I've been reading Matthew Tait's work for years now and haven't failed to notice the steady upward trend with regards to his ability to deftly fashion his prose. "Schizoid" is a particularly impressive accomplishment because the subject matter, plot, cultural references, and writing style accompany the reader through time. Tait offers us Victorian eloquence and a deeply disturbed protagonist, a combination which in places reminded me vaguely of "The Picture of Dorian Gray". At the same time, we are plunged into the nineteen-eighties and regaled with musical souvenirs and catchphrases from this decade. We are given an alternate reality in which Johnny Cash sings "Run on for a Long Time"... imagine! Above all, we are reminded that Matthew Tait is a great admirer of Clive Barker's tales, of horror that is by turns down-to-earth and gritty and fantastic and otherworldly, and to be honest, with "Schizoid", one can't help but feel that he is standing on the podium with this renowned writer.