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Warren Ellis
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Dead Pig Collector (Kindle Single) Kindle Edition

by Warren Ellis (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 782 ratings
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From the wicked imagination of award-winning writer Warren Ellis comes DEAD PIG COLLECTOR, a love story with a classic Ellis twist. So while it might be a love story, it's also about killing people and disposing of their bodies in the most efficient manner possible.

DEAD PIG COLLECTOR introduces readers to Mister Sun, a very proficient businessman whose trade is the murder and spotless removal of human beings. Like any businessman, he knows each transaction is only as good as his client - and today's client, in Los Angeles, has turned out to be so dangerously stupid that Mister Sun's work and life are now in jeopardy...

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  1. Print length
    34 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    FSG Originals
  4. Publication date
    July 30, 2013
  5. File size
    1204 KB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  9. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

Mister Sun sees the world in unusual ways clocking a flight from London to Los Angeles on business at forty thousand seconds, for instance, instead of in terms of hours. But then, he s in an unusual line of work. His business is death and disposal. Taking a room at his favorite hotel, he ensures all is in order from his latest client. It seems to be Until he arrives at the intended target s home to find a different mess to clean up than he expected.Amanda, said target, is interested in learning all the various processes of Mister Sun s work. How does he break down a body, exactly? As she absorbs the details, a strange connection begins to build between the two of them. But can a happy ending be dealt from such grisly cards? With Dead Pig Collector, award-winning, bestselling author Warren Ellis delivers a signature twisted take on life, death, and love.

About the Author

WARREN ELLIS is an author, graphic novelist, columnist, and speaker. His novel, Gun Machine, was released in January 2013, and is being developed for television by Chernin Entertainment and FOX.

Crooked Little Vein, his first novel, was described by Joss Whedon as "Funny, inventive, and blithely appalling . . . Dante on paint fumes."

His graphic novel RED was made into a successful film starring Bruce Willis and Helen Mirren. His other graphic novels, including Transmetropolitan, Planetary, Ministry of Space, Global Frequency, Gravel, and Freakangels, have won multiple awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Prize from the Eagle Awards and the NUIG Lit & Deb’s President’s Medal in recognition of support for free speech.

He lives mostly in Britain.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00DXINHYW
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ FSG Originals (July 30, 2013)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ July 30, 2013
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1204 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 34 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 782 ratings

About the author

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Warren Ellis

Warren Ellis

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Warren Ellis is the author of the Amazon Top 100 2016 book NORMAL and the New York Times- bestselling GUN MACHINE, the writer of award-winning graphic novels like TRANSMETROPOLITAN, PLANETARY and FELL, and is the creator and writer of global top ten streaming hit show CASTLEVANIA on Netflix.

The movie RED is based on his graphic novel of the same name, its sequel having been released in summer 2013. His GRAVEL books are in development for film at Legendary Pictures. IRON MAN 3 is based on his Marvel Comics graphic novel IRON MAN: EXTREMIS. He's also written extensively for VICE, WIRED UK and Reuters on technological and cultural matters.

Read and subscribe to his free weekly newsletter with updates on work and likes at https://buttondown.email/orbitaloperations and orbitaloperations.com.

Warren Ellis lives outside London, on the south-east coast of England, in case he needs to make a quick getaway.

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
782 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the book to be a great, interesting short story. They praise the writing quality as tight, clear, and concise. Readers describe the book as an enjoyable, fun, and quick read. They also find the humor grim, funny, and subversive. They appreciate the great characters and the unique style. Opinions are mixed on the length, with some finding it short and sweet, while others say it runs too short.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

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ReadabilityWriting qualityEnjoymentHumorCharacter developmentStyleShortnessStory length
45 customers mention "Readability"45 positive0 negative

Customers find the book interesting and worth their time. They appreciate the flow and pace of the story. Readers also mention the charm draws them in and keeps them reading.

"Very enjoyable, Ellis's unique style is always incredibly satisfying to me, and it continues to work well even in this bite-sized, Kindle Single..." Read more

"...Dead Pig Collector has an odd charm that draws you in and keeps you reading." Read more

"...It's definitely worth the purchase price, so pick up a copy and find out." Read more

"Engrossing, intriguing, and not for the squeamish...." Read more

23 customers mention "Writing quality"23 positive0 negative

Customers find the writing quality of the book tight, clear, and concise. They say the brutal reality is meshed with brilliant writing. Readers also appreciate the author's great use of language and say it's a quick, great read.

"...novels and it shows here; he's an adept storyteller and knows how to write in a shorter, ready-to-be-serialized mode...." Read more

"...Well written and fun super quick read." Read more

"...you've never read a Warren Ellis story before, this is a good introduction to his writing and if you're all too familiar with Mr. Ellis then this..." Read more

"...Once again we have brutal reality meshed with brilliant writing...." Read more

19 customers mention "Enjoyment"19 positive0 negative

Customers find the book enjoyable, fun, and a quick read. They also say it's engaging and a brutally sweet story.

"Very enjoyable, Ellis's unique style is always incredibly satisfying to me, and it continues to work well even in this bite-sized, Kindle Single..." Read more

"...A rather engaging look into the mind of a world-weary hitman, Dead Pig Collector has an odd charm that draws you in and keeps you reading." Read more

"...Well written and fun super quick read." Read more

"...His characters intrigue me, and are likeable. I never put down one of his stories and wish I hadn't read it...." Read more

17 customers mention "Humor"13 positive4 negative

Customers find the humor in the book grim, funny, and subversive. They also describe the setting as surreal and the dialogue as amusingly deranged. Readers mention the story is brutal and entertaining.

"...into the mind of a world-weary hitman, Dead Pig Collector has an odd charm that draws you in and keeps you reading." Read more

"...short and sweet, yet chock full of the gruesome comic genius that is Warren Ellis...." Read more

"A short, strange, twisted, creepy tale from the author of Transmetropolitan...." Read more

"...The short story is flawed and at times sickening, but it won't cause the reader permanent psychological harm...." Read more

10 customers mention "Character development"10 positive0 negative

Customers find the characters great, dark, and subversive.

"...His characters intrigue me, and are likeable. I never put down one of his stories and wish I hadn't read it...." Read more

"...This story left me wanting more. Great character." Read more

"Very good, very short. Realized it was a single, but loved the characters. Very expandable, or more short stories withsame character." Read more

"I liked the deeply-engrossing characters...." Read more

6 customers mention "Style"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's style unique and unflinching. They say the story flows clean and quickly. Readers also mention the setting is surreal and the dialog is amusingly deranged.

"...As expected, it's stylistically written and the story flows clean and quick and somewhat generic and easy to forget after the last page is turned..." Read more

"A solid Ellis short with plenty of his distinctive style...." Read more

"...It's a completely unflinching look at a killer, someone who thinks about disposing of body like most people think of sorting their recycling." Read more

"...This story is unique and never clichéd. It doesn't resemble, or read like, any book that I've read. Definitely read this!" Read more

14 customers mention "Shortness"9 positive5 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the length of the book. Some mention it's short but sweet, while others say it runs too short.

"...short and sweet, yet chock full of the gruesome comic genius that is Warren Ellis...." Read more

"...It's probably a good thing when my biggest complaint is that it runs so short and I wanted to enjoy this peek of a very dark protagonist a great..." Read more

"A solid Ellis short with plenty of his distinctive style. Not terribly long or deep, but a nice story to spend a bus ride or something reading...." Read more

"Short but bittersweet - another facet of Warren Ellis as constantly evolving prose writer. Bite-sized and highly recommended; miss out at own peril." Read more

9 customers mention "Story length"3 positive6 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the story length. Some mention it's dark and twisted, while others say it's short and predictable. They also mention that the book lacks Ellis's usual narrative flair.

"...Or will Sun leave Amanda at the altar? The short story is flawed and at times sickening, but it won't cause the reader permanent psychological harm..." Read more

"A short, strange, twisted, creepy tale from the author of Transmetropolitan...." Read more

"...The story is short, and predictable but it is a lot of fun, even though it is missing his usual manic style...." Read more

"...Dead Pig Collector however is very dry. There is no real suspense, tension, drama, or even story really...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

Jessica
5.0 out of 5 stars Ellis's snapshot storytelling here is unrivaled
Reviewed in the United States on October 19, 2013
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Very enjoyable, Ellis's unique style is always incredibly satisfying to me, and it continues to work well even in this bite-sized, Kindle Single variety. It's probably a good thing when my biggest complaint is that it runs so short and I wanted to enjoy this peek of a very dark protagonist a great deal longer. It may be for the best, though, as the grotesque and compelling sheen might have worn off a bit with too much exposure.

Ellis made his name in graphic novels and it shows here; he's an adept storyteller and knows how to write in a shorter, ready-to-be-serialized mode. One is tempted to ask when the graphic novel adaptation can be expected--I do think a series of vignettes (perhaps not of this exact character, but the world hinted at) would an extremely seductive volume.
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Kurt Moore
4.0 out of 5 stars Another short (but excellent) Ellis read
Reviewed in the United States on December 23, 2016
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While you can easily knock this off in less than an hour, that doesn't mean it's bad or dull. A rather engaging look into the mind of a world-weary hitman, Dead Pig Collector has an odd charm that draws you in and keeps you reading.
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James Miller
3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting, very detailed, but difficult to identify with either character
Reviewed in the United States on October 8, 2013
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Dead Pig Collector is a graphic novel without illustrations, and it shocks with speech instead of images. Anonymous hit man Mister Sun shows up at a job to find his client dead, and his target asking for help with the body.

At first the story comes off as social satire (the explanation of the title is not convincing, but other ridiculous passages find a way to work, like: "invisible among the long and languid creatures littering the lobby's low sofas and strangely louche silvered beanbags"). Unfortunately, the book quickly turns into assassin procedure, as we learn how Sun prevents bowel movement urges during a kill, how he bludgeons the dead man's features beyond all recognition, how he bloodlets the arms and legs, and how he keeps bone fragments to a minimum. His target, a flowchart nerd named Amanda, is keen on knowing every detail of the disposal. This leads to a running, groan worthy, if unspoken joke about Sunlight (what else would you call a man code named Sun, shedding light on the hidden industry of executions?). Otherwise it was not that easy to identify with Sun. His code name implies Japanese origins, a subtle time zone remark suggests a girlfriend in Australia, and a quick mention of porridge turns our attention to Europe. Anything else he offers is either a lie or advice on killing.

The removal of the body takes several hours to complete, and Sun exchanges smiles and stories with Amanda throughout. Amanda is drawn to him, and I could not resist thoughts of Grosse Point Blank, even during my second reading. Does their bizarre connection lead to a long-term, if seriously warped relationship? Or will Sun leave Amanda at the altar? The short story is flawed and at times sickening, but it won't cause the reader permanent psychological harm. It's definitely worth the purchase price, so pick up a copy and find out.
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Wright S. Johnson
5.0 out of 5 stars Repulsive, Hilarious, Bleak, Lovely, Disgusting, Tender
Reviewed in the United States on August 20, 2013
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These are the adjectives that immediately spring to mind after finishing Warren Ellis' latest. The weird thing is, I mean none of them as negatives.

Dead Pig Collector is, perhaps deliberately, structured like any number of romantic comedies. It is about a young man who meets a young woman through a strange contrivance of fate, and finds that she may be his soulmate. Ellis grabs that formula by the neck and twists. The young man is a professional killer who specializes in efficient body disposal. The young woman is his target. And, without giving too much away, there is a third body in the mix, one that must be disposed of. This works out about as well as can be expected.

In cinematic terms, it's Before Sunrise (or is it Sunset? I always forget which is first) as written and directed by David Cronenberg. But with more gore.

In lesser hands, this would be a Tarantino-lite* carnival of romanticized violence. But, for all its ghoulish flourishes (and there are plenty), Dead Pig Collector is no shock-a-minute theme park ride drunk on cheerful nihilism and half-smart discursive soliloquys. The violence here is designed to shock, to be sure, but that shock is not meant to be pleasurable or tittilating. There are scenes that provoke laughter, but not one of them is ABOUT the violence so much as the characters' nonchalant reaction to it. The laughs stick in your throat, simultaneously easing you past the most brutal parts and reminding you that it's not just the protagonists who are sick.

"Sick" is very much the key word. This is a story about disease. Specifically, moral rot. Which is not to say it reads as a morality play, because it doesn't. There is no rousing Frank Capra speech at the end. The protagonists are not condemned. In fact, both of them are weirdly likable, particularly Amanda (the young woman). They aren't the Dial-A-Psychopaths you'd expect to find in this sort of story, but deeply damaged human beings who happen to perform gruesome actions.

And that's what gives the story its heft. Ellis allows Amanda and Mister Sun (the young man - though he may not be so young, seeing as his appearance is not described in the story) their humanity, without once sparing us from his clinical, cold descriptions of their actions. Which is not to say he wallows in brutality, either; he simply doesn't dress the violence up as anything other than the savage, dumb, sad, faintly absurd thing it is. That juxtaposition is disturbing, because we are not put at a distance from the violence. There is no justification, no "They had to do it!" There is only a series of occurrences.

Dead Pig Collector is Warren Ellis working in the mode of Flannery O'Connor. He shows us horrible things, but only because we are so disconnected from horrible things that we have forgotten what they look like. It's aversion therapy, if you like.

I could go on, but I fear I've made the story sound like a slog with all this talk of moral disease and the like. Be assured that it is anything but a slog (well, unless you're squeamish). Ellis' trademark black humor is in full effect here, and this is not a story a cynic or a miserablist could write. As dark and gruesome as it is, Dead Pig Collector is also the work of someone who has spent decades learning how to keep a reader reading. It is strong drink, to borrow a favorite phrase of Ellis', but it's wickely enjoyable if you can stomach it.

* - I mean no disrespect to Quentin Tarantino when I say that, to be clear. I love the man's work. "Tarantino-lite" is a reference to the sort of guy (and it is so often a guy) who watches Pulp Fiction once and starts writing stories about amoral hitmen who pontificate at length on the hidden meanings of fast food. They skim the stylistic tics off the top and never bother to consider why the story works.
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Ivan Sanchez
4.0 out of 5 stars Cool little hired assassin tale
Reviewed in the United States on August 24, 2013
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Engrossing, intriguing, and not for the squeamish. The narrative unfolds one morsel at a time and the finale leaves the reader wanting more-but in a good way. Well written and fun super quick read.
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LAllman
5.0 out of 5 stars Warren Ellis captivates like no other Author
Reviewed in the United States on August 31, 2013
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If you like your fiction twisted with dark humor and macabre overtones then this short story is right up your dark alley. Follow the dead pig collector as he goes about his job with calculated efficiency and deadly accuracy.
If you've never read a Warren Ellis story before, this is a good introduction to his writing and if you're all too familiar with Mr. Ellis then this story is a fantastic addition to your library. Read it now. You'll thank me later.
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Luis Agurto Jr.
4.0 out of 5 stars a quick and entertaining read
Reviewed in the United States on March 25, 2014
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For the $0.99 this book was well worth the time it took to read. I'm a big fan of Transmetropolitan and was curious about his non graphic novel work. This was a good way to check it out before buying one of his other books. I'll keep reading his work.
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Top reviews from other countries

J. Kay
5.0 out of 5 stars Amanda...
Reviewed in Canada on June 30, 2019
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Very pleasant Sunday morning reading....
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Sunyi Dean
5.0 out of 5 stars Short but delightful
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 3, 2020
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No surprises in this story yet I still enjoyed it thoroughly. A charming character study with fascinating detail about body disposal
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Great story to begin to appreciate Warren's work
Reviewed in Brazil on May 7, 2015
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Great story, very interesting. Since it's a short one, I found it good to know Warren Ellis's work. I'm now reading Crooked Little Veins and liking it very much.
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Francesco Gardoni
4.0 out of 5 stars Just a guy, doing his job...
Reviewed in Italy on January 27, 2014
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Warren Ellis is a wonderful narrator. With just a few pages, is capable to describe an entire world. His style is ipnotical, as always. Great reading.
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mr K
4.0 out of 5 stars Mr Ellis delivers
Reviewed in Spain on December 29, 2013
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This is a short but intense story, macabre, brutal and extreme, as expected from Warren Ellis. Everything in the story works, and keep you hooked until the end. Worth every cent.
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