Customer Reviews

Paingod and other delusions

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Ellison broke into print back in 1956, and in the ten years that followed, he wrote an extraordinary number of short stories. Yet prolific as he was from the beginning, he didn't start to hit the level of quality we associate with his mature work until the late '50s. Even then, a number of his stories in speculative fiction would contain scenes, images, and ideas that no one else could handle in those days, only to be marred somewhat by immaturity. This shows up in a lot of the pulp-sf appurtenances that he loaded the earlier stories with in this book. Stories like "The Discarded" and to a lesser extent, "Deeper Than the Darkness" touch places in the psyche that evoke genuine pain--then jar us with risible notions of mutants and somewhat puerile descriptions intended to horrify and shock.

Later stories in this book, such as "Bright Eyes" (1964) and "Repent, Harlequin!..." (1965) are more accomplished and controlled in this regard. I can still read them with considerable pleasure. "Deeper Than the Darkness" has a lot that can be said for it, too, but one must look past some of the pulp-sf crudities that I alluded to above.

The title story, "Paingod," is an interesting attempt that I don't think comes off entirely. A pretty good read, nevertheless.

So you get the picture: the book is a mixed bag, but an interesting one. The stories are often moving, because Ellison felt strongly about the issues embodied, and communicated it effectively. And the book is historically interesting, because it points the way to his later fiction.

Is the book up to the level of quality to be found in his later books, such as _Shatterday_ or _Angry Candy_? No, but that doesn't make it bad. If memory serves, Ellison was 31 when _Paingod_ appeared. The late Theodore Sturgeon wrote an appreciative review at the time where he recognized Ellison's promise on the basis of this book. Neither Sturgeon's probity nor his perspicacity are in doubt because of it. :-)

All in all, the book is worth reading if you're an aficionado of speculative fiction. Ten years ago, I might have said that some of these stories had become dated in a bad way. The cycle of world events seems to have swung back around, and the stories seem (to use a very '60s word) _relevant_ again. :-]

This is a strong Ellison collection. Though I'm less impressed with the famous "Repent, Harlequin" than most, it's definitely one of his most celebrated stories. I myself am partial to "Sleeping Dogs," one of his best "hard" SF stories, the very strange "Bright Eyes," "Deeper Than the Darkness," the poignant "Discarded," the celebratory "Crackpots" and the title track, a clear statement of Ellison's pessimistic/romantic world view, elegantly stated even if I don't share Ellison's outlook.

Ellison, for the most part, has been out of print for the past twenty years, and that, in my opinion, is a bad thing. A very bad thing! During the 60s and 70s, he was not only the best writer of the New Wave of science-fiction, he was also the most original short story writer around. It can be said that he wrote like no one else. His style is vigorous, compelling and lucid. No one else can hold a candle to him. A prolific writer, he wrote something like 700 stories, starting from the 50s and continuing through to the early 80s. The stories in this collection are from the 60s, and what a wonderful collection it is too.

'"Repent, Harlequin" said the Tick Tock Man' is a story every bit as good as it's title - and I think that the title is a real peach. In about 3000 words he describes a dystopia where society is ruthlessly regimented by the clock. If you are five minutes late for an appointment, you lose five minutes off your life. The Tick Tock Man (or the Master Timekeeper, to call him by his official title) rules with a ruthless efficiency, and relentlessly tracks down the Harlequin, the ultimate non-conformist who refuses to be on time and who ingeniously disrupts the smooth running of this soulless society. If you have read 1984, you will know what happens- but there is a lovely twist at the end, which I won't spoil by giving away. The story may sound daft but it works and works beautifully. His imagination is unique. His aim is true. In Paingod, another classic, he tries to explain why there is so much pain in the world and why it is so necessary. There are other glories here: 'The Discarded', 'The Crackpots' and 'Deeper Than Darkness.' All worth your perusal. Each story is preceded by a short introduction that is as readable, entertaining and lively as the stories.

Ellison is a wonderful writer who doesn't deserve the neglect that has befallen him. Buy this book and maybe -yes, just maybe! - it will encourage some enterprising publisher to reprint such essential collections as Strange Wine, Deathbird Stories, Alone Against Tomorrow, and Approaching Oblivion. Why Ellison isn't one of the most popular men of American letters utterly baffles me. He is as good as the best and better than most.

Ellison writes with humanity that you can feel in your gut and an imagination that makes Star Wars look like C-SPAN. On top of all of that there is often a lot of humor and cutting wit weaved into his stories as well. It's science fiction as poetry. Ellison never insults the intellect of his readers (in fact he challenges it) but he also isn't afraid of dealing with science fiction pulp standards like mutants, aliens and spaceships. I'll give you one quick sample line:

"The dead were everywhere, sighing soundlessly with milk-white eyes at a tomorrow that had never come."

(that line is from a story where the main character is an alien riding a giant rat named Thomas carrying a bag of skulls. Yeah...)

Also the short story "Repent Harlequin!", Said the Ticktockman is included in this book, which is one of my personal favorites! The introductions before each story are also great and give you an insight into Ellison's personality, as do the stories themselves. If youre unfamiliar with Ellison this is a good starter or check out The Beast That Shouted Love at the Heart of the World.

The stories in this collection were originally published in magazines between 1956 and 1965. Unlike much SF of that era, they have not lost their edge.

In part, this is down to Ellison's literary style which was head and shoulders above the majority of SF at that time. Thus today, when editors demand better writing, these stories can still satisfy. The other reason is that Ellison has an uncanny vision of the future which does not easily get outdated by the events of a few decades.

The stories contain lots of new ideas and the author uses the flexibility of the SF format to good effect.

This highlight must of course be "Repent, Harlequin!" said the Ticktockman which tells of a world rigidly controlled with everyone forced to conduct their affairs to maximise the efficiency of society. I think that this is one of the finest SF shorts ever written and it is certainly the best known of all the stories here.

Having praised that story, I should say that, with the exception of the final tale, "Deeper than the Darkness", I really liked everything here. They range from the sorrowful "Bright Eyes" to the wryly funny story "The Crackpots".

i thought "paingod and other delusions" was interesting to say the least, Ellison has a way of writing that makes it hard to put the book down, i enjoyed it very much and would recomend this book to anyone who likes science fiction, or just reading for that matter.

My first Ellison book, and it was great! Contains the classic "Repent, Harlequin! Said the Ticktockman", and several others that aren't as well-known, but just as good. The story "Paingod" is very impressive. His stories come off with the elegance of Bradbury, but with a harder edge

Harlan Ellison loves to write introductions to stories. You can see it in anthologies like _Dangerous Visions_ (1967); and you can see it in many of his collections, including this one. Ellison says that his "habit of going naked into the world" comes from "a seamy desire on my part... to Be Adored" (11). In short, a Harlan Ellison introduction is a performance. You may want to take it with a grain of salt at times, but it is hard to avoid being entertained. Some readers, in fact, may be more entertained by the introductory material than by the stories themselves.

There are seven stories in all: "Paingod" (_Fantastic_,1964), "'Repent Harlequin!' Said the Ticktockman!'" (_Galaxy_, 1965), "The Crackpots" (_If_, 1956), "Bright Eyes" (_Fantastic_, 1965), "The Discarded" (_Fantastic_, 1959), "Wanted in Surgery" (_If_,1957), and "Deeper than the Darkness" (_Infinity_,1957).

Let us start with "Repent Harlequin!..." It won the Hugo and the Nebula for best short story, and it is arguably the most famous story in this collection. I hope that legions of wild-eyed fans will not lash me with a neuronic whip for saying that I believe that it is a somewhat overrated story. Still, it is a nicely done blend of humor and dystopian fiction. Perhaps it was this comical element that struck a chord with readers.

I was a bit more impressed with "Bright Eyes" and "Deeper than the Darkness." Both stories involve quests. In the first tale, the questor is a tiny mutant astride a rat in a post-holocaust world. In the second, the hero is a firestarting minstrel traveling the spaceways. Ellison tells us that "Bright Eyes" was inspired by a piece of scratchboard art, while "Deeper than the Darkness" was inspired by a piece of music.

"Paingod" loaned itself to a great magazine cover by Robert Adragna depicting a purplish, three-fingered god lifting a crystal block with the Earth and Moon encased inside. It is a story that wrestles with the old problem of evil theme: If there is a God, and He is good, why do good people suffer? The story deserves some points for seriousness and a smooth style. But it is ultimately a bit heavy-handed in its treatment.

Many of Ellison's stories deal with the conflict between the conformist Suits and the individualist Crazies, with Ellison (surprise!) firmly on the side of the Crazies. The last three stories deal with this conflict. In "The Crackpots," a Suit comes to realize the error of his ways and goes native. In "The Discarded," the uglies are screwed by the beautiful people. And in "Wanted in Surgery," there is a partial victory over the robots. Sometimes a partial victory is the best that we can get and the most that we deserve, though I am not sure that Ellison would agree with that.

In his previous collection, _Ellison Wonderland_ (1962), we see an original voice breaking through rough material. With _Paingod and Other Delusions_ (1965), we see Ellison more in control of his material. The voice is still there, but the artist is more clearly in sight.

Let me get this out there right from the start - I LOVE Ellison! I have from the 70's and still do.

BUT - The description of this "book" tells me that it contains 172 pages and the other reviews speak of the other stories in it other than Paingod. WELL . . . all I got in my Kindle "delivery" was the title short story - no book to speak of, certainly not 172 pages worth, no other stories at all.

Perhaps I shouldn't gripe since I only spent 69 cents on it, but it simply wasn't what I ordered and wanted. I wanted the whole collection of stories but only got the one short story "Paingod".

I read sci-fi occasionally and I picked up an old copy of this book. To be honest I found the stream-of-conciousness introductions more interesting than the stories they preceded. For the most part I felt the stories were rather one note and gave an air of being made up as they go along without any kind of arc or structure apparent from one end to the other. Perhaps this is common when you're on a deadline and have to pump these things out to order, but I wasn't very satisfied with the outcome.

For example the widely mooted "Bright Eyes" story was apparently conceived to go with a painting and indeed the first few pages are almost a verbatim description of that painting - an alien riding a giant rat with a castle backdrop. It's feels like a school essay where the pupil has to write a story about a picture. Then the story turns right angles as alien and rat complete a mini odyssey and dump a bag of skulls in memory of his dead race after humans have wiped themselves out. Perhaps it was meant to be moving but to be honest it's just weird.

Most of the stories are like this. I did find some of them enjoyable but for the most part, I was more bemused than anything else.