In this ambiguously supernatural epistolatory novel, a soldier in an unstated war (but I'm guessing Vietnam) is thrown into solitary for attacking his CO. The circumstances of the attack are peculiar, and the soldier is recategorized as a psych case. About half the novel consists of letters between military psychologists who are treating/investigating him, and the other half is the soldier's autobiography, written in third person on the suggestion of the psychologist.
The soldier, who calls himself George Smith, had a nasty, brutish, and short childhood with an abused sickly mother and an abusive alcoholic father; when he's sent to a juvenile home, it's a huge step up. His sole interest in life is hunting, which he describes in obsessive detail (so warning for non-sadistic animal harm). His account has subtle lacunae, which are picked up on by the psychologist. This was written in 1961, so the psychology is unsurprisingly Freudian.
I'll spoiler-cut just in case, though the blurb gives it away and early events very strongly suggest it.
"George" has a thirst for blood. That part is straightforward. The question is, is he a vampire of the supernatural variety, or a serial killer with a craving for blood? If the latter, where did this obsession come from? If the former, is he still a vampire if he doesn't actually need it to survive? What defines a vampire, anyway?
His actual name is Bela and it's strongly hinted that he regularly consensually fed on his mother, and also that he enjoyed cunnilingus with his girlfriend when she was on her period. Otherwise he has no sex drive, though he's capable of PIV sex and does it to please his girlfriend, who gets pregnant... with a vampire baby??? Or just a regular baby?
Recced by![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
scioscribe as an example of "is it SFF or not?" I'd never heard of it before and hadn't realized Sturgeon has written anything other than SF. It's an odd, intriguing book with an excellent final line.
Content notes: Graphic domestic violence, lots of hunting-related animal harm, non-graphic rape, child death.
Currently $1.99 on Kindle
The soldier, who calls himself George Smith, had a nasty, brutish, and short childhood with an abused sickly mother and an abusive alcoholic father; when he's sent to a juvenile home, it's a huge step up. His sole interest in life is hunting, which he describes in obsessive detail (so warning for non-sadistic animal harm). His account has subtle lacunae, which are picked up on by the psychologist. This was written in 1961, so the psychology is unsurprisingly Freudian.
I'll spoiler-cut just in case, though the blurb gives it away and early events very strongly suggest it.
"George" has a thirst for blood. That part is straightforward. The question is, is he a vampire of the supernatural variety, or a serial killer with a craving for blood? If the latter, where did this obsession come from? If the former, is he still a vampire if he doesn't actually need it to survive? What defines a vampire, anyway?
His actual name is Bela and it's strongly hinted that he regularly consensually fed on his mother, and also that he enjoyed cunnilingus with his girlfriend when she was on her period. Otherwise he has no sex drive, though he's capable of PIV sex and does it to please his girlfriend, who gets pregnant... with a vampire baby??? Or just a regular baby?
Recced by
scioscribe as an example of "is it SFF or not?" I'd never heard of it before and hadn't realized Sturgeon has written anything other than SF. It's an odd, intriguing book with an excellent final line.Content notes: Graphic domestic violence, lots of hunting-related animal harm, non-graphic rape, child death.
Currently $1.99 on Kindle
