Στον Οίκο του Σκουληκιού
George R. R. Martin, 1977
A decadent underground society celebrates beneath a dying sun, where elaborate rituals and beautiful surfaces conceal a world in decline.
Feels like dread, wonder and unease. About death, nature and power.
A page from the book
A dying star becomes a landscape of rivers and fire.
R . MA R T I N 12 ΟΉλιος καταλάμβανε τον μισό ουρανό · μία αψίδα από τη μια άκρη του ορίζοντα ως την άλλη, που έφτανε αρκετά ψηλά ώστε να αγγίζει το ζενίθ. Από πάνω απλωνόταν ένας ατέλειωτος μαύρος ουρανός που τον έσπαζαν μια χούφτα αστέρια. Ο ίδιος οΉλιος είχε ένα απαλότερο μαύρο χρώμα, το χρώμα της στάχτης, εκτός από τα λιγοστά σημεία όπου ζούσε ακόμη. Τον διέτρεχαν ποτάμια, συστρεφόμενες κορδέλες λαμπερού κόκκινου, φλέβες φωτιάς στο κουρασμένο του πρόσωπο. Τα παιδιά του σκουληκιού τα είχαν μελετήσει κάποτε, στα παλιά χρόνια όταν έπαιζαν με τηλεσκόπια, και κάθε φλεγόμενο κανάλι είχε όνομα, αν και τα περισσότερα είχαν πια ξεχαστεί. Εκεί όπου τα ποτάμια συναντιόνταν και ενώνονταν, πού και πού μπορούσε να δει κανείς πορτοκαλιές λίμνες να καπνίζουν, και υπήρχαν και άλλα σημεία όπου κόκκινες και κίτρινες αναλαμπές πάλλονταν κάτω από τη σταχτιά κρούστα. George R. R. Martin.Martin first published this novella in 1977. It later appeared in the collection Songs of the Dying Earth, an homage to Jack Vance.
Books that feel like this
More by George R. R. Martin
A Feast for Crows
George R. R. Martin, 2005
After a war of kings, the survivors divide the wreckage—and queens, outlaws and broken men get their turn.
A Clash of Kings
George R. R. Martin, 1998
Five kings claim one throne. In the capital, the cleverest man alive has been handed the job of defending it.
A Storm of Swords
George R.R. Martin, 2000
For the prologue alone: a frozen conspiracy, a migrating people, and a steward sharpening a grudge.
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Questions readers ask
- What is Στον Οίκο του Σκουληκιού like?
- Feels like dread, wonder and unease. About death, nature and power.
- What should I read after Στον Οίκο του Σκουληκιού?
- If you liked Στον Οίκο του Σκουληκιού, try The Drawing of the Three (Stephen King), Oryx and Crake (Margaret Atwood) and The Magician’s Nephew (C.S. Lewis).
A taste of the feed
A hard lesson in what to hold and what to let go.
Control the things you can control, maggot. Let everything else take a flying fuck at you and if you must go down, go down with your guns blazing.
The Drawing of the Three · Stephen King
What a child asks for when there is nothing left to bargain with.
Up till then he had been looking at the Lion’s great feet and the huge claws on them; now, in his despair, he looked up at its face. What he saw surprised him as much as anything in his whole life. For the tawny face was bent down near his own and (wonder of wonders) great shining tears stood in the Lion’s eyes. They were such big, bright tears compared with Digory’s own that for a moment he felt as if the Lion must really be sorrier about his Mother than he was himself. ‘My son, my son,’ said Aslan. ‘I know. Grief is great.
The Magician’s Nephew · C.S. Lewis
What tenderness looks like after it has learned to bite back.
Soft hearts don’t survive here.” “What kinds of hearts do?” He leaned down until their eyes were level. “Hearts with teeth.” He reached out and gently gripped her chin in his hand, rubbing the pad of his thumb across her full, bottom lip. She was frozen in place. “C’mon, angel, show me your teeth.
Phantasma · Kaylie Smith
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