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Master of Pain
Melanie has always been attracted to assertive, dominant, alpha males. She has always been curious about sadism and masochism, bondage, and submission, but when she meets a man on an online BDSM website, who calls himself SLAVEMASTER, she will experience a level of sadomasochism that goes far beyond safe, sane, and consensual. Inspired by the true story of America's first online serial killer. From the twisted minds of Wrath James White and Kristopher Rufty, comes a story of extreme violence, sex, perversion, and the occult.
217 pages, Paperback
Published May 16, 2023
25 people are currently reading
232 people want to read
About the author
Wrath James White
129 books1,177 followersWrath James White is a badass motherfucker who writes baddasss books for other badass motherfuckers. He is a J.F. Gonzalez Lifetime Achievement Award winner and a Bram Stoker Award nominee with over two dozen books in print.
Wrath is the author of RABBIT HUNT, THE BUG COLLECTOR, and such extreme horror classics as THE RESURRECTIONIST (now a major motion picture titled "Come Back To Me") SUCCULENT PREY, it's sequel PREY DRIVE, 400 DAYS OF OPPRESSION, and many others.
To follow his Substack, purchase books, get the latest updates about upcoming releases, signed books, merchandise, and more, go to:
https://linktr.ee/wrathjameswhite
Wrath is the author of RABBIT HUNT, THE BUG COLLECTOR, and such extreme horror classics as THE RESURRECTIONIST (now a major motion picture titled "Come Back To Me") SUCCULENT PREY, it's sequel PREY DRIVE, 400 DAYS OF OPPRESSION, and many others.
To follow his Substack, purchase books, get the latest updates about upcoming releases, signed books, merchandise, and more, go to:
https://linktr.ee/wrathjameswhite
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
August 2, 2025
Phew, that was a very intense story. Just as a forewarning, if you are squeamish in any way, this will not be for you. Possibly the most sex-filled book I’ve read to date. Knowing my reading behaviors, that should speak volumes. And not just regular sex with some lighthearted spanking, there is a ton of mutilation and violent behavior. Basically like a playground for extreme kinks. Makes 59 Shads of Grey look like casual foreplay. Now I liked this. I liked how uncomfortable it made me. I enjoyed each of the characters equally, as the authors fully explored a great level of depth with each of them. Melanie was a really good lead with a very bizarre finale. I would love to go into much deeper detail on some aspects of her, but I would be spoiling too much. All I can say is poor Theresa Ann (Her baby). Put on your leather mask, lotion up your hands, and get ready for something even more intense than Kristopher Triana’s Toxic Love.
May 8, 2019
My review of MASTER OF PAIN can be found at High Fever Books.
In case the highly suggestive cover art doesn’t give it away, Masters of Pain by Wrath James White and Kristopher Rufty is a work of erotic BDSM horror.
John James, known on a BDSM website by the moniker SLAVEMASTER, is a man of extreme tastes. He uses the Internet to recruit women new to, and inexperienced with, the BDSM scene to utterly dominate. He does not believe in consent or safe words…or any other kind of safety for that matter. He doesn’t care about any limits these women may have, and his domination of their bodies veers quickly into rape and torture as he cuts, beats, and brands them. John James is a serial killer, and his home’s basement dungeon is his playground. His latest mark is Melanie, a single mother all to eager to be submissive to his demands.
Master of Pain is inspired by the real-life murderer, John Edward Robinson, the Internet’s first serial killer. Like Robinson, James stalks internet chatrooms for prey, luring women to Kansas City with promises of a bondage relationship, employment, and travel. After murdering them, he lives off their bank accounts or cashes their pension or alimony checks.
Needless to say, James is a sick and repulsive character. Melanie, on the other hand, is wholly sympathetic. A struggling single mom, she uses the Internet to escape the hardships of her daily life and find some solo enjoyment in her fantasies of being a submissive. James seems like the ideal man, but oh so little does she know. White and Rufty give us an intimate look at her life, and we constantly root for her to succeed, anything to keep her out of James’s reach. Inexorably, tortuously, they remove whatever hopes she has of staying out of his orbit.
Perhaps needless to say given the subjects of this book, as well as White’s and Rufty’s notoriety for being extreme horror authors, Masters of Pain is dark, disturbing, and highly explicit, both in terms of sexual content and violence. James’s extreme appetites are juxtaposed against Melanie’s developing interest in BDSM and her attendance at a local play party. While it’s obvious that James is way, way out there, it does give help give readers an idea of what normal BDSM sex play looks like, in terms of consent and mutual pleasure seeking. James is most certainly an outlier in his beliefs of what domination should constitute, and nothing Melanie experiences prior to meeting him can ever truly prepare her.
Masters of Pain may not be an easy read for many, but it certainly is interesting and evocative, and the authors heighten the serial killer drama with their late addition of occult elements (also drawn from Robinson’s claims surrounding the International Council of Masters). I do wish we could have spent more time with the occult, given the intriguing nature of it here, but what we do get speaks of a deeper and quite fascinating history that I really wanted to know more about. White and Rufty, however, do a fine job leading tamer, vanilla readers like myself through the history and intricacies of BDSM society and the danger people like James/Robinson pose toward those newer initiates. The taboo nature of these sex practices wherein one seeks pleasure from pain already makes a ripe playing field for horror. In Masters of Pain, White and Rufty excel at demonstrating just how dangerous, and harrowing, those kinks could be in the wrong hands.
[Note: I received a copy of this title from the publisher, Death's Head Press.]
In case the highly suggestive cover art doesn’t give it away, Masters of Pain by Wrath James White and Kristopher Rufty is a work of erotic BDSM horror.
John James, known on a BDSM website by the moniker SLAVEMASTER, is a man of extreme tastes. He uses the Internet to recruit women new to, and inexperienced with, the BDSM scene to utterly dominate. He does not believe in consent or safe words…or any other kind of safety for that matter. He doesn’t care about any limits these women may have, and his domination of their bodies veers quickly into rape and torture as he cuts, beats, and brands them. John James is a serial killer, and his home’s basement dungeon is his playground. His latest mark is Melanie, a single mother all to eager to be submissive to his demands.
Master of Pain is inspired by the real-life murderer, John Edward Robinson, the Internet’s first serial killer. Like Robinson, James stalks internet chatrooms for prey, luring women to Kansas City with promises of a bondage relationship, employment, and travel. After murdering them, he lives off their bank accounts or cashes their pension or alimony checks.
Needless to say, James is a sick and repulsive character. Melanie, on the other hand, is wholly sympathetic. A struggling single mom, she uses the Internet to escape the hardships of her daily life and find some solo enjoyment in her fantasies of being a submissive. James seems like the ideal man, but oh so little does she know. White and Rufty give us an intimate look at her life, and we constantly root for her to succeed, anything to keep her out of James’s reach. Inexorably, tortuously, they remove whatever hopes she has of staying out of his orbit.
Perhaps needless to say given the subjects of this book, as well as White’s and Rufty’s notoriety for being extreme horror authors, Masters of Pain is dark, disturbing, and highly explicit, both in terms of sexual content and violence. James’s extreme appetites are juxtaposed against Melanie’s developing interest in BDSM and her attendance at a local play party. While it’s obvious that James is way, way out there, it does give help give readers an idea of what normal BDSM sex play looks like, in terms of consent and mutual pleasure seeking. James is most certainly an outlier in his beliefs of what domination should constitute, and nothing Melanie experiences prior to meeting him can ever truly prepare her.
Masters of Pain may not be an easy read for many, but it certainly is interesting and evocative, and the authors heighten the serial killer drama with their late addition of occult elements (also drawn from Robinson’s claims surrounding the International Council of Masters). I do wish we could have spent more time with the occult, given the intriguing nature of it here, but what we do get speaks of a deeper and quite fascinating history that I really wanted to know more about. White and Rufty, however, do a fine job leading tamer, vanilla readers like myself through the history and intricacies of BDSM society and the danger people like James/Robinson pose toward those newer initiates. The taboo nature of these sex practices wherein one seeks pleasure from pain already makes a ripe playing field for horror. In Masters of Pain, White and Rufty excel at demonstrating just how dangerous, and harrowing, those kinks could be in the wrong hands.
[Note: I received a copy of this title from the publisher, Death's Head Press.]
May 29, 2023
I'm used to the more extreme, brutal, splatter side of horror from these 2 authors, not to say that this didn't have its fair share because it certainly did, but this one is erotic horror, and boy was it erotic! 🥵 An eye-opening, amongst other orifices, insight into the darker side of BDSM. 🖤
John doesn't like safewords, he’ll finish when he feels he is ready, he literally gets off on it! He likes to push his subs to the very limit, and more often than not, even further, but just how far before it's too far…?
Melanie is a young single Mum, searching for a father figure, not for her baby though, for herself. She wants someone strong and commanding. She's a lurker in all the right chat rooms, but never quite builds up the courage to privately message someone and take it further. That is, until she comes across the Slavemaster!! Are her fantasies finally about to become reality? Eventually she is sent a contract, and upon signing, her world takes a whole new surreal and sinister turn.
Sam is a Private Detective, kind of, and he has been hired to find John's missing wife by her sister Addison. Together they go to some extreme lengths to try and uncover the truth and prove John's guilt, ending up in the same world of BDSM, and ultimately all of their lives meet and collide in surprising and horrific ways!
Who is the Master's Master? And the Council? Just how far do you need to go to prove your worth? And what happens when the torture tables are turned? This story concludes with a kind of BDSM Hellraiser type ending, and I fucking loved it!!
The erotic part of this book is hot!! Extremely hot! 🥵 The horror part is portrayed in showing the lengths people will go to assert dominance, the horror of wanting something so badly, only to discover it's not what you thought. Its hellish, emotional, mental and physical torture. It's being taken to your breaking point, and beyond, and it leaves you questioning your choices.
A very addictive, brutal, savage, action packed story, brilliantly co-written and highly entertaining!
Be careful what you wish for, and if you meet your Master on the road, kill him!!
John doesn't like safewords, he’ll finish when he feels he is ready, he literally gets off on it! He likes to push his subs to the very limit, and more often than not, even further, but just how far before it's too far…?
Melanie is a young single Mum, searching for a father figure, not for her baby though, for herself. She wants someone strong and commanding. She's a lurker in all the right chat rooms, but never quite builds up the courage to privately message someone and take it further. That is, until she comes across the Slavemaster!! Are her fantasies finally about to become reality? Eventually she is sent a contract, and upon signing, her world takes a whole new surreal and sinister turn.
Sam is a Private Detective, kind of, and he has been hired to find John's missing wife by her sister Addison. Together they go to some extreme lengths to try and uncover the truth and prove John's guilt, ending up in the same world of BDSM, and ultimately all of their lives meet and collide in surprising and horrific ways!
Who is the Master's Master? And the Council? Just how far do you need to go to prove your worth? And what happens when the torture tables are turned? This story concludes with a kind of BDSM Hellraiser type ending, and I fucking loved it!!
The erotic part of this book is hot!! Extremely hot! 🥵 The horror part is portrayed in showing the lengths people will go to assert dominance, the horror of wanting something so badly, only to discover it's not what you thought. Its hellish, emotional, mental and physical torture. It's being taken to your breaking point, and beyond, and it leaves you questioning your choices.
A very addictive, brutal, savage, action packed story, brilliantly co-written and highly entertaining!
Be careful what you wish for, and if you meet your Master on the road, kill him!!
June 17, 2020
I cannot argue the other reviews. This book IS in need of an good edit. However, it does not take away from the story. This book meshes sex and pain to a point that excited me. It was clever and fun and enticing. Until the end. the ending didn't fit. that seems to be the norm with horror, so its not a big deal. I still enjoyed the read
November 21, 2023
“Is it really perversion, though? Or is it natural? Isn't this really who we are? Who we were born to be? Creatures of agony and ecstasy. What we have always craved? Even when we didn't know it? When we couldn't imagine it or put a name to it? Haven't you always sought this thrill? Isn't that why you became a detective? I mean, could you really go back to plain vanilla sex after seeing everything we've seen?”
...And the Ancient Ones watched and were pleased.
...And the Ancient Ones watched and were pleased.
August 30, 2019
Fifty Shades of Grey this is not.
Master of Pain is a deadly mix of erotic, horror, and to a lesser extent crime fiction which focuses on the beauty in brutality, in-turn providing the reader a glimpse into the world of kink and the darker side of obsession and desire.
There's a lot of blood; some spilled willingly, some, not so much, so reader beware, the content is not for the faint of heart.
The book centers around a master who has a thing for murdering his submissives, but only once he's performed unspeakable acts of debauchery, debasing his victims (whilst they go to him willingly, once in the master's web, there's nothing consensual about what transpires) to shadows of their former self.
The characters are well written and there's some decent backstory to help the reader develop a connection with them (be it master, or sub). Despite not reading erotic fiction, I lapped this one up and was pleasantly surprised by the quasi crime fiction and horror elements.
My rating: 4.5/5 stars. Thanks to the Brian Keene podcast for promoting this book, otherwise I would've never heard of it.
Master of Pain is a deadly mix of erotic, horror, and to a lesser extent crime fiction which focuses on the beauty in brutality, in-turn providing the reader a glimpse into the world of kink and the darker side of obsession and desire.
There's a lot of blood; some spilled willingly, some, not so much, so reader beware, the content is not for the faint of heart.
The book centers around a master who has a thing for murdering his submissives, but only once he's performed unspeakable acts of debauchery, debasing his victims (whilst they go to him willingly, once in the master's web, there's nothing consensual about what transpires) to shadows of their former self.
The characters are well written and there's some decent backstory to help the reader develop a connection with them (be it master, or sub). Despite not reading erotic fiction, I lapped this one up and was pleasantly surprised by the quasi crime fiction and horror elements.
My rating: 4.5/5 stars. Thanks to the Brian Keene podcast for promoting this book, otherwise I would've never heard of it.
June 17, 2023
Bibliophilia Templum Review
https://bibliophiliatemplum.wordpress.com/2023/06/17/master-of-pain/
Master of Pain by Wrath James White and Kristopher Rufty is a dark and disturbing horror novel that smears the lines of subgenres into a gory mess. The explicit subject matter and graphic sex and violence place it in the realm of extreme horror, but its story is too deep and complex to be labeled so simply.
Depth and complexity from extreme horror?
Absolutely.
Wrath is known for it the way Rufty is known for his immersive splattery tales.
This is your warning: Extreme Horror. Graphic Content.
As advertised, Master of Pain is inspired by the true story of America’s first known online serial killer. And there is a lot of realism in there. Realistic psychopathy. Realistic characters. Realistic sequences. Very realistic horrors.
But wait. There’s more.
If you are a fan of Wrath James White, you will see a tie-in to some of his other works. The tie-in is skillfully done, blending into the story without detraction or distraction from the ongoing plot. A fun addition for fans like myself. I would love to tell you what it is, but I have a strict personal rule against spoilers. I abhor spoilers.
The listed synopsis is a simplified tease of the story within. Master of Pain starts out strong, much like a sucker punch to the gut. The first chapter alone will make you cringe on the inside. And the outside. The assault on the mind and senses continues as the reader is bombarded with suspense, violence, eroticism, and brutality both psychological and physical. Then, to scramble your gore-splattered mind a tad more, a bit of the occult is woven in. Slowly. Carefully. And then it grabs you and drags you to the unexpected ending, where it leaves you feeling both dirty and strangely satisfied.
These two masters of extreme horror have come together to create a masterpiece of pain and terror that I could easily write about for hours. It begs both introspective thought and lively discussion. Maybe it is the basis in fact and skillfully done realism. Maybe it is the symbolism and reality of the occult factors. Maybe it is the expert handling of the BDSM aspects. I think it is all of things and more.
I invite you to discuss this one if it doesn’t render you speechless.
Highly recommended for daring readers. Extreme horror fans only, please.
https://bibliophiliatemplum.wordpress.com/2023/06/17/master-of-pain/
Master of Pain by Wrath James White and Kristopher Rufty is a dark and disturbing horror novel that smears the lines of subgenres into a gory mess. The explicit subject matter and graphic sex and violence place it in the realm of extreme horror, but its story is too deep and complex to be labeled so simply.
Depth and complexity from extreme horror?
Absolutely.
Wrath is known for it the way Rufty is known for his immersive splattery tales.
This is your warning: Extreme Horror. Graphic Content.
As advertised, Master of Pain is inspired by the true story of America’s first known online serial killer. And there is a lot of realism in there. Realistic psychopathy. Realistic characters. Realistic sequences. Very realistic horrors.
But wait. There’s more.
If you are a fan of Wrath James White, you will see a tie-in to some of his other works. The tie-in is skillfully done, blending into the story without detraction or distraction from the ongoing plot. A fun addition for fans like myself. I would love to tell you what it is, but I have a strict personal rule against spoilers. I abhor spoilers.
The listed synopsis is a simplified tease of the story within. Master of Pain starts out strong, much like a sucker punch to the gut. The first chapter alone will make you cringe on the inside. And the outside. The assault on the mind and senses continues as the reader is bombarded with suspense, violence, eroticism, and brutality both psychological and physical. Then, to scramble your gore-splattered mind a tad more, a bit of the occult is woven in. Slowly. Carefully. And then it grabs you and drags you to the unexpected ending, where it leaves you feeling both dirty and strangely satisfied.
These two masters of extreme horror have come together to create a masterpiece of pain and terror that I could easily write about for hours. It begs both introspective thought and lively discussion. Maybe it is the basis in fact and skillfully done realism. Maybe it is the symbolism and reality of the occult factors. Maybe it is the expert handling of the BDSM aspects. I think it is all of things and more.
I invite you to discuss this one if it doesn’t render you speechless.
Highly recommended for daring readers. Extreme horror fans only, please.
July 2, 2019
Eroticism, passion, violence, exploitation and occultism, whipped together to make for an overall very exciting reading experience.
I’ve had minimal experience with this sub-genre of horror before, but since reading both The Devil’s Equinox by John Everson (Review here) and The Girl Next Door by Jack Ketchum, I was intrigued to read some more books inspired by true events and books on occultism. Having not been much of a True Crime girl before, I think I might be developing a taste for it.
You can read my full review here: https://www.scifiandscary.com/master-...
Note: I received a free copy of this from the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.
I’ve had minimal experience with this sub-genre of horror before, but since reading both The Devil’s Equinox by John Everson (Review here) and The Girl Next Door by Jack Ketchum, I was intrigued to read some more books inspired by true events and books on occultism. Having not been much of a True Crime girl before, I think I might be developing a taste for it.
You can read my full review here: https://www.scifiandscary.com/master-...
Note: I received a free copy of this from the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.
March 16, 2021
Wow! As Austin Powers says : "Do I make you randy?" Yes, Master. This book has load of pain, BDSM and load of eroticism to fill your every.. ...need. The author's description of the topic read very real and not over the top fake. Actually feel like a SME in BDSM lol.
The book is lengthy for this genre but kept my interest throughout the whole book. There is a good story line and a lot of depth to the characters and building of them. You really get an emotional attachment to their situations and direction.
Also has a bit of sleuth/mystery as the story develops. The end goes a different route then expected, not bad at all just different.
The book is lengthy for this genre but kept my interest throughout the whole book. There is a good story line and a lot of depth to the characters and building of them. You really get an emotional attachment to their situations and direction.
Also has a bit of sleuth/mystery as the story develops. The end goes a different route then expected, not bad at all just different.
June 13, 2023
A Horror Bookworm Recommendation
Master Of Pain by Wrath James White & Kristopher Rufty
https://horrorbookwormreviews.com/
A serial predator known as Slavemaster searches online chat rooms for his next “plaything.” Submissive and eager to please, Melanie enters the cyberworld of Masters and Slaves to live out her no limit fantasies of pleasure and pain. All the while a family hires a private investigator to find a missing family member. It’s time to bait one of the most evil serial killers of all time, what could go wrong?
Published by The Evil Cookie, authors Wrath James White & Kristopher Rufty bring the pain and humiliation in the most morbid masochistic kind of way. Prepare to experience erotic rope bondage, paddling, asphyxiation, flogging and forced postures (ain’t gonna lie, had to look that last one up my bookworm friends). Mix the underground BDSM lifestyle with sinister intentions of a psychopath and you get one heck of a demoralized novel entitled Master Of Pain.
A new level of imagination and depravity has been reached in the tradition of Suffer The Flesh and Survivor. Gasps and moans are a plenty in this terrifying hardcore package of sex and perversions. Not only is there an abundance of unadulterated pain and pleasure but also a controversial psychological aspect that taps into brutality and humiliation. What happens in the cyberworld stays in the cyberworld.
Would you like to delve into the decadent side of the cyberworld? Would you like to discover safewords and their meanings such as yellow means slow down and red means stop? Embrace the kink and fetish lifestyle with Wrath and Rufty and find out. What will your safeword be? A five star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Horror Bookworm Recommendation.
Master Of Pain by Wrath James White & Kristopher Rufty
https://horrorbookwormreviews.com/
A serial predator known as Slavemaster searches online chat rooms for his next “plaything.” Submissive and eager to please, Melanie enters the cyberworld of Masters and Slaves to live out her no limit fantasies of pleasure and pain. All the while a family hires a private investigator to find a missing family member. It’s time to bait one of the most evil serial killers of all time, what could go wrong?
Published by The Evil Cookie, authors Wrath James White & Kristopher Rufty bring the pain and humiliation in the most morbid masochistic kind of way. Prepare to experience erotic rope bondage, paddling, asphyxiation, flogging and forced postures (ain’t gonna lie, had to look that last one up my bookworm friends). Mix the underground BDSM lifestyle with sinister intentions of a psychopath and you get one heck of a demoralized novel entitled Master Of Pain.
A new level of imagination and depravity has been reached in the tradition of Suffer The Flesh and Survivor. Gasps and moans are a plenty in this terrifying hardcore package of sex and perversions. Not only is there an abundance of unadulterated pain and pleasure but also a controversial psychological aspect that taps into brutality and humiliation. What happens in the cyberworld stays in the cyberworld.
Would you like to delve into the decadent side of the cyberworld? Would you like to discover safewords and their meanings such as yellow means slow down and red means stop? Embrace the kink and fetish lifestyle with Wrath and Rufty and find out. What will your safeword be? A five star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Horror Bookworm Recommendation.
April 19, 2024
John, aka SLAVEMASTER is looking for new, fresh slaves. He enjoys things his way. He doesn't believe in safewords, even if they do. One day when he logs into the Masters and Slaves website and meets Melanie, John becomes excited of what could be. Let's not forget to mention, he's also a serial killer with no holds bars.
Melanie is a single mom just trying to make it. She has fantasies of being fully dominated but has never been a slave. While talking to SLAVEMASTER, she suddenly realizes that that's the life she wants. What she doesn't know is that her consent won't mean anything to her sadistic new master.
Holy Hell, this was yummy! This was delicious erotic horror and it didn't disappoint! This has a great plot, great characters, and a Hellraiser ending that I fucking appreciated! There is very heavy BDSM in here and brutality, that's your only warning 😂 Go pick up this delicious read!
Melanie is a single mom just trying to make it. She has fantasies of being fully dominated but has never been a slave. While talking to SLAVEMASTER, she suddenly realizes that that's the life she wants. What she doesn't know is that her consent won't mean anything to her sadistic new master.
Holy Hell, this was yummy! This was delicious erotic horror and it didn't disappoint! This has a great plot, great characters, and a Hellraiser ending that I fucking appreciated! There is very heavy BDSM in here and brutality, that's your only warning 😂 Go pick up this delicious read!
April 21, 2025
"Master of Pain" by Wrath James White and Kristopher Ruffy is wild. I, honestly, do not know how to describe it. I will say this book is everything Fifty Shades of Grey should have been.
Wrath and Ruffy take the reader to the darkness of BDSM.
Where no kink or sexual act is off limits.
John James, known on a BDSM website as
Slavemaster, uses the Internet to recruit women new to the BDSM scene. John to was a repulsive character. He has killed several women. There are no safe words. He just wants to dominant in the most extreme way possible
Melanie is a young single mother decides to explore her darker desires by lurking in the BDSM forums. While looking for ways to fulfill her fantasies, She meets Slavemaster.
Sam, a Private Detective, has been hired to find John's missing wife by her sister Addison. While investigating they end up in the same BDSM world.
Wrath and Rufty do a great job at bringing all the characters together. The ending was fantastic. I was not expect the story to go in that direction but was satisfied with how the story was wrapped up.
If you are looking for a dark story with plenty of gore and
BDSM, "Master of Pain" is a great read.
Wrath and Ruffy take the reader to the darkness of BDSM.
Where no kink or sexual act is off limits.
John James, known on a BDSM website as
Slavemaster, uses the Internet to recruit women new to the BDSM scene. John to was a repulsive character. He has killed several women. There are no safe words. He just wants to dominant in the most extreme way possible
Melanie is a young single mother decides to explore her darker desires by lurking in the BDSM forums. While looking for ways to fulfill her fantasies, She meets Slavemaster.
Sam, a Private Detective, has been hired to find John's missing wife by her sister Addison. While investigating they end up in the same BDSM world.
Wrath and Rufty do a great job at bringing all the characters together. The ending was fantastic. I was not expect the story to go in that direction but was satisfied with how the story was wrapped up.
If you are looking for a dark story with plenty of gore and
BDSM, "Master of Pain" is a great read.
March 21, 2021
Just finished reading Master of Pain by Wrath James White and Kristopher Rufty, and I would recommend it to any fan of extreme horror. Every extreme horror novel comes freighted with trigger warnings, of course, so keep that in mind. What surprised me about this book was how positively it left me feeling about BDSM and the BDSM community, which I really know very little about. The horrific elements of this story pertain to abuses against the community, specifically to an individual who has perverted what the BDSM community stands for. So check it out if you want a good horror story (like me), or if you need your horizons broadened a bit (like me!).
June 13, 2023
Stunningly depraved!
If ever a book deserved a slow golf clap, this is the book. Two masterful (no pun intended) authors come together to deliver an outstanding story of depravity and naivety. With an extra little something thrown in at the end.
It's also a story of longing and loneliness. Both the protagonist and the antagonist are two lonely people wanting to be something more than they are.
A serial killer using BDSM to attract his victims, the main character is based on a real serial killer thought to be the first Internet serial killer.
If ever a book deserved a slow golf clap, this is the book. Two masterful (no pun intended) authors come together to deliver an outstanding story of depravity and naivety. With an extra little something thrown in at the end.
It's also a story of longing and loneliness. Both the protagonist and the antagonist are two lonely people wanting to be something more than they are.
A serial killer using BDSM to attract his victims, the main character is based on a real serial killer thought to be the first Internet serial killer.
May 27, 2019
Ouch!
Erotic horror it's possibly the hardest genre to get right. A lot of wires try,few succeed. Wrath James White has been one of the ones who gets it right and now you can add Kristopher Rufty to the list.
Very loosely based on a real life case, the story of sadistic mate looking for slaves to satisfy his violent needs takes some surprising turns. The subject matter may be a bit uncomfortable for some readers but i found this one fun.
Recommended
Erotic horror it's possibly the hardest genre to get right. A lot of wires try,few succeed. Wrath James White has been one of the ones who gets it right and now you can add Kristopher Rufty to the list.
Very loosely based on a real life case, the story of sadistic mate looking for slaves to satisfy his violent needs takes some surprising turns. The subject matter may be a bit uncomfortable for some readers but i found this one fun.
Recommended
March 15, 2024
Whoa. I am just way too vanilla to find this book anything but uncomfortable.
January 21, 2024
Someone I admire once said “perfection is doing a lot of small things very well.” Oh how I wish that were true for this book, because it had so many things going for it. It’s not often you find erotica, horror, and crime all jumbled into one, and have it be an enjoyable story. But, there’s quite a few things wrong with this, which really bums me out, because I adore so many things about this story.
Let’s start with the elephant in the room, the piss poor editing. If you’re questioning elements to the story within the first few chapters, you know something had gone horribly awry. Some of the many errors I noticed: I have no idea how old Addison is. She is described as both young and older looking, and she is described to be the sister of Joan, (and once I believe Joan is referred to as her daughter once as well which tripped me up), secondly, I swear Joan was was mentioned to be around 27 at one point, but she has a 17 year old daughter that the story just drops for no reason? I know it’s not out of the realm of possibility but it wasn’t touched on enough. Another time, Melanie is described to be gagged, but speaks, even having a whole conversation. Again, making me do a double take. I’m sure there are more, but those are the ones that’s stuck out to me. Another time, Melanie wasn’t even in a scene and it said “said Melanie”. Those are just some of the many examples I noticed.
Okay so, things I liked, and there are plenty. I can really appreciate how invested these authors are in getting a lot of the philosophy of the community correct. Also, I loved Addison and Sam. I don’t know why, and I don’t normally go for those romance plots in stories, but damn there was just something so cute about those two. Maybe I’m crazy, I probably am. Ok so another thing, the crime drama bits, were killer. I really wasn’t expecting them, since the summary delves more into Melanie than anything else, but that really deserves a mention, especially in the summary. I probably wouldn’t have put off reading this so long had I known it had that little true crime drama in it.
The “occult” aspects were lazily thrown in, absolutely no foreshadowing whatsoever made it hard to digest when it came, and felt like a major cop out ending to something I so desperately needed a banger finale to. That last chapter and the epilogue felt thrown in to tie up loose ends. Can we normalize average endings in horror again? Feels like every time I read a horror novel the ending veers of the road and crashes into another story and creates a finale that comes straight out of left field.
For as many critiques as I have for this novel, it’s only because I want so much for it to be polished. I would seriously get down on my knees and beg these two to re-release this in a more polished form, fixing the editing errors, cutting out the occult crap, and tying up characters better. I only criticize because in my eyes, this could’ve been a perfect book. It had so many things going for it; mainly let down by the editing and ending. It scratched all my itches, erotica, horror, true crime, all three of my favorite genres smashed into one, and telling a gripping and engaging story? Sign me up. I just hope one day we can get a better version of this, no matter how unlikely that is.
This book could’ve delivered so much more, it could’ve been perfection. Now this book will haunt my nightmares, only because I wonder what it could’ve been.
Let’s start with the elephant in the room, the piss poor editing. If you’re questioning elements to the story within the first few chapters, you know something had gone horribly awry. Some of the many errors I noticed: I have no idea how old Addison is. She is described as both young and older looking, and she is described to be the sister of Joan, (and once I believe Joan is referred to as her daughter once as well which tripped me up), secondly, I swear Joan was was mentioned to be around 27 at one point, but she has a 17 year old daughter that the story just drops for no reason? I know it’s not out of the realm of possibility but it wasn’t touched on enough. Another time, Melanie is described to be gagged, but speaks, even having a whole conversation. Again, making me do a double take. I’m sure there are more, but those are the ones that’s stuck out to me. Another time, Melanie wasn’t even in a scene and it said “said Melanie”. Those are just some of the many examples I noticed.
Okay so, things I liked, and there are plenty. I can really appreciate how invested these authors are in getting a lot of the philosophy of the community correct. Also, I loved Addison and Sam. I don’t know why, and I don’t normally go for those romance plots in stories, but damn there was just something so cute about those two. Maybe I’m crazy, I probably am. Ok so another thing, the crime drama bits, were killer. I really wasn’t expecting them, since the summary delves more into Melanie than anything else, but that really deserves a mention, especially in the summary. I probably wouldn’t have put off reading this so long had I known it had that little true crime drama in it.
The “occult” aspects were lazily thrown in, absolutely no foreshadowing whatsoever made it hard to digest when it came, and felt like a major cop out ending to something I so desperately needed a banger finale to. That last chapter and the epilogue felt thrown in to tie up loose ends. Can we normalize average endings in horror again? Feels like every time I read a horror novel the ending veers of the road and crashes into another story and creates a finale that comes straight out of left field.
For as many critiques as I have for this novel, it’s only because I want so much for it to be polished. I would seriously get down on my knees and beg these two to re-release this in a more polished form, fixing the editing errors, cutting out the occult crap, and tying up characters better. I only criticize because in my eyes, this could’ve been a perfect book. It had so many things going for it; mainly let down by the editing and ending. It scratched all my itches, erotica, horror, true crime, all three of my favorite genres smashed into one, and telling a gripping and engaging story? Sign me up. I just hope one day we can get a better version of this, no matter how unlikely that is.
This book could’ve delivered so much more, it could’ve been perfection. Now this book will haunt my nightmares, only because I wonder what it could’ve been.
June 25, 2020
I'm typing this five minutes after putting it down because I had to have a cigarette to calm down first.
I've never been this enraged by a book before.
What the actual f*ck have I just read?
I'm in the middle of my adventure through the glorious depths of the depravity and perversion that is splatterpunk (and so far I'm loving it, calm down). Having said that, I'm bookworming my way through the titles that caught my attention and it would be a sin in the church of Splatterpunk to not read White's work, right? The premise of his work, generally speaking, was absurdly appealing to me when I read the plot of his books. It was like that man somehow had access to my brain and said: let me write exactly what you want to read, you horror-loving, depraved pervert! Sounds nice no?
NO, IT DOESN'T. Not when you've been disappointed twice.
Not entirely, mind you. White clearly has a knack for fleshing out his characters, so much that I only bothered finishi Master of Pain because I actually got invested in Melanie and I desperately wanted to know what was going to happen to her. Another talent of White's right here: creating tension and keeping you on your toes throughout the entire thing.
400 Days of Oppression and now Master of Pain were absolutely gripping, to the point I forwent sleep almost entirely because. I. Had. To. Finish. And my brain absolutely refused to let me focus on anything else (okay, I can't entirely blame White's books for this one but you get the picture) because the story was that envolving. He made me care about the characters and what was going to happen, for better or worse because at the end of the day we're talking about horror here, the norm is for everything to go bad. Extremely bad. But I couldn't stop until I knew whatever the hell was going to happen.
What made me angry was the ending. Seriously? That sounded like lazy writing for shock value, which goes completely in stark contrast in comparison to the rest of the book. I was terrified throughout the entire thing (apparently White's brand of horror steers more to the psychological side, which I absolutely adore because some of it really f*cks you up, and it f*cks up in the good way) and when I was agonizing for the climax it was just...... Not bland. Definetely not boring either but. Nonsensical. Painfully, devastatingly nonsensical.
I'm not even going to broach the topic of violence because honestly, what exactly are you expecting from a book called Master of Pain? Do a bit of homework and in five minutes you'll know exactly what you're getting yourself into so when you find this book revolting and offensive you'll have no one else to blame other than yourself. I'm only bothered by how unbothered I am with the overall violence present in splatterpunk titles.
I've never been this enraged by a book before.
What the actual f*ck have I just read?
I'm in the middle of my adventure through the glorious depths of the depravity and perversion that is splatterpunk (and so far I'm loving it, calm down). Having said that, I'm bookworming my way through the titles that caught my attention and it would be a sin in the church of Splatterpunk to not read White's work, right? The premise of his work, generally speaking, was absurdly appealing to me when I read the plot of his books. It was like that man somehow had access to my brain and said: let me write exactly what you want to read, you horror-loving, depraved pervert! Sounds nice no?
NO, IT DOESN'T. Not when you've been disappointed twice.
Not entirely, mind you. White clearly has a knack for fleshing out his characters, so much that I only bothered finishi Master of Pain because I actually got invested in Melanie and I desperately wanted to know what was going to happen to her. Another talent of White's right here: creating tension and keeping you on your toes throughout the entire thing.
400 Days of Oppression and now Master of Pain were absolutely gripping, to the point I forwent sleep almost entirely because. I. Had. To. Finish. And my brain absolutely refused to let me focus on anything else (okay, I can't entirely blame White's books for this one but you get the picture) because the story was that envolving. He made me care about the characters and what was going to happen, for better or worse because at the end of the day we're talking about horror here, the norm is for everything to go bad. Extremely bad. But I couldn't stop until I knew whatever the hell was going to happen.
What made me angry was the ending. Seriously? That sounded like lazy writing for shock value, which goes completely in stark contrast in comparison to the rest of the book. I was terrified throughout the entire thing (apparently White's brand of horror steers more to the psychological side, which I absolutely adore because some of it really f*cks you up, and it f*cks up in the good way) and when I was agonizing for the climax it was just...... Not bland. Definetely not boring either but. Nonsensical. Painfully, devastatingly nonsensical.
I'm not even going to broach the topic of violence because honestly, what exactly are you expecting from a book called Master of Pain? Do a bit of homework and in five minutes you'll know exactly what you're getting yourself into so when you find this book revolting and offensive you'll have no one else to blame other than yourself. I'm only bothered by how unbothered I am with the overall violence present in splatterpunk titles.
May 3, 2019
I didn't think I would enjoy this as much as I did. Extreme Horror/BDSM/Eroitca with the Occult thrown in, definitely not for the squeamish.
July 11, 2023
"Master of Pain" by Wrath James White and Kristopher Rufty.
Melanie yearns to be dominated. She wishes nothing more than to fully submit her mind, body, and soul. When a man named SLAVEMASTER reaches out to her online, Melanie has high hopes that he's the person she's been waiting for. Unfortunately, she's never been more wrong, and she's about to make a very grave mistake.
This was another amazing buddy read! I would definitely call this an erotic horror story. There's a lot of spice and tons of insanity. I really did enjoy this story, but to be honest, the ending was not my favorite. I found it a little too crazy but I have zero other complaints about the story. This was a great collaboration with some really interesting content. Please be advised, though, this story is not an accurate portrayal of what a true BDSM relationship looks like.
Melanie yearns to be dominated. She wishes nothing more than to fully submit her mind, body, and soul. When a man named SLAVEMASTER reaches out to her online, Melanie has high hopes that he's the person she's been waiting for. Unfortunately, she's never been more wrong, and she's about to make a very grave mistake.
This was another amazing buddy read! I would definitely call this an erotic horror story. There's a lot of spice and tons of insanity. I really did enjoy this story, but to be honest, the ending was not my favorite. I found it a little too crazy but I have zero other complaints about the story. This was a great collaboration with some really interesting content. Please be advised, though, this story is not an accurate portrayal of what a true BDSM relationship looks like.
August 6, 2024
This is not your average read. Melanie dives headfirst into a BDSM world with SLAVEMASTER—yes, that’s his actual username. If you’ve ever wondered what happens when boundaries are not just pushed but obliterated, this book is your answer.
We’re talking about a level of sadomasochism so extreme it makes your average “kinky” scenes look like a friendly tickle fight.
The perfect blend of horror, gore, and sex. I highly recommend.
We’re talking about a level of sadomasochism so extreme it makes your average “kinky” scenes look like a friendly tickle fight.
The perfect blend of horror, gore, and sex. I highly recommend.
March 28, 2024
I’d like to say something right away. I’ve been consuming audiobooks a great deal for the last few years. I listen to them when I’m driving, I listen to them when I’m at the gym, and I occasionally even listen to them when I’m relaxing at home. Normally, I’m a fan. In this case, I think I would have been better off reading the book in either physical or digital format. If you’re familiar with my reviews, I typically focus on the story first and mention the audiobook narrator at the very end. I’m deviating from that here. In most instances, an audiobook narrator should be virtually invisible–like the word “said”–in that they neither add nor subtract from the quality of the narrative they’re reciting. In the best cases, they elevate the narrative with the caliber of their performance. This is neither of those scenarios. I was not impressed with Louise Cooksey’s narration. Most of the performance was great, but her attempts to capture the individual voices of the male characters within the story left a lot to be desired. They universally sounded like whining, nasal, teenage boys who had recently been dumped. This was suitable for the character of SLAVEMASTER, but it made the audiobook harder to listen to than if she’d simply used her general narrative voice instead. None of this is meant to suggest she’s a bad audiobook narrator–she definitely was not–just that her voices for a couple of characters made it a bit of a challenge to stay in the story.
As far as the story is concerned, it was almost a cautionary tale about the online fetish websites of the 1990s and early 2000s…much of it focusing on the worst elements within that world. Naturally, that makes sense, when you’re familiar with the case of John Edward Robinson…the inspiration behind the story’s antagonist.
Rufty and White introduce readers to a world of depravity and torture–only some of it consensual. Readers familiar with bondage, domination, and sadism aren’t likely to be squeamish…and much of the content will be less shocking than one might expect from the authors. I don’t think the purpose was to be shocking…but rather to guide readers into a world they may not be familiar with–or may only have a 50 Shades of Grey introductory-level understanding of–before taking them beyond their comfort levels and urging them to shout out a safe word that will only fall on deaf ears.
It’s the hellish conclusion of the story where White and Rufty come out to play, no longer satisfied to play tour guides in the well-trod ground of S&M and B&D…desperate instead to take you somewhere you only accidentally discovered. If you’d only stayed somewhere safe, somewhere comfortable, somewhere you knew the rules…you would have been fine. But you let them take the reins.
You asked for this, after all?
You consented.
As far as the story is concerned, it was almost a cautionary tale about the online fetish websites of the 1990s and early 2000s…much of it focusing on the worst elements within that world. Naturally, that makes sense, when you’re familiar with the case of John Edward Robinson…the inspiration behind the story’s antagonist.
Rufty and White introduce readers to a world of depravity and torture–only some of it consensual. Readers familiar with bondage, domination, and sadism aren’t likely to be squeamish…and much of the content will be less shocking than one might expect from the authors. I don’t think the purpose was to be shocking…but rather to guide readers into a world they may not be familiar with–or may only have a 50 Shades of Grey introductory-level understanding of–before taking them beyond their comfort levels and urging them to shout out a safe word that will only fall on deaf ears.
It’s the hellish conclusion of the story where White and Rufty come out to play, no longer satisfied to play tour guides in the well-trod ground of S&M and B&D…desperate instead to take you somewhere you only accidentally discovered. If you’d only stayed somewhere safe, somewhere comfortable, somewhere you knew the rules…you would have been fine. But you let them take the reins.
You asked for this, after all?
You consented.
May 15, 2024
First of all, I am a person who is active in the BDSM community. This book was a pleasure to read. The author did his homework and I was so excited to see how many details are correct, from the history of the old guard leather masters, to the welcoming atmosphere of actual local dungeons, to even the equipment used during different types of scenes. He also stressed the importance of consent in healthy kink activities.
Second of all, if you're into any kind of s&m or more extreme BDSM like I am, this book will probably be more along the lines of a regular horror novel with a handful of gore scenes. For me, this was not extreme horror at all, but I also happen to be into almost all of the stuff described.
I also really enjoyed how the author never demonized kink, and focused more on how individual members of the community prey on others, rather than saying everyone in the community was mentally ill or sick in some way. In fact, the MC's at the end still manage to find ways to enjoy kink despite the cosmic horror that they experienced.
Oh, then there's the cosmic horror plot twist. I rather enjoyed the reveal of the council of masters, although I think it could have been built up much better, especially since Morgan's dreams could have been used as more foreshadowing. I still liked the twist ending, it reminded me of a better done version of the game "Lust for Darkness" that also deals with the same cosmic horror BDSM themes.
Overall, the characters are sympathetic and engaging, I didn't think the gore was too overdone unlike in other books where I find myself groaning at more gore descriptions on the next page, and if you're already a fan of both kink and horror this should be a pretty fun (and very sexy) read.
If you're not into s&m, this could definitely qualify as more extreme content, but I also think it's a great way to test the waters to see if kink might be something for you. Although this book emphasizes sadism and masochism a lot, and pretty much throws you into the deep end of it all, I'd definitely recommend this over more common books newbies read (looking at you, 50 shades of Grey).
Second of all, if you're into any kind of s&m or more extreme BDSM like I am, this book will probably be more along the lines of a regular horror novel with a handful of gore scenes. For me, this was not extreme horror at all, but I also happen to be into almost all of the stuff described.
I also really enjoyed how the author never demonized kink, and focused more on how individual members of the community prey on others, rather than saying everyone in the community was mentally ill or sick in some way. In fact, the MC's at the end still manage to find ways to enjoy kink despite the cosmic horror that they experienced.
Oh, then there's the cosmic horror plot twist. I rather enjoyed the reveal of the council of masters, although I think it could have been built up much better, especially since Morgan's dreams could have been used as more foreshadowing. I still liked the twist ending, it reminded me of a better done version of the game "Lust for Darkness" that also deals with the same cosmic horror BDSM themes.
Overall, the characters are sympathetic and engaging, I didn't think the gore was too overdone unlike in other books where I find myself groaning at more gore descriptions on the next page, and if you're already a fan of both kink and horror this should be a pretty fun (and very sexy) read.
If you're not into s&m, this could definitely qualify as more extreme content, but I also think it's a great way to test the waters to see if kink might be something for you. Although this book emphasizes sadism and masochism a lot, and pretty much throws you into the deep end of it all, I'd definitely recommend this over more common books newbies read (looking at you, 50 shades of Grey).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 9, 2019
I very much enjoyed this book and I was thrilled with the re appearance of Lord from one of Wraths short stories. I also enjoyed the intermingling of narratives and the coming together of all story lines. I was a bit worried that the ending would be a let down. I won't spoil it for you but it wasn't. I also enjoyed the religious elements that crept into a story far deeper than torture porn or erotica and found myself tempted to analyse the characters especially Melanie and John James but you can judge them for yourself. I'd definitely recommend this book.
May 12, 2019
Not for the faint of heart.
Excellent read for fans of extreme horror. As a fan of both Wrath James White and Kristopher Rufty, I can say combining these two is nothing short of genius. Well written, provocative with a cosmic horror flare. If you are a fan of these two, you won't be disappointed.
Excellent read for fans of extreme horror. As a fan of both Wrath James White and Kristopher Rufty, I can say combining these two is nothing short of genius. Well written, provocative with a cosmic horror flare. If you are a fan of these two, you won't be disappointed.
February 4, 2024
For me, The more extreme, the better and this does that very well
The fact that this is based on a real life serial killer enhanced the storytelling having something to base it on
I thought that Louise did a fantastic job narrating the subject matter
If you’re looking for a erotic thriller, that isn’t afraid to push, the envelope, look no further 5stars
The fact that this is based on a real life serial killer enhanced the storytelling having something to base it on
I thought that Louise did a fantastic job narrating the subject matter
If you’re looking for a erotic thriller, that isn’t afraid to push, the envelope, look no further 5stars
July 14, 2023
A lovely mix of gore, sex, serial killers, BDSM and the occult. I love how White really fleshes out his characters, there’s always a tonne of development to get you really invested in what happens to them. Overall, a fantastic read!
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May 16, 2024Note to authors. 83% mark. Melanie has just gotten analized by master while wearing a ball gag.
Next page Master abruptly leaves..Melanie is then having a full blown conversation with toy.
What happen to her ball gag. You fumbled this one boys. No stars.
Next page Master abruptly leaves..Melanie is then having a full blown conversation with toy.
What happen to her ball gag. You fumbled this one boys. No stars.
January 10, 2024
Very good.
Thoroughly enjoyed this book. A dark myterios journey into the world of slaves and masters. Graphic scenes that were a necessary part of the story. Very much enjoyed.
Thoroughly enjoyed this book. A dark myterios journey into the world of slaves and masters. Graphic scenes that were a necessary part of the story. Very much enjoyed.
February 21, 2024
White & Rufty know how to ratchet up the action and they don't hold up here. A well told tale with an interesting cast of characters and even a bit of heart.
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