SPOILERS - The Skin Trade

[CamiloRP]

I was feeling like reading some horror-noir so I decided to read The Skin Trade for a second time, and at the end I had the exact same thoughts I did the first one. 

I wan't to say it again, this is a SPOILER thread, and it's a good story, don't spoil it for you.

 

So, to those who read it, I don't the mystery part works as well? I mean, the world is presented as having some sort of science-based werewolves (I'm sorry, lycanthropes) with the fact that it's a genetic trait, the removal of the moon causing the transformation, and the werewolf families practicing inbreeding to keep the blood pure (and that causing genetic defects). But then at the end the explanation we have for who did the murders is: a ghost that travels through mirrors and flays werewolves. Not only is this, in my opinion a bad resolution to the mystery, because it's not an option we thought possible before, but it doesn't fit (again IMHO) with the world we where presented with.

And also, if Steven (for those who don't remember, the son of the 'leader of the werewolves' who's mentally atypical and can't turn into a wolf) had access to The Flayer, why did he need Roy's (the weird kid who was used as a scapegoat) help? And how did he recover the skins after The Flayer is done? the locks where still closed, or did he command The Flayer to bring him back the skins? because in the battle he seems to have little to no control over him.

I don't know, despite all of this I still really enjoyed the story (twice) and it seems to be one of Martin's most critically acclaimed short stories, as well as one of his favorites. So maybe I am missing something that my subconscious didn't? What do you guys think?

[Ran]

I think while it's depicted as a kind of genetic trait, it's a magically-derived one, so I never found a problem with the Flayer.

I haven't read the story for awhile, but I had a recollection that the Flayer was uncontrollable as you say, but only when the flaying was imminent or what have you -- that he was somehow able to control it outside of that.

 

[Gaston de Foix]

It's an excellent story.  So two things: 

I think the reason I love the story (apart from the fact GRRM does horror extremely well), is because Skinner is the logical escalation of the hunter/hunted tussle between werewolf and humans (with the wolves having the upper hand always).   

I think the Flayer is a creature/traveller from another world that hunts werewolves and travels through mirrors.  So he is not a ghost, just a skinner.  And actually the story foreshadows a line from ASOIAF that stuck in my head for that reason: "The wolves are all dead.  These are the skinners who killed them."  Not sure where that's from but its a description of what the Boltons did to the Starks...

I think the Flayer is the inspiration for what Roy and Steven do, but I don't think they are stealing the skins from his kills.  Are they? It's been so long since I read the story. 

[CamiloRP]

4 hours ago, Ran said:

I think while it's depicted as a kind of genetic trait, it's a magically-derived one, so I never found a problem with the Flayer.

Yeah, so it's warging but, IMHO, it would feel really weird if an interdimentional assassin showed up in ASOIAF.

 

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I haven't read the story for awhile, but I had a recollection that the Flayer was uncontrollable as you say, but only when the flaying was imminent or what have you -- that he was somehow able to control it outside of that.

Hmm, that could be. I didn't get that, but like I said, I'm probably wrong.

 

1 hour ago, Gaston de Foix said:

It's an excellent story.  So two things: 

I think the reason I love the story (apart from the fact GRRM does horror extremely well), is because Skinner is the logical escalation of the hunter/hunted tussle between werewolf and humans (with the wolves having the upper hand always).   

Couldn't agree more, tho The Flayer isn't necessary for that, IMO

 

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I think the Flayer is a creature/traveller from another world that hunts werewolves and travels through mirrors.  So he is not a ghost, just a skinner.  And actually the story foreshadows a line from ASOIAF that stuck in my head for that reason: "The wolves are all dead.  These are the skinners who killed them."  Not sure where that's from but its a description of what the Boltons did to the Starks...

I think the Flayer is the inspiration for what Roy and Steven do, but I don't think they are stealing the skins from his kills.  Are they? It's been so long since I read the story. 

The Flayer visits willie but can't get to him, so he goes to the twins and kills one of them, then Roy wears said twin's skin. And I don't recall, but I think both crime scenes had locked doors or something.

On a side note, does The Flayer carry the silver chains with him through the mirrors? why does he leave them? does he have an infinite supply?

[Gaston de Foix]

2 minutes ago, CamiloRP said:

On a side note, does The Flayer carry the silver chains with him through the mirrors? why does he leave them? does he have an infinite supply?

To keep his victims alive and bound in agony while he skins them? Tbh I think it only makes sense if he comes from another world.  But I think you are applying too much logic to props in the story. 

[All Cats Are Bad]

Of all Martin's pre-Ice and Fire work, this is the one I'd most like to see a sequel to.