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Art And Becoming
Sometimes art imitates life... Driving an ambulance on the graveyard shift at the county morgue was supposed to be the beginning of a new life for Jeff French. But when he meets his fellow driver, Phil Luxor, and discovers Phil's "collection," Jeff realizes that he may just have a chance to run away from his troubled past. But Jeff can't escape the evil that continues to haunt him. An ancient evil of indescribable beauty with an insatiable appetite for flesh. A souless evil that lives in art and is slowly becoming...
- GenresHorror
108 pages, Paperback
First published August 30, 2004
8 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
November 3, 2024
Jeff and Phil are new partners as graveyard shift ambulance drivers dealing strictly in dead body retrieval for the county morgue. Each has supernaturally-tainted baggage, unbeknownst to the other. Phil hears the voices of the dead he picks up, while Jeff feels like he’s being stalked by a malevolent … something from his past, even though he’s moved far away and is pretty much leading a whole new life.
How these two histories relate is too insane and convoluted to go into here, but let’s just say it involves a giant metal humanoid automaton that paints. This automaton is possibly a spoiler since it comes in kind of late, but I feel it’s necessary for potential readers to know that there’s a murderous mechanical golem/painter-thing since that’s pretty badass.
This whole thing is ultra-gory, and overall is a fun time with several twists and a fast pace, but I never felt entirely absorbed in what was happening, so while it’s probably worth a higher rating than a 3, I can’t quite give it a 4. Normally I complain that horror novels are too long, but this is one (novella, actually) that could have used a little more meat on its bones to make me more invested.
Still, I’m glad I read it, and would be down for checking out Williams’ debut from a few years earlier, 2001’s Night Terrors.
3.5 Stars.
How these two histories relate is too insane and convoluted to go into here, but let’s just say it involves a giant metal humanoid automaton that paints. This automaton is possibly a spoiler since it comes in kind of late, but I feel it’s necessary for potential readers to know that there’s a murderous mechanical golem/painter-thing since that’s pretty badass.
This whole thing is ultra-gory, and overall is a fun time with several twists and a fast pace, but I never felt entirely absorbed in what was happening, so while it’s probably worth a higher rating than a 3, I can’t quite give it a 4. Normally I complain that horror novels are too long, but this is one (novella, actually) that could have used a little more meat on its bones to make me more invested.
Still, I’m glad I read it, and would be down for checking out Williams’ debut from a few years earlier, 2001’s Night Terrors.
3.5 Stars.
October 1, 2008
he announcement for Art and Becoming has a quote from the Pittsburg Post Gazette declaring Williams work reminiscent of King’s. I am here to tell you, King doesn’t have anything on Drew Williams. I have only one thing to say to all of you: There ain't no flies on Drew, There ain't no flies on Drew. There might be flies on some of you guys, But there aint no flies on Drew. Sing it with me people!
The plot is uncomfortable, offensive, but more importantly beautiful. Although Williams uses easy plot devices such as drugs, porn, and sex to reel his readers in, it works for the book instead of against it. The concept behind Phil’s need to collect personal items from the dead, Fred’s need to forget his past, and Kissy’s hunger for flesh is original and repugnant. When Fred and Phil team up on the night shift, there meeting appears ordained. It’s only after Phil reveals his paintings that Fred realizes Kissy is Phil’s muse, and that the past he tried so hard to leave behind has caught up with him.
The pace is premeditated and executed with precision. Williams intends to keep you on the edge of your seat, and he succeeds. The atmosphere throbs with raw emotion, filling the air with a scent of fear and self-loathing. The excitement and apprehension for what is to come next will keep your skin tingling for hours after you’ve put the book down. The setting is not important; in fact it almost feels random.
William’s style of writing is natural, his prose polished and his narrative personal. Here is a storyteller with a need to unleash his past; laying bare truths open for all to see. Although the words written are gruesome, the imagery he creates is spellbinding. He uses your fear and guilt to deceive you, drawing on your emotions and binding you with the players. As they reveal and experience their wounds, so do you.
The characters are easy to slip into, understand, and finally, to become. When you meet this cast the horror is there, but so is the altruism. When Fred remembers Kissy, you can feel his hatred, but also his lust for her. You can almost see him struggling with the burden of urgency, the need to both kill and kiss her. Believe me when I say, no-one was more shocked than me when I realized that Williams had just gotten me to love a character in so short a time.
The plot is uncomfortable, offensive, but more importantly beautiful. Although Williams uses easy plot devices such as drugs, porn, and sex to reel his readers in, it works for the book instead of against it. The concept behind Phil’s need to collect personal items from the dead, Fred’s need to forget his past, and Kissy’s hunger for flesh is original and repugnant. When Fred and Phil team up on the night shift, there meeting appears ordained. It’s only after Phil reveals his paintings that Fred realizes Kissy is Phil’s muse, and that the past he tried so hard to leave behind has caught up with him.
The pace is premeditated and executed with precision. Williams intends to keep you on the edge of your seat, and he succeeds. The atmosphere throbs with raw emotion, filling the air with a scent of fear and self-loathing. The excitement and apprehension for what is to come next will keep your skin tingling for hours after you’ve put the book down. The setting is not important; in fact it almost feels random.
William’s style of writing is natural, his prose polished and his narrative personal. Here is a storyteller with a need to unleash his past; laying bare truths open for all to see. Although the words written are gruesome, the imagery he creates is spellbinding. He uses your fear and guilt to deceive you, drawing on your emotions and binding you with the players. As they reveal and experience their wounds, so do you.
The characters are easy to slip into, understand, and finally, to become. When you meet this cast the horror is there, but so is the altruism. When Fred remembers Kissy, you can feel his hatred, but also his lust for her. You can almost see him struggling with the burden of urgency, the need to both kill and kiss her. Believe me when I say, no-one was more shocked than me when I realized that Williams had just gotten me to love a character in so short a time.
November 15, 2024
Absolutely a blast. 2 graveyard shift morgue drivers and their briefly terrifying work relationship. Must read, if you can find it!
February 28, 2018
Extremely creepy novella built around a pair of graveyard shift workers who drive the "Bony Express," to pick up corpses for the city morgue. Phil, an artist of sorts, has the ability to communicate with the dead, while ex porn star, Jeff, is haunted by a succubus. Very highly recommended!
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews