The Image of the Beast: AND Blown Book

This reissue of Philip Jose Farmer's Image of the Beast is both daringly explicit and outrageously, unrealistically over-the-top; it's also a rare example of classic pulp fiction with a sulphurous dash of pornography added to the topsy-turvy mix. This unique novel was first published in 1968 by the legendary Essex House imprint in California during the heyday of flower power and alternative culture. Melancholy Hollywood based Private Investigator Herald Childe watches a snuff movie of his partner being murdered in horrific circumstances. His exploration of the dark and evil side of the Los Angeles scene which ensues becomes a nightmare of sexual brutality and supernatural bestiality. A relentless exploration of private eye clichés with a dangerous mix of villains from darkest fantasy and hidden levels of the subconscious, this grips like a vice and is guaranteed to give the unsuspecting reader lasting nightmares. The apocalyptic sequel Blown is included in this disturbing volume that stands alone in the history of crime writing: extreme and outrageous but a major object of weary fascination. --Maxim JakubowskiRead More