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A review by kevin_shepherd
Angry Candy by Harlan Ellison
4.0
Harlan Ellison was a crotchety, grumpy, and cantankerous old man. He was also the reason I became a reader. Okay, so maybe he wasn't the ONLY reason. Maybe Elizabeth George Speare and Theodor Geisel and Al Feldstein had a little something to do with it as well, but Harlan deserves most of the credit. His imaginative and riveting short stories were the perfect gateway drug for a chubby little fledgling bookworm with a short attention span.
Angry Candy is somewhat of a short-story experiment. It's not a "Best Of" collection and it doesn't pretend to be. This is Ellison coloring outside the lines, challenging himself, and us, to zig when convention demands a zag. For that reason, I would not recommend this as an intro to Harlan Ellison for anyone unfamiliar with his work. But if you're already a fan you are sure to find at least one story here that will exceed your high expectations.
For me, there were at least two standout stories: 'The Region Between' and 'Soft Monkey,' both about underdogs (one a rebellious disembodied soul and the other a homeless bag lady) who succeed against all odds - if only for a little while.
From the various reviews I've read everyone seems to have a different favorite. That's the ever-altering style of Ellison, what I like you might dislike, what I dislike you might love ...or not.
Angry Candy is somewhat of a short-story experiment. It's not a "Best Of" collection and it doesn't pretend to be. This is Ellison coloring outside the lines, challenging himself, and us, to zig when convention demands a zag. For that reason, I would not recommend this as an intro to Harlan Ellison for anyone unfamiliar with his work. But if you're already a fan you are sure to find at least one story here that will exceed your high expectations.
For me, there were at least two standout stories: 'The Region Between' and 'Soft Monkey,' both about underdogs (one a rebellious disembodied soul and the other a homeless bag lady) who succeed against all odds - if only for a little while.
From the various reviews I've read everyone seems to have a different favorite. That's the ever-altering style of Ellison, what I like you might dislike, what I dislike you might love ...or not.