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Through the Eyes of Desperation: The Black Version
SKIN IN THE GAMEAt Shadows Casino, this isn’t just a phrase, it’s a grim reality. Far from prying eyes is a world of decadent pleasure, and unimaginable pain, where only the desperate or the rich dare to tread.Cee is the leader of the sinister establishment, but that hasn’t always been her story. Long before she'd ever heard of a parlay or letting it ride, Cee was just a little girl with a daddy who liked to gamble. And when her daddy brought her into Shadows, he made a bet that changed both of their lives forever.Years later, Cee is thrust back into the murky depths of her childhood memories, thanks to the story of a new a mysterious man whose situation is eerily similar to her past.Will the bettor’s tale of desperation crack the façade she's erected? Or will Cee have him ground to a bloody pulp?
294 pages, Paperback
Published February 27, 2024
38 people are currently reading
1805 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
March 9, 2024
Volpe and Beauregard is at it again, and they have made another stunning collaboration on this. But there is an ingenious twist: You, the reader, will get to decide the ending on a gamble.
Cee is still a young girl when she is introduced to the dark world of gambling in a place called Shadows. And she will grow up fast and learn that you are not given anything, you have to take it.
She had to pay her dues and claw her way to the top, and become what everyone feared.
Is there still a glimmer of hope left for Cee, or has she killed off every last scrap of humanity she had left?
This story is about power: Not only how to get it and keep it, but the heavy cost it might have. I am willing to bet that you will be rooting for Cee at the beginning of this story, but the question is whether you will still be rooting for her toward the end.
And it is not going to be a simple answer, because you might just understand her a little better.
Volpe’s talent shines through and he is an author I can’t recommend enough.
The true genius of this story is that you, the reader, will get to decide his fate. Yes, you will gamble with Cee about the outcome of this book. And I find it hard to imagine how much more interactive the writers could have made this extreme gambling story.
As a side note:
There are two endings to this story. There are also two endings to Aron Beauregard’s story THROUGH THE EYES OF DESPERATION: THE RED VERSION. And while the story takes place in the same place at the same time, with some interacting characters, all four endings are unique. This means both stories can be read as a stand-alone, but you will enjoy it so much more if you tackle both.
5 Stars!
Cee is still a young girl when she is introduced to the dark world of gambling in a place called Shadows. And she will grow up fast and learn that you are not given anything, you have to take it.
She had to pay her dues and claw her way to the top, and become what everyone feared.
Is there still a glimmer of hope left for Cee, or has she killed off every last scrap of humanity she had left?
This story is about power: Not only how to get it and keep it, but the heavy cost it might have. I am willing to bet that you will be rooting for Cee at the beginning of this story, but the question is whether you will still be rooting for her toward the end.
And it is not going to be a simple answer, because you might just understand her a little better.
Volpe’s talent shines through and he is an author I can’t recommend enough.
The true genius of this story is that you, the reader, will get to decide his fate. Yes, you will gamble with Cee about the outcome of this book. And I find it hard to imagine how much more interactive the writers could have made this extreme gambling story.
As a side note:
There are two endings to this story. There are also two endings to Aron Beauregard’s story THROUGH THE EYES OF DESPERATION: THE RED VERSION. And while the story takes place in the same place at the same time, with some interacting characters, all four endings are unique. This means both stories can be read as a stand-alone, but you will enjoy it so much more if you tackle both.
5 Stars!
April 2, 2024
Holyfuckingshit.
When I got to the half way point I thought it was fantastic. But I was wrong it's even better than that.
Goddamn that's my favorite book of the year for sure.
The Black Widow is definitely the Queen Of Heart 🖤
When I got to the half way point I thought it was fantastic. But I was wrong it's even better than that.
Goddamn that's my favorite book of the year for sure.
The Black Widow is definitely the Queen Of Heart 🖤
March 31, 2024
THROUGH THE EYES OF DESPERATION THE BLACK VERSION [2024]
By DANIEL J. VOLPE
MY REVIEW 5.0 Stars Out Of 5
This novel is the latest from Volpe, definitely one of my favorite authors in the increasingly more crowded horror genre. It was just released this month, and it was a riveting read. It is too early to project how readers will respond in the long run but if early customer ratings are any indication it is headed in the direction of 4 Stars+.
All of us have heard the expression “Skin in the game” but in this latest foray of Volpe’s into the dark corners of extreme horror the interpretation is literal. The storyline concerns the “goings on” in a truly terrifying place of red and black, the Shadows Casino. The book reminded me of a haunting episode of the iconic X-Files wherein gamblers bet their body organs (Yes, including the heart). It may be a truly sick viewpoint, but I do not believe it is that far-fetched that men and women would bet their own body parts if they could just to continue in the game.
The main character in the novel is Cee, and she is initially the author’s protagonist, and one who easily snares the sympathy of the reader. We meet an incorrigible gambling man who does not stop at betting with his own flesh but wagers the life of his own daughter in the game. It is only later that Cee ascends to the position of ruling the Shadows Casino following a bloody coup.
The author’s descriptive prose allows the reader to perfectly visualize this desperate place of broken dreams, a casino where the gamblers suffer both torture and death at the whim of the one person who makes the calls, Cee. The game tables, the rooms, and the various betting schemes in which life and limb are at stake for the desperate gambling addicted patrons are all pictured in crimson tinged despair.
It does not occur immediately, but Cee finds that she is addicted to the delivery of exquisite pain and horrific torture. She becomes both hated and feared by every person in her orbit, nicknamed the Black Widow. It occurs to her that she is becoming her own tormentor, the head of the casino who she had deposed with prejudice. Cee remains our main character in the novel, but she moves into the category of the worst of the monsters contained within the walls of Shadows Casino.
There is this point in the novel that there is an absence of any goodness, meaning that everything and everyone within the walls of the out of the way, difficult to find den of hell is damned or actively evil. I thought about that condition awhile if I am to be honest. Volpe’s works are a smash hit with me because there may be “bad”, but that badness is pitted against true evil when the blood starts to spray, and the gore starts to fly in all directions. Talia occurs to me right off the bat.
It is with that thought that I was gratified by Cee’s self-awareness of what she had become, when she reflected on her past, and the circumstances that led to her becoming a monster. She meets a man whose circumstances eerily mirror her own past and there is the glimpse of salvation.
This is bloody, visceral and dark extreme horror in this tale of a gambling den straight out of Barker’s Books of Blood. Volpe is among the very best writing in this brutal “take no prisoners” arena today. I was thus surprised not to see a Content Warning on Amazon, and additionally the misleading genre designations of “Mystery, Thriller, and Suspense” (and yes unspecified “Horror” unless one counts the notification that it was written in the U.S. and that it might be “Literature”). It occurs to me that Volpe has become sufficiently dominant in his field of Extreme Horror and Splatterpunk that his name alone as the author speaks volumes to a potential buyer.
I absolutely “flipped” over the ending, both literally and figuratively. That clever writing technique of “choose your ending” was wickedly imaginative. I dug out a coin and tossed it. My coin toss was “Black” but after reading the ending it provided (and the alternative “Red” ending), I cannot say which of the endings was bleaker.
Apparently, Volpe and Beauregard are playing “Dueling Banjos” with the saga of the Shadows Casino continuing in Aron Beauregard's book of the same name sub-titled “The Red Version”. I have read only one novel by Beauregard (“The Playground”) which I thought was fantastic. That does not convey the exposure to his work that I would need to say he is also a giant in his field, but I do not see how he could not be. I am planning to read his “Red” version in the near future.
Finally, I have been a die-hard fan of Volpe’s since stumbling across “Left to You” many books back. In my opinion, this one is a 5-Star Read without even having to think about it.
GAMBLING ADDICTION ON STEROIDS IN THIS TALE OF HORROR
By DANIEL J. VOLPE
MY REVIEW 5.0 Stars Out Of 5
This novel is the latest from Volpe, definitely one of my favorite authors in the increasingly more crowded horror genre. It was just released this month, and it was a riveting read. It is too early to project how readers will respond in the long run but if early customer ratings are any indication it is headed in the direction of 4 Stars+.
All of us have heard the expression “Skin in the game” but in this latest foray of Volpe’s into the dark corners of extreme horror the interpretation is literal. The storyline concerns the “goings on” in a truly terrifying place of red and black, the Shadows Casino. The book reminded me of a haunting episode of the iconic X-Files wherein gamblers bet their body organs (Yes, including the heart). It may be a truly sick viewpoint, but I do not believe it is that far-fetched that men and women would bet their own body parts if they could just to continue in the game.
The main character in the novel is Cee, and she is initially the author’s protagonist, and one who easily snares the sympathy of the reader. We meet an incorrigible gambling man who does not stop at betting with his own flesh but wagers the life of his own daughter in the game. It is only later that Cee ascends to the position of ruling the Shadows Casino following a bloody coup.
The author’s descriptive prose allows the reader to perfectly visualize this desperate place of broken dreams, a casino where the gamblers suffer both torture and death at the whim of the one person who makes the calls, Cee. The game tables, the rooms, and the various betting schemes in which life and limb are at stake for the desperate gambling addicted patrons are all pictured in crimson tinged despair.
It does not occur immediately, but Cee finds that she is addicted to the delivery of exquisite pain and horrific torture. She becomes both hated and feared by every person in her orbit, nicknamed the Black Widow. It occurs to her that she is becoming her own tormentor, the head of the casino who she had deposed with prejudice. Cee remains our main character in the novel, but she moves into the category of the worst of the monsters contained within the walls of Shadows Casino.
There is this point in the novel that there is an absence of any goodness, meaning that everything and everyone within the walls of the out of the way, difficult to find den of hell is damned or actively evil. I thought about that condition awhile if I am to be honest. Volpe’s works are a smash hit with me because there may be “bad”, but that badness is pitted against true evil when the blood starts to spray, and the gore starts to fly in all directions. Talia occurs to me right off the bat.
It is with that thought that I was gratified by Cee’s self-awareness of what she had become, when she reflected on her past, and the circumstances that led to her becoming a monster. She meets a man whose circumstances eerily mirror her own past and there is the glimpse of salvation.
This is bloody, visceral and dark extreme horror in this tale of a gambling den straight out of Barker’s Books of Blood. Volpe is among the very best writing in this brutal “take no prisoners” arena today. I was thus surprised not to see a Content Warning on Amazon, and additionally the misleading genre designations of “Mystery, Thriller, and Suspense” (and yes unspecified “Horror” unless one counts the notification that it was written in the U.S. and that it might be “Literature”). It occurs to me that Volpe has become sufficiently dominant in his field of Extreme Horror and Splatterpunk that his name alone as the author speaks volumes to a potential buyer.
I absolutely “flipped” over the ending, both literally and figuratively. That clever writing technique of “choose your ending” was wickedly imaginative. I dug out a coin and tossed it. My coin toss was “Black” but after reading the ending it provided (and the alternative “Red” ending), I cannot say which of the endings was bleaker.
Apparently, Volpe and Beauregard are playing “Dueling Banjos” with the saga of the Shadows Casino continuing in Aron Beauregard's book of the same name sub-titled “The Red Version”. I have read only one novel by Beauregard (“The Playground”) which I thought was fantastic. That does not convey the exposure to his work that I would need to say he is also a giant in his field, but I do not see how he could not be. I am planning to read his “Red” version in the near future.
Finally, I have been a die-hard fan of Volpe’s since stumbling across “Left to You” many books back. In my opinion, this one is a 5-Star Read without even having to think about it.
GAMBLING ADDICTION ON STEROIDS IN THIS TALE OF HORROR
April 22, 2024
I loved the concept of this book. A casino for degenerates who are out of money to gamble and so flesh is on the line. If you’re looking for gore and something that pushes boundaries, this will fit the bill. Unfortunately, I didn’t feel particularly connected with any of the characters and for that reason, I found it dragged a bit for me. It’s not so much that non of the characters had redeemable qualities because I historically love a book where I hate the MC but rather that I just found I didn’t care much either way for her.
Otherwise, I still found this read to be fun. I loved all the different bets and all the side characters stories of how they got to be there and what tortures they endured. Some of the scenes will certainly stick with me long after I put it down! Overall, I’m not mad at it and I still enjoyed the read.
Otherwise, I still found this read to be fun. I loved all the different bets and all the side characters stories of how they got to be there and what tortures they endured. Some of the scenes will certainly stick with me long after I put it down! Overall, I’m not mad at it and I still enjoyed the read.
March 9, 2024
I'm so happy I read the RED version first because there is no way I would have picked it up if I read this first.
This is a rant review, I have nothing good to say about this book. Do not read if you like this book. It was not to my personal taste, as I value character work in addition to violence in an extreme horror book. If I'm not interested in the characters, I don't care about the messed up situation that they are in.
I'm not saying a man can't write a woman protagonist in an extreme horror book, but this author did not do himself any favours with two sexual assault scenes in the first two scenes of the book.
Then every single plot point, with nearly every female character centered around sexual assault. It was as if he couldn't think of any other way to build character development, or to move the plot along.... not only is that uncreative it was BORING. I WAS BORED READING AN EXTREME HORROR NOVEL! HOW DOES THAT EVEN HAPPEN?!?!?! It felt predictable and lazy.
Cee, the black widow- sexual assaulted as a teenager, got off to violence growing up, was assaulted as an adult, assaulted others because she liked to have power over them... oh and lets not even get into how her fourteen year old self was described.
Lilly, assaulted in her past, now a sex slave in the doll house, what happens to her is because someone else died and was getting assaulted in the bathroom
all the characters in the doll house... their only personality trait/development is they have been mutilated and are sex slaves
What is the plot of this book??? do we go into the inner workings of the casino? nope same type of torture games as in RED... I really expected some info on how this casino turns a profit, its investors, and connections.. black market organ donation? snuff films? blackmail? nope nothing is explained or explored and one particular game leaves organ harvesting unlikely.
The plot should have been used to develop Cee's character, focusing on the cycle of abuse and how she is taking her pain out on other because she can't take it out on her father... except she can take it out on her father as we learn his fate in this book.
Her past consist of she was made a psychopath early on by exposure to violence, and any attempt at pretending to develop her character is overshadowed by her stripping off to avoid getting blood on her dress while she tortures someone.
She's a monster because she's been a monster since she was a teenager, and that makes the Cee we got in the RED version less interesting.
She had no goals or motives in this book. It was aimless slice of life in the casino that added nothing to the world or the characters
Both endings with the coin flip were bad and I'd argue didn't even fit in well with the RED endings
This is a rant review, I have nothing good to say about this book. Do not read if you like this book. It was not to my personal taste, as I value character work in addition to violence in an extreme horror book. If I'm not interested in the characters, I don't care about the messed up situation that they are in.
I'm not saying a man can't write a woman protagonist in an extreme horror book, but this author did not do himself any favours with two sexual assault scenes in the first two scenes of the book.
Then every single plot point, with nearly every female character centered around sexual assault. It was as if he couldn't think of any other way to build character development, or to move the plot along.... not only is that uncreative it was BORING. I WAS BORED READING AN EXTREME HORROR NOVEL! HOW DOES THAT EVEN HAPPEN?!?!?! It felt predictable and lazy.
Cee, the black widow- sexual assaulted as a teenager, got off to violence growing up, was assaulted as an adult, assaulted others because she liked to have power over them... oh and lets not even get into how her fourteen year old self was described.
Lilly, assaulted in her past, now a sex slave in the doll house, what happens to her is because someone else died and was getting assaulted in the bathroom
all the characters in the doll house... their only personality trait/development is they have been mutilated and are sex slaves
What is the plot of this book??? do we go into the inner workings of the casino? nope same type of torture games as in RED... I really expected some info on how this casino turns a profit, its investors, and connections.. black market organ donation? snuff films? blackmail? nope nothing is explained or explored and one particular game leaves organ harvesting unlikely.
The plot should have been used to develop Cee's character, focusing on the cycle of abuse and how she is taking her pain out on other because she can't take it out on her father... except she can take it out on her father as we learn his fate in this book.
Her past consist of she was made a psychopath early on by exposure to violence, and any attempt at pretending to develop her character is overshadowed by her stripping off to avoid getting blood on her dress while she tortures someone.
She's a monster because she's been a monster since she was a teenager, and that makes the Cee we got in the RED version less interesting.
She had no goals or motives in this book. It was aimless slice of life in the casino that added nothing to the world or the characters
Both endings with the coin flip were bad and I'd argue didn't even fit in well with the RED endings
May 15, 2024
Anything by Daniel J. Volpe is a must read! He teamed up once again with Aron Beauregard so i had to dive into this!
I honestly think this is one of Volpe's best work. The story, the gore, the characters, the games, the depravity, and the unique-ness with how there are two books based on the same story from two different POVs.
I can't praise these books enough! Also, please read the book "Sew Sorry" by the same authors before reading this one, you won't regret it!
4/5
I honestly think this is one of Volpe's best work. The story, the gore, the characters, the games, the depravity, and the unique-ness with how there are two books based on the same story from two different POVs.
I can't praise these books enough! Also, please read the book "Sew Sorry" by the same authors before reading this one, you won't regret it!
4/5
April 16, 2025
BRUTAL! This book had me in a chokehold from the moment I started it. I’d have easily finished this is one sitting if I’d have started it on a weekend. Volpe fucking nailed it with this one! 🙌
In the Black Version we follow Vin, a low life, alcoholic, shitty father with a gambling problem. One day it finally gets out of hand and he is in too deep so he does the one thing he can do that he last left to bet… sell his daughter.
Cee has had a terrible life. Her mother left her and her father. Her father is an alcoholic with a gambling problem. She is put through torment and pain whenever her father sells her off to settle his gambling debt but she eventually turns that back around and she’s the one in charge of the casino now. Sadly, instead of moving on, her pain and suffering has turned her into a monster.
I definitely preferred the red ending where all the ladies from the doll house get their revenge but both were definitely brutal.
Highly recommend checking this one out! Looking forward to reading the red version by Aron Beauregard next!!🙌
In the Black Version we follow Vin, a low life, alcoholic, shitty father with a gambling problem. One day it finally gets out of hand and he is in too deep so he does the one thing he can do that he last left to bet… sell his daughter.
Cee has had a terrible life. Her mother left her and her father. Her father is an alcoholic with a gambling problem. She is put through torment and pain whenever her father sells her off to settle his gambling debt but she eventually turns that back around and she’s the one in charge of the casino now. Sadly, instead of moving on, her pain and suffering has turned her into a monster.
I definitely preferred the red ending where all the ladies from the doll house get their revenge but both were definitely brutal.
Highly recommend checking this one out! Looking forward to reading the red version by Aron Beauregard next!!🙌
April 14, 2024
All bets are final! This is everything you would expect from a Daniel J. Volpe book. Full of all the splattery fun stuff you know you are gonna get as soon as you pick the book up. Shadows casino, a place for the filthy rich or the desperate down and outs, there doesn’t seem to be an in between. The filthy rich go there to have their fun and the desperate go because they have nowhere else to turn. However not everyone gets to leave shadows, for some one wrong bet will turn out to be far worse than death! But everyone knows the house ALWAYS wins!
January 26, 2025
What a ride!!!!
Ok so I have read Aron Beauregard’s the Red Version, which follows a man named Red who goes to a casino called Shadows to get money that is owed to someone and save his mom. It was great. We’ll just got done with this Beaty by Daniel Volpe, the Black Version, and it was great also. Both books overlap because Red is also in this book, however, this book follows the person who runs Shadows, Cee, aka The Black Widow.
Now Shadows is not your normal casino, oh hell no! You don’t have money, you bet on flesh. You want an example? A man has to take his own eyeballs out at the roulette wheel, that is what he bet, win you get money lose, you go to the Red Room with Cee. Cee has some fun and you are never seen again.
This explains Cee’s story. Needless to say it’s not a happy story. You also get side stories on some employees at Shadows. They aren’t very happy ones either.
The great part about this book is there are two endings! You flip a coin at a certain point and it’s either the black or the red ending.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves extreme horror. It was so good and I read it pretty quickly. Daniel Volpe is amazing and if you read the Red Version you will recognize some characters. Get this book, he’ll get both then you will have four different endings. Daniel Volpe does it again!!
Ok so I have read Aron Beauregard’s the Red Version, which follows a man named Red who goes to a casino called Shadows to get money that is owed to someone and save his mom. It was great. We’ll just got done with this Beaty by Daniel Volpe, the Black Version, and it was great also. Both books overlap because Red is also in this book, however, this book follows the person who runs Shadows, Cee, aka The Black Widow.
Now Shadows is not your normal casino, oh hell no! You don’t have money, you bet on flesh. You want an example? A man has to take his own eyeballs out at the roulette wheel, that is what he bet, win you get money lose, you go to the Red Room with Cee. Cee has some fun and you are never seen again.
This explains Cee’s story. Needless to say it’s not a happy story. You also get side stories on some employees at Shadows. They aren’t very happy ones either.
The great part about this book is there are two endings! You flip a coin at a certain point and it’s either the black or the red ending.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves extreme horror. It was so good and I read it pretty quickly. Daniel Volpe is amazing and if you read the Red Version you will recognize some characters. Get this book, he’ll get both then you will have four different endings. Daniel Volpe does it again!!
February 10, 2024
Incredible story filled with trauma, rage, gore and all the horrifying atrocities that occur inside Shadows, an underground casino that takes payment in flesh.
This story is told through the eyes of the casino manager, Cee, or as the bettors call her, the Black Widow. It was such an unique experience being inside her head. She was dealt shitty cards and it was adapt or die. And she thrived. I’m not going to lie I couldn’t decide throughout the book whether I wanted to fuck her or kill her lmfao.
I devoured this story. It was gory, gross but so much more than that it was emotional and raw.
Daniel wrote this in collaboration with Aron Beauregard. AB’s book being Through the Eyes of Desperation: the Red Version. Both books you hit a point in the story where you are instructed to flip a coin to decide your ending. I got black for both Daniel and Aron’s ending… both were.. let’s just say… you’ll have to flip and call it…
Red or black? ♠️♥️♣️♦️
This was such a fun experience reading these two novels and letting fate decide the ending. Genius idea from two incredible authors.
This story is told through the eyes of the casino manager, Cee, or as the bettors call her, the Black Widow. It was such an unique experience being inside her head. She was dealt shitty cards and it was adapt or die. And she thrived. I’m not going to lie I couldn’t decide throughout the book whether I wanted to fuck her or kill her lmfao.
I devoured this story. It was gory, gross but so much more than that it was emotional and raw.
Daniel wrote this in collaboration with Aron Beauregard. AB’s book being Through the Eyes of Desperation: the Red Version. Both books you hit a point in the story where you are instructed to flip a coin to decide your ending. I got black for both Daniel and Aron’s ending… both were.. let’s just say… you’ll have to flip and call it…
Red or black? ♠️♥️♣️♦️
This was such a fun experience reading these two novels and letting fate decide the ending. Genius idea from two incredible authors.
August 13, 2024
Welcome to Shadows Casino where you better hope that the gambling doesn't take over to bad, or you may lose a limb or two or worse.
Cee has been in the game for most of her life, with a dad who was addicted to gambling among other things and made a bet that changed both of their lives forever.
This story had me sitting on the edge of my seat the whole time. I did not want to put it down. I felt like I was in the casino watching the story unfold before me and what a ride it was. I read the black ending and wow, I did not see that one coming! I have already started The Red version and can't wait to compare and then read both alternate endings. If you haven't picked up this book yet, you might want to do so immediately...
Cee has been in the game for most of her life, with a dad who was addicted to gambling among other things and made a bet that changed both of their lives forever.
This story had me sitting on the edge of my seat the whole time. I did not want to put it down. I felt like I was in the casino watching the story unfold before me and what a ride it was. I read the black ending and wow, I did not see that one coming! I have already started The Red version and can't wait to compare and then read both alternate endings. If you haven't picked up this book yet, you might want to do so immediately...
September 16, 2025
Holy Moly, this book was awesome. I had avoided reading it for quite a while, while I love Beauregard, Casinos and Action aren't my thing. I couldn't get a clear view on what it was about, let me tell you this book is absolutely perfect for fans of splatter like myself.
the ending, oh the ending, well.... you'll see
the ending, oh the ending, well.... you'll see
May 8, 2024
What a truly fantastic book!! I loved the insight into how The Black Widow was made into the person that she is or was always meant to become, the story was great, but those 2 ending!!That was where everything took an even more shocking and better turn and just became truly spectacular. Loved, loved, loved this one!!
January 28, 2025
I’m not sure what I thought The Black Version was going to be about or whose perspective it was going to be from BUT it was awesome!
Cee's journey from a scared girl to the terrifying Black Widow is both heartbreaking and gripping. The way Shadows Casino is so vividly described, makes me feel like I’m right there, surrounded by all the chaos and horror. The idea of betting body parts? Insane 😂
Everytime a character made a gamble, I held my breath. It really amps up the tension and makes every gamble feel like a life-or-death situation.
Yeah Cee definitely has her reasons to be mad at the world but I was overjoyed when the Dollhouse workers plan went smoothly. Cee absolutely deserved worse but at least she’s dead!
Also, the tie in to Sew Sorry!?? Brilliant!!
Get this book!! You will not regret it.
Cee's journey from a scared girl to the terrifying Black Widow is both heartbreaking and gripping. The way Shadows Casino is so vividly described, makes me feel like I’m right there, surrounded by all the chaos and horror. The idea of betting body parts? Insane 😂
Everytime a character made a gamble, I held my breath. It really amps up the tension and makes every gamble feel like a life-or-death situation.
Yeah Cee definitely has her reasons to be mad at the world but I was overjoyed when the Dollhouse workers plan went smoothly. Cee absolutely deserved worse but at least she’s dead!
Also, the tie in to Sew Sorry!?? Brilliant!!
Get this book!! You will not regret it.
Read
April 25, 2024I did not finish this one, but not because the writing wasn’t well done! I genuinely enjoy Volpe’s writing and am looking forward to trying out one of his other books. I just couldn’t get into the casino vibe as it’s not something that is personally intriguing to me, but wanted to give this one a chance. Definitely a great choice for folks who love that vibe and love a good, unique splatter book.
April 16, 2024
Stunningly terrible, this book builds zero atmosphere and just piles on the gore from the first few pages. It’s a shame because the core conscript is interesting enough, however the attempts at edgy violence just read like a 13 year old decided to write a book after watching ‘Hostel’.
Anything to do with sex reads like a 50 year old incel wrote it. The descriptions are so bad it actually made me doubt my knowledge of the human anatomy, but nope in this world everything is full of literal shit and piss.
Characters are non-existent, everyone is just either a victim or a sadist so by the halfway point you’re just stuck in a cycle of ‘someone gambles, they lose’ and then you’re reading pointlessly graphic descriptions of people you don’t know.
Honestly the worse book I’ve ever read, I have no idea who this is for and what the author thinks people want to read.
Anything to do with sex reads like a 50 year old incel wrote it. The descriptions are so bad it actually made me doubt my knowledge of the human anatomy, but nope in this world everything is full of literal shit and piss.
Characters are non-existent, everyone is just either a victim or a sadist so by the halfway point you’re just stuck in a cycle of ‘someone gambles, they lose’ and then you’re reading pointlessly graphic descriptions of people you don’t know.
Honestly the worse book I’ve ever read, I have no idea who this is for and what the author thinks people want to read.
April 9, 2024
Now this was a fun one! I like the book, the story, even tho, as.I already pointed out to Daniel, I had some questions such as where eyeballs go after.been my collected?😂😂 but jokes apart, I found this book engaging, kept me wondering what happens next which is what I personally look for in a book, regardless of its flaws and all.
April 22, 2024
After Vins wife left him, he let himself go. Alocholic, gambling problem, shitty father..and it was only getting worse. One night, Vin finds himself in a fucking problem at Shadows casino and his only thought was too gamble the last thing he has.
Cee's been dealt a real shitty life. One night her life changes for the worst when her dad looses a gambling debt and she was the payment. Then comes years of Pain and suffering until one day she turns it all around and takes her freedom back. She becomes the boss everyone fears. But does she take things too far?
This book was such a quick read! I loved the doll house in this and all the girls! Justice for the ladies! The underground alley was another favourite of mine. This had humor, gore, sex, rage, revenge, everything you want in a book. If I had to choose an ending, I preferred the red ending a bit more. I love sweet revenge.
Cee's been dealt a real shitty life. One night her life changes for the worst when her dad looses a gambling debt and she was the payment. Then comes years of Pain and suffering until one day she turns it all around and takes her freedom back. She becomes the boss everyone fears. But does she take things too far?
This book was such a quick read! I loved the doll house in this and all the girls! Justice for the ladies! The underground alley was another favourite of mine. This had humor, gore, sex, rage, revenge, everything you want in a book. If I had to choose an ending, I preferred the red ending a bit more. I love sweet revenge.
January 11, 2025
Rating: 3.5
I liked this one slightly more than Through the Eyes of Desperation: The Red Version mostly because there's more gore (my preferred EH content) and less gross-out stuff (my least favourite). I also find Cee more appealing as a protagonist compared to Red. That being said, the one thing I liked more about the Red Version was that there was some humour included, whereas this one was far more consistently bleak. All of this is just personal preference, of course.
Otherwise, I feel more or less the same about both books: A fun read, but I'm not particularly the correct audience for it, and I took issue with the logistics of the story, even with my willingness to partially handwave such issues for the sake of enjoying a fictional story.
Also, having now read both books, I have to say that I found Lilly to be a completely baffling character, and not in a good way.
I liked this one slightly more than Through the Eyes of Desperation: The Red Version mostly because there's more gore (my preferred EH content) and less gross-out stuff (my least favourite). I also find Cee more appealing as a protagonist compared to Red. That being said, the one thing I liked more about the Red Version was that there was some humour included, whereas this one was far more consistently bleak. All of this is just personal preference, of course.
Otherwise, I feel more or less the same about both books: A fun read, but I'm not particularly the correct audience for it, and I took issue with the logistics of the story, even with my willingness to partially handwave such issues for the sake of enjoying a fictional story.
Also, having now read both books, I have to say that I found Lilly to be a completely baffling character, and not in a good way.
May 3, 2024
Disappointed is an understatement here. This needed more story and less shock value in my opinion. I'm all for the extreme when used in conjunction with artful storytelling. DJV is a heck of a storyteller too, which is why this one was such a let down.
The extreme bits just got so repetitive that they aren't even effective anymore at points.
A really intriguing premise. I liked the tie in to Sew Sorry. The bits focused on the plot were decent enough for a good read. Overall, however, a big frowny face.
The extreme bits just got so repetitive that they aren't even effective anymore at points.
A really intriguing premise. I liked the tie in to Sew Sorry. The bits focused on the plot were decent enough for a good read. Overall, however, a big frowny face.
September 29, 2024
BOOK REVIEW 😍
Through the eyes of desperation ( The Black Version ) By Daniel.J.Volpe
Rating- 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Thank you so much to one of my reading work besties for letting me borrow the Black Version once I let her borrow the red version!!! This book did not disappoint and honestly wayyyy better !
This was a very bloody extreme horror! I loved the black widow she was an absolute queen !!!
I'm so lost for words you just gotta read it !
Through the eyes of desperation ( The Black Version ) By Daniel.J.Volpe
Rating- 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Thank you so much to one of my reading work besties for letting me borrow the Black Version once I let her borrow the red version!!! This book did not disappoint and honestly wayyyy better !
This was a very bloody extreme horror! I loved the black widow she was an absolute queen !!!
I'm so lost for words you just gotta read it !
June 8, 2024
3.5 stars.
“Skin in the game” at Shadows Casino. This isn’t just a phrase, it’s a grim reality.”
As someone who has gone to Vegas on a family vacation every year for over two decades, clearly I like to gamble. However, would I get desperate enough to gamble my own body parts? Take out an eye to use as the marble for roulette? Cut off my nipples to gamble with? EESH. Nope. I certainly don’t think so. But I do love to read about people who will… and do. I’m not sure what that says about me as a person but I don’t particularly care either. Let’s gamble!
Shadows Casino is a “world of decadent pleasure and unimaginable pain, where only the desperate or the rich dare to tread.” In The Black Version, we get more of the story of Cee, whose daddy liked to gamble.. who brought her into Shadows long before she ran this evil establishment. There’s a heavy cost to working hard to get the power here. Her character arc is two-fold and while you may root for her in some parts, you may change your mind in others. We get to see a bit into the back side of the Casino through the workers rather than the players… but it doesn’t make it any less bloody or extreme. Certain scenes are forever dented into my brain matter.
I do wish there was just a bit more on the back side of the story. I needed more of some of the other characters and how Cee, The Black Widow, truly came to be… I feel there may just be a bit more that we are not seeing. I did enjoy the ending(s) that showed a glimmer of… well, you’ll have to dig into this read to see. Beware that this is an extreme horror novel. Splatterpunk that splatters! It has many triggers and exactly what you would expect from this kind of read.
Note that this book is a collaborative venture with Aron Beauregard who wrote The Red Version. Both versions allow you to flip a coin and gamble on which ending you will get. As a person who reads books cover to cover, I read both endings … and.. well, wow. The kids. THE KIDS! But I’ll shut my mouth here as I don’t want to give anything away. This is my second read by Volpe and certainly won’t be my last. I enjoy his writing style and his precarious mind. While both books can be read as stand alones, I recommend reading both to give yourself the full experience. Gamble responsibly!
“Skin in the game” at Shadows Casino. This isn’t just a phrase, it’s a grim reality.”
As someone who has gone to Vegas on a family vacation every year for over two decades, clearly I like to gamble. However, would I get desperate enough to gamble my own body parts? Take out an eye to use as the marble for roulette? Cut off my nipples to gamble with? EESH. Nope. I certainly don’t think so. But I do love to read about people who will… and do. I’m not sure what that says about me as a person but I don’t particularly care either. Let’s gamble!
Shadows Casino is a “world of decadent pleasure and unimaginable pain, where only the desperate or the rich dare to tread.” In The Black Version, we get more of the story of Cee, whose daddy liked to gamble.. who brought her into Shadows long before she ran this evil establishment. There’s a heavy cost to working hard to get the power here. Her character arc is two-fold and while you may root for her in some parts, you may change your mind in others. We get to see a bit into the back side of the Casino through the workers rather than the players… but it doesn’t make it any less bloody or extreme. Certain scenes are forever dented into my brain matter.
I do wish there was just a bit more on the back side of the story. I needed more of some of the other characters and how Cee, The Black Widow, truly came to be… I feel there may just be a bit more that we are not seeing. I did enjoy the ending(s) that showed a glimmer of… well, you’ll have to dig into this read to see. Beware that this is an extreme horror novel. Splatterpunk that splatters! It has many triggers and exactly what you would expect from this kind of read.
Note that this book is a collaborative venture with Aron Beauregard who wrote The Red Version. Both versions allow you to flip a coin and gamble on which ending you will get. As a person who reads books cover to cover, I read both endings … and.. well, wow. The kids. THE KIDS! But I’ll shut my mouth here as I don’t want to give anything away. This is my second read by Volpe and certainly won’t be my last. I enjoy his writing style and his precarious mind. While both books can be read as stand alones, I recommend reading both to give yourself the full experience. Gamble responsibly!
February 18, 2025
Yes it does, but don't think because you're up you're the house. Mr. Volpe proves the in his version of this "buddy book" with Mr. Beauregard. Now that I have finished both, let me tell you about Volpe's black version.
The Black version follows "the house" version taking place mostly in the casino Shadows. Beauregard follows a down and out gambler who's trying to raise enough money to save his mom who he placed in harms way by gambling away a casino/mob boss's money. To be fair he was doing it for a noble cause. In this case the house refers to the current owner of Shadows. Mr. Volpe let's us view life in the casino and the plight of the gambler from her view.
This version is a lot less in your face with the amount of gruesome depravity, but don't think you'll come out light. Volpe has taken your money and you will get what you paid for. Put on you lobster bib cause you're going to dribble.
No punches are held and there is plenty guts, gore, bodily harm, and mental shock in this book. While this version did not make me dry heave every time I had food near me, I did internalize a lot of vile. With a lot of death, this book capitalizes on things worst than it and how dark addiction can go. Both books do solid justice showing it, but Volpe's hits hard with the backstory of the casino owner. You almost root for her....until you don't.
The characters are well built. The reader gets motivations and back stories that flesh out individuals which do a great job of establishing the environment and the stakes in the story. Their points of view can make you smell the dank, thick air and feel effects of whatever ingestible the player must consume to prevent the violent consequences of denying the house its win. The pacing is excellent. Slow when necessary and fast to increase intensity of the story.
As with the Red version, there's a choice to pick your ending from two choices. What's a book about gambling if you don't get to actively play a game? My choice with this book was satisfying like in the Red version but also haunting. The other option proved the house always wins. Just know the house is never a person.
The Black version follows "the house" version taking place mostly in the casino Shadows. Beauregard follows a down and out gambler who's trying to raise enough money to save his mom who he placed in harms way by gambling away a casino/mob boss's money. To be fair he was doing it for a noble cause. In this case the house refers to the current owner of Shadows. Mr. Volpe let's us view life in the casino and the plight of the gambler from her view.
This version is a lot less in your face with the amount of gruesome depravity, but don't think you'll come out light. Volpe has taken your money and you will get what you paid for. Put on you lobster bib cause you're going to dribble.
No punches are held and there is plenty guts, gore, bodily harm, and mental shock in this book. While this version did not make me dry heave every time I had food near me, I did internalize a lot of vile. With a lot of death, this book capitalizes on things worst than it and how dark addiction can go. Both books do solid justice showing it, but Volpe's hits hard with the backstory of the casino owner. You almost root for her....until you don't.
The characters are well built. The reader gets motivations and back stories that flesh out individuals which do a great job of establishing the environment and the stakes in the story. Their points of view can make you smell the dank, thick air and feel effects of whatever ingestible the player must consume to prevent the violent consequences of denying the house its win. The pacing is excellent. Slow when necessary and fast to increase intensity of the story.
As with the Red version, there's a choice to pick your ending from two choices. What's a book about gambling if you don't get to actively play a game? My choice with this book was satisfying like in the Red version but also haunting. The other option proved the house always wins. Just know the house is never a person.
December 26, 2024
Little bit of parenting advice here... maybe don't take your teenager to a seedy underground casino where they accept blood as an option for payment, then offer said daughter (or son, I don't know you or what your kid situation looks like) up as a bet with the hopes of winning big. *slaps your hand* Bad! Don't do that!
So anyways, that's what happens to Cee. One thing leads to another and this vindictive bitch becomes the head honcho at the underground abomination of a casino known as Shadows.
I probably should've noted in the Red Version review... there's are completely different stories from two completely different authors with completely different endings. They obviously exist in the same universe and overlap timelines. It's so fuckin fun!
This is my first read by Daniel J Volpe and will certainly not be the last. I've read quite a bit of splatter/extreme now and I'll just say... I haven't really squirmed as much as I did while fighting for my life through some of these descriptions. Cee has quite the back story, it really draws you in. I didn't want to like her or care about her but I did. All I wanted for her was to find some damn happiness. She deserves it. This is a disgusting and violent story but also has love and compassion hidden deep within its pages. If sex and violence are your thing... by all means, do not hesitate! Visit the Black Widow in her web at Shadows.
So anyways, that's what happens to Cee. One thing leads to another and this vindictive bitch becomes the head honcho at the underground abomination of a casino known as Shadows.
I probably should've noted in the Red Version review... there's are completely different stories from two completely different authors with completely different endings. They obviously exist in the same universe and overlap timelines. It's so fuckin fun!
This is my first read by Daniel J Volpe and will certainly not be the last. I've read quite a bit of splatter/extreme now and I'll just say... I haven't really squirmed as much as I did while fighting for my life through some of these descriptions. Cee has quite the back story, it really draws you in. I didn't want to like her or care about her but I did. All I wanted for her was to find some damn happiness. She deserves it. This is a disgusting and violent story but also has love and compassion hidden deep within its pages. If sex and violence are your thing... by all means, do not hesitate! Visit the Black Widow in her web at Shadows.
May 29, 2024
This was honestly really good.
At the first 25 pages, my face was distorted with visible disgust, and im usually not one to shudder at the thought of gore.
The only reason I'm not giving this read 5 stars or even 4 stars is because of the end.
Of course I love a good gamble and I'm not a cheater, and so I gambled and got the red ending, I haven't read the black ending nor will I because I haven't gambled for it.
The red ending started off so good it got me wondering why there were so many pages left, it could've stopped at Red's story and that would've earned a 5 star, letting the cycle go on with Cee and Shadows. However, it sadly did not stop there, I wasn't really annoyed by the "real" ending direction, but I was so disappointed after finally finishing the book.
The characters are really good, but I would've loved more depth with marty and some of the other prominent characters in the story, some of the characters are way too predictable for a "crazy" casino, and I personally hate the biased POV the book has on shadows, I would've loved if the book had made me think unthinkable things? I don't know, I guess I like my shit more tame on the gore and more insane on the psychee.
Overall, it was a very fun read to pass time. My criticism is mostly based on preference, I recommend!
I will also surely read the red version of Through The Eyes Of Desperation.
At the first 25 pages, my face was distorted with visible disgust, and im usually not one to shudder at the thought of gore.
The only reason I'm not giving this read 5 stars or even 4 stars is because of the end.
Of course I love a good gamble and I'm not a cheater, and so I gambled and got the red ending, I haven't read the black ending nor will I because I haven't gambled for it.
The red ending started off so good it got me wondering why there were so many pages left, it could've stopped at Red's story and that would've earned a 5 star, letting the cycle go on with Cee and Shadows. However, it sadly did not stop there, I wasn't really annoyed by the "real" ending direction, but I was so disappointed after finally finishing the book.
The characters are really good, but I would've loved more depth with marty and some of the other prominent characters in the story, some of the characters are way too predictable for a "crazy" casino, and I personally hate the biased POV the book has on shadows, I would've loved if the book had made me think unthinkable things? I don't know, I guess I like my shit more tame on the gore and more insane on the psychee.
Overall, it was a very fun read to pass time. My criticism is mostly based on preference, I recommend!
I will also surely read the red version of Through The Eyes Of Desperation.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 9, 2024
couldn't finish reading it bc it was too cringe. the overall plot isn't bad. I like the idea of underground gambling, but the dialogue was too cringe. the author wrote her out to be so edgy. the mc is describe to love gore and how she craves it. like 😭? shes 12 for fucks sake. its giving me when i tried acting cool in middle school by pretending i like gore. be so fr omg. i understand the whole lust for violence and death but the author could've done it in a better format is what I'm saying. even the descriptions of various things in the casino itself. e.g. the weapons of death in the red room. PLEASE 😭😭😭😭😭😭 shit sounds like it was written by some teenager on wattpad. sorry not sorry 😭
I also hate the the author used sa so much. the mc was sa'd as a child and grows up to doing the same to others. I just don't understand why a character, who as she progresses in the book as the new owner of the casino, shares her flashbacks of bad memories of her past assaults under Gianni, the previous owner, would use the same tactics?? it's so gross and unnecessary to add. rape and sa is not a needed addition for every horror book.
I also hate the the author used sa so much. the mc was sa'd as a child and grows up to doing the same to others. I just don't understand why a character, who as she progresses in the book as the new owner of the casino, shares her flashbacks of bad memories of her past assaults under Gianni, the previous owner, would use the same tactics?? it's so gross and unnecessary to add. rape and sa is not a needed addition for every horror book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 3, 2024
3.5 to 4 stars.
I enjoyed this book a lot, I think the main thing that kept me from loving it is that it shares a sister story with the "Red Version" of the same title.
After listening to both versions, the Red Version had the most concise story. While this story has to do more with fleshing out the owner of Shadows, showing more of the games and horrors at Shadows, and occasionally sharing a scene from the sister book just from a different POV.
I think what really just made me go MEH was the endings. Both books have 2 different endings. The Red Versions story is a lot more focused on one character with one goal. Those two endings spit depending on if they succeed or not. This version just kinda has 2 endings. Both entirely retcon the other two endings from the other book. This just really broke the illusion for me. This isn't one story told from different POVs. There are 2 authors playing different games in the same world with the same characters, just both doing their own thing with their own completely different endings. Since the Red Version had more of a standard plot thread, I enjoyed that one a bit more.
I enjoyed this book a lot, I think the main thing that kept me from loving it is that it shares a sister story with the "Red Version" of the same title.
After listening to both versions, the Red Version had the most concise story. While this story has to do more with fleshing out the owner of Shadows, showing more of the games and horrors at Shadows, and occasionally sharing a scene from the sister book just from a different POV.
I think what really just made me go MEH was the endings. Both books have 2 different endings. The Red Versions story is a lot more focused on one character with one goal. Those two endings spit depending on if they succeed or not. This version just kinda has 2 endings. Both entirely retcon the other two endings from the other book. This just really broke the illusion for me. This isn't one story told from different POVs. There are 2 authors playing different games in the same world with the same characters, just both doing their own thing with their own completely different endings. Since the Red Version had more of a standard plot thread, I enjoyed that one a bit more.
December 20, 2024
What an insane book like I’m genuinely speechless. This book made me nauseous with a nice little headache on the side in the best way possible-exactly what I want a splatterpunk book to do to me.
I was expecting just gorey scene after gorey scene BUT my god there was actually plot and it was good! If you’re looking for a quick read with characters that you can’t pinpoint how you feel about them (Cee I’m looking at you), then this is absolutely the perfect book. It took me no more than two days to read it and god it had me hooked.
The good: the writing was perfect, the plot was well “fleshed” out, the characters were consistently morally grey
The bad: too short (i wanted so much more), and the ending(s): I’m a bit 50/50 on whether or not I like the endings, one is way out there and the other just felt a little too “meh”, I personally mashed the two together in my head and pretended that would be it instead.
I’m not sure if I’ll read the Red version, as Red’s character was kind of a take it or leave it, but I’m curious to see things from his perspective as well, especially if there’s anything about after the events of the black version.
I was expecting just gorey scene after gorey scene BUT my god there was actually plot and it was good! If you’re looking for a quick read with characters that you can’t pinpoint how you feel about them (Cee I’m looking at you), then this is absolutely the perfect book. It took me no more than two days to read it and god it had me hooked.
The good: the writing was perfect, the plot was well “fleshed” out, the characters were consistently morally grey
The bad: too short (i wanted so much more), and the ending(s): I’m a bit 50/50 on whether or not I like the endings, one is way out there and the other just felt a little too “meh”, I personally mashed the two together in my head and pretended that would be it instead.
I’m not sure if I’ll read the Red version, as Red’s character was kind of a take it or leave it, but I’m curious to see things from his perspective as well, especially if there’s anything about after the events of the black version.
March 19, 2024
You definitely need to read the Red Version before reading this one if you want any clear idea of what is going on; While the Red Version focuses on the plot, the Black Version elaborates on a lot of things that were glossed over in the previous book.
I felt like the story was a bit all over the place, but I very much appreciated how the flesh-bet scenes were written (the violence was really well done while the gross-out scenes were nasty, but not too over-the-top).
I absolutely love the pulpy cover and the art included throughout the book, however I noticed pretty early on that the art hardly ever depicts exactly what is being described. The coin-flip endings were really cool, though I wish I knew what ending from what book is the canonical one!
I felt like the story was a bit all over the place, but I very much appreciated how the flesh-bet scenes were written (the violence was really well done while the gross-out scenes were nasty, but not too over-the-top).
I absolutely love the pulpy cover and the art included throughout the book, however I noticed pretty early on that the art hardly ever depicts exactly what is being described. The coin-flip endings were really cool, though I wish I knew what ending from what book is the canonical one!
January 6, 2025
This was my first Daniel J. Volpe book, and I was not disappointed. I completed the Red Version first, so I had to see the other perspective of The Black Widow. The book mostly takes place during the same timeframe as the Red Version, but there is a lot of flashing back and forth. Since I listened to this on Audible, the flashbacks confused me a little until I realized they were set in a different time. Although the narrator was great, I’d recommend reading instead of listening so you can see the scene breaks and know when a flashback is happening. Many of the same characters are in both books, and some of the dialogue is familiar. For those unsure of which version to read, I recommend both versions but read the Red Version first. I will be looking for more books by Volpe in the future.
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