The Cipher

Why isn't this book better known? A wonderfully dark and original work, The Cipher is one of the best horror novels of the 20th century. Perhaps it was just too weird to find mainstream acceptance. Still, enough horror afficionados know and love it that I'm sure it will eventually take its place in the canon.

Kathe Koja is a brilliant writer; reading her stories is atrue experience not only of the mind,but of all the senses.THE CIPHER is a truly horrific novel,relying not on cheap shocks,but going for your brain instead,affecting the reader on both visceral and intellectual levels. At a time when I waslooking for unique literary experiences,THE CIPHER was my wake-upcall. Reading Koja's stories makes me want to write. THE CIPHERis Koja's first novel; the rest of her work(especiallyher short stories) is absolutely wondrous and should be soughtout and devoured by bibliophiles.

...if your looking forthat story that sticks to the ribs and really intices (as opposedto the general "light weight" material that seems to have infected both the music and literary industries in unison inrecent years), then you're in for a real treat.I will not go into the specifics concerning plot, characters,or anything in relation to "Cipher".It is the literary equivalent of hearing Nirvana for the firsttime or to seeing the movie "Dead Man"; beautiful,dark,comical,brutal,and mezmerizing. ------------Enjoy!!!!!

Kathe Koja is almost a phenomenon. Her dazzling prose is so good that she doesn't even need a plot. She can write a 400 page book about a guy walking around his house and it would be good enought for me. This story seemed absurd to me (which I liked). If you boil down to it, it is about some people that are obsessed with sticking things into a hole. But it wasn't an absurd novel. It was deeply psychological and supernatural. The plot is very simple. There aren't too many characters or setting changes or days passing. It is just simple. But this makes room for the her works. excellent language, because she can concentrate on details. Even a paper clip can be criptic or erotic in a Kathe Koja novel. After I read the first paragraph of this book 6 years ago I HAD to go out and buy all of her works. SKIN is another book of hers I recommend. If you haven't read SKIN or THE CIPHER, don't read any others. Start with one of these. Anyway, you'll hate this book if you enjoy "cheap" horror novels about monsters killing people or any of that crap. You'll also hate it if you think Stephen King and Dean R Koontz novels should be put in the "Classics" section of your bookstore. This book is for the artistic-minded, the "Underground" followers, and the punk-poets. If you are looking for psychological/supernatural horror that is truly UNIQUE, that stands out of the slop, then Kathe Koja's THE CIPHER is a book for you.

An introspective, overwhelming, claustrophobically creepy horror novel in which you're not entirely sure anything has "really happened". A combination of the intricate "other world" detail of the best of 1920's sci-fi horror fiction, with the dark, compulsive nihilism of the best of punk. Along with a really realistic portray of personal relationships. Does all that sound overly pretentious? Well, it is, but the book ISN'T. I picked the book up one morning on the way to work, and didn't do a damn thing until I finished it after lunch.