Pest

Name: Pest
Price: 18.95 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9781955904308

✍️ Michael Cisco

Reader Score

4.4

(1 review)

$18.95

In stock — ready to ship Ships in 1–2 business days

📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A man builds a campus while his yak self fights for survival in the Himalayas.

Cisco intertwines two distinct realities through the protagonist Chalo. One timeline involves Grant’s quest to build a spiritual center on Catalina Island using demonic aid. The other follows Chalo’s existence as a yak dealing with mating rituals and memory. The narrative links these worlds via fiduciary magic and celestial visits. This approach creates a dense, non-linear experience that demands attention from readers comfortable with abstract horror.

Key Themes

dual identity fiduciary magic celestial visitor

Literary Context

Published by Clash Books in 2023, this work sits within contemporary supernatural fiction. It draws on gothic traditions and metaphysical speculation. The setting spans Catalina Island and the Himalayas, blending modern spiritualism with ancient natural cycles.

Difficulty

●●● Challenging

Recommended For Fans Of

Thomas Ligotti · H.P. Lovecraft · J.G. Ballard

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Horror Fiction

🏛 Clash Books 📅 2023 🌐 English 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9781955904308

📝 Description: Pest

Michael Cisco’s Pest follows Chalo, a man recruited by a prophet named Grant to construct a campus on Catalina Island. The project aims to train initiates for a celestial visitor called the Ancient Newborn. Simultaneously, the narrative shifts to Chalo as a wild yak in the Himalayas. This dual structure cross-links human ambition with animal instinct through telluric forces and demons. Grant recruits these entities to counter sinister fiduciary magic that binds the two timelines. The story examines the struggle to fund the campus alongside the psychoactive changes of the yak breeding cycle. Chalo the yak reflects on his past while facing the annual rut and mating battles. Both narratives focus on creating something that outlasts individual life. The text uses these parallel lives to explore meaning and survival. Cisco, known for surreal and gothic fiction, presents this bizarre tale without traditional linear progression. Readers seeking straightforward plots may find the structure challenging. Those interested in metaphysical horror and dual-narrative experiments will appreciate the intricate connection between human design and animal nature.

💎 Our verdict on Pest

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Horror Reads editorial team

Horror desk

Cisco delivers a bizarre, non-linear tale that demands intense focus from its audience. The dual structure, contrasting campus construction with yak survival, creates a dense atmospheric experience rather than a conventional plot. The book excels in exploring metaphysical themes through surreal imagery and fiduciary magic. It suits readers who appreciate abstract horror and gothic fiction over traditional storytelling. While the lack of linear progression may alienate some, it offers a rich, challenging read for those interested in cosmic and psychological horror. The intricate link between human design and animal nature provides a unique perspective on survival and creation.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

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Why this book is worth reading

Readers who crave metaphysical horror and dual-narrative experiments will find this book deeply rewarding. It offers a unique exploration of meaning and survival by intertwining human ambition with animal instinct. The text challenges conventional plotting, inviting those comfortable with abstract horror to engage with its intricate connections between design and nature. Those seeking straightforward plots may struggle, but enthusiasts of surreal gothic fiction will appreciate the bizarre tale’s dense atmosphere. It appeals to minds willing to navigate telluric forces and demonic aid without traditional linear progression, rewarding attention with a profound meditation on creation and the cyclical nature of existence.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Horror Reads —

Reader rating

4.4

Based on 1 reviews

Horror Reads editorial team

Cisco delivers a bizarre, non-linear tale that demands intense focus from its audience. The dual structure, contrasting campus construction with yak survival, creates a dense atmospheric experience rather than a conventional plot. The book excels in exploring metaphysical themes through surreal imagery and fiduciary magic. It suits readers who appreciate abstract horror and gothic fiction over traditional storytelling. While the lack of linear progression may alienate some, it offers a rich, challenging read for those interested in cosmic and psychological horror. The intricate link between human design and animal nature provides a unique perspective on survival and creation.