Mefisto in Onyx, by Harlan Ellison

Harlan Ellison's hackles would raise when he was referred to as a science fiction writer. Calling him a 'sci-fi' writer would be like teasing a rabid pit bull. I cannot imagine he would react with benevolence if you said he was a horror writer.

Of course Harlan wrote a lot of SF. He wrote mystery, fantasy, beat fiction. He also wrote some things that would fall securely in the realm of horror.

There's Bleeding Stones, a story of stone gargoyles that come alive to wreak bloody havoc. On the Slab is a Lovecraftian story. Shattered Like a Glass Goblin is a hippie nightmare.

Mefisto in Onyx is probably Ellison's best pure horror story. It's a novella about a black man who has the unwelcome ability to enter another's mind. I note the character's skin tone because race and society are crucial to the development of the piece.

The man is approached by a longtime friend who is an attorney. She is prosecuting a prolific serial killer. A charming but bloodthirsty individual. Think Ted Bundy. The attorney has become convinced that the accused murderer is innocent, and needs help. She wants her friend to help determine the truth.

Entering anyone's mind is a ferociously terrifying experience. We all have dark corners, and shining a light into them is not pleasant. Venturing into the thoughts of a sadistic murderer fills the man with fear and dread, but this is a friend he cannot refuse. He reluctantly agrees to her request.

Ellison says Mefisto in Onyx is perhaps as good as he was ever capable of doing. I don't quite agree, but it is ripping good. While I can't call it one of my very favorites of his work, it is one hell of a story.

I cannot help but wonder if Sarah Pinborough had read Mefisto in Onyx prior to writing Behind Her Eyes. The stories have similar themes. I like Pinborough, and I consider Behind Her Eyes to be her best work, but she simply isn't in the same league as Harlan Ellison.

Finally, a word on the Zeising edition of Mefisto in Onyx. I love the art design, and Frank Miller's cover is creepy and compelling, but I am not fond of the lopsided book layout. You know the type: The short side has the binding and the pages are elongated. Cemetery Dance has done some editions like it. To me it's a back-assward design that is awkward to read. My copy of Mefisto in Onyx is almost three decades old and the book is starting to warp.

Written by Mark Sieber