Author Topic: Pseudopod 023: Civilized Monsters  (Read 12249 times)

Bdoomed

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on: February 02, 2007, 09:05:46 PM
Pseudopod 023: Civilized Monsters


By Johnny Compton
Read by George Hrab

“You see that?” Randolph asked, referring to the dingy shard of bone within the bag. “Recognize it?”

Before Kyle could answer, a thump sounded through the ceiling.

Randolph looked up but kept the gun aimed at Kyle’s face. “Hanna? Is that you? It’s ten o’clock, I figured you’d be asleep by now. Why don’t you come downstairs–?”

“Hanna stay up there!” Kyle shouted. “Randolph’s down here with a gun and he’s lost his mind.””

A second later, the red light on the base of the kitchen phone blinked.

“You’re going to call the police?” Randolph asked Hanna. “Go right ahead. I’m sure they’d be as interested as I am to know where you’re keeping the bodies.”



Listen to this week's Pseudopod.

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Holden

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Reply #1 on: February 05, 2007, 07:18:41 PM
Wow. In the great ongoing philosophical debate on the definition of science fiction, fantasy, speculative fiction, and horror, there are many intricacies which make it possible for some stories to fit into multiple categories or for people to disagree and even argue about the genre of certain stories. This was not one of those stories.

This was horror all the way, baby, and it was great!



obuchiteck

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Reply #2 on: February 06, 2007, 03:32:56 PM
I agree, this one I liked. Strait up. Question though. Why do feel the need to define Horror, from Sci-Fi, fantasy and what not. If it’s scary, it’s horror, all other is Sci-fi. It makes my DVD sorting a lot easier. 



Jonathan C. Gillespie

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Reply #3 on: February 06, 2007, 04:19:45 PM
Didn't care for it.  It felt thrown together, and it wasn't helped by the narrator, who did great at times, but most of the time seemed to growl every word, and from the inside of a barrell.

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DKT

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Reply #4 on: February 06, 2007, 07:17:27 PM
Interesting. I actually liked the narration of this piece a lot and thought his tone added a signifcant level of menance to the story.


Alasdair5000

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Reply #5 on: February 07, 2007, 09:59:19 AM
   I really liked this one, largely because of the structure.  I'm a big fan of stories that drop you in at the middle (Or in this case, basically the end) and work backwards to fill you in and I thought this did a really good job of it.  Similarly, the way that Randolph's background was sketched out was more than enough to cast a shadow of doubt over his actions, making the end all the more effective.
   Finally, the eventual payoff whilst I suspect a little too pat for some listeners, fitted very well with what had gone before.  I liked the fact that there was no explanation for what the sickness was, I liked the fact that we were left with questions and I particularly liked the way Randolph's physical and mental disintegration was portrayed.  Not just straight horror, but very good straight horror this is one of my favourite pseudopod stories so far.



Thaurismunths

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Reply #6 on: February 07, 2007, 12:10:22 PM
I loved this story, especially how much of the end was devoted to elaborating on his maddening hunger; I'm a big fan of grizzly stories. I appreciated that this one went right where Randolph thought it was going; that his neighbors were psychos, and that they really were serving human.
The voicing was only ok. I got lost a couple times when the speaker changed, partly because I was mildly distracted and partly because it was such a fast moving scene.

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fiveyearwinter

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Reply #7 on: February 07, 2007, 03:07:54 PM
Pseudopod loves the body gore! My word!

It was pretty good - I assume eating prevents the madness, but I wonder why the mountain man turned mad, then? Maybe he just didn't find enough people to eat...although then I wonder why he wouldn't be driven to search until he did find them.

Or maybe he wasn't mad (not really) until they wounded and captured him (thus preventing his feeding).

Hm.




Alasdair5000

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Reply #8 on: February 07, 2007, 03:32:23 PM
   I got the impression that the mountain man was either something slightly more (or less) than human and needed to feed constantly to survive or that he'd been infected by something that constantly regenerated its host and needed flesh to live.  Sort of a self-cannibalising Typhoid Mary.

And yes, pseudopod does indeed love the body gore:)



wakela

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Reply #9 on: February 13, 2007, 02:12:13 AM
Liked it a lot.

Though I think it should have ended when the narator realizes that he's chained up with the bit in his mouth, and then leave the horror of this up to our imaginations.



Bdoomed

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Reply #10 on: February 13, 2007, 03:58:25 AM
Liked it a lot.

Though I think it should have ended when the narator realizes that he's chained up with the bit in his mouth, and then leave the horror of this up to our imaginations.
ya kno that would've been a better endin... maybe the last line being "he could feel the hunger brewing" or something like that.

I'd like to hear my options, so I could weigh them, what do you say?
Five pounds?  Six pounds? Seven pounds?


Holden

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Reply #11 on: February 13, 2007, 03:57:18 PM
I liked the ending as written, including his decent into madness.

There was one loose end, though. It would have been nice to see what happens to the original chained up food supply. There is mention of him being burned, but I would have liked to have that included. Would he burn instantly, or would it take hours or days of agonizing pain as his body attempts to regenerate whilst being burned?



Unblinking

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Reply #12 on: September 14, 2009, 08:45:54 PM
I didn't like this story at first, but once the supernatural elements with the infectious madness and quick healing really took hold, it had me good.  I like how the neighbor's have kept their humanity by feeding on the one who infected them, allowing them to live otherwise normal lives.  By performing this grisly and gruesome act they have saved hundreds or thousands of others from being eaten or infected themselves.  And of course our unstable protagonist comes at just the wrong time when their food source stops regenerating and gives them the chance to grab a new one-man food source instead of considering suicide or turning their hunger on the general population.

The ending was superb.  To end it before it did would have been to miss the most horrific part, as he's hungering for his own flayed meat.



Millenium_King

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Reply #13 on: August 19, 2010, 09:45:37 PM
I liked this one.  It was good, although some of the action sequences were clumsy in parts.  Also, sometimes, the main character's motivation is a little blurry.  Nonetheless, it was tense and kept me listening - although the conclusion was pretty much foregone.

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Fenrix

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Reply #14 on: August 20, 2010, 07:46:52 PM
Revisiting this thread and story reminds me of one of the most gruesome sequences in an episode of Dollhouse. Stuck in a hellish dream world, they protagonists encountered a man who is manically happy and laughingly repeats "I must enjoy myself". By the end of the sequence you realize that he cannot run and the meal he is being served is from his severed legs. Definately worth a watch, much like this story is worth a listen.

All cat stories start with this statement: “My mother, who was the first cat, told me this...”


MsBobbyJenkins

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Reply #15 on: May 19, 2014, 11:41:35 AM
Officially been hooked for the past 24 hours on these podcasts. Thanks to Radio Kol's 'Spooky Sundays'.

I decided to start from the beginning. I've been tempted to comment on a few stories as I make my way through them and as I reached this one I finally took the plunge and made an account. Hello all!

Anyway, I agree with those who felt the ending could have finished sooner. I was completely convinced that after he said 'please....just a taste' I was going to hear the familiar ending music. Whilst the description of his descent into madness was interesting. I felt that it was unnecessary. When the cannibal couple mention that their 'food source' has turned into a savage, it was easy to assume that that would be the same fate for our 'hero'.

'Please, just a taste' felt like a good 'punchline' almost. But ah well.



Fenrix

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Reply #16 on: May 19, 2014, 01:46:53 PM

Officially been hooked for the past 24 hours on these podcasts. Thanks to Radio Kol's 'Spooky Sundays'.

I decided to start from the beginning. I've been tempted to comment on a few stories as I make my way through them and as I reached this one I finally took the plunge and made an account. Hello all!


Welcome. Threadomancy is not discouraged.

Some good folks at KOL - I know there's some cross-pollination of social groups. I mostly recall hanging at Trader Vic's with both Ben and KOL dev's during Dragon*Con.
« Last Edit: May 19, 2014, 01:49:52 PM by Fenrix »

All cat stories start with this statement: “My mother, who was the first cat, told me this...”


Unblinking

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Reply #17 on: May 19, 2014, 02:08:11 PM
What's Radio Kol?  Is there a link?

And, yes, threadomance as much as you like--it's fun to hear old stories recalled to memory and hear fresh opinions on them.



MsBobbyJenkins

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Reply #18 on: May 19, 2014, 04:32:18 PM
Aw thanks guys!

Radio Kol is the radio station for Kingdom of Loathing. If you haven't played it yet. Do it now!

http://www.kingdomofloathing.com




Unblinking

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Reply #19 on: May 22, 2014, 01:59:33 PM
Aw thanks guys!

Radio Kol is the radio station for Kingdom of Loathing. If you haven't played it yet. Do it now!

http://www.kingdomofloathing.com



Ah, yes!  I keep hearing about the game, but have never quite played it.  I really should.  :)