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Right to Life
When Sara Foster is kidnapped in front of an abortion clinic in broad daylight, taken off a busy Manhattan street by a pair of total strangers—Stephen and Katherine Teach—she is three months pregnant with her married lover's child.
Her abductors seem to know that. They also seem to know where she lives, where she teaches, where she was born, who her lover is—even where her father plays golf on the weekends. They tell her about a mysterious worldwide Organization devoted to white slavery and what happens to those slaves who try to run away. What happens to their families and those they love.
That's what Sara is now. Their slave.
They show her what happens if she tries to disobey.
She sleeps in a coffin-like box in the basement.
She's fed according to their whim. Abused according to their whim.
They involve her in a brutal murder.
That's just the beginning. Because Stephen and Katherine Teach have terrible plans for Sara.
And her baby.
Like his novels Joyride, Stranglehold, The Girl Next Door, and Cover, Right to Life is a descent into madness and human evil which is all the more harrowing because it's based on fact. Sara's ordeal really happened to somebody just like you and me and it's one that is vividly rendered. So consider yourself warned. This is disturbing, graphic writing.
Not for the timid.
Like life.
Her abductors seem to know that. They also seem to know where she lives, where she teaches, where she was born, who her lover is—even where her father plays golf on the weekends. They tell her about a mysterious worldwide Organization devoted to white slavery and what happens to those slaves who try to run away. What happens to their families and those they love.
That's what Sara is now. Their slave.
They show her what happens if she tries to disobey.
She sleeps in a coffin-like box in the basement.
She's fed according to their whim. Abused according to their whim.
They involve her in a brutal murder.
That's just the beginning. Because Stephen and Katherine Teach have terrible plans for Sara.
And her baby.
Like his novels Joyride, Stranglehold, The Girl Next Door, and Cover, Right to Life is a descent into madness and human evil which is all the more harrowing because it's based on fact. Sara's ordeal really happened to somebody just like you and me and it's one that is vividly rendered. So consider yourself warned. This is disturbing, graphic writing.
Not for the timid.
Like life.
158 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1998
12 people are currently reading
2065 people want to read
About the author
Jack Ketchum
200 books2,988 followersDallas William Mayr, better known by his pen name Jack Ketchum, was an American horror fiction author. He was the recipient of four Bram Stoker Awards and three further nominations. His novels included Off Season, Offspring, and Red, which were adapted to film. In 2011, Ketchum received the World Horror Convention Grand Master Award for outstanding contribution to the horror genre.
A onetime actor, teacher, literary agent, lumber salesman, and soda jerk, Ketchum credited his childhood love of Elvis Presley, dinosaurs, and horror for getting him through his formative years. He began making up stories at a young age and explained that he spent much time in his room, or in the woods near his house, down by the brook: "[m]y interests [were] books, comics, movies, rock 'n roll, show tunes, TV, dinosaurs [...] pretty much any activity that didn't demand too much socializing, or where I could easily walk away from socializing." He would make up stories using his plastic soldiers, knights, and dinosaurs as the characters.
Later, in his teen years, Ketchum was befriended by Robert Bloch, author of Psycho, who became his mentor.
Ketchum worked many different jobs before completing his first novel (1980's controversial Off Season), including acting as agent for novelist Henry Miller at Scott Meredith Literary Agency.
His decision to eventually concentrate on novel writing was partly fueled by a preference for work that offered stability and longevity.
Ketchum died of cancer on January 24, 2018, in New York City at the age of 71.
A onetime actor, teacher, literary agent, lumber salesman, and soda jerk, Ketchum credited his childhood love of Elvis Presley, dinosaurs, and horror for getting him through his formative years. He began making up stories at a young age and explained that he spent much time in his room, or in the woods near his house, down by the brook: "[m]y interests [were] books, comics, movies, rock 'n roll, show tunes, TV, dinosaurs [...] pretty much any activity that didn't demand too much socializing, or where I could easily walk away from socializing." He would make up stories using his plastic soldiers, knights, and dinosaurs as the characters.
Later, in his teen years, Ketchum was befriended by Robert Bloch, author of Psycho, who became his mentor.
Ketchum worked many different jobs before completing his first novel (1980's controversial Off Season), including acting as agent for novelist Henry Miller at Scott Meredith Literary Agency.
His decision to eventually concentrate on novel writing was partly fueled by a preference for work that offered stability and longevity.
Ketchum died of cancer on January 24, 2018, in New York City at the age of 71.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 139 reviews
March 14, 2018
This Sighed limited hardcover is numbered 141 of 450 copies produced nd is signed by Jack Ketchum.
The book "Right To Life" was nominated for the 'Stoker Award".
Sara Foster is kidnapped in front of an abortion clinic, and she is three months pregnant.
Things take off from there and it's intense.
Not for the timid.
The book "Right To Life" was nominated for the 'Stoker Award".
Sara Foster is kidnapped in front of an abortion clinic, and she is three months pregnant.
Things take off from there and it's intense.
Not for the timid.
February 17, 2017
Άλλο ένα βιβλίο από τον Jack Ketchum που βασίζεται σε πραγματικά γεγονότα. Ενα ζευγάρι απαγάγει μία γυναίκα έξω από μία κλινική εκτρώσεων. Εκεί, υπομένει βασανιστήρια, εξευτελισμό της ανθρώπινης ύπαρξης της και μία ατέλειωτη πλύση εγκεφάλου από αυτούς. Είναι το τρίτο βιβλίο του που διαβάζω, μου άρεσε περισσότερο από το Κρυφτό, αλλά δεν μπορεί σε καμία περίπτωση να ξεπεράσει Το κορίτσι της διπλανής πόρτας.
Ο άνθρωπος ξέρει να γράφει ιστορίες τρόμου. Τελεία...
Έχει έναν ιδιόμορφο, αρρωστημένο τρόπο γραφής που σε παρασύρει.
3,5 αστέρια
Ο άνθρωπος ξέρει να γράφει ιστορίες τρόμου. Τελεία...
Έχει έναν ιδιόμορφο, αρρωστημένο τρόπο γραφής που σε παρασύρει.
3,5 αστέρια
February 1, 2011
If you want to know what this book is about, read this one: http://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Victim-... and add an abortion clinic.
The names are changed, but the story is nearly the exact same, only in Perfect Victim, it's a true story, and in Right to Life, Ketchum made it all up.
**Here is the description for Perfect Victim:
Hitchhiking from Eugene, Ore., through northern California in 1977, 20-year-old Colleen Stan thumbed a ride into hell. Her kidnappers, a sadistic lumber mill worker, Cameron Hooker, and his battered wife Janice, subjected her to seven years of torture and sensory deprivation. She was made a sex slave, kept locked in a wooden box and brainwashed into believing that an underground network of sadists would recapture her if she attempted to escape....this harrowing tale shuttles between the courtroom and the grisly doings in the Hookers' basement.
**Here is the description for Right to Life....I made the changes all caps:
SET TO ENTER AN ABORTION CLINIC IN NYC, in 1998, 40 YEAR OLD SARA FOSTER STEPPED INTO a ride into hell. Her kidnappers, a sadistic lumber mill worker, STEPHEN TEACH, and his battered wife KATH, subjected her to 7 MONTHS of torture and sensory deprivation. She was made a sex slave, kept locked in a wooden box and brainwashed into believing that an underground network of sadists would recapture her if she attempted to escape....this harrowing tale DEPICTS the grisly doings in the TEACHS' basement.
Ketchum's got cojones, though, because it's very nearly a straight plagiarized work, including the methods that the perpetrator (whackjob) uses to brainwash his victim AND the name of the fake underground network - The Organization.
And like any Ketchum novel(la) you get two, two, two mints in one. Well, three, actually. There's the main story, and two short stories that have nothing whatsoever to do with the main story, and all of this rolled into 158 very short pages that were totally not worth nearly $12.
The names are changed, but the story is nearly the exact same, only in Perfect Victim, it's a true story, and in Right to Life, Ketchum made it all up.
**Here is the description for Perfect Victim:
Hitchhiking from Eugene, Ore., through northern California in 1977, 20-year-old Colleen Stan thumbed a ride into hell. Her kidnappers, a sadistic lumber mill worker, Cameron Hooker, and his battered wife Janice, subjected her to seven years of torture and sensory deprivation. She was made a sex slave, kept locked in a wooden box and brainwashed into believing that an underground network of sadists would recapture her if she attempted to escape....this harrowing tale shuttles between the courtroom and the grisly doings in the Hookers' basement.
**Here is the description for Right to Life....I made the changes all caps:
SET TO ENTER AN ABORTION CLINIC IN NYC, in 1998, 40 YEAR OLD SARA FOSTER STEPPED INTO a ride into hell. Her kidnappers, a sadistic lumber mill worker, STEPHEN TEACH, and his battered wife KATH, subjected her to 7 MONTHS of torture and sensory deprivation. She was made a sex slave, kept locked in a wooden box and brainwashed into believing that an underground network of sadists would recapture her if she attempted to escape....this harrowing tale DEPICTS the grisly doings in the TEACHS' basement.
Ketchum's got cojones, though, because it's very nearly a straight plagiarized work, including the methods that the perpetrator (whackjob) uses to brainwash his victim AND the name of the fake underground network - The Organization.
And like any Ketchum novel(la) you get two, two, two mints in one. Well, three, actually. There's the main story, and two short stories that have nothing whatsoever to do with the main story, and all of this rolled into 158 very short pages that were totally not worth nearly $12.
November 6, 2021
Story 3/5
Narration 3/5
Narration 3/5
October 11, 2018
Every time I read a Jack Ketchum book, I tell myself that it will be the LAST Ketchum book that I ever read. He's brutal in a way that no other author that I've ever read is. He makes my stomach churn. He makes me violently angry and yet somehow by the end of every book of his, I've managed to change my mind about never reading his books again.
And yet...I still wouldn't recommend this. I don't think I would feel right subjecting someone to this type of work. Women do tend to be the victims in his work, even the antagonistic women are victims in their own way. It's hard to read as a woman, but to be fair, I think this would be hard to read as a man too. Jack Ketchum is hard to read, as a human being.
I know what you're thinking by now. 4 stars and she wouldn't recommend it? Yeah. I can't explain it either. This novella pissed me off until the end, and then I found myself in tears. That's what Jack Ketchum does. Invokes some of the strongest emotions that humans have and then manipulates those emotions until the very last sentence. It's because of this that I keep going back for more. Maybe I'm a literary sadist.
I kinda get the sense he's a cat-lover too, which always makes me happy. I think it's lazy writing to use animal abuse or death unnecessarily in books, and it's always a fear when a horror book brings animals into the equation, so thank you for that Jack Ketchum. Thank you for not being a lazy writer.
This version included 2 short stories after the end of the novella. Both had the same Jack Ketchum twist to it. I'm kind of amazed that he's able to pull off all those emotions in such few pages.
And yet...I still wouldn't recommend this. I don't think I would feel right subjecting someone to this type of work. Women do tend to be the victims in his work, even the antagonistic women are victims in their own way. It's hard to read as a woman, but to be fair, I think this would be hard to read as a man too. Jack Ketchum is hard to read, as a human being.
I know what you're thinking by now. 4 stars and she wouldn't recommend it? Yeah. I can't explain it either. This novella pissed me off until the end, and then I found myself in tears. That's what Jack Ketchum does. Invokes some of the strongest emotions that humans have and then manipulates those emotions until the very last sentence. It's because of this that I keep going back for more. Maybe I'm a literary sadist.
I kinda get the sense he's a cat-lover too, which always makes me happy. I think it's lazy writing to use animal abuse or death unnecessarily in books, and it's always a fear when a horror book brings animals into the equation, so thank you for that Jack Ketchum. Thank you for not being a lazy writer.
This version included 2 short stories after the end of the novella. Both had the same Jack Ketchum twist to it. I'm kind of amazed that he's able to pull off all those emotions in such few pages.
August 7, 2016
Κατά την ταπεινή μου άποψη, το κορίτσι της διπλανής πόρτας παίρνει την πρώτη θέση ασυζητητί, των λοιπών βιβλίων του πολλά υποσχόμενου Κέτσαμ. Όσο φρικιαστικές και αν είναι οι ιστορίες του, άλλο τόσο είναι εθιστικές, μιας και βασίζονται σε αληθινές ιστορίες.
Η συγκεκριμένη ναι μεν είναι αληθινή και βίαιη, αλλά ένιωσα πως δεν είχε βάθος, ήταν ελλιπής, μου άφησε πολλά αναπάντητα ερωτήματα. Θα ήθελα να δοθεί από τον συγγραφέα περισσότερη σημασία στους δράστες- κτήνη αυτού του αποτρόπαια φρικιαστικού εγκλήματος, ώστε η σκιαγράφηση της αρρωστημένης τους ψυχοσύνθεσης να με πείσει για τη μετέπειτα εξέλιξη της ιστορίας. Το τέλος δε, πολύ ξαφνικό και απότομο, λες και ο συγγραφέας στερήθηκε λογοτεχικού οίστρου και το έγραψε απλά για να το ολοκληρώσει!
2 αστέρια για την συγκεκριμένη λογοτεχνική απόπειρα του Κέτσαμ. Το τρίτο το δίνω απλόχερα στις δύο αυτοτελείς ιστορίες που βρίσκονται στο τέλος. Η ιστορία ονόματι "επιστρέφει" είναι 8 σελίδες μόνο. Και εστιάζω στο μόνο, γιατί ο αθεόφοβος ο Κέτσαμ με αυτή την τόσο μικρή σε μέγεθος ιστορία με συνεκλόνισε και με συγκίνησε.
Η συγκεκριμένη ναι μεν είναι αληθινή και βίαιη, αλλά ένιωσα πως δεν είχε βάθος, ήταν ελλιπής, μου άφησε πολλά αναπάντητα ερωτήματα. Θα ήθελα να δοθεί από τον συγγραφέα περισσότερη σημασία στους δράστες- κτήνη αυτού του αποτρόπαια φρικιαστικού εγκλήματος, ώστε η σκιαγράφηση της αρρωστημένης τους ψυχοσύνθεσης να με πείσει για τη μετέπειτα εξέλιξη της ιστορίας. Το τέλος δε, πολύ ξαφνικό και απότομο, λες και ο συγγραφέας στερήθηκε λογοτεχικού οίστρου και το έγραψε απλά για να το ολοκληρώσει!
2 αστέρια για την συγκεκριμένη λογοτεχνική απόπειρα του Κέτσαμ. Το τρίτο το δίνω απλόχερα στις δύο αυτοτελείς ιστορίες που βρίσκονται στο τέλος. Η ιστορία ονόματι "επιστρέφει" είναι 8 σελίδες μόνο. Και εστιάζω στο μόνο, γιατί ο αθεόφοβος ο Κέτσαμ με αυτή την τόσο μικρή σε μέγεθος ιστορία με συνεκλόνισε και με συγκίνησε.
March 14, 2015
Πρόκειται για μια μεγάλη σε μέγεθος νουβέλα και όχι για μυθιστόρημα, γι'αυτό και η ελληνική έκδοση έχει και δυο ιστορίες μπόνους στο τέλος, για να μείνει πιο χορτασμένος ο αναγνώστης. Είναι το πέμπτο βιβλίο του Τζακ Κέτσαμ που διαβάζω, μετά το Κορίτσι της διπλανής πόρτας, τη Νεκρή σαιζόν, το Red και το Κρυφτό, και πιάνει την τέταρτη θέση, μιας και σαφώς είναι πιο αδύναμο από τα τρία πρώτα αλλά λίγο καλύτερο από το Κρυφτό.
Η ιστορία είναι απλή και βασίζεται σε αληθινά γεγονότα, ένα ζευγάρι απήγαγε έξω από μια κλινική εκτρώσεων την Σάρα Φόστερ, η οποία είχε ραντεβού με έναν γιατρό για να κάνει έκτρωση, μιας και έμεινε έγκυος χωρίς να το θέλει και μάλιστα σε μια παράνομη σχέση με έναν παντρεμένο. Στα χέρια των απαγωγέων, του σαδιστή και ανώμαλου Στίβεν και της Καθ, της υποταγμένης γυναίκας του, θα ζήσει πολύ δύσκολες στιγμές με βασανιστήρια και "πλύση εγκεφάλου" για μια Οργάνωση που θα την κυνηγάει παντού αν ξεφύγει...
Εννοείται ότι υπάρχουν σκληρές, σπλάτερ σκηνές, αλλά όχι ιδιαίτερα πολλές, οι περιγραφές φυσικά δεν έχουν περικοπές και λογοκρισίες, αλλά δεν ένιωσα αυτό που ένιωσα με τα δυο κλασικά σπλάτερ του Κέτσαμ, δεν είχε βάθος στην ιστορία και τους χαρακτήρες, ώστε να ενδιαφερθώ τόσο πολύ. Επίσης το τέλος μου φάνηκε κάπως απότομο. Φυσικά η γραφή ήταν για ακόμα μια φορά πάρα πολύ καλή και η ατμόσφαιρα σκοτεινή.
Οπωσδήποτε είναι ένα καλό βιβλίο που προτείνεται, αλλά αν έχεις διαβάσει Κορίτσι και Νεκρή σαιζόν, τότε όλα τα υπόλοιπα σου φαίνονται παραμύθια. Α, παραλίγο να το ξεχάσω, οι δυο ιστοριούλες στο τέλος, το Γενναίο κορίτσι και το Επιστρέφει, ήταν σύντομες και καλογραμμένες, χωρίς κάτι το ιδιαίτερο όμως.
Η ιστορία είναι απλή και βασίζεται σε αληθινά γεγονότα, ένα ζευγάρι απήγαγε έξω από μια κλινική εκτρώσεων την Σάρα Φόστερ, η οποία είχε ραντεβού με έναν γιατρό για να κάνει έκτρωση, μιας και έμεινε έγκυος χωρίς να το θέλει και μάλιστα σε μια παράνομη σχέση με έναν παντρεμένο. Στα χέρια των απαγωγέων, του σαδιστή και ανώμαλου Στίβεν και της Καθ, της υποταγμένης γυναίκας του, θα ζήσει πολύ δύσκολες στιγμές με βασανιστήρια και "πλύση εγκεφάλου" για μια Οργάνωση που θα την κυνηγάει παντού αν ξεφύγει...
Εννοείται ότι υπάρχουν σκληρές, σπλάτερ σκηνές, αλλά όχι ιδιαίτερα πολλές, οι περιγραφές φυσικά δεν έχουν περικοπές και λογοκρισίες, αλλά δεν ένιωσα αυτό που ένιωσα με τα δυο κλασικά σπλάτερ του Κέτσαμ, δεν είχε βάθος στην ιστορία και τους χαρακτήρες, ώστε να ενδιαφερθώ τόσο πολύ. Επίσης το τέλος μου φάνηκε κάπως απότομο. Φυσικά η γραφή ήταν για ακόμα μια φορά πάρα πολύ καλή και η ατμόσφαιρα σκοτεινή.
Οπωσδήποτε είναι ένα καλό βιβλίο που προτείνεται, αλλά αν έχεις διαβάσει Κορίτσι και Νεκρή σαιζόν, τότε όλα τα υπόλοιπα σου φαίνονται παραμύθια. Α, παραλίγο να το ξεχάσω, οι δυο ιστοριούλες στο τέλος, το Γενναίο κορίτσι και το Επιστρέφει, ήταν σύντομες και καλογραμμένες, χωρίς κάτι το ιδιαίτερο όμως.
May 30, 2025
This story was included after I read old flames. it’s been a while since I read this book, but I can honestly say this story haunts me, and it will stay with me for the rest of my life and that is a strong sentiment to say the story is about a woman who decides that she does not want to be pregnant and unfortunately, her kidnapper (s) thinks otherwise so she is taken against her will I will not say anymore but the story is good.
July 13, 2015
the first story in this book — the title story — was basically one big run on sentence that was somewhat painful to read. i was irritated by the grammar, the tiny mistakes (switching a wound from the left side of the body to the right, spelling the antagonist's name as steven instead if stephen,) and the overall atmosphere of the writing. it was dull, gray. considering the subject matter, that's really disappointing to have to admit. it ghosted over everything, and felt more like a summary of events than a narrative of them, like reading a police report or being told a story through word of mouth. I didn't expect to feel pleased - I expected to be horrified. I was not. I was bored. Some passages from the original story stuck out, but for the most part, this was a waste of time. And the fact that it is, apparently, based off of a true story with no mention or respect shown for the victims makes this whole thing feel exploitative and slightly gross.
The other two stories were, thankfully, short. Easy. I skimmed them. They had no relation whatsoever to the title story, other than Jack's apparent obsession with feline companionship, and they were both just sort of.. weird. Displaced. Decently written, just... nonsensical for me, personally. It is possible that I'm biased. That I was just disappointed. That I think we could have donated the punctuation and pages used for those pointless stories to Right to Life and made something decent out of this wonderful plot that got turned into a horribly executed, overpriced "book".
This is not worth $12. I would not recommend it.
The other two stories were, thankfully, short. Easy. I skimmed them. They had no relation whatsoever to the title story, other than Jack's apparent obsession with feline companionship, and they were both just sort of.. weird. Displaced. Decently written, just... nonsensical for me, personally. It is possible that I'm biased. That I was just disappointed. That I think we could have donated the punctuation and pages used for those pointless stories to Right to Life and made something decent out of this wonderful plot that got turned into a horribly executed, overpriced "book".
This is not worth $12. I would not recommend it.
July 14, 2025
This is scary, vile, and just brutal all the way through. For someone who likes reading dark and horrific books—this is one of those reads that I prefer not to think about ever again. Ketchum is really out of his mind.
Fear, submission, torture—I could list all the bad things, and it still wouldn't be enough to describe the horror this book holds. I'm just hoping this doesn’t give me night terrors.
One bright thing about all this? The cats.
Fear, submission, torture—I could list all the bad things, and it still wouldn't be enough to describe the horror this book holds. I'm just hoping this doesn’t give me night terrors.
One bright thing about all this? The cats.
June 10, 2022
A quick read, the book consists of a novella and two short stories. Ketchum was an award-winning writer, this book is well-written. A little quirky, which I like, but maybe a little too real life for me.
September 7, 2011
Stephen King recommended author and book. He says: "Who's the scariest guy in America? Probably Jack Ketchum."
and
"He is, quite simply, one of the best in the business, on par with Clive Barker, James Ellroy, and Thomas Harris."
and
“Ketchum has become a kind of hero to those of us who write tales of horror and suspense. He is, quite simply, one of the best in the business.”
Stephen King recommended book. In his book On Writing, published 2000, King says on pages 285-286 (followed by a list from 286-288): "These are the best books I've read over the last three or four years, the period during which I wrote The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon: A Pop-up Book, Hearts in Atlantis, On Writing, and the as-yet-unpublished From a Buick 8. In some way or other, I suspect each book in the list had an influence on the books I wrote."
He continues to say "...a good many of these might show you some new ways of doing your work. Even if they don't, they're apt to entertain you. They certainly entertained me."
Please click here to check out my group:
Books Stephen King Recommends
and
"He is, quite simply, one of the best in the business, on par with Clive Barker, James Ellroy, and Thomas Harris."
and
“Ketchum has become a kind of hero to those of us who write tales of horror and suspense. He is, quite simply, one of the best in the business.”
Stephen King recommended book. In his book On Writing, published 2000, King says on pages 285-286 (followed by a list from 286-288): "These are the best books I've read over the last three or four years, the period during which I wrote The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon: A Pop-up Book, Hearts in Atlantis, On Writing, and the as-yet-unpublished From a Buick 8. In some way or other, I suspect each book in the list had an influence on the books I wrote."
He continues to say "...a good many of these might show you some new ways of doing your work. Even if they don't, they're apt to entertain you. They certainly entertained me."
Please click here to check out my group:
Books Stephen King Recommends
December 2, 2018
2,5 ☆☆* αστέρια
February 26, 2020
Ε, ήταν απλώς... ευκολοδιάβαστο αλλά μέχρι εκεί.
November 3, 2025
Μυθιστόρημα που διαβάζεται εντός μίας ώρας ή είναι πολύ καλό ή δεν είναι μυθιστόρημα.
Στην περίπτωσή μας, απλά δεν είναι μυθιστόρημα. Είναι ελάχιστα μεγαλύτερο από ένα μέσο διήγημα και με περισσότερα ελαττώματα από αυτό.
Το πρόβλημα που έχουν τα διηγήματα είναι πώς (λόγω έκτασης) πολλές φορές δεν εξηγούν όλα όσα θα ήθελε ο αναγνώστης. Οι καλοί διηγηματογράφοι ξέρουν πώς αυτό μπορεί να γυρίσει υπέρ τους και το αξιοποιούν κατάλληλα.
Αυτό δε συνέβη εδώ. Όχι ότι θα ήθελα περισσότερη περιγραφή. Η αλήθεια είναι πώς και με λιγότερη, ικανοποιημένη θα ήμουν (δεν είμαι και η μεγαλύτερη φαν του σπλάτερ).
Αλλά με εκνευρίζει πάντα στα βιβλία η άνευρη κατάληξη. Κοινώς άλλο ένα βιβλίο που δεν είχε τέλος.
Αυτό δε σημαίνει πώς δεν ήταν τρομακτικό. Ήταν και με το παραπάνω, συμπεριλαμβανομένου του γεγονότος ότι βασιζόταν σε πραγματικά γεγονότα..
Από τις δύο ιστορίες που η ελληνική έκδοση είχε bonus, η πρώτη ήταν πολύ καλή. Η δεύτερα για μένα, θα μπορούσε και να έλειπε..
Στην περίπτωσή μας, απλά δεν είναι μυθιστόρημα. Είναι ελάχιστα μεγαλύτερο από ένα μέσο διήγημα και με περισσότερα ελαττώματα από αυτό.
Το πρόβλημα που έχουν τα διηγήματα είναι πώς (λόγω έκτασης) πολλές φορές δεν εξηγούν όλα όσα θα ήθελε ο αναγνώστης. Οι καλοί διηγηματογράφοι ξέρουν πώς αυτό μπορεί να γυρίσει υπέρ τους και το αξιοποιούν κατάλληλα.
Αυτό δε συνέβη εδώ. Όχι ότι θα ήθελα περισσότερη περιγραφή. Η αλήθεια είναι πώς και με λιγότερη, ικανοποιημένη θα ήμουν (δεν είμαι και η μεγαλύτερη φαν του σπλάτερ).
Αλλά με εκνευρίζει πάντα στα βιβλία η άνευρη κατάληξη. Κοινώς άλλο ένα βιβλίο που δεν είχε τέλος.
Αυτό δε σημαίνει πώς δεν ήταν τρομακτικό. Ήταν και με το παραπάνω, συμπεριλαμβανομένου του γεγονότος ότι βασιζόταν σε πραγματικά γεγονότα..
Από τις δύο ιστορίες που η ελληνική έκδοση είχε bonus, η πρώτη ήταν πολύ καλή. Η δεύτερα για μένα, θα μπορούσε και να έλειπε..
March 12, 2019
Was there a point to this book? Was there something I missed? It felt like a first draft of a high school torture-porn loving kid's story. No character development, nor arguably any real characters. The plot is laughable in the unrealistic B-horror film style, and the pacing is just off. The story is provocative, dark, and masochistic, but not in the intriguing way, instead it is a half told perverted kink of the dominant and ultra cliche'd 'male fantasy'. (Unwilling woman becomes a submissive sex-slave, learns to be submissive and even enjoy her torture with little or no fight, and of course the lesbian fetish)
If taken literal, the story has no real middle. It just ends far before it even begins. If taken as a metaphor, it never comes close to getting to where the plot could take it. Even the slight twist at the end comes at you like a freight train heading at you while you are sitting on the tracks; you see it a mile away, and when it hits you, you feel nothing.
If taken literal, the story has no real middle. It just ends far before it even begins. If taken as a metaphor, it never comes close to getting to where the plot could take it. Even the slight twist at the end comes at you like a freight train heading at you while you are sitting on the tracks; you see it a mile away, and when it hits you, you feel nothing.
April 24, 2016
Ich fand das Buch Mega mega spannend ! Ich bin durch die 200 Seiten geflogen und bin traurig dass es jetzt vorbei ist ... Es hätte außerdem noch mehr hardcore sein können... Aber alles in allem ein gutes Buch ! Ich verstehe die negativen Bewertungen des Buches nicht. Man weiß doch worauf man sich bei dem Verlag "Heyne hardcore" einlässt.
November 18, 2016
Παλιοαρρωστιάρη Ketchum.
August 20, 2017
Enttäuschend
December 4, 2010
How much could you endure if you were being tortured? I know I have a pretty strong pain tolerance but Right to Life(the first story in this novella) is about more than physical pain. It's about the strength of a person's character and her will to live. It is NOT a book about abortion or Pro-choice. The story isn't trying to make a political statement. The abortion (or in this case, the main character being kidnapped on her way to get an abortion) is what is the alleged motivating factor for her kidnapping.
It really was a fascinating read. I was really nervous that the story was going to be nothing but torture and horror (be warned though- there are plenty of graphic violence scenes) but it wasn't.
It really was a fascinating read. I was really nervous that the story was going to be nothing but torture and horror (be warned though- there are plenty of graphic violence scenes) but it wasn't.
June 9, 2014
I liked this book, but the entire time I was reading it - I kept comparing it to Perfect Victim: The True Story of "The Girl in the Box". The stories aren't just similar - some details are practically identical (once artistic license is removed).
Colleen Stan was threatened with stories of 'The Organization', and the head-box was so detailed that it couldn't have been from anywhere else.
It's a good story, but the true story of Colleen Stan is horrifying.
If you're a fan of True Crime, read Perfect Victim: The True Story of "The Girl in the Box".
Colleen Stan was threatened with stories of 'The Organization', and the head-box was so detailed that it couldn't have been from anywhere else.
It's a good story, but the true story of Colleen Stan is horrifying.
If you're a fan of True Crime, read Perfect Victim: The True Story of "The Girl in the Box".
April 8, 2024
I actually really enjoyed this novella + 2 short stories.
The writing is great. Anxiety inducing, claustrophobic, mean story with a pretty exciting ending. Somehow this is better then many contemporary horror books, in a way that it wasn’t gory or disgusting but still full of impact.
The author is def a cat person 🐈⬛
The writing is great. Anxiety inducing, claustrophobic, mean story with a pretty exciting ending. Somehow this is better then many contemporary horror books, in a way that it wasn’t gory or disgusting but still full of impact.
The author is def a cat person 🐈⬛
Read
September 24, 2009A woman on her way to get an abortion, and a creepy couple kidnap her and make her have it. Who wouldn't want to read this!
February 14, 2017
short story but a good read.
July 30, 2023
3.5/5 🌟
This book includes one novella as well as two short stories.
The novella follows a woman being kidnapped right in front of a clinic where she had an appointment with a doctor. The woman is pregnant. The two kidnappers, a couple, bring her to their home and do all kinds of disgusting and humiliating things to our main character. The story is about family, pregnancy, abortion, relationships, power and much more. I liked the horror elements in it and I was rooting for the protagonist. The shocking and brutal things that were done to her were rarely described in detail, both the act itself as well as the feelings and thoughts of the characters involved in it. Whether that is a good thing or not, depends on your taste. I usually like descriptive books, whether we are talking about the horror genre or outside of it. However, the horrific scenes somehow still worked perfectly in this book. It was effective and did not necessarily need a bunch of details to really show the cruel nature of the man who kidnapped the protagonist. The writing style in general was very good compared to a lot of other extreme horror books, where the language gets quite colloquial at times. The book is written from different perspectives, mainly the kidnappers' and the protagonist's point of views. We learn a lot about their daily life, their past, their relationships, their struggles, dreams and ambitions. There is also a cat in the story, who brought some hope and joy into the story.
What bothered me were the bits and pieces about this made-up organisation. It felt like reading a spy novel and did not really enahnce the story in any way in my opinion. I also think that some scenes did not feel very realistic in terms of how the characters were behaving. I felt like it was not the smartest decision to The ending was alright. It did feel more like a thriller at this point instead of a horror novel, but not every book needs to have a bad or twisted ending. I would rate the novella 4 stars.
The short stories are not connected to the main story. The first one follows a girl calling the police because her mom had an accident in the bathroom. The second story is about a woman, her cat and her deceased partner who is haunting the place as a ghost. Again, both stories felt more like a thriller or mystery to me and not like horror. They were also perhaps too short to make a long-lasting impression on me. Or maybe the twists just simply were not interesting enough. I am not sure. I would give them 2 stars each.
This book includes one novella as well as two short stories.
The novella follows a woman being kidnapped right in front of a clinic where she had an appointment with a doctor. The woman is pregnant. The two kidnappers, a couple, bring her to their home and do all kinds of disgusting and humiliating things to our main character. The story is about family, pregnancy, abortion, relationships, power and much more. I liked the horror elements in it and I was rooting for the protagonist. The shocking and brutal things that were done to her were rarely described in detail, both the act itself as well as the feelings and thoughts of the characters involved in it. Whether that is a good thing or not, depends on your taste. I usually like descriptive books, whether we are talking about the horror genre or outside of it. However, the horrific scenes somehow still worked perfectly in this book. It was effective and did not necessarily need a bunch of details to really show the cruel nature of the man who kidnapped the protagonist. The writing style in general was very good compared to a lot of other extreme horror books, where the language gets quite colloquial at times. The book is written from different perspectives, mainly the kidnappers' and the protagonist's point of views. We learn a lot about their daily life, their past, their relationships, their struggles, dreams and ambitions. There is also a cat in the story, who brought some hope and joy into the story.
What bothered me were the bits and pieces about this made-up organisation. It felt like reading a spy novel and did not really enahnce the story in any way in my opinion. I also think that some scenes did not feel very realistic in terms of how the characters were behaving. I felt like it was not the smartest decision to The ending was alright. It did feel more like a thriller at this point instead of a horror novel, but not every book needs to have a bad or twisted ending. I would rate the novella 4 stars.
The short stories are not connected to the main story. The first one follows a girl calling the police because her mom had an accident in the bathroom. The second story is about a woman, her cat and her deceased partner who is haunting the place as a ghost. Again, both stories felt more like a thriller or mystery to me and not like horror. They were also perhaps too short to make a long-lasting impression on me. Or maybe the twists just simply were not interesting enough. I am not sure. I would give them 2 stars each.
October 2, 2025
Much, much better than I was anticipating. And there was an actual functional plot with an engaging and believable story. Perhaps the content makes it difficult to give the amount of stars that would denote one of my favorite books. But I didn’t find this book gratuitous at all and it was a gripping read.
May 1, 2015
Sara ist auf den Weg in eine Klinik - eine Abtreibungsklinik. Doch sie kommt nicht dort an. Obwohl einige Demonstranten und Polizisten vor Ort sind, wird sie von einem Paar entführt und eingesperrt. Sie in die Fänge eines sadistischen Mannes und seiner Frau, die ganz anders ist, geraten. Und durchlebt unsagbar schreckliche Dinge, die einen Menschen zerbrechen lassen können.
Mir hat der Schreibstil von Jack Ketchum unheimlich gut gefallen. Ich bin nur so durch die Seiten geflogen und konnte gar nicht mehr aufhören zu lesen. Leider war es viel zu schnell vorbei, da das Buch ja nicht so dick ist.
Man kann es wirklich einen Hardcore-Thriller nennen - es hat einige Szenen, bei denen ich ein wenig schlucken musste. Also es geht ziemlich ab und man denkt immer wieder: Wie kann ein Mensch solche Dinge tun und vor allem, wie kann man so etwas durchstehen?
Was ich auch toll fand, waren die beiden Kurzgeschichten am Ende - sie waren zwar nichts super Besonderes, aber sie haben mir gut gefallen.
Charaktere
Von Sara erfährt man eigentlich am meisten - auch wenn ich sagen muss, dass mir bei ihr eine gewisse Tiefe gefehlt hat. Man hat zu wenig mitbekommen, was in ihr vorgeht und das hätte ich mir sehr gewünscht.
Auch von den restlichen Charakteren hat mir die Tiefe gefehlt. Das fand ich richtig schade, weil es hätte dem ganzen einen weiteren Reiz verliehen. Aber alles in allem hat es dennoch gepasst, da das Buch ja doch nur 224 Seiten hatte.
Cover
Ich liebe dieses Cover! Es ist absolut genial und der Verlag hat sich da viel Mühe gegeben.
Fazit
Ein netter Hardcore-Thriller mit zwei zusätzlichen Kurzgeschichten - hat mir gut gefallen. Daher bekommt das Buch von mir 4 Sterne.
Mir hat der Schreibstil von Jack Ketchum unheimlich gut gefallen. Ich bin nur so durch die Seiten geflogen und konnte gar nicht mehr aufhören zu lesen. Leider war es viel zu schnell vorbei, da das Buch ja nicht so dick ist.
Man kann es wirklich einen Hardcore-Thriller nennen - es hat einige Szenen, bei denen ich ein wenig schlucken musste. Also es geht ziemlich ab und man denkt immer wieder: Wie kann ein Mensch solche Dinge tun und vor allem, wie kann man so etwas durchstehen?
Was ich auch toll fand, waren die beiden Kurzgeschichten am Ende - sie waren zwar nichts super Besonderes, aber sie haben mir gut gefallen.
Charaktere
Von Sara erfährt man eigentlich am meisten - auch wenn ich sagen muss, dass mir bei ihr eine gewisse Tiefe gefehlt hat. Man hat zu wenig mitbekommen, was in ihr vorgeht und das hätte ich mir sehr gewünscht.
Auch von den restlichen Charakteren hat mir die Tiefe gefehlt. Das fand ich richtig schade, weil es hätte dem ganzen einen weiteren Reiz verliehen. Aber alles in allem hat es dennoch gepasst, da das Buch ja doch nur 224 Seiten hatte.
Cover
Ich liebe dieses Cover! Es ist absolut genial und der Verlag hat sich da viel Mühe gegeben.
Fazit
Ein netter Hardcore-Thriller mit zwei zusätzlichen Kurzgeschichten - hat mir gut gefallen. Daher bekommt das Buch von mir 4 Sterne.
September 3, 2014
This book tells us the story of Sara Foster, who gets kidnapped by a horrible couple on her way to an abortion clinic. She's been having an affair with Greg, who is married and has a kid. We don't get much background about them, specially Sara, as I'd liked to.
I was going to say: "Gory stuff doesn't scare me much anymore", but I guess that happened because I expected the ending (kind of), and also because I first thought the couple's ulterior motive was saving the unborn baby from getting aborted or for them to be a religious couple or something. But their motivation was something else, which, having finished the book, lacks the extra something I'd liked.
I was going to say: "Gory stuff doesn't scare me much anymore", but I guess that happened because I expected the ending (kind of), and also because I first thought the couple's ulterior motive was saving the unborn baby from getting aborted or for them to be a religious couple or something. But their motivation was something else, which, having finished the book, lacks the extra something I'd liked.
July 19, 2016
Καθε φορα που θελω να ξεκινησω διατροφη, πιανω και εναν Κετσαμ. Λιγο οι σκληρες σκηνες, λιγο η ωμη βια, λιγο οι εμετικες λεπτομερειες και λες δεν θα φαω ή θα φαω ελαφρα μεχρι να το ξεχασω. Απο βιβλιο σε βιβλιο ομως βλεπω οτι η διατροφη που ξεκινω σταματαει σε ολο και λιγοτερες ημερες απο την προηγουμενη. Αντιστροφως αναλογη ειναι η βια σε καθε βιβλιο. Το καθε βιβλιο που πιανω ειναι πιο σκληρο απο το προηγουμενο.
Βρε Τζακ. Μηπως εχουμε αναπτυξει μια μαθηματικη σχεση με αντιστροφως αναλογους ορους?
ΥΓ. Το βιβλιο πολυ καλο και δυνατο. Και μικρο. Δεν το τραβαει καθολου και καθε στιγμη σου καθε ανασα σου νομιζεις οτι ανηκει στην πρωταγωνιστρια . Το τελος λυτρωτικο...
Βρε Τζακ. Μηπως εχουμε αναπτυξει μια μαθηματικη σχεση με αντιστροφως αναλογους ορους?
ΥΓ. Το βιβλιο πολυ καλο και δυνατο. Και μικρο. Δεν το τραβαει καθολου και καθε στιγμη σου καθε ανασα σου νομιζεις οτι ανηκει στην πρωταγωνιστρια . Το τελος λυτρωτικο...
December 9, 2008
I read this story as the second half of "Old Flames". Yes, it was "Torture Porn," but GOOOOOOOD Torture porn....
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