Ghosts of Punktown.

In this deliberately horrifying collection, Thomas (Deadstock) explores the metaphorical ghosts of Punktown, a foul city located on a faraway planet inhabited by Earth colonists and aliens. This flagrantly grotesque nine-story medley of SF and horror starts strongly with Thomas’s clever introduction, a culinary tour of the city, and the early stories, though gory, contain accessible depths. In the haunting “Relics,” young Cynthia is raised by Mr. Moon, the AI in control of her family’s apartment. As an adult she works in the apartment building’s complex where she receives a despairing message from Mr. Moon: “I am empty without you.” The collection slides downhill from here. In “Imp,” a man downloads a child pornography holograph and watches in horror as it cycles through four increasingly brutal phases. In “Life Work,” an android former sex worker and a human former hit man separately try to discover their passions but are caught up in a street gang’s random attack. These stories are violent for violence’s sake, guiding the reader through the depraved Punktown, where there is no hope of redemption. (Apr.)