A couple of days ago, Rachel Swirsky — an award-winning science fiction and fantasy writer who posts at Alas, A Blog and sometimes comments here on Man Boobz as well — sent along a link to a brilliant, brutal, and horrifying short story she’d recently published in Apex Magazine. Titled “Abomination Rises on Filthy Wings,” the story is essentially her attempt to get inside the mind of a violent misogynist.
As the editor’s note to her story explains:
Swirsky wrote this piece after talking to multiple editors who worked with horror stories, all of whom reported receiving many submissions about men murdering their wives or ex–wives. Despite the fictional veneer and supernatural justification [for the murder], many have the feel of personal revenge fantasies, and most characterize the women through disturbing, misogynist stereotypes. Swirsky wanted to see if it was possible to write a story that included all the markers of the trope but nevertheless subverted it.
In writing the story, Swirsky told me, “I drew heavily on Manboobz for mood and imagery, to try to get the sense of the narrator.”
So, enjoy. But first, I should warn you that the story is very violent, very disturbing, and could very well be triggering. So giant TRIGGER WARNING.
Here’s the LINK.
Yeah, I saw Cabin in the Woods. Didn’t like it. I thought it had a problem with tonal shifts that films like Scream handled more deftly. Trying to create a mythos based on horror film tropes was admirable, but I was surprised how it winded down into blatant misanthropy.
Oh LBT: a dragon in a plaid skirt.
Gorgeous, katz!
@pecunium
Sorry, I didn’t know that. Words that I like the sound of shouldn’t be allowed to have horrible usages. It shall be one of my first decrees when I am emperor king!
@Shiraz:
I don’t think it was really as misanthropic as all that. The moral wasn’t really ‘burn the world down’ so much as it was ‘burn the horror movies down.’
Story seems, unfortunately, spot – on.
Howard re Cabin in the Woods (Rot 13 to avoid spoilers):
Gur bayl jnl gb “ohea qbja ubeebe zbivrf” jnf gb yrg gur jbeyq or qrfgeblrq. Znlor Jurqba jnf gelvat gb znxr fbzr zrgn pbzzragnel ba gur angher bs gur cerfrag jbeyq, ohg vg snvyf gb zbir zr.
Unq ur crefvfgrq, cnfg “Gur Evfvat” gb fubj gung gur gebcrf jrer fbzrubj frys-pnhfvat, naq gur Raq-Gvzrf gurl jrer orvat ervasbeprq gb cerirag jrer na negvsnpg bs gur zvfhaqrefgnaqvatf juvpu perngrq gurz, znlor.
Ohg gurer jrer n pbhcyr bs uhtr cybg ubyrf.
1: N Fnpevsvpr Zhfg Or Znqr.
1n: Gur Ivpgvzf zhfg Serryl Pubbfr obgu gur zrnaf bs gurve raq; naq serryl qrpvqr gb or thvygl bs gur “fvaf” juvpu zrevg gung qrzvfr.*
1o: Vs gurer vf abg n fnpevsvpr, gur jbeyq jvyy raq.
Fb, jung unccraf vs nyy bs gur fryrpgrq ivpgvzf cnff gur grfg? Qbrf gur jbeyq abg raq? Vs fb gura gur ragver nccnenghf qrfvtarq gb sbepr gurz vf ohyyfuvg. Jurqba qbrfa’g nafjre gung.
Gura lbh unir gur bqq qvssrerapr orgjrra Wncna naq gur HF. Va Wncna gur xvqf ghea gur zbafgre vagb n sebt, naq nyy vf bire. Va gur HF gurl svther bhg ubj gb yrnir naq… ner fgbccrq. Zber penc vf cvyrq ba gurz, naq gur pbageby ebbz grnz zbirf va gb whfg xvyy gurz bss.
Jung’f gur qvssrerapr? Jul vf bar tebhc nyybjrq gb unir gurve ivpgbel (rira vs vg zrnaf gur raq bs gur jbeyq) naq gur bgure vfa’g? Jul qvqa’g gur Wncnarfr Pbageby Ebbz Grnz vagreirar?
Vs nyy gung znggref, jura gur raq bs gur qnl pbzrf nebhaq vf gung zbafgref jrer eryrnfrq, naq crbcyr qvrq, gura Wncna bhtug gb unir whfg fgrccrq va naq znpuvar thaarq gur xvqf, gur fnzr jnl gur HF gevrq.
Gung qbrfa’g rira nqqerff gur dhrfgvba bs ubj guvf evghny pnzr gb or va gur svefg cynpr. Vs gur Pgubavp zbafgref/Tbqf juvpu ner ylvat orybj gur rnegu jrer npgvir,ubj pnzr uhznavgl gb or noyr gb pbfagenva gurz?
*naq gurve novyvgl gb znxr serr pubvprf vf uvaqrerq; gurl ner thvqrq/qehttrq vagb znxvat gur qrpvfvbaf/pbzzvggvat gur “fvaf”
And that looks like an incantation to Elder Gods. :), but those are the reasons I wasn’t impressed with Cabin in the Woods. If those had been addressed, if some commentary had actually been included (other than the one pretense at gender-bending/stereotype reversal: which ought not have fooled any of the audience, because the assumption being made by the “bad guys” was stated to be not true among the heroes, so we were clued in, early on) it might have done some of that.
But (at least for me) it failed, utterly.
daintydougal: I didn’t know it either. My partner corrected me when I made a comment about various judaisms in another fora.
Live and Learn.
@LBT yes, Beasts of Burden is amazing and I highly recommend it. For a comic about animals, it gets pretty creepy sometimes. Also, there’s a crossover with Hellboy, which is one of my favorite comics (and also excellently creepy at times).
pecunium: A Rot13 reply:
V guvax vg’f cerggl pyrne gung vs abar bs gur ivpgvzf snvy gur grfg, gura gur ryqre tbqf jvyy evfr. Erzrzore, gur jubyr cbvag vf gung gur Pgubavp ragvgvrf ner frrxvat gb or ragregnvarq va gurve fyhzore, abg npgviryl whqtvat gur cnegvpvcnagf nf nalguvat bgure guna gurve ebyr va gur sbezhyn. Fb, vs abar bs gur fpranevbf cebqhpr gur qrfverq erfhygf–sbe jungrire ernfba–jbeyq raqf.
Bar guvat gb xrrc va zvaq–gur inevbhf Pbageby Ebbzf ner, va rffrapr, pbecbengr ohernhpenpvrf. Fhpu fgehpgherf ner fybj gb erfcbaq jura snpvat vzzvarag qvfnfgre, naq bsgra erfcbaq varssrpghnyyl. Fb, sbe vafgnapr, Wncna Pbageby Ebbz’f snvyher gb gnxr zber ntterffvir npgvba jura gur xvqf ortna gb ‘jva’ gur fpranevb znl irel jryy fvzcyl or gung va npgvba–gurl unq tebja fb hfrq gb fhpprff (erzrzore, gurl unq na haqrsrngrq erpbeq gb gung cbvag) gung gurl fvzcyl snvyrq gb ernyvmr gung vg jnf fyvccvat njnl. Naq, sbe gung znggre, gurl znl abg unir ernyvmrq gung gur H.F. Pbageby Ebbz jnf nobhg gb syho vg, gbb. Fb gurl yrg gur fnpevsvprf jva, abg njner gung guvf zrnag gung rirelguvat jnf evqvat ba n fvghngvba gung jnf nyernql va pngnfgebcuvp snvyher.
Abj, V qb nterr gung gur hfr bs gebbcf jnf n tyvgpu va ubj gur flfgrz jnf cbegenlrq. Ubarfgyl, V pna jevgr n jnl nebhaq vg, naq vg jbhyq gvr onpx vagb gur nobir cnentencu–gur qrpvfvba gb unir gurz trg znpuvar-thaarq qbja jnf rffragvnyyl n ohernhpengvp cnavp erfcbafr juvpu npghnyyl jbhyq’ir orra qvfnfgebhf, orpnhfr vg jbhyqa’g shysvyy gur fpranevb’f erdhverzragf. Guvf jbhyq znxr gur svany pbasebagngvba, jurer Qnan unf gb qrpvqr jurgure be abg gb fubbg Znegl, zber pehpvny, orpnhfr vg jbhyq rzcunfvmr gung ng gung cbvag, fur jnf gur bayl bar jub PBHYQ shysvyy gur cnpg’f grezf–vg unf gb or n pybfrq flfgrz. Lbh pna unir gurz xvyy rnpu bgure (gur rkpenoyr Fnj frevrf jbhyq cnff gur grfg va guvf ertneq), be gurl pna or xvyyrq ol gur zbafgref, ohg gur Pbageby Fgnss pna’g npg qverpgyl. Fb, lrf, abg chggvat va na rkcynangvba, rfcrpvnyyl fhpu n fvzcyr bar, VF n snvyvat bs gur svyz.
Nf sbe ‘ubj vg pnzr gb cnff’ va gur svefg cynpr? Fvzcyl chg, abg vzcbegnag gb gur cybg. Vagrerfgvat, znlor, naq V pbhyq, ntnva, jevgr n srj fpranevbf gung jbhyq rkcynva vg (gur rnfvrfg orvat gung uhznavgl ebfr jura gur Pgubavpf jrag vagb fyhzore, naq qvfpbirerq gur ‘flfgrz’ zbfgyl ol nppvqrag, gevny naq reebe–gurl yrnearq gung gur Qnex Cbjref erznvarq nfyrrc fb ybat nf n fryrpgvba bs lbhat uhznaf fhssrerq ubeevoyl ng gur unaqf bs gurve yrffre puvyqera). Ohg ng gur raq bs gur zbivr, V qvqa’g arrq gung zhpu rkcbfvgvba nobhg gur jbeyq-ohvyqvat cebprff. Vs lbh qba’g yvxr gur nppvqragny cebprff, tb jvgu gur Pgubavpf qrpvqvat gung gur cevzvgvir ‘uhznaf’ jrer vagrerfgvat orpnhfr bs gurve pncnpvgl gb fhssre, naq fb qrpvqrq gb frg qbja grezf bs gur cnpg sbe gurve bja nzhfrzrag; gur flfgrz gur uhznaf qrirybcrq fvzcyl terj bire gvzr nsgre gung.
Freemage:
V guvax vg’f cerggl pyrne gung vs abar bs gur ivpgvzf snvy gur grfg, gura gur ryqre tbqf jvyy evfr.
Va juvpu pnfr jul zhfg gur znxr gur pubvprf serryl? Vg’f fbeg bs erdhverq gur qnex tbqf or yvzvgrq va jurer gurl pna frr jung’f tbvat ba (bgurejvfr gur yriry bs ovmneer pehrygl va gur jbeyq jbhyq or rabhtu).
Fb, jul unir guvf yvggyr fnyir gb gur pbafpvrapr? Vg’f n qrivpr: vg’f na nggrzcg gb znxr gur pbageby ebbz zber flzcngurgvp, naq vg uhegf gur aneengvir.
Bar guvat gb xrrc va zvaq–gur inevbhf Pbageby Ebbzf ner, va rffrapr, pbecbengr ohernhpenpvrf. Fhpu fgehpgherf ner fybj gb erfcbaq jura snpvat vzzvarag qvfnfgre, naq bsgra erfcbaq varssrpghnyyl. Fb, sbe vafgnapr, Wncna Pbageby Ebbz’f snvyher gb gnxr zber ntterffvir npgvba jura gur xvqf ortna gb ‘jva’ gur fpranevb znl irel jryy fvzcyl or gung va npgvba–gurl unq tebja fb hfrq gb fhpprff (erzrzore, gurl unq na haqrsrngrq erpbeq gb gung cbvag) gung gurl fvzcyl snvyrq gb ernyvmr gung vg jnf fyvccvat njnl. Naq, sbe gung znggre, gurl znl abg unir ernyvmrq gung gur H.F. Pbageby Ebbz jnf nobhg gb syho vg, gbb. Fb gurl yrg gur fnpevsvprf jva, abg njner gung guvf zrnag gung rirelguvat jnf evqvat ba n fvghngvba gung jnf nyernql va pngnfgebcuvp snvyher.
V gubhtug bs obgu bs gubfr. Naq gur pbecbengr fgehpgher bs vg qbrfa’g punatr gur haqreylvat phygherf. Jul qbrf Wncna unir fhpu n tbbq erpbeq? Cerfhznoyl gurl yrnir yrff gb punapr, naq vagreirar zber gb nibvq “zvfgnxrf”.
Gur “qvfgevohgvba bs erfcbafvovygl” vf uneq gb ohl gbb, orpnhfr gur sngr bs nyy uhznavgl vg evqvat ba vg. Gung’f gur wfhgvsvpngvba sbe gur onanyvgl bs gur rivy gurl ner qbvat. Gur haqreylvat fgehpgherf (gur infg nezl bs rasbepref jub ner guerer gb punfr guvatf/crbcyr qbja. Gurl qvqa’g oyvaax ng gur vqrn bs guebjvat gur ehyrf bhg gur jvaqbj gb xvyy gur gjb jub jrer fgvyy nyvir.
V svaq vg uneq gb oryvrir gur fnzr rgubf jnfa’g cerfrag ryfrjurer; rkprcg gung jr ner fbeg bs gbyq vg vf.
Nf sbe ‘ubj vg pnzr gb cnff’ va gur svefg cynpr? Fvzcyl chg, abg vzcbegnag gb gur cybg. Vagrerfgvat, znlor, naq V pbhyq, ntnva, jevgr n srj fpranevbf gung jbhyq rkcynva vg (gur rnfvrfg orvat gung uhznavgl ebfr jura gur Pgubavpf jrag vagb fyhzore, naq qvfpbirerq gur ‘flfgrz’ zbfgyl ol nppvqrag, gevny naq reebe–gurl yrnearq gung gur Qnex Cbjref erznvarq nfyrrc fb ybat nf n fryrpgvba bs lbhat uhznaf fhssrerq ubeevoyl ng gur unaqf bs gurve yrffre puvyqera).
Bhe zvyrntr inevrf. Gurfr Qnex Tbqf ner tbvat gb xvyy rirelguvat. Jul? Orpnhfr gung’f jung gurl qb. Guvf vf gur bar guvat juvpu pna fnir rirelbar. Abg guvf fgnegf n znffvir enpr gb svaq arj ivpgvzf naq chg gurz onpx gb orq. Vs gung jnf gur vffhr, vs vg unq orra cnvagrq gung jnl, gura guvf vf zber cynhfvoyr.
Fb jr unir gb fbeg bs nffhzr gung, va gur zvfgf bs ceruvfgbel, fbzrbar svtherq bhg ubj gb gbegher crbcyr naq chg gur Tbqf gb Fyrrc, naq rire fvapr gur bayl guvat jupu unf fnirq hf vf guvf qnex frperg.
Gung’f cneg bs gur ceboyrz, vg’f gbb ovt n pynvz.
Shaqnzragnyyl gung znl unir orra gur ceboyrz. Gur pynvzf jrer gbb ovt sbe gung fgbel gb pbire.
What’s interesting is that I saw elements of Gaiman’s American Gods in the story, and the way that local customs enhnanced, and diminished the Gods various peoples carried with them; in particular the story of the Kobold. and how he came to be, and what was done/he did, to keep himself in business. That could be lifted from the book, and presented as a one hour feature and it would cover a lot of the same ground Cabin in the Woods did.
RE: katz
EEEE! That looks great! Thank you! May I put it up as a fan illustration on ‘Gold and Platinum’? I’ll link back and credit you, of course.
RE: emilygoddess
LOVE Beasts of Burden. Both the kids here ADORE it. I got our local comic book shop to stock it because of its greatness. And yeah, it’s actually very creepy, in my opinion. (Particularly that one with the missing puppies… brrr!)
Of course 🙂 Glad you like it.
Hooray! *adds it to the fic and the wrap-up post* This delights me.
I love the dragon, katz!
pecunium (and with some apologies to everyone else for doing it this way–maybe we should take it to the forums if we want to keep going?):
Fb, jul unir guvf yvggyr fnyir gb gur pbafpvrapr? Vg’f n qrivpr: vg’f na nggrzcg gb znxr gur pbageby ebbz zber flzcngurgvp, naq vg uhegf gur aneengvir.
Vs lbh gnxr gur ‘cnpg’ nccebnpu, vafgrnq bs gur nppvqragny qvfpbirel nccebnpu, guvf vf cerggl zhpu nppbhagrq sbe–gur Tbqf ner qrznaqvat gung guvf or qbar sbe gurz. Enaqbz pehrygl nybar jba’g nppbhag sbe vg–vg zhfg or rkcyvpvg. Naq cneg bs vg vf gb sbepr gur ivpgvzf gb unir fbzr frafr, ng fbzr cbvag, bs thvyg va gurve bja qrzvfr.
Vs jr gnxr nf n tvira gung gur ‘fraq va gur gebbcf’ abgvba jbhyq ABG jbex (zl vqrn gung gur qrnguf ZHFG or gur erfhyg bs gur npgvbaf bs gur ivpgvzf be gur zbafgref, abg gur ntrapvrf birefrrvat gur fnpevsvpr), gura vg orpbzrf pyrne gung Wncna qvqa’g gnxr gubfr fgrcf orpnhfr gurl jbhyq unir orra hfryrff. Gur Nzrevpnaf ernpgrq jvgu n snveyl hfryrff nccebnpu orpnhfr jr’er Nzrevpnaf naq ernpuvat sbe bhe thaf va n pevfvf vf jung jr qb.
Guvf jbhyq npghnyyl or nppbhagrq sbe ol gur irel cbvag lbh envfr nobir. Nzrevpna fbpvrgl graqf gb or zber that-ub, trarenyyl. Va n pevfvf, jr ernpu sbe n tha. Fb juvyr gur Wncnarfr Pbageby Ebbz svaqf vgfrys syhzzbkrq orpnhfr bs n bapr-va-n-yvsrgvzr fhpprff ba gur cneg bs gur fnpevsvpvny lbhgu naq snprf snvyher fgbvpyl, gur Nzrevpnaf cnavp naq pnyy va gur gebbcf, rira gubhtu gung jbhyq snvy hggreyl gb qrny jvgu gur ceboyrz. (Gb or pyrne, gur vqrn vf gung gur gebbcf ner abg fhccbfrq gb unir nal pbagnpg jvgu gur ivpgvzf, ng nyy. Gurl’er gurer fbyryl gb gel naq ebhaq hc rfpncrq zbafgref, be gb xrrc njnl pyhryrff olfgnaqref jub zvtug gel gb vairfgvtngr jung unccrarq gb gur fnpevsvprf.)
Gung’f jul gur cnpg vqrn jbexf orggre guna gur nppvqragny qvfpbirel abgvba, cnegvphyneyl nqqerffvat lbhe pbapreaf. Gur vqrn jvgu gur cnpg vf gung gur Qnex Tbqf ner, va rffrapr, gblvat jvgu bhe ragver fcrpvrf. Gurl’yy yrg hf eha nf ybat nf jr pna, nf ybat nf jr xrrc nzhfvat gurz. Jura jr snvy, tnzr bire. Fb gurer’f ab ‘enpr gb svaq arj fnpevsvprf’–jr’ir unq bhe punapr, naq jr oyrj vg, fb jr’er qrnq. Gur ehyrf ner neovgenel cerpvfryl gb nzc hc gur pehrygl bs gur tnzr. Vg gnetrgf gur lbhat orpnhfr gung znxrf gurve fhssrevat naq qrngu zber ovggre naq jnfgrshy.
I should note–since I’m now in the territory of introducing elements not in the script, though not contradicting it (that I can see), I’m pretty much conceding that the exposition is weak at specific points and would benefit greatly from some shoring up. I just don’t think that the lack thereof makes the whole movie a failure.
Are you two attempting to awaken the elder gods?
It would appear to be so.
And thanks to all the fanwork I’ve gotten, I had to finally make an official post regarding it: it is cool. I like it. And if people make it for certain stories, I will with permission, credit, and link back the pic with the story. WOO.
Just remembered this (very creepy) animated short film, “Harpya”, from Belgium, with a similar theme. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYiS6lmc_H0
Argenti: It’s all in an attempt to be polite, but I realized it wasn’t very effective at not disrupting the thread, which is why I suggested moving to the forum in my last post. Sorry to those caught in the spillover.
freemage: I think that,as a bog-standard horror movie it’s fine. What it fails utterly to do (for all the reasons we’ve discussed) is subvert the tropes.
And (sorry, long day at work) the reason so many sing it’s praises, is they see it as subverting those tropes.
Freemage — oh I was ripping off what pecunium said earlier, no worries!
Oi, I would like to read the discussion of Cabin in the Woods going on here. Do I need a course in code cracking or what? Jeez.
Marci — copy and paste it all into rot13.com