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Merciless Gods
Love, sex, death, family, friendship, betrayal, tenderness, sacrifice and revelation...
This incendiary collection of stories from acclaimed bestselling international writer Christos Tsiolkas takes you deep into worlds both strange and familiar, and characters that will never let you go.
This incendiary collection of stories from acclaimed bestselling international writer Christos Tsiolkas takes you deep into worlds both strange and familiar, and characters that will never let you go.
323 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2014
About the author
Christos Tsiolkas
36 books928 followersChristos Tsiolkas is the author of nine novels: Loaded, which was made into the feature film Head-On, The Jesus Man and Dead Europe,which won the 2006 Age Fiction Prize and the 2006 Melbourne Best Writing Award. He won Overall Best Book in the Commonwealth Writers' Prize 2009, was shortlisted for the 2009 Miles Franklin Literary Award, long listed for the 2010 Man Booker Prize and won the Australian Literary Society Gold Medal for The Slap, which was also announced as the 2009 Australian Booksellers Association and Australian Book Industry Awards Books of the Year.
Barracuda is his fifth novel. Merciless Gods (2014) and Damascus (2019) followed.
He is also a playwright, essayist and screen writer. He lives in Melbourne.
Barracuda is his fifth novel. Merciless Gods (2014) and Damascus (2019) followed.
He is also a playwright, essayist and screen writer. He lives in Melbourne.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 144 reviews
February 11, 2016
The writing as usual was clever and grumpy. Some of the earlier stories were stunning - particularly the title story. However the collection is themed by it's dark and almost competitive brutality - each story seems to want to shock more than the last. "You're still there?" the book seems to ask the reader disdainfully, at the end of each tale. "Right, let's see if you're still hanging on after this one.."
I stubbornly hung on until the end but really should have let go earlier.
I stubbornly hung on until the end but really should have let go earlier.
November 30, 2014
Best known for his most recent novels, The Slap and Barracuda, Merciless Gods is Christos Tsiolkas's first published collection of short stories.
The themes of many of the stories in this collection are strongly connected to Christos's life experiences as a gay man and as the son of (Greek) immigrant parents. Yet they also explore the universal trials of friendship, family relations, love, aging and death.
It is sometimes difficult to see past some of the cruder scenes and language in his stories, which are often unapologetically provocative, brutal and seething, yet it is important to note they are also rarely entirely devoid of tenderness, beauty or humour. I found several stories absolutely compelling including the titular 'Merciless Gods', 'Saturn Return' and 'Sticks, Stones' but 'Porn 1', 'Porn 2' and 'Porn 3' were a bit much for me.
One of the reasons I rarely read short stories is that narrative is often neglected in favour of theme, but that is not the case here. I admire the way in which Tsioklas constructs his stories, creating a complete narrative, with strong characters, in just a few pages.
Not everyone will appreciate, nor stomach, Merciless Gods, it is a collection that seems designed to challenge and shock, but for those readers willing to approach the stories with an open mind, there are rewards to be had.
November 17, 2017
I’m wondering whether I’ve read too many short stories, which is a terrible thought as I’ve got a whole pile of unread short story collections right here. Maybe I’ve read too many novels too! Maybe I’ve read too many words! No, no, this is madness. Take a deep breath… These gloomy thoughts came to me because this is a really decent collection of stuff by Mr Tsiolkas, I can’t fault it at all, tough situations, lurid sex, violent outbursts, all the ingredients to keep the Kitchen Craft Master Class Induction-Safe Stainless Steel Stock Pot bubbling merrily, and yet it appeared no other thing to me than a foul and pestilent congregation of vapors. A well written pestilent congregation of vapors, for sure. One miserable circumstance after another. I seem to remember praising some authors for their uncompromising rigorous bitter angry painful exposures of the oppression of modern life. Seems inconsistent not to do the same here. Aw, you know what, I’m gettin’ old, folks.
2.5 stars, but if you ain’t read too many depressing short stories, could be an exhilarating 4 for you.
2.5 stars, but if you ain’t read too many depressing short stories, could be an exhilarating 4 for you.
August 2, 2024
I enjoyed this collection of short stories. it's the first book I've read by Christos Tsiolkas, and I don't think it will be the last/only one I read 🙂
I appreciated the cast of characters and couplings - some LGBTQI some straight some undefined, some brown some white, alot of mixed heritage, esp European-Australian, and esp Greek migrant families and subsequent generations, I think drawing on some of the authors own background. the characters were mostly young to middling aged, tho some stories also referenced older folk, incl/esp older gay men and lesbians 🙂
alot were about sex and sexuality, and relationships. but while relationships and relations were often a focus, they were also a place where emotions, beliefs and opinions, and complexities of connection, were explored.
I'm not sure what it was about the last 3 stories that a few other readers didn't seem to like. while they were slightly set apart by their kinda group name, and some of their focus, I thought/felt they were in keeping with the rest of the collection wrt subjects, perspectives, feelings.
I think the above links with what some reviewers write about the shocking/'aiming to shock' nature of the stories. to me they felt more like direct and open explorations of relations and feelings. provocative maybe, but interestingly and constructively so. alot felt relatable. I guess alot of this also depends on the readers own perspectives, position, experiences.
🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
abit about the stories/my reception/interpretation of/thoughts about the stories:
* Merciless Gods.
the first story was kinda interesting wrt truths and lies, where a line/boundary is/should be. conversation amongst a group of friends over an evening, their mixed backgrounds and foregrounds. psychological rather than action.
* Tourists.
a young couple from Melbourne in New York.
culture, un/familiarity, being out of ones comfort zone. these things creating tensions in a relationship.
challenging racism. nicely short, tho the relationship was abit annoying in some ways 😉
* The Hair of the Dog
starts in Germany, in the time of the Beatles, during and post war (WW2). narrated by a grandchild. the generational impacts of national history. personal impacts of alcoholism, an alcoholic parent.
a woman who moved to Australia from Germany, looking back over her personal, and the national, history.
* Petals.
an interesting and brutal perspective on culture and prison, and prison culture. racism. violence. time.
at the end it says it was written in Greek and translated by the author. interesting that he might have written it in Greek and then translated the Greek into English - curious about what that process lends to the story etc 🙂🤔🙂
* Hung Phat.
Hypatia... astrology and Virgos... two friends over time, relationships and geography 🙂
* Saturn Return
a young gay couple, uncovering migrant history at Bonagilla (?spelled by ear?). they are making a video for one of their fathers, on their way to be with the other of their fathers as he dies. HIV ("the virus"), race, class, being poor 💔♥
* Genetic Material.
a man and his father... family, dementia, masculinity, fear, love, care, intimacy, memory... ♥💔♥
possibly my favourite! 😃
* Jessica Lange in Frances.
a relationship of sorts, a man meeting a man at a party, leaving with him instead of his girlfriend...
later, between them violence and rape. alcoholism.
* The Disco at the End of Communism
a death, and it's impact on a brother and his family.
family, LGBTQI community, gay rights, aboriginal rights.
the people you temporarily inherit after death.
remembering, forgiving? 💔♥
* Sticks, Stones.
this story was alot more interesting than I thought it would be from the start! a woman considering her family and her self, explores the impact of language, adolescent masculinity, the power to hurt each other, love.
* Civil War.
drugs, god/spirituality, and the desert. racism and anti indigenous prejudice. two young gay men connect briefly. a relatable and heartbreaking miniature portrait of people pushed to the margins. ♥💔♥
* The T-shirt with a Fist on it.
a middle-aged lesbian (not to eclipse the potential bisexuality of at least one) couple, Australians travelling in the Middle East. snippets of their travels, and thoughts about them. reflections on home, viewed in contrast.
the bulk of the story set in Jordan. gunfire from Palestine, heard from a tourist beach 💔 feelings brought up by an interaction with a couple of young Australians in a bar, the tensions of travel and navigating another culture, including as LGBTQI folk, coming to a head. a postcard home to a son, from Petra 🙂
* Porn 1
a woman purchasing a porn tape her son had been in before his death. reflections on her own sexuality/experience. family.
trying to understand something of her son... to try and connect the man with the child she birthed, nursed, cared for thru childhood.
dealing with her own shame and yet curiosity I think, and grief 💔
* Porn 2
where does Jesus live? in Micky! well, some of the time 😉 narrated by a young man who is friends with (and in love with) Micky, who looks out for him. they are two young sex workers, one gay one straight. a really sweet relationship of mutual care between them ♥
a porn shoot to pay off a debt.
I found myself especially moved by the end of this story 🙂 ♥💔♥
* Porn 3
Khassan (?spelled by ear?) and a European man he's wanted to have sex with/fuck for a while, his 'first European' 😉 his different feelings for his friend Omar, and the European man. all university students. I think the story positions Khassan and Omar as from Pakistan, referencing them speaking Urdu.
it's a kind of exoticism of one by the other, but a turn around of the usual, with the European exoticised by Khassan 😉 Khassan's explorations of his feelings (for Omar, and for the European), his expectations and perceptions. his separation of his pure relationship with Omar, his mix of love and loathing for the European and himself in relation to his sexual desires and sexual activity. viewing himself and his actions thru the opinions of Omar.
the unspoken emotion and avoided intimacy 💔 the impossibility of a possibility, in mind and/or reality?
a struggle with self and beliefs.
🤔 this was probably the story I was least sure about in some ways, because of the implicit Muslim main character and the portrait of him - too stereotypical? too heavy on infernal desire/acts? 🤔 while at the same time, it's a good exploration of internal conflict created by external narratives and norms.
🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
accessed as a library audiobook, Well read by Humphrey Bower 🙂
the audiobook was hard to navigate in places - some stories are more than one track long and it was hard to figure out where one will end, another start, and there was no obvious contents page listing the stories, their titles, their order (I searched online for the story titles and order part way thru, to remedy this in part, which helped).
I appreciated the cast of characters and couplings - some LGBTQI some straight some undefined, some brown some white, alot of mixed heritage, esp European-Australian, and esp Greek migrant families and subsequent generations, I think drawing on some of the authors own background. the characters were mostly young to middling aged, tho some stories also referenced older folk, incl/esp older gay men and lesbians 🙂
alot were about sex and sexuality, and relationships. but while relationships and relations were often a focus, they were also a place where emotions, beliefs and opinions, and complexities of connection, were explored.
I'm not sure what it was about the last 3 stories that a few other readers didn't seem to like. while they were slightly set apart by their kinda group name, and some of their focus, I thought/felt they were in keeping with the rest of the collection wrt subjects, perspectives, feelings.
I think the above links with what some reviewers write about the shocking/'aiming to shock' nature of the stories. to me they felt more like direct and open explorations of relations and feelings. provocative maybe, but interestingly and constructively so. alot felt relatable. I guess alot of this also depends on the readers own perspectives, position, experiences.
🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
abit about the stories/my reception/interpretation of/thoughts about the stories:
* Merciless Gods.
the first story was kinda interesting wrt truths and lies, where a line/boundary is/should be. conversation amongst a group of friends over an evening, their mixed backgrounds and foregrounds. psychological rather than action.
* Tourists.
a young couple from Melbourne in New York.
culture, un/familiarity, being out of ones comfort zone. these things creating tensions in a relationship.
challenging racism. nicely short, tho the relationship was abit annoying in some ways 😉
* The Hair of the Dog
starts in Germany, in the time of the Beatles, during and post war (WW2). narrated by a grandchild. the generational impacts of national history. personal impacts of alcoholism, an alcoholic parent.
a woman who moved to Australia from Germany, looking back over her personal, and the national, history.
* Petals.
an interesting and brutal perspective on culture and prison, and prison culture. racism. violence. time.
at the end it says it was written in Greek and translated by the author. interesting that he might have written it in Greek and then translated the Greek into English - curious about what that process lends to the story etc 🙂🤔🙂
* Hung Phat.
Hypatia... astrology and Virgos... two friends over time, relationships and geography 🙂
* Saturn Return
a young gay couple, uncovering migrant history at Bonagilla (?spelled by ear?). they are making a video for one of their fathers, on their way to be with the other of their fathers as he dies. HIV ("the virus"), race, class, being poor 💔♥
* Genetic Material.
a man and his father... family, dementia, masculinity, fear, love, care, intimacy, memory... ♥💔♥
possibly my favourite! 😃
* Jessica Lange in Frances.
a relationship of sorts, a man meeting a man at a party, leaving with him instead of his girlfriend...
later, between them violence and rape. alcoholism.
* The Disco at the End of Communism
a death, and it's impact on a brother and his family.
family, LGBTQI community, gay rights, aboriginal rights.
the people you temporarily inherit after death.
remembering, forgiving? 💔♥
* Sticks, Stones.
this story was alot more interesting than I thought it would be from the start! a woman considering her family and her self, explores the impact of language, adolescent masculinity, the power to hurt each other, love.
* Civil War.
drugs, god/spirituality, and the desert. racism and anti indigenous prejudice. two young gay men connect briefly. a relatable and heartbreaking miniature portrait of people pushed to the margins. ♥💔♥
* The T-shirt with a Fist on it.
a middle-aged lesbian (not to eclipse the potential bisexuality of at least one) couple, Australians travelling in the Middle East. snippets of their travels, and thoughts about them. reflections on home, viewed in contrast.
the bulk of the story set in Jordan. gunfire from Palestine, heard from a tourist beach 💔 feelings brought up by an interaction with a couple of young Australians in a bar, the tensions of travel and navigating another culture, including as LGBTQI folk, coming to a head. a postcard home to a son, from Petra 🙂
* Porn 1
a woman purchasing a porn tape her son had been in before his death. reflections on her own sexuality/experience. family.
trying to understand something of her son... to try and connect the man with the child she birthed, nursed, cared for thru childhood.
dealing with her own shame and yet curiosity I think, and grief 💔
* Porn 2
where does Jesus live? in Micky! well, some of the time 😉 narrated by a young man who is friends with (and in love with) Micky, who looks out for him. they are two young sex workers, one gay one straight. a really sweet relationship of mutual care between them ♥
a porn shoot to pay off a debt.
I found myself especially moved by the end of this story 🙂 ♥💔♥
* Porn 3
Khassan (?spelled by ear?) and a European man he's wanted to have sex with/fuck for a while, his 'first European' 😉 his different feelings for his friend Omar, and the European man. all university students. I think the story positions Khassan and Omar as from Pakistan, referencing them speaking Urdu.
it's a kind of exoticism of one by the other, but a turn around of the usual, with the European exoticised by Khassan 😉 Khassan's explorations of his feelings (for Omar, and for the European), his expectations and perceptions. his separation of his pure relationship with Omar, his mix of love and loathing for the European and himself in relation to his sexual desires and sexual activity. viewing himself and his actions thru the opinions of Omar.
the unspoken emotion and avoided intimacy 💔 the impossibility of a possibility, in mind and/or reality?
a struggle with self and beliefs.
🤔 this was probably the story I was least sure about in some ways, because of the implicit Muslim main character and the portrait of him - too stereotypical? too heavy on infernal desire/acts? 🤔 while at the same time, it's a good exploration of internal conflict created by external narratives and norms.
🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
accessed as a library audiobook, Well read by Humphrey Bower 🙂
the audiobook was hard to navigate in places - some stories are more than one track long and it was hard to figure out where one will end, another start, and there was no obvious contents page listing the stories, their titles, their order (I searched online for the story titles and order part way thru, to remedy this in part, which helped).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 2, 2016
Merciless Gods is a wonderful set of short stories by Christos Tsiolkas, beautifully written, often confrontational and not to everyone’s taste. Touching all types of emotion but mainly about love,
A mother’s love for her son
A son’s love for his father
The love of best friends
A brother’s love
Laughing at some of the stories, tears in my eye when others finished, I loved this book.
These are wonderful stories, and show’s Tsiolkas is a master at work.
A mother’s love for her son
A son’s love for his father
The love of best friends
A brother’s love
Laughing at some of the stories, tears in my eye when others finished, I loved this book.
These are wonderful stories, and show’s Tsiolkas is a master at work.
September 3, 2016
Christos Tsiolkas has a reputation as a bold writer of daring, often controversial, fiction. Merciless Gods, first published in Australia in 2014 but recently released in the UK, is a collection of short stories that continues Tsiolkas’ trademark flare for writing edgy stories about taboo subjects.
There are 15 stories in the collection — and they’re not for the faint hearted. Even those that are “tame” by Tsiolkas’ standards are still confronting and unsettling. There are tales about homophobia, racism, revenge, death, grief, power, parenthood, friendship and family. And most are set in the suburbs of Melbourne, Sydney and Perth.
The range and breadth of the collection is one of its great strengths, because each story has its own distinctive “voice”: we hear from brothers, mothers, students, immigrants, young lovers, lost souls. Some are in the first person, others in the third person.
Many taboo subjects are addressed, from male rape to drug addiction, but while the writing is fearless — Tsiolksas doesn’t hold back on detail or imagery — it’s usually with a view to shining a light on injustice, bigotry and prejudice. In other words, these aren’t gratuitous tales; there’s a message at their core even if the reader might need to be shaken out of their own complacency to find them.
Tsiolkas is at his best concentrating on his “pet” subjects — what it is to be gay, the fraught and complicated relationships between generations, and cultural baggage that comes from being the child of an immigrant. But he also writes powerful stories about heterosexual couples and friendship.
To read the rest of my review, please visit my blog.
There are 15 stories in the collection — and they’re not for the faint hearted. Even those that are “tame” by Tsiolkas’ standards are still confronting and unsettling. There are tales about homophobia, racism, revenge, death, grief, power, parenthood, friendship and family. And most are set in the suburbs of Melbourne, Sydney and Perth.
The range and breadth of the collection is one of its great strengths, because each story has its own distinctive “voice”: we hear from brothers, mothers, students, immigrants, young lovers, lost souls. Some are in the first person, others in the third person.
Many taboo subjects are addressed, from male rape to drug addiction, but while the writing is fearless — Tsiolksas doesn’t hold back on detail or imagery — it’s usually with a view to shining a light on injustice, bigotry and prejudice. In other words, these aren’t gratuitous tales; there’s a message at their core even if the reader might need to be shaken out of their own complacency to find them.
Tsiolkas is at his best concentrating on his “pet” subjects — what it is to be gay, the fraught and complicated relationships between generations, and cultural baggage that comes from being the child of an immigrant. But he also writes powerful stories about heterosexual couples and friendship.
To read the rest of my review, please visit my blog.
November 10, 2014
Searing, uncomfortable, achingly beautiful. I'm reminded how important it is to read contemporary Australian fiction. There's so much here that resonates, and I loved sinking into parts of the Aussie-flavoured identity we tend to hide or wilfully ignore. Like The Slap, there's a powerful interplay of race, class, sexuality, generational divide etc woven with keen insight and depth. The observations are brutal, judgement-free, and deeply compassionate. Tsiolkas is a class act.
December 14, 2015
As most people know, I am a big fan of transgressive fiction and in Australia there is one author that doesn’t shy away from a touch or taboo subject. This author is Christos Tsiolkas and he is best known for his two recent novels The Slap and Barracuda. Merciless Gods is his first collection of short stories and deals mainly with sexuality, family and identity.
Author of six novels, Christos Tsiolkas was born in 1965 to Greek immigrant parents. Reading through his novels you quickly get the sense of what it must have been like growing up in suburbia as a Greek immigrant and a homosexual. He likes to explore these themes constantly and you get an idea of just how backwards people’s thinking can be. Then with his breakout novel The Slap, he challenged everyone’s thoughts, tapping into the universal dilemma around discipline and child-rearing.
Merciless Gods seems to be more of a “return to his roots” collection of short stories, which shares similarities with first novel Loaded at any of his other. There is this whole theme about social and personal struggle that play out within these stories. I am impressed with the way Tsiolkas challenges people’s views; particularly when it comes to sexuality and immigrants. There was a particular story that he wrote in Greek and then translated into English that was very powerful.
Christos Tsiolkas has officially become an ‘auto-buy’ author for me now and I will have to read the rest of his backlist sometime soon. Merciless Gods is hard-hitting and not for the faint of heart, he is pushing the boundaries but he does this really well. I am not sure when these stories were originally written, I think that will be interesting to know. However if you have never read this great Australian author, this is probably not the best place to start. Maybe begin with The Slap or Barracuda before working your way up to Loaded and Merciless Gods.
This review originally appeared on my blog: http://literary-exploration.com/2014/...
Author of six novels, Christos Tsiolkas was born in 1965 to Greek immigrant parents. Reading through his novels you quickly get the sense of what it must have been like growing up in suburbia as a Greek immigrant and a homosexual. He likes to explore these themes constantly and you get an idea of just how backwards people’s thinking can be. Then with his breakout novel The Slap, he challenged everyone’s thoughts, tapping into the universal dilemma around discipline and child-rearing.
Merciless Gods seems to be more of a “return to his roots” collection of short stories, which shares similarities with first novel Loaded at any of his other. There is this whole theme about social and personal struggle that play out within these stories. I am impressed with the way Tsiolkas challenges people’s views; particularly when it comes to sexuality and immigrants. There was a particular story that he wrote in Greek and then translated into English that was very powerful.
Christos Tsiolkas has officially become an ‘auto-buy’ author for me now and I will have to read the rest of his backlist sometime soon. Merciless Gods is hard-hitting and not for the faint of heart, he is pushing the boundaries but he does this really well. I am not sure when these stories were originally written, I think that will be interesting to know. However if you have never read this great Australian author, this is probably not the best place to start. Maybe begin with The Slap or Barracuda before working your way up to Loaded and Merciless Gods.
This review originally appeared on my blog: http://literary-exploration.com/2014/...
November 22, 2015
Beautiful short stories filled with desire, love and impure thoughts. Tsiolkas pushes boundaries here with sometimes perverse and taboo tales of family love. The protagonists in each tale are so diverse and portrayed in such rich detail yet there's a self-identifying claim to every one. Essential reading.
November 16, 2014
A wonderful collection of beautifully written stories. But they're also deeply unsettling as with other work by Tsiolkas. I'm yet to meet a character of his that is easy to like because they're all so truly human
April 16, 2018
A collection of short stories describing life in many levels. Love, desire, faith, treason and many other feelings were described and presents in a way which many people wont talk about or dont. I've got to admit, I liked three stories the most. After I finished one of them (titled as same as book), I was so angry on author, because it was simply too short! I grew to like characters and plot so badly, that I felt very disappointed when I found out it's over. I was thrilled at the begining but not so much at the end. After all I will recomended.
August 3, 2016
Acutely observed, sharp stories. Succinct snapshots into ordinary and extra-ordinary lives.
August 10, 2024
" The title story of Merciless Gods is stunning and should be read by everyone...who cares about fiction. It is worth the price of the book alone."
"How can it be that in an era when literature's power to shock has been tested to the point of exhaustion, Christos Tsiolkas's short stories retain the ability to do just that?"
"Merciless Gods is a collection of vitality, clever angles, shock value, power and unexpected delicacy...One can only hope we don't have to wait another twenty years for the next collection."
A variety of quotes from the back cover of the 2014 Atlantic Books paperback edition of this book. I am quoting them because the synopsis on Goodreads is so mediocre and because I wanted something more than my review to support the case for reading this collection of stories. My review follows:
This is the second time I have read this collection of truly remarkable stories and even though details and even entire plots returned, in some cases after reading only a line or two, on the second reading it did not prevent me rereading all the stories in their entirety but it didn't spoil any of my pleasure. It may even have increased it because a second reading revealed so much more of the author's depth of perception and penetrating analysis and observation.
There is so much enjoyment to be gained from this collection that I do not want to go into detailed commentary on any of the stories but I must highlight the title story 'Merciless Gods' and 'The Disco at the End of Communism' as well as the final story 'Porn 1, Porn 2, Porn 3' as not only the finest in the collection but outstanding stories in themselves. Books like this which are so good, give such pleasure and are so rewarding are the ones I want to push on others.
"How can it be that in an era when literature's power to shock has been tested to the point of exhaustion, Christos Tsiolkas's short stories retain the ability to do just that?"
"Merciless Gods is a collection of vitality, clever angles, shock value, power and unexpected delicacy...One can only hope we don't have to wait another twenty years for the next collection."
A variety of quotes from the back cover of the 2014 Atlantic Books paperback edition of this book. I am quoting them because the synopsis on Goodreads is so mediocre and because I wanted something more than my review to support the case for reading this collection of stories. My review follows:
This is the second time I have read this collection of truly remarkable stories and even though details and even entire plots returned, in some cases after reading only a line or two, on the second reading it did not prevent me rereading all the stories in their entirety but it didn't spoil any of my pleasure. It may even have increased it because a second reading revealed so much more of the author's depth of perception and penetrating analysis and observation.
There is so much enjoyment to be gained from this collection that I do not want to go into detailed commentary on any of the stories but I must highlight the title story 'Merciless Gods' and 'The Disco at the End of Communism' as well as the final story 'Porn 1, Porn 2, Porn 3' as not only the finest in the collection but outstanding stories in themselves. Books like this which are so good, give such pleasure and are so rewarding are the ones I want to push on others.
January 25, 2015
I have been a real fan of Christos Tsiolkas who writes with a great insight and clarity into complex and difficult social issues. I read 'The Slap' - such a strong and powerful novel dealing with controversial social mechanisms which spiral out of control as a result of a child being slapped at a family BBQ. 'Barracuda' also explored some confronting issues including racial prejudice, alcohol fuelled violence and the seeking of retribution. I marvelled at both these books. This latest work by Tsiolkas, 'Merciless Gods' is a compilation of short stories most of which I found to be incredibly shocking. They are gritty but to the extent that when read together their themes of racial prejudice, violence, homosexual violence, pornography and drug addiction provide for some very heavy intense reading. Tsolkas is a writer who likes to pursue edgy issues. This was done with mastery in his previous 2 novels because maybe in a novel, there is of course adequate time for character development and time to go on a long journey with the characters. In the short story format there is little time to get to understand and empathise with the motivations of the characters and so the controversial, difficult issues in the short stories become the main component and not the people. To me this compliation of short stories was altogether too confronting and disturbing and I must admit I was pleased to turn the last page.
January 2, 2015
"Merciless Gods" by Christos Tsiolkas is a series of short stories, some quite confronting. In them Tsiolkas deals with issues concerning being a Greek Australian, relationships with lovers, friends and with parents and their mortality. Some might be offended by his particularly frank depictions of sex, particularly gay sex, but that is part and parcel of who he is. The stories revealing the heartache of dealing with a parent with dementia are especially affecting. The writing is masterful and at times quite brutal, as befitting the title. Well worth a read.
November 10, 2014
The usual blistering Tsiolkas style, sometimes a bit much though. There's a fine line between profundity and misanthropy but Merciless Gods doesn't quite know what side it's on. Still, a very worthy read.
February 22, 2017
Visceral, dark, brutal. Tsiolkas presents story and character with polish and skill, yet with the blunt power of a sledgehammer.
At times heartening, at others sickening, but all the while engaging.
At times heartening, at others sickening, but all the while engaging.
March 20, 2018
Tsiolkas has that narrative magic that pulls you right into another world through mere arrangement of words. Each story stands out on its own and the characters live and breathe through the text. There was a continuous thread of honesty throughout the whole book - an honest look at human nature and what goes on in our mostly empty heads.
There were a lot of diverse things that were held up under the author's gaze for examination - love, identity, racism, class differences. Every story had an amazing power that made sure that your head did not rise up! You lost yourself completely to the book and the pull of the writer's world. There was some part of almost every story and every character that you could associate with and this association is what made the book for me. I can see myself reading this book again in a few years, and like in a good poem, discovering a new facet of it that makes it even more enjoyable.
Definitely an author and a book that needs to be more popular!
There were a lot of diverse things that were held up under the author's gaze for examination - love, identity, racism, class differences. Every story had an amazing power that made sure that your head did not rise up! You lost yourself completely to the book and the pull of the writer's world. There was some part of almost every story and every character that you could associate with and this association is what made the book for me. I can see myself reading this book again in a few years, and like in a good poem, discovering a new facet of it that makes it even more enjoyable.
Definitely an author and a book that needs to be more popular!
June 16, 2017
Collection of short stories, with some themes resurfacing throughout, including being an immigrant/outsider, homosexual sex (with its mechanics described to the limit of boredom), comparisons between the sparseness of Australia and the compactness of the rest of the world.
The substance not matching the writing quality, these vignettes sometimes trying too hard to show how the description of trivial details can become great literature. As others reviews have noted, by the end I had had quite enough.
The substance not matching the writing quality, these vignettes sometimes trying too hard to show how the description of trivial details can become great literature. As others reviews have noted, by the end I had had quite enough.
July 4, 2017
Yeah but no. Like beating your head against the same brick wall for eight hours, though in a literate, well written way. Relentless.
Read
January 14, 2020This first half of this collection was fantastic. The stories packed an emotional punch and made me think. They were relatable.
The second half of this collection I found to be unnecessarily racist and offensive. There are some horrendous slurs in this book, if you are at all sensitive to either racial slurs or slurs regarding sexualities, disabilities etc then stay well clear. It's not even like it was necessary. I am not going to try and figure out why the author thought that most of his stories needed to include these words. Let alone keep repeating them. There are so many other ways he could have discussed these issues without actually going as far as to paint the book in them.
I don't feel like he even tried to explain it most of the time anyway. It felt like shock value for shock values sake.
I'm not going to rate this book. Nor am I going to recommend it.
The second half of this collection I found to be unnecessarily racist and offensive. There are some horrendous slurs in this book, if you are at all sensitive to either racial slurs or slurs regarding sexualities, disabilities etc then stay well clear. It's not even like it was necessary. I am not going to try and figure out why the author thought that most of his stories needed to include these words. Let alone keep repeating them. There are so many other ways he could have discussed these issues without actually going as far as to paint the book in them.
I don't feel like he even tried to explain it most of the time anyway. It felt like shock value for shock values sake.
I'm not going to rate this book. Nor am I going to recommend it.
January 13, 2015
I've got to admit, I found this work disappointing. I am a great admirer of Tsiolkas' style and the rawness of his writing. But I felt that this collection of stories was repetitive and tedious, particularly with the sex scenes and repeated references to the migrant experience. And does every single story need to have a scene where one of the key characters pauses, and smokes a cigarette? After a while, it fails to have any uniqueness, and just looks like a writer who has run out of ideas. This is a shame, as Tsiolkas has considerable talent.
May 6, 2017
A collection of short stories which are very cleverly written. All elements of life's emotions are experienced in each story whether it be love, death, family, sex etc. Some stories may be confronting even shocking for some. Same sex relationships dominate the stories and scenes are quite explicit and sometimes brutal. It was interesting to feel drawn into stories where the settings such as suburb and era's were familiar. Definitely not for the faint hearted.
October 21, 2014
One of the most exciting and stunning pieces of writing I've read this year.
http://wp.me/p20PAS-Gk
http://wp.me/p20PAS-Gk
August 19, 2015
Scene 1
INT. A SMALL ROOM EQUIPPED WITH AN AGEING COMPUTER, A SHELF WITH DICTIONARIES AND A THESAURUS. THERE IS AN OLD FILING CABINET IN THE CORNER AND A POSTER ON THE WALL ADVERTISING A LITTLE-KNOWN BAND THAT IS PLAYING IN A BRUNSWICK PUB. THE WRITER IS SEATED ON AN OFFICE CHAIR THAT HAS SEEN BETTER DAYS.
Camera shot moves from doorway to computer screen. Focusses on email.
From:
To:
Date: Several months before Christmas 2014
Subject: New novel scheduling
Dear etc etc
Just had a meeting with our production team and we need to get a heads-up on when that next book’s going to hit the deck here. Can you let me know how it’s going. We’re very excited – the focus you indicated (‘gay male couple adopt baby from India and fight for same sex marriage with Slumdog Millionaire subtheme’) fits right into the current zeitgeist.
Regards
Etc etc
INT. CAMERA FOCUSES ON WRITER WITH WORRIED LOOK ON FACE. THE DESK IS SURROUNDED BY BALLED UP PAPER.
The camera focuses back onto the computer screen.
From:
To:
Date: One month later
Subject: URGENT - New novel scheduling
Dear etc etc
We really need to know ASAP when we’re going to get the next book. I’ll call you.
INT. CAMERA FOCUSES ON WRITER, HEAD SLUMPED IN HANDS. THE DESK IS SURROUNDED BY EVEN MORE BALLED UP PAPER. THERE IS A SMALL TOWER OF RED BULL CANS IN THE CORNER AND A HALF EMPTY WHISKY BOTTLE. SEVERAL USED COFFEE CUPS CLUTTER THE DESK.
The camera focuses back onto the computer screen.
From:
To:
Date: One week later
Subject: Breach of contract
Dear etc etc
Contractually you have agreed to provide us with a final manuscript by . We have paid you a considerable advance for this work. Unless we receive a MS within 5 working days, we will be unable to distribute the book in time for the Christmas season. You appear to be avoiding our calls.
INT. WRITER IS SHOWN AT THE WINDOW LOOKING FROM THE FIRST FLOOR WHERE THE OFFICE IS LOACTED INTO A BUSY TWO-LANE STREET OF SHOPS AND MIDDLE EASTERN CAFES. THE CAMERA FOLLOWS HIS GAZE TO TWO WOMEN IN HIJABS, A GROUP OF OLD MEN SEATED OUTSIDE A CAFÉ AND THE TRAM RUMBLING DOWN THE STREET WHICH IS CONGESTED WITH CARS AND CYCLISTS. THE WRITER SIGHS, LIGHTS A CIGARETTE AND BLOWS SMOKE OUT OF THE OPEN WINDOW.
HE TURNS FROM THE WINDOW TO THE FILING CABINET AND BEGINS RUMMAGING THROUGH THE BOTTOM DRAWER. SOMETIME LATER HE EMERGES TRIUMPHANT HOLDING A FLOPPY DISC IN HIS HAND. (Note to Art Director – while technically time-wise, this should really be a hard floppy disc, we like the irony of it being one of those really early really floppy discs. We also need a clue that spring is coming. Woman carrying daffodils?)
Scene 2
INT. SAME OFFICE, NOW STRIPPED OF ALL DETRITUS AND LOOKING SPARTAN AND ORDERLY. COMPUTER IS OFF. WRITER IS SEEN BACK TO CAMERA ON THE PHONE.
Agent
Mate, I’ve had another call from him. They’re going mental. You’ve gotta have something. We promised them a book.
Writer
It’s OK – I’ve got it sorted.
Agent
What… you’ve finished the book?
Writer
No mate . Am totally stuck – What was I thinking? The gay marriage, baby thing – some kind of weird Odd Couple schtick? The Slap gone left field? Crazy. Noooo…. I remembered all those stories I’ve written – you know – I did a piece for that collection Brothers and Sisters. And there’s stuff from Meanjin I think…
Agent
yeah! I remember – a man goes to the funeral of his gay brother – there’s hippies and . Would’ve made a good novel.
Writer
That’s the one. I’ve chucked in another one that started life as a novel – it’s the one that I think should be the title story – Merciless Gods. And I’ve written one in Greek and translated it back into English so there’s a slight discordance. I’ve got 20 year’s worth of stories. They go back to the early 90s.
Agent
Mate, I don’t want to rain on your parade but what I remember of your short stories – they’re pretty full-on mate, a lot’ve violent sex, a lot’ve drugs, full on, mate. How would they work together in one book. It’d be full on…. Like ‘Loaded’ on speed.
Writer
We need a book.
Agent
I know – we can get them to make a really beautiful cover – go with the gods riff. Get all those ‘ladeez’ bookclubs in with a Greek god on the cover.
***************************************************************************
OK, so maybe it wasn’t like that but as one of the ladeez in my bookclub said, the stories together have an impact that would not have been the case when read singly as part of other collections. Combined, these stories trawl through the darker side of life. It’s a tough read and the quality is quite uneven – due perhaps to the fact that the stories were written over two decades. David Marr said of Tsiolkas “He talks quietly and writes loud,” and I think this is true.
What I think the book is lacking (in comparison to how other recent work) is an injection of tenderness that mediates the brutality of many of the scenes. In The Slap, the young characters and the older Greek man are treated gently as is the main character in Barracuda (despite his complexities). It’s rare in this collection to feel this (the story about the man whose father is in a nursing home is perhaps an exception).
A lot of the stories explore the dysfunctionality of families and relationships with fathers. There is a significant undercurrent of shame running through the book – it perhaps one of the propellants for the brutal sex acts and drug use that pervade many stories. I read an article about Tsiolkis about his earlier work which included the following:
“His first novel, Loaded, about a Greek boy rebelling against the traditional mores of his family and discovering his sexuality, was made into an extremely graphic movie called Head On. The author’s description of taking his mother to see it was very moving. She watched the screen, unflinching, he said, and afterwards vanished into the bathroom to emerge with red eyes. Together, they went to a pub to “get hammered” and there, armed only with the “Greek of a young boy” and her imperfect English, they had bared their souls to each other. There are very few times in which we and our parents stand naked before each other and speak the truth, he said, and this had been one of them.” (http://newsstore.fairfax.com.au/apps/...)
There’s stuff in here that is a baring of the soul and it’s not all pleasant.
The stories that I thought were particularly strong include the first one ‘Merciless Gods’ – about a party where things go wrong for a group of friends. (Note to Tsiolkas – he never convinces me that has a handle on what women are like and the incident where the wife takes revenge by shitting on a computer keyboard is not convincing – women shit metaphorically, not literally. This is what a boy would do.) There is story set in a prison that is violent and mesmerizing at the same time. ‘Porn 2’ –which also contains elements of tenderness despite the violence of the sex and power relationships – is also a compelling read. Most of the bookclub liked the story titled ‘Civil War’ – a surreal road trip through the heart of redneck Australia.
In the same article I read about Tsiolkas he said "Those are the sorts of questions I want to consider: how do we become that which we fear and detest, how do we acquiesce? I put that in my writing but I also see it as a constant challenge in my life." Put simply, it's not simple to be human. "All good art knows that," he says. "The struggle to be good is hourly, daily, that's what I'm so conscious of - in my writing and also in my life." This exploration is very central to this collection.
I found the collection relentless in tone and a bit like being hit over the head with a shovel. The best stories are very good, but it’s an uneven collection.
INT. A SMALL ROOM EQUIPPED WITH AN AGEING COMPUTER, A SHELF WITH DICTIONARIES AND A THESAURUS. THERE IS AN OLD FILING CABINET IN THE CORNER AND A POSTER ON THE WALL ADVERTISING A LITTLE-KNOWN BAND THAT IS PLAYING IN A BRUNSWICK PUB. THE WRITER IS SEATED ON AN OFFICE CHAIR THAT HAS SEEN BETTER DAYS.
Camera shot moves from doorway to computer screen. Focusses on email.
From:
To:
Date: Several months before Christmas 2014
Subject: New novel scheduling
Dear etc etc
Just had a meeting with our production team and we need to get a heads-up on when that next book’s going to hit the deck here. Can you let me know how it’s going. We’re very excited – the focus you indicated (‘gay male couple adopt baby from India and fight for same sex marriage with Slumdog Millionaire subtheme’) fits right into the current zeitgeist.
Regards
Etc etc
INT. CAMERA FOCUSES ON WRITER WITH WORRIED LOOK ON FACE. THE DESK IS SURROUNDED BY BALLED UP PAPER.
The camera focuses back onto the computer screen.
From:
To:
Date: One month later
Subject: URGENT - New novel scheduling
Dear etc etc
We really need to know ASAP when we’re going to get the next book. I’ll call you.
INT. CAMERA FOCUSES ON WRITER, HEAD SLUMPED IN HANDS. THE DESK IS SURROUNDED BY EVEN MORE BALLED UP PAPER. THERE IS A SMALL TOWER OF RED BULL CANS IN THE CORNER AND A HALF EMPTY WHISKY BOTTLE. SEVERAL USED COFFEE CUPS CLUTTER THE DESK.
The camera focuses back onto the computer screen.
From:
To:
Date: One week later
Subject: Breach of contract
Dear etc etc
Contractually you have agreed to provide us with a final manuscript by . We have paid you a considerable advance for this work. Unless we receive a MS within 5 working days, we will be unable to distribute the book in time for the Christmas season. You appear to be avoiding our calls.
INT. WRITER IS SHOWN AT THE WINDOW LOOKING FROM THE FIRST FLOOR WHERE THE OFFICE IS LOACTED INTO A BUSY TWO-LANE STREET OF SHOPS AND MIDDLE EASTERN CAFES. THE CAMERA FOLLOWS HIS GAZE TO TWO WOMEN IN HIJABS, A GROUP OF OLD MEN SEATED OUTSIDE A CAFÉ AND THE TRAM RUMBLING DOWN THE STREET WHICH IS CONGESTED WITH CARS AND CYCLISTS. THE WRITER SIGHS, LIGHTS A CIGARETTE AND BLOWS SMOKE OUT OF THE OPEN WINDOW.
HE TURNS FROM THE WINDOW TO THE FILING CABINET AND BEGINS RUMMAGING THROUGH THE BOTTOM DRAWER. SOMETIME LATER HE EMERGES TRIUMPHANT HOLDING A FLOPPY DISC IN HIS HAND. (Note to Art Director – while technically time-wise, this should really be a hard floppy disc, we like the irony of it being one of those really early really floppy discs. We also need a clue that spring is coming. Woman carrying daffodils?)
Scene 2
INT. SAME OFFICE, NOW STRIPPED OF ALL DETRITUS AND LOOKING SPARTAN AND ORDERLY. COMPUTER IS OFF. WRITER IS SEEN BACK TO CAMERA ON THE PHONE.
Agent
Mate, I’ve had another call from him. They’re going mental. You’ve gotta have something. We promised them a book.
Writer
It’s OK – I’ve got it sorted.
Agent
What… you’ve finished the book?
Writer
No mate . Am totally stuck – What was I thinking? The gay marriage, baby thing – some kind of weird Odd Couple schtick? The Slap gone left field? Crazy. Noooo…. I remembered all those stories I’ve written – you know – I did a piece for that collection Brothers and Sisters. And there’s stuff from Meanjin I think…
Agent
yeah! I remember – a man goes to the funeral of his gay brother – there’s hippies and . Would’ve made a good novel.
Writer
That’s the one. I’ve chucked in another one that started life as a novel – it’s the one that I think should be the title story – Merciless Gods. And I’ve written one in Greek and translated it back into English so there’s a slight discordance. I’ve got 20 year’s worth of stories. They go back to the early 90s.
Agent
Mate, I don’t want to rain on your parade but what I remember of your short stories – they’re pretty full-on mate, a lot’ve violent sex, a lot’ve drugs, full on, mate. How would they work together in one book. It’d be full on…. Like ‘Loaded’ on speed.
Writer
We need a book.
Agent
I know – we can get them to make a really beautiful cover – go with the gods riff. Get all those ‘ladeez’ bookclubs in with a Greek god on the cover.
***************************************************************************
OK, so maybe it wasn’t like that but as one of the ladeez in my bookclub said, the stories together have an impact that would not have been the case when read singly as part of other collections. Combined, these stories trawl through the darker side of life. It’s a tough read and the quality is quite uneven – due perhaps to the fact that the stories were written over two decades. David Marr said of Tsiolkas “He talks quietly and writes loud,” and I think this is true.
What I think the book is lacking (in comparison to how other recent work) is an injection of tenderness that mediates the brutality of many of the scenes. In The Slap, the young characters and the older Greek man are treated gently as is the main character in Barracuda (despite his complexities). It’s rare in this collection to feel this (the story about the man whose father is in a nursing home is perhaps an exception).
A lot of the stories explore the dysfunctionality of families and relationships with fathers. There is a significant undercurrent of shame running through the book – it perhaps one of the propellants for the brutal sex acts and drug use that pervade many stories. I read an article about Tsiolkis about his earlier work which included the following:
“His first novel, Loaded, about a Greek boy rebelling against the traditional mores of his family and discovering his sexuality, was made into an extremely graphic movie called Head On. The author’s description of taking his mother to see it was very moving. She watched the screen, unflinching, he said, and afterwards vanished into the bathroom to emerge with red eyes. Together, they went to a pub to “get hammered” and there, armed only with the “Greek of a young boy” and her imperfect English, they had bared their souls to each other. There are very few times in which we and our parents stand naked before each other and speak the truth, he said, and this had been one of them.” (http://newsstore.fairfax.com.au/apps/...)
There’s stuff in here that is a baring of the soul and it’s not all pleasant.
The stories that I thought were particularly strong include the first one ‘Merciless Gods’ – about a party where things go wrong for a group of friends. (Note to Tsiolkas – he never convinces me that has a handle on what women are like and the incident where the wife takes revenge by shitting on a computer keyboard is not convincing – women shit metaphorically, not literally. This is what a boy would do.) There is story set in a prison that is violent and mesmerizing at the same time. ‘Porn 2’ –which also contains elements of tenderness despite the violence of the sex and power relationships – is also a compelling read. Most of the bookclub liked the story titled ‘Civil War’ – a surreal road trip through the heart of redneck Australia.
In the same article I read about Tsiolkas he said "Those are the sorts of questions I want to consider: how do we become that which we fear and detest, how do we acquiesce? I put that in my writing but I also see it as a constant challenge in my life." Put simply, it's not simple to be human. "All good art knows that," he says. "The struggle to be good is hourly, daily, that's what I'm so conscious of - in my writing and also in my life." This exploration is very central to this collection.
I found the collection relentless in tone and a bit like being hit over the head with a shovel. The best stories are very good, but it’s an uneven collection.
March 8, 2015
As I read Tsiolkas' first published collection of short stories, I couldn't help but think that here, here, is a true artiste of human nature in all its glorious and tawdry flaws. He strips away the veneers we use so constantly - veneers of civilisation and humanity and tolerance - and puts our real selves up on display. You don't have to identify with any of his characters to connect with them, or recognise them. It's not about you, the reader, in a narcissistic way; it's about humanity and all its bullshit. Ironically, once stripped of the façade of gentility, what's left is yet another layer of bullshit.
Take Vince in the title story, "Merciless Gods". This is a story about stories, as a group of friends share anecdotes of when they took revenge. Vince's story leaves the others shocked and sickened, and it's hard to tell whether he's even telling the truth or not. If he is, he's a bastard. If he isn't, he's still a bastard. In "Petals", we are deep within the twisted consciousness of a prison inmate, homesick for Greece, who brings us right into his hell of a life with authentically bad grammar. He is a character who is instantly believable, deeply flawed, full of 'greys' and ultimately more than a bit scary. There's the story of a young man with a girlfriend who lets himself get pulled into a relationship with another man who uses him for sex, money and to enable his drinking habit, who is violent and a rapist, in "Jessica Lange in Frances".
Life is a journey, the old cliché says, but what's missing are the adjectives: violent, brutal, dirty, rich, textured, unpleasant, joyous, disgusting, frightening, paralysing. Merciless Gods has its high moments, but mostly it descends into the underbelly of humanity, laying it all bare without shame, apology or censorship. A few stories touch upon Indigenous issues, like "Civil War" which, scarily, tells us that there are people in Australia stockpiling weapons for some fantastical war against the Aborigines (who are, of course, simply living off welfare etc. etc.), in which they will be wiped out, once and for all.
What's especially frightening about this is just how prevalent this attitude is in Australian society. In certain parts of the country - Queensland, the Northern Territory, and Western Australia especially, where "Civil War" is set - this is the common, mainstream attitude and perspective. You'll find it in other places, too, including my own state, Tasmania. We live in a deeply racist land and have done little about it. Most people don't even bother to hide it.
It would be a shame to be turned off by the strong language, the gruesome scenes of rape, pornography and other sexual acts, as well as the subject matter explored here. Personally, I like confronting stories: I like to have my world shaken up by fiction and non-fiction, along with documentaries, though in order to live my life I have to read the fun stuff too. It's important not to shy away from the truths of our world, or the realistic flaws of human nature. It's also important to, in a way, 'bear witness', to hear and listen and think about and feel, because while Merciless Gods may be fiction, it carries that stamp of 'gritty realism' and the bone-deep knowledge that people have lived this, and more, all the time. These are stories that can deliver a punch to the gut, have you chewing your fingernails in suspense, and even bring out a tissue or two.
Tsiolkas isn't shy of bringing you into this world, far from a cozy middle-class existence. His ability to create scenes, characters and explore, with subtlety, hard-hitting contemporary issues is his greatest strength. I saw that in Barracuda and I see it even more here, in these stories. What saves it from being downright depressing is that sense of his character's fragile, vulnerable quest for beauty in this grim world, that even a wart on a toad can be loveable because it's your toad - like the mother in "The Hair of the Dog", or the father-son relationship in "Genetic Material". Not all the stories are in-your-face or contain vulgarity, or are about homosexuality, violence, pornography. The married couple in "Tourists" feel so familiar because they are so vividly, realistically drawn, and the tense mother-son relationship in "Sticks, Stones" makes me wonder what my own little boy will put me through when he's a teenager - and how I'll react. (On a side note, my son, three years old, found the cover of this book quite scary.)
You never know what one of these stories will bring you, or where it will take you. Each is a surprise, and each is subtle, full of nuance and shades of grey. Tsiolkas' raw and insightful examination of our flawed psyches and troubled relationships is, strangely, a joy to read, not least because of the skill and craftsmanship he brings to each tale. Truly Tsiolkas has become one of Australia's truly great writers for the 21st century.
Take Vince in the title story, "Merciless Gods". This is a story about stories, as a group of friends share anecdotes of when they took revenge. Vince's story leaves the others shocked and sickened, and it's hard to tell whether he's even telling the truth or not. If he is, he's a bastard. If he isn't, he's still a bastard. In "Petals", we are deep within the twisted consciousness of a prison inmate, homesick for Greece, who brings us right into his hell of a life with authentically bad grammar. He is a character who is instantly believable, deeply flawed, full of 'greys' and ultimately more than a bit scary. There's the story of a young man with a girlfriend who lets himself get pulled into a relationship with another man who uses him for sex, money and to enable his drinking habit, who is violent and a rapist, in "Jessica Lange in Frances".
Life is a journey, the old cliché says, but what's missing are the adjectives: violent, brutal, dirty, rich, textured, unpleasant, joyous, disgusting, frightening, paralysing. Merciless Gods has its high moments, but mostly it descends into the underbelly of humanity, laying it all bare without shame, apology or censorship. A few stories touch upon Indigenous issues, like "Civil War" which, scarily, tells us that there are people in Australia stockpiling weapons for some fantastical war against the Aborigines (who are, of course, simply living off welfare etc. etc.), in which they will be wiped out, once and for all.
"There's gonna have to be a war soon in this country."
I look up at him and he's glancing over at me.
"People are getting ready," he continues, "arming themselves. And who can blame them? The fucking government is in cahoots with the niggers, giving them all this land, paying them money so they can get drunk and piss it all away." He snorts angrily and accelerates. I offer neither resistance to nor approval of what he is saying. "Do you know those bastards get money to send their kids to school? And what do the parents do with all that money? Drink it or spend it on drugs. The pricks up in Canberra keep giving them our money, buying them houses and cars." He is animated now, anger and passion softening the hard surfaces of his skin, making him seem younger. "It's our money that pays for all those gifts to the bloody blackfella while he sits on his lazy arse and sells his kids and wife for extra cash. They're cunning bastards. No natural intelligence at all, just animal cunning." He spits out this last insult. "They know how to use the system. But the bastards are making use of my taxes to live the good life." [pp.232-3]
What's especially frightening about this is just how prevalent this attitude is in Australian society. In certain parts of the country - Queensland, the Northern Territory, and Western Australia especially, where "Civil War" is set - this is the common, mainstream attitude and perspective. You'll find it in other places, too, including my own state, Tasmania. We live in a deeply racist land and have done little about it. Most people don't even bother to hide it.
It would be a shame to be turned off by the strong language, the gruesome scenes of rape, pornography and other sexual acts, as well as the subject matter explored here. Personally, I like confronting stories: I like to have my world shaken up by fiction and non-fiction, along with documentaries, though in order to live my life I have to read the fun stuff too. It's important not to shy away from the truths of our world, or the realistic flaws of human nature. It's also important to, in a way, 'bear witness', to hear and listen and think about and feel, because while Merciless Gods may be fiction, it carries that stamp of 'gritty realism' and the bone-deep knowledge that people have lived this, and more, all the time. These are stories that can deliver a punch to the gut, have you chewing your fingernails in suspense, and even bring out a tissue or two.
Tsiolkas isn't shy of bringing you into this world, far from a cozy middle-class existence. His ability to create scenes, characters and explore, with subtlety, hard-hitting contemporary issues is his greatest strength. I saw that in Barracuda and I see it even more here, in these stories. What saves it from being downright depressing is that sense of his character's fragile, vulnerable quest for beauty in this grim world, that even a wart on a toad can be loveable because it's your toad - like the mother in "The Hair of the Dog", or the father-son relationship in "Genetic Material". Not all the stories are in-your-face or contain vulgarity, or are about homosexuality, violence, pornography. The married couple in "Tourists" feel so familiar because they are so vividly, realistically drawn, and the tense mother-son relationship in "Sticks, Stones" makes me wonder what my own little boy will put me through when he's a teenager - and how I'll react. (On a side note, my son, three years old, found the cover of this book quite scary.)
You never know what one of these stories will bring you, or where it will take you. Each is a surprise, and each is subtle, full of nuance and shades of grey. Tsiolkas' raw and insightful examination of our flawed psyches and troubled relationships is, strangely, a joy to read, not least because of the skill and craftsmanship he brings to each tale. Truly Tsiolkas has become one of Australia's truly great writers for the 21st century.
August 18, 2022
I think I have found a new author!
It is going to be a difficult job explaining why I love this particular collection of short stories. The writing and the stories in themselves aren’t breaking any grounds; they are simple and straight forward but as a combination, they are fire. There are fifteen stories and I wish I could point out ones that stood out from the rest but every piece in this collection is as brilliant and engaging as the next one. I was genuinely surprised to find myself immensely engrossed in every single one of them. Usually with a collection, there is always one or two stories that do not work out or are somehow lower in brilliance than the others but not Merciless Gods.
Love. Queerness. Sex. Relationship. Violence. Desire. Loneliness. Metropolis. These are some of the subjects this collection deals with. While there are pieces that are as light as a feather (Tourists, Hung Phat, The T-shirt With A Fist On It), some are particularly dark in nature (Jessica Lange in Frances, P*rn 2, P*rn 3, Petals).
I just don’t know what else to say. I feel like things I love are harder to explain whereas things I hate, I could go on about them forever.
It is going to be a difficult job explaining why I love this particular collection of short stories. The writing and the stories in themselves aren’t breaking any grounds; they are simple and straight forward but as a combination, they are fire. There are fifteen stories and I wish I could point out ones that stood out from the rest but every piece in this collection is as brilliant and engaging as the next one. I was genuinely surprised to find myself immensely engrossed in every single one of them. Usually with a collection, there is always one or two stories that do not work out or are somehow lower in brilliance than the others but not Merciless Gods.
Love. Queerness. Sex. Relationship. Violence. Desire. Loneliness. Metropolis. These are some of the subjects this collection deals with. While there are pieces that are as light as a feather (Tourists, Hung Phat, The T-shirt With A Fist On It), some are particularly dark in nature (Jessica Lange in Frances, P*rn 2, P*rn 3, Petals).
I just don’t know what else to say. I feel like things I love are harder to explain whereas things I hate, I could go on about them forever.
October 3, 2022
A wonderful collection of 15 short stories. The stories are varied, the characters rich and believable. Tsiolkas continues to prove that he is one of Australia's best story tellers.
August 30, 2018
So this was another masterstroke by my library officer at Yarra Libraries in Carlton. Christos Tsiolkas is a local author, Melborne-born and bred. He is openly gay and this stunning book of short stories by him has a lot of LGBT characters. I've never read a book in which an LGBT character just was. You know what I mean? A book where there are just regular stories about regular people - who do drugs, who fight, who fall in love, who piss, shit and fuck, who do crazy shit - and they just happen to be gay. That's it. Their sexuality is a part of them and not their sole defining character trait. Just goes to show how much heteronormative fiction I've read all my life.
The stories themselves are startling - like I said earlier, they're filled with sex, drugs and rock-n-roll - it's like Tsiolkas is trying to shock you. But there's an earthiness about his writing which balances out the grime in them.
I enjoyed the book and plan to read his novel, The Slap, next. Much recommended!
The stories themselves are startling - like I said earlier, they're filled with sex, drugs and rock-n-roll - it's like Tsiolkas is trying to shock you. But there's an earthiness about his writing which balances out the grime in them.
I enjoyed the book and plan to read his novel, The Slap, next. Much recommended!
December 7, 2014
This is one of the most visceral books I have ever read. There's lots of bodily fluid getting around, some form of liquid in pretty much every story. It's not for the prudish. After reading it I may fall into that category. I had to skin some bits!
I think this is incredibly well crafted in terms of character development and sense of place, particularly as this is a collection of short stories and I still feel Tsiolkas is an incredibly important contemporary author. I just wanted there to be some characters that weren't completely messed up. Maybe I should just read it and be grateful for my functional life.
I think this is incredibly well crafted in terms of character development and sense of place, particularly as this is a collection of short stories and I still feel Tsiolkas is an incredibly important contemporary author. I just wanted there to be some characters that weren't completely messed up. Maybe I should just read it and be grateful for my functional life.
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