ANTIBODIES

by David J. Skal ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 1988

Near-future cyberpunk, but be warned: this one's not just in bad taste, it has no taste whatsoever. The only thing remotely comparable is K.W. Jeter's equally nasty Dr. Adder (1984). ""Antibodies"" are so alienated that they would rather be robots than ""meat""; they will go to extraordinary lengths to obtain bionic implants and prostheses that they don't need; the idea of flesh, corruption, and death appalls and disgusts them. The Cybernetic Temple circulates hypnotic videotapes that help the antibodies become unfeeling zombies, and operates Boca Verde, a clinic where antibody flesh is replaced with metal and plastic, blood with silicone, etc. Secretly funding the temple is sculptor Venus Tramhell, who has bionic arms and yearns to become totally roboticized. Young designer and antibody Diandra, heading for Boca Verde, is captured by repugnant cultdeprogrammer Julian Nagy. How obnoxious is he? Well, among other things he likes to masturbate while being interviewed on TV. Julian's estranged wife Gillian has written a science-fiction novel satirizing the antibodies; the latter, however, have adopted the book as their bible. But all Julian's revolting and violent methods fails to provoke the withdrawn Diandra. Gillian's paraplegic lover Josh is butchered by Venus' cultists. Diandra, infected with a plague in a despairing attempt of Julian's to rouse her, becomes the newly bionicized Venus' downfall. And so fourth. None of the details--they involve mutilation, perversion, torture, and other depravities--are left to the imagination. So. Draw a deep breath. What have we here? Just a sickening, deliberately provocative flight-of-fancy? Or a frightening perception of loathsome trends to come? Questions that only nerveless readers with firmly unelevated gorges will want to consider.

Pub Date: March 1, 1988

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Congdon & Weed/Contemporary

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 1988

Categories: FICTION