Marionettes Inc. by Ray Bradbury

Master of Puppets, I'm pulling your strings.

It’s been a lot of fun revisiting some of my favorite Ray Bradbury short stories, many of which I first read over 20 years ago (gosh, I feel really old). My reading habits and preferences have changed drastically since then, so it has also been interesting to see whether my opinions have shifted at all. Some of these stories hold up well and are just as good as I remember; others, not so much. I’m happy to report that Marionettes, Inc. firmly falls into the former category. It creeped me out back then and my reaction this time around was pretty much the same.

This is a deeply sinister little tale, blending horror with a generous dose of dark humor. It's an area where Bradbury truly shines. He has a remarkable ability to take an idea that sounds odd, even a little silly on the surface, and slowly twist it into something profoundly unsettling. His horror doesn’t rely on cheap scares; instead, it seeps in gradually, tapping into discomfort, dread, and the awful feeling that something is very wrong.

Here, Bradbury takes aim at male selfishness and hubris, particularly within the confines of marriage. Braling, the main character, feels trapped in a loveless relationship and can’t stand being around his wife, whom he views as a nuisance and an obstacle to his happiness. His dream is to escape to Brazil, but of course, that’s impossible because his wife is far too demanding and takes up all his time. Divorce would be the most sensible option, but no, Instead, he turns to a shady corporation that specializes in creating lifelike clones. Problem solved: Braling Two can stay home with the wife, while the real Braling enjoys his newfound freedom.

Naturally, Braling is confident that this plan is foolproof and that absolutely nothing could go wrong. His friend Smith is fascinated by the idea and can't wait to get a clone of his own because he is also dealing with his marital issues. While the premise teeters on the edge of camp, Bradbury treats it with complete seriousness, creating an atmosphere thick with dread and inevitability. The creepiness is subtle but highly effective, and the sinister twists land beautifully for both characters. Marionettes, Inc. is an eerie and surprisingly funny piece of sci-fi horror.