While horror fiction often deals with madness as a reaction to some violation of natural law or as a metaphor for the darker parts of the human condition, Warner's disturbing third novel (after The Organ Donor
and Death Sentences
) takes a realistic look at a case of paranoid schizophrenia. Charlie Fields, a 30-year-old male secretary at a Washington, D.C., law firm, suffers many stresses all too common in our modern life: fear of having his job eliminated, fear of not being able to provide for his family, fear of terrorism. Warner subtly depicts the progression of Charlie's paranoia and delusions. As Charlie retreats into a world where he's in control and has power, he becomes increasingly estranged from all that he loves. Warner has created an everyman for our time, and if the result is not pleasant or escapist, it is compelling and insightful. (Aug.)
