By: Jeffrey Thomas Publisher: Necro Publications Average Rating: Binding: Paperback Format: Special Limited Edition Label: Necro Publications Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 236 Publication Date: May 01, 2003
Product Description: A man awakens in Hell where he is schooled in the ways of the damned. And once educated, he is released to wander Hell on his own. He journeys from one city to the next, dodging demon patrols and avenging angels hunting the damned for sport. Along the way to the city of Oblivion, he discovers a band of rebellious damned have left a tortured and beautiful demon to rot. He rescues her and sets in motion a series of events that could lead to the final battle between Heaven and Hell, angel and demon, demon and damned.
LETTERS FROM HADES is a travelogue of Hell - a world not that far from the very world we live in now. It is a story of rebellion, a story of love and a story of hope and rebirth set in a beautifully dark and textured world brought to brilliant life by Jeffrey Thomas, the acclaimed author of PUNKTOWN.
LETTERS FROM HADES is packed with over 30 scratchboard illustrations by Erik Wilson.
Interesting Concept This was an interesting take on what it means to be in hell. The story was entertaining without being all fire and brimstone. The way the author writes it, hell is a lot like earth.
Depressing good time This is a great book. Alot of fun. I short this book gives us life after death even in hell. You just have to survive the angels.
Great read... if you're a fan of Hell I'm a huge fan of all things end of the world. And this book does a great job of letting you experience someones visit to Hell. I have to admit that I had a really hard time putting this book down. It was done in just two sittings. The premise is that the main character dies and ends up in Hell. From there, it's his journey there and who he meets / befriends. I was really happy with the story and would definitely recommend it.
Quite wonderful. Jeffrey Thomas, Letters from Hades (Bedlam Press, 2003)
Despite the ambiguous way in which Thomas ends his narrative, it's entirely possible that the astute reader will turn the last page with one main question in his mind. Thomas' narrator muses, a few times, about the possibility of getting his manuscript back out of Hell and into the "real world." But no mechanisms for doing so are ever detailed. So how is the reader reading this manuscript?
This is a good thing. Thomas has done a fine job of suspension of disbelief in this exceptionally odd mix of Dante's Commedia and the first few acts of Romeo and Juliet (with intriguing dashes of A Clockwork Orange and The Dogs of War thrown in for good measure). The plot is simple: a man has committed suicide and gone to Hell where, after some basic schooling, he's left to fend for himself. He journeys around, sees things, gets involved in stuff, gets a job... a slice-of-life story, except that everyone in it is dead.
It's an amusing enough idea, and carried off with style, but what really sets Letters from Hades apart from so many other novels to be found out there in the wide world is that Thomas' narrator actually has a brain. He doesn't react to things like the typical horror-novel (anti-)hero. There's no quaking, screaming, falling down while running away from something nasty, or conveniently forgetting important facts when they're necessary. It's a travesty that such a sensible, pragmatic hero is such a rarity in the world of fiction, but at least when you run across such a character, you appreciate him all the more.
A fine piece of work, well worth your time. ****
Five Star book all the way Man I really loved this book. A person on Brian Keen e's message board recommended it to me because I loved City Infernal so much. I was not disappointed at all. It was a well thought out and developed novel. It is one of the more unique novels I've read.
I think one of the most unique factors of it is that there isn't a Satan. It was really neat how the book developed without having that character.
I really enjoyed the love story that was in Letters from Hades also. I usually don't like love stories, but I really did this one. You find yourself thinking that you would do the same thing if you were in that position, or at least I did.
The only complaints I have is that it could have be longer, and that there isn't a sequel. It begs for one, and I hope Mr Thomas gives us one in the future.
I highly recommend this book. It is definitely a five star story.
Anything Goes Trivia
Last Kiss
Megaton Man
Trevor
