Book Review: Weed Species

Weed Species
by Jack Ketchum

Synopsis: In ecology an invasive species, also called an invasive exotic, is an organism that is intentionally or accidentally introduced to an area where it is not native, and where it successfully invades and disturbs natural ecosystems, displacing native species. The term is most often applied to, but not limited to, plants. See also kudzu, water hyacinth, zebra mussel, Burmese python, eco-tourism and sociopath. Sherry Jefferson and Owen Delassandro are the last example on that list.

It's pretty much just a short story about how some "bad seeds" influence others. It's loaded with gratuitous sex and violence, as I'd expect from Mr. Ketchum, but it's missing what I have come to expect from him and that's a bit more of the social commentary I like his work for. He's got plenty of chances here to get into domestic violence issues and other things but mainly spends the very abbreviated work on the pornographic side of things.

He does sort of link it all together in the end, but it's sort of subtle and the violence and shock is so overwhelming it's easy to miss the point. There's a lot of sadistic, brutal acts and it's not for the weak. What I think it could have used is a bit more character background and development to take a break from the brutality and give me time to digest it a bit. It could have been twice as long yet more enjoyable I think.

Overall it's a decent quick horror read but pretty disappointing considering the source.

4/10