Inside the Outside [Paperback]

Martin Lastrapes (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 9, 2011

GRAND PRIZE WINNER (2012): PARIS BOOK FESTIVAL

WINNER (GENERAL FICTION) (2012): HOLLYWOOD BOOK FESTIVAL

RUNNER-UP (2012): NEW YORK BOOK FESTIVAL

RUNNER-UP (2012): SAN FRANCISCO BOOK FESTIVAL

Timber Marlow is a teenage cannibal who has lived her entire life within a cult called the Divinity of Feminine Reproach and by the time she is fifteen years old she has already killed three men. When Timber takes an opportunity to explore the Outside, she bears witness to some dark and unsettling truths about the world around her and the integral role she plays in it. In this debut novel, laced with scenes of horrific violence and uplifting humanity, Martin Lastrapes has written a one-of-a-kind story about love, friendship, sacrifice, and cannibalism.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"At once irreverent and prophetic, Inside the Outside is a real achievement.  The story is full of twists and turns, and the writing is sharp and vivid from beginning to end.  In this dark, bold, strange, but always intriguing novel, Martin Lastrapes proves that he is a talented young writer of considerable promise."
 —James Brown, author of The Los Angeles Diaries and This River


"In this debut novel, Lastrapes slips deftly from disturbingly dark to vibrantly tender and every hue and shadow in between, sending the reader on a journey through a place that is as beautiful and alluring as it is horrific.  Deliciously creepy..."
—S. Kay Murphy, author of Tainted Legacy: The Story of Alleged Serial Killer Bertha Gifford

About the Author

MARTIN LASTRAPES grew up in the Inland Empire. He studied at Cal State San Bernardino, where he earned a Bachelor's Degree in English and a Master's Degree in Composition. This is his first novel.

Product Details

• Paperback: 292 pages
• Publisher: Cannibal Press (July 9, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0615440290
• ISBN-13: 978-0615440293
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.6 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (62 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #851,225 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

MARTIN LASTRAPES won the GRAND PRIZE at the 2012 PARIS BOOK FESTIVAL for his debut novel INSIDE THE OUTSIDE.

He grew up in the Inland Empire, studied at Cal State San Bernardino, has a Bachelor's Degree in English and a Master's Degree in Composition, loves good pizza, watches his favorite movies over and over again, learned many a lesson from professional wrestling, doesn't think there is such a thing as overpaid, wonders if he'll ever be famous enough to be on "Dancing With the Stars," thinks good stand-up comedy is rare and under appreciated, is scared of Vladimir Putin, wonders if it's too late to learn how to play the guitar, gets depressed when he hears the theme song from "M*A*S*H," wishes he knew more history, isn't sure if he's having enough fun, wonders why Teen Wolf never made it to the NBA, and wants Morgan Freeman to narrate his life.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Don't let the cannibalism throw you August 1, 2011

By Will Entrekin

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Stephen King once wrote that though he aimed at horror, he'd settle for a scare and wasn't even too proud to go for the gross out. Martin Lastrapes' debut novel is classified as horror (and indeed seems to be rising quickly up the charts), but really it achieves something even more powerful; I'd call it literary terror. This isn't slasher-flick horror. This isn't jump-scare frights. If you look up terror on Wikipedia, right now, it says "The goal of terror is to inspire dread and to paralyze the will to resist the objectives of the perpetrator."

Dread? Check. Paralysis of the will to resist the author's objective? Check.

Martin Lastrapes isn't out to scare you. He's out to terrify you with a cunningly simple tale that alternates between queasy dis-ease and powerful humanity, and his aim is true.

15 of 19 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Frighteningly Delightful July 20, 2011

By Cherry Darling

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

This book had me on the verge of tears, laughter, and terror, sometimes at the same time. Martin Lastrapes writes with such vivid imagery, that there were times where I had to put the book down to avoid being overly spooked. His imagery is lush and visceral. His characters are multi-layered, from the most seemingly minor character, to the novel's heroine, Timber; I found myself caring for each character and caring what happened to them. Though many scenes are very dark, which I love, there is also a lightness and sort of hope that surrounds the book's darker corners. I do not want to give any of the story away, but with its many twists and turns, and Martin's fine understanding of the craft of writing, I am confident in saying you will enjoy this book as much as I did!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Insidetheoutside by Martin Lastrapes September 28, 2012

By Marilyn Yuen

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Martin is a brilliant writer who takes you on a journey of suspense, appalling, and shocking discoveries. The book is written so well that I found it hard to put it down. I find myself wanting to go back to the book, thinking in some magical way more chapters will appear. I am on edge to see what he is working on next. I hope there will be a part 2 for Insidetheoutside. Ingenious work of art.