The Big Punch

by Louis Maistros

From the author of the critically acclaimed cult hit, "The Sound of Building Coffins," comes the eagerly anticipated return of his long out-of-print debut novel, "The Big Punch." Out of print since 2003, "The Big Punch" is a surrealist horror novel set in the mean streets of the author's hometown of Baltimore, circa 1943. A mind-bending mixture of hardboiled pulp fiction and extreme horror, the novel exploded onto the indie horror scene upon its original release in 2000, earning acclaim from many underground publications as well as words of high praise from such literary horror luminaries as Poppy Z. Brite, Douglas Clegg, S.P. Somtow and legendary occult author Raymond Buckland. Since the book has gone out of print, original copies of it have sold for as much as $1000 through online retail and auction sites. This long awaited return is a Kindle exclusive that features a fresh edit by the author and fantastic new cover art by renowned London artist Del Riche. "The Big Punch" is the story of Jack Dellus—a down-and-out lowlife with a sordid past who, on one fateful night, decides to follow a rat through the streets and alleys of downtown Baltimore rather than drag himself in to his soul-crushing place of employment where he works as a dishwasher. What begins as a lark turns quickly into a nightmare as the rat leads him through a maze of damnation and redemption beyond human imagining. This Alice in Wonderland Goes to Hell style journey will lead Jack into the dark heart of a world inhabited by psychotic killers, sideshow freaks, bizarre sex fiends, pushers of weird narcotics, and a secret underground theater known as The Big Punch—where torture and damnation are considered light-fare entertainment for an exclusive audience of wealthy degenerates. Can Jack bring down this hellish world before it consumes his soul along that of the woman he loves? Probably not, but maybe... Praise for "The Big Punch": "That rare thing, a novel that truly f**ked with my head. A wild, sick freewheeling mixture of eras, people and ideas from a wild imagination.” —Poppy Z. Brite "Louis Maistros has an original and dark vision, full of power. The Big Punch is disturbing, visceral, captivating, and shocking." —Douglas Clegg "Maistros is an explosive new talent whose writing reverberates with color and subtle irony. One of the leading conspirators in horror's newest generation." —S.P. Somtow "The Big Punch is just that—a solid, hard, uppercut of a story that, once started, cannot be stopped. It is a dark, surreal tale of good and evil; classic in its substance but brand new in its form. Louis Maistros is a fresh voice sounding like a seasoned veteran, writing with feeling. The Big Punch is destined to become a classic.” —Raymond Buckland, author of "Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft" and many others "If Lewis Carroll, Raymond Chandler and David Cronenberg had got together and decided to write a book, The Big Punch would be the result. If The Big Punch doesn't give you sleepless nights, nothing will." —Gordon Houghton, author of "Damned if You Do" and "The Dinner Party" "The uniqueness of [The Big Punch] is matched by the author’s style. The atmosphere is charged with noir sensibilities and enough hallucinatory weirdness to rival William S. Burroughs. It’s so strange your brain doesn’t even try to predict where it’s going. All you can do is hang on for the ride. Your reward is the oddest story of apocalypse and redemption to come down the pike in some time.

221 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 3, 2000

Reviews

[Karyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dark & Bizarre

This is one of those books you will want to binge read. Bizarre and dark tale, but not just for the sake of being creepy. Strange tale of Good and Evil and Karma weaving it's way through lineage.

[Patrick J Dalton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this. NOW!!!!!