Splatterpunks: Extreme Horror

by Paul M. Sammon (Editor)

The most vital and viscaral horror coalition operating today-Stephen King..Among the eighteen horror stories and essays in this volume are many of the finest examples of splatterpunk, the most exciting and eviscerating phenomenon within the horror genre today. Fusing splatter movies, horror fiction, rock music, and bad attitudes, splatterpunk breaks all the rules, violates taboos, and leaves no stone unbloodied. Among the masters of splatter in this volume Clive Barker, Edward Bryant, Nancy A. Collins, Mick Garris, Roberta Lannes, Joe R. Lansdale, George R. R. Martin, Richard Christian Matheson, Wayne Allen Sallee, John Skpp, Douglas E. Winter. In addtion there are original tales of gore from Rex Miller (author of Slob) and new talents Phillip Nutman and J.S. Russell; Chas. Balun's look at splatter cinema, "I Spit In Your face"; the grisly expurgated chapter from Ray Garton's novel Crucifax Autumn; and Paul M. Sammon's comprehensive examination of the entire splatterpunk phenomenon, "Outlaws." Splatterpunks is an essential compendium of explicit horror, the one volume for vibrant, gory, unflinching stories that can wring from even the softest whispers a scream.

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, Fiction, Splatterpunk, Anthologies, Collections, Speculative Fiction

Paperback

First published November 1, 1990

About the author

Paul M. Sammon has written for The Los Angeles Times, The American Cinematographer, Cahiers Du Cinéma, and Cinefantastique. His fiction has appeared in many collections and he is editor of the best selling American Splatterpunks series. As a film maker Paul M. Sammon has produced, edited and directed dozens of documentaries on films such as Platoon, Dune, and Robocop. He is the author of Future Noir: The Making of Blade Runner and his latest book is about the making of the movie Starship Trooper directed by Paul Verhoeven (Robocop).

Reviews

[Jack Tripper · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Updated 3/31/19)
This isn't really my type of horror. There are several books I like that fall under the "splatterpunk" or "extreme horror" label, but mostly I prefer the intrusion of the otherworldly, the inexplicable, with all the eeriness and mystery that comes along with it. Someone I work with recently said to me, "I don't like that supernatural stuff. I don't believe in that crap" (of course he's super religious, which means he actually does believe in "that crap," but I digress).* My response was, "I don't believe in it either, which is exactly why I like to immerse myself in a world where things like that can happen." Because it implies there's more to our existence than mundane reality. Ghosts imply there's a life after death; demons imply there are other realms parallel to our own. Et cetera. It implies a sort of "magic" missing in the real world.

But I'm getting off track. The point is I don't read horror for the "sick stuff." But the stories here, and in a lot of the better early splatterpunk work in general, have an almost punk rock feel to their social commentary, and sometimes they cause such a visceral reaction in me that it's hard not to be won over, even when the experience isn't what you would call enjoyable. To this day I've never read a story as horrifyingly disturbing as Lansdale's "Night They Missed the Horror Show," and this time (my third) was no different. There's a valuable lesson to be learned: don't mess with rednecks, ever. Don't even look in their general direction. George RR Martin's proto-splatterpunk "Meathouse Man," featuring the ole' "undead corpse-whore in outer space" trope, proves the author was once just as adept at writing the macabre as he is at high fantasy and science fiction, and I'd love to get my hands on his pricey 1980s horror collection, Songs The Dead Men Sing, even though I've read most of the stories.

Douglas E. Winter's "Less Than Zombie" is a riff on Brett Easton Ellis' Less than Zero, copying the same prose style and "reckless youth" theme, only with (of course) zombies. This was another gut-wrenching story, originally published in the Skipp & Spector-edited The Book of the Dead antho, and it was pretty hard to get through, but very well done. Who knew that the "curb stomp" existed before American History X? Barker's "Midnight Meat Train," one of the highlights of his Books of Blood series, still holds up, blurring the line between a nasty "serial killer in the subways" story and pure Lovecraftian cosmic horror. "Freaktent" by Nancy A. Collins details a photographer's discovery of a carny dealing in "freak babies" while documenting the rise and fall of American carnivals. Very well-written and, yet again, extremely unsettling.

Only a few stories fell flat for me. JS Russell's "City of Angels" was silly gross-out crap meant to push the envelope, I'm sure, but comes across as a bit "try hard-y." Also included is the full version of a heavily-edited chapter from Ray Garton's 1988 update on the Pied Piper legend, Crucifax, which, though I loved the novel, by itself is pretty pointless and, in the end, just revolting (abortion by cunnilingus, anyone?). Rex Miller's entry is barely worth mentioning.

Still, the good overwhelmingly outweighs the bad, here. There's also a very informative afterword by Sammon on the splatterpunk "movement," with bios on all the authors, though he repeatedly overstates the importance of the genre in an attempt to legitimize it, comparing various authors to Baudelaire, Burroughs, Ellison, etc. I mean, can't they just be great horror writers without trying to cram them all into some movement (nearly all the authors here deny being a "spatterpunk") and putting them up on a pedestal with the greats? Still, it's well worth reading, clocking in at a whopping 74 pages.

Overall, an essential book for fans of 80s/90s horror. As long as you don't mind being traumatized by all the disturbing shit raining down on you every five pages.

4.5 Stars.

*ETA almost a year later -- A couple days ago that same co-worker asked if I was excited for the new Avengers movie. My response: "No, I don't believe in that superhero crap." Got him back! A year late, but still. I like to bide my time, wait for the perfect moment.

I probably will see it, though.

[Brad · Rating 5 out of 5]

This particular term for a wave of horror writers may have passed, but these stories continue to kick major ass. I've re-read this one a few times and it really makes you think about what could freak you out. Another plus is that I defy you not to get through this book and not want to write something. Something primal. It might not turn out great, but what a catharsis for whatever is ailing you.

[Baldurian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Una discreta antologia horror, sedici racconti estremi (abbastanza) convincenti. I migliori sono, poco sorprendentemente, figli di autori di un certo livello (La sera che non andarono all'Horror Show di Lansdale, Macelleria mobile di mezzanotte di Barker, L'uomo della Casa della carne di Martin e, come outsider, La città degli angeli di J.S. Russell) mentre il resto si lascia leggere senza suscitare particolare ammirazione. Onestamente, da una raccolta intitolata Splatter Punk mi sarei aspettato qualcosa di più truculento.

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Preface: Been hunting this thing down for a year or two, finally caved when I stumbled onto a copy in great condition for surprisingly cheap. As per usual I'll keep this on my nightstand for those nights where a bad dream or too sounds like fun...

Thoughts so far: First story is pretty goddamn heavy. I've read plenty of Joe R. Lansdale before this (Bad Chili, the Dead in the West comics, etc), and this is probably the meanest, most remorseless of anything of his I've yet encountered. I've read the Clive Barker story before, but it is pretty strong, all-told. Ending gets a bit silly in typical Barker fashion, but the precision of the writing holds it together. About to dip into John Skipp's tale now with high hopes (The Light at the End, by Skipp and cohort Craig Spector, was fantastic).

Thoughts upon completion: overall some great stories in here, with some trash swirled in for flavor. Thankfully the worst of it is pretty short. The "censored chapter" of Crucifax Autumn was retarded. Philip Nutman's Full Throttle was a bit long, but mostly engaging. The final story, City of Angels was all schlock-shock... the supposed humor missed the mark. The way, way overlong essay on Splatterpunk as a whole felt like a desperate attempt to create a genre out of a fad-like descriptor... and it seems the world agreed, as hardly anyone remembers the term splatterpunk these days. The editor seems unwilling to accept why anyone wouldn't want to label themselves a "splatterpunk" and only briefly acknowledges that labels can be limiting. OTHER THAN THAT, this collection is pretty great, if you're into this sort of thing, which I am. It's interesting to read as a document of a very specific type of horror at a very specific point in horror history. Approaching this from a mainstream sensibility i'd probably give it 3 stars, but like I said, I like this sort of thing, and if you do too, it's a whole lotta fun, even at its worst.

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Paul M. Sammon has collected some of the most extreme horror available on the market and compiled it into this gem of an anthology. This book is not for everyone. The subject matter is well beyond societal norms and should not be read by those who find taboo material offensive. If am describing you, read something else. Those willing to tow the line of decency with me, read on...[return][return]Splatterpunks is comprised of 17 short-stories and an essay by the author on the splatterpunk genre as a whole. My favorites of the collection include: Clive Barker's "Midnight Meat Train" - story of a killer feeding off of the New York underground, John Skipp's "Film at Eleven" the story of a battered wife who has led a battered life and once she plots her revenge, things do not go as planned and Edward Bryant's "While She Was Out" - A woman is attacked by four men in a parking lot at Christmas; revenge ensues. [return][return]Some of the stories are a bit weak at times, but all in all this is a great collection from this subset of the horror genre.

[Tracy Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

***NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART***

That being said...I first read this when I was a teenager. My manager gave it to me to read since we are big horror fans. Well now, ten years later, I'm married to him and the book is on our bookshelf, constantly being removed to be reread.

I'm personally a big fan of short story collections because I don't have the time to read a lot of longer books. This book is the reason I love the film "The Midnight Meat Train". It's short story by Clive Barker is in here and is brutal. There's a great variety of authors in here which gives each story kind of its own feel.

[Baal Of · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent collection of horror stories that run towards the extreme in content, but that doesn't necessarily mean gore. It was interesting how almost all of the authors wanted to make it clear that they are not splatterpunks. Sammon discusses the distinction between the label as applied to specific stories vs. as applied to authors, and also makes the point that it is not a movement. It seems that this term has fallen out of favor, and now the same kind of approach is just called extreme horror. All of that aside, the stories themselves are very good, except for Less Than Zombie which I found annoying due to the writing style.

[J K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating collection, a little slice and dice and plenty to get horrified about. The importance of visceral horror should continue to be analysed, considering what crops up even today on TV and film (arent we a little blase now? You Saw fans...), which makes it all the more surprising that these words have the power to shock. Comes with some excellent essays on the subject, too. Hugely insightful, stories that push boundaries, take a look if you've the stomach for it, and even if not, you might be tougher than you think...

[Lucy Batson · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent splatterpunk primer that contains lots of early, representative works, great introductions, and an extended essay at the end of the book by editor Paul Sammon. It's too bad this is out of print (I grabbed a slightly chewy used copy on eBay), since it's an essential genre collection.

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked this more than I thought I might, and I never felt like throwing down the book in disgust (which I feared might happen). Definitely some interesting stories here, but I could have done without Sammon's looooooong article on his thoughts about the definition of Splatterpunk, descriptions of stories (in which he gives away the endings), his list of who is/isn't Splatterpunk (though most writers he chose deny the label, and much of what he said he had already included in the author bios) and it was the last entry in the book, so it ended on a low note. Just give us the stories!

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this anthology! It was an awesome way to get acquainted to more authors in the splatterpunk genre. As it is sometimes hard to describe to others, I found a quote by Peter Straub on p. 282 to sum it up quite nicely:

"As long as the writing is okay, I enjoy it. Part of the splatterpunk's intent is to deliberately violate the reader, the be deliberately offensive. To outrage. This has always been the underlying point of horror, and it's one of splatterpunk's greatest strengths."

[Brett · Rating 5 out of 5]

While I enjoyed this anthology immensely, most authors in it are not known for writing Splatterpunk stories. Which makes this quite the interesting experiment and all the more enjoyable to see how writers new to the genre write about it.

The follow-up anthology 'Splatterpunks II' id quite similar in author selection and equally good, if not better, in story selection.

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

A collection of short stories that I love. Some of these are so gross they are hard to get through. Others are so gross and over the top they made me laugh out loud. Some were just plain scary. A treat, with a treatise on the theory of splatterpunk and what it means to be one (or just appreciate the genre) at the end of the century.

[Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hardcore horror stories from various up-and-coming (in 1990) authors. My favorite was "Red" by Richard Christian Matheson, who has a great collection out called "Scars (And Other Distinguishing Marks).

[Brett Jason · Rating 3 out of 5]

High School was fun

[Jessica Bausola · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like extreme horror, you should check this one out. I liked most of the stories, and liked them better than most of today's extreme stories. The only well-known author in this compilation is Clive Barker whose classic short story "Midnight Meat Train" was chosen for this book. The other authors are rather unknown, but all of their stories are very graphic, so if you are only into the old style of Horror like by Lovecraft or Poe and such, you're probably not gonna like it. Most of the stories are very realistic and describe horror that could really happen. Horror which you hear about in the news. Some of the story have a moralistic touch and are a bit political. The authors are all rather liberal as I see it and against racism, pro feminist etc. Being a conservative libertarian myself, I did not mind that though. I like reading different views. What's interesting is that people who are outsiders towards extreme horror / gore often say these stories don't make sense and are just for the rather simple-minded readers who just want something "Hardcore" and taboo breaking. Of course, these stories do that, but it's clear to see that all the authors which were chosen for "Splatterpunk" also have a message and criticize the morals and politics of their time and sometimes have a philosophic touch. So don't judge the Genre before you've read it. I thought I got some very well-written stories that kept my interest to the end and I am going to read part 2 of this as well. However, if you absolutely can't stand graphic, violent horror with detailed descriptions, keep away from it. Else I'd recommend it!

[Byron · Rating 3 out of 5]

As with most anthologies, Splatter-Punks is a mixed bag. The stand-out entries notwithstanding, its contents can be divided into two categories: stories reading like newspaper articles and gross-out tales. Given the nature of the splatterpunk subgenre, the latter is to be expected, but the gross-out stories in this book often lack substance.

That said, Splatter-Punks starts off strong with The Night They Missed the Horror Show by Joe R. Lansdale. Broadly speaking, this entry would fall into the category of a newspaper article-style story. However, Lansdale is a more talented writer than that. Instead of simply reporting on a fictional crime, he juxtaposes two crimes committed in quick succession, shining a light on the contradictions that characterize human behavior. On its most simplistic level, this is in regard to racism, but the story goes beyond that and cleverly explores these ironies in general. 4/5

The Midnight Meat Train by Clive Barker is next, exemplifying what I consider to be a traditional horror story. Barker's beautiful prose and mastery of suspense are highlights in a tale that is indeed violent, but not to the level I would expect of the splatterpunk subgenre. One forgets that in traditional horror tales like Bernice and The Black Cat, classical horror authors like Edgar Allan Poe could get just as gory as anything featured here. 4/5

Film at Eleven by John Skipp is a step down from the first two entries. Largely an epistolary piece, the story reads more like a news report on an abused spouse than a horror story. 2/5

Red by Richard Christian Matheson is much the same, this time reporting on a family tragedy. There are some interesting structural elements at play in terms of how information is revealed, but it's not clever enough to make this read as a horror story or even as a story period. 2/5

The book picks up again with A Life in the Cinema by Mick Garris. This tale of a struggling filmmaker who comes across a mutant baby would fit perfectly in an EC comic and features a gross-out climax that earns the story's splatterpunk tag without feeling forced. 4/5

Less Than Zombie by Douglas E Winter is a largely plotless exercise. According to the introduction, it is a parody of Bret Easton Ellis' Less Than Zero but reads more like a rip-off, as it's simply imitating Ellis' style rather than satirizing it. As far as imitations go, this fails because Winter lacks Ellis' ability to break the rules of traditional story structure while remaining engaging. 1/5

Rapid Transit by Wayne Allen Sallee is another newspaper-style entry, this time about a man witnessing a murder as he waits for the train. This event is described quickly, and the remainder of the story is just the witness going through the motions of his life afterwards. Boring, plotless, and not even particularly gruesome. 1/5.

While She Was Out by Edward Bryant is a story that could have simply been another news report. However, Bryant understands characterization and story structure. The story works because instead of simply describing an event (in this case, a woman attacked on her way home) Bryant gives her agency that drives the plot. 4/5.

The Meathouse Man by George RR Martin is the best offering in this anthology. It may be more of a tragedy with sci-fi elements than a horror story, but that doesn't matter with writing of this caliber. Martin delivers a heartbreaking portrait of a youth whose childhood delusions are shattered the more life experience he accrues. While the protagonist's disillusionment is specifically with romantic love, like Lansdale's contribution, the themes go beyond just that and can be applied to life in general. 5/5.

Reunion Moon by Rex Miller is a huge drop in quality after Martin's story. More of a gross-out comedy than a horror tale (and one that isn't funny), Miller is simply crass for the sake of it and offers nothing beyond that. 1/5.

I Spit in Your Face: Films That Bite by Chaus Balun is not a story. It's an essay on splatter films, and an enjoyable one, but feels incongruous in what is otherwise a fiction anthology. 3/5.

In Freaktent, Nancy A. Collins serves readers an entertaining Ray Bradbury-esque horror tale. While it does go into unnerving territory, Collins' treatment of body horror is more psychological than explicit, making for a fun read but not one I would consider to be "extreme." 3/5.

Crucifix Autumn: Chapter 18- The Censored Chapter by Ray Garton is a section from a novel deemed too grotesque for its publisher. The contents--involving an orally performed abortion-- prove squirm-inducing, but divorced from the larger narrative, one cannot judge if it was necessary or just done for shock value. 2/5.

Goosebumps, the book's second Richard Christian Matheson tale, is a classic horror story that would fit happily into any Peter Haining anthology. While there is some gore, body horror, and even metafictional elements, the story doesn't go into extreme territory, but is so entertaining, one cannot complain. 4/5.

Goodbye, Dark Love by Roberta Lannes moves the needle back to the grotesque. As the story involves graphic depictions of violence, sex, and incest, its stomach-churning passages feel right at home in an anthology of extreme horror. Yet there isn't much of a plot beyond that. Aside from a clever reveal at the end, the story feels shallow--regardless of what the author may claim. 2/5

Full Throttle by Phillip Nutman starts off slow but takes advantage of its longer length to build to a powerful climax. Excellent characterization, the correct use of splatterpunk shock, and ingenious structural techniques make this the best entry in the book after Martin's. 5/5.

City of Angels by J.S. Russell is a disappointing final entry and the worst story in the book. Resembling Terry Musalata's Baby in a Blender more than anything else, Russell earns the splatterpunk tag but does little to support the thesis of the book's editor that splatterpunk is more than just schlock. 0/5

Closing out the book is an overview of splatterpunk literature by the editor. An interesting resource for those who wish to delve further into the subgenre, but it feels like it would have been more at home in an issue of Fangoria. 3/5

[Maddie Hertz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve had this book in my possession for about 8 months now, and I do think it was the case that it just needed to be the right timing to be ready for an entry into these kinds of stories. Maybe I was someone who likes the idea of ‘splatterpunk’ more than the works themselves? But after picking it up this past time I was able to get into it and enjoy it, with maybe a story every few days. I think I might also not be so used to the short story now, long past my days in highschool English class, and getting into a genre tradition so rooted in the short story or novella was also an adjustment. Overall, I enjoyed my time and have put several of the suggestions from within onto my reading list for further education.

My favorite stories from this collection were:
- The Midnight Meat Train by Clive Barker (this one was actually why I picked up this collection in the first place)
- While She Was Out by Edward Bryant
- Meathouse Man by George R R Martin
- Goodbye, Dark Love by Roberta Lanes
- Full Throttle by Richard Christian Matheson

[Marcus · Rating 2 out of 5]

Naja ok, ich hab das Büchlein immer im Rucksack bei mir gehabt, damit ich was zum Schmökern hab, wenn ich nicht mein aktuelles Buch dabei hab. Halt so, dass man immer ma schnell so ´ne Kurzgeschichte lessen kann. Blut, Leichen, Zombies, Monster, Irre, Splatterpunk halt. Für so zwischendurch ganz kurzweilig, aber mein Genre wird das nicht. Es gibt auch noch einen 2. Teil Splatterpunk II, den werd ich wohl aus dem selben Grund in meine Tasche packen. Wenn Bedarf ist, hab ich wenigstens was da.
Ach ja, die Geschichte & Hintergründe, geschrieben vom Kompilierer Paul M. Sammon über Splatterpunk am Ende war ganz interessant zu lesen.

[EmBe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Damals gab es eine richtige Splatterpunk-Welle. Ich las und lese ja auch gerne mal Horror. Damals war ich einfach neugierig. Extremer Horror bedeutet die Grenzen des Darstellbaren ein Stück hinausschieben, so dass es unangenehm wird. Der Horror wird auch körperlicher und dementsprehend auch blutiger. Die Quelle des Schreckens ist auch nicht mehr übernatürlich, sondern grausamen Seiten der Realität. Aber "Die Nacht in der sie die Horrorshow verpassten" ist ein kleines Meisterwerk, und eigentlich auch schon kein Horror mehr, sondern eher Dark Crime, eine Reise in den allerdunkelsten Winkel der Gesellschaft.
Manche Geschichten haben mich beeindruckt, bei anderen merkte ich, dass ich das eigentlich nicht lesen wollte.
Das Nachwort des Herausgebers hebt das Andere, Neue dieser Richting hervor, stilisiert die Akteure aber zu sehr. Das ist fast schon marktschreierisch.

[Jack · Rating 2 out of 5]

Only a couple of the stories were any good (Nancy A. Collins and Mick Garris) but this was valuable in providing context for the general headspace of horror literature and horror media criticism circa 1990. It’s funny that most of the authors featured in the collection disavow the splatterpunk label (something the editor notes with chagrin in his nonfiction essay at the end), but it seems to be a reluctance to be labeled rather than a dislike of the term itself. Also it’s interesting because prior to reading this I always assumed splatterpunk was about being as gory as possible but it’s actually more about horror that derives from more real-world situations and controversial subject matter rather than supernatural stuff or other traditional horror elements.

[Drunken McNulty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Risen to underground fame in the late 80ies, early 90ies, Splatterpunk is the predecessor to what is now labeled as extreme horror.
Of course not all of the stories still inherit the shock value after over 30 years of pushing boundaries but man some of these stories really made me feel uncomfortable and even not in a good way and I like that.
Maybe the most interesting thing in this collection is the long essay by the editor about Splatterpunk and the perception and social commentary of good horror in general.
Part 2 is waiting on my book shelf and I will soon read it.

[Mirko Liang · Rating 3 out of 5]

Found it in an online used book store and got it immediately out of a spark of nostalgia. I borrowed this book ages ago, different country, different edition, and I remember not having read it all.
Some good works here, some others didn’t really gave me anything. Not the kind of horror which I’m leaning right now so overall just alright.

[Signor Mambrino · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty cringey stuff.

[Alessandro Schümperlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Raccolta di racconti particolare e di un certo livello, alcuni migliori altri meno.

[KD250 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bangers ALL.
If you barely make it through the first story, slowly close and put it down, because this anthology is RELENTLESS.

[Emily Christie-Pinder · Rating 5 out of 5]

The 'Outlaws' essay was superb actually

[LordSlaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Splatterpunks: Extreme Horror, a 1990 anthology edited by Paul M Sammon, is filled with some potent writing. Like any collection of stories, this anthology was uneven; I suppose that will always be the case as the tastes of a reader will cause them to like some stories more than others. I can't think of a single anthology I've ever read wherein I've enjoyed every story equally. But while the stories in Splatterpunks weren't always to my liking, I've got to admit that all of them were strong: each one contained strong writing, strong language, strong images, strong themes, or all of the above. The "Extreme" in the subtitle is earned. This volume is not for the faint of heart or the delicate of stomach, what with its intimate detailed depictions of violence, gore, deformity, cannibalism, necrophilia, and other horrors. Some of the stories, such as Joe R Lansdale's "The Night They Missed the Horror Show," even contain a moral, and there's some dark (and in the case of JS Russell's "City of Angels," pitch black) humor. There are 16 stories in the anthology, a short essay on splat cinema, and a long essay by the editor about the evolution and nature and purposes of splatterpunk. This essay is particularly well done and would be a valuable resource to readers seeking out more material in the field. For me, the standout story was George RR Martin's "Meathouse Man," which contains elements of sci-fi amid the splat. I think that overall this is a worthwhile book that chronicles and explains an often maligned horror subgenre. Again, however, I advise that this book is most assuredly not for everyone. I've spent a lot of time over the years watching gore films and indulging in other forms of outlaw art. Despite that, Splatterpunks contained some material that made me wince, particularly in the included, censored chapter 18 of Ray Garton's Crucifax Autumn. You have been warned: you may proceed into the intense, sometimes depraved, pages of this volume, but proceed cautiously and at your own risk. And watch your step lest you cut yourself on the broken taboos.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

**Not for the squeamish, easily offended, easily disturbed, or easily frightened.**

I read this one in my early twenties and I'll never forget the opening story, "Night They Missed the Horror Show". Extreme is the word. There is no line these stories won't cross, so read at your own risk.

Hey, I was young. Don't judge.

[Zombaby Cera · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this back in high school (not intended for high schoolers, btw.)
I remember that these authors unmercifully attacked my senses with imagery of horrotic-esque gore in unflinching detail! A great read for any gruesome horror lover!