Rated NC-18 presents Dystopia Season: George Orwell's 1984

Rated NC-18 (Nerdy Content from an 18-year old): George Orwell's 1984

Helllloooooo and welcome to a very special segment of Steeleopedia’s NC-18 series; a little something I like to call Dystopia Season. Through July, August, and early September I analyze and review three books of a particular category; in this case, dystopian fiction. And without further ado, on to the first “episode”.

Introduction

Our first subject is a novel that has not just made an impact on the genre but also has impacted the entirety of literature, and the very way we talk about society. You’ve probably seen it rocket back up to the top of the bestseller list after White House aide Kellyanne Conway’s little smart aleck remark about “alternative facts”. You’ve probably heard and used some of the diction that originated from it: “Thoughtcrime”; “The Thought Police”; “Newspeak”; “Doublethink”; “Big Brother”. A novel whose title is only a simple year: 1984. To say that 1984 is a good dystopia is an understatement. The impact it has had on modern culture is so great you can see the crater it’s made from the International Space Station (metaphorically, mind you). We owe this all to Eric Arthur Blair, better known to the populace as the communist rear-end kicker George Orwell, who just two years before writing this had also created the also famous Animal Farm, which was a scathing satirical allegory of the pig-headed nature of Communism (heh heh, get it [if you’re having trouble deciphering this joke, read a book, literally]). In the novel, he gives us a chilling insight into the nature of totalitarian anti-liberal societies and the diabolically genius ways they might subjugate its people. 1984 is a special case because it’s not the first dystopian novel, and it’s not even the first dystopian novel that mattered; its claim to fame is that it immortalized the dystopian novel. So what better way to kick off this little event than with a novel as revered and influential as this. Let’s take a look, shall we?

Plot Summary

The story takes place in the grim year of (if it hasn’t already been made painfully obvious enough) 1984. It is a world that is suffering from ceaseless bloodshed and turmoil. It is a world that, decades before, had endured the ravages of nuclear war, and out of the radioactive dust three powerful super-states emerged. Oceania, and the so imaginatively named Eurasia and Eastasia. The story takes place in Oceania in the region of Great Britain (or Airstrip One as it’s called) in what was once called London, which serves as Oceania’s only stronghold in Europe against Eurasia. Like every other region in Oceania, the citizens of this island is constantly under the iron fist of Big Brother and the ruling party: named IBM…

...wait that’s the wrong 1984, the one where a marathon runner throws a sledgehammer at a TV screen with a corporate executive’s face on it, let’s try that again. ...under the iron fist of Ingsoc. It a nightmare world filled with mass surveillance, frequent disappearances, a total lack of basic rights and freedoms, subpar living conditions, and lousy stimulants (because if some of you less sober viewers get any ideas about smoking or drinking your problems away, you’re gonna be quite disappointed). And it is through these means (and many others that I’ll get to later, though I doubt about the very latter) that Ingsoc that they are able to keep the populace in utter conformity… or do they. That’s where Winston Smith comes in. The novel chronicles his transition from being a reluctant supporter of Big Brother to a subversive rebel against him; all beginning when he dares *gasp* write in a diary! And later in the novel, it escalated even further when he meets Julia and *gasp* have a romantic relationship! Will they be able the persist in their seditious state of being? can they liberate others from the rule of Ingsoc? I’m gonna let you find out for yourself.

Analysis of the nightmare world

Now for dystopia season, in addition to running through 1984’s strengths and weaknesses, we’re also looking at the elements of what makes 1984’s dystopia, well, a dystopia. I and many others believe that dystopian fiction was never meant to be a prophecy, but a warning and that by going through the elements of these works and presenting them here that we’re able to be aware of and evade certain doom. Now, because it was partly a critique of the horrors that were seen in the Soviet Union, and Communism in general, you can expect to see a lot of similarities between them and Oceania: total state control on the economic and social activity; a burning hatred of those who disregard it; a justice system that’s anything but just; human rights violations; and the other traits that were mentioned in the plot summary, and those that haven’t been mentioned. However, if you think that Oceania is just like the USSR, it isn’t, it’s the Soviet Union ON SPEED; CRYSTAL METH; AND STEROIDS!!! First of all, the social hierarchy. As in every society, there is a high point; a middle; and a low point. The high point consists of the Inner Party, which is made up of the people who are the heart of Oceania’s govt and Big Brother, and just like many “high points” in society, they have an astronomical proportion of the wealth, power and, influence, despite that they only make up a small amount of the populace. The middle point consists of the zealous, educated members of the Outer Party: the people who have roles in the other branches of the govt and who implement the policies set but the other party. And finally the proles, who are basically the impoverished, illiterate, uneducated, gullible working class who don’t have any role in the Party whatsoever. However, much unlike modern day liberal society, Ingsoc desires this artificial inequality. It is through this inequality (and the many distractions, trivial entertainment, and other stuff that’s otherwise forbidden inside the Party) that Ingsoc is able to focus all of their strict policies and rigorous policing on the people in the Party itself. In fact you have more freedoms as a member of the proles than of the Outer Party. One line from the book says it all: “Proles and animals are free.” (unless you’re the animals in Animal Farm, in that case, consider yourself screwed). Ingsoc also keeps Oceania in a state of constant war with one of the other super-states (and is an ally with the other). In fact, the conflict can constantly switch on the snap of a finger and who the Party decides who is the enemy and who is the ally of Oceania can change on a whim. It may seem arbitrary but it serves them a purpose. It uses up all the surplus consumer goods and money in the economy that could be used to assist their own people, which solidifies the social divide, and keeps the population in a constant state of fear, hatred, and zealous patriotic fervor. And in case if you’re wondering . about life in the other aforementioned super-states, they’re just as bad as the other; in fact they’re almost identical in every way (including the fact that they’re hyper-communist) and that one of the only exceptions the name, as it’s called Neo-Bolshevism in Eurasia and the so charmingly named Obliteration of the Self in Eastasia. Yeah, the name sure fits! Because I’d prefer the obliteration of myself than join their little asylum worthy ideology! But wait, there’s more! 1984 also introduces Newspeak which is basically the Party’s little brand of English language. Unlike every other language, the diction of Newspeak actually shrinks with the passing of time as the govt eliminates a variety of verbs, nouns, adjectives and all sorts of words that are deemed “unnecessary”, or narrows them down (i.e. Ingsoc is a Newspeak word that means English Socialism). By doing this it narrows the range of thought and makes the very act of “thoughtcrime” (the act of thinking and speaking rebellious thoughts) impossible. But the most terrifying aspect of 1984 is the concept of doublethink. To put it bluntly, doublethink is the action of holding simultaneously two mutually exclusive, or contradictory beliefs, ideas, statements or whatever and believe in both of them at the same time. It gives them the boldness to say the 2+2=5, that the sky is red, the audacity to say that Eastasia was always an enemy of Eurasia even though a short while ago, IT WAS FLIPPIN’ EURASIA!, and the ability to look at a photograph of a group of people who were wiped out by the state and say that it DOESN’T EVEN EXIST!! Yeah, show a fanatical Party member something that goes against the principles of Ingsoc and they treat it, to quote John Oliver, “like a mean girl treats the high school debate team *imitating said mean girl* ’you’re nothing, Amberly. You don’t even exisssst!’” (and to quote him yet again “I’m not being paid to say that, I’m just a fan.”). The society of Oceania thrives off this concept, and examples of it are seen all across the board. One example is the Party’s slogan: “War is Peace; Freedom is Slavery; Ignorance is Strength.” and the four Ministries. Ministry of Plenty? causes food shortages and economic disparity; Ministry of Peace? they’re responsible for deciding who to attack next; Ministry of Truth? rewrites history and falsifies documents, and corrects even the tiniest errors and in the news because the Party is always right (sarcasm); and my favourite, the Ministry of Love. What do they do? FLIPPIN’ TORTURE. Oh, and speaking of the Ministry of Love, there’s something there that inspires, even more, dread than doublethink; it is only known as Room 101. Need evidence? this line pretty much explains it: “The thing that is in Room 101, is the worst thing in the world.”. What’s being said is that what lies within Room 101 is a person’s greatest dread, their darkest dear, their worst nightmare! The kind of stuff that has grown human beings weep like infants. The very thought of Room 101 is enough to keep a person in line and when a plucky prisoner is told that he’s next…

...I’ll let the book do the talking...

“Room 101" said the officer.

The man's face, already very pale, turned a color Winston would not have believed possible. It was definitely, unmistakably, a shade of green.

"Do anything to me!" he yelled. "You've been starving me for weeks. Finish it off and let me die. Shoot me. Hang me. Sentence me to twenty-five years. Is there somebody else you want me to give away? Just say who it is and I'll tell you anything you want. I don't care who it is or what you do to them. I've got a wife and three children. The biggest of them isn't six years old. You can take the whole lot of them and cut their throats in front of my eyes, and I'll stand by and watch it. But not room 101!"

"Room 101" said the officer.”

LOOK AT THIS! LOOK! AT! THIS!!!! The unfortunate soul gets so panicked that they are willing to allow ANYTHING to happen. Family? Friends? Screw them! Get me out of this hellhole!! And now because I’m that much of a dork, here’s my personal list of Things I would rather see happen or do than go to Room 101.

-Skin a seal pup alive

-Drown a baby hippo in sulfuric acid (just look up a photo of one and tell my I’m not the most repulsive human being alive)

-Go on a two-week vacation to New Jersey

-Cancel Stranger Things

-Assassinate Mark Hamill

-Ban every Steven Spielberg movie

-Listen to What does the Fox Say by Ylvis for twenty-four hours straight for seven days a week

-Tell an entire 1st-grade class straight to their happy, juvenile faces that Santa doesn’t exist.

-And last but not least... BECOME A VEGETARIAN! (yes I’m serious)

What’s just as freaky is that in the end, the person who was in Room 101 doesn’t just obey Big Brother, HE LOVES HIM WITH EVERY PART OF HIS BEING, WITHOUT ANY SECOND THOUGHT WHATSOEVER!

So now you can see why this place isn’t exactly the land of milk and honey.

With that out of the way, now for the juicy stuff.

Is the Nightmare a Reality?

Now some people would be pointing to a lot of things (much of it in the USA) to try to convince us that it is. Such as the USA PATRIOT Act and the NSA controversies; the long aforementioned “alternative facts” fact; how the US is constantly embroiled in foreign conflicts; and so on. However, there are things that greatly contrast America and Oceania. For starters that the activities done by the liberal democracy that is the United States are because of misguided thinking while the actions by the anti-liberal oligarchy of Oceania is done because of genuine malice. And while America has had it’s fair share of bad leaders, there is the checks and balances in place to frustrate potential abuses by a certain party; or heaven forbid vote them out through elections. And if you want a true modern day example, look no further than North Korea. A country run by a totalitarian regime with a leader that is worshipped like a god by his fanatical collection of zealots who live in their own distorted version of reality.

But with all of this mad rambling about current affairs and fictional states, I can’t miss this important question.

How does it fare as a novel

While 1984’s world isn’t what you call pleasant, reading it from the comfort of this reality is. The atmosphere of the world is one that actually legitimately sends chills down the spine (in quite a good way) which contributes nicely to the ghastly aura of the text. Also further enriching the text is characters which not just paper cutout stereotypes of the genre. Finally, what further enhances it is the insightful philosophies and perspectives that the author has to offer which doesn’t limit its scope to the novel’s setting. Here is a few example:

“Being in a minority, even in a minority of one, did not make you mad. There was truth and there was untruth, and if you clung to the truth even against the whole world, you were not mad.”

“Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past.”

“Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows.”

“Of pain you could wish only one thing: that it should stop. Nothing in the world was so bad as physical pain. In the face of pain there are no heroes.”

“To die hating them, that was freedom.”

Looking at all of that and many other elements, It’s really not hard to see why 1984 has cemented itself into legend.

My grade: ’84/’84

Rated NC-18: Joe Haldeman's The Forever War

Rated NC-18 (Nerdy Content from an 18-year old): Joe Haldeman's The Forever War

Intro

The epoch is the mid-1960’s. The Civil Rights Movement was in full swing, the British were invading once again (with a lot less military), and US and USSR decided to take their petty quarrels outside the atmosphere. But alas all was not perfect in the world because, as if The Cold War hadn’t had enough men who sold their souls, hell decided to set up shop in a little corner of Southeast Asia called Vietnam. The legacy of this tragic event would impact those both at home and on the battlefield. The aforementioned legacy can also be felt through pop culture with goodies such as Apocalypse Now; Platoon; and Full Metal Jacket. However it’s not just film but also literature where this impact can be felt, and here is where we’re greeted with The Forever War, which merges the two most popular subjects of its day: space, and the Vietnam War. To which this text can be summed up as “APOCALYPSE NOW... INNNNN SPAAAAAACE”.

Summary

The story takes place from a First Person Perspective that chronicles the narrative of  William Mandela, who is drafted to do battle with an alien enemy light years away. Much of the elements of the Vietnam War are present here including young soldiers drafted at a young age; brutal training; a hawkish government that goes to war based on a misunderstanding; macabre imagery; not being able to distinguish civilian from soldier; over-the-top propaganda about the enemy; hostility being met at home as well as on the battlefield; pacifist movements; and so on.

Critique

At first, this may seem like a fairly typical war story, but it does distinguish itself from other forays into the topic. Besides the introduction of new elements such as hi-tech weaponry and interstellar travel, there also the concept of time dilation in which because of said interstellar travel time flows a lot differently. Centuries can go by on Earth while the soldiers in the conflict only age several years and it adds an interesting dynamic to the plot as it creates a far different world that the protagonist has to adapt to. It also cares to explore the effect of the war at home as well as on the front lines as there is plenty of struggles to be found long after his first engagement. Character relationships are complex enough that they’re not one-dimensional and cliche, but simple enough that they don’t interfere with the main story, and it does well in balancing both drama and action so that it’s not all big explosions, brutal combat, and testosterone pumped action (actually some of the troops are female so you can throw in a little estrogen as well). Another interesting element is that as mentioned before the story chronicles Mandela’s rise through the ranks instead of portraying him as just another grunt all the way through, which presents him with new challenges that keep the narrative fresh and entertaining. The only drawbacks are that the exposition can be confusing at times and that there could be just a little bit more action. But the biggest offender is false advertising because The Forever War doesn’t seem to understand the concept of “forever war”.  The synonyms for “forever” include “eternal”; “ever-lasting”; and “endless”. The text is only over 250 PAGES AND FOR THE RECORD, THE WAR DOESN’T LAST FOREVER!!! Mindless rant aside it should do little to detract from what is a thoughtful allegory on the barbarity of modern conflict.

My Grade ‘65/’73 (for those of you who aren't history nerds, ‘65 and ‘73 are the years when American troops landed in and left Vietnam)

Rated NC-18: Phillip K. Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep

Rated NC-18 (Nerdy Content from a 18-year old): Phillip K. Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep

In the world of literature, there is a variety of genres that accompany it, and few get my dopamine levels up more than Science-Fiction. So about a year ago when I found myself without my fix of advanced tech; far-flung futures; and thought provoking philosophies about the present day (or past day if you count earlier texts) I had to make an appointment to see ‘Dr. Phil’.

This Phil to be precise:

The one and only Philip K. Dick.

There are two significant things going about this wonderful visionary. He’s inspired a variety of adaptations under his name; albeit with varying degrees of success, with good ones such as

Minority Report and Total Recall;

and bad ones such as Minority Report and Total Recall.

Another thing about Phillip’s novels is that the names for his literature is more boggling than the work itself. Who could ever not be puzzled by such pragmatic titles such as, um:

Flow my tears the policeman Said? Or...

We Can Remember it for you Wholesale?

However unlike the titles of much of his other texts, this substitutes all that for a simple question: Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?. Well all I can tell you is that probably the nightmares would have something to do with apples. Oh, we’re not talking about those Androids.

Anyway, smart-aleck commentary aside, on with the review.

The year is 2021, and the aptly named World War Terminus has wiped out numerous animal species and has rendered the planet uninhabitable, forcing humanity to emigrate off world to colonies, such as Mars. Animals that have survived the ordeal are increasingly hard to find and even when they are found they’re very expensive. So companies have filled this void by creating robotic replicas that are quite close to the real thing; even going so far as to create artificial humans that blur the line between man and machine and every new arrival from Earth is given one. But alas, the government isn’t too trustworthy of these androids and so they have been banned from Earth entirely. Despite this, the androids choose to flee there anyway and that’s where the bounty hunter Rick Deckard comes in to track down the fugitives and *ahem* “retire” them. Can I just point out the ridiculousness of the androids’ decision to move to Earth, because surely nothing beats the likes of the Red Planet more than a barren, near lifeless world where the authorities want your head in a scrap pile and the only thing to do is slowly die of radiation poisoning, push boulders up a hill in “empathy boxes”, or get berated into emigrating by the talk show Buster Friendly and his Friendly Friends (this superfluous nomenclature is brought to you by The Department of Redundancy Department). If this was a different Philip K. Dick text (We Can Remember it for you Wholesale) I would let it slide (last Total Recall reference, I swear).

For the record, since the novel was the influence the awe-inspiring Blade Runner film, it’s safe to say this has a lot going for it. The plot is one of the sharpest knives in the drawer as there are many twists and turns and a captivating neo-noir tale that will have you on the edge of your seat to keep it from getting dull. Dick’s writing that captivates the bleak and surreal world in such exquisite detail and only makes the story even better. The characters are dynamic and entertaining, with one notable example being Rick Deckard himself as he’s more than just this flat, macho action hero. Stuff like the questions he has about the ethicality about his career makes him look more human than the machines he hunts down. And speaking of questions there’s also a lot of philosophical depth to this text to spruce it up as well. The only weaknesses that this text has is an anticlimactic finale and some slow pacing but that does little to blemish the wool so to speak. If you were to find this in a bookstore, do give this a shot because if you do it won’t be just the androids who’ll be sweetly dreaming of electric sheep.

My Grade: A Nexus-6 out of 7 (because you know, that’s the type of android in the novel)

Rated NC-18: John Wyndham's Day of the Triffids

Rated NC-18 (Nerdy Content from an 18-year-old): John Wyndham's Day of the Triffids

“Looks can be deceiving.”

- Some random dunce with too much free time

When it comes to pop culture we only expect one thing from our entertainment overlords: nothing but the best. We look for star-studded casts in films and television, Game Of The Year awards for video games, mentions of the New York Times Bestseller list for literature. However, once in awhile, you come across a work of fiction that makes you go “You’re kidding me, right”, only to find out after experiencing it that it doesn’t fall flat on its face. That’s where I introduce the acclaimed British author John Wyndham. He has a knack, that, despite the fact that some of his works often concern outlandish plots, premises, and settings, (such as a killer sea monster (The Kraken Wakes); and killer children (The Midwich Cuckoos)), he creates literature that can really knock the Wyndham out of you (*cricket chirps in the background* I’m sorry). But alas, those are books for other posts. The one that’s presented here is his magnum opus: Day of the Triffids, or basically the one that stars killer plants.

A spectacular meteor shower occurred while the protagonist, Bill Masen, was slumbering and the end result is that almost all of humanity was blinded as a result (with a few exceptions of course). Ironically Bill was recovering from sightlessness himself after he was blinded with triffid venom. Also, I just want to point out that the story begins with a classic apocalyptic fiction trope: the “I’ve woken up to find out the whole world has ended during my sleep”, something that’s been seen in equally horrifying dystopias such as the tv show The Walking Dead. Both have you haplessly groping about, but at least in one scenario, you’re already dead. Soon after the opening, the novel explains how the triffids came to play. Apparently, it was much suspected to be some sort of Soviet experiment and was accidentally spread across the face of the earth (“Oh, those Russians” -Boney M.). However they weren’t exterminated because it was soon discovered that triffid oil was a valuable commodity, but they were still kept in check…

...until the incident that was the freak meteor shower. And so poor, poor Masen has to learn to adapt to this drastically changed world; having to handle man-eating plants and the occasional group of looney human beings.

Now you're probably wondering how a premise so surreal can possibly be any good. What distinguishes it from the typical over-the-top B-Movie crap fests, is that instead of focusing on the mindless carnage, the whole carnage and nothing but the carnage, this text actually has a lot of depth to it. Thought-provoking questions are raised throughout such as: What kind of government should society have to live in these circumstances?; Does law and order still apply in a new world like this?; Is it a crime or a mercy to not save the countless amount of sightless people wandering about? The kind of elements that don’t leave a movie confined to the forsaken, backwater shelves at HMV. The plot and pacing are good as well, slowly revealing the world around the protagonist, and the moments of exhilaration where he confronts the triffids does wonders to balance out the thoughtful social commentary. One of my favourite scenes is when the Masen and a group of other survivors are left to continue off with daily life while triffids peer in through a large wire fence patiently waiting for the perfect opportunity. It reminds me of the kind of events that you see on Black Friday except the all the self-indulgent, narrow-minded shoppers have been replaced with 12-foot tall killing machines and the meat that on sale is well… you. However there are some rough edges throughout the text, most particularly the other characters feel a bit two-dimensional: such the timid melodramatic lover; the authoritarian wannabe; and so on. But regardless of all that, it still makes John Wyndham worthy of being called the “H.G. Wells of the 20th Century”.

My Grade: Three Blind Mice of out Four

NC-18: Stephen King’s IT

NC-18 (Nerdy Content from an 18-year-old): Stephen King’s IT

Ah, yes I remember it was late in the year when the halloween season was up and about. It was when I was eagerly searching for a novel to get myself in the right mood for the season. But my efforts were fruitless and so I slipped into the depths of melancholy finding that the burst of taste bud euphoria that came from the collection of sweets that received during trick ‘or treating could not alleviate myself. But then I received an email with the simple phrase “IT has arrived!” And so I rushed home and out of that dull cardboard amazon box arose my glorious novel. What was “IT” exactly? Smug devil Stephen King’s very own well... It. Inspired by the atmosphere that comes from All Hallow’s Eve, and the repeated incidents of pretentious teenagers scaring kids (and adults) with clown outfits I took it upon myself to read this cute little freak of nature. A text that chronicles the adventures of seven innocent people in their childhood and later adulthood. The novel tells of their quest to vanquish an ancient evil that dwells within their town that is devouring every child it comes across: the eponymous being simply called “It” that usually takes the form a clown. Yeah, good luck trying to hunt in this day and age, I mean we’ve practically turned coulrophobia into an art form. I think some of you less sober people are just dying to make a drinking game out of this book for every time the word it is mentioned. I don’t necessarily advise since this book is over *with the voice of Dr. Evil from Austin Powers* one-thouuusand pages. If you’re planning on indulging liqueur while reading this, you’ve got a lot to flip through, and you can’t do it if you’re dead and/or in rehab. Now, on with the review.

This tale begins with an innocent child (who just so happens to be the little brother to one of the main characters) merrily watching his paper boat travel down the sidewalk on a rain-soaked day, but tragedy strikes as his boat rushes to a nearby sewer opening and falls in. Sadly that’s not the only tragedy that happened on that day. As he’s hopelessly searching for his precious boat, something appears from inside the darkness: a clown. He Introduces himself as Pennywise, and then the clown offers to hand him his boat back (and balloon to go with it). And of course, the poor naive fool then reaches past the grate and predictably meets an untimely end.

OK, can we analyze the major problems with this course of action:

a.) Clown

b.) He’s talking to you from a frickin’ sewer (and his best excuse for this odd location is: “the storm blew the whole circus away”)

c.) is for clown

d.) Stranger Danger (who’s also offering you dubious goods)

e.) Clown

f.) CLOWN!!!

g.) HE’S A HOOVER DAM CLOWN!!!!!!

And to add to d.)  just because you know his name doesn’t make him any less dangerous. If some kleptomaniac broke into your house; cornered you in your bedroom with a switchblade in hand; and then introduced himself as Harold, that doesn’t make your situation any more reassuring now doesn’t it. Regardless, I think this is a great opening to our tale. Whereas some fiction takes a while before anything of intrigue happens, this text just cuts to the chase. A little dash of character introduction and exposition later, all the sudden BOOM, bloody murder. Heck, I think this should be the new standard for all fiction; “Hey, wanna read some Jane Austen? Duh duh dunnnn”. Much later in the story, six particular people start to receive an ominous phone call from an old friend telling of the return of the malevolent entity they fought together as pre-teens in a group called the Loser’s Club (that’s some botched advertising right there, I mean you wouldn’t invest in a company called Bankruptcy Incorporated). Anyway, it (see what I did there) has returned to prey on the children of their childhood town, and that they must return to surcease the carnage once and for all. Will the monster be bested, or will it feed?

This text oft considered as one of his best works, and boy I see where they were going with it. The plot is enthralling as it can get but to me, the most striking thing about this is how it’s presented. The story is not just presented as in a straightforward manner like other stories. There are three timelines presented here: the 1957 timeline that chronicles the all the character’s childhoods; the Interlude that tells of one of the members - Mike Hanlon - as he’s confronted with the decision whether or not to bring the gang back together to face the monster; and the 1985 timeline which deals with the second confrontation between the Loser’s Club and It. The story is just beautifully connected and flows perfectly like canola oil on tinfoil. Characters are quirky and fun to read about, and not to mention relatable since they aren’t invincible macho men; they’re just average people. And it’s just one of those books with so much delicious imagery and great attention to deal that the imagination just flares up with colour and sheer beauty! However it’s insane attention to detail can get a bit overboard, as I sometimes came across events like one where the story would point out the contents of a medicine cabinet down to the last bottle. Yeah, this is why I take away time from shoveling my walks: to look at what some dunce has in his frickin’ medicine cabinet. Last but not least is that it rightfully deserve the label of horror whereas instead of just jumping at you, it keeps you in that uneasy tension that something is about to go wrong, and before you know it, the terror escalates. In fact, it’s so scary that the smug dipstick who wrote this has ruined a few things for me; stuff that I’ll never look at the same, and so starting now, for every King novel I’m going to keep a casualty list of everyday things that he’s ruined for me.

1. Clowns

2. Sewer systems

3. Balloons

4. Abandoned Houses

5. The word float and its derivatives

But in spite of all that, you know what… I love it all!

My Grade: Six adorkable kids out of Seven

NC-17: William Golding's Lord of the Flies

You ever had one of those days where you thought “humanity is scum.” That you just want to taunt every homo sapien straight to their conceited face. There are numerous cynics out there that look upon humanity with sheer hopelessness and whenever in public go out with a T-shirt with arrows pointing all around saying “I’m with stupid.” And then some…

And by some I mean this dipstick.

This is William Golding and this is his (un)godly offspring to the world…

Lord of the Flies is an interesting novel. It serves as a political allegory on humanity’s savage instincts using children stranded on a desert island.  Looking back on it now I find myself shouting “SHUT IT GOLDING, YOU’RE MAKING THOMAS HOBBES LOOK LIKE A KINDERGARTEN TEACHER!!!” Geez, so little faith in humanity. I mean what more can I say times were turbulent, I mean he fought in a world war and experiencing the thrill ride that was Cold War Paranoia. As you can see by the cover about, you can just tell it ends up going just splendidly.

It begins with the crash of an aircraft filled with dozens of children, all of them small boys ( and thank goodness or this text would’ve been even darker) on a desert island. They were flying not because they were on an innocent field trip, ha ha ha NO!!!! It was because NUCLEAR WAR HAS BROKEN OUT!! But don’t worry, this is only the beginning Anyway, the main character Ralph sets out rounding up the survivors; calls an assembly, and gets himself voted leader almost unanimously. The key word is almost as his rival Jack demands he be appointed as leader. So he offered the job of getting a band together and looking for food while Ralph and others concentrate on building a fire to attract ships. But conflict soon arises between the two rescue and survival and Jack goes insane after he decorates his face with some paint and looks at his reflection in the water. It’s like the Joker’s origin in the 1989 Batman film, except in this case the guy is only like TWELVE!!! But it doesn’t hinder his ability to win over the crowd and soon the guys are going around having wild dances and when that’s not happening murder sows for sport. HEAVEN AL-MIGH-TY!!! Just tragic if I’m honest.

But to once more, to be honest it’s not like this Maze Runner-ish “utopia” was going to last long. I mean have you seen kids in school? They’re a few senile geezers away from creating something that would widen the smile on the Guy Fawkes guy’s mask from V for Vendetta. What would you expect? Congress? Actually, I guess they not much different since everyone there acts like a bunch of children. Ha ha ha, I’m I right? Can someone give me a high five?

This book is great for a number of reasons: from an ambient setting, great writing and characters that I’m actually fond of and get to connect with. But I and a lot of other voracious readers think that what really seals it, is the theme concerning the folly of human nature and the primal nature of man. It’s striking, it’s self-reflecting, it’s poignant and it just pulls you right into the debate of our own being. The whole thing: it’s just an allegory for our childish tendencies to throw people and civility under the bus in the name of personal gain. We’re nothing but dumb juveniles, just like the ones in the book, dumb, selfish, pigs slaying juveniles (oh, we kill innocent porcine alright, it’s just that most of the time we let others do it for us. If you say “I don’t because I don’t eat meat, well you can still just go die in a hole.) All of this begs to ask the question: “Was Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight  actually onto something, what if he really is just “ahead of the curve so to speak”

My grade: eight skewered sows out of ten.