[XLQ]≡ Read Broken Stories of Damaged Psyches Weldon Burge 9780984787661 Books

Broken Stories of Damaged Psyches Weldon Burge 9780984787661 Books

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Broken Stories of Damaged Psyches Weldon Burge 9780984787661 Books

Weldon Burge’s collection of short stories all share a similar theme. Each captures a broken (hence the title) and damaged mind struggling to cope with the horrors of the world. Each story reflects upon the consequences of what happens when that broken psyche can no longer hang on to the thin grip of reality and slips into the abyss.

The stories explore a wide range of mentally disturbed characters and their horrific decisions and choices. In “White Hell, Wisconsin,” we meet a deranged killer who takes advantage of a blizzard to brutally murder. “Sizzle” is a classic sci-fi/ horror “the voices made me do it” narrative. “Blue Eye Burn” is a disturbing look at the aftermath of Vietnam. Burge looks at the long-term impact that killing children had upon the soldiers through the eyes of a single vet and a single child. My personal favorites were “Permanent Detention” and “Another Highway Fatality.” “Detention” looks at the pressure cooker of high school from the point of view of a boy on the edge. “Fatality” explores the same theme, the pressure cooker of a violent society, through the eyes of a crime victim. The stories here have their violent edges, but none resort to gore/ splatter just for the sake of it. Instead each takes reader down a nightmarish descent of madness to the final, horrific conclusion. The stories leave the readers asking questions about society, violence, madness, and how or if any of the stories could have ended differently. They are tales from the insanity of real life. Each of the characters could be the person next to you at the bus stop or in the cubicle across the corridor.

The collection is not long. It is designed, from what I guess, as an introduction to Burge’s writing. It serves that purpose quite well and more.

Originally published at Horror Novel Reviews


Tags : Broken: Stories of Damaged Psyches [Weldon Burge] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. This is a collection of five horror/suspense stories by Weldon Burge, including: SIZZLE -- A philandering doctor meets a hill man who wants the sizzle cut out of his brain ANOTHER HIGHWAY FATALITY -- A college girl,Weldon Burge,Broken: Stories of Damaged Psyches,Smart Rhino Publications,0984787666,FICTION Thrillers Suspense

Broken Stories of Damaged Psyches Weldon Burge 9780984787661 Books Reviews

All in all I found this collection very entertaining. My thoughts on each of the 5 stories are listed below.

SIZZLE --A philandering doctor meets a hill man who wants the "sizzle" cut out of his brain.

Thoroughly enjoyed this story. I really liked that the MC has a completely different feeling about the sizzle in his brain than his patient did. Interesting to think about how different people would react under similar circumstances; try to fight it? Or let it give you an excuse to do all the horrible things you’ve only ever thought about.

ANOTHER HIGHWAY FATALITY --A college girl, driving alone late at night during a heavy storm, is stalked by a car with a missing headlight.

The psychological aspects of this story were awesome! I’m pretty sure we’ve all know people like the MC in this story. A much more twisted version of paranoia mixed in with some hypochondria type fears. Also makes you a little wary to think about pulling over to help someone on the side of the road when you don’t know if they’re nuts or not.

WHITE HELL, WISCONSIN --A snow plow driver, plowing back roads in rural Wisconsin during a blizzard, fights for his life against elusive assailants.

This one was a bit too fanciful for me to find realistic enough to enjoy. I thought there was merit in the guys in white snow suits killing people on the road during the snow and blizzards, but I didn’t really buy the reason for the violence, just seems a little too far-fetched.
There’s also a mention of something sounding like bees in this story which entirely did not make sense at all and only confused me. Maybe I read the passage wrong.

PERMANENT DETENTION --A stressed-out teenager believes his History teacher is actually one of the living dead.

This one was way out there but oh so amusing. What would you do if you thought your teacher was a high functioning zombie?

BLUE EYE BURN --A Vietnam veteran is haunted by a terrifying incident involving a young Vietnamese girl.

This was definitely not a twisted and weird story like the others, but more about redemption and learning to forgive yourself. I love that the story revolved around a War Vet, it was very touching and reminded me of a lot of things I’ve heard different people in my family talk about who were involved in different times of war.
This collection of short stories from Weldon Burge was exceptional. Besides his fine-tuned voice and sharp writing, the stories are all suspenseful, scary, and unique, despite the common thread of the theme. His ability to create visuals and evoke emotions with few words is amazing. There's nothing unnecessary in Burge's stories... the prose is whittled down and crystal clear, allowing the reader to take the journey, however afraid you might be of where it will lead, without getting hung up on extraneous details or verbosity.
Burge takes you to the places he visits in these stories -- to hear the "growl of the blizzard" in White Hell, Wisconsin; to a doctor's office where a West Virginian's "sun-baked, saurian skin suggested greater antiquity"; to a 1971 recon mission in the Quang Tri province where "pilots must have misjudged the wind, for much of the incendiary jelly splattered on the tiny cluster of huts" and "The screaming began"; to a classroom in Delaware where a young boy steals a glimpse at his teacher to witness an insect dwelling on his face "It pulled itself from his mouth, perched momentarily on his lower lip, then zigzagged across his left cheek and disappeared into his ear."
Burge's stories are truly reminiscent of the favorite shows of his youth that he credits and more. In a world where writing might be enjoyable but not always surprising, Burge accomplishes both. This compilation is highly recommended for anyone who loves short stories, horror on any level, or just plain great writing.
Weldon Burge’s collection of short stories all share a similar theme. Each captures a broken (hence the title) and damaged mind struggling to cope with the horrors of the world. Each story reflects upon the consequences of what happens when that broken psyche can no longer hang on to the thin grip of reality and slips into the abyss.

The stories explore a wide range of mentally disturbed characters and their horrific decisions and choices. In “White Hell, Wisconsin,” we meet a deranged killer who takes advantage of a blizzard to brutally murder. “Sizzle” is a classic sci-fi/ horror “the voices made me do it” narrative. “Blue Eye Burn” is a disturbing look at the aftermath of Vietnam. Burge looks at the long-term impact that killing children had upon the soldiers through the eyes of a single vet and a single child. My personal favorites were “Permanent Detention” and “Another Highway Fatality.” “Detention” looks at the pressure cooker of high school from the point of view of a boy on the edge. “Fatality” explores the same theme, the pressure cooker of a violent society, through the eyes of a crime victim. The stories here have their violent edges, but none resort to gore/ splatter just for the sake of it. Instead each takes reader down a nightmarish descent of madness to the final, horrific conclusion. The stories leave the readers asking questions about society, violence, madness, and how or if any of the stories could have ended differently. They are tales from the insanity of real life. Each of the characters could be the person next to you at the bus stop or in the cubicle across the corridor.

The collection is not long. It is designed, from what I guess, as an introduction to Burge’s writing. It serves that purpose quite well and more.

Originally published at Horror Novel Reviews