World of Hurt

by Brian Hodge

Nearly half his life ago, Andrei spent 38 minutes as a corpse. It's not a secret that he shares with many people. Especially these last six years, ever since the comforting lie of tunnels and white lights crumbled away to leave him with the memory of what he really found on the other side of death…not Hell, but something worse: a Heaven unlike anything he'd ever been taught to expect.

Now, as Heaven seeks to reclaim him, Andrei awakens to the hidden truths of this world and the next, caught between two unequal sides waging a clandestine war for the soul of the world, in which everything he's ever taken for granted about good and evil has just been turned upside down.

When death is no escape, what do you do? Andrei has a fierce need to know, as the clock runs out on the most excruciating moral choice of his life.

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, Supernatural

151 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Brian Hodge, called “a writer of spectacularly unflinching gifts” by Peter Straub, is the award-winning author of ten novels of horror and crime/noir. He’s also written well over 100 short stories, novelettes, and novellas, and four full-length collections. His first collection, The Convulsion Factory, was ranked by critic Stanley Wiater as among the 113 best books of modern horror.

He lives in Colorado, where he also dabbles in music and photography; loves everything about organic gardening except the thieving squirrels; and trains in Krav Maga, grappling, and kickboxing, which are of no use at all against the squirrels.

Reviews

[Иван Величков · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ходж отново сцепи мрака, поне за мен. Книгата се състои от четири произведения, две от които вече бях чел, но препрочетох с кеф. Това са (според другите четящи) първите четири разказа от цикъла на Ходж за неговите Misbegotten (Извънбрачни? Блудни? – второто звучи доста по-добре, макар да е своеволен превод), почти безсмъртни създания, станали такива по божия воля и отхвърлящи по манихейски властта на демиурга. Разказите са подредени хронологично и има непрекъсваща времева нишка помежду им.
Не ги препоръчвам на искрено вярващи хора.
"The Alchemy of the Throat" – В съвремена Италия все още има таен орден, който купува деца от бедни семейтва и ги прави кастрати за църковни хорове. Порастнат ли, съдбата им минава през частни търгове, за да станат роби на богати „мецанати“. Джовани е точно такова хлапе и е откупен от Юлий – богат италианец, който се оказва не съвсем човек. Историята им е покъртителна. Появяват се за малко и Сестрите на троицата – основни персонажи в митологията на Блудните.
"The Dripping of Sundered Wineskins" – Тази е изцяло за сестричките. Вече съм я чел в „Falling Idols“, но в контекста на този сборник произведението е в пъти по-въздействащо и богохулно. Дълбоко вярващ католически монах започва, за неудобство на целия манастир, да манифестира стигмата. Това води до отхвърлянето и изгонването му, а от там и до проблеми с вярата, особено заради съпътстващите чудото видения. Накрая успява да намери отговори при същества по-стари от църквата. Сестрите на Троицата, обаче му разкриват истината, знаейки, че пътищата пред него са на светец или касапин. Той избира второто.
"When the Bough Doesn't Break" – На този разказ за първи път попаднах в „Picking the Bones“. Отново, там пасваше идеално в концепцията на сборника, но тук се чете по съвсем друг начин. Няколко години след събитията в предходния разказ, монахът вече е мъченик - Свети Йоан от прокълнатите, и култът към него е прикрит между глупостите в „мрежата“. Едно объркано момиче тръгва на поклонение по загадъчните следи на митарствата му. В малко ирландско село, където трябва да е заровена главата му, без да иска събужда нещо древно, което няма нищо общо с интересите ѝ, или поне така си мисли. Една от Сестрите ще помогне на селяните и момата да спрат ужасията, но цената е доста интересна.
"World of Hurt" – Това е повест и доста добра. В юношеските си години Андрей претърпява лоша автомобилна катастрофа и половин час не е бил сред живите. Възстановява се добре, учи, мечтае, сгодява се, но един ден фалшивите спомени за светлини, тунели и прочие пропадат. Андрей си спомня истината за отвъдното и вече не е нормален. Намира случаи подобни на своя в интернет, по време на вече няколкогодишната му доброволна изолация. Дори се запознава с момиче. Тогава някой започва да избива тези оцелели и спомнящи си по изключително брутални начини, а Андрей е следващият и ще му се наложи да разбере какво точно е видял отвъд.
Всяко произведение допринася за развитието на авторовата митология и я прави да звучи все по-плашещо и по-плашещо правдива. Ходж умее да те засмуква в световете си и да променя мирогледа ти. Искам още от тази негова цинична, грозна, богохулна действителност.

[Karl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This hardcover edition is copy 210 of 500 printed and is signed by Brian Hodge.

Worlds of Hurt collects the first four chapters of the Misbegotten mythos into a single volume.

“The Alchemy of the Throat” — A modern-day castrato soprano becomes the latest in a line of indispensable companions to an ancient benefactor. (Bram Stoker Award finalist)

“The Dripping of Sundered Wineskins” — The immortal Sisters of the Trinity catapult an Irish stigmatic toward his destiny of being either a saint or a butcher. (World Fantasy Award finalist)

“When the Bough Doesn’t Break” — The testament of Saint Patrick the Fallen lures a pair of young seekers to rural Ireland, where an agent of divine retribution waits to be unleashed.

"World of Hurt" — A short novel

Highly recommended.

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

***Review for Worlds of Hurt***

Contains 3 Misbegotten Mythos short stories and the novella "World of Hurt"

"The Alchemy of the Throat"
"The Dripping of Sundered Wineskins"
"When the Bough Doesn't Break"
"World of Hurt"

This is a dark, dense read with some heavy concepts. This one gets pretty deep. And Hodge knows how to write deep, without losing you in the process.

4 stories that are completely different yet interconnected within the Misbegotten Mythos.

As the stories progressed, so did the pace. Alone, these are quite good. Together they are even better. Hodge has indeed created a Mythos unlike any other. Very well done. Solid 4+ Stars! Highly Recommended.

[Dave Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are few stories in the world that leave me exhausted, mentally and physically. This is one of them. Brian Hodge's vision, prose and characterization are matched by very few writers in the world today. Every sentence is a story unto itself. Every word carefully chosen and employed with deft skill. Intellectual, controversial, and brilliant.

[Wendy Holliday · Rating 4 out of 5]

I gave this book four stars because it is well written by a talented author. The story is engaging, builds in anticipation well towards the end with lots of twists and turns along the way.

If you have the edition with the introduction by Brian Keene, take a moment to read it. It only heightens your sense of intrigue with this tale, by the end you say to yourself, "I have to read this story."

I do think there were a few plot holes not totally cleared up to my satisfaction, but I don't think he meant to reveal all the secrets.

Speaking of secrets, maybe I need to go back and understand Manon's Big Secret reveal at the end.

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

A friend recommended this book the instant it came out. He's already a big Brian Hodge fan. I started reading it as soon as I got it, and breezed right through. It's a short book, but the story grabbed me.

[Erik · Rating 3 out of 5]

Excellent style, but the story itself didn't really do it for me. I did like the overall take on religion; that in itself might interest me enough to read another story or two in this "Misbegotten" mythos of Hodge's.

[Kristy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, this was a great book. It had all of the elements I like in a story: twisted horror mixed with religious lore mixed with compelling characters. I'd like to do a more formal review later, but I'd definitely recommend it if you're into this sort of thing.

[Drewms64 · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

And death shall have no dominion

[Eduardo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now I really want to read more from Brian Hodge, especially the other short stories that are part of this mythos. Very well written and plotted, Hodge deliver a great story here. Earthling's edition is - as always - a thing of beauty, worth adding to any collector's shelve.

[Gavin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually read Worlds of Hurt, a collection that contained this story and three other thematically related ones.

Can't recommend it highly enough, to be honest. Incredibly raw, dark and bleak stuff that's fantastically written and thought through.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book. Quick dark read.

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the few books I picked up and read again the second I finished.

[Jay Mullan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The title explains it all.