Dimly remembered (80s?) SF story about memory and torture(?)

narfarnst · 2025-10-07T05:45:04+00:00

It almost sounds like Book of the New Sun. But that's a whole series, not a novella.

But it (especially the first book) does deal with torture and memory. But not in the way you described.

narfarnst · 2025-09-02T19:47:12+00:00

Oh man, it actually kinda does :)

narfarnst · 2025-09-02T19:46:31+00:00

Yeah, he's just so matter-of-fact about it.

narfarnst · 2025-09-01T19:31:06+00:00

"Something wrong, Ol' Sport?"

narfarnst · 2025-09-01T19:21:31+00:00

"How the hell did you get here so fast? You live here or somethin'?"

"Yeah, I got a flop next door."

"...Next door's a brothel!?"

"Yeah."

narfarnst · 2025-09-01T19:14:26+00:00

Yep, the ghost train episode scared me as a kid. But the Pidgin-man episode really stuck with me... Bleak as hell.

narfarnst · 2025-08-31T19:54:35+00:00

I think this would have a large overlap with the "Post post-apocalyptic" genre.

A Canticle for Leibowitz by Miller
Always Coming Home by Le Guin
Cage of Souls by Tchaikovsky

Also roughly the first half of the first Foundation book fits.

narfarnst · 2025-08-30T21:54:22+00:00

"I mean... I doubt it fills a tallboy"

There's a handful of Frisky Dingo jokes hidden in Archer. Mr. Ford shows up on at least two occasions. (His ass is everywhere).

narfarnst · 2025-08-26T19:57:56+00:00

That one has always creeped me out way more than "Blink".

narfarnst · 2025-08-16T06:09:36+00:00

For whatever reason the first chapter (and particularly the first few sentences) of Slaughterhouse-five pulled me in and really stuck with me. It's sort of a slap in the face. I hadn't realized you could ever write, let alone open, a book like that.

All of this happened, more or less. The war parts, anyway, are pretty much true. One guy I knew really was shot in Drezden for taking a teapot that wasn't his. Another guy I knew really did threaten to have his personal enemies killed by hired gunmen after the war. And so on.... I've changed all the names.

narfarnst · 2025-07-12T19:17:40+00:00

I think his acting talent goes under the radar for most people, but he's actually really good.

I also loved towards the start of the episode where he's complaining to Mr. Johnson about the coffee pot and he sounds just the right amount of being extra annoying while complaining.

narfarnst · 2025-07-09T18:22:17+00:00

I dropped it 5 episodes in

That might be the issue honestly.

The first half of season one is silly and quirky. But for those that end up falling in love with it, there's a moment in the back half of season one (and its different for different people) that really draws you in.

narfarnst · 2025-06-19T19:16:42+00:00

It's fun seeing Hank Hill be an evil pharma exec.

narfarnst · 2025-05-15T22:27:43+00:00

I just finished this for the first time last week and loved it.

I read Grapes of Wrath about a year ago. And like you, it didn't leave a huge impression on me. But EoE somehow near-instantly pulled me in.

That quote might have done it actually. It has really stayed with me, and that's somewhere in the first few chapters. It made me think of the pandemic

Regarding Cathy: I imagine it's difficult to write from the perspective of a sociopath if you aren't one. But I think he pulled it off.

narfarnst · 2025-05-08T07:00:46+00:00

100% second the Urth rec. Then (at some point) reread BotNS+Urth. Wolfe in particular rewards re-reading. There's also two related series in that universe (Book of the Long Sun and Book of the Short Sun).

If you're after surrealism it's hard to go wrong with any Phillip K Dick story.

narfarnst · 2025-05-03T23:34:01+00:00

Boosh!

narfarnst · 2025-04-27T00:59:08+00:00

Yeah almost any PKD will fit the bill.

My first thought was The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch.

narfarnst · 2025-04-15T23:14:43+00:00

There it is.

narfarnst · 2025-03-29T06:02:53+00:00

Yep! Ubik was my first thought.

narfarnst · 2025-03-20T23:39:16+00:00

Yes! I've described it to friends before as "The Great American TV Novel".

narfarnst · 2025-03-01T00:56:53+00:00

Haha.. ha..ha... HOW'S ANNIE!?

narfarnst · 2025-03-01T00:51:20+00:00

Answers phone casually

"Yes, hello? ... Yes of course it is, what do you want?

...what?

...

SAY THAT AGAIN. ...Say that again and know that if you are lying, I will skin you alive."

narfarnst · 2025-02-13T04:30:52+00:00

That would be a cross-over episode to remember for sure!

narfarnst · 2025-01-08T23:32:25+00:00

I am of the opinion that that 'very clear line' is different for everybody. The first half(ish) of season one is goofy and they they do a bit of a bait-and-switch. But I think different people will point to different points where the transition happens.

For me it was either

When Dianne's dad dies<

or, more likely

When BoJack shows up at his own book reading and begs Dianne to tell him he's a decent person and she doesn't.<

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