#jeff lindsay

[hyodyton]

book! brian so fun

[saturnbxrs]

tonight’s the night or whatever

[thejakeformerlyknownasprince]

A crossover between Animorphs and Dexter? Or: what if Dexter was in the same Universe as Animorphs?

These are two WILDLY different takes on the broad category of dark camp, even though I'd put both under that heading. Like, Dexter the show tones it down a little, but Jeff Lindsay is all about finding ridiculous and hilarious ways to describe gruesome murder and stuff like that. It leans way into the shock comedy, suggesting that all humans are fundamentally terrible and that serial killers are ordinary folks who just have slightly fewer manners than average. Camp elements are like "Suuure there are 40-odd serial killers who all live in Miami, why not?" and "I guess you could, in theory, chop off 100% of someone's appendages non-fatally."

Whereas Animorphs is also dark camp, but the horror and the screwball comedy rarely mix. It's far more likely to suggest that people are well-meaning and decent, but that societies are ridiculous. It'll shift rapid-fire between the extremes of body horror and teen comedy, but it will shift rather than being both at once. Our narrators get serious when things are dangerous, goofy when things are weird. Camp elements are like "Of course you stab all your leaders to death so they can't make mistakes," and "No, no, only the maple-and-ginger flavor oatmeal addicts aliens! All other flavors are harmless!"

Which is a long-winded way of saying: I have no idea how to square this circle. Anyone else have thoughts?

[psychicpinenut]

No blood at all. I could hear that phrase repeat itself in my head, louder each time. No sticky, hot, messy, awful blood. No splatter. No stain. NO BLOOD AT ALL. Why hadn't I thought of that? Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay // Dexter (2006)

[coolskeleton66]

Dexter in the books and show are like polar opposites BUT there is one thing that brings them together

and that is their love of food...

[dabiconcordia]

“The mind picks some very bad times to take a walk doesn't it?” ― Jeff Lindsay

[like-this-n-like-that]

Book Dexter is a psychopath. He doesn't connect to human emotions; he's cold, annoyed, asexual and has the biggest ego on the planet. He's the ipotome of the bird "i am uncomfortable when we are not talking about myself?". He learns from others and TV shows. So he says things like: I don't care about this situation, it's actually annoying me but I know I have to look normal. My beard is sobbing. I watched a movie that showed I should put my arm around her and say "there there", but I've tested that out several times in the past and "there there" seems TOO fake. It did come from a movie after all. So I'm going to test out 'it's going to be okay.' Alright, here I go. I put my arm around her, pull her head close to me and I say "it's going to be okay." I feel her melt into me, which I believe means she's been comforted by my fakeness. I'm relieved because whatever she's going through is over and I've successfully passed whatever human bullshit this is. Again I don't care about her as a person and I don't care that she's crying; i'm irritated that I have to take time out of my Self Congratulation Hours but I'm happy that I've been able to continue this ruse for yet another night.

Also book Dexter: blatantly staring in confusion at obvious clues and people's conversations about something that literally happened 5 minutes ago, so the reader feels infinitely smarter than him. You know that his intelligence is self-proclaimed. He's probably the most unreliable narrator you might come across. You're amazed that Doakes is one of the few people that've caught on to him.

Unfortunately every other character in the books: One note hollow shells of people. Which logically makes sense because it's being told from the point of view of a psychopath who only regards himself highly and is unable to view others equally. It still gives you a claustrophobic and narrow viewpoint of the plot.

TV Dexter: uncomfortable heterosexual autistic man was psychologically tortured by his foster father into believing he's a psychopath. Look at how savant, clever, nerdy charming and all powerful at life this man is. Go Dex Go.

Every other character in the TV show: still little one note but they allow for them to have inner complexities and inner lives.

[sonofcelluloid]

The Dexter books be like: There is a darkness in me ever on the precipice of spilling out and devouring my world into nothingness. The sandwich I had for lunch was delicious. I usually do not stray from my regular order, but they were running a special, and I’m so glad I did. I suspect the police may not believe the story I told them, as I have noticed a Buick following me for the third consecutive day. The sandwich had ham, roast pork, melted swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard. I’m hesitant to go home because I fear my hot wife may try to fuck me.