Not sure what to say on this one. It's just odd. I don't have a problem suggesting others read it though. Maybe you'll get something out of it that I did not.

RELEASE NOTES:

Sending to fellow bookcrosser Firegirl

Arrived yesterday in postal trade. Thanks so much -- I'm definitely curious about this author.

I was going to wait until I finished my current book before cracking this one but I couldn't resist. It's very quick, written in large print with lots of empty space. It is definitely, as msbungle said in her first entry, extremely odd. It is, on the surface, a zombie story set in a "splatterpunk" future, where people are born full adults, children are a thing of the past, and babies are a novelty item. The story is simple and strange but, I think, meaningful on a deeper level. Mellick touches on numerous subjects including (but not limited to) the importance of childhood play, commercialized/money-oriented religion, big business corporations at work, love, lust, and family. All this wrapped up in 92 brain-meltingly odd pages that stuck with me long after I finished it. I think I need to revisit it and read between the lines again -- I have a feeling what Mellick is saying here is very interesting.

While not at all suitable for those who are easily offended, I definitely recommend it to anyone with a taste for the macabe/bizzare and those who like to read "behind the story" for inner meaning.

All in all, great stuff, I thought. So much so, in fact, that I will probably get a copy for my permanent collection. This book is not at all appropriate for general wild-release (I can't imagine a parent's reaction to their child coming home with this), so I will have to think carefully on what to do with it.

Thanks very much, msbungle, for sending this my way. This little taste of Mellick has definitely increased my appetite for the strange dishes he serves up.

This arrived today! I'm so excited!! Thanks for sharing, firegirl, I've been wanting to read Mellick pretty badly!

This was a surprisingly quick read! I read part last night, and the rest of it in a Denny's parking lot while waiting to meet family out of town. Every word was just what it was hyped up to be. To call this wierd or strange is just plain understating it. In Mellick's own words, his works are in a "new" genre calling itself Bizarro. This is an instant favorite for me. Now I am needing ALL of Mellic's books, I'll be getting as many as I can find, two copies of each, one for Bookcrossing, one for my PC!

A twisted little tale for sure. This book had me laughing hysterically while cringing at the same time. Quite a statement on the importance of one's Childhood, and I loved the whole office drone angle. This will be going out in a bookring soon.

It's bookring time! I know a few people who have expressed interest in reading Mellick, so I'll see if I can interest them in this bookring! Mailing order is below. When I get it back, I may take it to a local nightclub to release on Goth Night, or perhaps release it in a piercing studio or some such place. We'll see.

Participants (shipping order not definate yet).

mellion108 MI, USA ***** FINISHED
anni99 NJ, USA ***** FINISHED
buffra WV, USA ***** FINISHED
kaija MI, USA ***** FINISHED
gillianne NM, USA ***** FINISHED
piggydiva KS, USA ***** FINISHED

Arrived safely! Thanks for passing this along my way, Jare. I wanted to read this as soon as I heard about, so it goes to the top of the TBR stack (well, to the top of the nearest stack!), and then I'll pass it to anni99.

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Trade Paperback, 92 pages

From the back cover:
Please do not molest the baby jesus!

"Reading Carlton MallickIII's Baby Jesus Butt Plug is like hopping into an LSD-filled time machine with David Cronenberg, William Burroughs, J.G. Ballard, Philip K. Dick, and George Romero at the controls.

This tale of office drones and disposable clones is a splatterpunk odyssey, a cautionary tale of corporate omnipotence, and a possible blueprint of the future of the nuclear family.

Touching, poignant, horrorific, nightmarish, and beautiful all at the same time, Baby Jesus Butt Plug is the work of an uncormpromising visionary who lances the boil of his seething imagination with the tip of his pen..."
—Trent Haaga, star of "Terror Firmer" and "Troma's Edge TV"

Avant Punk

I couldn't resist. I had to read this one immediately. Man, what a sick, twisted, bizarre, surreal, obscene, funny-as-hell, uncomfortable, dark, icky, fantastic read!

I mentioned to Jare that I think this should go on the list for the infamous book burners. Let them burn this by the dozens so that the book gains much publicity and sells a blue-billion copies for the author. My favorite quote? "Jesus is the son of god, not an anal probe!"

I think my most horrific image from this story is that we eventually gain the capability of growing people rather than birthing and raising them. Born as adults with a relatively short lifespan, we still have to slave away at mundane, illogical tasks while trapped in inhumane cubes doing work to help some unnamed, faceless, bureaucratic corporation make another billion dollars. *shudder*

I'll have this one out to anni99 in the next couple of days. Thanks Jare!

Definitely Bizzare. The idea of calling a copy shop in the future and ordering clones was very interesting and buying babies will definitely stay in my mind for quite a while.

Caught! Read! PMd next person for address!

(whew! that was a quick one!)

More of an entry on the actual book will be forthcoming....

I have no idea what to say about this book. It was somehow simultaneously hysterical, disturbing, thought-provoking, and just plain weird. I found myself searching for all sorts of symbolism – though I’m not sure it’s there. And finding some of it – though generally in the most obvious of places.
The bits about the workplace were the most obvious and clear. Yet not more comforting because of that fact.

I’ve known of Mellick for a long time and always been interested. I’m glad I got a chance to read him. I might try another one of his sometime. But I think I need to recover from this one first! (*grin*)

okay.. I read it in one hour... then roomate stole it... read it, friend read it... (all in one day..). so on to the next !

RELEASE NOTES:

Alright this one was sent out to the next on the list!

I have no words for how completely bizarre this book is! I can't decide if Carlton Mellick III is on drugs...or needs to be on drugs! ;)

Definitely not for the faint of heart, but an awesome read if you have a seriously sick sense of humour...and aren't a practicing Christian!

It certainly packs a lot to think about into its 92 pages. Makes me want to walk away from the computer, and find some toys to play with! Also makes me glad I never had kids...with my luck I would have given birth to a demon baby Jesus!

I know this book is part of a book ring, and I am very sorry I have had it for so long. I have been really ill, and I had tucked this away somewhere so my mother wouldn't find it when she comes over to clean. I sort of forgot about it until Jare reminded me the other day. I will be seeing him on Sunday, 22 April and I will give it back to him so he can mail it off to the next person in the ring. :)

Picked up from Gillianne at our BC meeting tonight. Will be shipping to piggydiva this week! After her, book is reserved for charlenemartel. QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ
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Received today--thanks. Will read it within the week.

Bizzaro fiction--yeah, I can see that. I liked the illustrations. The story was pretty Kafkaesque or like something that Chuck Palahniuk would have imagined, and I'm not sure if Mellick meant any reader to come up with this (but then, that's the beauty of literature, it means something different to every reader) but I see the overall theme that getting your wish can be more damaging than not (be careful what you wish for). I wonder if Mellick has children, because there certainly is something to the idea of completely sacrificing your self and your identity when you have children (I found this to be true in my own life). Overall, I liked it. I definitely wouldn't recommend this to be wild released!

Sending to charlenemartel!

This arrived with me safely. I can't wait to read it.
Thank you so much for sharing Jare and piggydiva
I have been wanting to read this one for so long

Char