was the name "Dildosh""Yes! A second umm thumbs up.
I finished this fabulous book last night, reading the title novella. Fantastic! my favorite of the collection, even better this time around then when I'd first read it years ago. I love how the six stories within the novella overlap, the differing perspectives, the layering of personalities, and the humans becoming ghouls becoming humans becoming ghouls. I like the decision not to give what would otherwise be the protagonist (or anti-hero, I guess) - the ghoul child - his own perspective, although he is what the story cycle is basically all about.On a prose level, these six stories were so well done and I was often just smiling at the well-turned phrases and bleak irony. The grotesquerie was overwhelming of course, but the dry wit made it all feel light to me. On an emotional level, I really appreciated the story of Gluttoria/Zara and how life & non-life worked out for her. A rare show of kindness by the author. He really put her through it though.
Read through the whole book. Stupidly, I didn't realize till late that this was a series of short stories and tried to hang on to every common thread throughout the various narratives. Became less impressionistic after I dropped that ambition. Still, it was a fascinating read. Really liked the idea about ghouls becoming what they eat. It allows McNaughton some really interesting and nihilistic twists and turns. There is a lot of sadism here, as Mark has already pointed out. I would probably not have liked to have McNaughton for tea, but he makes for a really interesting and terrifying horror author.
Few have mentioned that gender and sexuality play important roles in the stories. There is a lot of rape, homophobia and misogyny. Some of it dates the book, but it also somehow permeate the characters and the stories in ways that contribute to them. You are meant to feel dirty and perhaps 'unhinged' after having read them, and reading about how the main character is annoyed by women or gay men, and how he mistreats them as a consequence, contributes to that. Very few characters are particularly likable, and the likable ones are almost always dispatched in a dispassionate and sometimes sadistic manner.
In other fiction books, strange can be bad, particularly when the strangeness infects the language. Like when there is no real narrative and the complexity is meant to confuse rather than add anything. This is not the case here. I think McNaughton is really into his world, perhaps a bit too much, and the details and complexity stems from that. The strangeness never takes away from the narratives that are at the core of the book and makes it a fun read.
I think the title story is the best. The art of Tiphytsorn Glocque is also a favorite - not as gory, but strange and slightly maniacal. The Reunion in Cephalune is a neatly held together narrative that works really well - the malevolence of the main character oozes from the pages. Meryphillia is good as well, although, I thought, perhaps a bit 'forced'.
As someone who reads English as a second language, I really enjoyed what the use of what Joshi calls "recondite words" in his afterwords. Had to make a small glossary to try to remember them.
This is a fantastic post, thank you!this part in particular I found to be very interesting:
it also somehow permeate the characters and the stories in ways that contribute to them. You are meant to feel dirty
mark wrote: "This is a fantastic post, thank you!"Thank you Mark! I'm a first timer on this forum, looking forward to reading August's book!
Welcome to the group, Andreas!I'm collecting nominations for the August monthly read. Any proposals would be appreciated.
Bill wrote: "Welcome to the group, Andreas!I'm collecting nominations for the August monthly read. Any proposals would be appreciated."
Thank you Bill!
To be totally honest, I think I will wait a month of two before proposing a book. The downside to suggesting books, is that you have already read them if they become next month's recommendation. For the moment, I want some nice reading suggestions that I can discuss with others; hopefully I can then repay with mine (not many, but can think of a few titles).
I nominate Trilby by George du Maurier. A film based on the book is being broadcast on 8/14 -- see https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
I remember Trillby being a lot of fun, when I read it several decades ago. Bohemian artists in Paris' Latin Quarter! fabulous.
Ratings on it are all over the place--lots of haters giving it 1 star, others saying best read ever giving it 5. I am not at all sure on this, but thanks for the support.
I remember my classmates being similarly divided. Some loved it like I did, others thought it was an unbearable slog.
I've read 'Trilby' twice so I'm not likely to read it again. It's OK: very old-fashioned, as one might expect (du Maurier was a competent rather than great writer and nothing he does transcends his time), but interesting as much for its influence as its own story. I'll nominate Ormeshadow again and also Sarban's The Sacrifice and Other Stories as this is the last volume by Sarban I have yet to read (I just finished The Doll Maker and other Tales of the Uncanny and really enjoyed it).
Our August monthly read poll is up!https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/2...
Please vote by this coming Wednesday 8/5.
Reminder: if you vote for a book and it wins, you are committing to participate in the discussion. Also, before you vote, please keep in mind whether you can get access to copies. I try to check most of the nominations, but it's still possible that some of the books may not be available as e-books. We should try to start our August monthly read early the week of 8/11.
Our August poll was too close to call last night, so I took the liberty of extending the deadline to tonight (Thurs).https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/2...
If Trilby, Hell Hound, or The Sacrifice wins, I will participate. The Cisco book was already done in the Weird Fiction group and I didn't much care for it. The plot was a secondary concern, rather random.Edit: I changed my vote to Hell Hound since of the three I would read if it wins it has the best chance. By the way, a film version of this book was made in 1989. I prefer to read my horror rather than watch it, at least in modern film form, but this film looks interesting enough to make an exception for. I don't think I've ever watched a horror film only to have to read the subtitles! https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094713/...
I've read Hell Hound recently and am very excited to see what people think! Also vaguely anxious.
Does the book like the film have comedy in it?
Very funny in a very dark way. Definitely not an LOL kind of comedy. Funny with a sneer!
I'll be happy to read 'Hell Hound', 'The Sacrifice', or 'The Only Good Indians'. I have all three on my Kindle and can start immediately if one is chosen. As I mentioned before, I've already read 'Trilby' one time more than I need to, and I'm very iffy on Cisco generally (sometimes he works for me, but more often not).
Literary Horror
Books mentioned in this topic
Hell Hound (other topics)Ormeshadow (other topics)
The Sacrifice and Other Stories (other topics)
The Doll Maker and Other Tales of the Uncanny (other topics)
Trilby (other topics)
More...
Some reviews/excerpts:
https://www.blackgate.com/2014/04/29/...
https://jpfukudai.weebly.com/book-blo...
https://www.fantasticfiction.com/m/br...
It won the World Fantasy Award for Best Collection (1998). (If you're grumpy about awards, just pretend you didn't see that note.) Available in lots of formats, including as an e-book for those of us whose libraries and bookstores are still closed.
Let's start this coming weekend!