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The B.E.E. Podcast - 9/6/21 - The Shards Finale - Timewarp - SILVER (Patreon)

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2021-09-06 23:57:01
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Content

The events of Fall 1981 come to a stunning and splintering climax in the 27th and final installment of The Shards. We then take a trip back in time to revisit a classic podcast conversation from seven years ago. Patreon Season 4 finale.

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Comments

Christian Eden

I love the implication that Bret EE himself is a serial killer ^^

Ant

Can’t wait to find out what happens to Jeff Taylor.

JEREMY ROBERTS

I can't believe one of the most memorable literary experiences in my life is coming to an end! I might delay pressing play for a day ..

Tom

Such a powerful and cinematic conclusion to The Shards. I can’t wait to hold a signed copy in my hands, whenever that will be… Thank you Bret and Adam for all your hard work in making this podcast a much needed respite from the mundanities of life during pandemic lockdowns: certainly worth more than $2 per episode. And on that note, I’d encourage everyone who enjoys this final chapter to show their appreciation by upping their membership tier. No, not a paid shill! Just a very happy and appreciative fan…

BUtterfield8

No... it can't be ending. No, no, no. Ok, I have to listen now.

D S

Sorry it had to end! This novel works fantastically as a audio work, and I can't imagine anyone else reading it aloud. Despite Bret's aversion to audiobooks, I encourage him to narrate it himself if and when it is commercially released. I too went to high school on the west side of L.A. during the same time period (albeit in humbler, public school surrounds), and the Shards transported me back to that time and place in vivid detail. Like a vivid dream. Thanks for the time travels and the bi-weekly escape during a crazy period of time.

Matt Serafini

Wow. Incredible. One of the most haunting works I’ve ever read. Just a phenomenal experience and I can’t wait for the book. Thank you, Bret. Thank you, Adam. Appreciate all your efforts in getting this up every few weeks for the past year. What a ride it was.

David Martignetti

I enjoyed it but this is of course fiction or a fictionalized account of actual events.

Nick Not Nolte

a little known local band, Line One. 😉👌🏽

John
>>67332029

The hell you say. Just kidding. Bret basically cops to it in his absolutely brilliant and moving final monologue in The Shards. "This book is a dream." I did realize early on that it was largely fiction. But I would like to ask him why it was important for him to early on stress that the story WAS real, and HAD happened.

Ant

As the finale closed out and the sound of the ocean swelled i got that nauseous feeling you only get when an intimate relationship has ended suddenly... that unsettling vibe like you're both full and empty at the same time. That ending (and the experience of this whole experience ending) was so incredibly moving... it just leaves you deeply affected, in daze like you've woken up from a dream that starts instantly dissolving away from you. The way memories sorta do. I think it's a year to the day after it all started. Either way, this book (?) will always be locked in time over the last 12 months for me as a unique & unforgettable journey that you have to experience and then let fade away. I didn't understand until this very moment why you'd wanted to delete this format but it kinda makes total sense now. Its hard to re-read a diary, but the feeling is always there where-ever a reminder is found. Thanks Bret (& Adam) for the epic feat of perseverance to get this done. LOVED IT!

MITCHELL SILVERMAN

What a fantastic story. And the image of Debbie Harry at the end was perfect

Michael Bronspigel

This was an unforgettable experience. Thanx a million.

Tom Davidson

Wow the ending, the last line whatever it meant totally got me. A warm thank you to Bret and Adam.

larrylegend

Thank you Bret..having the author read these words made for a story like no other.

Raúl

On time for my birthday, awesome

Seneca Garcia

Ended the very end with a kinda first chapter Lunar Park realism — there were a lot of great things to over look in the audio reading format

Brian

It was really an incredible experience to listen to this story. This was undoubtedly a painfully difficult subject to reflect on but the results I believe were well worth it. Thank you for sharing The Shards

Christopher Low

What a journey. I grew up in a completely different kind of place but this novel is universal, painful to be reminded of the teens

HUNCHtheatre

Astonishing, what a ride, haven’t been that involved in a book for years, every twist and turn, impossible to say how much it moved me - thank you Bret & Adam

Sam Leuenberger

Loved the book. I am wondering, though—and maybe I’m the only moron who didn’t get this—is the character Robert Mallory a fiction? Like, is the whole knife fight an imagined event?

Nick @

Sorry if I didn’t pay close enough attention here but…I couldn’t help but think in the end that Bret’s misplaced confrontation of Robert Mallory led to his demise. Of course other factors being Robert was frantic and took the first jabs, Debbie was considered missing, and Robert was being followed by the Troller “cult”. Kind of a confluence of things resulting in the finale but still.

jms

Thank you for this Bret. I have been following these instalments over the past year and very much enjoyed and looked forward to each successive release. I hope it continues to find a life in other forms.

Brian Rooney

May you please release an audiobook? Maybe a Vol. 1, Vol. 2, etc. Thank you.

John Dalton
>>67354425

Yes. "Bret" in a paranoid and delusional state, murdered an innocent man on his 18th birthday.

Sam Leuenberger

Thanks, NicoVee. That’s a helpful interpretation. The intensity of that finale is overwhelming. Intensely involving, like nothing I’ve ever heard. Somehow hearing the book read out loud by its author made it an all the more visceral experience. I had a strangely physical reaction to sections of this book. Freaked me out.

Nick @
>>67354425

So this is only quasi-biographical? I was under the impression every detail was nearly precise to reality ?

Nashlicona@yahoo.com

Brilliant. Bret has always used the reader’s curiosity about his personal life as part of his story telling mechanisms. I didn’t think he could still do it, or still do it in a novel way. I genuinely thought Lunar Park was the last novel way he could deploy that type of device. He found another way and I loved every second of it. From the original insistence that this ALL happened to the tweet from 2013 talking about a teen serial killer “Robert Mallory” it’s all been a blast. Everything about this worked. EVERYTHING. I could listen to 8 more years of Shards installments.

James__

Absolutely loved every part of that - thanks Bret. The final description of Robert as a ‘form’ was truly chilling. As a long time reader and fan, I do love the way Bret has re released and reshaped his life in many ways in all his fiction and also White. You never know what Is true and what is fiction thought all these years. It was also great to hear the genesis of my favourite short story from ‘The Informers’ - the death of the friend in the desert in a car accident. Very interesting choice of retro guest interview as, really, it wasn’t about the guest, it was more about Bret which was fascinating. Plus answered some questions about the David foster Wallace debate on this group. Cheers Bret, love your stuff and can’t wait till next season!

James Hippie

The last 10 minutes of The Shards were amazing. I’ve listened to it several times now, wishing it wasn’t over.

Brent Minder

Bret, you're storytelling skills have aged like a Fortuna Malbec. Bravissimo!

JEREMY ROBERTS

How mental was that? Tits on my dick. Thanks, Bret. Look forward to reading it one day + You must be absolutely drained after that effort. Thanks for answering all of our collective questions. I am utterly fuckin' satisfied. + I am stunned by the honesty in your writing, Bret. I guess we truly know now where LTZ and AP came from. I always wondered. The pain of losing friends in such sudden, cruel ways is heartbreaking - what a burden to carry. I hope the hardcopy includes all your pre-chapter intros and the 'epilogue'. I feel honored to be one of the '4000'.

Bazayer

Amazing final instalment - was absolutely gripped throughout. Looking forward to the inevitable book once it's published but will always fondly remember this audio version ! Bret's narration was great and it's pretty terrifying when he describes such horrific events in that cold, detached manner.....gave me chills !

grainpulp

Immediate reaction? Absolutely fucking brilliant.

Reservoir Frog

Great climax to a brilliant novel. Going to miss hanging out with Matt Kenner, Debbie Schaffer, Thom Wright, Susan Reynolds, Matt Kenner and of course ‘Bret Ellis’ (special credit for Shingy)

Collin Myers

Amazing final chapter of The Shards. So sad it is now over...this story and this podcast got me through the pandemic. Easily my favorite work by Mr. Ellis and I cannot wait to buy a first edition hardcover copy (if that day comes). Happy subscriber. Cant wait to see what BEE and Adam put together next!

David

That final scene with Susan Reynolds was amazing, on several levels. Always preferred the more low key, LA hang out parts of The Shards tipped with a good dose of paranoia over the more dramatic ones that seemed to dominate the second half. But this seem to capture the dreamy-ness of both. I got strong Hannibal (tv series) vibes in this ep, particularly the finale of that show. Maybe Bryan Fuller would be a good one to make the movie (alt David Robert Mitchell). Thank you for one of the most memorable aesthetic experiences I’ve had in years.

Alistair Dean

Incredible ending. It has left me a little speechless frankly. What a memorable way to have experienced this over the last year or so. Bravo

Alexa Proffitt

What a ride this has been! I feel rather empty now that it’s over- like I’m losing something or someone important in my life. That takes real talent, Bret! Thank you for taking us on this journey with you.

Darren Ankenman
>>67353568

if there’s a bite mark on Bret’s forearm then, maybe this version of what happened in his apartment is a version of the story ...lots of flip flops. “I’m trying to help you” while smashing hand. “But I loved him”. And then totally getting emotional while seeing the “rearrangement” of Robert that’s a direct result of Bret’s action. Or squeezing Susan’s hand harder and harder. also, really kind of cool to constantly think ...episode to episode ...how reliable is this narrator?

Nick Gaztelua

Wow. Absolutely mesmerised and gripped throughout the entire book, but that chapter took the biscuit. Phenomenal Bret. The most captivated I’ve been for some time. Eagerly waiting for new instalments every two weeks. Now alas. Over.

Tom

Would love to hear people’s theories on what it all means on the subreddit! There’s so much to unpack / have discussions about…

Dive

Had to listen to it twice for it to sink in that it’s finally over. No more looking forward to new instalments, this is leaving a huge void in my life! What a thrill ride.

Dive

I sincerely hope we will be able to experience The Shards in this audio format again. Bret narrating Bret is a beautiful experience in its own. While I am also looking forward to the book this has been an amazing experience, one I wish to revisit when I am done processing this last instalment.

John
>>67403136

Yes! There was a chapter early on where Bret described her transformation, or maturing, and he made her seem so irresistible. I think while Bret lusted after Tom and Robert, he simply wanted to BE Susan. And, in some aspects, he did become her.

Dive

Congrats to Bret and Adam for this amazing experience. Truly a privilege experiencing this whit this relatively small group. It has felt like such a private experience. At times I felt I was there with you at Buckley, at the house on Mulholland, driving across LA, tailing the black Porsche. Forever dreaming.

Nick Not Nolte
>>67332945

per marc maron podcast a few years ago, that’s the name of bret’s band he was in when he was younger. line one.

Stuart Chivers

The Shards has been riveting throughout and the serial format has really added to the intrigue. Ive also loved hearing Bret read his own prose. Perhaps a reading of Glamorama could run through a future season.

Andrew De Lisle

I want to sincerely thank Bret, and everyone who supports him, during his reading of this marvellous book. I've been a fan of BEE's novels for three decades, and this is his finest work since at least American Psycho, perhaps his best ever. The Shards has been a delicious mix of true crime and 80s teen drama. I have found it thrilling, sexy, tragic and truly disturbing. After the last chapter I just felt dashed into pieces. I fell in love with the wonderful characters. From the bottom of my heart, thank you Bret for sharing this story with us!

Sam Leuenberger
>>67353568

Exactly. The schizophrenic narration--particularly in the final chapter--changed my interpretation of all preceding events. It really alters the genre I thought I was "reading," which is part of what made this such an immediate and ultimately unsettling experience. When you think something is "memoir," or when it's presented that way, especially without the genre label you'd find on a publication page, it puts your relationship with the book in a different category. "The Shards" in this incarnation was totally gripping. The devolution of the narrator really puzzles me, however, and when I go back to read the book, I will be curious to see how that changes the novel.

Sam Leuenberger
>>67353568

The Robert-Mallory-is-probably-the-Trawler narrative is narrator's obsession, and the driving energy of the internal momentum of the book. That duel with imagination/fantasy/dream, followed by all the stuff with Susan where he breaks her hand. I just don't know. It's a big shift.

Sam Leuenberger
>>67353568

I keep thinking of that line Robert Mallory has, at the food court, at the mall, when he says to the Bret character. "When you talk to me, dude, you're really talking to yourself."

sleeper

Seriously what other podcast is this cool

Michael Walsh

I generally enjoyed The Shards, but I find this ending far too grand guignol and too coy by half; less resolved than wound up.

Sam Leuenberger

It's difficult to say by the book's conclusion what blend of fact and fiction he's interacting with, though the finale is operatic and twisted.

Sam Leuenberger

The last chapter sort of swerves into melodrama. I can't decide whether it's thrilling or strained and manipulative. Or both.

Leanue McMullen

Inspiring work! Can’t wait to get my hands on this book if it’s released. Thank you for sharing your new work in this fashion. Sad to see it end but so glad i caught it <3

MikeE

I love that it was just sort of thrown away that Terry committed suicide, as though that’s kind of what happened to people like him: gay stuck in awful marriage producers that used their power in the worst way. Once their power wanes (as a producer’s always does) and his calls go unreturned and the good tables start going to someone else and the wife left when the power did and took half of everything and so did the ‘friends’ and they never quite hit Fuck You money levels and they can’t pay their taxes and they look in the mirror and see a middle to late middle age man who’s lost everything and is left with the hollow empty failed lie of their life…why NOT jump out of that Wilshire Corridor condo about to be foreclosed on?

Knokkel knokkel

We need time warp in each new episode going forward!! When we are out of time warps I hope to time warps the time warp 👍

Joseph Orlando

I kept think about the Wizard of Oz. A full journey of a world at once filled with grandeur then gradually revealing its mask of illusion. Yet ultimately I felt hopeful by the end. If anyone could come out of that experience with their sanity somewhat intact I guess its a win for humanity's propensity to rise above unspeakable darkness. This was truly a gift and I learned a lot and for that I say thank you.

John
>>67424461

None. We got to hear this as it was being written. He never missed a bi week, and nearly every episode was riveting.

Mai Tai

Thank you Bret! I always hoped you’d write something that took place before Less Than Zero. This was better than anything I could have dreamt up. I can’t wait for the hardcover.

Dan Citriniti

Did Bret ever mention how he found out about the photos that Debbie got? I must have missed that, only that she was the only person to see them. I finally googled some stuff about The Shards (I assume the shards are the shards of glass violently littering the fight between Bret & Robert?) and the killers I could find with a connection to Bret's novel are Lawrence Bittaker (a victim with the last name Schaefer even) and Donald Evans. Neither fit Bret's narrative entirely, obviously. The finale was so much to take in, I'm not sure how to feel about it - but I loved the ride, I couldn't help but paint so many visuals in my mind with each line Bret wrote/spoke, each with the texture of New Hollywood cinematography with the saturated glamour of the the 1980s. I wonder what Bret thinks of François Ozon's Summer of 85. Seeing it this past summer as one of the first films back in theaters, it reminded me slightly of The Shards, a memoir of a fateful 1980s season of lust and tragedy. It doesn't get as violent and brutal as Bret's book, but there is a beautiful boy with a dangerous side at the center of it who seems to seduce everyone in his wake (David) that reminded me of Robert Mallory. Robert turned out to much more fucked up, but both felt of a piece in the end.

John Dalton

Terry called Bret and told him that Liz hired a PI to follow Terry. The PI took the photos, and gave them to Liz, who left them out for Debbie to see. The murders are fiction.

George Quartz

My mind is most blown that Thom Wright spells his first name with an ‘h’. I’ve also spoken to Susan Reynolds and her attorneys have paved the way for her own tell-all(likely ghost-written)account that is primed to hit the shelves the same week BEE’s distro pulls the trigger on The Shards. The title/ subtitle alone will knock you on your butt.

George Quartz

ps It’s time to do a BEE/ Eric Weinstein Red Scare/ crossover. Bret interviewed Anna and Eric interviewed Anna and Bret, but throw in a dash of Dasha and it’s a powder keg.

Detuned Gloom

Bro I'm so confused but I loved it.

Patrick

Fantastic. Hope he discusses it on the next podcast. This really made my 2021. I wonder what QT thinks about the end after his questions that BEE of course wouldn’t answer. Can’t wait to actually “read”’it. But what a gift to hear it from the man himself. Sad it’s over. 🙌

Collin Myers

yeah it would be cool if on the next pod they did sort of The Shards conversation/deconstruction. I know that's not a cool or artistic thing to do...but it would be kind of cool to get more insight into the story and Bret's writing process, etc. It was such a cool story.

Jake McDowell

What the hell did I just listen to?! I feel like my chest is going to cave in. How am I supposed to do the rest of my day without snapping and, I don’t know, stealing a Delorean, racing back to the fall of 1981, giving Bret the biggest fucking hug a man can give, and stick around to have his back through this whole ordeal (I know) ?! Did Bret just write one of those once-in-a-blue-moon definitive teenage boy coming-of-age stories? No… YES! I’m overwhelmed and I don’t like feeling this packed with emotion on a Thursday morning so… thanks Bret for destroying me with this fucking piece of poetry and for the rest of my WORK DAY cursing my my mind to wander the roads of LA at night the way it was 40 years ago while listening to music I’m forever grateful you introduced me to through the soundtrack… you dick. I mean dude, what am I supposed to say when my coworkers see me later when I’m wearing my hoodie and listening to Icehouse and they ask why I’m looking like my old late-2000s emo self again… explain by promoting your masterpiece? Because I’m gonna and they’re going to be like “sounds sick bro, but should I wait for the hardcover?” And all I’ll do is shrug. The Shards was a hell of an experience. Can’t imagine what it took to get this out of you. Pretty fucking incredible. 👍🏻👍🏻 -Jake from Toronto

Nashlicona@yahoo.com

It’s been a few days…anyone else relentlessly reliatening to this final chapter? I’ll play 15 min of it and then immediately rewind it and listen to those same 15 again. One thing I’ve been doing is following Bret’s suggestion: as SOON as he finishes the last words and the ocean wave noises start I’ll immediately switch to Blondie’s “Dreaming.” The worst thing about BEE is how flawlessly unique and good his work always is. Every time I finish one of his works I feel like I’ve been deserted - you look around for more to read or for anything else to help you dive back into the world and then you realize closing the book or finishing the last chapter is like locking yourself out of a hotel room you can’t get back into. It’s also kind of funny thinking about how badly I’m sure everyone would like to hear more about BEE’s insights on this story but I can hear his lovable yet smarmy sigh with his next guest “oh I don’t know I’m kind of done with The Shards I’ve moved on. Look it was a love affair and I was dedicated to it but now that’s it’s over I mean what’s the point really - I just don’t see what’s interesting about reliving it since I just …you know relived it. It’s just not interesting to me.” I guess ultimately I’m just pouting because The Shards was such an experience. It was something I got to look forward to every few weeks. I remember when BEE used his voice in The Deleted and I thought he was kind of perfect for that and he did phenomenal here too. I’m not happy about how creepy he was able to get with the “eat it - eat it” chapter. I know he said he was going to remove all the episodes of The Shards two weeks after this but I really hope he and Adam give us some more time with Brett (that’s what I call the narrative hologram of BEE in his novels) and Thom and Robert…and one eyed no tailed Shingy. Here to hoping HBO or Showtime make this into a miniseries and let BEE write and direct or at least use someone he gets it.

Patrick

Listened to last chapter 3x so far.

Scott

I'm still trying to wrap my head around the photos of Matt Kelner he receives towards the end of the story...especially the one with "Shhhh" written on it. Thoughts?

Lee Borrett

Loved the finale. Will miss listening to the latest instalment every other week; has got us through some tough moments recently!

Ieuan Jones

And so it ends. Thank you Bret for the most exhilarating ride and for rekindling something I genuinely thought had been lost forever. Each cliffhanger would have me gasping for the next instalment, as the pressure built steadily chapter by chapter. I could go on and on but I think I’ll just leave the impact to wash over me for this moment. Before I go back and dive right in at chapter one again…

John
>>67545698

Bret was being manipulated/mind controlled, and was working with the Riders of the Afterlife. This was them letting him know what had been happening.

Iain

It’s been two days and I still can’t get The Shards out of my head. What an incredible experience. I can’t wait for it to be published. Thanks, Bret.

George Quartz

Though I can’t mentally cast a young Bret (Matt Damon is perfect for Lunar Park Bret), but Michael C. Hall (who has received accolades for playing both a gay man and a self-aware serial killer)should portray unreliable narrator Bret in the film adaptation, with occasional cutaways to this current Bret in his condo furiously writing and reliving and inventing, either nursing a short Diet Coke or pouring some clear alcohol in a glass of ice with Todd (Robert Pattison cameo) always bothered in the background. Also, more cutaways to Bret preparing for the pod and opening the door to other countless cameos, such as Quentin Tarantino (who calls him out regarding the artificiality and the infamous ‘EAT IT’ scene). One layer is a book, the next a podcast, further still a film and even further still, real life hovering over and through it all. I’d pay $20 for that in the theatre.

Erix Antoine

This has been one of the most rewarding literary experiences I can think of in recent times. And I really think it’s the finest piece of writing Bret has ever crafted. One can try and parse out what aspects of the story are “true.” But I think that’s irrelevant because there is emotional truth to the whole piece; and that’s what matters. I look forward to reading it again, after going on a deep, chronological dive of all his books. PS - I will be upping my contribution to a higher tier, this month or next. Thank you Bret and Adam for the riveting yarn and compelling talk that were soothing balms for one motherfucker of a tedious year.

Mitch Jordan

Well Done! I loved ‘The Shards’ 👏👏👏👏

Sven Safarow

Thanks for everything Bret and Adam! Here’s my unofficial soundtrack for THE SHARDS. The album consists mostly of ambient pieces, experimental stuff, fragments (or shards) of melodies and sounds. There’s a lot of emphasis on the mystery and suspense elements, but I tried to mirror some of the sadness of the novel as well. The album is basically about the narrator’s inner journey, so it gets pretty dark. There are some SHARDS references like the Buckley school bell, the infamous tape, and much more. I also made a tribute to John Carpenter which only seemed natural. I didn’t want to go down the retro route so unlike the spotify playlists (which are cool) the album is not gonna sound like it’s from the 80s even though there are some references. I recommend headphones for the best listening experience. I hope you guys like it. If you do, please share it. https://kodoku-sho.bandcamp.com/album/tales-from-the-shards-music-inspired-by-the-bret-easton-ellis-novel

Ross Birks

I can't believe we've come to the end! You can see why Bret was so taken with certain films in the last few years as they really seemed to help him unlock and shape this novel/memoir that has clearly been brewing inside him for decades. As soon as this final chapter begun, the methodical, procedural structure immediately made me think of the final act in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. The idea of an obsessive absolutely convinced he's seeing patterns and crimes where there may just be coincidence was also done really well in Under the Silver Lake. Also I'm sure this has been brought up before but I love how so much of this story was poured into Smiley Face Killers in rough, purely genre form. The van, the boys being followed, Crispin Glover's trawler-like serial killer. They're great companion pieces, and The Shards really deepens that film in hindsight. It also plays into Bret's self-mythology about being haunted by this story for years and seeing it be exorcised through other works. Anyone who slept on that film initially and is a fan of this Shards experience should finally go back and check it out. Hope Bret discusses more about all this at length one day, but I can understand he'd probably want to let it sit and stew with us for a while before he dissects any of his motivations and secrets. Bravo!

Alex Bielovich
>>67725571

If this series ever hits Audible, starting with each chapter with a single run of these (before fading out) in the background would be great.

Sam

So Robert was just Bret’s reflection all along (Bert/Bret) - his teenage hopes, dreams and fears, and steeped in his father’s expectations of who his son should be. To be the popular, straight guy that gets the girl, at the center of the party, controlling the narrative. Not the aloof gay writer lost in the shadows (“Did you take the photos, Bret?”). Robert is the person Bret thought he should be, and when he said at the start that this is a true story this all now makes sense to me. I hope by writing this and sharing it in such a personal way Bret now has closure and acceptance of himself for who he is - one of the true literary greats of a generation. Bravo.

girlindesert
>>67934724

Very astute insight. Bret is projected on to Robert. Maybe Bret’s destruction of Robert is how he emerges as his authentic self. What is chilling is that Bret’s emergence comes at the cost of harming those he holds close: his deception of Debbie, his confusion about his feelings toward Susan and in the end the willingness to harm her physically and perhaps Thom. (By the way I think it could be a bite on his arm), his repressed love for Matt Kelner and idealization of Thom. The heartbreaking loss of Shingy - sorry the dog lover in me really had a painful response to this especially since Bret’s response is observational but not emotional. This all could be a dream, a subconscious laid split open and bare. The invitation to listen to the beautiful blonde sing about “dreaming” will of course inspire disparate sense memories for us all. For me it evokes taking 2 buses to Zuma/County Line every day of summer with my friends, the smell of Coppertone and getting knocked down by waves, the salty air, and music from numerous radios playing the soundtrack of our lives. But most of all the possibilities and hope that only the coming of age feel. And coming home and listening to Parallel Lines on vinyl. I still dream of it!

BrandonYoung82

Strangely enough, I lived in the Boston Ritz Carlton right about that time. Anyway, I’ve always liked a well crafted ending. I actually am a new Patron so I had listened to maybe one Shard chapter. This ending is so good. Absolutely chilling. I realized when listening that there’s no one else who can write like this. And hearing a writer read his own work is always the best. I always think of Stephen King or even Neil Gaiman. Thanks!

Dan Zilic

Loved the Shards. But also loved Bret saying in the 80/90ies everyone wore suits. You'd go to a gay bar wearing a suit!

Jim Weaver

The death of Robert Mallory… and Bret’s reaction to and explanation of it. Still playing it over in my mind, unsettling.

Griffin

Good god, I was born on November Friday the 13th 1981!!!

Matt Brown

I know you questioned this format, of waiting two weeks between installments, but it really did make your characters stick with you longer than a normal book reading experience would be. When your final wave of activity was set into motion (Palm Springs and everything after) I became very emotionally invested. At times I was sick to my stomach. By the end, Bret you completely got me. I was in tears. Can’t wait to hold this book in my hand! Think I’m going to crack open my copy of Lunar Park and see if I can find any parallels between the two books. Is The Shards a part of the Lunar Park extended universe? Can’t thank you enough for giving us this experience! The real question is: have you sent this book to Fincher yet?

Matt Brown

Ok now I’m going to listen to ICEHOUSE and read every comment posted.

Nathan Prince

What a journey. Have been listening since day 1. Riveting and enthralling.

John Dalton
>>68107820

You LIVED at the fucking Boston Ritz Carlton? Can I borrow some money? I remember it from my time at Emerson. Right by the Arlington T station. I used to look at it and think "now there is a place I'll never be able to afford to step foot in."

BrandonYoung82
>>68107820

Hi John! Yes I lived there for a time as a youngster. It was mostly because my father worked for the Ritz before Marriott bought them out. It was the old Ritz which I now believe is the Taj. The Ritz condos are still there and the Ritz towers of course but the old Ritz was something special for sure. As far as money, I wish I could. Cheers

Barry Brown

Talk about synchronicity - I finished listening to the last episode and a few days later was browsing Carl Jung’s Answer to Job (which had been on my pile to read for years) and I see a reference to The Shards - representing the forces of good and evil in cabalistic philosophy.

Mara Capozzi

This has blown me away. I was surprised to find this the most disturbing, touching, frightening, and kind of all BEE’s work thus far. This story will stay with me on many levels. I loved the audio format, and am thrilled to have heard it in the authors voice. Thank you.

Jolijn Snijders

Thanks so much for writing this and delivering it to us in this audio format! It was the highlight of the year for me. And now I am sad that it's over. Will definitely buy the book and reread... when will it be released? By the way the last passage was so honest to me in a way, and I really felt that struggle to create to the core. The actual price you pay to write...without censoring yourself, having to defend your thoughts, the reliving, the fights with loved ones and discussions, the cost it brings...it's a lot. Never stop, Bret!!!

Jeffery Williams

I started listening to this story trying guess the ending and the characters. Then as the end came, I found myself crying. I realized it brought me back to 1985/86 and my Tomm (Greg), Susan(Courtney),Matt(Brett),and Debbie(Kim); and I cried! I have been on this Earth for half a century, but I would give all have and all will; to go back! Thank you for supplying that for me with this book. Please keep writing. Thanks.

Raymond Smith

I doubt by now anyone thinks this is real. The statue of limitations for murder doesn’t exist. By writing the story he is it mean to murder and would be in jail so the story has to be fake. Also nobody gets stabbed six times and has no serious wounds. Great story though anti-climatic kind of.

Raymond Smith

I’m sure most of the beginning and the portions about his friends are true. I’m sure there was a serial killer loose in the early 80s relate 70s and that he woolve this into a story that already existed. Taking your average mundane senior experience and making it very exhilarating by adding horror elements.

Raymond Smith
>>67353568

Yes if you admit to murder which basically did you would go to jail. There is no statue limitation to murder. I’m sure many of the ideas happened in this story he just embellished and made it with a serial killer vibe. I remember him in a podcast of the portal talking about a bloody department in Century City. Maybe a friend or a classmate commit suicide and he made the whole fight thing connect in this story.

Raymond Smith

Reading all the comments realizing that I didn’t need to point out this is a work of ion at 99% if people realize this was story.