The Word of Flesh and Soul

by Ruthanna Emrys

The language of the originators defines reality, every word warping the world to fit its meaning. Its study transforms the mind and body, and is closely guarded by stodgy, paranoid academics. These hidebound men don't trust many students with their secrets, especially not women, and more especially not "madwomen." Polymede and her lover Erishti believe they've made a discovery that could blow open the field's unexamined assumptions, and they're ready to face expulsion to make their mark. Of course, if they're wrong, the language will make its mark on them instead.

At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Genres: Short Stories, Fantasy, Horror, Fiction, Magic, Science Fiction, LGBT

35 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 14, 2018

Reviews

[karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I try to feel the word: not just the velveteen shapes on my floor, but how they’d have sat in the minds of the speakers. Someone carved those bright letters in dark stone, almost four thousand years ago. Someone struggled over their sentences, just as I do when I strive to say what I mean, and nothing else, explanations chipped out word by word. 

i suppose this story isn’t precisely lovecraftian, but it is lovecraft-adjacent, and that’s close enough for me to politely excuse myself from reviewing it, since this is such an obvious case of ‘it’s not you, it’s me.’ or, rather - ‘it’s not you, it’s your influences.’

i like a lot of the writing, and the story started off holding my interest, but then its focus slid quickly into nooooot fooooor meeeee toooown, enough so that despite my so far/so good 2018 commitment to reviewing all of these free tor shorts, however briefly, immediately after reading them instead of letting them pile up on my virtual ‘review-pending’ shelf until years have passed and i can’t even remember the foggiest detail, i put off reviewing this for a week - a week during which thanksgiving happened, gravy-wiping my memory of anything except turkey and root vegetables and regret.

so now, all i can remember is that i really wanted to like this one, and it had good bones, as they say, but while the style and the shape around those bones will appeal to many readers, they do not, unfortunately, appeal to this jackass.



read it for yourself here:

https://www.tor.com/2018/11/14/the-wo...

come to my blog!

[Richard Derus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Real Rating: 4.5* of five

Another dash into the burning house of Lovecraftian Mythos writing with one of the women who set it alight. Well-crafted novelette of a woman learning her place. And it isn't where she's been told it was, either.

I found the usual Emrys-ness, the side-eye to form, in evidence here. Also refreshing is Emrys's absence of interest in her male characters. They are a set of quirks and attitudes, just like most female characters in SF/F/H by men.

The Force is strong in this one. Read her work. It will beguile you, or you are not worthy of it.

[Mir · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very smart, emotionally intense short story about ancient language study and academia.

[Netanella · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story, about a grad student and her lover's quest to translate an ancient language that has the power to shape, very literally, the reader. It's a shot at graduate studies and academic advisors and university publishing and sponsorship. Emrys takes a pointed stab at the 'good old boy' club of calcified institutions, and the reader can even presume here that the nameless university could be good ol' Miskatonic. Like much of her work that I've read, this is wonderful and lyrical and necessary.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this novella more for its university setting than for the plot itself. I found the professors uncomfortably familiar.

[Drakeryn · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the third Ruthanna Emrys story I’ve read, and at this point, I think I have to admit that her fiction is just not for me. Her stories always have such cool premises (a library that serves as a nexus for Lovecraftian entities! a Deep One protagonist!) but never really deliver what I'm hoping for.

This story has the coolest premise yet: It’s about the “language of the originators,” which warps the mind and body of those who study it. We begin with our hero Polymede in the middle of a heist, risking her sanity and career to sneak a glimpse at a forbidden fragment of text.

If my advisor could hear me, maybe he’d admit that I belong in the department after all: a true student of Lloala, so much of my thought transmuted that even mundane frustration emerges in ancient and hazardous form. I risk myself with every breath.

But, as it turns out, the story is much more a critique of academia—a stodgy old boys’ club, afraid of change, resistant to new ideas, etc.—than a horror story. If that sounds good to you, you’ll probably enjoy this story! Personally, I came for the ancient horrors and left dissatisfied. The only consequence of viewing the forbidden text is some wavy lines on Polymede’s back, which is pretty much the tamest hazard ever? Also, we never find out who 'Rochaol is. We never even find out the protags’ theory as to who 'Rochaol is. All we know is that she exists. That may be a big deal in the academic community, but to me as a reader it’s the least interesting reveal possible.

For the record I don’t disagree with Emrys’ critique of academia; it’s just zzz to me. Not being able to get an article published may be horrifying in real life, but I prefer my fictional horror more melodramatic.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love love love the prose. Even the first point of view cannot spoil it. Swift pacing, hypnotizing prose. Reead it at tor.com: https://www.tor.com/2018/11/14/the-wo...

Btw, I am goign through Tor's best here: https://www.tor.com/2018/12/04/all-of...

[Natalia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good but I want more! As a philologist I can't decide should I feel scared or moved by protagonists dedication.

[ambyr · Rating 3 out of 5]

Artfully written, but overlong for my taste. I never really grasped the protagonist's motivation.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Very interesting.

[Red Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

I needed this story where an autistic non-man could see and speak the truth against the edifice.

[Heidi Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emrys' take on the Lovecraft Mythos is always disruptive, but in this brashly entertaining story* about an academic gone rogue, she really ups the feminist ante: "The Word of Flesh and Soul" is a #TimesUp salvo into the holy-of-holies . . . Miskatonic U.'s old-creepy-boys' club. (Okay, it's not explicitly M.U., but where else could it be?)

Bravo! Keep getting your girl-cooties all over old Howard's stuff, Ruthanna! 5 stars!

*which you can read free at https://www.tor.com/2018/11/14/the-wo...

[Mitch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short stories are typically a very mixed bag for me. I am a fan of this author's novels so I figured a short was worth a try.

The world building was very good and left me wanting a novel or novella in this world. The setting is in modern earth but after the discovery of an ancient language that mutated it's speakers. So just studying the language can warp someone for both good and bad.

The story was ok but not excellent. I think it was pretty telegraphed how it was going to go down. That being said, the world building is incredible and I hope to see more here.

[Amy Mills · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting take on translation, where a language is so ... something ... that it transforms the bodies of those who learn and read it. Usually we think of new languages changing the way someone sees the world, but here it also changes the way the world sees that person. Very nice. I also like the theme of challenging the patriarchy.

[Hanneleele · Rating 5 out of 5]

This must be what it is like to study in the Miskatonic university and having seen a bit of (even if less maddened) academia, it still rings to me of some reality. I enjoyed it. I will, one day, read Ruthanna Emrys' novel (I have the first one as an e-book, but I don't much like reading e-books) since these tidbits seem promising.

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fantastic little novella!

One of the things that makes me like a novella/short story is imagining if this was a whole book. I could definitely see this being fleshed out into a book for sure - it's a great premise, and well written.

[Nerine Dorman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this over at Tor.com: https://www.tor.com/2018/11/14/the-wo...

Firstly, I'm a huge sucker for stories about language, and especially with the notion that the language shapes the shaper. Many subtleties here. Love, love, love.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely little stand alone with bite.

[Janet Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid 4+--reminds me of my own academic grillings, and the ways in which language forms us all.

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable stroll down Memory Lane, back to the bad old times when I spent years as an unhappy undergraduate wrestling with long-lost languages.

[luiloth · Rating 5 out of 5]

https://www.tor.com/2018/11/14/the-wo...

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful short story! Great job at building a world and interesting characters in such short time. Would love to read this is a full novel.

[DW Rowlands · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved Ruthanna Emrys' portrayal of an autistic major character--the narrator's girlfriend and research partner--in this story, as well as the biting criticism of academia.

[beentsy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing. Absolutely amazing story.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't have a shelf for academic fantasy, but this would for sure go on there if I did.

[Tiffany Lynn Kramer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Certainly interesting but feels more like opening to a larger story.

[Craig Sieracki · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a creative and intriguing short story. I really hope a longer book or series explores this setting further.

[Simon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh so good. So well drawn. And so interesting. I loved the questions it raised and want to ponder them some more. "Who do you study to become?"

[Per · Rating 3 out of 5]

https://www.tor.com/2018/11/14/the-wo...

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Man I want to learn sign language. That's literally the main thought I had after reading this story. And I'm ok with that.