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Crab Town
In this town, everyone's a bottom feeder ...
Five desperate criminals are robbing one of the last remaining banks in Freedom City, a town devastated by the previous nuclear war. But these are no ordinary criminals. They are members of the House of Cards, an organization designed to help the less fortunate citizens of the city. In a place where the poor are separated from the rich, jobs are as scarce as clean water, and even the doctors are as corrupt as the politicians, the House of Cards are a final beacon of hope in an otherwise hopeless world.
radiation fetishists, balloon people, mutant crabs, sail-bike road warriors, and a love affair between a woman and an H-Bomb. This is one mean asshole of a city.
Welcome to Crab Town.
Five desperate criminals are robbing one of the last remaining banks in Freedom City, a town devastated by the previous nuclear war. But these are no ordinary criminals. They are members of the House of Cards, an organization designed to help the less fortunate citizens of the city. In a place where the poor are separated from the rich, jobs are as scarce as clean water, and even the doctors are as corrupt as the politicians, the House of Cards are a final beacon of hope in an otherwise hopeless world.
radiation fetishists, balloon people, mutant crabs, sail-bike road warriors, and a love affair between a woman and an H-Bomb. This is one mean asshole of a city.
Welcome to Crab Town.
100 pages, Paperback
First published January 24, 2011
11 people are currently reading
351 people want to read
About the author
Carlton Mellick III
119 books2,172 followersCarlton Mellick III (July 2, 1977, Phoenix, Arizona) is an American author currently residing in Portland, Oregon. He calls his style of writing "avant-punk," and is currently one of the leading authors in the recent 'Bizarro' movement in underground literature[citation needed] with Steve Aylett, Chris Genoa and D. Harlan Wilson.
Mellick's work has been described as a combination of trashy schlock sci-fi/horror and postmodern literary art. His novels explore surreal versions of earth in contemporary society and imagined futures, commonly focusing on social absurdities and satire.
Carlton Mellick III started writing at the age of ten and completed twelve novels by the age of eighteen. Only one of these early novels, "Electric Jesus Corpse", ever made it to print.
He is best known for his first novel Satan Burger and its sequel Punk Land. Satan Burger was translated into Russian and published by Ultra Culture in 2005. It was part of a four book series called Brave New World, which also featured Virtual Light by William Gibson, City Come A Walkin by John Shirley, and Tea from an Empty Cup by Pat Cadigan.
In the late 90's, he formed a collective for offbeat authors which included D. Harlan Wilson, Kevin L. Donihe, Vincent Sakowski, among others, and the publishing company Eraserhead Press. This scene evolved into the Bizarro fiction movement in 2005.
In addition to writing, Mellick is an artist and musician.
Mellick's work has been described as a combination of trashy schlock sci-fi/horror and postmodern literary art. His novels explore surreal versions of earth in contemporary society and imagined futures, commonly focusing on social absurdities and satire.
Carlton Mellick III started writing at the age of ten and completed twelve novels by the age of eighteen. Only one of these early novels, "Electric Jesus Corpse", ever made it to print.
He is best known for his first novel Satan Burger and its sequel Punk Land. Satan Burger was translated into Russian and published by Ultra Culture in 2005. It was part of a four book series called Brave New World, which also featured Virtual Light by William Gibson, City Come A Walkin by John Shirley, and Tea from an Empty Cup by Pat Cadigan.
In the late 90's, he formed a collective for offbeat authors which included D. Harlan Wilson, Kevin L. Donihe, Vincent Sakowski, among others, and the publishing company Eraserhead Press. This scene evolved into the Bizarro fiction movement in 2005.
In addition to writing, Mellick is an artist and musician.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
January 17, 2012
Given the patently obvious message of this cover:
I'm risking a major DUH moment when I explain that this book is an allegory examining the crushing effect of DEBT on everyday people. I know, I know, it's probably readily apparent to you. You see the title, CRAB TOWN, and immediately clue into Melnick's purpose and think...‘of course...he’s going after the banking institutions.’
Well, I missed that connection.
Then you see the hot chick in the gas mask wearing skin tight spandex covered with the fallout symbol and the light bulb probably goes off... ‘Yep, Melnick's taking a satirical look at the disastrous effects of the government being in bed with corporations where they each take turns screwing the populace.’
Again, this flew right over my head.
Finally, you notice that the woman is straddling a large unexploded bomb while doing a “Rockette” style high kick and it all likely clicks in your mind...‘HOLY SHIT…he’s going to explore the massively destructive impact of consumer debt on the lower and middle class.’
Well done, sage ones. You are right on target because that is exactly the message of this well written, darkly funny satire. Note: I did get the fact that the skeleton dog wearing the shiny collar is a symbolic poke at humanity's propensity for animal husbanding nature into the grave.
Score one for me at least.
THE STORY OF CRAB TOWN:
The United States has become a third world country after a series of nuclear wars. In the aftermath of the wars, the U.S. government couldn’t afford to repair any of the damage to the cities devastated by the bombs. Therefore, the government adopted the policy of “if you can repair it, you can own it” as incentive to get people to move back into the ravaged cities. Thus, CRABs (Citizen Renovated Abandoned Buildings) were born and CRAB towns became a reality and a place where the abandoned, the homeless, the jobless, the hopeless find themselves (think “Hoovervilles” of the Great Depression).
It is not a happy place.
Our story takes place in a single day (not counting some flashbacks for background of the characters). We meet Joe Balloon on his way to the bank to get out the last of his savings. Joe is a human balloon who sold his organs when he had no other way to get money….hey it’s bizarre fiction…what do you expect. Well, Joe ends up getting screwed by the bank (of course) and is still present when it is held up by members of the notorious “House of Cards” gang.
From there ensues chaos, dark humor, thoughtful incite on the human condition and some biting social commentary. Plus a terrific collection of oddball, but very human characters, mutant crabs, post-nuclear sex fetishes, juvenile street gangs on sail-boat bikes and some very inventive writing.
Plus a terrific ending.
THOUGHTS:
Fresh, unique and definitely worth reading.
Melnick uses the "anything goes" unfettered canvas that makes the bizzaro format so welcoming to writers (and so potentially intimidating to readers) to expose the crippling effect of debt on everyday people and to show how, in desperation, such circumstances can lead folks outside of their “moral” comfort zone in order to survive. It's clever, well-written and with more emotion than I would have guessed coming into it.
Nicely drawn and instantly engaging, this will invite you from the opening scene. Plus, at under 100 pages, you can digest it all in a single sitting which allows for a more concentrated experience. I was impressed and look forward to more of Mellick’s work in the future.
3.5 to 4.0 stars. RECOMMENDED!!
P.S. For those that have not read a lot of bizarro fiction and worry that this might be too shocking or too extreme, I didn't find that at all. The descriptions, the violence and the sex were no more “in your face” than many mainstream authors I read. Don’t know if that is good or bad but I thought I would pass that on.
P.P.S. For those that may have been drawn to this book thinking that it was about Giant Crabs and are disappointed upon hearing of the more economics-minded thrust of the narrative...fear not. Lovers of enormous, irradiated, man-eating crustacean will find them within these scant pages in all of their sharp-pincered, flesh-tearing glory. If you want crabs, this book will give the to you.
I'm risking a major DUH moment when I explain that this book is an allegory examining the crushing effect of DEBT on everyday people. I know, I know, it's probably readily apparent to you. You see the title, CRAB TOWN, and immediately clue into Melnick's purpose and think...‘of course...he’s going after the banking institutions.’
Well, I missed that connection.
Then you see the hot chick in the gas mask wearing skin tight spandex covered with the fallout symbol and the light bulb probably goes off... ‘Yep, Melnick's taking a satirical look at the disastrous effects of the government being in bed with corporations where they each take turns screwing the populace.’
Again, this flew right over my head.
Finally, you notice that the woman is straddling a large unexploded bomb while doing a “Rockette” style high kick and it all likely clicks in your mind...‘HOLY SHIT…he’s going to explore the massively destructive impact of consumer debt on the lower and middle class.’
Well done, sage ones. You are right on target because that is exactly the message of this well written, darkly funny satire. Note: I did get the fact that the skeleton dog wearing the shiny collar is a symbolic poke at humanity's propensity for animal husbanding nature into the grave.
Score one for me at least.
THE STORY OF CRAB TOWN:
The United States has become a third world country after a series of nuclear wars. In the aftermath of the wars, the U.S. government couldn’t afford to repair any of the damage to the cities devastated by the bombs. Therefore, the government adopted the policy of “if you can repair it, you can own it” as incentive to get people to move back into the ravaged cities. Thus, CRABs (Citizen Renovated Abandoned Buildings) were born and CRAB towns became a reality and a place where the abandoned, the homeless, the jobless, the hopeless find themselves (think “Hoovervilles” of the Great Depression).
It is not a happy place.
Our story takes place in a single day (not counting some flashbacks for background of the characters). We meet Joe Balloon on his way to the bank to get out the last of his savings. Joe is a human balloon who sold his organs when he had no other way to get money….hey it’s bizarre fiction…what do you expect. Well, Joe ends up getting screwed by the bank (of course) and is still present when it is held up by members of the notorious “House of Cards” gang.
From there ensues chaos, dark humor, thoughtful incite on the human condition and some biting social commentary. Plus a terrific collection of oddball, but very human characters, mutant crabs, post-nuclear sex fetishes, juvenile street gangs on sail-boat bikes and some very inventive writing.
Plus a terrific ending.
THOUGHTS:
Fresh, unique and definitely worth reading.
Melnick uses the "anything goes" unfettered canvas that makes the bizzaro format so welcoming to writers (and so potentially intimidating to readers) to expose the crippling effect of debt on everyday people and to show how, in desperation, such circumstances can lead folks outside of their “moral” comfort zone in order to survive. It's clever, well-written and with more emotion than I would have guessed coming into it.
Nicely drawn and instantly engaging, this will invite you from the opening scene. Plus, at under 100 pages, you can digest it all in a single sitting which allows for a more concentrated experience. I was impressed and look forward to more of Mellick’s work in the future.
3.5 to 4.0 stars. RECOMMENDED!!
P.S. For those that have not read a lot of bizarro fiction and worry that this might be too shocking or too extreme, I didn't find that at all. The descriptions, the violence and the sex were no more “in your face” than many mainstream authors I read. Don’t know if that is good or bad but I thought I would pass that on.
P.P.S. For those that may have been drawn to this book thinking that it was about Giant Crabs and are disappointed upon hearing of the more economics-minded thrust of the narrative...fear not. Lovers of enormous, irradiated, man-eating crustacean will find them within these scant pages in all of their sharp-pincered, flesh-tearing glory. If you want crabs, this book will give the to you.
April 28, 2011
Some writers, you can just tell, are brimming with ideas and creativity. Prolific bizarro veteran Carlton Mellick III is one of those writers, and his long short story Crab Town is evidence of this. After writing a couple 300+ page novels (veritable epics in the bizarro genre), he put out this 85-page novella earlier this year. It's a short, entertaining ride through the weird world of Freedom City, and its adjoining slum, known as Crab Town.
This is the story of a bank heist gone bad, in a world where two nuclear wars have left the city in shambles and the economy in a mess. In Freedom City, if you lose your job and can't pay your bills, your only choice is to move to Crab Town. Once you're in Crab Town, you're stuck, because no one will hire you again, no landlord will rent to you again, and you're essentially a social pariah. It reminds me in a lot of ways of our national welfare system, where once you're in, it's difficult to get back out. Some denizens of Crab Town form the House of Cards, a group dedicated to improving life in Crab Town and getting a fair shake from the folks in charge of Freedom City. They don't want a handout, they simply want equal opportunity for jobs and such - a little life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. So, yeah, I like the message behind this story.
As Mellick writes in the book's introduction, this story started with the cover image. Mellick liked it so much, he decided to write a story around the picture of the babe on the bomb, basically working backwards with the actual writing of the story being the last part of the process. In other words, he didn't begin with a premise and a set of characters, he saw a picture, came up with a title and a cover blurb, then wrote the story from there. What results is almost too much for such a short story.
We're introduced to no less than six different characters who all play a role in the heist. There are other peripheral characters as well, and over the course of the story, sandwiched between the events of one day, we learn a little bit about each character. We're stilling learning about these main players in the heist, right up until and during the final act. This could have easily been filled out into another 300-page epic if he had the time and desire. So many ideas and so much creativity pack each page that there's scarcely enough space to mention it all.
But such is the issue with the novella. Often times, they leave you wanting more, which I think is a good thing. And at $7.95, you get a good story with some very cool artwork. To be honest, I've been trying to decide for a long time which Mellick book I would read next, and the cover art from this one sold me from the beginning. Like Mellick, I was intrigued to learn about the babe on the bomb and what made her tick (yes, terrible pun, but I don't care!). I came away wanting more of what was here, and not just a little bit jealous of how much creatvity this guy's got bursting out of every story he writes.
This is the story of a bank heist gone bad, in a world where two nuclear wars have left the city in shambles and the economy in a mess. In Freedom City, if you lose your job and can't pay your bills, your only choice is to move to Crab Town. Once you're in Crab Town, you're stuck, because no one will hire you again, no landlord will rent to you again, and you're essentially a social pariah. It reminds me in a lot of ways of our national welfare system, where once you're in, it's difficult to get back out. Some denizens of Crab Town form the House of Cards, a group dedicated to improving life in Crab Town and getting a fair shake from the folks in charge of Freedom City. They don't want a handout, they simply want equal opportunity for jobs and such - a little life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. So, yeah, I like the message behind this story.
As Mellick writes in the book's introduction, this story started with the cover image. Mellick liked it so much, he decided to write a story around the picture of the babe on the bomb, basically working backwards with the actual writing of the story being the last part of the process. In other words, he didn't begin with a premise and a set of characters, he saw a picture, came up with a title and a cover blurb, then wrote the story from there. What results is almost too much for such a short story.
We're introduced to no less than six different characters who all play a role in the heist. There are other peripheral characters as well, and over the course of the story, sandwiched between the events of one day, we learn a little bit about each character. We're stilling learning about these main players in the heist, right up until and during the final act. This could have easily been filled out into another 300-page epic if he had the time and desire. So many ideas and so much creativity pack each page that there's scarcely enough space to mention it all.
But such is the issue with the novella. Often times, they leave you wanting more, which I think is a good thing. And at $7.95, you get a good story with some very cool artwork. To be honest, I've been trying to decide for a long time which Mellick book I would read next, and the cover art from this one sold me from the beginning. Like Mellick, I was intrigued to learn about the babe on the bomb and what made her tick (yes, terrible pun, but I don't care!). I came away wanting more of what was here, and not just a little bit jealous of how much creatvity this guy's got bursting out of every story he writes.
April 8, 2012
For my 6th Carlton Mellick review I was drawn to this one, like many, by the wildly out of place images on the cover. I pondered, "what could this novella, with this title, with these images, and this writer culminate into?" And readers, it was a great little action packed punch to the jugular that I did not see coming. In my opinion it goes up there with CM3's "Sausagey Santa." Most of the time when reading Mellick III you get a novella with big spacing, large font, and a page number around a usual bizarro novella (maybe 90-120 pages); however, this one, at least the ebook version I read, was regular type and spacing and clocked in at around 60 pages, which I kind of liked better. I'm guessing with the big font and spacing it would be about the same.
Welcome to CM3's "Crab Town." A place where money is king and the vagrant and lowlives are shunned and forced to make a living in Crab Town. People can be turned into balloons, an operation that by selling their organs SHOULD get them a lot of money, but then they have to pay a monthly gravity bill or well... float away. A place where kids have to pay their parents back for raising them, that's right people, parents keep a bill for everything spent on the kid and when they are "of age" they have to begin to pay them back; moreover, this forces many kids to get jobs very young. Crab Town is a place filled with radiation fallout, child gangs, and giant crabs that hunt the weak. This is the story of a bank robbery gone bad. A robbery that the "House of Cards" gang was hoping would finally bring the attention of the city to their plight for equality and jobs.
Carlton takes us through their world in which each chapter tells the back story of the main characters and how they each came to where they are in life. This is a format for writing that I had not previously seen CM3 employ, and I have to say I really liked it, learning the back story of the "House of Cards" while at the same time the story moved forward. "Crab Town" reminds me of many late night apocalypse or bank heist films, with a little bit of wild card anime thrown in. The plot was great and the bizarro just jumps out and grabs your attention. I highly recommend this one folks, a great little bizarro read from Carlton Mellick III. He keeps impressing.
Welcome to CM3's "Crab Town." A place where money is king and the vagrant and lowlives are shunned and forced to make a living in Crab Town. People can be turned into balloons, an operation that by selling their organs SHOULD get them a lot of money, but then they have to pay a monthly gravity bill or well... float away. A place where kids have to pay their parents back for raising them, that's right people, parents keep a bill for everything spent on the kid and when they are "of age" they have to begin to pay them back; moreover, this forces many kids to get jobs very young. Crab Town is a place filled with radiation fallout, child gangs, and giant crabs that hunt the weak. This is the story of a bank robbery gone bad. A robbery that the "House of Cards" gang was hoping would finally bring the attention of the city to their plight for equality and jobs.
Carlton takes us through their world in which each chapter tells the back story of the main characters and how they each came to where they are in life. This is a format for writing that I had not previously seen CM3 employ, and I have to say I really liked it, learning the back story of the "House of Cards" while at the same time the story moved forward. "Crab Town" reminds me of many late night apocalypse or bank heist films, with a little bit of wild card anime thrown in. The plot was great and the bizarro just jumps out and grabs your attention. I highly recommend this one folks, a great little bizarro read from Carlton Mellick III. He keeps impressing.
September 26, 2023
Latex-wearing bank robbers, Balloon People and a creepy Kid.
Carlton Mellick III is that writer you swear you'll NEVER ever read again because his books are like gateways to some tabooish-bizzare-WTF part of human brains. This is the same author who wrote about a gateway to hell via ... ahem, a body part way down south. Anyway;you try to stick to the thunderstorms and clues side of the library, maybe roam around the flowers and butterflies shelf, maybe visit the cozy coffee shelf. But then, a few trips to the screaming terror shelf and down you tumble into the bloody abyss.
And yet, you find yourself chuckling, clutching pearls, then trying not to puke, maybe grimacing and then conceding that this book (like his others) is damn good and you barely remember adding it to your cart and decide that maybe you have a very specific addiction that begins and ends with "What was that author smoking?" books and now you're at the tailend of a tale that has been one helluva depressing-enraging-is this where we're heading-WILD ride.
Also - the Health Insurance Industry in the US is literally a horror show. Nightmares to follow.
Plot/Storyline: Like a platoon of fire ants crawling up your skin and leaving blotchy red marks - the story is that fiery.
Characters: I bloody hate Kyle and I know I shouldn't. Can't decide who I love more so it's a tie between Johnny Balloon and the House of Cards.
Favorite scene: The balloon poppin-terrorizing-murdering little psychopath in the bank. That whole scene was way scarier because we've all seen someone like that at the supermarket, the bank - heck in line waiting for my order.
Favorite Quote/Concept: I can't get over this concept it's scary brilliant. Balloon People. Only the most desperate individuals shed their humanity to become balloon people. The procedure is free. They basically scoop out all of your insides and turn your mind into a sentient gas which is then put into a human-shaped balloon body. (Narrator on balloon-debt)
StoryGraph Challenge: 1800 Books by 2025
Challenge Prompt: 150 Horror books by 2025
Carlton Mellick III is that writer you swear you'll NEVER ever read again because his books are like gateways to some tabooish-bizzare-WTF part of human brains. This is the same author who wrote about a gateway to hell via ... ahem, a body part way down south. Anyway;you try to stick to the thunderstorms and clues side of the library, maybe roam around the flowers and butterflies shelf, maybe visit the cozy coffee shelf. But then, a few trips to the screaming terror shelf and down you tumble into the bloody abyss.
And yet, you find yourself chuckling, clutching pearls, then trying not to puke, maybe grimacing and then conceding that this book (like his others) is damn good and you barely remember adding it to your cart and decide that maybe you have a very specific addiction that begins and ends with "What was that author smoking?" books and now you're at the tailend of a tale that has been one helluva depressing-enraging-is this where we're heading-WILD ride.
Also - the Health Insurance Industry in the US is literally a horror show. Nightmares to follow.
Plot/Storyline: Like a platoon of fire ants crawling up your skin and leaving blotchy red marks - the story is that fiery.
Characters: I bloody hate Kyle and I know I shouldn't. Can't decide who I love more so it's a tie between Johnny Balloon and the House of Cards.
Favorite scene: The balloon poppin-terrorizing-murdering little psychopath in the bank. That whole scene was way scarier because we've all seen someone like that at the supermarket, the bank - heck in line waiting for my order.
Favorite Quote/Concept: I can't get over this concept it's scary brilliant. Balloon People. Only the most desperate individuals shed their humanity to become balloon people. The procedure is free. They basically scoop out all of your insides and turn your mind into a sentient gas which is then put into a human-shaped balloon body. (Narrator on balloon-debt)
StoryGraph Challenge: 1800 Books by 2025
Challenge Prompt: 150 Horror books by 2025
August 15, 2011
Crab Town reminds me of many late night apocalypse films and animes, the sort of films that grab your attention and no matter how bizarre the story gets you wind up finishing. Heck you even wind up feeling pretty involved in the thing and you hope things turn out for the best no matter how screwed they are.
Mellick manages to do the impossible and take a plot that should be all over the place, strange and half indecipherable and turns the idea a little on its head by making it a one by one character study. Meanwhile you learn all about Crab Town, the terrible fate of those who live there and the fight the House of Cards has been waging to make things just a little bit better for its citizens. Along with all of that you also get the balloon people, giant crabs, radioactive porn fetishists and the strange tale of Miss Doomsday all as promised by the blurb on the back of the book.
Not bad for one of these 85 page bizarro novels eh?
Mellick manages to do the impossible and take a plot that should be all over the place, strange and half indecipherable and turns the idea a little on its head by making it a one by one character study. Meanwhile you learn all about Crab Town, the terrible fate of those who live there and the fight the House of Cards has been waging to make things just a little bit better for its citizens. Along with all of that you also get the balloon people, giant crabs, radioactive porn fetishists and the strange tale of Miss Doomsday all as promised by the blurb on the back of the book.
Not bad for one of these 85 page bizarro novels eh?
July 21, 2013
These Cartlon Mellick books are a lot of fun. They are truly modern pulp and adhere to a quickly-written, thrilling, shocking, and strange aesthetic. While I did not enjoy this one as much as The Haunted Vagina, The Cannibals of Candyland, Ape Shit, or Warrior Wolf Women of the Wasteland, it was still a fun ride. The vaguely Rashomon-like structure allowed a view on the central robbery from a variety of angles. Punk, in writing and the publishing industry, is definitely not dead.
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June 8, 2023Crab Town – tai pasakojimas apie Laisvės Miestą, kuris, nors ir supurtytas keleto branduolinių karų, vis dar egzistuoja. Visuomenės atstumtieji, atskalūnai ir nusikaltėliai telkiasi Miesto paraštėse, Krabo Mieste, kuriame veikia Kortų Namelio gauja. Šiai organizuotai grupuotei priklausantis penketukas nusprendžia apiplėšti vieną paskutiniųjų Laisvės Miesto bankų. Kortų Namelio misija – agresyvoka, bet drauge ir robinhudiška, nes vykdydami nusikaltimus, grupuotės nariai galvoja, kaip suteikti pagalbą ne tokiems sėkmingiems miestelėnams. Krabo Mieste klesti nedarbas, trūksta maisto ir vandens resursų. Gydytojai čia finansuojami minėtos gaujos, o valdžia ir policija – korumpuoti ir nusiteikę susidoroti su svieto lygintojais. Tuo tarpu Kortų Namelio lyderis Vynų Bartukas turi planą, kaip atkreipti dėmesį į miesto gyventojų bėdas.
Knygoje rasite: prasiskolinusių žmonių-balionų, radiacijos fetišistų, krabų-mutantų ir netgi vieną merginą, kuri užmezgė romaną su atomine bomba.
Knygos autorius Carltonas Mellickas III – ryškiausias bizarro žanro atstovas, gyvenantis Portlande ir savo knygas nuo 2001 m. leidžiantis kiekvieną sausį, balandį, liepą ir spalį. Bizarro yra šiuolaikinis literatūros žanras, kuriame dažnai naudojami absurdo, satyros ir grotesko elementai, suplakama mokslinė fantastika ir siaubo istorijos, taip siekiant sukurti neįprastus „lengvo“, pramoginio turinio kūrinius. Bizarro terminą 2005 m. įtvirtino nepriklausomos leidyklos „Eraserhead Press“, „Raw Dog Screaming Press“ ir „Afterbirth Books“.
Knygoje rasite: prasiskolinusių žmonių-balionų, radiacijos fetišistų, krabų-mutantų ir netgi vieną merginą, kuri užmezgė romaną su atomine bomba.
Knygos autorius Carltonas Mellickas III – ryškiausias bizarro žanro atstovas, gyvenantis Portlande ir savo knygas nuo 2001 m. leidžiantis kiekvieną sausį, balandį, liepą ir spalį. Bizarro yra šiuolaikinis literatūros žanras, kuriame dažnai naudojami absurdo, satyros ir grotesko elementai, suplakama mokslinė fantastika ir siaubo istorijos, taip siekiant sukurti neįprastus „lengvo“, pramoginio turinio kūrinius. Bizarro terminą 2005 m. įtvirtino nepriklausomos leidyklos „Eraserhead Press“, „Raw Dog Screaming Press“ ir „Afterbirth Books“.
October 27, 2025
The world-building was amazing for such a short story but ultimately lets us down at the end.
July 13, 2015
I've said it before, I think, but I'll say it again: Mellick makes the most unique dystopias that I've ever read. Even though they follow the same basic tropes, involving the rich vs the poor, the privileged vs the oppressed, every one has something about it that stands out. This book was no exception. There was something even more outstanding than usual about this one: the cover inspired the book, not the other way around. There's something special about knowing that this is a look into the author's inspiration and perception of things, his... state of mind, so to speak.
The characters in this book were lovable. The city it's set in was lively and gritty, with just a touch of realism that complemented the whole mutant crabs, radiation poisoning, evil government aspects beautifully. The creativity was astounding. This story was astounding. I want to read more and know more about every character in this book, every organization, every itty bitty detail of its world and how it wound up like this.
This may be my very favorite of Mellick's short stories so far.
The characters in this book were lovable. The city it's set in was lively and gritty, with just a touch of realism that complemented the whole mutant crabs, radiation poisoning, evil government aspects beautifully. The creativity was astounding. This story was astounding. I want to read more and know more about every character in this book, every organization, every itty bitty detail of its world and how it wound up like this.
This may be my very favorite of Mellick's short stories so far.
July 6, 2012
Even with Mellick's Bizarro style that usually makes his characters so dissociated with reality that they are hard to like. I found myself really liking all of the main characters in this story. Their backgrounds were actually sort of real (you know, in a non-realistic-dystopian-post-apocalyptic-radioactive-wasteland-sort of way). This book was a good form of satire for how debt affects society. Even though it was truly unrealistic, it still had a lot of great concepts that pointed out how society seems to react to the lower class citizens of the world. Very good. A few errors in the grammar and writing itself, but the story definitely overpowered any grammatical mistakes Mellick may have made. One word. Awesome.
October 25, 2011
Slightly disturbing as anything by Carlton Mellick III is. However, I really feel that this book had some serious tones to it that really made me think. Particularly with how things are in the world at this moment. Evil banks, people being pushed out of jobs, people taking extreme measures to cover debts (becoming balloon people). Hmmm...Short, quick, and a boomin' ending.
July 23, 2015
This book is what Reservoir Dogs would be if it were written by Kurt Vonnegut after dropping a nuclear bomb's worth of crab shit.
September 16, 2018
Not as weird as Tick People, but still.
This book is about post-atomic wasted city districts, debt, a society gone full-on exploitative, and other weird stuff. People selling their organs to pay bills, being turned into sentient gas which is then filled in personalized balloons. Parents charging their kids for upbringing and education. And being forced to live in radioactive slums if one cannot pay bills anymore, combined with instantly becoming an unemployable pariah simply because one is forced to live there. And some consequences...
I liked the story quite a bit, but the writing style was not to my liking, at all. It was okay, maybe even well-done - however, I dislike storytelling in present tense. Also, this time around the novel could have profited a bit from better copy editing.
This book is about post-atomic wasted city districts, debt, a society gone full-on exploitative, and other weird stuff. People selling their organs to pay bills, being turned into sentient gas which is then filled in personalized balloons. Parents charging their kids for upbringing and education. And being forced to live in radioactive slums if one cannot pay bills anymore, combined with instantly becoming an unemployable pariah simply because one is forced to live there. And some consequences...
I liked the story quite a bit, but the writing style was not to my liking, at all. It was okay, maybe even well-done - however, I dislike storytelling in present tense. Also, this time around the novel could have profited a bit from better copy editing.
January 9, 2025
God I love Carlton Mellick III! He is my favorite bizarro author and one day we will be friends.
Okay, so Crab Town did not start off strong. "I really don't want to read about balloon people" is what I was thinking throughout the first chapter. But as the story progressed with each chapter giving you more insight into the "House of Cards" it got a lot more interesting. I would love to read more about Crab Town and all who live there.
Okay, so Crab Town did not start off strong. "I really don't want to read about balloon people" is what I was thinking throughout the first chapter. But as the story progressed with each chapter giving you more insight into the "House of Cards" it got a lot more interesting. I would love to read more about Crab Town and all who live there.
April 30, 2025
A nuclear town full of radiation. A group of people known as the House of Cards come together to make a stand, but to do that they must rob a bank. To top it off you also have people known as the balloon people, who have their insides removed and then inflated. Johnny Balloon goes to the bank to withdraw money but...can't finish spoiler alert. Great story.
June 8, 2018
It was an interesting premise. I enjoyed the world building that went into this, but the ending just felt incomplete. I don't need my stories to be all neatly wrapped up at the end, but this one just felt like it ended too abruptly.
September 22, 2017
I really did like it. The plot, characters, morale. But I wish there was another ending.
April 22, 2019
Bad ending
February 4, 2020
Again a good read and several social implications.
The author takes a shot at medical companies, banks and poverty with a dash of Fallout like story.
Interesting and a good read.
The author takes a shot at medical companies, banks and poverty with a dash of Fallout like story.
Interesting and a good read.
January 6, 2021
I'm enjoying this Bizarro Genre and Carlton Mellick has become one of my favourite go-to authors.
Read
December 8, 2022Great read
A good solid story. I loved the plot and the character development. Another great story by the author with an amazingly cool ending
A good solid story. I loved the plot and the character development. Another great story by the author with an amazingly cool ending
October 22, 2024
ohhh waiter!!! bring me a post apocalyptic satire parodying the current events we are living through
and make it snappy please!!
my one complaint is this should have been longer
and make it snappy please!!
my one complaint is this should have been longer
August 30, 2011
4 AND 1/2 STARS
This is a heartfelt commentary on Obama’s big government, over-regulation, the jobless economy and the slow downfall of our country in general. Mellick’s characters are filled with passion and honesty, trying their best to survive in a hopeless and oppressive land. The descriptions are vivid and the action is written with a clear and concise method. Mellick is so good, he makes it look easy. He writes with a brave confidence that stands out from most other authors and is simply a joy to read.
One small problem I had was that if everyone hates the balloon people so much and there is no penalty for popping them (killing them), then everyone outside of Crab Town would do it. I mean, if a child in a bank can kill them so easily with his mother, bank customers, and security guards standing around watching and doing nothing about it, then lots of other people would do it, too. There is so much distain for balloon people, they would be hunted down by others as casually as playing a video game. They would be extinct in a matter of days. It seems with this one detail, Mellick indulged a bit too much without thinking it through.
This book is filled with unfulfilled hopes and dreams in a world of overwhelming government oppression. Mellick balances his anger at big brother with gentle insight into the lives of a few remaining patriots who risk everything to better their world. They don’t want a handout like entitlements, only a fair chance to earn an honest living. “Crab Town” is another great story from the bizarro genre’s best and most influential writer.
This is a heartfelt commentary on Obama’s big government, over-regulation, the jobless economy and the slow downfall of our country in general. Mellick’s characters are filled with passion and honesty, trying their best to survive in a hopeless and oppressive land. The descriptions are vivid and the action is written with a clear and concise method. Mellick is so good, he makes it look easy. He writes with a brave confidence that stands out from most other authors and is simply a joy to read.
One small problem I had was that if everyone hates the balloon people so much and there is no penalty for popping them (killing them), then everyone outside of Crab Town would do it. I mean, if a child in a bank can kill them so easily with his mother, bank customers, and security guards standing around watching and doing nothing about it, then lots of other people would do it, too. There is so much distain for balloon people, they would be hunted down by others as casually as playing a video game. They would be extinct in a matter of days. It seems with this one detail, Mellick indulged a bit too much without thinking it through.
This book is filled with unfulfilled hopes and dreams in a world of overwhelming government oppression. Mellick balances his anger at big brother with gentle insight into the lives of a few remaining patriots who risk everything to better their world. They don’t want a handout like entitlements, only a fair chance to earn an honest living. “Crab Town” is another great story from the bizarro genre’s best and most influential writer.
March 6, 2012
Carlton Mellick III has thrown us into another fabulous world of violence and absurdity. Set in Crab Town, a slum of Freedom City, this is a place where people go when they have nowhere else to go, and once you are there, you cannot get out. You are the scum of the earth. After having a rough start to his day, a man who has undergone surgery and is now a "balloon man" soon finds himself caught in the middle of a bank heist being led by the House of Cards. This group is somewhat of a Robin Hood for the people of Crab Town. While they have the best of intentions, the robbery soon turns sour and all their hopes are dashed.
This novella is somewhat different than many of Mellick's other stories in that he explains the plot of the heist by taking each chapter and making it about one of the main characters, taking the reader from how they got started in Crab Town to what led them to that fateful day. Fast-paced, violent, and full of radiation and giant crabs, you can't help but like this book. My only complaint is that it is a little on the short side, but it is still good and I would recommend it. You can't go wrong with CM3.
This novella is somewhat different than many of Mellick's other stories in that he explains the plot of the heist by taking each chapter and making it about one of the main characters, taking the reader from how they got started in Crab Town to what led them to that fateful day. Fast-paced, violent, and full of radiation and giant crabs, you can't help but like this book. My only complaint is that it is a little on the short side, but it is still good and I would recommend it. You can't go wrong with CM3.
April 11, 2012
I am not writing a review on this because Johnny Balloon inspired me to draw him instead. But as you can already see from my star ratings, I 'really liked it'.
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August 30, 2011
My wife thinks I'm crazy for liking this book. I enjoyed it from the very start. The story has balloon people, the apocalypse, gangs, taxes, bombs, and other things, but I'm too lazy to list them all. This book just doesn't stop. This was a quick book to read, but I liked every minute of it.
June 18, 2014
I love this author. His books are always a fun exciting bazaar weird ride. I really like this one because it has a bit of a political undertone to it. Makes you not feel so bad because someone always has it worse then you. It is a really easy read but it's totally worth it.
August 30, 2011
A Radiation pornography ring - mutant flesh eating crabs, balloon people and a post-apocalyptic bank robbery gone haywire. Short, fun and fast paced - what more could you ask for.
![[image error]](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dmGXD2T4Y_g/T4WIa--By5I/AAAAAAAAAQw/vto3j29vxSI/s1600/johnny.jpg){kind=link}
May 15, 2014
Um, strange... just strange. Great cover but waste of my time.
December 30, 2014
pretty good
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