The Sub A Study in Witchcraft [Paperback]

THOMAS M. DISCH (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Knopf (1995)
• ASIN: B000S8XWF4
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars another virtuoso entertainment, October 9, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Sub: A Study in Witchcraft (Hardcover)

Tom Disch is an incredibly accomplished writer in numerous genres: science fiction, horror, short story, poetry, children's, essays, etc. Not only is his work page-turning entertainment, his style never fails. He throws off sentences like virtuoso jazz riffs. The Sub relates the story of a teacher in her 30's discovering her gift for witchcraft, venting her evil and that of her father's ghost by transforming family and acquaintances into beasts. This is being marketed as horror, and it may disappoint some conventional horror readers, as some other reviews suggest, because it differs in tone from more conventional fare. Disch is a comic writer, in the best cruel and distant tradition, with a deep knowledge of both classical mythology and Christianity. All of his fiction is both ironic and moral at the same time. If you like The Sub, check out The Businessman and On Wings of Song.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A delicious, devilish satire, June 7, 2000

By 

Randall Ivey "Randall" (USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Sub: A Study in Witchcraft (Hardcover)

Some previous reviewers seem to be missing the point when they call Disch a misogynist. Yes, he pokes fun at certain feminist and New Age shibboleths, but please note that he also targets religious fundamentalism as well, and the slimiest character in the book is not Diana but the incestuous reverend.

In any event, the novel is satire, which explains its sharp edge and unflinching eye. This is not Disch's best work, but it's mighty entertaining, funny, and, yes, frightening (the scene where Diana transforms her potential lover into a stag is particularly adept and scary).

Disch remains a consistently interesting writer worthy of much wider attention.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good, but not very pleasant, May 8, 2002

By 

mrliteral - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Sub: A Study in Witchcraft (Hardcover)

This is one of Disch's horror novels and - although stand-alone - is a companion novel to The MD, The Businessman and The Priest (the last of which I have not read). As with his other horror novels, Disch breaks away from normal conventions; no one would confuse his work with Stephen King in either content or tone.

This story follows the descent into evil of a woman as she becomes infected with the malignant spirit of her father. With her change in character come new and nasty powers.

The main flaw with this story is its general air of unpleasantness. There are few appealing characters and the book often has the feel of a rural soap opera. Nonetheless, this is a well-written book and for horror fans, it is a nice change-of-pace story.