The Nightmare Box by Chuck Palahniuk

[Alarm Agent]

It's a nice little Story in the Book 'Haunted' by Chuck Palahniuk. This is a collection of stories intervowen by a common Storyline.
(Warning : Spoilers ahead)

" Exactly what the box reveals to the viewer remains a mystery throughout the book (similar to the briefcase in Pulp Fiction), though it is assumed that the box always shows the same image. Each of the four people said to have looked inside all go crazy. Not stark raving mad, mind you, but they each give up on Life in their own way. Mrs. Clark's daughter, Cassandra, becomes catatonic and eventually disappears. An antiques-shop owner hangs himself in the back of his shop. The only person to look into the box and give any description of what is inside is the owner of the art gallery where the box resides. He describes the view as "a glimpse of the real reality" and says, "Our world is a dream." While this explanation is not the most original and does take away some of the mystique (albeit at the very end of the story), the full description by the owner does leave readers with a sense of what it might be like to peer into the Nightmare Box for themselves."
(i stole this description elsewhere).
While Palahniuk may lack the subtlety of Ligotti this fine story reminded me very much of "The Spectacles in the Drawers" or "Vastarian".The whole book is quite funny in a dark and sometimes disgusting way but reveals much about human nature many won't be willing to admit.

[Sarky]

I've never found Palahniuk all that captivating as a horror writer, and I think Haunted is probably the weakest of his horror work. (Though it does have a few high points.)

The Nightmare Box was a fairly decent story but reminded me too much of Ligotti, a comparison much to the detriment of Palahniuk. Actually, the comparison comes up at the beginning of the novel when the protagonists are compared to puppets. (Gee, where have I heard that before?)

I've often wondered if Palahniuk has read anything by Ligotti, and wondered what how he would react if I sent him a copy of TSATBOTW (or The Nightmare Factory, if I were rich).

	TSATBOTW The Shadow at the Bottom of the World

[actualwolf]

I enjoyed some of the stories in "Haunted" very much, but found The Nightmare Box to be severely lacking. It tried too hard and was the worse for it.

Palahniuk is at his best when exaggerating human compulsion to grotesque lengths. He doesn't do atmosphere well.

Quote Originally Posted by Sarky

I've never found Palahniuk all that captivating as a horror writer, and I think Haunted is probably the weakest of his horror work. (Though it does have a few high points.) The Nightmare Box was a fairly decent story but reminded me too much of Ligotti, a comparison much to the detriment of Palahniuk. Actually, the comparison comes up at the beginning of the novel when the protagonists are compared to puppets. (Gee, where have I heard that before?) I've often wondered if Palahniuk has read anything by Ligotti, and wondered what how he would react if I sent him a copy of TSATBOTW (or The Nightmare Factory, if I were rich).