Electric Jesus Corpse [Paperback]

Carlton Mellick III (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 20, 2002

The twisted and surreal version of the story of Jesus Christ set in a bizarre version of modern day Earth that has been ravaged by war and cannibal zombie plagues, where the landscape is slowly mutating into meat and human flesh is transforming into machine. The novel follows Christ's twelve apostles. However, in this world the apostles are pimps, necrophiliacs, skinheads, and other assorted freaks. And they have no desire to follow Jesus Christ on his crusade to save humanity whatsoever. So this novel follows the lives of these never-been apostles on their separate epic journeys into the bizarre. An awkward and chaotic work of art that is like nothing you've ever seen.

Editorial Reviews

Review

This is one of the most odd, strange, weird books I have ever read, and enjoyed every minute of it. -- Topsite

About the Author

Carlton Mellick III is one of the leading names in the new BIZARRO genre uprising. In only a few short years, his surreal counterculture novels have drawn an international cult following despite the fact that they have been shunned by most libraries and corporate bookstores. Though frequently compared to David Lynch, Kurt Vonnegut, and even Lloyd Kaufman, Carlton Mellick III is unlike anyone you’ve experienced before. He sings for the band "Popes That Are Porn Stars" in Portland, OR.

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Eraserhead Press (August 20, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0971357285
• ISBN-13: 978-0971357280
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #556,038 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

CARLTON MELLICK III is one of the leading authors in the bizarro fiction movement. His influences range from offbeat children's book authors such as Dr. Suess and Roald Dahl to Japanese cult directors such as Takashi Miike and Shinya Tsukamoto to trashy B-movies such as those from Troma and John Waters.

He lives in Portland, OR, where the breweries, bookstores, and strip clubs are the best in the country.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars excellent author, not-so-excellent book, June 5, 2003

By 

may hurtyou (San Diego) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Electric Jesus Corpse (Paperback)

I ended up buying his Satan Burger novel and a photocopied booklet called The Baby Jesus Buttplug instead. I have to tell you I was floored by those two books. Carlton Mellick has to be one of the most outside-the-box authors living today. So I decided to go ahead and buy Electric Jesus Corpse anyway, even though the author himself warned me not to.

Well, I read the book, and FINISHED it (unlike previously reviewers), and have to say that it's better than I expected but a lot worse than I had hoped. One thing to point out is that he was 18 years old when he wrote it, so it's obviously not a masterpiece. It's not a fun and easy read like his other books, but it's still something new and original. I'd rather they publish more books like this than any on the bestseller lists.

PROS: 1) Jesus and his apostles in a Dawn of the Dead style world is a cool idea. 2) The blue women from Satan Burger have cameos in this book (they rule). 3) amazonian homosexuals 4) Lots of action, which is very uncommon in arty books 5) Great ending (makes the book worth finishing). 6) It is written in a very crazy writing style and experiments with language in new and unexpected ways. In one section he even stops writing in English and starts writing in a made up language that doesn't make any sense whatsoever. Of course, you don't know what the heck is happening but I love the fact that he had the balls to do something so absurd.

CONS: 1) Messy plotting. 2) Too many characters. 3) The story sags in the middle. 4) the writing style might be strange, but not as interesting as in his newer books. 5) sometimes he goes a little too far trying to be weird. In one section, one of the characters actually takes a break from being a character in the novel and goes home to his wife to complain about his job as a character in a Carlton Mellick book. I don't know, it was just a little too much for me.

I gave the book 4 stars because I really like the author and think it was a good effort. But without knowing that the author was a teenager when he wrote this I would have given it 2 stars. If you have never read a Carlton Mellick III book than do not I repeat do NOT read this book first.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not as good as Razor Wire Pubic Hair, November 5, 2004

By 

Whiskey Cat (Baltimore, Maryland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Electric Jesus Corpse (Paperback)

You can tell Mr. Mellick is a talented author. I'm not a big fan of this book, but his other books are wonderful. I recommend reading "Razor Wire Pubic Hair" instead of this one, but if you're interested in seeing what a brilliant author writes at age 18 (back when he was an amateur) you might enjoy Electric Jesus Corpse. On the other hand, it seems that many people have enjoyed this book so maybe I'm just a snob.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Could be a new CLASSIC....., September 21, 2004

By 

Kevin L. Woods (Starr, South Carolina United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Electric Jesus Corpse (Paperback)

I followed the author's SATAN BURGER with this epic, and let me warn you all: reading Carlton Mellick's books Back-to-Back may be hazardous to your MENTAL health! These books kick so much tail, and its refreshing to see a resurgence in surreal literature, especially with Mellick leading the pack. So, why should you spend your hard earned money on EJC?? Lemme give you a couple of reasons:

1- It's like no other book you'll ever read....seriously. In the world of Carlton Mellick III, things are truly never as they seem, and this novel (epic?) is so original in the style and story departments that you just may throw out every other author's books to start your own CM3 collection.

2- Like to be disturbed? Like to laugh? Like your religion a little on the "weird" side? Then BUY THIS ONE, and prepare to be entertained (and for some, offended!).

Also, I should give one more reason (and an excuse) for buying this book:

3- Carlton Mellick III is the best thing to happen to surreal literature in a long long time (think Vonnegut in his prime), so if you buy this book, you can tell everyone you were reading Calton Mellick's work before he ruled the world!