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Meathouse Man
Based on the short story by George R.R. Martin, bestselling author of A Game of Thrones, Meathouse Man is a darkly poignant tale set on a collection of planets called corpse worlds. On these planets, corpse handlers transmit their wills to an army of brainless bodies—once living people now rendered expendable. Perversion abounds as these corpses are exposed to appalling conditions at the whim of handlers.
The grim story follows one such handler—a man who remains nameless—through his teenage years and into adulthood, across corpse brothels, monotonous jobs, heartbreak, and betrayals. His increased detachment from reality becomes a spiraling descent into rejection and desensitization to the horrors around him. Set among towering buildings, giant rolling planetary processing units, and vast forest terrains on several different worlds, this journey serves as a modern fable of warning and a fascinating exploration of an alternate world perhaps not so different from our own.
This comic contains explicit content and is recommended for mature readers.
35 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 1976
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911 people want to read
About the author
Raya Golden
5 books4 followersRaya Golden was born in New York City, and has slowly made her way westward across the United States. She graduated from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, focusing on traditional and digital illustration. Her first graphic novel, Meathouse Man—an adaptation of George R. R. Martin’s short story of the same name—was nominated for a Hugo Award for Best Graphic Novel in 2014. She currently lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
February 9, 2016
really it should say "Meathouse Man by Raya Golden (adapted from a short story by George R.R. Martin)" because this is all Raya Golden all the time. adapted by, art by, cover design by Raya Golden. who is this Raya Golden? I dunno, and I'm not sure I care to learn more.
some striking panels, particularly in a gladiator battle featuring a morning star. but mainly the art is vivid but technically clunky. terrible job on the faces: the protagonist looks completely different panel-by-panel. the cover made me cringe and not in a good way. wait, is there ever a good way to cringe? the adaptation itself is also often clunky and broad and overly self-conscious in its attempt to reach for meaning. there's a self-indulgent quality to the entire story, although I suppose that is GRRM's fault: lonely, soul-deadened man spends his depressing existence trying to find love but always failing; finally, after achieving some professional success, he realizes that the zombie sexbots that he's visited throughout his life are his preferred romantic option after all. ta-da! and done. what with the almost unbearably nihilistic atmosphere of zombie slaves being common labor (of all sorts) in the far, far future, it's just too easy having that bleak setting paired with mr. depressing teen angst turned loser adult. it's like wearing a black shirt and tie under a black suit. enough already! I imagine a blithe Candide-type traversing this dark landscape, and suddenly the story sounds a lot more interesting. ah well.
still, despite the overall lameness, one more star awarded simply because GRRM's imagination is such a fascinatingly dank and fertile place. plus that morning star was pretty cool. now I'm going to go look at my own former morning star that I broke as a child, swinging it into a wall. I took the snapped chain off and just attached the spiked head to the club. now it's a mace, yay? childhood was all about making lemonade outta lemons, sigh.
some striking panels, particularly in a gladiator battle featuring a morning star. but mainly the art is vivid but technically clunky. terrible job on the faces: the protagonist looks completely different panel-by-panel. the cover made me cringe and not in a good way. wait, is there ever a good way to cringe? the adaptation itself is also often clunky and broad and overly self-conscious in its attempt to reach for meaning. there's a self-indulgent quality to the entire story, although I suppose that is GRRM's fault: lonely, soul-deadened man spends his depressing existence trying to find love but always failing; finally, after achieving some professional success, he realizes that the zombie sexbots that he's visited throughout his life are his preferred romantic option after all. ta-da! and done. what with the almost unbearably nihilistic atmosphere of zombie slaves being common labor (of all sorts) in the far, far future, it's just too easy having that bleak setting paired with mr. depressing teen angst turned loser adult. it's like wearing a black shirt and tie under a black suit. enough already! I imagine a blithe Candide-type traversing this dark landscape, and suddenly the story sounds a lot more interesting. ah well.
still, despite the overall lameness, one more star awarded simply because GRRM's imagination is such a fascinatingly dank and fertile place. plus that morning star was pretty cool. now I'm going to go look at my own former morning star that I broke as a child, swinging it into a wall. I took the snapped chain off and just attached the spiked head to the club. now it's a mace, yay? childhood was all about making lemonade outta lemons, sigh.
April 30, 2022
Part of my threeple survey of Martin's shorter fiction, this review is for the text-only version found in 'Dreamsongs Volume 1'...
Living in the heart of the Canadian prairies, it has not been uncommon at any given point in my life to know a handful of people who drive almost an hour each day to go work at the nearest slaughterhouse/meatpacking plant. I won't lie...it sounds like a decidedly unpleasant place to work. The titular Meathouse in this George story, though...well, it sounds a whole lot worse. Not the same sort of meatpacking. At. All.
Indeed, there's a great deal to unpack in this interestingly uncomfortable offering. One of three connected shorts, it takes place on a 'corpse-handler' world. All by itself this is a fascinating exploration: facing a shortage of labour on the resource-rich planets that humanity is exploiting, one answer has been to reanimate the dead with synthetic brains that allow them to be controlled remotely by an experienced Corpse Handler.
I mean...there's a depressingly efficient rational about that, isn't there?
Now, sad and lonely George (who clearly reeled for a long time from his early personal disappointments) takes this right to Big Squick Town for Trager, his sad and lonely main character.
And y'all, I cannot stop imagining this particular universe's version of the popular musical “Best Little Meathouse in Skrakky.”
I'm relying on allusion here. Because ewwww.
Here's the thing: GRRM is a skilled author. On the surface this is all about Corpse Handlers who are really enthusiastic about the 'handling' bit, but ultimately and very emotionally, this is a close examination of loneliness. Trager is desperate for deep connection. I feel like Meathouse Man is a very vulnerable exploration of powerfully romantic ideals.
That's the fascinating rub of it (yuck), for me. I roll my eyes at Trager's (and George's) dedicated certainty that romantic love is both the answer and bane for everything. The representation of living women, and the resentment attached to them, is problematic...but I'm still compelled to rate this highly. Martin uses a distasteful vehicle to emphasize the emotional depth of this story, and he does it well. I doubt I'd recommend the Graphic Novel edition that I'm leaving this review under - that feels unnecessary and sensationalizing – but the text version is certainly an interesting, sad, and uncomfortable read.
This one is not for everyone, but in the event you're playing GRRM Bingo, this is a frontrunner for most boxes checked, including: “Nipples,” “Awkward Interactions With an Ex,” “Awkward Interactions With New Partner of an Ex,” “Food-Based Descriptions of Human Physical Features,” “Squicky Sex.” “Sexy Redhead,” “Animated Corpse,” “Non-Monogamy,” “Beige Male Protagonist with Feelings for a Vibrant, Free-Spirited Woman,” and of course, “CRUSHING DISAPPOINTMENT.”
Living in the heart of the Canadian prairies, it has not been uncommon at any given point in my life to know a handful of people who drive almost an hour each day to go work at the nearest slaughterhouse/meatpacking plant. I won't lie...it sounds like a decidedly unpleasant place to work. The titular Meathouse in this George story, though...well, it sounds a whole lot worse. Not the same sort of meatpacking. At. All.
Indeed, there's a great deal to unpack in this interestingly uncomfortable offering. One of three connected shorts, it takes place on a 'corpse-handler' world. All by itself this is a fascinating exploration: facing a shortage of labour on the resource-rich planets that humanity is exploiting, one answer has been to reanimate the dead with synthetic brains that allow them to be controlled remotely by an experienced Corpse Handler.
I mean...there's a depressingly efficient rational about that, isn't there?
Now, sad and lonely George (who clearly reeled for a long time from his early personal disappointments) takes this right to Big Squick Town for Trager, his sad and lonely main character.
And y'all, I cannot stop imagining this particular universe's version of the popular musical “Best Little Meathouse in Skrakky.”
I'm relying on allusion here. Because ewwww.
Here's the thing: GRRM is a skilled author. On the surface this is all about Corpse Handlers who are really enthusiastic about the 'handling' bit, but ultimately and very emotionally, this is a close examination of loneliness. Trager is desperate for deep connection. I feel like Meathouse Man is a very vulnerable exploration of powerfully romantic ideals.
That's the fascinating rub of it (yuck), for me. I roll my eyes at Trager's (and George's) dedicated certainty that romantic love is both the answer and bane for everything. The representation of living women, and the resentment attached to them, is problematic...but I'm still compelled to rate this highly. Martin uses a distasteful vehicle to emphasize the emotional depth of this story, and he does it well. I doubt I'd recommend the Graphic Novel edition that I'm leaving this review under - that feels unnecessary and sensationalizing – but the text version is certainly an interesting, sad, and uncomfortable read.
This one is not for everyone, but in the event you're playing GRRM Bingo, this is a frontrunner for most boxes checked, including: “Nipples,” “Awkward Interactions With an Ex,” “Awkward Interactions With New Partner of an Ex,” “Food-Based Descriptions of Human Physical Features,” “Squicky Sex.” “Sexy Redhead,” “Animated Corpse,” “Non-Monogamy,” “Beige Male Protagonist with Feelings for a Vibrant, Free-Spirited Woman,” and of course, “CRUSHING DISAPPOINTMENT.”
May 7, 2014
So disturbing, so misogynistic.
Read it 3 times in a row.
Read it 3 times in a row.
August 5, 2014
This is some fucked up shit. Misogynistic and necrophilic fucked up shit. With illustrations. My inner feminist is vibrating with rage and is drawing disturbing comparisons with serial killer Elliot Rodger.
The meathouse is a whorehouse whose 'whores' are dead women, most of whom are former criminals and debtors although some have been kidnapped and killed precisely to be commodified by transforming them into brainless undead prostitutes. Outside of the meathouses, corpses are used as workers directed by handlers (read: puppeteers), similar to what The People do with vampires in Ilona Andrews's Kate Daniels series. The entertainment industry is dominated by corpse fights like the gladiators of old, their handlers manipulating them like 3-D real world video game characters.
Greg succumbs to peer pressure by patronising a meathouse where he falls in love with a coprse-whore and thus begins an obsession. The explicit artwork of this graphic novel makes it all the sicker. Necrophilic rapeporn imagery is not something I want to see. And the illustrations aren't even good - it's quite grotesque actually, although that may be intentional.
Anyway, Greg decides he deserves better than an undead woman and proceeds to wait for a living, breathing woman. He meets one, he falls in love and she rejects him. He moves to another planet, meets a woman, falls in love, they're happy for a time, then she dumps him for his best friend. From here on out he hates women. Love is a cruel lie. He turns to the occupation he once shunned: gladiator-corpse handler. Turns out he's excellent at bloodily dismantling his opponents from the comfort of his 'throne' as the crowds cheer him on.
I know George R.R. Martin is a man who loves to write controversial storylines. A Song of Fire and Ice gets a pass in my eyes due to historical and cultural accuracy. Meathouse Man, on the other hand, is set in the distant future when man has colonized multiple planets. One would hope such pervasive and socially acceptable misogyny and disrespect for the dead would be but a distant memory by this time.
I'm shocked and disappointed that this is a 2014 Hugo Award Best Graphic Novel Nominee.
*Read for free via the LonCon3 Hugo Voter Pack.
The meathouse is a whorehouse whose 'whores' are dead women, most of whom are former criminals and debtors although some have been kidnapped and killed precisely to be commodified by transforming them into brainless undead prostitutes. Outside of the meathouses, corpses are used as workers directed by handlers (read: puppeteers), similar to what The People do with vampires in Ilona Andrews's Kate Daniels series. The entertainment industry is dominated by corpse fights like the gladiators of old, their handlers manipulating them like 3-D real world video game characters.
Greg succumbs to peer pressure by patronising a meathouse where he falls in love with a coprse-whore and thus begins an obsession. The explicit artwork of this graphic novel makes it all the sicker. Necrophilic rape
Anyway, Greg decides he deserves better than an undead woman and proceeds to wait for a living, breathing woman. He meets one, he falls in love and she rejects him. He moves to another planet, meets a woman, falls in love, they're happy for a time, then she dumps him for his best friend. From here on out he hates women. Love is a cruel lie. He turns to the occupation he once shunned: gladiator-corpse handler. Turns out he's excellent at bloodily dismantling his opponents from the comfort of his 'throne' as the crowds cheer him on.
I know George R.R. Martin is a man who loves to write controversial storylines. A Song of Fire and Ice gets a pass in my eyes due to historical and cultural accuracy. Meathouse Man, on the other hand, is set in the distant future when man has colonized multiple planets. One would hope such pervasive and socially acceptable misogyny and disrespect for the dead would be but a distant memory by this time.
I'm shocked and disappointed that this is a 2014 Hugo Award Best Graphic Novel Nominee.
*Read for free via the LonCon3 Hugo Voter Pack.
October 30, 2025
I read the text version as part of Dreamsongs. I’m reviewing it here because Goodreads doesn’t seem to have a listing for the original version. A horror/sci-fi story, this starts out pretty upsetting, what with all the necrophilia (And I hear you asking me “Dave, is there a lot of necrophilia in Meathouse Man?” And I don’t really know how to quantify something like that, so I’ll just say it doesn’t seem like there’s a lot of it exactly, but when it comes to this sort of thing a little goes a real long way), but the actual horror here is watching the main character slide down the pipeline in to whatever the 80s equivalent of an incel was.
There’s quite a lot of criticism of this one calling it misogynistic. It doesn’t really read that way to me though. It seems like more of a warning against misogyny if anything. It feels very much to me like Martin is saying that men need to learn how to connect meaningfully with other people, to learn how to process their loneliness in a healthy way, lest you start walking down the same path as the guy in this story.
I would never say I enjoyed this exactly, but I do think it makes its point effectively, it’s frequently stomach churning, and it’s stayed on my mind for a few days since reading it. I’ll also say that it reads as completely genuine. Like say what you want about this, and you can say a lot, but I think it’s clear that Martin is writing from a deeply personal place. That all adds up to a good horror story to me.
There’s quite a lot of criticism of this one calling it misogynistic. It doesn’t really read that way to me though. It seems like more of a warning against misogyny if anything. It feels very much to me like Martin is saying that men need to learn how to connect meaningfully with other people, to learn how to process their loneliness in a healthy way, lest you start walking down the same path as the guy in this story.
I would never say I enjoyed this exactly, but I do think it makes its point effectively, it’s frequently stomach churning, and it’s stayed on my mind for a few days since reading it. I’ll also say that it reads as completely genuine. Like say what you want about this, and you can say a lot, but I think it’s clear that Martin is writing from a deeply personal place. That all adds up to a good horror story to me.
October 15, 2016
Wow a lot of people calling this book misogynistic. I feel like those people either don't know what misogyny is or missed the point of the book entirely. The message of the book isn't any sort of message against women. It is trying to speak against the concept of "finding your one true love" and saying that life isn't fair. It's not too deep in my opinion, but it definitely isn't a hateful message. Also, I just want to point out that just because a story depicts a bad world, a world where what is socially accepted isn't what you personally find okay, that doesn't mean it is a bad book. So it is a bit silly to give a book low ratings because the world it takes place in is too mean. Anyway, I give this book 3 stars. I liked the concepts in the book, and really enjoyed the world building, but I felt that the world could have been fleshed out a lot more, and I would have liked a more complex story.
May 3, 2017
First time reading Martin. Probably won't get round to Game of Thrones until another forty years or so cause I'm a hipster like that. This story was pretty good though. Kind of gross but well worth the read. Obviously, as it states in the beginning, he was brokenhearted when he wrote it:
"Of all the bright cruel lies they tell you, the cruelest is the one called love".
"Of all the bright cruel lies they tell you, the cruelest is the one called love".
December 10, 2014
The second page of the story elicited an oral, "Whaaaaaaaaaaa....?!" Page 5-ish made one of the most disturbing paraphilias a little less repugnant, at least for the purposes of this story; if you're tempted to put it down after page 2, if you like the genre try just a couple more pages. (This is not to say that the story was not disturbing or somehow all right or acceptable in any healthy person's view.) Keyword is story, follow that up with fictitious, and a very dark view of a dystopian future (whether ours or a parallel evolution) has been rendered. Complete with pictures. Pictures I don't need to see again...
Underneath it is the story of a man who knows he can be, and wants to be better. He tries. He gives up. It's because of this pattern of quitting his career at the end of the story so ironic (I won't reveal it here, don't want to leave spoilers).
Yes, as many reviews of the graphic novel have mentioned, misogyny runs through the course of the story, both in plot and picture. However, in the case of Meathouse Man, I believe that it was purposefully included to tell the story and cast a proper light on the bleakness of the world of the protagonist. I have railed against authors in previous reviews because of blatant mysogyny screaming at me from the pages. I feel you can tell when the personal beliefs or views of writer come blasting through their prose vs. when a message is being sent. I wasn't offended by the mysogyny in Meathouse Man because it felt like it was being used as a device not only of description, but of warning - to tell us to watch out where things could be going.
Underneath it is the story of a man who knows he can be, and wants to be better. He tries. He gives up. It's because of this pattern of quitting his career at the end of the story so ironic (I won't reveal it here, don't want to leave spoilers).
Yes, as many reviews of the graphic novel have mentioned, misogyny runs through the course of the story, both in plot and picture. However, in the case of Meathouse Man, I believe that it was purposefully included to tell the story and cast a proper light on the bleakness of the world of the protagonist. I have railed against authors in previous reviews because of blatant mysogyny screaming at me from the pages. I feel you can tell when the personal beliefs or views of writer come blasting through their prose vs. when a message is being sent. I wasn't offended by the mysogyny in Meathouse Man because it felt like it was being used as a device not only of description, but of warning - to tell us to watch out where things could be going.
April 26, 2018
Apparently there’s some differences between some comic adaptation of this and the written story version Martin actually wrote.
That or there’s confusion on the point.
The version I read was the text version. It’s certainly not for the squeamish but I don’t think it’s at all sexist or promoting necrophilia. The whole point is you’re to be disgusted by those things.
It’s a surprisingly layered story that actually had a message. The message in the story itself is one I feel you’re supposed to reject, or at least give you pause. The point of this doesn’t seem like gleeful nihilism. It’s a critique of horrible aspects of the story. Good horror can do that.
It’s also was pretty impressive for melding together science fiction world building and horror.
That or there’s confusion on the point.
The version I read was the text version. It’s certainly not for the squeamish but I don’t think it’s at all sexist or promoting necrophilia. The whole point is you’re to be disgusted by those things.
It’s a surprisingly layered story that actually had a message. The message in the story itself is one I feel you’re supposed to reject, or at least give you pause. The point of this doesn’t seem like gleeful nihilism. It’s a critique of horrible aspects of the story. Good horror can do that.
It’s also was pretty impressive for melding together science fiction world building and horror.
December 29, 2014
I loved this comic-book! It captured the essence of the story perfectly. However, if you haven't read George R.R. Martin's original story, you most likely won't appreciate the comic. It is VERY graphic. Get prepared for George R.R. Martin's dark, twisted side.
November 4, 2014
Super f&¥king messed up. George RR Martin's take on sexuality makes me want to take a shower.
March 12, 2022
I read the short story Meathouse Man and then looked at the comic. While the comic did have interesting artwork, I remained unmoved by the story. Sure, there were some creepy elements to it. However, for me, it all felt a bit too yucky for me to fall into it the way I had hoped.
Some are likely to enjoy this, but it wasn’t a story that worked for me.
Some are likely to enjoy this, but it wasn’t a story that worked for me.
July 9, 2014
I read this as part of my Hugo Award reading, it was part of the Hugo voting package. I do not think I would have ever picked it up otherwise. Gritty dystopian fiction, not my cup of tea.
I will say up front, I did not like it – at all! I really tried to give it a chance, but it creeped me out – and not in a good way.
The protagonist is a very hopeful young man, who likes to have sex with animated corpes. Great right! The story is about him seeking a normal relationship with a live women, and not having much luck of it. To me the story was depressing and very icky. He has sex with corpse on multiple occasions on screen so to speak. He tries to find another woman like the woman he was in love with when he was in his early twenties, wasting all his life seeking something he clearly can’t find. I didn’t find it to be exploring any interesting issues. To me it was just hopeless.
The art style is not really my cup of tea either. Everyone is ugly in that 80s/early 90s way – it to me the art style seems dated.
I am sorry, but this just left me cold and creeped out. I didn't give it 1 star, because the craft isn't bad, it just really isn't to my taste. I am frankly a bit disturbed by it.
I will say up front, I did not like it – at all! I really tried to give it a chance, but it creeped me out – and not in a good way.
The protagonist is a very hopeful young man, who likes to have sex with animated corpes. Great right! The story is about him seeking a normal relationship with a live women, and not having much luck of it. To me the story was depressing and very icky. He has sex with corpse on multiple occasions on screen so to speak. He tries to find another woman like the woman he was in love with when he was in his early twenties, wasting all his life seeking something he clearly can’t find. I didn’t find it to be exploring any interesting issues. To me it was just hopeless.
The art style is not really my cup of tea either. Everyone is ugly in that 80s/early 90s way – it to me the art style seems dated.
I am sorry, but this just left me cold and creeped out. I didn't give it 1 star, because the craft isn't bad, it just really isn't to my taste. I am frankly a bit disturbed by it.
November 23, 2014
This is a short but dense graphic (in both senses of the word) retelling of a George R.R. Martin short story. A dark parable about the lie of love, it uses Trager, a fresh young corpse-driver (controlling brainless bodies to do tasks) to explore various aspects of love as he grows. There are some meaty parallels and intimations, and the artwork here is amazing (the cityscapes especially), although it is definitely not suitable for younger audiences (who won't get the point anyway). As much as it is in a science fiction setting, this is really all about introspection, as a person defines love for himself and tries to achieve it. It is disturbing, from the meathouse of the title to his last work, but that just drives the point home harder.
October 2, 2017
No sé, me he quedado un poco fría con esta historia, larga y corta a la vez, como si le faltara por un lado y le sobrara por el otro.
Desde luego, no tiene nada que ver con JDT ni con otras historias que he leído suyas. Esta es de ciencia ficción pura y dura, con enormes ecos de Card y su saga de Ender.
En fina, que no sé qué decir porque me ha chafado un poco y no he conseguido emocionarme ni empatizar con nada de la historia y el final me ha resultado de lo más tonto aunque vaya con moraleja. Aunque veáis esa nota, no os la recomiendo.
Desde luego, no tiene nada que ver con JDT ni con otras historias que he leído suyas. Esta es de ciencia ficción pura y dura, con enormes ecos de Card y su saga de Ender.
En fina, que no sé qué decir porque me ha chafado un poco y no he conseguido emocionarme ni empatizar con nada de la historia y el final me ha resultado de lo más tonto aunque vaya con moraleja. Aunque veáis esa nota, no os la recomiendo.
November 18, 2015
Incredibly pessimistic. It doesn't make it false or any less brilliant.
June 18, 2020
I think this does justice to the Horror genre. It is indeed a horror. The conditions of these corpses sort of mimic the real world in fact, the capitalistic societies that use human beings as cogs in their great money-making machine. Humans are things to be used.
It also shows the horrors of prostitution in stark clarity. Women who are in the sex industry are usually there through trafficking or made to prostitute themselves to survive. They are indeed like corpses to the men who use and abuse them. The use of 'it' shows exactly how dehumanised they are. And it really reminded me of how women have to go away in their minds in order to go through with that sort of 'work'. To kill a part of themselves. It also showed the peer pressure that men like Greg feel to consume pornography/sex, in the form of Cox and co. They emasculate them almost when they don't comply. Greg actually wanted more for himself than what he could get from the meathouse. The more he went back, the more sick he felt with himself.
The men laughed at him when he didn't realise there was no handler for the prostituted corpses, but that you were your own handler aka Greg himself made it do what he wanted it to. It shows how the corpses were simply there to fulfill whatever fantasies the men wished. And men like Cox took full advantage of that. It really highlights the condition of prostitutes, as this is exactly what happens in reality, except those are living women.
I also think that Martin did a good job with the character of Greg. Greg is someone who has been burned by love and so resents the idea of love, instead finding pleasure with a corpse who can't hurt him. Many people become jaded and bitter when burned by love. And although it isn't healthy, it's reality. People don't know how to be alone. People can't accept being alone. Being alone is still thought of as taboo. Society pushes for relationships and if you can't have one something must be wrong with you.
Greg needs to learn to move past his hurts and find peace within himself. It is understandable that he would be hurt because he was betrayed by his love and his best friend. But he let that hurt consume him and a part of him died. He closed himself to love and accepted the false idea that love is a lie after being rejected by a grand total of 2 women. It reminded me a little bit of the incel community to be honest.
I see a lot of people saying the story is misogynistic etc but I disagree. The story I think perfectly captures a lot of the negative aspects of human society. It's meant to be horrific. You're supposed to be left feeling unsettled. You're not supposed to agree with the treatment of the women/corpses. It's exaggerated to highlight the horror of it, in fact. That's the point of hyperbole in fiction. It's a commentary and it should make you think.
It also shows the horrors of prostitution in stark clarity. Women who are in the sex industry are usually there through trafficking or made to prostitute themselves to survive. They are indeed like corpses to the men who use and abuse them. The use of 'it' shows exactly how dehumanised they are. And it really reminded me of how women have to go away in their minds in order to go through with that sort of 'work'. To kill a part of themselves. It also showed the peer pressure that men like Greg feel to consume pornography/sex, in the form of Cox and co. They emasculate them almost when they don't comply. Greg actually wanted more for himself than what he could get from the meathouse. The more he went back, the more sick he felt with himself.
The men laughed at him when he didn't realise there was no handler for the prostituted corpses, but that you were your own handler aka Greg himself made it do what he wanted it to. It shows how the corpses were simply there to fulfill whatever fantasies the men wished. And men like Cox took full advantage of that. It really highlights the condition of prostitutes, as this is exactly what happens in reality, except those are living women.
I also think that Martin did a good job with the character of Greg. Greg is someone who has been burned by love and so resents the idea of love, instead finding pleasure with a corpse who can't hurt him. Many people become jaded and bitter when burned by love. And although it isn't healthy, it's reality. People don't know how to be alone. People can't accept being alone. Being alone is still thought of as taboo. Society pushes for relationships and if you can't have one something must be wrong with you.
Greg needs to learn to move past his hurts and find peace within himself. It is understandable that he would be hurt because he was betrayed by his love and his best friend. But he let that hurt consume him and a part of him died. He closed himself to love and accepted the false idea that love is a lie after being rejected by a grand total of 2 women. It reminded me a little bit of the incel community to be honest.
I see a lot of people saying the story is misogynistic etc but I disagree. The story I think perfectly captures a lot of the negative aspects of human society. It's meant to be horrific. You're supposed to be left feeling unsettled. You're not supposed to agree with the treatment of the women/corpses. It's exaggerated to highlight the horror of it, in fact. That's the point of hyperbole in fiction. It's a commentary and it should make you think.
June 18, 2020
This story started out really disturbing and then got even more disturbing as you realize how normal it is for corpses to be used in the way they are used. The protagonist, Greg Tregar and literally everybody else on these corpse worlds are totally fine with the corpsehandling and the way the sort-of dead are treated. I believe that is the horror element.The themes that come out of this horrific setting are really accentuated by the horror element of the corpses.
The Meathouse is a brothel and represents the exploitation of women's bodies by literally removing the will of these women as they are corpses that are controlled by the men who seek pleasure from them. That is prostitution. Women who enter prostitution do not typically do it because they want to but because they need money and have little to no choice. Similarly, these corpses respond to the men rather than gain pleasure from sex. It is entirely about the man and his needs.
I feel like using the corpse really shows how empty going to the brothel is as well. Greg leaves the brothel because he wants more from life, he wants love. He then goes back to the brothel and acts out his fantasies with a corpse because he cannot find love and was ultimately stung by it. He's damaged and alone and fills it with the pleasure provided by a corpse who acts exactly how he wants it to act. It is truly depressing. He seems unable to cope with his loneliness and gives up in a sort of sour grapes manner by concluding that love is a pretty lie that people tell each other.
I feel for Greg. I really do. However, I do not think that giving up is the way. I feel like instead of using a corpse as a coping mechanism he needs to confront himself and being alone. Learn to be comfortable alone with yourself and move on. It is hard. It is very hard when your girlfriend leaves you for your best friend but you cannot do anything about it but move on. I understand that there must be a period of mourning , anger but ultimately one must let go of the rage and hate and discover or re-discover the other things that make you happy. I feel like it is really important for people to learn to be content with themselves and not rely on other people for total happiness. Your life and dreams cannot revolve around another person.
I feel like there was some peer pressure and even toxic masculinity in the first part. Greg seemed coerced into going to the brothel when he didn't want to. It happens and perhaps men feel diminished if they decline sex, in any form. They should not feel or made to feel less because they reject sex or want something more.
The Meathouse is a brothel and represents the exploitation of women's bodies by literally removing the will of these women as they are corpses that are controlled by the men who seek pleasure from them. That is prostitution. Women who enter prostitution do not typically do it because they want to but because they need money and have little to no choice. Similarly, these corpses respond to the men rather than gain pleasure from sex. It is entirely about the man and his needs.
I feel like using the corpse really shows how empty going to the brothel is as well. Greg leaves the brothel because he wants more from life, he wants love. He then goes back to the brothel and acts out his fantasies with a corpse because he cannot find love and was ultimately stung by it. He's damaged and alone and fills it with the pleasure provided by a corpse who acts exactly how he wants it to act. It is truly depressing. He seems unable to cope with his loneliness and gives up in a sort of sour grapes manner by concluding that love is a pretty lie that people tell each other.
I feel for Greg. I really do. However, I do not think that giving up is the way. I feel like instead of using a corpse as a coping mechanism he needs to confront himself and being alone. Learn to be comfortable alone with yourself and move on. It is hard. It is very hard when your girlfriend leaves you for your best friend but you cannot do anything about it but move on. I understand that there must be a period of mourning , anger but ultimately one must let go of the rage and hate and discover or re-discover the other things that make you happy. I feel like it is really important for people to learn to be content with themselves and not rely on other people for total happiness. Your life and dreams cannot revolve around another person.
I feel like there was some peer pressure and even toxic masculinity in the first part. Greg seemed coerced into going to the brothel when he didn't want to. It happens and perhaps men feel diminished if they decline sex, in any form. They should not feel or made to feel less because they reject sex or want something more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 21, 2022
Though the tone of the story is too nihilistic, the story shines eventually. R.R. Martin's short sci-fi stories are always thought-provoking. Highly recommend.
The good memories left him with ash and tears; the bad ones with a wordless empty rage. He slept with ghosts. He awoke to nothing each morning. A husk of a dead dream was all that was left to him. He hated them. All of them... He hated himself for hating.
The good memories left him with ash and tears; the bad ones with a wordless empty rage. He slept with ghosts. He awoke to nothing each morning. A husk of a dead dream was all that was left to him. He hated them. All of them... He hated himself for hating.
December 18, 2020
An early hybrid short story that really takes it to a different level, especially for 1983. GRRM has a talent for making readers feel uneasy and this one is at its core, a blatant sexual journey of a young man. The background for this journey, however is deeply horrifying and altogether immoral. Only the GOAT can invoke such responses.
7.0/10
7.0/10
January 12, 2025
Text review only. Pretty dark.
June 6, 2016
For a book I had to wait more than a year to get, George R.R. Martin's Meathouse Man was very underwhelming.
The reviews that didn't describe it as 'vulgar' or 'explicit', described it as 'a gore-filled tale of sex and lust'.
Yeah, no.
It's pretty much just this lonely guy who goes to a dead-woman-whore house and decides, then and there, he'll find love.
So, he gets his heart broken by two girls, one of whom he doesn't even get to sleep with, and goes back to 'the meathouse'.
I won't spoil the ending, but it's the same as the rest of the book; boring and repetitive with very little of what the blurb promises.
I hate that I didn't like this, but at least I know now that I *probably* won't ever read Game of Thrones.
I do have a few compliments, however.
The art was really cool, especially the steam-punk elements of the corpse machinery and all the near-future equipment.
Raya Golden is a talented artist and I may look into other stuff she illustrated.
The setting of the book was also pretty cool, all the different planets and their different cultures.
It wasn't the worst comic I've read.
I just wish I hadn't spent months upon months waiting for it.
I will, however, be keeping it so I can try to freehand copy a few of the illustrations.
The reviews that didn't describe it as 'vulgar' or 'explicit', described it as 'a gore-filled tale of sex and lust'.
Yeah, no.
It's pretty much just this lonely guy who goes to a dead-woman-whore house and decides, then and there, he'll find love.
So, he gets his heart broken by two girls, one of whom he doesn't even get to sleep with, and goes back to 'the meathouse'.
I won't spoil the ending, but it's the same as the rest of the book; boring and repetitive with very little of what the blurb promises.
I hate that I didn't like this, but at least I know now that I *probably* won't ever read Game of Thrones.
I do have a few compliments, however.
The art was really cool, especially the steam-punk elements of the corpse machinery and all the near-future equipment.
Raya Golden is a talented artist and I may look into other stuff she illustrated.
The setting of the book was also pretty cool, all the different planets and their different cultures.
It wasn't the worst comic I've read.
I just wish I hadn't spent months upon months waiting for it.
I will, however, be keeping it so I can try to freehand copy a few of the illustrations.
October 20, 2014
I haven't read George R.R. Martin's short story, so I'm not sure if the mediocrity of the writing is due to the source material, or the adaptation. I honestly think that this could've been an interesting, high concept story if the ideas, and more importantly, the characters were fleshed out. However, the language is clunky, and I couldn't sympathize at all with the main character, even though the theme of searching for love and meaningful relationships in a f*cked up universe (expletive because the corpse manipulation is pretty messed up) should be universal. Considering that the short story was originally written years ago, the ideas might have been more novel then than now, but reading Meathouse Man now just reminded me of how Joss Whedon's Dollhouse explores these themes much better without causing a gag-reflex reaction to necrophilia scenes. As for the art, I liked some of the less structured panels, but I didn't love the drawing or coloring.
October 31, 2014
I saw no reason for the zombie theme in this story, other than for shock value. I suppose some people like that sort of thing—I don't. The "horror" bit forced into a very sad and personal story is distracting. Martin's meat puppet idea is somewhat interesting, but his execution of the idea is disappointing. Basically, what I am trying to say is that this should have been split into two stories, one I would have enjoyed reading and one I would not have liked at all, but each could have been much better developed without the other.
In addition to the short story, I also read the graphic novel, which I was sent from the publisher as a "first-reader". In my opinion, the short story was better. The writing in the graphic novel just seems too choppy and infantile. The art was fine, but did not really add anything to the story for me, but then I am not a big graphic novel fan.
In addition to the short story, I also read the graphic novel, which I was sent from the publisher as a "first-reader". In my opinion, the short story was better. The writing in the graphic novel just seems too choppy and infantile. The art was fine, but did not really add anything to the story for me, but then I am not a big graphic novel fan.
June 6, 2016
Cruel and gritty story of a man trying to become Alive amidst the world full of corpses. Literally. If you are looking for a classy story of "love saves all" - definitely don't read it as this one might produce results far from expected and push you down to the bottom, instead of making you climb up the ladder of a path called Life and Love. It should be used as an example of never giving up on believing, even after the hardest of blows and betrayals by the ones you loved, or thought you loved. It's easier to give in to despair then to overcome it. But until you breath - there might be a chance.
Didn't expect this comic to be like it was - nor in theme, nor in the setting and tools used to convey the thought. My applause to George R.R. Martin. 4/5 and "I really liked" (or, more appropriately - it moved me and resonated deep within).
Didn't expect this comic to be like it was - nor in theme, nor in the setting and tools used to convey the thought. My applause to George R.R. Martin. 4/5 and "I really liked" (or, more appropriately - it moved me and resonated deep within).
November 2, 2014
I received this as a Goodreads First Reads giveaway. I have yet to read anything by George R.R. Martin that I don't like. I'm going to have to get my hands on the short story to compare it to this comic adaptation. The quest to find our love is something everyone goes through and most people meet heartache as many times (or more) as the main character. This was an intriguing take on the journey for true love.
October 30, 2014
This was a great read. It captivated me during the short amount of time it took for me to fly through it. It is quite a new idea. The story is a little - quite frankly - fudged up, but I enjoyed it none the less. It squeezed in love, betrayal, drama, and completely new worlds within less than 20 pages. The art was wonderful and unique, too. If you like Martin and are over the age of 18, I would totally recommend it.
November 5, 2016
This is a comic adaptation of one of Martin's most infamous stories, a raw and sad tale of a man who fails at love and chooses ease. I have seen some negative reviews based on the material and the lack of character "growth." That is not what Martin is doing here. This is a tale of decline and defeat, where our hero never overcomes his failures. It is a chilling story and that is why it is unpopular with many. That and all the necrophilia.
The art in this book is serviceable.
The art in this book is serviceable.
December 12, 2017
"Meathouse Man" is perhaps one of George RR Martin's darkest works. It is the story of a corpse-handler who becomes obsessed with using corpse prostitutes as he becomes disenchanted with romantic love. This seems to be one of the most personal works George has published, as he himself became disenchanted with love after having multiple failed relationships. It was a difficult and shocking read at first, however, I recommend it as one of George RR Martin's best works.
October 21, 2014
Dark, edgy, gritty. Not the best story telling here, despite a few good lines and artistic spectacle. The Necrophilia won't find a home in the hearts of the faint hearted, nor the misogyny. The only plus, is its a short read, it whittled away a few minutes or thirty.
Recommended for anyone with an open mind.
Recommended for anyone with an open mind.
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