Insanely Impactful
It’s wild to me that a story this influential is as short as it is. IHNMAIMS has impacted popular culture in countless ways, and it’s not even 100 pages.
Part of it can be chalked up to the talent of Harlan Ellison. His writing is incredible. He’s able to put so much into this short story! It’s haunting, it’s terrifying, it’s tragic, and it could take less than an hour to read through if you’re a fast enough reader.
AM is the highlight of this story. There’s plenty to say about the humans he’s chosen to torture, especially when you look at other adaptations of the work where those characters get expanded backstories. But in this short story, it’s AM that takes the spotlight. He is a fascinating study. His infamous “Hate” speech is incredibly powerful. You can feel the venom coming from the words, even though you’re just reading them.
I will say that there are some aspects of the story that haven’t aged super great, just because of when it was written. I’d just be prepared for some of that if you want to go in and read this. But the story itself is visceral enough on its own that I feel there’s a lot more to focus on than just this.
Part of it can be chalked up to the talent of Harlan Ellison. His writing is incredible. He’s able to put so much into this short story! It’s haunting, it’s terrifying, it’s tragic, and it could take less than an hour to read through if you’re a fast enough reader.
AM is the highlight of this story. There’s plenty to say about the humans he’s chosen to torture, especially when you look at other adaptations of the work where those characters get expanded backstories. But in this short story, it’s AM that takes the spotlight. He is a fascinating study. His infamous “Hate” speech is incredibly powerful. You can feel the venom coming from the words, even though you’re just reading them.
I will say that there are some aspects of the story that haven’t aged super great, just because of when it was written. I’d just be prepared for some of that if you want to go in and read this. But the story itself is visceral enough on its own that I feel there’s a lot more to focus on than just this.
35
Comments (1)
Log in to join the discussion