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The Minotauress
HELL’S BITCH IN HEAT...Seething, slavering, and insane, it cringes, not wanting to slip forth from the noxious, bloated belly of its abyssal mother until the most hideous sexual atrocities beckon it from Hell’s hot the dread monstrosity of unfathomable beauty and the most vile horror--revulsion and desire incarnated into one......PREGNANT TO BURSTING WITH ABOMINATIONS UNTOLD...Atop the moon-drenched hillock sits the leaning manse, surrounded by ancient graves rich with the bones of witches, and amid the dense cricket-choruses of these ghastly twilight deeps, it stalks, thrashes and prowls, its nipples gorged with evil, its loins a frenzy of Luciferic lust...RITES OF REDNECK PASSAGE...Behold Balls and Dicky (of THE BIGHEAD fame) as they embark on their first sociopathic epiphany teeming with down and dirty redneck whores, occult science, corpse-sex, and scatological gross-out the likes of which would make the BTK Killer faint. These boys think they’re bad...but are they bad enough to face--THE MINOTAURESSEdward Lee’s latest novel of irredeemable harder-than-hardcore horror...THE HORNCRANKERDean Logan is a man with problems. The main one being his wife, a raging bitch. But she will soon be the least of his problems. Dean learns that his father has died and he must return to the ranch and come face-to-face with the life he left behind--a life full of sex, violence, drugs and cattle, lots of cattle. With the help of his do-nothing friend, Ajax, Dean will return to his old ways and quickly learn the secrets of his family and the evil that they've spawned. Time to test his old skills, skills that made him a legend--skills that may save his family and friends' lives.
292 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2007
43 people are currently reading
536 people want to read
About the author
Edward Lee
267 books1,451 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
Edward Lee is an American novelist specializing in the field of horror, and has authored 40 books, more than half of which have been published by mass-market New York paperback companies such as Leisure/Dorchester, Berkley, and Zebra/Kensington. He is a Bram Stoker award nominee for his story "Mr. Torso," and his short stories have appeared in over a dozen mass-market anthologies, including THE BEST AMERICAN MYSTERY STORIES OF 2000, Pocket's HOT BLOOD series, and the award-wining 999. Several of his novels have sold translation rights to Germany, Greece, and Romania. He also publishes quite actively in the small-press/limited-edition hardcover market; many of his books in this category have become collector's items. While a number of Lee's projects have been optioned for film, only one has been made, HEADER, which was released on DVD to mixed reviews in June, 2009, by Synapse Films.
Lee is particularly known for over-the-top occult concepts and an accelerated treatment of erotic and/or morbid sexual imagery and visceral violence.
He was born on May 25, 1957 in Washington, D.C., and grew up in Bowie, Maryland. In the late-70s he served in the U.S. Army's 1st Armored Division, in Erlangen, West Germany, then, for a short time, was a municipal police officer in Cottage City, Maryland. Lee also attended the University of Maryland as an English major but quit in his last semester to pursue his dream of being a horror novelist. For over 15 years, he worked as the night manager for a security company in Annapolis, Maryland, while writing in his spare time. In 1997, however, he became a full-time writer, first spending several years in Seattle and then moving to St. Pete Beach, Florida, where he currently resides.
Of note, the author cites as his strongest influence horror legend H. P. Lovecraft; in 2007, Lee embarked on what he calls his "Lovecraft kick" and wrote a spate of novels and novellas which tribute Lovecraft and his famous Cthulhu Mythos. Among these projects are THE INNSWICH HORROR, "Trolley No. 1852," HAUNTER OF THE THRESHOLD, GOING MONSTERING, "Pages Torn From A Travel Journal," and "You Are My Everything." Lee promises more Lovecraftian work on the horizon.
Edward Lee is an American novelist specializing in the field of horror, and has authored 40 books, more than half of which have been published by mass-market New York paperback companies such as Leisure/Dorchester, Berkley, and Zebra/Kensington. He is a Bram Stoker award nominee for his story "Mr. Torso," and his short stories have appeared in over a dozen mass-market anthologies, including THE BEST AMERICAN MYSTERY STORIES OF 2000, Pocket's HOT BLOOD series, and the award-wining 999. Several of his novels have sold translation rights to Germany, Greece, and Romania. He also publishes quite actively in the small-press/limited-edition hardcover market; many of his books in this category have become collector's items. While a number of Lee's projects have been optioned for film, only one has been made, HEADER, which was released on DVD to mixed reviews in June, 2009, by Synapse Films.
Lee is particularly known for over-the-top occult concepts and an accelerated treatment of erotic and/or morbid sexual imagery and visceral violence.
He was born on May 25, 1957 in Washington, D.C., and grew up in Bowie, Maryland. In the late-70s he served in the U.S. Army's 1st Armored Division, in Erlangen, West Germany, then, for a short time, was a municipal police officer in Cottage City, Maryland. Lee also attended the University of Maryland as an English major but quit in his last semester to pursue his dream of being a horror novelist. For over 15 years, he worked as the night manager for a security company in Annapolis, Maryland, while writing in his spare time. In 1997, however, he became a full-time writer, first spending several years in Seattle and then moving to St. Pete Beach, Florida, where he currently resides.
Of note, the author cites as his strongest influence horror legend H. P. Lovecraft; in 2007, Lee embarked on what he calls his "Lovecraft kick" and wrote a spate of novels and novellas which tribute Lovecraft and his famous Cthulhu Mythos. Among these projects are THE INNSWICH HORROR, "Trolley No. 1852," HAUNTER OF THE THRESHOLD, GOING MONSTERING, "Pages Torn From A Travel Journal," and "You Are My Everything." Lee promises more Lovecraftian work on the horizon.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
June 14, 2022
LOL!!!
May 1, 2021
This review covers both novellas in this-- The Minotauress and The Horn-Cranker. TM is really the star here, however, and is one of Lee's finest works; it is also a big FU to the literary establishment. Can Lee write? Oh yes. Can he philosophize with the best of them? Oh yes. I never thought I would be reading a Lee novel that entertained such a wide range of classic philosophy-- Kant, Descartes, Locke, Hegel, etc.; I am a little amazed he did not include Derrida and modern French post-structuralists in general! Lee is probably the only author that could incorporate fairly deep philosophical ponderings with a ripping splatterpunk tale.
TM is something of a prequel to The Bighead and is set deep in redneck Maryland like so many of his other novels. We get introduced to Dicky and Balls (from The Bighead) in their formative state where they graduate from minor redneck crime like rape and theft to become over the top psychos, especially Balls, who realizes that gruesome killings and such are just in his nature and in fact really get him off. Our other main character is a writer traveling around trying to find his muse after his last 'critically acclaimed' novel. The pretentious writer ends up in Luntville and soon comes up with a title for his new book-- White Trash Gothic. The story oscillates between Dicky and Balls and the writer for some time until fate puts them together.
Dicky has been working in a 'jack shack'-- i.e., a massage parlor that for a little extra gives hand-jobs-- when Balls comes walking down Luntville's not so scenic main street just having gotten out of the pen. Dicky needs bread to put a new tranny in his El Camino so he can start running shine and the two go into a partnership (from hell). Balls heard from a fellow con in the pen that there is a mansion nearby dripping with antiques just waiting to be ripped off when the owner goes on his annual trip to Spain. So we are entertained with Balls and Dicky's exploits for a month until the time of the great heist. The writer, on the other hand, just manages to drink a lot while living in basically the local whorehouse/hotel.
You know the writer and the redneck dynamic duo are going to somehow get together for the final denouement, but Lee takes us on a lively romp before hand, introducing us to all kinds of redneck games, which usually involve some sort of debasing sex. The writer explores his existential angst at the local watering hole with the help of beer and shine. TM is really Lee at his finest-- over the top hardcore splatterpunk infused with dark humor that had me laughing out loud. I definitely give this one full five stars, but the second novella left a lot to be desired.
The Bone-Cranker is set largely in Seattle with the main protagonist being Dean. Dean was raised on a cattle ranch in the Dakotas and as a boy/teen, he became an expert on dehorning bulls with a special, nasty tool- the bone-cranker. He was also a real he-man asshole, screwing and beating untold numbers of women in a superstud like manner. He, after debasing his long-time girlfriend for years, decided to start anew and off to Seattle he went, where his is now 'happily' married to a real shrew of a wife. Yet, he is also going crazy and his only buddy tries to help him work though some 'issues'...
Both of these stories contain a Minotauress, but while in TM it is summoned by a sorcerer in TBC it seems to arise from a toxic waste hole/qua old mine that Dean's family used to dump dead cows and other nasty things for decades. TBC lacks that something that makes Lee's work shine; yes it is splatterpunk filled with sex and such, but very little humor that is almost a trademark with Lee. While kinda fun, I only give it 2 or maybe 2.5 stars.
Finally, Lee's trademark doorknocker also show up on the house Dicky and Balls plan to rob!
TM is something of a prequel to The Bighead and is set deep in redneck Maryland like so many of his other novels. We get introduced to Dicky and Balls (from The Bighead) in their formative state where they graduate from minor redneck crime like rape and theft to become over the top psychos, especially Balls, who realizes that gruesome killings and such are just in his nature and in fact really get him off. Our other main character is a writer traveling around trying to find his muse after his last 'critically acclaimed' novel. The pretentious writer ends up in Luntville and soon comes up with a title for his new book-- White Trash Gothic. The story oscillates between Dicky and Balls and the writer for some time until fate puts them together.
Dicky has been working in a 'jack shack'-- i.e., a massage parlor that for a little extra gives hand-jobs-- when Balls comes walking down Luntville's not so scenic main street just having gotten out of the pen. Dicky needs bread to put a new tranny in his El Camino so he can start running shine and the two go into a partnership (from hell). Balls heard from a fellow con in the pen that there is a mansion nearby dripping with antiques just waiting to be ripped off when the owner goes on his annual trip to Spain. So we are entertained with Balls and Dicky's exploits for a month until the time of the great heist. The writer, on the other hand, just manages to drink a lot while living in basically the local whorehouse/hotel.
You know the writer and the redneck dynamic duo are going to somehow get together for the final denouement, but Lee takes us on a lively romp before hand, introducing us to all kinds of redneck games, which usually involve some sort of debasing sex. The writer explores his existential angst at the local watering hole with the help of beer and shine. TM is really Lee at his finest-- over the top hardcore splatterpunk infused with dark humor that had me laughing out loud. I definitely give this one full five stars, but the second novella left a lot to be desired.
The Bone-Cranker is set largely in Seattle with the main protagonist being Dean. Dean was raised on a cattle ranch in the Dakotas and as a boy/teen, he became an expert on dehorning bulls with a special, nasty tool- the bone-cranker. He was also a real he-man asshole, screwing and beating untold numbers of women in a superstud like manner. He, after debasing his long-time girlfriend for years, decided to start anew and off to Seattle he went, where his is now 'happily' married to a real shrew of a wife. Yet, he is also going crazy and his only buddy tries to help him work though some 'issues'...
Both of these stories contain a Minotauress, but while in TM it is summoned by a sorcerer in TBC it seems to arise from a toxic waste hole/qua old mine that Dean's family used to dump dead cows and other nasty things for decades. TBC lacks that something that makes Lee's work shine; yes it is splatterpunk filled with sex and such, but very little humor that is almost a trademark with Lee. While kinda fun, I only give it 2 or maybe 2.5 stars.
Finally, Lee's trademark doorknocker also show up on the house Dicky and Balls plan to rob!
Want to read
April 26, 2016This copy is marked PC of 400 signed copies and is signed by Edward Lee.
The book consists of
013 - "The Minotauress" (2007)
217 - "The Horn-Cranker" (2002)
The book consists of
013 - "The Minotauress" (2007)
217 - "The Horn-Cranker" (2002)
October 2, 2017
Could a splatter-punk novel ever be "brilliant?" This novel is about as close as I have read to a masterpiece. It makes me wonder what more Edward Lee could do if he chose to restrain himself a bit and use his repressed energy to write a magnum opus that could connect to multiple audiences. He could do it. He just hasn't yet. "The Minotauress," for all its kitsch, stereotypical characters, and cringe-worthy moments, is setting the stage for how horror fiction can be both silly escapism, but also can be a means to transform our ambivalent souls into who we truly are--angels or demons.
With very strong references to M.R. James' "Lost Hearts," this semi-prequel to "The Bighead" is one of the silliest, yet most complex novels of Edward Lee's prolific body of work.
Rednecks Dicky and Balls from "the Bighead" are at it again in a story that tells of how they got into the moonshine business, and the mishaps that ensue when they try to supplement their revenue by looting a spooky old mansion. They team up with a nerdy author named simply The Writer, who is visiting their town of Luntville to get inspiration for his latest project called "White Trash Gothic." The mayhem that ensues is downright disgusting at times, and often hilariously slap stick. The Writer's relationship with Dicky and Balls is certainly one of the oddest I have ever experienced in any form of story-telling entertainment. Somehow, he becomes the "Larry" to Dicky's "Curly" and Balls' "Moe." For this alone, the short novel is worth the read. For Lee fans, the novel also includes a comedic cameo appearance from Mr. Torso, which is a real treat.
Behind the gore and silliness, which includes a demon who makes a woman give birth to a loaf of pumpernickel, is actually a pretty solid piece of metafiction which touches on the philosophy behind why Lee makes his characters so stereotypical. The novel delves into the metaphysical power of myth central to the Luntville universe. Horror and other fantastic tales "give Flesh" to what is otherwise allegory. That concept is what is explored here, perhaps better than many of his other works. Luntville itself is the declination and degradation of the American working class in the flesh, with all inhabitants engaging in depraved acts of entertainment with the normalcy of a good wholesome game of horseshoes. The Writer drifts like a detached ghost through this world, having drinks with serial killers, and making light-hearted quips at monsters, himself taking a perverse pleasure in all the symbolism and the story it tells. The Writer is really the Reader.
And true to form, Lee doesn't let the horror slowly build like mold--he violently tosses the reader solidly into uncomfortable territory from the start. Though over-the-top gore and inappropriate use of bodily fluids is not typically what I enjoy reading about, Lee somehow manages to turn something as crude as horror porn into a fun and surprisingly intelligent form of escapist entertainment, which is a testament to his unique talent. I can't wait to read about the return of The Writer in the sequel, which is appropriately titled, "White Trash Gothic."
With very strong references to M.R. James' "Lost Hearts," this semi-prequel to "The Bighead" is one of the silliest, yet most complex novels of Edward Lee's prolific body of work.
Rednecks Dicky and Balls from "the Bighead" are at it again in a story that tells of how they got into the moonshine business, and the mishaps that ensue when they try to supplement their revenue by looting a spooky old mansion. They team up with a nerdy author named simply The Writer, who is visiting their town of Luntville to get inspiration for his latest project called "White Trash Gothic." The mayhem that ensues is downright disgusting at times, and often hilariously slap stick. The Writer's relationship with Dicky and Balls is certainly one of the oddest I have ever experienced in any form of story-telling entertainment. Somehow, he becomes the "Larry" to Dicky's "Curly" and Balls' "Moe." For this alone, the short novel is worth the read. For Lee fans, the novel also includes a comedic cameo appearance from Mr. Torso, which is a real treat.
Behind the gore and silliness, which includes a demon who makes a woman give birth to a loaf of pumpernickel, is actually a pretty solid piece of metafiction which touches on the philosophy behind why Lee makes his characters so stereotypical. The novel delves into the metaphysical power of myth central to the Luntville universe. Horror and other fantastic tales "give Flesh" to what is otherwise allegory. That concept is what is explored here, perhaps better than many of his other works. Luntville itself is the declination and degradation of the American working class in the flesh, with all inhabitants engaging in depraved acts of entertainment with the normalcy of a good wholesome game of horseshoes. The Writer drifts like a detached ghost through this world, having drinks with serial killers, and making light-hearted quips at monsters, himself taking a perverse pleasure in all the symbolism and the story it tells. The Writer is really the Reader.
And true to form, Lee doesn't let the horror slowly build like mold--he violently tosses the reader solidly into uncomfortable territory from the start. Though over-the-top gore and inappropriate use of bodily fluids is not typically what I enjoy reading about, Lee somehow manages to turn something as crude as horror porn into a fun and surprisingly intelligent form of escapist entertainment, which is a testament to his unique talent. I can't wait to read about the return of The Writer in the sequel, which is appropriately titled, "White Trash Gothic."
January 3, 2014
My first encounter with Edward Lee--THE MINOTAURESS. Never before have I been so inclined to "fast forward" through certain unsettling, disgusting, and very aptly described scenes. That said, I'm sure glad I didn't. Edward Lee knows how to get under your skin then peel your skin right off your face. He'll probably get some deranged backwoods drunks to finish you up, too. This book is not for the squeamish. It's explicit in every way, but the joy of this book is that Lee also knows how to tell a compelling story. He's funny, smart, disgusting, over-the-top, and it's safe to say that I'll be reading many more of his books in the near future. Now, who wants a header?
September 2, 2023
Edward Lee is an interesting case, because he seems to know a lot of different topics ranging from philosophy and literature to pop culture, movies and more trivial stuff, and he could write very deep and profound books, but instead he prefers writing stories about deranged rednecks, whores, sex demons, and messed up shit to laugh at.
The Minotauress is one of those. It has dark magic, rituals, rednecks, whores, fucked up moments, sex demons, and an unnamed author that must be Edward Lee himself.
Despite all the insane and batshit crazy moments I laughed a lot. Lee has a very twisted sense of humor, and if you find repulsive and taboo stuff funny, you will have a great time with this one.
Horn Cranker is the prequel to The Minotauress, and it’s very funny, violent and twisted as well. In this story we get to know more about the bull woman aka Pasiphaë, and her hellish hunt in a small American town.
I recommend this if you like Lee writing sinful and evil insanity in prose form.
The Minotauress is one of those. It has dark magic, rituals, rednecks, whores, fucked up moments, sex demons, and an unnamed author that must be Edward Lee himself.
Despite all the insane and batshit crazy moments I laughed a lot. Lee has a very twisted sense of humor, and if you find repulsive and taboo stuff funny, you will have a great time with this one.
Horn Cranker is the prequel to The Minotauress, and it’s very funny, violent and twisted as well. In this story we get to know more about the bull woman aka Pasiphaë, and her hellish hunt in a small American town.
I recommend this if you like Lee writing sinful and evil insanity in prose form.
September 22, 2018
3 stars.
The first novella, The Minotauress, was excellent, while the second one, The Horn-Cranker was ridiculously stupid. I think Lee is a funny writer but this novella was too much. The main character beating his new wife because “some women want to be treated that way” made me cringe.
The first novella, The Minotauress, was excellent, while the second one, The Horn-Cranker was ridiculously stupid. I think Lee is a funny writer but this novella was too much. The main character beating his new wife because “some women want to be treated that way” made me cringe.
July 20, 2010
I learned that Edward Lee is one of the few writers capable of writing a gross-out scene that can make me put the book down and need to take a deep breath before carrying on reading. Also, the climax, so to speak, of this novella is not one you'll see coming, again so to speak.
NB: This review suffers from a severe case of innuendo and needs to see the doctor.
NB: This review suffers from a severe case of innuendo and needs to see the doctor.
May 16, 2023
In what we love Edward Lee for ,this book delivers in all the categories. Brutal violence, blood gore and sex.
June 8, 2022
Има цял раздел литература, която е "ужаси" ама бая по-кървави от Стивън Кинг и другите там мейнстрийм автори - явно са по-кървави и ужасни отколкото стандартния читател може да понесе. И не, не ми казвайте че Стивън Кинг не е за стандартния читател - той си е норми автор отвсякъде, със стотици милиони фенове.
В тия, да речем второразредни книжки авторите си позволяват да му отпуснат края на кървищата, мъченията и сексуалното насилие. Но за съжаление литературните им умения най-често са под всякаква критика.
И да, това е общо ревю за почти всички такива книжки които съм прочел, няма смисъл да ги изброявам отделно, не че има разлика между тях, освен основния сюжет
В тия, да речем второразредни книжки авторите си позволяват да му отпуснат края на кървищата, мъченията и сексуалното насилие. Но за съжаление литературните им умения най-често са под всякаква критика.
И да, това е общо ревю за почти всички такива книжки които съм прочел, няма смисъл да ги изброявам отделно, не че има разлика между тях, освен основния сюжет
July 11, 2024
Ein eher schwächerer Edward Lee. Das Cover passt in einer Art und Weise nicht zu dem Buch das es mich beleidigt. Mochte die philosophischen Parts sehr gerne. Im Allgemein mir tatsächlich zuuu stumpf und nicht "Extrem" genug dafür dass es einen erstaunt oder überrascht. Es blieb lange alles zu langweilig und auf einer horizontalen Spannungskurve, das Ende war kurzzeitig sehr wild.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 27, 2013
Edward Lee's stories from his rural Appalachia mythos (eg Creekers, Goon, The Minotauress, etc) are like cotton candy. Everyone knows the formula, everyone knows what to expect when they pick it up, and ultimately it's hard to recollect where one book starts and another ends. The writing is solid enough to not call any attention to itself, they're each easy to read and hard to put down. As far as I can tell, there's no real specific timeline to the mythos, and thus there's not any particular order to read them.
Keep in mind, however, that what other reviewers have said about Edward Lee's spectacularly depraved imagination and the depths of filth, gore, perversion, violence, misery and casual disrespect for the vast majority of the victims in his stories is absolutely true. Edward Lee's Appalachia books are not for those proud of their delicate sensibilities, nor for the horror fan who is looking for "bump in the night" chills. These books are for readers looking for fun, easy to read splatterpunky stories that focus on creating vivid imagery to the detriment of wildly involved plots or Impressive Metaphors About The Human Condition.
Cotton candy for the crowd of jaded readers looking for outlandish prurience and cheap escapism. We know who we are, and we love Mr. Lee for providing us such wonderful entertainment.
I've read a number of books from this mythos in the last couple of years, and I'm going to copypasta this review into each of them. With five stars each.
Keep in mind, however, that what other reviewers have said about Edward Lee's spectacularly depraved imagination and the depths of filth, gore, perversion, violence, misery and casual disrespect for the vast majority of the victims in his stories is absolutely true. Edward Lee's Appalachia books are not for those proud of their delicate sensibilities, nor for the horror fan who is looking for "bump in the night" chills. These books are for readers looking for fun, easy to read splatterpunky stories that focus on creating vivid imagery to the detriment of wildly involved plots or Impressive Metaphors About The Human Condition.
Cotton candy for the crowd of jaded readers looking for outlandish prurience and cheap escapism. We know who we are, and we love Mr. Lee for providing us such wonderful entertainment.
I've read a number of books from this mythos in the last couple of years, and I'm going to copypasta this review into each of them. With five stars each.
August 26, 2019
Great read 2 for 1
I loved this book. The first story had you feeling and cringing in disgust. Stomach churning grotesque chapters that just had you trying to turn your head and screwing your eyes up only to open them just as quick wanting to read more. An excellent story in the big head series. The 2nd story I'm still in awe over. I loved how grotesque it was but also the storyline was amazing. It was intriguing and not one you could guess what exactly was going to happen next. Loved Ajax in there too and the way Ajax and Dean played off each other throughout the book. Definitely worth it and definitely recommend you read. Mr Lee is an amazing writing and has the best gripping horror novels I've read. I'm off now to read the last book in this series. White trash gothic and can't wait. Enjoy and be ready to cringe hahaha
I loved this book. The first story had you feeling and cringing in disgust. Stomach churning grotesque chapters that just had you trying to turn your head and screwing your eyes up only to open them just as quick wanting to read more. An excellent story in the big head series. The 2nd story I'm still in awe over. I loved how grotesque it was but also the storyline was amazing. It was intriguing and not one you could guess what exactly was going to happen next. Loved Ajax in there too and the way Ajax and Dean played off each other throughout the book. Definitely worth it and definitely recommend you read. Mr Lee is an amazing writing and has the best gripping horror novels I've read. I'm off now to read the last book in this series. White trash gothic and can't wait. Enjoy and be ready to cringe hahaha
July 5, 2012
This book is a classic case of "didn't work for me."
I've read, and loved, some of the author's previous works. City Infernal was my introduction to Lee, and remains my favorite of his books. Lee is as good a writer here as in that book, though this one is in a more experimental narrative style.
What didn't work for me was the lack of anyone I was able to root for. Dicky and Balls are psychopaths, and the Writer is a nihilistic, pretentious asshole. In the included novella, Dean and Ajax felt more like caricatures of opposite extremes of manhood than actual men. I could not bring myself to give a single, solitary fuck about any of them.
I've read, and loved, some of the author's previous works. City Infernal was my introduction to Lee, and remains my favorite of his books. Lee is as good a writer here as in that book, though this one is in a more experimental narrative style.
What didn't work for me was the lack of anyone I was able to root for. Dicky and Balls are psychopaths, and the Writer is a nihilistic, pretentious asshole. In the included novella, Dean and Ajax felt more like caricatures of opposite extremes of manhood than actual men. I could not bring myself to give a single, solitary fuck about any of them.
May 2, 2011
Once again a strong stomach is needed but a good read for hard core Edward Lee fans!
Read
September 28, 2012Possibly one of the wierdest Edward Lee novels I've read in ages.
August 9, 2017
As disgusting and depraved as ever, this serves as a great companion piece to the more famous 'The Bighead'.
August 4, 2024
continuing my minotaur marathon (after ‘morning glory milking farm’) with this double entry. both stories here have a lot going for them. ‘the horn-cranker’ evokes the earnest, almost gothic storytelling of ‘the bighead’ as the stories of the alpha male redneck mc and mythological forces unfold in parallel to eventually meet; while ‘the minotauress’ is quite literally a prequel to ‘the bighead’, but also a sequel to ‘the horn-cranker’. it’s also the setup story for the ‘white trash gothic’ books. plus, it’s a meta-fiction for fans so they could do the dicaprio pointing meme: ooh ooh that’s the old fucker from ‘header’, what is he up to? hey, that’s the bad guy from that other thing! oooh-weee! it’s cute even to connect some of the dots and miss some other ones.
though i do think both of these stories fall short of the masterpiece that is ‘the bighead’ (and for no reason i pronounce ‘masterpiece’ the way bugs bunny would). both stories have clear glimpses of tongue-in-cheek self-parody (there’s an older lady with big tits whose big tits are mentioned every single time she says or does anything; a key character in ‘the minotauress’ is an unnamed writer who is a pompous idiot exploiting the impoverished townsfolk around him for his writing) which is neat, but they never really lead anywhere. lee’s writing looks political, but in an ambivalent and sometimes confusing way: for instance, all female characters here are sidelined drug-addict whores who do rimjobs and get slapped around or brutally killed (as grotesque as the two female leads of ‘the bighead’ were, i do miss them quite a bit). without spoilers, ‘the minotauress’ even goes full-on bizarro to depict gendered violence, but i don’t think it has anything to say about it. same goes for the treatment of rap music and black culture, or of homosexuality. there’s a scene where a man gives another man a reportedly excellent blowjob and the second man then calls the first one homophobic slurs but secretly wants more - but this is written through five layers of south-park tier irony and i can’t tell if it means anything. (this also made me think of how to the concept of the ‘header’ is weirdly pansexual in the titular books by lee. anyway.) the two stories here dangle in some wacky ideas (like, uhm, women actually LOVE to be subdued and assaulted?) and it’s clear that he’s cooking something but both endings kinda fizzle out instead of sticking the landing.
that said, i still had a good time.
though i do think both of these stories fall short of the masterpiece that is ‘the bighead’ (and for no reason i pronounce ‘masterpiece’ the way bugs bunny would). both stories have clear glimpses of tongue-in-cheek self-parody (there’s an older lady with big tits whose big tits are mentioned every single time she says or does anything; a key character in ‘the minotauress’ is an unnamed writer who is a pompous idiot exploiting the impoverished townsfolk around him for his writing) which is neat, but they never really lead anywhere. lee’s writing looks political, but in an ambivalent and sometimes confusing way: for instance, all female characters here are sidelined drug-addict whores who do rimjobs and get slapped around or brutally killed (as grotesque as the two female leads of ‘the bighead’ were, i do miss them quite a bit). without spoilers, ‘the minotauress’ even goes full-on bizarro to depict gendered violence, but i don’t think it has anything to say about it. same goes for the treatment of rap music and black culture, or of homosexuality. there’s a scene where a man gives another man a reportedly excellent blowjob and the second man then calls the first one homophobic slurs but secretly wants more - but this is written through five layers of south-park tier irony and i can’t tell if it means anything. (this also made me think of how to the concept of the ‘header’ is weirdly pansexual in the titular books by lee. anyway.) the two stories here dangle in some wacky ideas (like, uhm, women actually LOVE to be subdued and assaulted?) and it’s clear that he’s cooking something but both endings kinda fizzle out instead of sticking the landing.
that said, i still had a good time.
August 5, 2023
Edward Lee is a creative genius of the splatterpunk genre, whose work is undeniably brutal and violent with some of the most horrifying imagery ever put onto the page. An intelligent author with a shit ton of books to his name. I was thinking of reading White Trash Gothic but when I found out you actually benefit from reading The Minotauress beforehand, I decided to give this book a go.
The Writer has arrived in the small town of Luntville, and he's decided in a spur of creative inspiration after a fit of writer's block to stay and experience the local life for his new novel 'White Trash Gothic'. But the experiences he finds himself in may very well end up getting him killed. Balls and Dicky are also in town and as they begin their adventures of misdeeds, they hope to rob the house of an occultist. But unfortunately for them, the owner is well prepared, The Minotauress has arrived...
The Minotauress is nothing like I imagined and that's not by any means a bad thing. If you're looking for a tonally serious and bleak horror novel, then go and read The Bighead instead. The Minotauress whilst a prequel in some ways to said book is actually a comedic tale that also ties into other novels and short stories by Lee such as Mr Torso, Header, Flesh Gothic, Gast, etc. It's a novel written by the author for the fans.
Whilst this novel isn't anything amazing in the grand scheme of things, especially when compared to a lot of other of Lee's work, it is by far one of his funniest. An outlandish, violent novel with some of the most bizarre and hilarious imagery ever written. It's a novel that becomes more bizarre and silly as it goes on, making for a really fun read.
Overall: A really fun novel that whilst not anything amazing is a wonderful treat to fans of Edward Lee's work. 8/10
The Writer has arrived in the small town of Luntville, and he's decided in a spur of creative inspiration after a fit of writer's block to stay and experience the local life for his new novel 'White Trash Gothic'. But the experiences he finds himself in may very well end up getting him killed. Balls and Dicky are also in town and as they begin their adventures of misdeeds, they hope to rob the house of an occultist. But unfortunately for them, the owner is well prepared, The Minotauress has arrived...
The Minotauress is nothing like I imagined and that's not by any means a bad thing. If you're looking for a tonally serious and bleak horror novel, then go and read The Bighead instead. The Minotauress whilst a prequel in some ways to said book is actually a comedic tale that also ties into other novels and short stories by Lee such as Mr Torso, Header, Flesh Gothic, Gast, etc. It's a novel written by the author for the fans.
Whilst this novel isn't anything amazing in the grand scheme of things, especially when compared to a lot of other of Lee's work, it is by far one of his funniest. An outlandish, violent novel with some of the most bizarre and hilarious imagery ever written. It's a novel that becomes more bizarre and silly as it goes on, making for a really fun read.
Overall: A really fun novel that whilst not anything amazing is a wonderful treat to fans of Edward Lee's work. 8/10
November 17, 2019
I just can't...
I had to push myself to read this book. I love horror, and I don't mind if there is some sex and gore, but this book is at some other level.
Is it the most disgusting story I have ever read or heard? No, the internet is filled with things more putrid than a bag of rotting dead fetuses left outside of an abortion clinic on a hot Summer's day. If you can't handle anything like that then don't read this book. It's filled with rape, necrophilia, human sacrifice, abortion, torture, murder, and some hints to pedophilia and incest.
You know, when I think about it, the only descent person in this book was the Hispanic Woman who Balls burned alive in his back yard.
I have to admit it's not a badly written book, it just has scenes in it that are grotesque and vile. I finished reading The Minotauress feeling satisfied with the story and how it ended. The copy I have came with a second story, The Horn Crankers, but I'm not gonna read that. I'm probably never going to read this book again. I'm fact, I can't even remember the reason why I ever wanted to read this book. I remember reading good reviews and wanting to try out something, but that "something" escapes me.
I might try out one more book from him, but maybe something a little less hillbilly, a little less sexual, and a lot more surreal.
I had to push myself to read this book. I love horror, and I don't mind if there is some sex and gore, but this book is at some other level.
Is it the most disgusting story I have ever read or heard? No, the internet is filled with things more putrid than a bag of rotting dead fetuses left outside of an abortion clinic on a hot Summer's day. If you can't handle anything like that then don't read this book. It's filled with rape, necrophilia, human sacrifice, abortion, torture, murder, and some hints to pedophilia and incest.
You know, when I think about it, the only descent person in this book was the Hispanic Woman who Balls burned alive in his back yard.
I have to admit it's not a badly written book, it just has scenes in it that are grotesque and vile. I finished reading The Minotauress feeling satisfied with the story and how it ended. The copy I have came with a second story, The Horn Crankers, but I'm not gonna read that. I'm probably never going to read this book again. I'm fact, I can't even remember the reason why I ever wanted to read this book. I remember reading good reviews and wanting to try out something, but that "something" escapes me.
I might try out one more book from him, but maybe something a little less hillbilly, a little less sexual, and a lot more surreal.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 21, 2023
This double feature again (like the author's earlier work 'The House' / 'The Pig') contains two related novellas. The first one, The Minotauress, is more or less the coming of age story of Balls and Dicky, the two antiheroes from his earlier book 'BigHead', and neatly combines it with Greek myths and some arcane adventures regarding a horned lady. Relative to these earlier stories this one is quite a bit more elegant, although it still has plenty of shock material, recommended for fans of this genre. The second novella, 'The Horn-Cranker', is a bit of a shorter sequel in which big city life is compared to rural tradition, and the latter in the end pitted against, again, a being with horns. This does more or less neatly wrap up the story arc, but I found this second story much more black and white, illogical and a bit childish.
July 25, 2024
The Minotauress was the stand out story. I loved it, almost as much as its follow-up "White Trash Gothic". It gave us insight into Dicky and Balls, which I felt was needed in The Bighead. I kinda hated them in that novel because of how often they took away from the parts I considered interesting, but here they're actually pretty engaging. You can tell Edward Lee has gotten better as he's gone on.
The Horn Cranker was meh. Technically well written but I much prefer my extreme horror to have over-the-top gore for a reason, be it satire, comedy, or just to make the audience think. This had none of that, and is the same complaint I had with the bighead. The story is mostly played as serious, with some humor at the very end.
The Horn Cranker was meh. Technically well written but I much prefer my extreme horror to have over-the-top gore for a reason, be it satire, comedy, or just to make the audience think. This had none of that, and is the same complaint I had with the bighead. The story is mostly played as serious, with some humor at the very end.
July 13, 2024
Ungewohnt "langweilig" an manchen Stellen zieht sich die Story unnötig. Der Sprung vom " mysteriösen Autor" zu Dicky und Balls ist nervig. Die Story über das Haus und dem "Demonologen" kommt viel zu kurz. Auch die Namensgebende Minotauress kommt viel zu kurz, sie tauch n paar Seiten auf nur als neben rolle und verschwindet auch so plötzlich wieder. Zu dem "Gegner" der minotauress sag ich nun nichts aver wenigstens hatte man so was zum lachen. Das Buch ist typisch für Edward lee aber überraschend harmlos.
November 4, 2017
Lee at his grossest and most extreme misogyny. The second part of the book ties everything together in a few pages. Everything is deliberatly calculated to evoke the most extreme revulsion and stomach churning feelings, e.g. the redneck spitting contest. It feels like Lee was tired of writing this book and decided to rush everything in all directions. It becomes frankly dumb at the end, e.g. the wife discovered to be a... Lee has written far better books than this.
October 6, 2018
The usual dark gore you get from Edward is in this book as well. This was a nice horror fix for me, with some humour mixed in near the end. The Minotauress does not appear until near the end of the book, making the build up long and slow.
Also, there were some references to another of his famed “Hell” series. The sickle moon, red raging city, and of course the spermatagoyle.
I really enjoyed the part where it was summoned. Had me laughing out in amusement.
Also, there were some references to another of his famed “Hell” series. The sickle moon, red raging city, and of course the spermatagoyle.
I really enjoyed the part where it was summoned. Had me laughing out in amusement.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 6, 2019
I ❤️ Edward Lee. This is a creature-feature of sorts, and involves two novellas, each sharing the same villain(ess). You get some Balls and Dicky action in the first story, blood and guts and “sex?” abound. The trauma continues in the second story, and it remains putrid throughout. A wonderful book by a wonderful author.
4/5 Skulls
☠️☠️☠️☠️
4/5 Skulls
☠️☠️☠️☠️
March 4, 2021
IT. WAZ. A. BLAST!
I cant put five stars just because i know how weird that would be for my conciense but oh my god, it waz laugh out loud funny, gory, perverse, sick, twisted and so damn funny
it connected all of lee s novels which waz amazing
the door knob, once again makes an appearence
the first chapter waz just beautiful and amazing
and then it all went to sicktown
loved it soooooo
I cant put five stars just because i know how weird that would be for my conciense but oh my god, it waz laugh out loud funny, gory, perverse, sick, twisted and so damn funny
it connected all of lee s novels which waz amazing
the door knob, once again makes an appearence
the first chapter waz just beautiful and amazing
and then it all went to sicktown
loved it soooooo
November 2, 2017
Great short read
Would recommend for those that aren’t squeamish. There is a bonus story afterwords. Ed doesn’t disappoint. I have read most of his novels.
Would recommend for those that aren’t squeamish. There is a bonus story afterwords. Ed doesn’t disappoint. I have read most of his novels.
April 5, 2018
Fantastic
Every single word in this book makes me love this man even more. How can you not want to read page after page?
Every single word in this book makes me love this man even more. How can you not want to read page after page?
July 12, 2018
Bullshit torture porn! Like a shitty Rob Zombie movie, but worse. Don't even waste your time with this book
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