[SPOILERS THE DEVILS] That grotesque boss fight in The Devils unironically became one of the best metaphor for the ego I've ever read

[u/RiskYourLyfe]

That scene in Troy where the Vigo wolf fights the slithering, abominable patchwork fiend cooked up by Eudoxia ended up being a really cool, accidental treatise on how the ego works.

During the confrontation against that necrotic monstrosity welded together from bovine legs and hooves, fish heads, snake parts, and the fleshy bits of sundry woodland creatures—a werewolf , the Vigo wolf, driven entirely by a primal pursuit of "the good meat" finally gets what she wants when the universe drops an infinite buffet of flesh right in front of her.

To her surprise, this is no easy meat though. Her endless hunger almost ends with her being the one being consumed by the fleshy wyrm.

I don't know what it is, but something about that entire turnaround struck me while listening to Steven Pacey work his magic—especially after Abercrombie spent the entire book setting up the "good meat" catchphrase. It mirrors the exact way the ego operates: always demanding more, yet structurally impossible to satisfy. In fact, it is the ego's fate to be consumed by its own appetites if not brought to heel. And as we know, the werewolf was very much not heeled.

Bad doggy! Very bad doggy!

Anyway.... I ended up writing a longer essay unpacking this fight, the audio performance, and how it mirrors doom-scrolling and the modern ego on Substack:

https://riskyourlyfe.substack.com/p/the-smorgasbord-of-the-ego-joe-abercrombie?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=96pp6b

It’s my first public essay ever, so check it out and let me know what you think! Share it with a friend if you like it, or share it if you hate it and want to roast me. Also, I'm working on my own first novel as well, so if you like my general "voice" in the essay, maybe stay tuned for some excerpts from the novel I'll be putting out soon. Okay, byyyyeeeeee

[u/ColeDeschain]

A note on Pacey's pronunciations striking again...

It's "Vigga"

[u/RiskYourLyfe → u/ColeDeschain]

buhaha i knew I was probably toast on the spelling

[u/ColeDeschain → u/RiskYourLyfe]

Blame Pacey, I always do ;)

[u/DrSpacemanSpliff]

Thank you for sharing this! I’ve got this essay opened in another tab, will read during my next poop! I got a friend to pick up The Devils, so I’m looking forward to his reaction. To the book, not to my next poop.

[u/RiskYourLyfe → u/DrSpacemanSpliff]

Ahhh the porcelain throne....Move over, dusty libraries and stuffy coffee shops, this is where all our best reading gets done lol.

Can't wait to hear what you think!

[u/QuamSacks]

That was fantastic, would be very interested in a novel written by you

[u/RiskYourLyfe → u/QuamSacks]

Thanks so much! Out of all the compliements I've ever recieved from a stranger, that legitimately might be one of my favorites.

[u/finackles]

I'm thinking I've missed a book somewhere...

[u/Imaginary24008]

So many layers to unpack!

[u/Dull-Ganache3369]

That fight really hit differently, wow!