What do you think?
Rate this book
Skin Trade
Skin Trade
From the best selling author of the Song of Ice and Fire series, comes this chilling story of a werewolf.
When a string of grotesque killings begins to strike her small town, private detective Randi Wade becomes suspicious. The grisly murders remind her all too much of her own father's death over 20 years ago. Now there is a killer in town who not only slays his victims, but also takes their skin. Undaunted, Randi prods the police as the murders continue, each more brutal than the last. When a close friend suddenly becomes a target, he is forced to reveal a startling secret about himself and Randi is quickly pulled into a dark world within her own town where monsters exist and prey on the living.
Executive Producer: Laura Wilson
Producer: Paul Ruben
©1988 by George R.R. Martin
(P) Random House, Inc.
When a string of grotesque killings begins to strike her small town, private detective Randi Wade becomes suspicious. The grisly murders remind her all too much of her own father's death over 20 years ago. Now there is a killer in town who not only slays his victims, but also takes their skin. Undaunted, Randi prods the police as the murders continue, each more brutal than the last. When a close friend suddenly becomes a target, he is forced to reveal a startling secret about himself and Randi is quickly pulled into a dark world within her own town where monsters exist and prey on the living.
Executive Producer: Laura Wilson
Producer: Paul Ruben
©1988 by George R.R. Martin
(P) Random House, Inc.
4 pages, Audiobook
First published July 1, 1988
7 people are currently reading
734 people want to read
About the author
George R.R. Martin
1,512 books119k 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...
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 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.
August 25, 2022
Martin's novella "Skin Trade" was a fun read, albeit short and it could've benefit more if it had been expended into a novel. Noir, serial killer mystery with werewolves. Can't get better than that. A perfect source for a comic book adaptation, one might say. Script is practically being written on its own. You just need to fill the panels with drawings. Alas, just because Abraham is Martin's protege, doesn't mean he was the right person for the job. More telling than showing, explanations filling every panel, some of the secrets being revealed at the beginning. I really hope Abraham writes better novels than he writes comic book scripts.
As for the art section, Mike Wolfer has a distinct style which doesn't suit well with this adaptation. It should've been darker, grittier. His drawings occasionally looks very lazy drawn, as if he didn't even put an effort. Like a drawing made in a notebook during a boring class while sitting in a back row of a classroom.
Skip the comic, read the novella.
As for the art section, Mike Wolfer has a distinct style which doesn't suit well with this adaptation. It should've been darker, grittier. His drawings occasionally looks very lazy drawn, as if he didn't even put an effort. Like a drawing made in a notebook during a boring class while sitting in a back row of a classroom.
Skip the comic, read the novella.
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.
October 24, 2020
I'm haven't read Martin's novel so I can't compare this, and it's possibly why, unlike other readers who have read the book, I quite enjoyed it. A graphic novel with a werewolf mystery - scary, bloody, gorgeous artwork and a perfect unexpected escape from reality.
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.
September 13, 2015
The graphic novel adaptation is a disappointment in comparison to the original novella. Anyone wishing to read a decent werewolf story should definitely check out the novella instead of this. The art is mediocre and it - and the adaptation in general - manages to water down many of the more poignant scenes and events in the story.
Check out the combined review of the novella and this adaptation here:
http://susimetsa.blogspot.fi/2015/09/...
Check out the combined review of the novella and this adaptation here:
http://susimetsa.blogspot.fi/2015/09/...
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.
April 5, 2025
Une étoile parce que la mythologie autour du loup-garou était intéressante mais alors le reste...
Un peu ras le bol de lire un énième auteur masculin cis qui ramène sans arrêt ses personnages féminins au rang de "juste là pour le sexe." alors que ça n'a rien à faire dans la discussion à la base.
Un peu ras le bol de lire un énième auteur masculin cis qui ramène sans arrêt ses personnages féminins au rang de "juste là pour le sexe." alors que ça n'a rien à faire dans la discussion à la base.
April 4, 2025
The introduction of vampires and werewolves into the world of teen romance "lemonades" gave those once-terrifying creatures of legend a reputation fit for ridicule. Fortunately, a few authors knew how to salvage the genre. Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan delivered a solid trilogy with The Strain, offering a darker take on vampires far removed from the emo/goth hormone-driven teenagers we’ve seen too much of. Glen Duncan’s The Last Werewolf (and its somewhat weaker sequels) brought werewolves back to their rightful place, monstrous, tragic, and feral.
If we dig a little deeper into horror literature’s past, we’ll find no shortage of quality stories dealing with these creatures. And we don’t have to look further than George R.R. Martin—yes, that Martin, the one eternally delaying The Winds of Winter. Long before he was known for epic fantasy, Martin cut his teeth in science fiction and horror. His novella The Skin Trade, written for the anthology Dark Visions by Stephen King, George R. R. Martin, Dan Simmons (2000) Paperback (alongside three stories each by Stephen King and Dan Simmons), is one of his hidden horror gems.
The Skin Trade follows a series of grisly murders in a small town secretly controlled by four werewolf families. Years earlier, the town was rocked by the mysterious disappearance of several children and the brutal death of a police officer investigating the case. His daughter, Randi Wade, never accepted the official story that he was killed by a dog.
Now a private investigator, Randi is pulled back into the town’s dark underbelly when her chronically ill, somewhat sleazy but well-meaning friend Willie Flambeaux, who wouldn’t mind seeing her in his bed, asks for help. The police might soon trace the killings back to him, and his alibi is shaky at best. But it’s not loyalty to Willie that convinces Randi to take the case, it’s the haunting suspicion that these new murders might be linked to her father's.
Why are the girls being flayed? Why was one paralyzed girl found with chains around her legs?
A town full of secrets, hunters becoming the hunted, and a cast of vivid characters make for an engaging horror story told in a tight space. Martin demonstrates his mastery of the craft here: even in novella form, he builds convincing characters, tension, and atmosphere without sacrificing narrative momentum. His characters feel real. They have motives, personalities, and depth. His werewolves rule the shadows, but centuries of inbreeding have diluted their bloodline, making them weaker and more grotesque. They don’t need a full moon to transform, they do it at will.
Unfortunately, the novella’s strengths are also its weaknesses. For all its richness, the plot is begging for more room to breathe. The mystery unfolds too quickly, the pacing feels rushed, and it’s easy to imagine how expanding it into a full-length novel could have elevated it into a truly standout horror work, something even werewolves would fear in the night. The ending also leans slightly on a deus ex machina resolution, which could’ve been handled with more finesse.
Still, The Skin Trade remains a very good horror story—and a reminder that Martin is far more than just the guy behind Westeros. It even won the World Fantasy Award for Best Novella in 1989, which should tell you something. Highly recommended for horror fans craving something dark, sharp, and refreshingly lycanthropic.
If we dig a little deeper into horror literature’s past, we’ll find no shortage of quality stories dealing with these creatures. And we don’t have to look further than George R.R. Martin—yes, that Martin, the one eternally delaying The Winds of Winter. Long before he was known for epic fantasy, Martin cut his teeth in science fiction and horror. His novella The Skin Trade, written for the anthology Dark Visions by Stephen King, George R. R. Martin, Dan Simmons (2000) Paperback (alongside three stories each by Stephen King and Dan Simmons), is one of his hidden horror gems.
The Skin Trade follows a series of grisly murders in a small town secretly controlled by four werewolf families. Years earlier, the town was rocked by the mysterious disappearance of several children and the brutal death of a police officer investigating the case. His daughter, Randi Wade, never accepted the official story that he was killed by a dog.
Now a private investigator, Randi is pulled back into the town’s dark underbelly when her chronically ill, somewhat sleazy but well-meaning friend Willie Flambeaux, who wouldn’t mind seeing her in his bed, asks for help. The police might soon trace the killings back to him, and his alibi is shaky at best. But it’s not loyalty to Willie that convinces Randi to take the case, it’s the haunting suspicion that these new murders might be linked to her father's.
Why are the girls being flayed? Why was one paralyzed girl found with chains around her legs?
A town full of secrets, hunters becoming the hunted, and a cast of vivid characters make for an engaging horror story told in a tight space. Martin demonstrates his mastery of the craft here: even in novella form, he builds convincing characters, tension, and atmosphere without sacrificing narrative momentum. His characters feel real. They have motives, personalities, and depth. His werewolves rule the shadows, but centuries of inbreeding have diluted their bloodline, making them weaker and more grotesque. They don’t need a full moon to transform, they do it at will.
Unfortunately, the novella’s strengths are also its weaknesses. For all its richness, the plot is begging for more room to breathe. The mystery unfolds too quickly, the pacing feels rushed, and it’s easy to imagine how expanding it into a full-length novel could have elevated it into a truly standout horror work, something even werewolves would fear in the night. The ending also leans slightly on a deus ex machina resolution, which could’ve been handled with more finesse.
Still, The Skin Trade remains a very good horror story—and a reminder that Martin is far more than just the guy behind Westeros. It even won the World Fantasy Award for Best Novella in 1989, which should tell you something. Highly recommended for horror fans craving something dark, sharp, and refreshingly lycanthropic.
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.
September 8, 2015
George RR Martin spins a good tale, but the art was sorta bad. Even worse was Daniel Abraham confused (or confusing) adaptation. Not recommended.
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.
July 21, 2017
I realize Martin is best known for Game of Thrones, but I really enjoyed Fevre Dream, and now Skin Trade as well.
This was a great horror story with many twists and turns. The art was exceptional. As you can guess from the cover, werewolves are involved but so is...something else. More than just a horror story, this is also a noirish detective thriller. I wasn't sure what to expect heading into this, but as a werewolf fan I was pleasantly surprised.
This should appeal to several different genres, so whether you like horror, werewolves, Martin, or even gritty detective stories you'll probably enjoy this one.
This was a great horror story with many twists and turns. The art was exceptional. As you can guess from the cover, werewolves are involved but so is...something else. More than just a horror story, this is also a noirish detective thriller. I wasn't sure what to expect heading into this, but as a werewolf fan I was pleasantly surprised.
This should appeal to several different genres, so whether you like horror, werewolves, Martin, or even gritty detective stories you'll probably enjoy this one.
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.
January 6, 2016
I'm a big fan of Daniel Abraham's. I loved his Long Price Quartet and his work as James S A Corey... but his comic adaptations are brutal. Nothing is worse than an adaptation that requires tons and tons of text to explain what is going on. When it gets to that point, the books is less a comic than an illustrated novel.
Instead of trying to use story telling elements which are unique to comics to tell Skin Trade, Abraham's just tries to shoehorn in every line of the story...
I'm sure the Skin Trade is a great story, but this adaption did it no favors.
Instead of trying to use story telling elements which are unique to comics to tell Skin Trade, Abraham's just tries to shoehorn in every line of the story...
I'm sure the Skin Trade is a great story, but this adaption did it no favors.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews