I know this book is considered a horror classic and was nominate for awards like the Stoker when it first came out, but it was weird, monotonous and kind of boring. The idea was cool and I liked the first 35% or so but overall I thought it was boring. What was the point? I’m giving it 3 stars because of the body horror aspect was good but the rest was not for me.

Republished thirty years on, this debut horror novel far exceeds my memory of it; when it came out, I wasn't interested in its eldritch overtones and dismissed its literary charms far too readily for that reason. Still not that interested in cosmic horror, as horror anyway, since the crap people do to each other every day scares me a lot more than some Evil Force somehow making people do awful stuff or, sillier still, does awful stuff to them despite being disembodied...possession and so forth come under the heading of mental illness untreated or undiagnosed in my materialist worldview.

But honestly, so what. This is a story, fiction with all that implies. Author Koja's been at this gig for decades now, and it's clear she started strong with this debut. Like all well-made fiction, this novel tells us truths about ourselves and our world. Self-harm, suicidal ideation, depression, all come into the story and are treated with due respect. This being thirty years ago, maybe not the way we'd talk about them now, but they aren't presented as reasons to become a victim.

The power dynamics of this book are very intricate. Upper hands slip. Control falters. People don't behave in reasonable ways, ever! The story unspools at a fairly brisk clip and rewards your attention to its details. Since this is a body horror novel, you know violent changes will be wrought on humans. It's part of our culture to revel in this strange obsession with involuntary body modification and/or death. Not always to my personal taste. This story's main appeal isn't its physical violence but its quieter, less obtrusive dealings with the power within a relationship, how it's used, what it does to the parties involved...and, on that level, this story *rocks*! Can't recommend it unreservedly, see the CWs, but recommend it I do to my fellow #Deathtober fans.

"The Cipher" by Kathe Koja is a dark and atmospheric horror novel that certainly has its moments. Koja's writing style is evocative, painting a vivid and unsettling picture of the decaying building at the center of the story. The descent into madness and obsession is well-captured, and the sense of dread is palpable. However, the plot can feel somewhat meandering and lacking in clear direction, which may frustrate some readers. Additionally, the characters, while realistically flawed, can be hard to connect with on a deeper level. "The Cipher" is a unique and disturbing read, but it might not be everyone's cup of tea.

Truly an modern classic and a must read for the modern horror reader. Gritty and dirty 90s weird horror.

Enjoy the Fun-hole

This book is a unique experience, much like other Koja books I’ve read. I love how she uses stream of consciousness etc. I know that Koja currently works with immersive fiction and I wonder how this books would do adapted for that - probably pretty darn terrifying.

Anyway, I’ll continue to read works from Koja and recommend The Cipher to anyone looking for a different kind of horror novel experience.

This was one if the weirdest books I've read in a long time. Typically not typically a huge fan of this kind of horror, but the writing style was unique and mesmerizing. This one stays with you as a black growing lump in your gut.

The Cipher was my first read from this author. While it won't be my last, overall it wasn't for me. I can see why so many people are fans of this author's writing. The style of prose is unique, and flows in a sort of stream-of-consciousness fashion at times. I struggled with this, as well as the fact that the characters were so difficult to like. It was tough for me to invest in them, and that created a partial disconnect from the story. The premise and the storyline were engaging enough that I wanted to continue. I was driven by a need to know the conclusion, otherwise I might've set this one aside.

I love this author, she is so good. She is also a genuinely good person. I am an essential worker and she gave me an audiobook of a collection of hers on Twitter when this pandemic was in full swing. This story is about dysfunctional love. Unhealthy relationships are common. This story takes one of those and ramps it up a couple notches. There is some seriously scary stuff in this book. Read at your own risk.

To start off, this is a reprint of a Dell book which was first published January 5th, 1991 with that phenomenally gorgeous/bizarre cover. It was later picked up and re-published by Roadswell Editions July 13, 2012, and got that second, less-whelming cover. And now we’re here: 2020’s Meerkat Press Edition. I like the new cover a lot. It was never going to beat that original one (I mean, Dell is kind of known for solid horror novel cover art), but it is a good cover.

The story itself is fucking weird. Like truly strange. But I couldn’t/didn’t want to put it down. I love the whole concept of The Funhole. I love inescapable, indescribable, indifferent horror, and this one is definitely all of that. The Funhole may or may not be sentient. Or it may contain sentient beings. Or maybe not. Who the hell knows, really?

I love that there is almost nobody here that you want to root for. Nicholas is one of those people who is basically just existing – there’s nothing particularly interesting or likeable about him. He’s just some listless dude working at a video store. And Nakota – omg this woman. I actually really love/hate her. I mean – she’s fascinating. She’s like a bony, violently psychotic Marla Singer. Okay, she’s actually just a goth Marla. She even has the whole thrift-store extraordinaire thing going on. I also love Marla (who came to be a few years later than Nakota, so I’m solely making a comparison here – not throwing shade, ftr), so I guess in literary settings, I totally have a type. I just love those unhinged, pointy, mean little DIY Trash Queens so god damned much.

“Nakota would rot differently from other people; she would be the first to admit it.”

Nakota is basically the worst. Although all of the divergent bands of sycophants are nearly as bad. Also, I hope you’re paying attention because the Funhole causes there to be DIVERGENT BANDS OF SYCOPHANTS. How awesome is that?

This book is culty, it’s super goopy, it’s bleak, and strange and I absolutely loved it.

’When a strange hole materializes in a storage room, would-be poet Nicholas and his feral lover Nakota allow their curiosity to lead them into the depths of terror.’

I love the beginning of the book, the mystery of the strange hole and the horror within had me gleefully wanting more with every turn of a page.

Unfortunately, around the forty percent mark is where I decided this book isn’t for me and had to call it quits—a decision made mainly due to the repetition.

The narrative felt stalled as the reader bears witness to the main characters physically fighting with each other, get drunk, take drugs, have sex, experience a bit of horror (love the imagery), go to work, and rinse and repeat.

I do, however, like Koja’s writing style; here's a sample:

’Videos, I’ll give you a video. Not for the squeamish. Category, urn. Let’s say Foreign Film. Or Comedy, depending, all depending on your personal true-blue bent and if you’re benter than most this’ll be a thigh slapper. Maybe more.’

Though THE CIPHER didn’t tick off all the boxes for me, I do look forward to reading what Koja comes up with next.

Thank you, NetGalley and Meerkat Press, for loaning me an eGalley of THE CIPHER in exchange for an honest review.

Good story. Trippy, first person narrative about a large hole, inexplicably appearing in an apartment storage unit. Not your normal scary horror story - mostly the horrors appear through introspection. The first novel I read by Ms. Koja and it is well written. Based on it, I'll be looking for more of her books.

“Because in the end we are what we are, we want what we want, whether we know it or not. Whether we care to resist or not, or whether in the end it’s worth resistance after all.”*

Cipher is a horror story about a love triangle between a poet/video store manager, his ex-lover, and a supernatural void that appears in a maintenance room in his apartment building. Nicholas loves Nakota, who loves the creepy void, while the creepy void loves Nicholas. The various people around them, friends, enemies, and acolytes of the hole are all damaged by the vicious circle of unrequited love.

The story also explores what it means to be an artist, as described in the afterward by Maryse Meijer: “Nicholas can write poems, but most often doesn’t, or else he does so while drunk and destroys what he creates before he’s even had time to consider it soberly; Nakota uses her own body as her project, subjecting her flesh and her sanity to the effects of the Funhole...”* Artists Randy and Malcolm create under-appreciated metal sculptures and death masks, respectively. Both men’s art becomes important in the story as do their roles, Randy as a protector and Malcolm as an antagonist. Nakota’s prime focus becomes testing the limits of the void, and Nicholas gets pulled in deeper and deeper as he tries to save her from her obsession.

Nicholas could have been a pretty unlikeable character, yet other story people such as Randy and his girlfriend Vanese constantly step up to help him. Nicholas even acquires a kind of Greek chorus in the form of a trio of dingbats. Their affinity for him adds to his likability, and his relentless deviation to Nakota makes him relatable to anyone who has felt the sting of unrequited love.

Cipher, first published in 1991, contains dated references to things like video tapes, creating a fun retro feel, however, like other classics, the story stands the test of time. The integration of today’s technology wouldn’t affect this outstanding work of cosmic horror.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thanks to NetGalley and Meerkat Press for providing an Advance Reader Copy.

*Please note that my review is based on uncorrected text.

Koja writes with a style that’s not quite like any other. The tone is gritty and dark and ripe with twisted metaphor. She employs sentence fragments and run on sentences like no other author can. She uses almost a stream of consciousness style that grows more and more erratic and confusing as the novel progresses. This in itself instills a level of disorientation in the reader, which mimics the feelings and internal conflict that Nicholas himself is going through. There were times when I had to reread passages multiple times, because the style and what was happening were so peculiar that I couldn’t follow. I can see this as both a good and a bad thing. It’s clear that Nicholas isn’t in quite the right frame of mind, but as a reader, I wanted a little more clarity as to what was happening. Not full clarity (I love the abstract style), but a little more concrete so that I wouldn’t have to reread and the impact of what was truly happening could sink in.

At first, the concept of the funhole is fascinating in its simplicity. However, as the novel progresses, the effects of the funhole become stranger and stranger, which, unfortunately, negatively affected my ability to be immersed in the story.

I found that the ending of the novel fell a little flat for me. It fits well with the underlying theme of the novel, and I won’t give any spoilers, but I needed more. The book starts off disturbing right off the bat, and while the rest of the events of the book are disturbing and they do escalate in severity, but the level of disturbingness doesn’t escalate. No scene in the novel is more disturbing that than scene in the first couple of chapters (no spoilers, but it was messed up!) This disappointed me just a little.

While the writing style was hard to follow, this novel is quite a page turner. I was compelled to learn more, to see what Nakota would do next in her insatiable desire to learn more about the funhole, and to see how Nicholas would react.

I recommend this book to horror fans who read for language and want to read a book that has a dark and perverted style that will keep them turning the pages.

I hated nearly every character in this book, some much, much more so than others. That said, I could not stop reading. The Cipher is a beautifully grotesque story written by a top-notch wordsmith. If you're looking for something gross, and confusing, but compelling as all hell, this is the one.

I like the idea of this book, but reading stream-of-consciousness stories just does not work with my brain. I couldn't stay focused on the story, and it was difficult to get through.

This felt like a perfect little 90s nugget without any cringey sexism, homophobia, etc., which I've found to be rare with older horror. It was, however, a little on the slow side with not much actually happening.

Not quite what I expected. The writing style is more harsh and grating than what I'm used to. Nothing wrong with it at all, actually very different and almost poetic in style. Just not for me

Nicholas has a Sometimes girlfriend Nakota. Nicholas takes Nakota to the storage room where there is a black hole in the floor. Nakota gets exited and wants to know what the Black ole is. Is it a portal to another dimension? Nakota throws some insects down the hole. The insects come back but are changed. It seems as they have an extra leg or writing on their back. When Nakota goes back another day with Nicholas she throws a mouse into the hole. Nicholas objects but Nakota says it was going to be food for a boa constrictor so it’s no big deal. The mouse is thrown out by the hole and the mouse no longer has any fur on it. Nakota wants to drop a camcorder down the hole to see if she will see what is in it. Nicholas says no but gives in. The next day he goes to work at the video store. He closes the store and borrows a camcorder and some blank tapes. They go to the storage room and put the camcorder down the hole. When they pull it back up, they go o his apartment to watch it. Every time Nicholas sees it, it is the same video whereas for Natasha sees a different “film” each time she watches it.. Why? What Makes Nicholas and Nakota see different things on the film? The next time they go to see the black hole, Nakota tries to go down in the black hole but Nicholas keeps her from succeeding. Nicholas had his hand go into the hole so when he looked at it, there was a wound on his hand. That wound keeps growing. No matter what Nicholas does, it will not heal. Why?

This is a horror story that does have sex in it. There is also a lot of beer drinking. So I want to warn you that this isn’t a “bedtime” story for kids. It is well written with exception in the middle where it slows down. As the author included other characters beside Nakota and Nicholas, there is an interesting relationship that Nicholas has with them. Nicholas doesn’t like them but he doesn’t want them to get hurt. The characters are all unique in personality. This novel reminded me of books I have read that were written by Lovecraft which I liked. If you are a horror fan, this is a book to read! You won’t forget it.

A harrowing account which threatens to swallow the reader whole in spite of the bizarre plot and characters. Quite honestly, I had to read (twice) the excellent afterword discussion to really understand it. My sophomoric interpretation of this example of self cannibalization is too broad to do justice to this finely crafted apartment dwelling horror.

This is a wonderful book and kept me engaged, with a very satisfying ending. The characters are a bit... gross? But still enjoyable to read. I need to check out Kathe Koja's other works to see if they're as good as this!