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Ersatz World
“Exceptional writer... crackling dialogue... dazzling. Read him." - Luke Rhinehart, bestselling author of The Dice Man
His bestselling author has vanished, he’s under surveillance, and a killer is trying to hack bits off his wife. It’s not easy being a publisher in the 21st century...
Samuel Verso is an ordinary, old-fashioned publisher trying to resist the lure of e-books. As his wife fills the hallway with prosthetic limbs and his business partner is replaced with an exact replica he realises that his problems run deeper than books on a computer screen. But it is only when he is serially abducted, beaten and accused of terrorism that he it isn’t that he’s paranoid – it’s that he isn’t paranoid enough.
Soon, his reality becomes as malleable as the genres and narratives of the books that he publishes, fading away to be replaced by the mysterious code. And only the missing author holds the key to the code.
Praise for Richard Godwin
“Richard Godwin is a fearless and imaginative writer, unafraid of stretching the boundaries into realms where the best tales come from. Godwin's name deserves to be on the lips of all readers, and his books in their hands.”
- Matt Hilton, author of the bestselling Joe Hunter thrillers
“With extraordinary writing, characterisation, and storytelling, Godwin is truly one of our great writers.”
- Luca Veste, author of Dead Gone
“That horrible taste in the back of your throat? That sense that something, some thing, has slipped up behind you and is walking in step? Celebrate them. Richard Godwin does -- brilliantly.”
- James Sallis, bestselling author of Drive
“Once more Richard Godwin proves he is the only worthy successor to Patricia Highsmith. The Wrong Crowd is a deliciously tantalizing bit of dark psychological thriller that will make you think twice about whom you make friends with while on vacation. You won’t want to put this one down for a second.”
- Vincent Zandri, NY Times and USA Today bestselling author of Everything Burns
Number Thirteen Press is publishing 13 crime novellas by 13 different authors, released on the 13th of each month.
This is book #13.
His bestselling author has vanished, he’s under surveillance, and a killer is trying to hack bits off his wife. It’s not easy being a publisher in the 21st century...
Samuel Verso is an ordinary, old-fashioned publisher trying to resist the lure of e-books. As his wife fills the hallway with prosthetic limbs and his business partner is replaced with an exact replica he realises that his problems run deeper than books on a computer screen. But it is only when he is serially abducted, beaten and accused of terrorism that he it isn’t that he’s paranoid – it’s that he isn’t paranoid enough.
Soon, his reality becomes as malleable as the genres and narratives of the books that he publishes, fading away to be replaced by the mysterious code. And only the missing author holds the key to the code.
Praise for Richard Godwin
“Richard Godwin is a fearless and imaginative writer, unafraid of stretching the boundaries into realms where the best tales come from. Godwin's name deserves to be on the lips of all readers, and his books in their hands.”
- Matt Hilton, author of the bestselling Joe Hunter thrillers
“With extraordinary writing, characterisation, and storytelling, Godwin is truly one of our great writers.”
- Luca Veste, author of Dead Gone
“That horrible taste in the back of your throat? That sense that something, some thing, has slipped up behind you and is walking in step? Celebrate them. Richard Godwin does -- brilliantly.”
- James Sallis, bestselling author of Drive
“Once more Richard Godwin proves he is the only worthy successor to Patricia Highsmith. The Wrong Crowd is a deliciously tantalizing bit of dark psychological thriller that will make you think twice about whom you make friends with while on vacation. You won’t want to put this one down for a second.”
- Vincent Zandri, NY Times and USA Today bestselling author of Everything Burns
Number Thirteen Press is publishing 13 crime novellas by 13 different authors, released on the 13th of each month.
This is book #13.
127 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 11, 2016
4 people want to read
About the author
Richard Godwin
107 books161 followersRichard Godwin is the author of critically acclaimed novels Apostle Rising, Mr. Glamour, One Lost Summer, Noir City, Meaningful Conversations, Confessions Of A Hit Man, and Paranoia And The Destiny Programme.
He is also a published poet and a produced playwright. His stories have been published in numerous paying magazines and over 34 anthologies, among them The Mammoth Book Of Best British Crime and The Mammoth Book Of Best British Mystery, as well as the anthology of his stories, Piquant: Tales Of The Mustard Man.
Richard Godwin was born in London and obtained a BA and MA in English and American Literature from King's College London, where he also lectured.
You can find out more about him at his website www.richardgodwin.net , where you can also read his Chin Wags At The Slaughterhouse, his highly popular and unusual interviews with other authors.
He is also a published poet and a produced playwright. His stories have been published in numerous paying magazines and over 34 anthologies, among them The Mammoth Book Of Best British Crime and The Mammoth Book Of Best British Mystery, as well as the anthology of his stories, Piquant: Tales Of The Mustard Man.
Richard Godwin was born in London and obtained a BA and MA in English and American Literature from King's College London, where he also lectured.
You can find out more about him at his website www.richardgodwin.net , where you can also read his Chin Wags At The Slaughterhouse, his highly popular and unusual interviews with other authors.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
February 19, 2016
A mind bending acid trip that tells the story of a publisher who notices that things are not quite as they should be. A story about technology and physicality. One hell of ride. Godwin keeps on surprising. If you are a fan of his work (I admit that I am a huge fan and supporter of his work), this is a MUST read. Excellent stuff here...
March 3, 2016
A mess of complications, seemingly simple and freakish at first, Godwin delivers another stunner at the inner workings of his main character's mind. A publisher, hell-bent on avoiding the digital age is instead submerged into the otherworld, coming to a far different conclusion in the end.
March 8, 2016
Ersatz World is a deliciously weird novella. I expected nothing less from Richard Godwin whose writing is always different and always compelling. Ersatz World was no exception.
Samuel is a publisher who believes that e-books are eroding literature. His wife's odd behaviour is a worry and his best selling author has gone missing. Sam's paranoia quickly descends into what feels like madness and the lines of reality start to blur.
What follows the first few chapters is something truly different and I found myself ever more bewildered and yet gripped at the same time. Godwin has a real talent for sucking you into a story and I found myself finishing this fantastic novella the same day I started it.
If you read closely enough I believe Godwin is trying to teach the reader a lesson about our gadget reliant society but do you have courage to listen? Top marks for a great read.
Samuel is a publisher who believes that e-books are eroding literature. His wife's odd behaviour is a worry and his best selling author has gone missing. Sam's paranoia quickly descends into what feels like madness and the lines of reality start to blur.
What follows the first few chapters is something truly different and I found myself ever more bewildered and yet gripped at the same time. Godwin has a real talent for sucking you into a story and I found myself finishing this fantastic novella the same day I started it.
If you read closely enough I believe Godwin is trying to teach the reader a lesson about our gadget reliant society but do you have courage to listen? Top marks for a great read.
February 15, 2019
The definition of 'Ersatz' is a product that is made or used as a substitute, typically an inferior one, for something else. As the title of the book suggests, this is the overall theme of the book and it is brilliantly thought provoking as well as falling into the category of being a f***ing great read!
The main narrative revolves around Samuel who owns a publishing house and is terrified of having to sell out, by providing digital books rather than the traditional kind. Although this move in market would save his business, what about his integrity? His wife, Phyllis is mentally ill and has filled their home with prosthetic limbs as she yearns to have her 'real body'. The genre of Ersatz World could be described as futuristic dystopian, in which the realities of life begin to change due to the increased reliance on technology etc. For example, Phyllis, who appears to be suffering from body dysmorphia; is it just purely a case of mental illness or is the addition of contributing factors, such as social media and the availability of cosmetic surgery whenever you wish the cause? Although, I may be delving too deep into the underlining meaning of the storyline, this is what I derived from it and agreed with it!
Again, at 100 pages, this book packs on hell of a cognitive punch! My eyes were opened, to the point that I actually believe that the story Richard has produced could one day become a reality. Scary stuff! For me, this noir novella brought home how we as a society rely massively on technology; how we read, interact and how we mould ourselves to the 'ideals' portrayed online. Richard highlights these issues various times throughout Ersatz World, such as relating the increased use of technology as a way of 'fading humanity', just think about it, and read this book, it will blow your mind! Fictional or not!
This book is fast pasted, filled with all the good noir stuff; abduction, beatings and paranoia. If you're anything like me, you'll not be able to put this book down and will be hooked (line and sinker) until the very last page. Richard is a literary God who has produced books that aren't of the everyday kind but ones that contain a lot of ompf, as well as thought and planning. If you're going to treat yourself to a dark and thought provoking read, I would really recommend this one!
Originally unique reads seem to be a theme with Fahrenreads, they're brilliantly different and will stay with you for a long time after reading!
The main narrative revolves around Samuel who owns a publishing house and is terrified of having to sell out, by providing digital books rather than the traditional kind. Although this move in market would save his business, what about his integrity? His wife, Phyllis is mentally ill and has filled their home with prosthetic limbs as she yearns to have her 'real body'. The genre of Ersatz World could be described as futuristic dystopian, in which the realities of life begin to change due to the increased reliance on technology etc. For example, Phyllis, who appears to be suffering from body dysmorphia; is it just purely a case of mental illness or is the addition of contributing factors, such as social media and the availability of cosmetic surgery whenever you wish the cause? Although, I may be delving too deep into the underlining meaning of the storyline, this is what I derived from it and agreed with it!
Again, at 100 pages, this book packs on hell of a cognitive punch! My eyes were opened, to the point that I actually believe that the story Richard has produced could one day become a reality. Scary stuff! For me, this noir novella brought home how we as a society rely massively on technology; how we read, interact and how we mould ourselves to the 'ideals' portrayed online. Richard highlights these issues various times throughout Ersatz World, such as relating the increased use of technology as a way of 'fading humanity', just think about it, and read this book, it will blow your mind! Fictional or not!
This book is fast pasted, filled with all the good noir stuff; abduction, beatings and paranoia. If you're anything like me, you'll not be able to put this book down and will be hooked (line and sinker) until the very last page. Richard is a literary God who has produced books that aren't of the everyday kind but ones that contain a lot of ompf, as well as thought and planning. If you're going to treat yourself to a dark and thought provoking read, I would really recommend this one!
Originally unique reads seem to be a theme with Fahrenreads, they're brilliantly different and will stay with you for a long time after reading!
March 1, 2019
So much going on in this short novella!
Several things really struck me in this story.
One was the poignancy of the main character being an old-fashioned publisher who's trying to resist the pull into eBooks (Despite being a fan of eBooks, I was definitely glad to be reading the real-book version of this one when I learned this about him!).
A second was that many subplots of the story served as a good reminder that "things are never really as they appear"!
And a third was the idea that here was a man striving so hard to avoid one world that he felt was a death knell to his career, when he seemed to be inadvertently plunged into an alternative universe that surely would bring his very own personal downfall.
The story is like a runaway train. It thunders along with force, leaving you wondering where the heck it's going to stop, and how much more damage it'll leave in its wake. You're powerless to get off—actually, you don't even want to—and you easily sympathise with the main character because you have no idea what's even real.
It's dark, it's quirky, and it's very humourous. A thoroughly entertaining read that left me summing up parts of it as a kind of "dystopian Groundhog Day".
Several things really struck me in this story.
One was the poignancy of the main character being an old-fashioned publisher who's trying to resist the pull into eBooks (Despite being a fan of eBooks, I was definitely glad to be reading the real-book version of this one when I learned this about him!).
A second was that many subplots of the story served as a good reminder that "things are never really as they appear"!
And a third was the idea that here was a man striving so hard to avoid one world that he felt was a death knell to his career, when he seemed to be inadvertently plunged into an alternative universe that surely would bring his very own personal downfall.
The story is like a runaway train. It thunders along with force, leaving you wondering where the heck it's going to stop, and how much more damage it'll leave in its wake. You're powerless to get off—actually, you don't even want to—and you easily sympathise with the main character because you have no idea what's even real.
It's dark, it's quirky, and it's very humourous. A thoroughly entertaining read that left me summing up parts of it as a kind of "dystopian Groundhog Day".
July 31, 2020
The story is an interesting concept but the writing was not. I found this pretentious and boring. Apparently the only true way to find physicality is through sex. Which is fine but I just got bored of reading about a man trying to find his physicality. Samuel's character, as a sad old middle aged man, was believable. The rest were not. I'm glad that it was so short as I would have felt even more angry about the time that I have wasted.
April 21, 2016
Disclaimer: I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
In Ersatz World, the reader is immediately drawn in by the author’s sharp narrative and incisive dialogue. Sparing of word at times, Ersatz World has a voyeuristic thread throughout, weaving characteristics of noir, erotica, bizarro and science fiction into a tableau that Mr. Godwin does brilliantly… time after time. Richard consistently delivers those stories that our own ‘dark sides’ crave, and he does it with an authority and attention to the frailty of the human condition that only one who is a master of his craft can.
Ersatz World is, among other things, a cautionary tale of man’s reliance and growing submission to technology as well a ‘primer’ on the facets of man’s psyche, which as we see here, is both self-serving and self-destructive.
While battling his own duality… devoted husband and philanderer… publisher Samuel Verso must also deal with both failing business and failing marriage. Duality is a recurring theme throughout the story as Sam struggles between the two. Can he overcome the darkness within himself?
Richard draws a chilling parallel in Ersatz World between Samuel’s need to restructure his publishing business to keep up with technology… to survive… and his wife’s need to restructure herself to satisfy something dark and primal within herself… to survive. The dichotomy at work here is unmistakable and pure Godwin.
The subtle yet not-so-subtle sexuality throughout the story has a pentagonal dimension to it. The players - Sam, Maxine, Belinda and his wife, Phyllis and her fantasy lover – form their own ‘pentagram’, if you will, and the astute reader will not miss the symbolism as the players in this little ‘fete’ do their own ‘dance with the devil’.
Throughout the story the reader is forced to ask him/herself… what is real and what isn’t?
Dark, violent and sexual, yet not without its moments of humour, Ersatz World is an insightful look at one possible future for man.
Will we heed the warning?
Thank you,
Veronica Marie Lewis-Shaw
In Ersatz World, the reader is immediately drawn in by the author’s sharp narrative and incisive dialogue. Sparing of word at times, Ersatz World has a voyeuristic thread throughout, weaving characteristics of noir, erotica, bizarro and science fiction into a tableau that Mr. Godwin does brilliantly… time after time. Richard consistently delivers those stories that our own ‘dark sides’ crave, and he does it with an authority and attention to the frailty of the human condition that only one who is a master of his craft can.
Ersatz World is, among other things, a cautionary tale of man’s reliance and growing submission to technology as well a ‘primer’ on the facets of man’s psyche, which as we see here, is both self-serving and self-destructive.
While battling his own duality… devoted husband and philanderer… publisher Samuel Verso must also deal with both failing business and failing marriage. Duality is a recurring theme throughout the story as Sam struggles between the two. Can he overcome the darkness within himself?
Richard draws a chilling parallel in Ersatz World between Samuel’s need to restructure his publishing business to keep up with technology… to survive… and his wife’s need to restructure herself to satisfy something dark and primal within herself… to survive. The dichotomy at work here is unmistakable and pure Godwin.
The subtle yet not-so-subtle sexuality throughout the story has a pentagonal dimension to it. The players - Sam, Maxine, Belinda and his wife, Phyllis and her fantasy lover – form their own ‘pentagram’, if you will, and the astute reader will not miss the symbolism as the players in this little ‘fete’ do their own ‘dance with the devil’.
Throughout the story the reader is forced to ask him/herself… what is real and what isn’t?
Dark, violent and sexual, yet not without its moments of humour, Ersatz World is an insightful look at one possible future for man.
Will we heed the warning?
Thank you,
Veronica Marie Lewis-Shaw
May 13, 2016
There's a reason people refer to Godwin as The Dark Lord. He loves to explore the depth of depravity in the modern world. This novella from our shared publisher Number 13 Press might be a little lighter on gore than some of his more brutal books but it makes up for it with paranoia and sexuality. There's the blackest of black humour here too, especially in the names like protagonist Samuel Verso (the medieval terminology for the sides of a sheet of parchment are recto and verso).
Verso is a publisher and the nexus of a web of problems. His best selling author has disappeared, his partner demands they move into ebooks, his wife is so far beyond anorexia that she lusts for having her limbs removed -- and he suspects that he's being followed, but by whom?
Everybody has a fetish: for his wife Phyllis it was 'something inside her that was trying to emerge into day...she could only find when the cutting began'; for his partner Belinda it was the desire to see desire in every person she met; for Samuel it is books. Part of the reason he resists the move to ebooks is not only his growing paranoia about code taking over the world but a genuine desire for the book itself. His lover Maxine feeds this fetish: 'She read from the novel and Samuel recalled publishing it. He could smell the print rising from her hand as he fondled her breasts.' As she tells him later, 'I read to you to turn you into a man.'
But even Maxine cannot save Samuel from his growing fears that somehow Fontana Rate, 'the ever elusive bestseller who despised commercial fiction' and the men who are following him -- maybe? Is it all a delusion? As he asks at one point, 'Is this some elaborate plan to make me realise my resistance to e-books is old fashioned?' Or are the serial killers, government agents and tutu-ed libertines real? There are a lot of twists and turns along the way and you'll find yourself reading faster and faster to figure out what happens. But you'll probably guess wrong.
Verso is a publisher and the nexus of a web of problems. His best selling author has disappeared, his partner demands they move into ebooks, his wife is so far beyond anorexia that she lusts for having her limbs removed -- and he suspects that he's being followed, but by whom?
Everybody has a fetish: for his wife Phyllis it was 'something inside her that was trying to emerge into day...she could only find when the cutting began'; for his partner Belinda it was the desire to see desire in every person she met; for Samuel it is books. Part of the reason he resists the move to ebooks is not only his growing paranoia about code taking over the world but a genuine desire for the book itself. His lover Maxine feeds this fetish: 'She read from the novel and Samuel recalled publishing it. He could smell the print rising from her hand as he fondled her breasts.' As she tells him later, 'I read to you to turn you into a man.'
But even Maxine cannot save Samuel from his growing fears that somehow Fontana Rate, 'the ever elusive bestseller who despised commercial fiction' and the men who are following him -- maybe? Is it all a delusion? As he asks at one point, 'Is this some elaborate plan to make me realise my resistance to e-books is old fashioned?' Or are the serial killers, government agents and tutu-ed libertines real? There are a lot of twists and turns along the way and you'll find yourself reading faster and faster to figure out what happens. But you'll probably guess wrong.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews