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De-Partment
“Welcome to the Parts Department of the great city of Smoke.”
These words greet Tuxxel on his first day at the warehouse, a building so massive the ceiling can't be seen. Yet what follows is anything but welcoming. An Exterminator in the city of Smoke, he finds himself leading a life of violence and subservience. Picked on and abused by his supervisor he has little choice but to do the dirty work Smoke demands of him. As the days pass, and he learns of his city's horrific treatment of its citizens, he finds it more and more difficult to listen to the orders given to him. He must do what feels right. But disobedience has its consequences.
De-Partment is a dystopian novella about the struggle to maintain one's sense of self, set in a world both recognizable and entirely foreign.
These words greet Tuxxel on his first day at the warehouse, a building so massive the ceiling can't be seen. Yet what follows is anything but welcoming. An Exterminator in the city of Smoke, he finds himself leading a life of violence and subservience. Picked on and abused by his supervisor he has little choice but to do the dirty work Smoke demands of him. As the days pass, and he learns of his city's horrific treatment of its citizens, he finds it more and more difficult to listen to the orders given to him. He must do what feels right. But disobedience has its consequences.
De-Partment is a dystopian novella about the struggle to maintain one's sense of self, set in a world both recognizable and entirely foreign.
First published August 25, 2011
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About the author
Brian Martinez
44 books108 followersBrian Martinez is a science fiction and horror writer. He studied Film at Long Island University, and has been known to watch a John Carpenter flick on repeat until people grow concerned. He lives in New York with his wife Natalia and their pack of dogs.
Martinez is known for numerous apocalyptic works, including A Chemical Fire, The Mountain and The City, and the Bleeders series. He also writes and produces The Vessel, a Space Horror podcast on all major platforms. You can find him on Substack for exclusive stories and serials. https://bloodstreamcity.substack.com/
Martinez is known for numerous apocalyptic works, including A Chemical Fire, The Mountain and The City, and the Bleeders series. He also writes and produces The Vessel, a Space Horror podcast on all major platforms. You can find him on Substack for exclusive stories and serials. https://bloodstreamcity.substack.com/
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
December 9, 2015
Full Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the author, via LibraryThing, in exchange for an honest review.
My Thoughts: Who doesn’t like a dystopian novel right now? They’re ridiculously popular and I’m without a doubt one of the people who get completely sucked it. It’s like a reading vortex that you never really make it back out of again.
De-Partment was legitimately disturbing. In the beginning I just kept reading because I kept thinking to myself that it can’t possibly get worse or more graphic. Well, I was wrong. It continued on a very messed up path and never veered into normal territory. It definitely made this a very unique book though. It was like a horror version of The Hunger Games meets The 13th Prophet and a little Repo Men thrown in.
The writing was good, although extremely graphic (I don’t even really mean that in a sexual sense). You have to give an author credit though if they can make you picture things that you’d never come up with on your own.
Most of the characters were terrible and I didn’t like them. In my defense, I’m fairly certain you weren’t supposed to really like anyone. The main character, Tuxxel was okay. There wasn’t anything extraordinary about him, but he wasn’t a terrible guy either. He just seemed like your average, run-of-the-mill guy living during hard times in a dystopian universe.
Now it comes down to whether or not I would recommend it. As long as you’re going in with eyes wide open to the idea of some unpleasant and even unsettling imagery, you’ll be fine. If that’s your kind of book, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it. If that doesn’t sound like your cup of tea, I would skip De-Partment.
For more reviews, check out Reviews In A Pinch today!
My Thoughts: Who doesn’t like a dystopian novel right now? They’re ridiculously popular and I’m without a doubt one of the people who get completely sucked it. It’s like a reading vortex that you never really make it back out of again.
De-Partment was legitimately disturbing. In the beginning I just kept reading because I kept thinking to myself that it can’t possibly get worse or more graphic. Well, I was wrong. It continued on a very messed up path and never veered into normal territory. It definitely made this a very unique book though. It was like a horror version of The Hunger Games meets The 13th Prophet and a little Repo Men thrown in.
The writing was good, although extremely graphic (I don’t even really mean that in a sexual sense). You have to give an author credit though if they can make you picture things that you’d never come up with on your own.
Most of the characters were terrible and I didn’t like them. In my defense, I’m fairly certain you weren’t supposed to really like anyone. The main character, Tuxxel was okay. There wasn’t anything extraordinary about him, but he wasn’t a terrible guy either. He just seemed like your average, run-of-the-mill guy living during hard times in a dystopian universe.
Now it comes down to whether or not I would recommend it. As long as you’re going in with eyes wide open to the idea of some unpleasant and even unsettling imagery, you’ll be fine. If that’s your kind of book, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it. If that doesn’t sound like your cup of tea, I would skip De-Partment.
For more reviews, check out Reviews In A Pinch today!
April 7, 2014
[De-Partment] by [Brian Martinez] was a dark view of what a world had become and how easy it is for those in power to deceive the population that what they are doing is for the greater good.
Unfortunately for this system there is one person who still asks questions. As what he suffers and sees increases he becomes hardened to the system but not enough to submit to his death. Suddenly the fact that he fought back gives him worth. The question is who will he become with this new power.
Also there was a poem in the book also written by [Martinez]. I found this very thought provoking. The voice of the character seems to be godlike but he is realizing his mistakes. Left me wondering about my own choices.
Unfortunately for this system there is one person who still asks questions. As what he suffers and sees increases he becomes hardened to the system but not enough to submit to his death. Suddenly the fact that he fought back gives him worth. The question is who will he become with this new power.
Also there was a poem in the book also written by [Martinez]. I found this very thought provoking. The voice of the character seems to be godlike but he is realizing his mistakes. Left me wondering about my own choices.
September 2, 2011
This is a very dark and a bit depressing. That doesn't make it bad in anyway, but it does make it a bit of a grind.
However, there is something about the main character, Tuxxel, and his struggle to keep some scrap of his humanity that kept me reading. If you are anything like me, you will root for him all the way to the end.
However, there is something about the main character, Tuxxel, and his struggle to keep some scrap of his humanity that kept me reading. If you are anything like me, you will root for him all the way to the end.
October 16, 2011
This is a very well written story. There is a bleakness to it that at times is depressing and kind of gruesome.
Not my favorite story by the author, but his talent is there in every word. I signed up for his newsletter just to read more of his work.
Not my favorite story by the author, but his talent is there in every word. I signed up for his newsletter just to read more of his work.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews