Writtenyes: Matthew Barber
Edward Lee is a writer who needs no introduction. He is famous for his novels such as Big Head and Headerwho is one of the most extreme and hardcore writers in the horror genre today. The missing meat is a collection of three short stories: “The Skinning Technician,” “Cyesolagniac,” and “Room 415.”
“The Skinner” was unexpected for Ang Lee because it didn’t have explicit sex or violence. Instead, the story is about humanity going out into the stars, and an expedition team encounters an alien spaceship. The Skinner’s mission is to open it, but what he finds challenges not only humanity’s view of space, but also its view of religion and origins.
In “The Cyesolagniac,” a man obsessed with a pregnant woman hires the prostitute of his dreams, or so he thinks. He wakes up in a seedy hotel room, drugged and robbed. Yet, he tells himself, she only took his cash. She could have taken his computer or his credit cards. It could have been worse. Of course, it was.
Finally, in “Room 415,” a man named Floyd stays at a fancy hotel. From his balcony, he has a stunning view of the beach, as well as the sex and torture that is about to take place in Room 415. Floyd is incredibly excited about the whole thing. He decides not to call the police. Instead, Floyd plans to continue his voyeuristic activities before intimately participating in these brutal acts.
All three stories have their own unique qualities. However, they are not only scary, but also humorous. Cyesolagniac is probably the best of them all because of its unexpected and totally unexpected ending.
If you like Edward Lee, you will love The missing meatThe book mostly meets the reader’s expectations, but also breaks the mold and keeps the reader guessing. The only criticism I could give is the length. At only 100 pages, the book is too short.
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score: 3/5
