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The Reattachment
When Frye suffers a workplace injury that costs him his left arm, he is overjoyed when the company doctor tells him it can be reattached weeks later. Sure, it's longer than he remembers, has signs of decay and seems to have sea shells and teeth marks in it, but hey, nobody's perfect.
As he returns to work things have taken a change to the more occult, Frye must unravel the mysteries of his new job, and his new arm before one or both kill him.
The Reattachment riffs on 'Hands of Orlac' and other amputation horrors by way of Franz Kafka along with an element of eldritch weirdness.
As he returns to work things have taken a change to the more occult, Frye must unravel the mysteries of his new job, and his new arm before one or both kill him.
The Reattachment riffs on 'Hands of Orlac' and other amputation horrors by way of Franz Kafka along with an element of eldritch weirdness.
62 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 26, 2019
34 people want to read
About the author
Douglas Ford
23 books56 followersDouglas Ford's short fiction has appeared in a variety of anthologies, magazines, and podcasts, as well as two collections, Ape in the Ring and Other Tales of the Macabre and Uncanny and The Infection Party and Other Stories of Dis-Ease. His longer works include The Beasts of Vissaria County, Little Lugosi (A Love Story), and The Trick, his newest from Madness Heart Press. He lives on the west coast of Florida.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
January 27, 2025
This one had a strange mix of dreamlike vibes and gritty industrial settings, and I loved that aspect of it. It's not dreamlike enough to make it off-putting for people who aren't fully down with bizzarro horror, but it has that good almost Lovecraftian thing going. The body horror was great too.
4.5 rounded up.
4.5 rounded up.
June 8, 2024
A Horror Bookworm Recommendation
The Reattachment by Douglas Ford
https://horrorbookwormreviews.com/
In a work related accident, Frye has lost his arm in the gears of a heavy piece of machinery. After adjusting from the accident, years later, a visitor comes knocking at his door. A strange and unusual offer is presented…to reattach a severed arm. Post surgery and many pain pills later, the final result is, “it doesn’t do what I want it to.”
The Reattachment, a psychedelic story, embraces dismemberment, chaos and a reaffixed arm with a mind of its own. Author Douglas Ford has once again reached into his surreal bag of tricks. He does so in order to achieve an ingenious storyline, with unusual character behavior and an endless supply of “without warning” moments. Not to mention Madness Heart Press and Douglas Ford is like having your chocolate in my peanut butter…a great combination.
There’s really no words to describe Ford’s writing style. His narrative imagery allows the reader to encounter odd and beautiful landscapes with a nightmarish twist always lurking in the shadows. The Reattachment occurs at the intersection of human and monster, infected by an immoral vice of abject horror. A new scientific study suggests strong similarities between a drug induced trip and a Douglas Ford book.
I love reading Douglas Ford! He somehow takes conscious control of reality and cuts through it like a bone saw. Per all the unique talent mentioned within this review, I strongly suggest my fellow horror readers grab this five star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Horror Bookworm Recommendation.
The Reattachment by Douglas Ford
https://horrorbookwormreviews.com/
In a work related accident, Frye has lost his arm in the gears of a heavy piece of machinery. After adjusting from the accident, years later, a visitor comes knocking at his door. A strange and unusual offer is presented…to reattach a severed arm. Post surgery and many pain pills later, the final result is, “it doesn’t do what I want it to.”
The Reattachment, a psychedelic story, embraces dismemberment, chaos and a reaffixed arm with a mind of its own. Author Douglas Ford has once again reached into his surreal bag of tricks. He does so in order to achieve an ingenious storyline, with unusual character behavior and an endless supply of “without warning” moments. Not to mention Madness Heart Press and Douglas Ford is like having your chocolate in my peanut butter…a great combination.
There’s really no words to describe Ford’s writing style. His narrative imagery allows the reader to encounter odd and beautiful landscapes with a nightmarish twist always lurking in the shadows. The Reattachment occurs at the intersection of human and monster, infected by an immoral vice of abject horror. A new scientific study suggests strong similarities between a drug induced trip and a Douglas Ford book.
I love reading Douglas Ford! He somehow takes conscious control of reality and cuts through it like a bone saw. Per all the unique talent mentioned within this review, I strongly suggest my fellow horror readers grab this five star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Horror Bookworm Recommendation.
March 1, 2025
Douglas Ford hits another home run with this bizarre, cosmic, body-horror, dream-like, wonderful story. I love his unique writing style.
September 9, 2024
I live in the Tampa Bay, St. Pete area, so the mention of the Bucs and other Florida-related content made me very happy. I went into this book without any information on it, and it was not what I was expecting. In the best way possible.
It is an intense dive into the bizarre and unnerving, offering readers a journey that is as surreal as it is grotesque. The novella introduces us to Frye, a man who loses his arm in a brutal workplace accident. Years after adapting to life without the limb, a peculiar visitor presents him with an unsettling offer: the chance to reattach the severed arm. However, the newly reattached limb quickly proves to have a will of its own, leading to a disorienting spiral of chaos and psychological horror.
Ford's work thrives on its ability to make the familiar deeply unsettling. The premise of reattachment, while inherently bizarre, opens the door to an exploration of bodily autonomy—or the lack thereof—infusing the narrative with a growing sense of dread. Ford’s writing is at once lyrical and grotesque, blending vivid, dreamlike imagery with moments that are stark and visceral. The result is a disorienting experience that mirrors the hallucinatory atmosphere of the story itself.
Ford's work, much like the strange mechanics of Frye's severed arm, refuses to behave in a predictable manner, offering an ever-evolving story that is equal parts bizarre and thought-provoking. Fans of bizarro fiction and cosmic horror will find The Reattachment to be an unforgettable, though perhaps unsettling, addition to their reading list.
It is an intense dive into the bizarre and unnerving, offering readers a journey that is as surreal as it is grotesque. The novella introduces us to Frye, a man who loses his arm in a brutal workplace accident. Years after adapting to life without the limb, a peculiar visitor presents him with an unsettling offer: the chance to reattach the severed arm. However, the newly reattached limb quickly proves to have a will of its own, leading to a disorienting spiral of chaos and psychological horror.
Ford's work thrives on its ability to make the familiar deeply unsettling. The premise of reattachment, while inherently bizarre, opens the door to an exploration of bodily autonomy—or the lack thereof—infusing the narrative with a growing sense of dread. Ford’s writing is at once lyrical and grotesque, blending vivid, dreamlike imagery with moments that are stark and visceral. The result is a disorienting experience that mirrors the hallucinatory atmosphere of the story itself.
Ford's work, much like the strange mechanics of Frye's severed arm, refuses to behave in a predictable manner, offering an ever-evolving story that is equal parts bizarre and thought-provoking. Fans of bizarro fiction and cosmic horror will find The Reattachment to be an unforgettable, though perhaps unsettling, addition to their reading list.
September 28, 2021
The Reattachment reminded me a bit of Cows by Matthew Stokoe, where both books make you have the sort of dream like atmosphere to them. While reading, my mind felt like I was in a bit of a haze, where anything could (and would) happen, and the series of events only became more bizarre as time goes on. As I continued on, I found myself pondering on the origins of the arm and what the machines at his previous place of employment were really for. The book left me with more questions than answers, and after taking a few days to sit on it, I find myself still thinking about it. The Reattachment gets into your head like any good eldritch story should and won’t lessen its grip on you.
May 6, 2024
This is a bizarro story about a man who has an unfortunate accident at the factory that employs him. He must adjust to life without a limb and learn to function without it. To his surprise, he gets a call that his limb has been found but they must reattach it quickly.
This story takes us on a wild ride following this character and how he adjusts to loss of the limb and the reattachment of the limb. Some parts made me laugh as Ford gives the main character a sense of humor. I love the cover of this book!
So if you are looking to jump into some fun bizarro or are wanting to try some bizarro, this book would be a fantastic start!
This story takes us on a wild ride following this character and how he adjusts to loss of the limb and the reattachment of the limb. Some parts made me laugh as Ford gives the main character a sense of humor. I love the cover of this book!
So if you are looking to jump into some fun bizarro or are wanting to try some bizarro, this book would be a fantastic start!
September 11, 2020
The Reattachment by Douglas Ford is a creepy Bizarro Horror novella that starts out in your face and stays there. It is a fast-paced story, both compelling and repulsing because …
Oh my gosh, did that just happen? Is this also cosmic horror? Yes, I think it is! It’s Bizarro Cosmic horror! Bordering maybe on extreme horror … and, oh … my … gosh. I need to step away for a minute. No, I need to know what happens next!
Ahem.
Douglas Ford has created a truly unique and daring story, twisted and entertaining. Enjoy with snacks at your own risk, though.
Oh my gosh, did that just happen? Is this also cosmic horror? Yes, I think it is! It’s Bizarro Cosmic horror! Bordering maybe on extreme horror … and, oh … my … gosh. I need to step away for a minute. No, I need to know what happens next!
Ahem.
Douglas Ford has created a truly unique and daring story, twisted and entertaining. Enjoy with snacks at your own risk, though.
August 15, 2024
4.5*
Reading this felt like a big fever dream, like being in a haze. It was strange and haunting. It was a beautiful nightmare. The writing style pulled you into the book like Frye's arm wanted you too. I haven't read too many books that left me with questions but I wasn't annoyed about it. For "The Reattachment" if the questions were answered it wouldn't have the charm it holds, the weirdness aspect wouldn't be as strong.
Overall, it is a great book.
Reading this felt like a big fever dream, like being in a haze. It was strange and haunting. It was a beautiful nightmare. The writing style pulled you into the book like Frye's arm wanted you too. I haven't read too many books that left me with questions but I wasn't annoyed about it. For "The Reattachment" if the questions were answered it wouldn't have the charm it holds, the weirdness aspect wouldn't be as strong.
Overall, it is a great book.
August 7, 2024
It's not often that something I'm reading makes me scrunch my face in disgust. Doug accomplished that multiple times in this novella about the "organics" at the main character's former workplace. This weird peek into the mind of Doug Ford made me interested in exploring more. Wish me luck.
June 10, 2025
Solid body horror, weird cosmic horror. Loved it!
October 8, 2019
This story was amazing! I loved the main characters and the three brothers! Compelling story and characters.
November 14, 2019
The Reattachment is Kafka meets Lovecraft in this stsnge adventure of a limb beyond one's control. The cast of characters are both strange and mysterious. A quicky, spooky read.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews