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In The End, Only Darkness
Eighteen horror stories (and a few poems) ranging from quietly subtle to stomach-churning disgusting, this collection features fiction that will entertain or repulse almost anyone. Featuring an Introduction by gore master Wrath James White!
Read about a gynecological visit gone very wrong … a woman’s obsession with a Georgia O’Keeffe painting … a former sheriff forced to hunt children overtaken during a zombie plague … a mohel who performs circumcisions in a most unique way … or a graphic story about three young men who conduct an experiment on a fourth boy—an experiment held in a secret room involving melted metals.
Read about a gynecological visit gone very wrong … a woman’s obsession with a Georgia O’Keeffe painting … a former sheriff forced to hunt children overtaken during a zombie plague … a mohel who performs circumcisions in a most unique way … or a graphic story about three young men who conduct an experiment on a fourth boy—an experiment held in a secret room involving melted metals.
232 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 10, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
December 13, 2014
Extreme horror is a genre that I don't often read, I am not sure if I will enjoy, I am not sure if I want to enjoy and I am nor sure if I will find the experience at all pleasant. “In the end only darkness” is a brutal read and involves themes of torture and rape where everyday death is just a normal occurrence. That said I often question why I read particular books and how I judge what is good bad or indifferent? and indeed if I am entertained by a book whatever the subject that has to be a good thing. This book is a collection of short stories, dealing with the aforementioned themes, and as such (as I often find) some of these stories I will enjoy and some I will find instantly forgettable. There were a few gems here where I could honestly say the readers might question his own morals; “Oral Mohel” is a rather unusual and novel way for a "circumcision" to be performed (the clue being in the title) It certainly held my attention and was both an enjoyable and painful experience to read."An experiment in Human Nature" is a very difficult story of torture in the extreme but Mz O'Rourke concludes the story in a most satisfactory manner. "Feeding Desire with Jack Fisher" will most certainly test the human "prejudice" and what you think of as normal behaviour will be sorely tested in this (what I considered) a fun read and prob one of the highlights of the book .......
"For Diana, being thin was about as far away as Europe and not nearly as attainable. Folds of flesh covered a frame that, after worms and maggots someday feasted on her corpse, would prove to be of medium bone structure; meaning she would never be dainty or petite no matter what here weight; nor on the flipside would she ever try out for women's rugby....Diana being bed-ridden because of her rather rotund body had little else to do all day and night other than to watch television-and eat....Diana lived in a studio and spent her life sprawled on a pullout sofa that hadn’t been in its original position in half a decade. The sheet beneath her wet and stained flesh was filthy with crumbs and feces smears that she couldn’t quite reach to wipe away. The sheets hadn’t been changed in months”....
So this very obese lady has a constant relationship with food until the day Jack Fisher arrives and Diana is then able to combine her love of food with her new found interest in sex under the helpful guidance of Mr Fisher. So this story may question what we feel is right and proper in a world consumed by the perfect shape and the perfect body. It is an uncomfortable yet enjoyable rump and kept me reading irrespective of the subject matter There is also a great sadness to this story and a very unexpected ending.....is that not what reading is about? enjoyment and escape from the ordinary?
“The rest of Larry” provides one of the lighter moments in this dark collection. Larry awakens to find that he was not so much a person but a torso...”A skeletal torso at that, most of the meat having rotted off the bones or been picked clean by scavengers. He’d been chopped in half, that much was obvious. Parts of the blade were still imbedded in a rib bone From the base of the ribcage down, he was..well, in the immortal words of Gertude Stein, There was not there, there. Nothing but flapping tissue and shredded tatters of shirt.” Larry needs answers and he finds them in the hands of his wife and lover....a great story concluded expertly
I am certainly glad I read this book as the collection had some thoughtful and great stories that certainly made in impression on what I felt was morally correct.
"For Diana, being thin was about as far away as Europe and not nearly as attainable. Folds of flesh covered a frame that, after worms and maggots someday feasted on her corpse, would prove to be of medium bone structure; meaning she would never be dainty or petite no matter what here weight; nor on the flipside would she ever try out for women's rugby....Diana being bed-ridden because of her rather rotund body had little else to do all day and night other than to watch television-and eat....Diana lived in a studio and spent her life sprawled on a pullout sofa that hadn’t been in its original position in half a decade. The sheet beneath her wet and stained flesh was filthy with crumbs and feces smears that she couldn’t quite reach to wipe away. The sheets hadn’t been changed in months”....
So this very obese lady has a constant relationship with food until the day Jack Fisher arrives and Diana is then able to combine her love of food with her new found interest in sex under the helpful guidance of Mr Fisher. So this story may question what we feel is right and proper in a world consumed by the perfect shape and the perfect body. It is an uncomfortable yet enjoyable rump and kept me reading irrespective of the subject matter There is also a great sadness to this story and a very unexpected ending.....is that not what reading is about? enjoyment and escape from the ordinary?
“The rest of Larry” provides one of the lighter moments in this dark collection. Larry awakens to find that he was not so much a person but a torso...”A skeletal torso at that, most of the meat having rotted off the bones or been picked clean by scavengers. He’d been chopped in half, that much was obvious. Parts of the blade were still imbedded in a rib bone From the base of the ribcage down, he was..well, in the immortal words of Gertude Stein, There was not there, there. Nothing but flapping tissue and shredded tatters of shirt.” Larry needs answers and he finds them in the hands of his wife and lover....a great story concluded expertly
I am certainly glad I read this book as the collection had some thoughtful and great stories that certainly made in impression on what I felt was morally correct.
June 17, 2013
I first came across Monica O'Rourke's writing without realizing it. Another one of my author collegues sent me a link to download "Jasmine and Garlic". I really enjoyed the short story, but had yet to meet Monica. We finally crossed paths in Las Vegas at KillerCon 4 in 2012. When I heard she had a collection of dark poetry and short horror stories out, I was more than happy to check it out. Not only does it satisfy my needs for well-written short stories, it was nice to meet another female writer for a penchant for the extreme. In The End, Only Darkness is sure to please the reader who seeks out fantastically written scenes of shock and gore.
Stories that deserve mention (aka some of my faves):
*Attainable Beauty: Molly has an appreciation for art and she's fallen in love with a certain painting. The painting becomes her idol as she learns each brush stroke and absorbs every colour nuance. While art appreciation is important, has her love for art also becoming a debilitating disease.
*Huntin' Season: Sometimes the hunters become the hunted. (This story sure resonated with me. Wow. Just wow. I think it was probably my favourite story in the collection.)
*Vade in Pacem: An excellent flash story about the importance of confessing your sins.
*The Rest Of Larry: Larry wakes up in a precarious problem. It seems like he's half the man he used to be...
*Maternal Instinct: A look into maternal instinct and how some people just don't have any at all.
*Oral Mohel: Jack decides to convert to Judaism so he can marry Sarah. Circumcision is on the list of to dos, so Jack calls the best in the game.
*An Experiment In Human Nature: Rich kids sometimes have too much time on their hands, as told by this gory tale of torture and human will.
Monica's stories are not for the faint of heart, but if you're looking for something to read that makes you say, "Oh my god..." This would be the perfect collection for you.
Stories that deserve mention (aka some of my faves):
*Attainable Beauty: Molly has an appreciation for art and she's fallen in love with a certain painting. The painting becomes her idol as she learns each brush stroke and absorbs every colour nuance. While art appreciation is important, has her love for art also becoming a debilitating disease.
*Huntin' Season: Sometimes the hunters become the hunted. (This story sure resonated with me. Wow. Just wow. I think it was probably my favourite story in the collection.)
*Vade in Pacem: An excellent flash story about the importance of confessing your sins.
*The Rest Of Larry: Larry wakes up in a precarious problem. It seems like he's half the man he used to be...
*Maternal Instinct: A look into maternal instinct and how some people just don't have any at all.
*Oral Mohel: Jack decides to convert to Judaism so he can marry Sarah. Circumcision is on the list of to dos, so Jack calls the best in the game.
*An Experiment In Human Nature: Rich kids sometimes have too much time on their hands, as told by this gory tale of torture and human will.
Monica's stories are not for the faint of heart, but if you're looking for something to read that makes you say, "Oh my god..." This would be the perfect collection for you.
April 25, 2013
One hell of a ride - not for the faint-of-heart.
November 15, 2015
One of the best collections of stories I have read this year. Dark and disturbing yet powerful and thought provoking. This collection is highly recommended.
March 15, 2016
Wow Monica can really write! These stories are sometimes sad, sometimes exquisitely disgusting and sometimes terrifying, but they're always brilliant. Raced through this one.
February 2, 2019
My first foray into the extreme horror genre. Fingers crossed.
Jasmine & Garlic
I always felt most vulnerable when I was heavily pregnant. This gruesome short exemplifies a pregnant woman's worst fears. In graphic detail.
Attainable Beauty
I had a college buddy who used to hang O'Keefe's flower close ups that always appeared vaginal to us, especially with too much to drink. In this cutting little offering, Molly literally worships at the altar of the White Camilla.
Huntin' Season
There's a movie in here somewhere...
Yessss!!
Found it....It's Alive III: Island of the Alive now available on Blu-Ray!
Five Adjectives about My Dad, by Nadine Specter
The most horrific, terrifying stories are about child abuse. The victims are the most vulnerable, the betrayal the most tragic, and the stories occur all too often. I hated this story, and it's probably my favorite horror short at the same time.
I skipped a few here. Either that, or the wine kicked in....
Oral Mohel
A guy decides to get circumcised to marry his Jewish beloved. I'm not sure I'll be able to watch Yentl
again without cringing. Not that that wasn't already a prerequisite.
An Experiment in Human Nature
This one reminded me of Hostel. Straight up torture sequence, no background necessary.
Asha
Another torture sequence, this time with a female who gets the upper hand at the end. A little twisted, but not my favorite. The torture scenes were pretty gruesome, though. I'll be sure to leave my appliances unplugged and hidden from sight.
One Breath
This short was a WTF for me. Didn't get it, didn't like it, didn't care for the people. Blah
I turned on my Kindle last night, and my book was gone. I know I did not delete the book, as I still had about five stories to read. What to do? What to do?
In the end, absolutely nothing. Although I enjoyed the stories enough for a 3-star rating, they were not anything over the top that I really cared about. Perhaps they were short enough that I was not able to feel anything special for them or the characters. There were some that I was drawn to, such as the utter helplessness of Asha, but the twist in the ending threw me off. My favorite was the little girl story, "Five Adjectives About My Dad, by Nadine Spector." Overall, a nice collection of shorts. Not for the squeamish.
Jasmine & Garlic
I always felt most vulnerable when I was heavily pregnant. This gruesome short exemplifies a pregnant woman's worst fears. In graphic detail.
Attainable Beauty
I had a college buddy who used to hang O'Keefe's flower close ups that always appeared vaginal to us, especially with too much to drink. In this cutting little offering, Molly literally worships at the altar of the White Camilla.
Huntin' Season
There's a movie in here somewhere...
Yessss!!
Found it....It's Alive III: Island of the Alive now available on Blu-Ray!
Five Adjectives about My Dad, by Nadine Specter
The most horrific, terrifying stories are about child abuse. The victims are the most vulnerable, the betrayal the most tragic, and the stories occur all too often. I hated this story, and it's probably my favorite horror short at the same time.
I skipped a few here. Either that, or the wine kicked in....
Oral Mohel
A guy decides to get circumcised to marry his Jewish beloved. I'm not sure I'll be able to watch Yentl
again without cringing. Not that that wasn't already a prerequisite.
An Experiment in Human Nature
This one reminded me of Hostel. Straight up torture sequence, no background necessary.
Asha
Another torture sequence, this time with a female who gets the upper hand at the end. A little twisted, but not my favorite. The torture scenes were pretty gruesome, though. I'll be sure to leave my appliances unplugged and hidden from sight.
One Breath
This short was a WTF for me. Didn't get it, didn't like it, didn't care for the people. Blah
I turned on my Kindle last night, and my book was gone. I know I did not delete the book, as I still had about five stories to read. What to do? What to do?
In the end, absolutely nothing. Although I enjoyed the stories enough for a 3-star rating, they were not anything over the top that I really cared about. Perhaps they were short enough that I was not able to feel anything special for them or the characters. There were some that I was drawn to, such as the utter helplessness of Asha, but the twist in the ending threw me off. My favorite was the little girl story, "Five Adjectives About My Dad, by Nadine Spector." Overall, a nice collection of shorts. Not for the squeamish.
April 4, 2022
Does anyone else eat and read extreme horror at the same time? I don’t know why visceral imagery has no real impact on my stomach. It may cause an initial ‘ugh’ yet I carry on to my next spoonful happily. What does nauseate me is depictions of very real and probable situations, where you know tragedy is the only outcome.
In Monica O’Rourke’s short story collection “In The End, Only Darkness”, you get both kinds of stories — sometimes one at a time, sometimes mixed together in a gory realism that leaves one unsettled and yet wanting more.
Not going to lie — I’d probably read an entire novella about the zombie baby apocalypse. Surprised it hasn’t happened yet.
In Monica O’Rourke’s short story collection “In The End, Only Darkness”, you get both kinds of stories — sometimes one at a time, sometimes mixed together in a gory realism that leaves one unsettled and yet wanting more.
Not going to lie — I’d probably read an entire novella about the zombie baby apocalypse. Surprised it hasn’t happened yet.
January 6, 2023
100% splatterpunk. If you like that sort of thing, ITEOD is well worth your time. The best praise I can give?
I'll never be able to unread this book. I'm stuck with these stories forever.
I'll never be able to unread this book. I'm stuck with these stories forever.
August 13, 2025
Jasmine & Garlic 5*
Attainable Beauty 4*
Hunting Season 5*
Vade in Pacem 4*
Five Adjectives about My Dad, by Nadine Specter 4*
The Rest of Larry 4*
Maternal Instinct 3*
The Three Wishes of Henry Hoggan 3*
Not With A Ban but with a Whimper g 3,5*
Oral Mohel 3,5*
An Experiment In Human Nature 4*
Asha 5*
One Breath 4*
Someone's Sister 4*
Dancing into October Country 3*
Feeding Desire 3,5*
Nurturing Type 4*
Cell 3*
Attainable Beauty 4*
Hunting Season 5*
Vade in Pacem 4*
Five Adjectives about My Dad, by Nadine Specter 4*
The Rest of Larry 4*
Maternal Instinct 3*
The Three Wishes of Henry Hoggan 3*
Not With A Ban but with a Whimper g 3,5*
Oral Mohel 3,5*
An Experiment In Human Nature 4*
Asha 5*
One Breath 4*
Someone's Sister 4*
Dancing into October Country 3*
Feeding Desire 3,5*
Nurturing Type 4*
Cell 3*
April 14, 2015
This collection of short stories from Deadite Press did not having much of the disturbing that I expected. O'Rourke's shorts gives chills, gruesome and horror, but in small doses. I need more!!!!
Jasmine & Garlic: Was my second favorite with a disturbing twist on love.
Asha: Being my favorite. Disturbing, rape, torture and payback. My kind of read.
My overall rating is not saying it's a bad collection I just wanted more like the two stories above. But readers will find some memorable horror reads within these pages. More honorable mentions.
"The Rest of Larry" & "Oral Mohel"
Jasmine & Garlic: Was my second favorite with a disturbing twist on love.
Asha: Being my favorite. Disturbing, rape, torture and payback. My kind of read.
My overall rating is not saying it's a bad collection I just wanted more like the two stories above. But readers will find some memorable horror reads within these pages. More honorable mentions.
"The Rest of Larry" & "Oral Mohel"
December 21, 2016
I thought this was a full novel but it's short stories. She's not bad but I think I was looking forward to sinking my teeth into a full book to introduce myself to her with a full piece of work. I'll continue to read this but in spurts.
October 28, 2014
review coming soon
July 20, 2015
Sick, twisted and occasionally funny.
May 25, 2022
i didn’t think this book was any fun
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews