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The Skin Trade
Randi Wade's world is spiraling into a dark labyrinth of secrets and lies. Her only friend is keeping something from her. Innocent victims are being savagely attacked and left for dead, all but their skins. There is an eerie connection between the crime scenes and her own father's murder nearly twenty years before, unsolved to this day. Despite this, Chief of Police Joe Urquhart, her father's former partner and best friend, beckons her to drop the case, drop everything. Is he protecting her, or something else?
As the case unfolds, Randi is pulled ever closer to realizing her darkest fear: that werewolves do exist, and they'll do anything necessary to keep their secrets safe in this once quiet town... Even if it means killing their own. All the while, an eccentric but powerful family watches closely from inside the black iron gates of Blackstone Manor, as the horrendous truth behind it all begins to bubble toward the top.
As the case unfolds, Randi is pulled ever closer to realizing her darkest fear: that werewolves do exist, and they'll do anything necessary to keep their secrets safe in this once quiet town... Even if it means killing their own. All the while, an eccentric but powerful family watches closely from inside the black iron gates of Blackstone Manor, as the horrendous truth behind it all begins to bubble toward the top.
158 pages, Hardcover
First published July 1, 1988
About the author
George R.R. Martin
1,443 books114k followersGeorge Raymond Richard "R.R." Martin was born September 20, 1948, in Bayonne, New Jersey. His father was Raymond Collins Martin, a longshoreman, and his mother was Margaret Brady Martin. He has two sisters, Darleen Martin Lapinski and Janet Martin Patten.
Martin attended Mary Jane Donohoe School and Marist High School. He began writing very young, selling monster stories to other neighborhood children for pennies, dramatic readings included. Later he became a comic book fan and collector in high school, and began to write fiction for comic fanzines (amateur fan magazines). Martin's first professional sale was made in 1970 at age 21: The Hero, sold to Galaxy, published in February, 1971 issue. Other sales followed.
In 1970 Martin received a B.S. in Journalism from Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, graduating summa cum laude. He went on to complete a M.S. in Journalism in 1971, also from Northwestern.
As a conscientious objector, Martin did alternative service 1972-1974 with VISTA, attached to Cook County Legal Assistance Foundation. He also directed chess tournaments for the Continental Chess Association from 1973-1976, and was a Journalism instructor at Clarke College, Dubuque, Iowa, from 1976-1978. He wrote part-time throughout the 1970s while working as a VISTA Volunteer, chess director, and teacher.
In 1975 he married Gale Burnick. They divorced in 1979, with no children. Martin became a full-time writer in 1979. He was writer-in-residence at Clarke College from 1978-79.
Moving on to Hollywood, Martin signed on as a story editor for Twilight Zone at CBS Television in 1986. In 1987 Martin became an Executive Story Consultant for Beauty and the Beast at CBS. In 1988 he became a Producer for Beauty and the Beast, then in 1989 moved up to Co-Supervising Producer. He was Executive Producer for Doorways, a pilot which he wrote for Columbia Pictures Television, which was filmed during 1992-93.
Martin's present home is Santa Fe, New Mexico. He is a member of Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America (he was South-Central Regional Director 1977-1979, and Vice President 1996-1998), and of Writers' Guild of America, West.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/george...
Martin attended Mary Jane Donohoe School and Marist High School. He began writing very young, selling monster stories to other neighborhood children for pennies, dramatic readings included. Later he became a comic book fan and collector in high school, and began to write fiction for comic fanzines (amateur fan magazines). Martin's first professional sale was made in 1970 at age 21: The Hero, sold to Galaxy, published in February, 1971 issue. Other sales followed.
In 1970 Martin received a B.S. in Journalism from Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, graduating summa cum laude. He went on to complete a M.S. in Journalism in 1971, also from Northwestern.
As a conscientious objector, Martin did alternative service 1972-1974 with VISTA, attached to Cook County Legal Assistance Foundation. He also directed chess tournaments for the Continental Chess Association from 1973-1976, and was a Journalism instructor at Clarke College, Dubuque, Iowa, from 1976-1978. He wrote part-time throughout the 1970s while working as a VISTA Volunteer, chess director, and teacher.
In 1975 he married Gale Burnick. They divorced in 1979, with no children. Martin became a full-time writer in 1979. He was writer-in-residence at Clarke College from 1978-79.
Moving on to Hollywood, Martin signed on as a story editor for Twilight Zone at CBS Television in 1986. In 1987 Martin became an Executive Story Consultant for Beauty and the Beast at CBS. In 1988 he became a Producer for Beauty and the Beast, then in 1989 moved up to Co-Supervising Producer. He was Executive Producer for Doorways, a pilot which he wrote for Columbia Pictures Television, which was filmed during 1992-93.
Martin's present home is Santa Fe, New Mexico. He is a member of Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America (he was South-Central Regional Director 1977-1979, and Vice President 1996-1998), and of Writers' Guild of America, West.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/george...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
September 25, 2014
This novella, originally written for a horror anthology, was, as George R. R. Martin describes it, "the first (and only) story in my series about PI Randi Wade and Willie the werewolf collection agent." It's a shame he never continued the series, as it's superior to most of the urban fantasy that's followed in the last 26 years.
This is a werewolf story, with werewolves as both villains and victims. The two main characters are Randi Wade, whose cop father was killed sixteen years ago by "a wild animal," and her friend Willie, a lecherous, asthmatic, diabetic collection agent.
Randi's father died while investigating a series of child killings. Now, years later, the suspect in that case is back in town, and a serial killer is skinning his victims.
Randi has baggage, Willie has a secret, and they both confront the town's secrets and run down one red herring after another, before facing the final Big Bad.
I bought this as a limited edition trade hardcover from the WSFA Press. It was a quick read, both because it's short, and because it has a real page-turning quality, which is probably GRRM's greatest virtue as a writer, along with his engaging characters. Even in these few pages, PI Randi Wade and Willie the werewolf collection agent become a buddy team we want to read more about, but Martin went on to write other things, like the Wild Cards series and then some little epic fantasy series...
It's too bad there were never any more Randi and Willie books, because Martin's writing blows away Butcher, Hamilton, and everyone else I've read in the Urban Fantasy genre. There is not a lot of worldbuilding in this novella, but Martin does a lot just with werewolves (and one other Big Bad).
Highly recommended for all horror and urban fantasy fans. If it were a full-length novel, I might have given it five stars, but the ending felt a little rushed, like he had to cut it short to fit his allotted word count. Still leaves me missing what might have been.
This is a werewolf story, with werewolves as both villains and victims. The two main characters are Randi Wade, whose cop father was killed sixteen years ago by "a wild animal," and her friend Willie, a lecherous, asthmatic, diabetic collection agent.
Randi's father died while investigating a series of child killings. Now, years later, the suspect in that case is back in town, and a serial killer is skinning his victims.
Randi has baggage, Willie has a secret, and they both confront the town's secrets and run down one red herring after another, before facing the final Big Bad.
I bought this as a limited edition trade hardcover from the WSFA Press. It was a quick read, both because it's short, and because it has a real page-turning quality, which is probably GRRM's greatest virtue as a writer, along with his engaging characters. Even in these few pages, PI Randi Wade and Willie the werewolf collection agent become a buddy team we want to read more about, but Martin went on to write other things, like the Wild Cards series and then some little epic fantasy series...
It's too bad there were never any more Randi and Willie books, because Martin's writing blows away Butcher, Hamilton, and everyone else I've read in the Urban Fantasy genre. There is not a lot of worldbuilding in this novella, but Martin does a lot just with werewolves (and one other Big Bad).
Highly recommended for all horror and urban fantasy fans. If it were a full-length novel, I might have given it five stars, but the ending felt a little rushed, like he had to cut it short to fit his allotted word count. Still leaves me missing what might have been.
November 3, 2016
Kratki roman gdje je Martin od izlizanog mita o vukolacima napravio nešto zanimljivo i svoje. Glavni lik je asmatični vukodlak, utjerivač dugova, u gradu u kojem bogata obitelj vukodlaka vlada iz sjene.
Horror se miješa sa noir krimićem sa ženom u ulozi tvrdoglavog detektiva s prošlošću. Dakle likovi su tipični za spomenute žanrove, ali ipak su dobro definirani i djeluju živo.
Najveća mana je upravo premalen broj stranica. Mnogo toga se dešava i roman kreće u nekoliko smjerova, a onda se sve to prebrzo dovede do kraja, pa tako neke sporedne priče ostanu nedorečene. Ipak, sam završetak je dobar, neki se žale da je previše "otvoren", ali tko je pažljivo čitao, u zadnoj sceni će mu biti sve jasno.
Unatoč blagoj kritici četvorka mi je previše, tako da će biti jaka trojka.
Horror se miješa sa noir krimićem sa ženom u ulozi tvrdoglavog detektiva s prošlošću. Dakle likovi su tipični za spomenute žanrove, ali ipak su dobro definirani i djeluju živo.
Najveća mana je upravo premalen broj stranica. Mnogo toga se dešava i roman kreće u nekoliko smjerova, a onda se sve to prebrzo dovede do kraja, pa tako neke sporedne priče ostanu nedorečene. Ipak, sam završetak je dobar, neki se žale da je previše "otvoren", ali tko je pažljivo čitao, u zadnoj sceni će mu biti sve jasno.
Unatoč blagoj kritici četvorka mi je previše, tako da će biti jaka trojka.
September 28, 2016
There’s something that I really love about George R.R. Martin (besides the fact that he has written my favorite series) and that is how easily he can tackle genres and make all his book feel different. Be it fantasy or science fiction, or in this case a horror detective mystery, he never does the same trick twice which I really appreciate in an author. The Skin Trade follows Randi Wade, a private detective, in the wake of a recent murder spree that is very reminiscent of the way her father died some odd years ago. So of course she gets tangled in this mystery involving politics and werewolves. It’s not something that hasn’t been done before but I found it really compelling and I liked the gothic feel it had, combined with the gruesome elements it was quite an intense read. The only problem I had was that while we do get all the answers to (most of) our questions, it is done in a very subtle way, it could have lingered more on that and give us a proper explanation for everything that happened. Even so, I think it worked. Not everything needs to be revealed. I see that many didn’t like the open ending but for me it was great, making me finish this book with a grin on my face.
December 12, 2019
George R.R. Martin may be famous for his televised series A Song of Ice and Fire, but before that, he was and still is active on other literary fronts, like horror. My first encounter with the horror-version of Mr Martin was De Fevre Dream (the Dutch translation of 'Fevre Dream', which I reviewed in Dutch here). I liked this trip into the past very much.
One of his other horror-works is 'The Skin Trade', originally published in 1988. It won the World Fantasy Award for Best Novella (1989). The story got translated in the past few years, also in France. Éditions ActuSF first published it in 2012. Seven years later, an augmented edition sees the light of day. There is still a foreword and biography by Emmanuel Chastellière, whose Célestopol / Célestopol (yes, both editions, as the latter was very lightly revised) is on my TBR-pile. The rest of this new edition of 'Skin Trade' contains a large extract of Nightflyers et autres récits.
Sandwiched between the foreword and the biography/extract part is the real story. Two main characters, Willie Flambeaux (a debt-recovery agent) and Randi Wade (private detective, her father was in the local police force), investigate suspicious murders: people skinned alive. Randi and Willie have their own ways of approaching the matter. Willie, not being totally honest with Randi, is far from sporty, even has asthma and is very dependent on his Ventolin (inhaler), but as an agent, he can be very convincing and cunning. Randi will trespass when needed and possible, even go farther than her father's former colleagues, like a certain Joe Urquhart, her father's former partner.
Speaking of her father: He (and Joe) was charged at some time to investigate the massive killings of children. However, they couldn't solve the case, as Randi's father got killed by "some kind of wild animal". This mystery has since then always haunted Randi's mind and she will continue to use this to get more information, even for her current case.
The current case involves people Willie knew and was acquainted with.
Mr Martin didn't show many cards, but offered only bits and pieces to keep everyone in suspense. Why are these people assassinated? Is there a motif? Are there any suspects? Witnesses? Who's behind this? One man? A group? Were there such or similar cases in the past? A pattern? And so on, and so forth.
As Willie and Randi fight their way onwards to discover the secret, it's a bit like a video game, as another reader wrote. At the end, they have to confront and fight the end boss. However, it's not as simple as that. There is more to it, much more. The town is infested, so to speak. Werewolves play a role (), as the depiction on the cover clearly indicates. . Willie only reveals his personal secret () when he has no other choice, but his silence long put a damper on their (his and Randi's) mutual understanding and friendship. And they need each other very much, as they complement one another.
This tale of stripping one's victims of their skins reminded me a bit of La Trilogie de Wielstadt by Pierre Pevel. If my memory doesn't fool me, the third book (Le chevalier de Wielstadt) involves a character who acts in a similar way.
'Skin Trade' is a very entertaining story, recommended as an in-between for fans of horror and/or urban fantasy. The book reads like a page-turner, thanks to Martin's skilful writing (and the translation by Annaïg Houesnard, since I read the French edition). There are no chapters, which is a way of making you (want to) read on and discover, through the alternating POVs of Willie and Randi, what happens.
This story was to be the first in a series with Willie and Randi at the helm, but time and circumstances decided differently. On the other hand, it would have been nice to see a few more become reality, and so offer more insight and information on the world and on both main characters in the first place. But it is what it is, and it's good and that's all that matters.
----------
I was sent this book by Éditions ActuSF for review. Many thanks to them for the trust.
One of his other horror-works is 'The Skin Trade', originally published in 1988. It won the World Fantasy Award for Best Novella (1989). The story got translated in the past few years, also in France. Éditions ActuSF first published it in 2012. Seven years later, an augmented edition sees the light of day. There is still a foreword and biography by Emmanuel Chastellière, whose Célestopol / Célestopol (yes, both editions, as the latter was very lightly revised) is on my TBR-pile. The rest of this new edition of 'Skin Trade' contains a large extract of Nightflyers et autres récits.
Sandwiched between the foreword and the biography/extract part is the real story. Two main characters, Willie Flambeaux (a debt-recovery agent) and Randi Wade (private detective, her father was in the local police force), investigate suspicious murders: people skinned alive. Randi and Willie have their own ways of approaching the matter. Willie, not being totally honest with Randi, is far from sporty, even has asthma and is very dependent on his Ventolin (inhaler), but as an agent, he can be very convincing and cunning. Randi will trespass when needed and possible, even go farther than her father's former colleagues, like a certain Joe Urquhart, her father's former partner.
Speaking of her father: He (and Joe) was charged at some time to investigate the massive killings of children. However, they couldn't solve the case, as Randi's father got killed by "some kind of wild animal". This mystery has since then always haunted Randi's mind and she will continue to use this to get more information, even for her current case.
The current case involves people Willie knew and was acquainted with.
Mr Martin didn't show many cards, but offered only bits and pieces to keep everyone in suspense. Why are these people assassinated? Is there a motif? Are there any suspects? Witnesses? Who's behind this? One man? A group? Were there such or similar cases in the past? A pattern? And so on, and so forth.
As Willie and Randi fight their way onwards to discover the secret, it's a bit like a video game, as another reader wrote. At the end, they have to confront and fight the end boss. However, it's not as simple as that. There is more to it, much more. The town is infested, so to speak. Werewolves play a role (), as the depiction on the cover clearly indicates. . Willie only reveals his personal secret () when he has no other choice, but his silence long put a damper on their (his and Randi's) mutual understanding and friendship. And they need each other very much, as they complement one another.
This tale of stripping one's victims of their skins reminded me a bit of La Trilogie de Wielstadt by Pierre Pevel. If my memory doesn't fool me, the third book (Le chevalier de Wielstadt) involves a character who acts in a similar way.
'Skin Trade' is a very entertaining story, recommended as an in-between for fans of horror and/or urban fantasy. The book reads like a page-turner, thanks to Martin's skilful writing (and the translation by Annaïg Houesnard, since I read the French edition). There are no chapters, which is a way of making you (want to) read on and discover, through the alternating POVs of Willie and Randi, what happens.
This story was to be the first in a series with Willie and Randi at the helm, but time and circumstances decided differently. On the other hand, it would have been nice to see a few more become reality, and so offer more insight and information on the world and on both main characters in the first place. But it is what it is, and it's good and that's all that matters.
----------
I was sent this book by Éditions ActuSF for review. Many thanks to them for the trust.
October 12, 2022
*Grooooos soupir*
Dîtes-moi, messieurs... Comme c'est assez récurrent, je me pose la question : si vous n'hypersexualisez pas les femmes dans vos romans de SFFF, si vous ne faites pas du slutshame et ne faites pas de nous des bouts de viande, quelqu'un vient vous couper les attributs pendant la nuit ?
Le nombre d'allusions sexuelles, de harcèlement sexuels, de seins qui se dévoilent sans raison, de comparaison à son entrejambe... Tout ça pour rien ! Je veux lire des loups-garous, pas avoir la sensation de perdre mon humanité...
L'intrigue passe, sinon. Elle n'est pas extraordinaire mais certaines originalités la sortent du lot. Malheureusement, une qualité ne sauve pas un bouquin sexiste au possible.
Dîtes-moi, messieurs... Comme c'est assez récurrent, je me pose la question : si vous n'hypersexualisez pas les femmes dans vos romans de SFFF, si vous ne faites pas du slutshame et ne faites pas de nous des bouts de viande, quelqu'un vient vous couper les attributs pendant la nuit ?
Le nombre d'allusions sexuelles, de harcèlement sexuels, de seins qui se dévoilent sans raison, de comparaison à son entrejambe... Tout ça pour rien ! Je veux lire des loups-garous, pas avoir la sensation de perdre mon humanité...
L'intrigue passe, sinon. Elle n'est pas extraordinaire mais certaines originalités la sortent du lot. Malheureusement, une qualité ne sauve pas un bouquin sexiste au possible.
April 15, 2022
The Skin Trade was a story that had some three-star moments, but I found myself unable to round my rating up in the end. It was certainly an interesting take on werewolves that had me curious to see how the pieces would come together, yet there were elements of this one that were never answered in as much detail as I had liked.
All in all, this one had potential, but it didn't quite do it for me.
All in all, this one had potential, but it didn't quite do it for me.
July 4, 2017
Da krajem godine napravim listu najboljih i najgorih pročitanih knjiga 2017.-e, ova bi uvjerljivo zauzela prvo mjesto na drugoj listi. What a pile of garbage. Grozno napisano, kao da ju je pisao početnik literarne sekcije u drugom razredu osnovne škole.
August 1, 2016
От просто зараз я в процесі перегляду телеверсії "Вайнони Ерп", то ця повістина Джорджа-нашого-Мартіна хороша старша сестра для того серіальцю. Така прокурена, втомлена і трохи байдужа до проблем молодняка. "Усюди ми були і все ми бачили". Між тим поєднання нуару та горору в декораціях агонії промислового перевороту, себто популярного мотиву вмираючих у 1960-1980-х колись бадьорих та радісних містечок, тут звучить цілком природно. Проблема не з широкими мазками сетингу, а з сюжетом та героями. Перевертень-астматик, Правильна Донька Правильного Копа, біганина навколо вбивств вервольфів, біганина навколо поліції сумнівної моралі, біганина навколо ендемічних володарів всесвіту - усе таке активне, таке бездумно буйне, таке... не дуже цікаве. Але якщо справді зроблять черговий серіал, де оце - лише матеріал для пілотної серії, то обов'язково подивлюсь. У хороших руках та з гарними акторами ця каруселька може крутитися рівніше.
July 24, 2013
It was a solid 3-stars throughout, but the ending left me wishing for a lot more. It wasn't a very satisfying one. It left a whole lot unresolved and felt very convoluted. The Skin Trade reminded me a whole lot of Martin's other foray into horror, Fevre dream, however, I enjoyed that story a lot more.
Most of the beats near the end of this story hinge on you being able to recall all the characters names who were mentioned once, maybe twice. I struggled to remember them, so wasn't feeling much tension. I feel like with an extra 100 pages or so, this could've been a great story, but, for being so short, it's mostly descriptions. The descriptions are nice though. And throughout, I never really found myself bored.
Most of the beats near the end of this story hinge on you being able to recall all the characters names who were mentioned once, maybe twice. I struggled to remember them, so wasn't feeling much tension. I feel like with an extra 100 pages or so, this could've been a great story, but, for being so short, it's mostly descriptions. The descriptions are nice though. And throughout, I never really found myself bored.
October 1, 2016
Osrednji horor krimić čiji su protagonisti ljudi i vukodlaci
Očekivao sam više od Martina
Očekivao sam više od Martina
December 12, 2020
This novella is one I first came across in the 1988 anthology ''Dark Visions', rounding off tales by Dan Simmons and some bloke named Stephen King (whatever happened to him?)
It seems strange that someone whose name is synonymous with epic fantasy was first known to me as a writer of noir-ish horror such as this novella and full length novel, 'Fevre Dream'. Here, cop's daughter and P.I Randi Wade is asked to look into the bizarre murder of her closest friend, Willie's, part-time gir;firend, Joanie Sorenson. He's concerned that his name might come up in the investigation, and he wants to make sure no clues point towards him as he goes about trying to solve her murder. It's not just too close to home, it's ritualistic, grotesque and needs avanging so from the very off you are aware of both Willie and Randi's moral compass settings.
The banter and bickering between the two illustrates just how good an ear GRRM has for dialogue-it flows naturally and good naturedly between them, they know each others boundaries and where to stop. The unresolved death of Randi's father whilst investigating the disappearance of several neighbourhood children, almost 2 decades earlier, is an itch that refuses to be satisfactorily scratched, and this lurks in the background of Randi's work as she taps up coroners and detectives, using her surname to gain access to places normal P.I's would be unable to go.
Meanwhile, Willie has a secret of his own, and his hunches lead him to a most unexpected place, the bluff which overlooks the town, the manion known as 'The Old House' and new-in the history fo the town that is-structure, Blackstone Manor. Here live the Harmon family,media moguls who live in the type of isolation that only the super rich can afford. You have a town founded on blood and iron-the meat packing factory-which has gone under leaving the divide between rich and poor as an almost impassable gulf. It's a place where a P.I and a collection agent can earn a decent living off of indecent decision making, but before the end of the novella, both Randi and Willie will have to face dark secrets beyond their wildest imagining...
What works for me in this story is how dark it is-I love tales with families that have dark secrets, fortunes founded on ill gotten gains and the urban legends which build up around them. This is one of the reasons I love 'Salem's Lot' so much, because of the Marsten House and it's twisted history. This strengthens the integrity of both Randi and Willie's investigations as they are trying to right the wrongs of decades of mystery-and this story goes to some dark and gruesome places. The Harmon's have made their fortune in blood, quite literally, and added into this mix is a werewolf pack, although they prefer the term 'lycanthrope', again juxtaposed with family tradition, genetic inheritence and something about which no one can really fight.
Their very existence is both part of who they are at the same time as being an abomination against nature. What is interesting in this tale, however, is that the common tropes of human weakness being left behind when transformed into a wolf, are challenged by being asthmatic and disabled. They don't necessarily transform into the most glorious of beasts-for example, and this is not really a spoiler as Willie reveals himself in the first pages, Willie is asthmatic and as wolf he has nowhere to keep his inhaler. Whilst in wolf form he looks more like a mangy dog, but when he turns back, his immediate priority is to keep himself from dying from an asthma attack.
The themes of transformation and what it can afford you, by accident of birth or intent of changing your physical form are really interesting, I think that whilst this stands as a complete story, I would have loved to see this developed into further tales or a full length novel, As it is, this is a great way to round of a very dark, multi-facted anthology from 3 very strong writers. Highly recommended for those who love a shaggy dog tale.
It seems strange that someone whose name is synonymous with epic fantasy was first known to me as a writer of noir-ish horror such as this novella and full length novel, 'Fevre Dream'. Here, cop's daughter and P.I Randi Wade is asked to look into the bizarre murder of her closest friend, Willie's, part-time gir;firend, Joanie Sorenson. He's concerned that his name might come up in the investigation, and he wants to make sure no clues point towards him as he goes about trying to solve her murder. It's not just too close to home, it's ritualistic, grotesque and needs avanging so from the very off you are aware of both Willie and Randi's moral compass settings.
The banter and bickering between the two illustrates just how good an ear GRRM has for dialogue-it flows naturally and good naturedly between them, they know each others boundaries and where to stop. The unresolved death of Randi's father whilst investigating the disappearance of several neighbourhood children, almost 2 decades earlier, is an itch that refuses to be satisfactorily scratched, and this lurks in the background of Randi's work as she taps up coroners and detectives, using her surname to gain access to places normal P.I's would be unable to go.
Meanwhile, Willie has a secret of his own, and his hunches lead him to a most unexpected place, the bluff which overlooks the town, the manion known as 'The Old House' and new-in the history fo the town that is-structure, Blackstone Manor. Here live the Harmon family,media moguls who live in the type of isolation that only the super rich can afford. You have a town founded on blood and iron-the meat packing factory-which has gone under leaving the divide between rich and poor as an almost impassable gulf. It's a place where a P.I and a collection agent can earn a decent living off of indecent decision making, but before the end of the novella, both Randi and Willie will have to face dark secrets beyond their wildest imagining...
What works for me in this story is how dark it is-I love tales with families that have dark secrets, fortunes founded on ill gotten gains and the urban legends which build up around them. This is one of the reasons I love 'Salem's Lot' so much, because of the Marsten House and it's twisted history. This strengthens the integrity of both Randi and Willie's investigations as they are trying to right the wrongs of decades of mystery-and this story goes to some dark and gruesome places. The Harmon's have made their fortune in blood, quite literally, and added into this mix is a werewolf pack, although they prefer the term 'lycanthrope', again juxtaposed with family tradition, genetic inheritence and something about which no one can really fight.
Their very existence is both part of who they are at the same time as being an abomination against nature. What is interesting in this tale, however, is that the common tropes of human weakness being left behind when transformed into a wolf, are challenged by being asthmatic and disabled. They don't necessarily transform into the most glorious of beasts-for example, and this is not really a spoiler as Willie reveals himself in the first pages, Willie is asthmatic and as wolf he has nowhere to keep his inhaler. Whilst in wolf form he looks more like a mangy dog, but when he turns back, his immediate priority is to keep himself from dying from an asthma attack.
The themes of transformation and what it can afford you, by accident of birth or intent of changing your physical form are really interesting, I think that whilst this stands as a complete story, I would have loved to see this developed into further tales or a full length novel, As it is, this is a great way to round of a very dark, multi-facted anthology from 3 very strong writers. Highly recommended for those who love a shaggy dog tale.
June 8, 2022
Thought I'd try an early George R.R. as recommended by a colleague. "The Skin Trade" title caught my attention, thinking it would be lewd and fun, but instead it was on the wolfmany horror side toward the end. Willie, the debt collector, was an interesting character who reminded me of Sam Spade. While Randi, the hot female PI did not. Together, they worked to crack the case on who's taking people's skin in a horrificly painful way. The story strolled along for the most part, then zipped the last bit and then ended with me scratching the side of my head - a slight scratch because maybe I got it but not sure.
September 27, 2019
Skoro sam i zaboravio koliko je Martin dobar u kracoj formi...jos uvijek mislim da umjesto sto je pisao Pjesmu Leda i Vatre tolike godine, mogao je napisat nekoliko odlicnih romana, a Led i Vatru stavit u, recimo tri knjige
December 28, 2019
Une nouvelle sombre et bien écrite, très plaisante.
https://lauryn-books.blogspot.com/201...
https://lauryn-books.blogspot.com/201...
July 22, 2022
A perfect horror story.
March 28, 2021
A self-aware gritty noir novella about werewolves and murder investigations. Quite longer than most of Martin's works (with the exception of his novels and maybe Tales of Dunk & Egg). Roughly a 3-4 hour read.
The characters are fleshed out and breathing from page one, as you would expect with a George R.R. Martin story. This one also had very nice ambient details which really didn't serve the plot or the characters much but really added to the whole noir vibe. Loved it!
The characters are fleshed out and breathing from page one, as you would expect with a George R.R. Martin story. This one also had very nice ambient details which really didn't serve the plot or the characters much but really added to the whole noir vibe. Loved it!
November 9, 2023
Well that was pretty cool
September 9, 2018
Reading, or in this case re-reading, the stories contained in the two-volume collection Dreamsongs always reminds me that G.R.R. Martin can speak in many voices, not just that of epic fantasy: The Skin Trade, a long novella or short novel depending on the point of view, is a perfect example of Martin's wide variety of styles, mixing in this case both horror and urban fantasy in a story that's quite compelling.
Willie Flambeaux is a collection agent, an unremarkable kind of guy saddled with asthma and a paunch, but he suddenly finds himself at the center of dreadful events as his friends are being murdered in the most savage way - as if mauled by an animal. He asks his friend Randi Wade, a private investigator, to look into the matter, even though he knows this will raise some dark ghosts from her past: twenty years before Randi's father, a police officer, was killed by some kind of animal, so the official report went, an animal that was uncannily able to withstand being shot with the entire load of Wade Senior's gun, and disappear.
As the two of them try to make sense of the evidence in the recent murder spree, and to overcome what looks like blindness or lack of interest from the police, we learn that Willie is a werewolf - or, as he prefers to say, a lycanthrope, and that there is a good number of these creatures in the city. What's even more alarming is that the victims of the ghastly murders were lycanthropes themselves, and that therefore - as the pack leader and unofficial city owner Jonathan Harmon warns Willie - there is someone or something that is hunting the hunters.
One of the most fascinating sides of this story, aside from its fast, compelling pace, is the new outlook adopted for the werewolf myth: the transformation is not dependent on the moon, as the werewolves can change at whim, and that in the shifted form they are more powerful, have more stamina and can overcome any physical problem present in their human aspect. For example, Willie's asthma disappears completely when he becomes a wolf, and his friend Joan - the first victim - though paralyzed as a human, was able to move and run when she changed. Still, the lycanthropes are sensitive to silver, and that detail will prove very important in the course of the story…
Another element I enjoyed is the banter between Randi and Willie, who have known each other for a long time and despite their differences have managed to build a friendship that's based on mutual respect and trust, even though it's hidden under Randi's verbal barbs and Willie's futile but still enthusiastic attempts at seducing the investigator. There is a slow buildup and an equally slow reveal about the creature that is killing werewolves all over the city, and the last part of the story is a breathless rush that will keep you turning the pages compulsively.
And on a side note, you can also appreciate this novella in audio format, where Randi Wade is played by Australian actress Claudia Black (a.k.a. Farscape's Aeryn Sun), an experience I wholeheartedly recommend.
Originally posted at SPACE and SORCERY BLOG
Willie Flambeaux is a collection agent, an unremarkable kind of guy saddled with asthma and a paunch, but he suddenly finds himself at the center of dreadful events as his friends are being murdered in the most savage way - as if mauled by an animal. He asks his friend Randi Wade, a private investigator, to look into the matter, even though he knows this will raise some dark ghosts from her past: twenty years before Randi's father, a police officer, was killed by some kind of animal, so the official report went, an animal that was uncannily able to withstand being shot with the entire load of Wade Senior's gun, and disappear.
As the two of them try to make sense of the evidence in the recent murder spree, and to overcome what looks like blindness or lack of interest from the police, we learn that Willie is a werewolf - or, as he prefers to say, a lycanthrope, and that there is a good number of these creatures in the city. What's even more alarming is that the victims of the ghastly murders were lycanthropes themselves, and that therefore - as the pack leader and unofficial city owner Jonathan Harmon warns Willie - there is someone or something that is hunting the hunters.
One of the most fascinating sides of this story, aside from its fast, compelling pace, is the new outlook adopted for the werewolf myth: the transformation is not dependent on the moon, as the werewolves can change at whim, and that in the shifted form they are more powerful, have more stamina and can overcome any physical problem present in their human aspect. For example, Willie's asthma disappears completely when he becomes a wolf, and his friend Joan - the first victim - though paralyzed as a human, was able to move and run when she changed. Still, the lycanthropes are sensitive to silver, and that detail will prove very important in the course of the story…
Another element I enjoyed is the banter between Randi and Willie, who have known each other for a long time and despite their differences have managed to build a friendship that's based on mutual respect and trust, even though it's hidden under Randi's verbal barbs and Willie's futile but still enthusiastic attempts at seducing the investigator. There is a slow buildup and an equally slow reveal about the creature that is killing werewolves all over the city, and the last part of the story is a breathless rush that will keep you turning the pages compulsively.
And on a side note, you can also appreciate this novella in audio format, where Randi Wade is played by Australian actress Claudia Black (a.k.a. Farscape's Aeryn Sun), an experience I wholeheartedly recommend.
Originally posted at SPACE and SORCERY BLOG
September 12, 2020
For all his fame as the author of the "A Song of Ice and Fire" series, George R.R. Martin has a bunch or really good stuff that has nothing to do with the people of Westeros and Essos and their political and supernatural troubles.
From his classic "Sandkings" short story to works like his vampire novel "Fevre Dream" or "The Armaggedon Rag," which centers around a Tolkien-themed rock band causing some supernatural apocalypse by dabbling with satanic forces, the truth is that he is skilled at writing really engaging tales of pretty much any length, from the short story to the multi-volume epic, and situating them in the fantasy, horror or science-fiction milieus with equal ease.
I hadn't been aware of the existence of "The Skin Trade" and I honestly stumbled upon this novella while searching for another unrelated book, but I'm so glad I did. The plot follows a guy who works at a collection agency and a female friend of his who's a private detective as they both attempt to solve the strange murder of a wheelchair-bound girl he was friends with, who appears to be a victim of a serial killer whose m.o. has some strange similarities to a series of murders that took place many years before and culminated in the P.I.'s father's death, as he was one of the officers investigating the case.
The story itself is a pretty solid horror/murder mystery hybrid and the main selling point is that it involves werewolves, but not the way you're probably imagining. Suffice it to say that one of the characters in this story is probably the shittiest werewolf in fiction, both in wolf and human form, and I mean it in the best sense possible because I loved every second he was on the page.
Based on everything I've read of his, I went in with pretty high expectations and I'm happy to say that it certainly did not disappoint and I dug it a lot. Cool little story with an interesting take on a serial killer and werewolves, my only gripe is that it alluded to the possibility of it being the first of a series of short stories based on these characters but, as it usually happens with GRRM, he lost interest and went off to do other stuff.
From his classic "Sandkings" short story to works like his vampire novel "Fevre Dream" or "The Armaggedon Rag," which centers around a Tolkien-themed rock band causing some supernatural apocalypse by dabbling with satanic forces, the truth is that he is skilled at writing really engaging tales of pretty much any length, from the short story to the multi-volume epic, and situating them in the fantasy, horror or science-fiction milieus with equal ease.
I hadn't been aware of the existence of "The Skin Trade" and I honestly stumbled upon this novella while searching for another unrelated book, but I'm so glad I did. The plot follows a guy who works at a collection agency and a female friend of his who's a private detective as they both attempt to solve the strange murder of a wheelchair-bound girl he was friends with, who appears to be a victim of a serial killer whose m.o. has some strange similarities to a series of murders that took place many years before and culminated in the P.I.'s father's death, as he was one of the officers investigating the case.
The story itself is a pretty solid horror/murder mystery hybrid and the main selling point is that it involves werewolves, but not the way you're probably imagining. Suffice it to say that one of the characters in this story is probably the shittiest werewolf in fiction, both in wolf and human form, and I mean it in the best sense possible because I loved every second he was on the page.
Based on everything I've read of his, I went in with pretty high expectations and I'm happy to say that it certainly did not disappoint and I dug it a lot. Cool little story with an interesting take on a serial killer and werewolves, my only gripe is that it alluded to the possibility of it being the first of a series of short stories based on these characters but, as it usually happens with GRRM, he lost interest and went off to do other stuff.
March 4, 2021
This is a story that hooked me. I could not put it down. I was right there with them throughout the entire mystery.
GRRM had a lot of characters involved and there were a number of people who could be red herrings and who turned out to just be working together. That messed up my idea on who the guilty people were. The direwolf though, it's how he got away and he was, in a way, the cause behind the madness that occurred.
It's nice to see shades of A Song of Ice and Fire. The madness, the incest, the skinchanging, the flaying.
As for the skinner - I am stumped. I did not really get that part. I was like, what? I didn't really follow that part after Willie killed Steven. I thought Harmon would have showed up but he didn't. Who or what is the Skinner?
And that ending. What happened to Randi and the glass?
GRRM could have written an entire novel or maybe a series with this. The story is clearly not over. The direwolf is still out and about and he is the one who killed those children and Randi's father. He added to his son's insecurity and madness. He hurt Roy by killing his sister and then framing him.
It was a great story but a lot felt unresolved to me.
GRRM had a lot of characters involved and there were a number of people who could be red herrings and who turned out to just be working together. That messed up my idea on who the guilty people were. The direwolf though, it's how he got away and he was, in a way, the cause behind the madness that occurred.
It's nice to see shades of A Song of Ice and Fire. The madness, the incest, the skinchanging, the flaying.
As for the skinner - I am stumped. I did not really get that part. I was like, what? I didn't really follow that part after Willie killed Steven. I thought Harmon would have showed up but he didn't. Who or what is the Skinner?
And that ending. What happened to Randi and the glass?
GRRM could have written an entire novel or maybe a series with this. The story is clearly not over. The direwolf is still out and about and he is the one who killed those children and Randi's father. He added to his son's insecurity and madness. He hurt Roy by killing his sister and then framing him.
It was a great story but a lot felt unresolved to me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 3, 2017
Почему локализаторы решили перевести название повести именно так, остаётся только догадываться. Всё равно, что поменять название романа "Дракула" на "Осиновый кол". Какое отношение это имеет к названию "Skin Trade" ("Шкура на продажу" или "Торговля кожей") я не знаю. Оформление же у книги очень хорошее. Также внутри имеются иллюстрации.
"Skin Trade" очень крепкий триллер. Для своего времени, повесть достаточно сильная. Сейчас, после стольких просмотренных фильмов и прочитанных книг, сюжетные твисты книги, конечно, не удивляют так, как это было раньше. Но Мартин достаточно сильный писатель и по части слога и текста нет ощущения, что читаешь обычную бульварную книжонку. Сюжет цепляет и интригует, за героев переживаешь, как и в любой другой книге Джорджа Мартина.
Лично я хорошо провёл время читая повесть. Не на века, но достаточно интересная.
"Skin Trade" очень крепкий триллер. Для своего времени, повесть достаточно сильная. Сейчас, после стольких просмотренных фильмов и прочитанных книг, сюжетные твисты книги, конечно, не удивляют так, как это было раньше. Но Мартин достаточно сильный писатель и по части слога и текста нет ощущения, что читаешь обычную бульварную книжонку. Сюжет цепляет и интригует, за героев переживаешь, как и в любой другой книге Джорджа Мартина.
Лично я хорошо провёл время читая повесть. Не на века, но достаточно интересная.
August 20, 2014
The title story was only okay. Had some moderately interesting political overtones, and some class struggle, but then never really explored them. In short, it tried to do too many things, and ended up doing them all poorly.
The version that I read also had three stories by Steven King and three by Dan Simmons. They were all pretty fun...fast reads that kept me interested but that I can barely remember now--particularly after it took me more than a week to slog through the final story.
I would say give it a miss unless you read A LOT.
The version that I read also had three stories by Steven King and three by Dan Simmons. They were all pretty fun...fast reads that kept me interested but that I can barely remember now--particularly after it took me more than a week to slog through the final story.
I would say give it a miss unless you read A LOT.
August 6, 2018
Rezension von Melanie zu In der Haut des Wolfes von @George R. R. Martin
4,5 von 5 🌟 Es ist vom großen George R.R. Martin, er ist ein einzigartiger Schriftsteller. Sein GOT ist einfach großartig geschrieben.
Klappentext
"Als der Vater von Randi Wade in Ausübung seiner Pflicht als Polizist auf bestialische Weise ermordet wird - von einem wilden Tier zerfetzt, so das offizielle Ermittlungsergebis -, ist das ein Schock, von dem sich die junge Frau kaum erholt.
Fast 20 Jahre später: Randi schlägt sich als Privatdetektivin mehr schlecht als recht durchs Leben. Als ihr bester Freund Willie sie bittet, Informationen über einen Mordfall zu beschaffen, beginnt der Albtraum offenbar erneut. Auch das aktuelle Opfer wurde verstümmelt und bei lebendigem Leib gehäutet.
Kann es sein, dass die Bestie, die damals ihren Vater tötete, wieder zuschlägt? Und ist ihr Freund Willie wirklich der, für den er sich ausgibt? Weiß er mehr über die unheimliche Mordserie, als er angibt?
Die mit den World Fantasy Award ausgezeichnete Novelle gilt bei vielen Lesern als beste Werwolf-Geschichte, die jemals geschrieben wurde. Und ich kann das gut verstehen.
'In der Haut des Wolfes' verbindet auf elegante Weise Elemente des dunklen crime mit dem Werwolfmotiv zu einer düsteren, packenden Geschichte mit unerwarteten Wendungen. Und einfach stimmigen, fasznierenden Zeichnungen Chinatown trifft auf Der Wolfsmensch und Dr. Jekyll und Mr. Hyde.
Eine eBook-Ausgabe von In der Haut des Wolfes erscheint nicht.
Publishers Weekly: »Diese unerbittlich grimmige Geschichte ist definitiv nichts für Zimperliche, doch es ist fast unmöglich, sie aus der Hand zu legen.". Bei der Kürze lohnt das auch nicht. Man liest einfach weiter und blättert dann wieder zurück um die genialen Zeichnungen erneut zu bewundern und sieht sich die Einzelheiten nocheinmal anzusehen.
Quelle: Amazon Verlag
Meinung
Ich liebe seine Game of Thrones- Bücher und auch hier sehe ich die gewaltigen Bilder hinter seinen Worten.
„In der Haut des Wolfes“ stammt in seiner ursprünglichen Fassung vereits aus dem Jahr 1989 und befasst sich, der Titel ist Programm mit Werwölfen . Es ist eine sehr originelle Geschichte
und hat in meinen Augen den Preis zurecht verfient, das einzige Manko ist die Kürze der Geschichte hier hätte sehr gerne mehr gelesen . Das Bild des
Außerhalb von Kurzgeschichten, Romanen und Romancy-Verklärungen gibt es leider nur wenige lesenswerte Geschichten über diese faszinierenden Kreaturen, deren Symbologie mindestens ebenso groß ist, wie die der Vampire. Hat mich dann auch in seiner Gesamtheit an die verfilmte 'Underworld' -Reihe erinnert.Wie könnte man in den Schatten der Zivilisation verborgenes und durch anerzogenen besser darstellen und beschreiben als durch die Form einer wilden nach Blut und Zetstörung kechzenden Bestie dazurstellen als, beispielsweise eines großen wilden Wolfes?
. Die Hauptfiguren der Novelle sind die Privatdetektivin Randi, die immer noch unter dem mysteriösen und grauenvollen Tod ihres Vaters leidet, sowie ihr platonischer Freund Willie, welcher gut getroffen ist und mir als Figur richtig gefällt und schnell sns Herz wuchs. Auch die Kabbeleien der Beiden haben der Story ein rundes Gesicht gegeben. Willis Inkasso-Büro mit Herz und Mitgefühl leitet, aber trotzdem spürt man, da ist noch etwas Düsteres unter seiner Oberfläche . Und ja, auch die Wendungen sind nicht aus der Luft gegriffen. Sondern stilvoll eingebaut.
Die Illustrationen im Buch ein absoluter Pluspunkt waren stimmig und zum Glück sahen sie nicht nicht aus wie Anime gestellt mit unechten großen Augen sondern sogar ein gutes Maß ab Grusel.Tatsächlich flösst Martin dem Genre neue Facetten ein und erzählt seine Werwolf-Geschichte anspruchsvoll und intelligent. Die Übersetzung ist auch super gelungen mir sind keinerlei Unstimmigkeiten aufgefallen.
Die Story erscheint bei Festa als schmuckes Hardcover mit Schutzumschlag und Lesebändchen. Letzteres dient wohl eher der Optik und dem Gesamteindruck, denn die meisten Leser dürften den relativ kurzen und dem guten Schrebstil geschuldeten Text in einem durchgelesen haben. Das Titelbild stammt ebenfalls von Timo Würz sowie die tollen Illustrationen! , dessen Stil zudem sich deutlich von dem üblichen Erscheinungsbild der anderen Titel des Festa Verlags abhebt. Der Stil erinnert an eine düstere Graphische Novelle irgendwie an grusel-Romane welche oft in Schottland und in Mooren spielen und passen ausgezeichnet zu Titel als auch dem Inhalt.
Ein kleines aber feines Schmuckstück und wer von Lykantropie genauso fasziniert ist wie ich eine klare Leseempfehlung!
Fakten
157 Seiten
HC 14,8,00 €
Erschienen im Festa Verlag
Kaufen kann man das Buch direkt beim Verlag und bei jeder Plattform, welche Bücher anbieten.
Ich möchte mich bei der Bloggergruppe des Festa Verlages bedanken. Und da im Besonderen @Inge Festa für die zur Verfügung Stellung des Reziexemplares.
Dies hat keinerlei Einfluss auf meine persönliche Meinung!
Ihr findet diese Rezension auch wie immer auf unserem Blog:
http://ourfavorbooks.blogspot.de/?m=1
4,5 von 5 🌟 Es ist vom großen George R.R. Martin, er ist ein einzigartiger Schriftsteller. Sein GOT ist einfach großartig geschrieben.
Klappentext
"Als der Vater von Randi Wade in Ausübung seiner Pflicht als Polizist auf bestialische Weise ermordet wird - von einem wilden Tier zerfetzt, so das offizielle Ermittlungsergebis -, ist das ein Schock, von dem sich die junge Frau kaum erholt.
Fast 20 Jahre später: Randi schlägt sich als Privatdetektivin mehr schlecht als recht durchs Leben. Als ihr bester Freund Willie sie bittet, Informationen über einen Mordfall zu beschaffen, beginnt der Albtraum offenbar erneut. Auch das aktuelle Opfer wurde verstümmelt und bei lebendigem Leib gehäutet.
Kann es sein, dass die Bestie, die damals ihren Vater tötete, wieder zuschlägt? Und ist ihr Freund Willie wirklich der, für den er sich ausgibt? Weiß er mehr über die unheimliche Mordserie, als er angibt?
Die mit den World Fantasy Award ausgezeichnete Novelle gilt bei vielen Lesern als beste Werwolf-Geschichte, die jemals geschrieben wurde. Und ich kann das gut verstehen.
'In der Haut des Wolfes' verbindet auf elegante Weise Elemente des dunklen crime mit dem Werwolfmotiv zu einer düsteren, packenden Geschichte mit unerwarteten Wendungen. Und einfach stimmigen, fasznierenden Zeichnungen Chinatown trifft auf Der Wolfsmensch und Dr. Jekyll und Mr. Hyde.
Eine eBook-Ausgabe von In der Haut des Wolfes erscheint nicht.
Publishers Weekly: »Diese unerbittlich grimmige Geschichte ist definitiv nichts für Zimperliche, doch es ist fast unmöglich, sie aus der Hand zu legen.". Bei der Kürze lohnt das auch nicht. Man liest einfach weiter und blättert dann wieder zurück um die genialen Zeichnungen erneut zu bewundern und sieht sich die Einzelheiten nocheinmal anzusehen.
Quelle: Amazon Verlag
Meinung
Ich liebe seine Game of Thrones- Bücher und auch hier sehe ich die gewaltigen Bilder hinter seinen Worten.
„In der Haut des Wolfes“ stammt in seiner ursprünglichen Fassung vereits aus dem Jahr 1989 und befasst sich, der Titel ist Programm mit Werwölfen . Es ist eine sehr originelle Geschichte
und hat in meinen Augen den Preis zurecht verfient, das einzige Manko ist die Kürze der Geschichte hier hätte sehr gerne mehr gelesen . Das Bild des
Außerhalb von Kurzgeschichten, Romanen und Romancy-Verklärungen gibt es leider nur wenige lesenswerte Geschichten über diese faszinierenden Kreaturen, deren Symbologie mindestens ebenso groß ist, wie die der Vampire. Hat mich dann auch in seiner Gesamtheit an die verfilmte 'Underworld' -Reihe erinnert.Wie könnte man in den Schatten der Zivilisation verborgenes und durch anerzogenen besser darstellen und beschreiben als durch die Form einer wilden nach Blut und Zetstörung kechzenden Bestie dazurstellen als, beispielsweise eines großen wilden Wolfes?
. Die Hauptfiguren der Novelle sind die Privatdetektivin Randi, die immer noch unter dem mysteriösen und grauenvollen Tod ihres Vaters leidet, sowie ihr platonischer Freund Willie, welcher gut getroffen ist und mir als Figur richtig gefällt und schnell sns Herz wuchs. Auch die Kabbeleien der Beiden haben der Story ein rundes Gesicht gegeben. Willis Inkasso-Büro mit Herz und Mitgefühl leitet, aber trotzdem spürt man, da ist noch etwas Düsteres unter seiner Oberfläche . Und ja, auch die Wendungen sind nicht aus der Luft gegriffen. Sondern stilvoll eingebaut.
Die Illustrationen im Buch ein absoluter Pluspunkt waren stimmig und zum Glück sahen sie nicht nicht aus wie Anime gestellt mit unechten großen Augen sondern sogar ein gutes Maß ab Grusel.Tatsächlich flösst Martin dem Genre neue Facetten ein und erzählt seine Werwolf-Geschichte anspruchsvoll und intelligent. Die Übersetzung ist auch super gelungen mir sind keinerlei Unstimmigkeiten aufgefallen.
Die Story erscheint bei Festa als schmuckes Hardcover mit Schutzumschlag und Lesebändchen. Letzteres dient wohl eher der Optik und dem Gesamteindruck, denn die meisten Leser dürften den relativ kurzen und dem guten Schrebstil geschuldeten Text in einem durchgelesen haben. Das Titelbild stammt ebenfalls von Timo Würz sowie die tollen Illustrationen! , dessen Stil zudem sich deutlich von dem üblichen Erscheinungsbild der anderen Titel des Festa Verlags abhebt. Der Stil erinnert an eine düstere Graphische Novelle irgendwie an grusel-Romane welche oft in Schottland und in Mooren spielen und passen ausgezeichnet zu Titel als auch dem Inhalt.
Ein kleines aber feines Schmuckstück und wer von Lykantropie genauso fasziniert ist wie ich eine klare Leseempfehlung!
Fakten
157 Seiten
HC 14,8,00 €
Erschienen im Festa Verlag
Kaufen kann man das Buch direkt beim Verlag und bei jeder Plattform, welche Bücher anbieten.
Ich möchte mich bei der Bloggergruppe des Festa Verlages bedanken. Und da im Besonderen @Inge Festa für die zur Verfügung Stellung des Reziexemplares.
Dies hat keinerlei Einfluss auf meine persönliche Meinung!
Ihr findet diese Rezension auch wie immer auf unserem Blog:
http://ourfavorbooks.blogspot.de/?m=1
July 6, 2024
Most people have heard of GRRM, though likely only with regard to GoT. I've only read a handful of his works myself, but I have yet to find one that didn't blow me away with the character work and grounded reality of fantastical ideas.
The Skin Trade is a hybrid of an old-school detective story and an urban fantasy horror. It's first and foremost a solid detective story, so people who enjoy suspense and mysteries will likely enjoy this. I contrast this with something like the Dresden Files (blasphemy incoming) that I struggled to enjoy because the detective and mystery elements were pretty bland.
I don't think GRRM gets enough credit for being ahead of his time when it comes to writing non-traditional characters in sci-fi/fantasy during the 1980s and 90s. Stories usually followed hyper-competent male protagonists and it was rare for those characters to show vulnerability beyond the standard alcoholism and emotional unavailability.
This story follows Randi, a hard-nosed female private investigator who has a chip on her shoulder from the questionable circumstances of her father's death years ago. The other main character is Willie, a collections agent with lots of street savvy who suffers from bouts of asthma. But only in his human form. Willie comes to Randi for help after the death of a friend, and the ensuing events will reveal some disturbing truths about the town, some of the people, and the death of Randi's father.
I thought this was a fantastic detective story and probably one of my favorite werewolf stories besides. There's a reason this story won the World Fantasy Award for Best Novella.
The Skin Trade is a hybrid of an old-school detective story and an urban fantasy horror. It's first and foremost a solid detective story, so people who enjoy suspense and mysteries will likely enjoy this. I contrast this with something like the Dresden Files (blasphemy incoming) that I struggled to enjoy because the detective and mystery elements were pretty bland.
I don't think GRRM gets enough credit for being ahead of his time when it comes to writing non-traditional characters in sci-fi/fantasy during the 1980s and 90s. Stories usually followed hyper-competent male protagonists and it was rare for those characters to show vulnerability beyond the standard alcoholism and emotional unavailability.
This story follows Randi, a hard-nosed female private investigator who has a chip on her shoulder from the questionable circumstances of her father's death years ago. The other main character is Willie, a collections agent with lots of street savvy who suffers from bouts of asthma. But only in his human form. Willie comes to Randi for help after the death of a friend, and the ensuing events will reveal some disturbing truths about the town, some of the people, and the death of Randi's father.
I thought this was a fantastic detective story and probably one of my favorite werewolf stories besides. There's a reason this story won the World Fantasy Award for Best Novella.
September 18, 2020
Ça vous est déjà arrivé de déceler tous les défauts d'un livre mais de l'aimer en dépit de tout et de le dévorer jusqu'à la fin ? Eh bien c'est ce que j'ai éprouvé avec Skin Trade. Cette histoire de metamorphes est passionnante. Loin d'être parfaite et pourtant haletante. Le moins qu'on puisse dire, c'est que l'auteur maîtrise le rythme et l'enchaînement des actions. Et ça, ca rend une lecture vraiment addictive. C'est court et ça se dévore en dépit de certains twists qu'on voit arriver longtemps à l'avance, de dialogues parfois vieillot et de pas mal de fautes et de mots manquants qu'une bonne relecture aurait pu éviter...
Je n'ai pas pu le lâcher pendant deux jours. Même si on est loin de la force évocatrice du Trône de Fer, de la subtilité de ses intrigues et de sa pléthore de détails, Skin Trade nous entraîne avec réussite dans les méandres boueux et sombres d'une ville sur le déclin, entre vieux restos désertés et entrepôts désaffectés jusqu'aux murs érodés d'une vieille bâtisse gothique qui abrite bien des mystères. Et ça marche. On est totalement submergé par l'atmosphère.
Willy, le personnage principal, est incroyablement attachant. Le genre d'anti-héro que j'aime : moche, maladroit, fragile mais débrouillard, hypocondriaque et un peu lâche... À ses côtés, on part sur les traces d'un mystérieux assassin, pour une enquête sans temps mort qui mêle passé et présent.
Si vous aimez les nouvelles, les enquêtes, le paranormal, les métas, l'humour un peu con, les héros atypiques et les récits dont le rythme ne faiblit pas, Skin Trade est fait pour vous.
Je n'ai pas pu le lâcher pendant deux jours. Même si on est loin de la force évocatrice du Trône de Fer, de la subtilité de ses intrigues et de sa pléthore de détails, Skin Trade nous entraîne avec réussite dans les méandres boueux et sombres d'une ville sur le déclin, entre vieux restos désertés et entrepôts désaffectés jusqu'aux murs érodés d'une vieille bâtisse gothique qui abrite bien des mystères. Et ça marche. On est totalement submergé par l'atmosphère.
Willy, le personnage principal, est incroyablement attachant. Le genre d'anti-héro que j'aime : moche, maladroit, fragile mais débrouillard, hypocondriaque et un peu lâche... À ses côtés, on part sur les traces d'un mystérieux assassin, pour une enquête sans temps mort qui mêle passé et présent.
Si vous aimez les nouvelles, les enquêtes, le paranormal, les métas, l'humour un peu con, les héros atypiques et les récits dont le rythme ne faiblit pas, Skin Trade est fait pour vous.
July 19, 2023
There's a middling-at-best movie called I Am Lisa that tries to have its horror as tortuous violence in a werewolf revenge plot. Near the end, there's some throwaway lines from the antagonist tormenting our werewolf protagonist, saying that they take advantage of lycanthropic supernatural healing by cutting off limbs and keeping the torsos in boxes for pure sadistic pleasure. That's stuck with me - for the pure imaginative horror of it, combined with how few pieces of werewolf media explore the whole abusing/testing werewolves angle. Project Metalbeast and Battledogs, both middling camp movies, are the only two bits of media I'm aware of that approach the same topic.
Well, Skin Trade can be added to that list, and it does so with sober cruelty; very noir - to the point of almost lacking its own identity from hitting all the genre notes. I'm a fan of how well it ties to folkloric ideas of werewolves and skins/pelts, an angle that's generally lacking from modern werewolves.
All in all, a good read, though the mystery loses its mystery fairly quickly, so the story loses some of its punches.
Well, Skin Trade can be added to that list, and it does so with sober cruelty; very noir - to the point of almost lacking its own identity from hitting all the genre notes. I'm a fan of how well it ties to folkloric ideas of werewolves and skins/pelts, an angle that's generally lacking from modern werewolves.
All in all, a good read, though the mystery loses its mystery fairly quickly, so the story loses some of its punches.
August 11, 2020
Willie Flambeaux est un agent de recouvrement qui a du cœur. Rare? Plus rare encore, il est un lycanthrope qui s'assume. Le jour où son amante est retrouvée assassinée de la plus horrible des manières, il fait appel à une vieille amie, Randi Wade, fille de flic, devenue détective privée. Ensemble, ils plongeront dans un monde où la corruption est en train de dévorer la ville, tant au sens littéral que figuré... Les personnages secondaires sont haïssables à souhait et la trame est bien menée. Une courte lecture qui sort définitivement de Westeros et des dragons en explorant un monde tout aussi noir, mais à une époque contemporaine. Une œuvre secondaire de ce grand auteur qui vaut la découverte.
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March 3, 2017This Martin's book kind of reminds me of his other nove, Fevre Dream. It also takes the cliched myth, but this time a myth about werewolves and not vampires, and tries to bring it's modern and not so cliched interpretation of that horror motive. This book is quite fluent and enjoyable, especially a witty main character (also something that is quite characteristic for Martin's work, isn't it?), but it kind of lacks depth, atmosphere and epicness of Fevre Dream. This way, it is just a really good "pulp" literature.
July 20, 2018
Pretty decent werewolf story. I always prefer "monster" stories that utilize some of the legends (werewolves hate silver, vampires hate sunlight) but put a new spin on other elements (Twilight vampires sparkle in the sunlight), or disprove them (vampire who is found of garlic).
Anyway, this story is kind of a blend of murder mystery, horror with some humor sprinkled in. It's a short story but covers a lot of ground with some interesting twists. Worth your time to read, though I believe it was optioned for a movie or show so you could go that route as well.
Anyway, this story is kind of a blend of murder mystery, horror with some humor sprinkled in. It's a short story but covers a lot of ground with some interesting twists. Worth your time to read, though I believe it was optioned for a movie or show so you could go that route as well.
May 20, 2024
If you like werewolf stories, I can’t recommend this novella enough. It’s one of my all-time favorites and I’ve read it several times.
The first time I read it, it was the title story in the paperback edition of the horror anthology Night Visions 5, which I bought for the three Stephen King stories. The King stories were okay, but I loved The Skin Trade.
About ten years back, I bought the WFSA Press hardcover of The Skin Trade. If my apartment building ever catches on fire, that’s one of the books I’d try to save as I flee.
The first time I read it, it was the title story in the paperback edition of the horror anthology Night Visions 5, which I bought for the three Stephen King stories. The King stories were okay, but I loved The Skin Trade.
About ten years back, I bought the WFSA Press hardcover of The Skin Trade. If my apartment building ever catches on fire, that’s one of the books I’d try to save as I flee.
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