I read this ages ago, but the story set in Thailand still sticks in my head as just..shudder..

It was a truly unforgettable tale that had a profound impact on me. The vivid descriptions of the Thai landscape, the bustling streets, and the unique culture added an extra layer of authenticity to the story. The characters were well-developed, and their struggles and triumphs made me feel as if I was right there with them. The plot was filled with twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. Even now, when I think back on the story, I can't help but feel a sense of unease and discomfort. It was that kind of story that lingers in your mind long after you've finished reading it.

I was truly in a dilemma when it came to rating this.

On one hand, I wanted to give it 4 stars, as the overall collection was quite impressive. The stories were engaging, well-written, and had their own unique charm.

However, on the other hand, the fifth novella was simply outstanding. It had a depth and complexity that set it apart from the others. The characters were vividly drawn, and the plot was both thrilling and thought-provoking.

In the end, I found myself torn between giving it 4 and 5 stars. The fifth novella was that good, but I also felt that the other stories contributed to the overall quality of the collection.

Perhaps a 4.5-star rating would be more appropriate, but since that's not an option, I'll have to make a difficult decision.

Either way, this is a collection that I would highly recommend to anyone who enjoys reading engaging and well-written stories.

This book is promoted as a "Scattershot of writing", and the reader is "Guaranteed to find at least one novella that they will love". However, the issue with such a scattered approach is that due to people's diverse tastes, it's likely that they will only "Love" one or perhaps two of the stories rather than all or even most of them.

The first story in the book, "Entropy's Bed at Midnight", is around 38 pages long. It's about a panicky father's thoughts on life and death as his paranoia regarding his daughter's safety hampers his life. This story was extremely well-written, but it didn't really progress anywhere. Still, I can't say that I didn't enjoy it; it was quite interesting to read.

The second story, "Dying in Bangkok", is probably the most controversial in this collection. As other reviewers have mentioned, it contains some extremely explicit sexual scenes that seem to go on and on. However, the story does have a proper progression, so if you can tolerate the almost pornographic level of sex described, it actually turns out quite well in the end.

"Sleeping with Teeth Women" was a strange one. It's the tale of a Native American boy who is very horny and wants to marry the pretty young maiden in the tribe but ends up on a vision quest instead, hoping to save all of their people. This story had a lot of potential but wandered all over the place, as if Simmons wasn't completely sure where he wanted to take it. It was well-written but meandered to the point of losing the reader's interest.

"Flashback" was more of a Sci-Fi story about a drug called "Flashback" that people are addicted to. The drug allows them to relive their memories and starts causing chaos in society. It reminded me a bit of "Strange Days", though not as interesting. I had a hard time getting through this story; I guess I just really can't get into Sci-Fi. Sorry.

"The Great Lover", the final and longest story in the book, is more of a war story told through the journal of a great poet. Although it was the best-researched and most "educational" of the stories, it failed to hold my attention. I don't know why, but I just couldn't get into it.

Overall, all of the stories are very well-written, but they are so different in their topics and styles that it's very unlikely that many people will either love or hate all of them. Personally, I enjoyed the first three and had a hard time with the last two; my friend liked the last three and hated the first two. Either way, if you come across a copy of this book, chances are you will find something you like and something that really isn't your style. I don't think this is representative of all of Simmons' work, which I generally enjoy. His short stories really seem to be very hit or miss.

Rather than short stories, I would say that this collection is composed of 5 novellas, dedicated as the title states, to love and death, which is present in each of the stories.

All in different genres, from the fantastic to science fiction via horror, there is something for all tastes, while still maintaining this theme of death and love as an inseparable entity from one another.

However, one of the short stories, "Dying in Bangkok", although brilliant and in fact the best story in the book in my opinion, is not for everyone's hands, as some scenes can really shock. (I found the atmosphere that our dear "Thomas Day" managed to put in "Dragon" or in "The City of Skulls", two texts that I love.

I also really liked the text "Flash-back" which keeps you hooked from start to finish. The other three texts are also interesting but didn't passion me as much, but note that the quality is still there.

Dan Simmons' writing is always as strong, he has the art of suspense, the art of love, the art of death, the art of transporting us with his words and ideas.

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The author has been delving deep into the works of some of their favorite authors, having completed Stephen King, Robert McCammon, and almost finishing Peter Straub. Now, the focus is on Dan Simmons. Simmons is known for his science fiction like the Hyperion series but started as a great horror writer with works like Song of Kali and Summer of Night. The author was excited to see his collection of speculative fiction with five novellas. They love novellas as they are the right length to develop characters and explore themes without being drawn out. The collection is marketed as a novella collection but actually has four novellas and one short story, all centered around love and death.

The author ranks the stories from favorite to least. Dying in Bangkok is the top pick, set in the dark underbelly of Thailand's capital, it's disturbing and unique, with a twist at the end. The Great Lover is second, a literary masterpiece based on World War I poets, with great imagery and a sense of hope. Flashback is a thought-provoking science fiction piece about a future where people are addicted to a drug that lets them relive memories. The Man Who Slept with Teeth Women is a fun western-horror mix with a crazy ending. Entropy's Bed at Midnight is a bittersweet tale about grief and a father's fear, which the author, as a father, connected with.

The author praises Simmons' writing, saying his variety and eloquence are almost unrivaled in the horror and science fiction genres. However, he can sometimes be overindulgent and long-winded. With novellas, though, he is more focused and the work is of absolute quality. The author concludes that Lovedeath is their favorite novella collection, ahead of Full Dark No Stars, and highly recommends it, giving it five stars.

  "The great attraction and the great danger of passion is that it is something outside of oneself, a strong wind from nowhere in the face of which the forest of everyday thought and behaviour cannot stand."





  Initial Thoughts




I've been doing "deep-dives" into some of my favourite authors' works. Reading the large majority of their bibliographies, apart from those I really don't like the look of. Usually those that contain romance! So far I've done Stephen King and Robert McCammon, and I'm almost finished with Peter Straub. So flavour of the month right now is Mr Dan Simmons.



Probably better known for his science fiction work, with his blockbuster Hyperion series, Dan "the man" started off as a kickass horror writer with some fantastic stories. Ones like Song of Kali and Summer of Night. And for me, there's nothing like a good horror.



So when I saw he had a collection of speculative fiction, containing five novellas, I was literally salivating like a rabid dog at the thought of getting stuck into them. Anyone who's seen the end of Cujo will have a good idea exactly how that looked. I absolutely love novellas and it was in fact Stephen King's collectionFull Dark No Stars that stoked my current obsession with reading. Theres just something so right about fiction of this length. Long enough to create decent character while exploring different themes without becoming needlessly drawn out. All killer, no filler as they say. As Dan Simmon explained in his forword, while publisher's hate them, us readers can't get enough of them.



Let's see just how right he was with this bunch.








  The Stories




So although this is marketed as a novella collection, there's actually four novellas proper and one short story. Each one centres around the theme of love and death. The one thing we want the most in life and the other the least. The author gives a fantastic explanation in his introduction that sets the tone for what's to come.



As always, I'm going to rank these from most favourite to least. So if you just want to dip in and read a select few you have an idea of what to go for. But here's a little spoiler...they're all worth your time.



Dying in Bangkok ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐




  "How much blood could someone lose and still stay alive without a transfusion?"




It was certainly tricky picking a favourite based on the stellar quality throughout, but the one entry I just can't get out of my head is the grossly magnificent Dying in Bangkok. Set in the dark and oppressive underbelly of Thailand's capital, Simmons does what he did superbly in his first novel, Song of Kali, and paint the landscape in such a disturbing and unsettling way that is perfect for a piece of horror fiction.



The order of the day is pleasure...and what price would you be willing to pay to get it. It's told from a very unique point of view and the protagonist certainly isn't a likeable person, but it works so well. Absolutely nothing romantic here. Maybe that's why I liked it so much. Sexual, graphic and horrifying. I couldn't turn my eyes away.



Theres even shades of the original Hellraiser movie as he descends into a rabbit hole of pure nightmares in pursuit of that elusive high. But there's a twist at the end of this one that would make Hitchcock proud. I know I use the word brilliant frequently but this one is without doubt. Read it now, if you can handle it.



The Great Lover ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐




  "Is it brilliance when one advances like a lamb to slaughter? Our Battalion had buried thousands of these brilliant lads in the past twenty-four hours."




The fact that I ended up placing this one second shows just how good that first story is. This has to be one of the most literarily brilliant novellas I've ever read. Fantastically written, an absolute classic.



I remember studying the poet's of World War I in English literature and it being the best poetry I've ever read. Harsh and evocative that captured the brutal reality for those caught up in that nightmare reality. Simmons draws on the wealth of work in creating a single poet, James Edwin Rooke. The story is his journal detailing his experiences during his time served in the armed forces and his encounter with a potentially supernatural entity.



The imagery in this one is fantastic and a perfect exhibition of the authors talent. It's as bleak and harrowing as it gets, while being seated in reality. The brutal conditions the main character finds himself in are exquisitely detailed. But contained within it is a feeling of hope as Rooke manages to hold on to his humanity while being in the most hopeless and dire of circumstance. One of the best pieces of short fiction I've ever read. Amazing!



Flashback⭐⭐⭐⭐ 3/4




  "For the first time she understood that a culture or a nation actually had to decide whether it would look forward or allow itself to lie back and dream until it died."




This one is a science fiction entry about a near future that is not that hard to imagine. The general population are getting whacked out on a drug that allows you to experience memories again as if they were happening. But at the expense of the here and now.



This one, like most science fiction, is all about the concept but oh what a concept. Simmons paints a dystopian society that exemplifies its soft nature and inability to deal with the present as people are content to live in a fake reality at the expense of what is real. Thought provoking and poignant, another magnificent display of this author's imagination and ability to portray it.



The Man Who Slept with Teeth Women⭐⭐⭐⭐



Although it doesn't quite match the quality of the previous installments, this is still a fun and well written piece. Especially if you enjoy westerns like I do. Then throw horror into the mix and you have a perfect combo.



This one is about a young native American in the Sioux tribe who is anything but brave. In fact he's almost a social outcast as he presents no value to his people, until a turn of events see him touted as the next wise elder of the tribe. But first he has to pass an initiation culminating in the selection of a wife from three potential suitors all of whom have sharp teeth in a very unusual place. This one has a crazy finish that left me with a smile on my face.



Entropy's Bed at Midnight ⭐⭐⭐1/2



A bittersweet tale that touches on grief and the loss of a child and the fear a father has in his ability to protect his other child in a world where danger is potentially lurking in the most unexpected places. Mixed with that is the realisation that you can't let that fear hold them back from experiencing a full life. It's short, sweet and certainly coming from the heart.



As a father myself I really connected with this one and it is certainly a worthwhile experience. The more I think about it, the more I like it. It's just in comparison to the others, and due to its length, it finishes last.




  The Writing




Simmons is a stupendous writer...the end! What? You want more than that? Well then let me elaborate. His variety and eloquence in prose is almost unrivalled in the horror and science fiction genre. I've already touched on how vivid and expansive the guys imagination is and it just so happens he has the ability in terms of his creative writing to put that right in your mind's eye via the written page. It's the main reason I'm determined to read the majority of his work.



One of the only problems with Dan is that due to his undoubtable talent he sometimes can get a little over indulgent and long-winded, thus slowing down the pace of his work. Not a major problem when you still enjoy what you're reading. But I know this is a problem for a number of readers.



With a novella however, he is really focused on his objective and there's very little fluff. Were talking lean and mean and absolute quality. It might just be the perfect medium for this guys work.




  Final Thoughts




So I've finished Lovedeath and I'm left wondering why more people don't talk about it? Answers on a postcard. I'm just going to come out and say it. Right now this is my favourite collection of novellas. That's right, ahead of my all-time favourite Full Dark No Stars. This should be a staple of any horror fans diet.



There are emotions and memories that will stay with me and it belongs amongst the best of this author's work. It's a fantastic showcase for his talent and demonstrates what happens when you let a creative genius with real talent loose in the horror genre. Great things happen.



I'm going to have to stop there before I start to sound like Annie Wilkes. All I will say is Dan Simmons better not crash his car outside my house. Highly recommended and something in here for almost everyone. I'm giving it the full five star treatment without hesitation.



Thanks for reading and...cheers!

There are five solid novellas in total. One of them is about loss, titled Entrophy's Bed at Midnight. There is also a horror short, Dying in Bankok. Additionally, there is a wonderful Native American horror short, Sleeping with Teeth Women. And a top drawer sci-fi short, Flashback. Then comes the cream of the crop, a dark and brilliant supernatural tale of a poet in the World War I trenches. It is a historical fiction and fantasy mixed at its best - The Great Lover. Overall, it gets a rating of 7 out of 12.

These novellas and shorts offer a diverse range of themes and genres. The one about loss in Entrophy's Bed at Midnight is likely to tug at the reader's heartstrings. Dying in Bankok and Sleeping with Teeth Women are sure to send shivers down the spine with their horror elements. Flashback takes the reader on a thrilling sci-fi adventure. And The Great Lover combines historical fiction and fantasy in a unique and captivating way.

Whether you are a fan of horror, sci-fi, or historical fiction, there is something for everyone in this collection. The rating of 7 out of 12 indicates that it is a worthy read, although it may not be perfect. However, the diverse range of stories and the high quality of some of them make it a collection that is definitely worth checking out.

This is a really wild and well-written collection of stories that delves into the themes of love and death. It's not all about sex and violence, which is a pleasant surprise.

Entropy’s Bed at Midnight earns 4 out of 5 stars. It's the only story that doesn't involve sex, violence, or the supernatural. Instead, it's an emotional piece that showcases Simmons' versatility as a writer, proving he's not just limited to horror and sci-fi.

Dying in Bangkok gets a perfect 5 out of 5 stars. It's a twisted and nasty story about the underground sex scene in Bangkok and the horror that awaits two soldiers on R&R. I absolutely loved this story. It's so disturbing and memorable, yet the writing is excellent.

Sleeping With Teeth Women is super bizarre and gets 4 out of 5 stars. The young Lakota man's vision quests are highly entertaining, but the ending makes me wonder if Simmons got into some of Stephen King's drug stash.

Flashback is my least favorite, with a rating of 3.5 out of 5 stars. It's an okay story, but Simmons' vision of the future is rather odd and didn't really engage me.

The Great Lover is a 5-star novella and might be one of the greatest I've ever read. It's a haunting tale about the brutal reality of fighting in the trenches during WWI. The descriptions of bodies being ripped apart by machine gun fire, severed bodies in crater holes, and rats chewing on the deceased are vivid and powerful. This story is also an allegory for something that I don't want to spoil, but I loved the little twist at the end.

Overall, this collection has become one of my favorites, and I highly recommend it to everyone.

A more coherent review will be provided later. However, overall, it's not terrible!

The initial impression gives the sense that there is potential for improvement in the coherence of the review. But despite this, it's important to note that it's not a completely disastrous piece. There are elements within it that hold promise and could potentially be developed further to create a more comprehensive and well-structured assessment.

Perhaps with a bit more organization and a clearer flow of ideas, the review could become a more valuable and insightful piece of writing. It's possible that upon further examination and refinement, the true strengths and weaknesses of the subject being reviewed will be more effectively communicated.

For now, while it may not be perfect, it's still a starting point from which a more in-depth and coherent review can be constructed.

This is actually a compilation of five distinct novellas rather than a solitary story. Each one, quite evidently, centers around a combination of love and death. The compilation functioned extremely well, save for one story. And, unfortunately, it is the final story, the one that I believe had the most effort put into it. But let's examine each of the stories individually.

"Entropy's Bed at Midnight" - An insurance investigator spends the day with his daughter. This story is an odd blend of love and death, with smaller stories interspersed throughout the larger short story. It gives rise to a strange yet enjoyable sensation that aids in explaining love.

"Dying in Bangkok" - Originally, I read this in LITTLE DEATHS, yet it still retains all of its impact upon a second reading.

"Sleeping With Teeth Woman" - A story intended to counter the movie "Dances With Wolves," which it does superbly. It is mostly about an Indian brave whose horniness propels him on a great journey to become the tribe's leader.

"Flashback" - An excellent science fiction story involving a drug that enables you to flash back for 20 minutes to any point in your past. Unfortunately, it causes a family that does love each other to be torn apart.

"The Great Lover" - This is the one story that I think falls somewhat short. It is about a man during World War I who falls in love with Death personified. While the storytelling is done excellently and the details of the war are sufficient to completely un-glamorize it forever, the falling in love part did not resonate with me. It just seemed to prolong the story and make it longer than necessary. In all, it should not have been the closing story of the collection.

An interesting collection of novellas awaits you. These novellas are like little gems, each offering a unique and captivating story. Whether it's a thrilling mystery, a heartwarming romance, or a thought-provoking exploration of human nature, there's something for everyone in this collection.

The authors have skillfully crafted their tales, drawing you in from the very first page and keeping you engaged until the last. You'll find yourself lost in the worlds they've created, experiencing the emotions and adventures of the characters as if they were your own.

Whether you're looking for a quick escape or a deeper literary experience, this collection of novellas is sure to satisfy. So pick up a copy today and discover the joys of these wonderful stories.

I only recently discovered Dan Simmons. (I know, it's quite astonishing considering I'm a horror fan.) Previously, I had only read Song of Kali and Children of the Night. Both of these books were enjoyable, but they didn't prepare me for the great pleasure that awaited me with this collection of outstanding tales.

All five stories in this collection are truly remarkable. The greatest strengths of Lovedeath are, first and foremost, Simmons' detailed explanatory notes in the introduction. I absolutely love it when authors give us that level of access to their creative process. Secondly, the variety of subgenres represented here is truly impressive. There's the internal, psychological terror in "Entropy's Bed at Midnight", a supernatural twist on historical fiction in "Dying in Bangkok", indigenous mythology in "Sleeping With Teeth Women", pure dystopian sci-fi in "Flashback", and the boundary-breaking literary/historical psychological terror in "The Great Lover".

In this collection, Simmons doesn't just represent all of the above; he truly exemplifies them. I'll be on the lookout for a quality copy of this to add to my bookshelf. Wish me luck!

Good writing is something that I truly appreciate, and I have a great deal of respect for Dan Simmons' work. His talent and creativity are undeniable, and he has produced many remarkable pieces. However, this particular work is just not my genre.

Every reader has their own preferences when it comes to literature, and for me, this story didn't quite hit the mark. It may have been well-written, but it didn't engage me on a personal level. The themes and concepts may not have been ones that I'm particularly interested in.

That being said, I still recognize the value and quality of Dan Simmons' work. Just because this one isn't for me doesn't mean it won't be for others. Different people have different tastes, and that's what makes literature so diverse and wonderful. I'm sure there are many who will love this story and find it to be a captivating read.