I heard Norman Prentiss read from this book at the Horrorfind convention in late September. The excerpt he read gave me the creeps, especially since Norm is very soft-spoken - his quiet voice made his tale even more horrific.
Curtis has returned home to see his dying mother. She is bedridden, attended by a nurse and her other son, Glen. Once Curtis arrives, he notices that his brother has lost a lot of weight and seems to be obsessed with exercising. Curtis himself begins to have nightmares. One night he hears the nurse tell his mother the story of The Fleshless Man, a creature so horrific, looking at its face practically drives a man insane.
After hearing the nurse’s tale - and Curtis is never sure if that was a real story or a dream - Curtis’s thoughts turn dark; he imagines hurting his mother, putting her out of her misery. He also wants to help his brother, who seems to have developed anorexia, according to the nurse. Soon, everything comes to a head, and Curtis must face his fears and deal with his family’s secrets and problems.
The Fleshless Man quietly sneaks up on the reader, delivering a sense of unease and dread. The line between dream and wakefulness is thin, leaving the reader to wonder what is real.
Norman Prentiss is a two-time Bram Stoker Award winner, and it’s easy to see why. His writing is flawless, giving The Fleshless Man a depth not usually seen in a horror novel. You won’t want to put this book down.
Review by Sheri White
Curtis has returned home to see his dying mother. She is bedridden, attended by a nurse and her other son, Glen. Once Curtis arrives, he notices that his brother has lost a lot of weight and seems to be obsessed with exercising. Curtis himself begins to have nightmares. One night he hears the nurse tell his mother the story of The Fleshless Man, a creature so horrific, looking at its face practically drives a man insane.After hearing the nurse’s tale - and Curtis is never sure if that was a real story or a dream - Curtis’s thoughts turn dark; he imagines hurting his mother, putting her out of her misery. He also wants to help his brother, who seems to have developed anorexia, according to the nurse. Soon, everything comes to a head, and Curtis must face his fears and deal with his family’s secrets and problems.
The Fleshless Man quietly sneaks up on the reader, delivering a sense of unease and dread. The line between dream and wakefulness is thin, leaving the reader to wonder what is real.
Norman Prentiss is a two-time Bram Stoker Award winner, and it’s easy to see why. His writing is flawless, giving The Fleshless Man a depth not usually seen in a horror novel. You won’t want to put this book down.
Review by Sheri White
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