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The Angel of Vengeance - The Most Gruesome Series on the Market
In a dim lighted cell, a man has awakened to find himself surrounded by the most unimaginable and barbaric things that not even his worst nightmare could conjure up. His captor, Seth Coker, takes the man on a journey into his twisted world of vengeance. A world that runs parallel with the horrors that could only be found in the deepest and darkest parts of hell. A world that bestows a wrath of chaos upon the wicked of our society that have fallen through the cracks of the judicial system. Seth wasn’t born a vigilante, nor did he seek out the role-- it sought him out.
A portion of our society feels that rapists, molesters, murderers and abusers should have rights, and anything beyond the normal punishment of confinement would be cruel and inhumane. Seth knows that the innocent are left without justice, while the wicked are roaming our streets without any remorse about the cruel and inhumane punishment that they bestow upon others.
Offering up heart-pumping tales of revenge, suspense and horror in all its guises, this book is filled with dark humor, political incorrectness, gruesome and sadistic acts from beginning to end. Be warned-- this one will compel the meek to crawl into the fetal position and suck their thumb.
- Originality –
From the sheer ingenuity of the story to the appropriateness of the punishments makes this one of the most original story lines on the market.
- Politically Incorrect –
If you’re a P.C. type person, do not read this book. This also pertains to rapists, molesters and weirdoes--you'll just get your feelings hurt and leave a low rating with a BS review.
- Gruesome and Horrifying –
This book is not for the meek. Seth will take you on a journey through his twisted world of vengeance that is filled with the most gruesome and horrifying things imaginable and unimaginable.
- Cruel and Unusual –
If you like filthy sick, over the top sadistic inhumane acts of revenge that stagger the mind, this book will not disappoint.
- Dark Humor –
If you like gore and dark humor, this book will make you laugh and gag at the same time.
- Suspense –
From front to back, The Angel of Vengeance is filled with one intense moment after another that is interwoven in a story line filled with humor. From the horrifying punishments of the mind and flesh to Seth’s unpredictable persona, it will keep you turning the page.
- Disturbing –
So disturbing that it was difficult for my editor to stomach the content.
- Fascinating -
The punishments that Seth bestows on deserving criminals are not only very sadistic and gruesome, but cleverly inventive, unusual and shocking as well.
- Mind Rape -
The sick and twisted images in this book will be implanted into your mind, causing your brain to feel it has been assaulted.
A brief comment from the
One of my readers stated that The Angel of Vengeance was too gruesome, even though numerous warnings are plastered everywhere. They said, “There is gruesome and then there is filthy sick, over the top sadistic inhumane acts that stagger the mind.” My response, “Thanks. I like that description and will be using it.” Their comment was actually a complement even though it wasn’t meant to be. I enjoy writing about sick and twisted shit, especially when it comes to vengeance. And no, I’ve never been raped or molested, and I am just as normal as the next nut job. I think many people have the same kinds of thoughts—maybe not as in depth or sadistic—when it comes to punishing criminals who commit heinous crimes against the innocent. My friends occasionally make the following comment, “If someone harmed my family, I would make them pay by killing them.” That statement always makes me laugh. If you kill someone, they usually don’t know it, so how is that getting them back?
I began writing for my own personal enjoyment and never intended to publish a book. Eight years later, The Angel of Vengeance, 172K words, was completed. My second book, The Angel of Death, 195K words, only took six months to complete. My writing style and ideas are not influenced by anyone because I only read nonfiction (Technical stuff mostly). Now that probably sets me apart from other extreme horror writers, and it’s either a good or a bad trait, depending on who you ask. I can at least say that I march to the beat of my own drum.
The main ingredients that I strived for when writing The Angel of Vengeance were; pack the book from front to back with the most gruesome and sadistic shit imaginable, be as accurate as possible (things that I could actually do, or at least things I think I can do), only punish assholes that deserve it, don’t be repetitive, and pump it full of dark humor.
My book is not politically correct and will definitely cause some resentment, especially from rapists and molesters, or any criminal for that matter. In turn, that’s going to cost me an occasional low rating with a BS revi...
414 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 1, 2013
146 people are currently reading
1829 people want to read
About the author
Wade H. Garrett
26 books316 followersWade H. Garrett is an American novelist specializing in the extreme-horror and supernatural genres, and he primarily writes about vigilante justice and tales of retribution. He was born and raised in Texas, and currently resides in Hamilton, Texas.
Wade uses extreme violence and the most abhorrent and disturbing combination of visceral words to get his point across. He pushes the boundaries of human torment and suffering, and his books should only be read by the seasoned extreme-horror reader.
Many of Wade's fans have said his books are original, thought-provoking, and some of the most graphic literature they've ever read.
Wade's writing can be very technical and detailed at times. This is a reflection of life experiences combined with his technical knowledge and abilities.
He's published by German publisher, Festa-Verlag, under their extreme category. He also sells paperbacks, Kindle books and audio books on Amazon.
Wade uses extreme violence and the most abhorrent and disturbing combination of visceral words to get his point across. He pushes the boundaries of human torment and suffering, and his books should only be read by the seasoned extreme-horror reader.
Many of Wade's fans have said his books are original, thought-provoking, and some of the most graphic literature they've ever read.
Wade's writing can be very technical and detailed at times. This is a reflection of life experiences combined with his technical knowledge and abilities.
He's published by German publisher, Festa-Verlag, under their extreme category. He also sells paperbacks, Kindle books and audio books on Amazon.
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March 26, 2015A brief comment from the author:
One of my readers stated that The Angel of Vengeance was too gruesome, even though numerous warnings are plastered everywhere. They said, “There is gruesome and then there is filthy sick, over the top sadistic inhumane acts that stagger the mind.” My response, “Thanks. I like that description and will be using it.” Their comment was actually a complement even though it wasn’t meant to be. I enjoy writing about sick and twisted shit, especially when it comes to vengeance. And no, I’ve never been raped or molested, and I am just as normal as the next nut job. I think many people have the same kinds of thoughts—maybe not as in depth or sadistic—when it comes to punishing criminals who commit heinous crimes against the innocent. My friends occasionally make the following comment, “If someone harmed my family, I would make them pay by killing them.” That statement always makes me laugh. If you kill someone, they usually don’t know it, so how is that getting them back?
I began writing for my own personal enjoyment and never intended to publish a book. Eight years later, The Angel of Vengeance, 172K words, was completed. My second book, The Angel of Death, 195K words, only took six months to complete. My writing style and ideas are not influenced by anyone because I only read nonfiction (Technical stuff mostly). Now that probably sets me apart from other extreme horror writers, and it’s either a good or a bad trait, depending on who you ask. I can at least say that I march to the beat of my own drum.
The main ingredients that I strived for when writing The Angel of Vengeance were; pack the book from front to back with the most gruesome and sadistic shit imaginable, be as accurate as possible (things that I could actually do, or at least things I think I can do), only punish assholes that deserve it, don’t be repetitive, and pump it full of dark humor.
My book is not politically correct and will definitely cause some resentment, especially from rapists and molesters, or any criminal for that matter. In turn, that’s going to cost me an occasional low rating with a BS review.
I welcome anyone that wants to proofread my book(s). Unfortunately, most of us indie authors don't have the means to hire an expensive editing agency like the main stream authors/ publishers use, and some of us rely on friends, family, fans and individuals that charge a reasonable fee. I can read a sentence ten times with a mistake, and my brain plugs in the correct word, even if it’s missing, so I’m useless as a proofreader. I’ve tried to create the best quality read possible, but there could be some errors here and there. When they are found, I do correct them. This was my first book and I learned that it's going to take numerous people to proofread, especially a book of this size. If you’re anal about grammar mistakes, please remember indie books are not perfect.
If you like this book, please leave a review. The more positive reviews, the higher it is on Amazon’s search list, resulting in more people finding it. I truly appreciate all of the positive reviews, comments and support that I have been receiving, and that is the reason that I wrote the second book in this series, The Angel of Death, and will continue writing as long as there are people that appreciate my work.
If you have any questions, comments or advice, please feel free to contact me at wade.garrett.777@gmail.com.
Best wishes,
Wade H. Garrett
One of my readers stated that The Angel of Vengeance was too gruesome, even though numerous warnings are plastered everywhere. They said, “There is gruesome and then there is filthy sick, over the top sadistic inhumane acts that stagger the mind.” My response, “Thanks. I like that description and will be using it.” Their comment was actually a complement even though it wasn’t meant to be. I enjoy writing about sick and twisted shit, especially when it comes to vengeance. And no, I’ve never been raped or molested, and I am just as normal as the next nut job. I think many people have the same kinds of thoughts—maybe not as in depth or sadistic—when it comes to punishing criminals who commit heinous crimes against the innocent. My friends occasionally make the following comment, “If someone harmed my family, I would make them pay by killing them.” That statement always makes me laugh. If you kill someone, they usually don’t know it, so how is that getting them back?
I began writing for my own personal enjoyment and never intended to publish a book. Eight years later, The Angel of Vengeance, 172K words, was completed. My second book, The Angel of Death, 195K words, only took six months to complete. My writing style and ideas are not influenced by anyone because I only read nonfiction (Technical stuff mostly). Now that probably sets me apart from other extreme horror writers, and it’s either a good or a bad trait, depending on who you ask. I can at least say that I march to the beat of my own drum.
The main ingredients that I strived for when writing The Angel of Vengeance were; pack the book from front to back with the most gruesome and sadistic shit imaginable, be as accurate as possible (things that I could actually do, or at least things I think I can do), only punish assholes that deserve it, don’t be repetitive, and pump it full of dark humor.
My book is not politically correct and will definitely cause some resentment, especially from rapists and molesters, or any criminal for that matter. In turn, that’s going to cost me an occasional low rating with a BS review.
I welcome anyone that wants to proofread my book(s). Unfortunately, most of us indie authors don't have the means to hire an expensive editing agency like the main stream authors/ publishers use, and some of us rely on friends, family, fans and individuals that charge a reasonable fee. I can read a sentence ten times with a mistake, and my brain plugs in the correct word, even if it’s missing, so I’m useless as a proofreader. I’ve tried to create the best quality read possible, but there could be some errors here and there. When they are found, I do correct them. This was my first book and I learned that it's going to take numerous people to proofread, especially a book of this size. If you’re anal about grammar mistakes, please remember indie books are not perfect.
If you like this book, please leave a review. The more positive reviews, the higher it is on Amazon’s search list, resulting in more people finding it. I truly appreciate all of the positive reviews, comments and support that I have been receiving, and that is the reason that I wrote the second book in this series, The Angel of Death, and will continue writing as long as there are people that appreciate my work.
If you have any questions, comments or advice, please feel free to contact me at wade.garrett.777@gmail.com.
Best wishes,
Wade H. Garrett
September 30, 2018
i find it funny that seths character is hailed as a no bullshit no candy coating hardass but in reality hes just a racist homophobic super edgy piece of shit that cant say child rapist/torturer instead of child molester. also that lil bit about "the people who cry out the most about human rights have lived a sheltered life" when i was 4 until 12 years old, i was kidnapped & held captive in a warehouse that filmed child pornographic hurtcore, torture & snuff films. trauma & tragedy gives some people this thing called compassion. seth is the epitome of a 4chan enthusiast anti-normie fuck cuz he "tells it like it is" & is pretentious. although he believed in god he reminded me so much of the anarchist anti-religion assholes who have superiority complexes about their atheism, dubbing everyone else a "sheep" even tho theyre just seeking out a coping mechanism to make it thru life. i also love the constant digs about "hardworking people having to pay for the lazy assholes who dont want to work" hahahaha you mean like disabled people you arrogant fuck? i live off of ssi because of my ptsd & did (multiple personalities) that your great country enabled by allowing infiltrated law enforcement & letting money compromise their morality, not because im a lazy piece of shit. seth (& as an extension, the author) possesses no concept of multi generational poverty and the effects of oppression against an entire race that continues to dribble throughout the years & STILL affecrs people today. wow!! so it doesnt matter if you or your parents or your grandparents didnt own a slave, black (& other poc) living at the bottom isnt a result of their lack of ambition or whatever racist shit you spewed, it comes from hundreds of years of oppression that is just starting to let up now & its only now that they can begin to climb the food chain. good job continuing to perpetrate the stereotype of pants hanging low gangbanger. i dont know if the author made seth have these views to portray what an arrogant asshole he is or if this is the authors views. regardless, it was cringeworthy to watch this edgelord ramble on his elementary "dark humor". and if youre just looking for a torture gorefest, as i was, for some of my alters who use it to cope, it wasnt even that great, it was redundant & dragged. seth's backstory was corny as hell too. if you want some ideas about real torture, talk to a hurtcore survivor (or any deep web child pornography). also, seriously, its child RAPE not molestation. if youre trying to make a character that "tells it like it is" i would recommend you research the definitions of your terminology & maybe not use the one that the majority of society uses when they cant face reality.
anyways, as you can see this novel is an incredible contribution to the world of literary masterpieces.
anyways, as you can see this novel is an incredible contribution to the world of literary masterpieces.
January 13, 2020
Do you ever read something and just from reading it you can tell exactly what the author looks like? This is one of those cases. Garrett hates: POC, Women, The Disabled, The Poor, its like if a MAGA hat sat down to write a horror book. The book itself is dreadfully boring and repetitive and the prose is drawn-out and redundant. Nothing interesting happens. The character is obviously just a mouthpiece for Garrett's beliefs and a stand-in for his fantasies. The only scary thing about this book was that somebody spent the time to sit down and write it. I rarely describe books as "embarrassing", but I can't think of a better word to describe this attempt.
March 27, 2014
4.5 stars
This one could use a little work on the narrative style, and a lot of the "little" details just seemed to detract from the overall story. Although I would have enjoyed it better with about 50-100 pages less of that filler, the storyline itself was very thought-provoking. Despite the horrific tortures the main character, Seth, perpetrated, there was something that made each of the victims "deserving", and so it was very hard to pinpoint feelings of resentment on this man. A VERY graphic novel that hard core fans of horror will appreciate, and the storyline that was woven around the "victims" stories was very tragic. Loved the ending scenes! Very promising read--if toned up and cut down a bit--could have received a 4-4.5 instead for ingenuity.
EDIT: (3/27/14): It is not often that I'll go back and change or edit a review I've made, unless I've made a glaring error of some sort during the initial review. That being said, this story is one that I felt strongly compelled to change. Yes, my initial observations remain--those, I believe, are solid criticisms noted. What makes me want to revise this review is the fact that I've gone back and read this story over 3 times in the past several months. My sister (who also bought a copy), just completed her 5th read. Faults noted, the storyline in this one is so strong and compelling that it just begs for a re-read. It strikes a chord/hits a nerve that many other novels simply don't get to.
I have to say that for those that are able to stomach graphic (well-devised) descriptions, this novel is highly recommended.
This one could use a little work on the narrative style, and a lot of the "little" details just seemed to detract from the overall story. Although I would have enjoyed it better with about 50-100 pages less of that filler, the storyline itself was very thought-provoking. Despite the horrific tortures the main character, Seth, perpetrated, there was something that made each of the victims "deserving", and so it was very hard to pinpoint feelings of resentment on this man. A VERY graphic novel that hard core fans of horror will appreciate, and the storyline that was woven around the "victims" stories was very tragic. Loved the ending scenes! Very promising read--if toned up and cut down a bit--could have received a 4-4.5 instead for ingenuity.
EDIT: (3/27/14): It is not often that I'll go back and change or edit a review I've made, unless I've made a glaring error of some sort during the initial review. That being said, this story is one that I felt strongly compelled to change. Yes, my initial observations remain--those, I believe, are solid criticisms noted. What makes me want to revise this review is the fact that I've gone back and read this story over 3 times in the past several months. My sister (who also bought a copy), just completed her 5th read. Faults noted, the storyline in this one is so strong and compelling that it just begs for a re-read. It strikes a chord/hits a nerve that many other novels simply don't get to.
I have to say that for those that are able to stomach graphic (well-devised) descriptions, this novel is highly recommended.
June 22, 2022
Quite possibly the dullest gore story I've ever read, and a hazard of the point of view the author chose. How do I put this... if the stories were presented as a thing that was happening NOW, immediately, as the reader "watched", it wouldn't be so bad (though still bad, since they're all just the same thing over and over and over except with different body parts involved). However, they're presented as a guy sitting there and telling someone else what he did. The conclusion of all the stories is entirely foregone, because we know he succeeded from the fact that he's sitting there and telling us, and the actual action happening in the story in front of us rather than at one remove from the story is a guy sitting and talking and talking and TALKING for the entire book instead of DOING anything.
Maybe that one's just me being picky, but other reviewers agree with me on the awful nature of the RAR EDGY persona the writer gives off. A character who sets out to fight monsters and in the process becomes a monster is much more interesting than a character who is a monster throughout and who gives off the creepy sensation that the author thinks he is entirely correct and justified in being so. One worries about the possibility that the author only isn't murdering accused criminals without trial because he's too lazy/cowardly rather than because he knows murder is wrong. It's also not cool to put poor people on the same level as murderers, author. Go actually look up what welfare is for.
(ETA: The title is also wrong. It isn't vengeance if they didn't wrong you personally.)
Maybe that one's just me being picky, but other reviewers agree with me on the awful nature of the RAR EDGY persona the writer gives off. A character who sets out to fight monsters and in the process becomes a monster is much more interesting than a character who is a monster throughout and who gives off the creepy sensation that the author thinks he is entirely correct and justified in being so. One worries about the possibility that the author only isn't murdering accused criminals without trial because he's too lazy/cowardly rather than because he knows murder is wrong. It's also not cool to put poor people on the same level as murderers, author. Go actually look up what welfare is for.
(ETA: The title is also wrong. It isn't vengeance if they didn't wrong you personally.)
December 9, 2016
Meine Meinung:
Nach einem richtig tollen Extremband und einem eher durchschnittlichen Band, war ich nun super gespannt, auf den neusten Teil der Reihe und habe mich auf viel Blut und Brutalität gefreut.Genau das bekam ich auch von Anfang an. Schon die ersten 50 Seiten sind unfassbar brutal und blutig. Seth verübt krasse Folterszenen und bestraft so die Menschen, bei denen er denkt, dass sie das Gesetz nicht hart genug bestraft hat. Das erschreckende bei der Folter ist, dass er sie so foltert, dass sie möglichst große Schmerzen haben, aber auch möglichst lange überleben, zur Not versucht er sie ein Stück weit zu heilen.
Das Buch ist definitiv extremer als „Population Zero“ und „Willkommen in Hell, Texas“ und für alle die noch mehr wollen. Es gab wirklich sehr viele eklige Stellen, bei den ich mich auch gefragt habe, wie das überhaupt funktionieren kann. Aber wissen möchte ich es definitiv nicht.
Natürlich geht es nicht nur um Folter, sondern Seth erzählt seinen Opfern auch, warum er andere gefangen genommen hat und wie er dabei vor gegangen ist. Dadurch erfährt man sehr viel Opfer, was super interessant war.
Für mich fehlte es dem Buch zu Beginn aber leider an Spannung. Die Geschichte hatte zu Beginn sehr langatmige Stellen, da es um nur um Folter ging. Gerade zum Ende hin konnte mich das Buch dann aber total packen und es endet einfach so gemein, sodass ich mich riesig auf Teil 2 freue.
Fazit:
„Ein Blick in die Hölle 1“ ist ein unglaublich brutales Buch. Das Buch ist voller Foltermethoden und somit ein muss für alle, die es sehr extrem mögen. Zu Beginn zog sich das Buch noch etwas, aber gerade zum Ende wurde es super spannend und ich hätte gerne jetzt Teil 2.
Nach einem richtig tollen Extremband und einem eher durchschnittlichen Band, war ich nun super gespannt, auf den neusten Teil der Reihe und habe mich auf viel Blut und Brutalität gefreut.Genau das bekam ich auch von Anfang an. Schon die ersten 50 Seiten sind unfassbar brutal und blutig. Seth verübt krasse Folterszenen und bestraft so die Menschen, bei denen er denkt, dass sie das Gesetz nicht hart genug bestraft hat. Das erschreckende bei der Folter ist, dass er sie so foltert, dass sie möglichst große Schmerzen haben, aber auch möglichst lange überleben, zur Not versucht er sie ein Stück weit zu heilen.
Das Buch ist definitiv extremer als „Population Zero“ und „Willkommen in Hell, Texas“ und für alle die noch mehr wollen. Es gab wirklich sehr viele eklige Stellen, bei den ich mich auch gefragt habe, wie das überhaupt funktionieren kann. Aber wissen möchte ich es definitiv nicht.
Natürlich geht es nicht nur um Folter, sondern Seth erzählt seinen Opfern auch, warum er andere gefangen genommen hat und wie er dabei vor gegangen ist. Dadurch erfährt man sehr viel Opfer, was super interessant war.
Für mich fehlte es dem Buch zu Beginn aber leider an Spannung. Die Geschichte hatte zu Beginn sehr langatmige Stellen, da es um nur um Folter ging. Gerade zum Ende hin konnte mich das Buch dann aber total packen und es endet einfach so gemein, sodass ich mich riesig auf Teil 2 freue.
Fazit:
„Ein Blick in die Hölle 1“ ist ein unglaublich brutales Buch. Das Buch ist voller Foltermethoden und somit ein muss für alle, die es sehr extrem mögen. Zu Beginn zog sich das Buch noch etwas, aber gerade zum Ende wurde es super spannend und ich hätte gerne jetzt Teil 2.
September 13, 2021
This is page after page of gore and then more gore. We get the story of what each person did to deserve such torture. In the background, the torturer is telling these stories to someone who doesn't understand why they're there. We do find out. Eventually
November 5, 2019
The Angel of Vengeance is Garrett's first novel, and the premiere of a quintology he's labeled "A Glimpse Into Hell". All five books revolve around one man's quest to punish those who, in his eyes, have evaded justice. Whether they've carried on their evil deeds without being caught, lucked into it thanks to an incompetent prosecutor, bought their way via highly-paid defense lawyers, or shimmied through a crack in the system thanks to police error, the virtue of being under-age, or a jury more sympathetic to the plight of a thug than the sorrow of a wronged family doesn't matter. Seth Coker believes in equal opportunity, and that means if you cause undue harm or suffering to another human being, you should have the equal opportunity to share in their misery.
Coker operates his own underground hideout, allowing him to go about his work undetected and unmolested by the outside world. Careful to a fault, he's frustrated cops in multiple states with his ability to track down his prey, subject them to hours of unspeakable agonies, then leave their remains for detectives to puzzle over...and the ones the police find were lucky.
The unlucky ones, the child molesters, gang bangers, murderers, rapists, low-lifes, and druggies? They get dragged back to Coker's hellhole, where his knowledge of medicine, biology, and anatomy along with his awe-inspiring cache of everything from simple gardening tools and fishing equipment to acquisitions from medical supply companies, machine shops, and finer hardware stores everywhere ensure the torment can last for weeks, months, or even longer depending on their sins. Once Coker has you, death is your only escape. You can beg, plead, cajole, bribe, and threaten--it won't matter. Coker's The Angel of Vengeance, and he and he alone decides when you've had enough.
Spoiler alert: you've never had enough.
Poor Dicky's one of the unlucky few to earn himself a caged residency in Coker's torture chamber. He's not sure what he's done to deserve it (he's never killed anybody, never committed a sex crime, never even broken the law as far as he's aware), and Coker's in no hurry to explain. Instead, Dicky (and by extension the reader) is getting the E-Ticket treatment: a fully-guided show 'n' tell of Coker's oubliette, with a long, loving, detailed-down-to-the-last-testicle-rupture explanation of the who's, the why's, and (most importantly) the what's and how's of Seth's previous guests, not all of whom have hit their expiration dates.
After that, it's Dicky's turn...
If you're like me, the first thing you thought to yourself upon reading the description was, "A Dexter knockoff torture-porn crossover." You wouldn't be far wrong. The main difference is Dexter's intention isn't to punish, but to purify. He avenges a very specific crime and pursues a very specific kind of criminal, one who is utterly beyond redemption. Seth Coker, on the other hand, is interested in nothing beyond his desire to update Dante's Divine Comedy and the Spanish Inquisition for 21st centuryaesthetics. Strip Batman of his code of ethics while retaining the rest of his crime-fighting abilities and access to gear, and you'd get Coker almost to a T -- it wouldn't surprise me to learn this is what inspired Garrett in the first place.
You can tell Garrett's absolutely in love with the idea and his main character. He's got quite an imagination for ways to punish evildoers in his Stygian cellar, and there's no denying most of these assholes (as well as the garden-variety turds he occasionally frags for the lulz) are deserving. The difference between most of humanity and Garrett is that we may fantasize for a few hours about doing obscene things to the guy who beat a murder rap, and then forget about it.
Garrett doesn't forget.
The Angel of Vengeance is not for the faint-hearted or weak-stomached, and it very well may deserve the moniker of "most gruesome series on the market", but before you rush out to grab it for your Kindle, you need to know something else. While Garrett's imagination for inventive ways to break bones and spill body fluids is limitless, his writing skill is not.
I don't want people to get the wrong idea here: I'm not tearing into him as a bad writer; he's finding his success on the indie circuit, so more power to him. But as a reviewer I'd be amiss in failing to mention the book's flaws, and they are legion.
Garrett's stated publicly he doesn't read other fiction writers, preferring to stick with non-fiction stuff both for personal edification and research, and unfortunately it shows. All authors need a style, but it's something they develop over years of careful refinement, by studying, borrowing, swapping out, improving as they see how others do things and adapting for the times. Garrett admits he doesn't do this, nor does he have editors or proofreaders beyond what people on the internet help him with voluntarily, and again, it's obvious. His style reads like a high school creative writing student who has discovered how fun it is to tell stories for the first time, but hasn't learned the difference between flow and ramble. Remember back to anything you wrote in tenth grade, and unless you were Isaac Asimov, you'd agree it wasn't exactly up to publishing house standards.
Garrett's story is compelling, but it's compelling in a 'scraping-the-bottom-of-the-barrel' way, along the same lines as watching dash-cam accident footage. Much like Tommy Wiseau's The Room, it's compelling simply because it exists, not necessarily because it's good.
Every creative writer on the face of the planet is familiar with the adage "Show, don't tell," but The Angel of Vengeance is a never-ending stream of tell, after tell, after tell. This is a result of the technique Garrett chose for his narrative, which consists of Seth Coker explaining to the kidnapped Dicky who he is and what he does. Lots of other stories take "relating an incident to another person" as a way of conveying information to the audience, but Garrett, as virtually all beginning writers do, struggles with passive voice, a profusion of adverbs, and an ear for dialog that, while not exactly tin, still leaves one cringing. It's bad enough when one of his characters won't shut up; it's worse when said character manages to somehow talk in full, complete, coherent sentences even after Coker's subjected him to the kind of abuse that would render a man incapable of forming coherent thoughts through the resultant miasma of pain. Coker's victims aren't supposed to be sympathetic, but they are supposed to be people -- it's not too much to ask they behave like real ones instead of actors reading lines, is it?
The Saw franchise works on a similar premise, but to understand the difference, imagine that instead of watching the struggles of the people enmeshed in Jigsaw's schemes, the fight for survival, and the ingenious brutality of each crafted trap, the audience was instead subjected to John Kramer relating what happened to a certain victim without the visuals. The 'reverse bear trap' is horrifying for two reasons: first is its intention, which is to tear a person's head apart by forcibly prying the jaws until they separate; the other is because we see, first-hand, what it does to the person so entrapped should they fail to get out. We can hear someone explain to us verbally how the contraption functions, but words can never supplement the pure horror of the demonstration Amanda watches on the screen.
Garrett, sadly, shows no sense of understanding that both are required to truly horrify, so he spends pages and pages having Seth tell Dicky what he did to his victims, and not one single paragraph showing us instead. Here's an example from early in the book, when Coker's describing the scene the morning after he's subjected his first victim to a round of abuse (a thorough beating via brass knuckles):
Yes, the scene he's painting is an awful one, but it's painted it with brushes so broad they could mark traffic lanes. He's telling what happened, thus instead of reading like a scene out of a horror novel, it reads like a page from a police report. There's no emotion in this. There's no reader engagement. It's gore porn (gorn?), but it's amateur gorn. Four hundred-plus pages of it with no changes or improvements in style.
If that's what you're looking for, if that's the mood you're in, if that's all it takes to entertain you, then you're already loading The Angel of Vengeance and its four sequels into your e-reader right now, and there's not a damn thing wrong with that. There's a market for it, Garrett's found it, and it goes down easier once you realize you're buying into the fantasies of a guy who's still a neophyte at his craft.
But if you looked at that cover, the tag line, or the five-star reviews on Amazon or Goodreads and thought you stumbled upon the second-coming of extreme horror, maybe found the guy who could give Wrath James White nightmares, break Edward Lee's psyche, and make Ryan Harding puke up his guts, you'll want to look elsewhere. Garrett's a one-trick pony. It's a fine trick, trailblazing in its own right, and it's earned him a following, but it's middle-of-the-road in plot and total amateur hour in its wooden execution. Take away the prolonged torture sessions and inventive punishments dispensed by Coker and you'd struggle to find any real story despite the page count. It's packed with imaginative, if rote, recitations of brutality inflicted upon the human body, and the results thereof, but hamstrung by clunky dialog, lack of a good editor, a running time that could have been cut in half, and no real reason to exist except as a rough concept which other, better authors will mine, polish, and craft into something worthy of turning the Extreme Horror genre on its fucked up ear.
No nominations for most disturbing scene this time around. The book's basically one unending orgy of bone-breaking, eye-gouging, genital-sawing, anus-penetrating, limb-amputating, teeth-shattering, nail-pounding, flesh-burning, finger-stripping, hair-pulling, face-melting, blood-vomiting, back-breaking, organ-penetrating, squeal-like-a-piggy-boy-demanding carnage. Flip to a page at random and you'll find depictions of something awful happening, having just happened, or about to happen.
Two weeping eye sockets out of five for the average reader; four out of five for people willing to give themselves completely to the fantasy of Coker's Judge, Jury, and Executioner persona and also willing to overlook the flaws noted above. I've averaged it to a 3-star rating for purposes of this review here.
In closing, I feel a need to point out Garrett's obsession with the word 'wiener'. Seriously, there are half a million slang terms for the male genitals that don't sound like a third-grade playground insult, but big, bad Seth Coker just loves taking about wieners. If this was intentional, then I give the author a high five for making me giggle every time he does it. If it was accidental, then I dunno, man...Urban Thesaurus has seventeen pages' worth of synonyms for a dude's junk. Maybe give a few of them a try every so often?
Coker operates his own underground hideout, allowing him to go about his work undetected and unmolested by the outside world. Careful to a fault, he's frustrated cops in multiple states with his ability to track down his prey, subject them to hours of unspeakable agonies, then leave their remains for detectives to puzzle over...and the ones the police find were lucky.
The unlucky ones, the child molesters, gang bangers, murderers, rapists, low-lifes, and druggies? They get dragged back to Coker's hellhole, where his knowledge of medicine, biology, and anatomy along with his awe-inspiring cache of everything from simple gardening tools and fishing equipment to acquisitions from medical supply companies, machine shops, and finer hardware stores everywhere ensure the torment can last for weeks, months, or even longer depending on their sins. Once Coker has you, death is your only escape. You can beg, plead, cajole, bribe, and threaten--it won't matter. Coker's The Angel of Vengeance, and he and he alone decides when you've had enough.
Spoiler alert: you've never had enough.
Poor Dicky's one of the unlucky few to earn himself a caged residency in Coker's torture chamber. He's not sure what he's done to deserve it (he's never killed anybody, never committed a sex crime, never even broken the law as far as he's aware), and Coker's in no hurry to explain. Instead, Dicky (and by extension the reader) is getting the E-Ticket treatment: a fully-guided show 'n' tell of Coker's oubliette, with a long, loving, detailed-down-to-the-last-testicle-rupture explanation of the who's, the why's, and (most importantly) the what's and how's of Seth's previous guests, not all of whom have hit their expiration dates.
After that, it's Dicky's turn...
If you're like me, the first thing you thought to yourself upon reading the description was, "A Dexter knockoff torture-porn crossover." You wouldn't be far wrong. The main difference is Dexter's intention isn't to punish, but to purify. He avenges a very specific crime and pursues a very specific kind of criminal, one who is utterly beyond redemption. Seth Coker, on the other hand, is interested in nothing beyond his desire to update Dante's Divine Comedy and the Spanish Inquisition for 21st centuryaesthetics. Strip Batman of his code of ethics while retaining the rest of his crime-fighting abilities and access to gear, and you'd get Coker almost to a T -- it wouldn't surprise me to learn this is what inspired Garrett in the first place.
You can tell Garrett's absolutely in love with the idea and his main character. He's got quite an imagination for ways to punish evildoers in his Stygian cellar, and there's no denying most of these assholes (as well as the garden-variety turds he occasionally frags for the lulz) are deserving. The difference between most of humanity and Garrett is that we may fantasize for a few hours about doing obscene things to the guy who beat a murder rap, and then forget about it.
Garrett doesn't forget.
The Angel of Vengeance is not for the faint-hearted or weak-stomached, and it very well may deserve the moniker of "most gruesome series on the market", but before you rush out to grab it for your Kindle, you need to know something else. While Garrett's imagination for inventive ways to break bones and spill body fluids is limitless, his writing skill is not.
I don't want people to get the wrong idea here: I'm not tearing into him as a bad writer; he's finding his success on the indie circuit, so more power to him. But as a reviewer I'd be amiss in failing to mention the book's flaws, and they are legion.
Garrett's stated publicly he doesn't read other fiction writers, preferring to stick with non-fiction stuff both for personal edification and research, and unfortunately it shows. All authors need a style, but it's something they develop over years of careful refinement, by studying, borrowing, swapping out, improving as they see how others do things and adapting for the times. Garrett admits he doesn't do this, nor does he have editors or proofreaders beyond what people on the internet help him with voluntarily, and again, it's obvious. His style reads like a high school creative writing student who has discovered how fun it is to tell stories for the first time, but hasn't learned the difference between flow and ramble. Remember back to anything you wrote in tenth grade, and unless you were Isaac Asimov, you'd agree it wasn't exactly up to publishing house standards.
Garrett's story is compelling, but it's compelling in a 'scraping-the-bottom-of-the-barrel' way, along the same lines as watching dash-cam accident footage. Much like Tommy Wiseau's The Room, it's compelling simply because it exists, not necessarily because it's good.
Every creative writer on the face of the planet is familiar with the adage "Show, don't tell," but The Angel of Vengeance is a never-ending stream of tell, after tell, after tell. This is a result of the technique Garrett chose for his narrative, which consists of Seth Coker explaining to the kidnapped Dicky who he is and what he does. Lots of other stories take "relating an incident to another person" as a way of conveying information to the audience, but Garrett, as virtually all beginning writers do, struggles with passive voice, a profusion of adverbs, and an ear for dialog that, while not exactly tin, still leaves one cringing. It's bad enough when one of his characters won't shut up; it's worse when said character manages to somehow talk in full, complete, coherent sentences even after Coker's subjected him to the kind of abuse that would render a man incapable of forming coherent thoughts through the resultant miasma of pain. Coker's victims aren't supposed to be sympathetic, but they are supposed to be people -- it's not too much to ask they behave like real ones instead of actors reading lines, is it?
The Saw franchise works on a similar premise, but to understand the difference, imagine that instead of watching the struggles of the people enmeshed in Jigsaw's schemes, the fight for survival, and the ingenious brutality of each crafted trap, the audience was instead subjected to John Kramer relating what happened to a certain victim without the visuals. The 'reverse bear trap' is horrifying for two reasons: first is its intention, which is to tear a person's head apart by forcibly prying the jaws until they separate; the other is because we see, first-hand, what it does to the person so entrapped should they fail to get out. We can hear someone explain to us verbally how the contraption functions, but words can never supplement the pure horror of the demonstration Amanda watches on the screen.
Garrett, sadly, shows no sense of understanding that both are required to truly horrify, so he spends pages and pages having Seth tell Dicky what he did to his victims, and not one single paragraph showing us instead. Here's an example from early in the book, when Coker's describing the scene the morning after he's subjected his first victim to a round of abuse (a thorough beating via brass knuckles):
"The next evening when I came back, I found Larry slumped over like a limp noodle. He was so exhausted and weak from the loss of blood that he didn’t even have the energy to hold himself up. He was hideous looking. His face looked like one big bruise and his entire head and body were severely swollen and stained with dry blood. His front teeth were missing, and the broken pieces were scattered all over the blood and vomit covered floor. His lips were busted open and swollen about four times their normal size and I could see his gums through the large open gashes. His arms and hands were so busted up and swollen they were unnatural looking. One of his eyes had ruptured and the massive amount of swelling had caused it to grotesquely protrude from its socket to the point it looked as if it was going to fall out. His other one was almost swollen shut, but he could still see. I was actually amazed he was still alive."
Yes, the scene he's painting is an awful one, but it's painted it with brushes so broad they could mark traffic lanes. He's telling what happened, thus instead of reading like a scene out of a horror novel, it reads like a page from a police report. There's no emotion in this. There's no reader engagement. It's gore porn (gorn?), but it's amateur gorn. Four hundred-plus pages of it with no changes or improvements in style.
If that's what you're looking for, if that's the mood you're in, if that's all it takes to entertain you, then you're already loading The Angel of Vengeance and its four sequels into your e-reader right now, and there's not a damn thing wrong with that. There's a market for it, Garrett's found it, and it goes down easier once you realize you're buying into the fantasies of a guy who's still a neophyte at his craft.
But if you looked at that cover, the tag line, or the five-star reviews on Amazon or Goodreads and thought you stumbled upon the second-coming of extreme horror, maybe found the guy who could give Wrath James White nightmares, break Edward Lee's psyche, and make Ryan Harding puke up his guts, you'll want to look elsewhere. Garrett's a one-trick pony. It's a fine trick, trailblazing in its own right, and it's earned him a following, but it's middle-of-the-road in plot and total amateur hour in its wooden execution. Take away the prolonged torture sessions and inventive punishments dispensed by Coker and you'd struggle to find any real story despite the page count. It's packed with imaginative, if rote, recitations of brutality inflicted upon the human body, and the results thereof, but hamstrung by clunky dialog, lack of a good editor, a running time that could have been cut in half, and no real reason to exist except as a rough concept which other, better authors will mine, polish, and craft into something worthy of turning the Extreme Horror genre on its fucked up ear.
No nominations for most disturbing scene this time around. The book's basically one unending orgy of bone-breaking, eye-gouging, genital-sawing, anus-penetrating, limb-amputating, teeth-shattering, nail-pounding, flesh-burning, finger-stripping, hair-pulling, face-melting, blood-vomiting, back-breaking, organ-penetrating, squeal-like-a-piggy-boy-demanding carnage. Flip to a page at random and you'll find depictions of something awful happening, having just happened, or about to happen.
Two weeping eye sockets out of five for the average reader; four out of five for people willing to give themselves completely to the fantasy of Coker's Judge, Jury, and Executioner persona and also willing to overlook the flaws noted above. I've averaged it to a 3-star rating for purposes of this review here.
In closing, I feel a need to point out Garrett's obsession with the word 'wiener'. Seriously, there are half a million slang terms for the male genitals that don't sound like a third-grade playground insult, but big, bad Seth Coker just loves taking about wieners. If this was intentional, then I give the author a high five for making me giggle every time he does it. If it was accidental, then I dunno, man...Urban Thesaurus has seventeen pages' worth of synonyms for a dude's junk. Maybe give a few of them a try every so often?
March 6, 2025
Such a crazy good book exited to start the second in series. Love the dark humour. 😂
January 4, 2016
I'm purely amazed!
I'm a twisted type of person. I enjoy studying sadistic murders and their killers. I also am a theistic Satanist, with high interest in the gruesome mind of others who actually can commit barbaric horrible acts. I myself have tried to write stories like these, and done MUCH research.
I must say... this is by far the best book I have ever read (keeping in mind I've only read first book, I'm sure I will state that again in next book review lol). I have never came across a more amazing, realistic, barbaric, sadisticlly written book in my life. Better than I could imagine! Thank you for writing such a wonderful work of art,and I can't wait to continue onto the next book in about an hour lol. Never thought I'd find the perfect book till now. Pure genius!
Wade H. Garrett, you have just earned a huge fan! Congratulations!
I'm a twisted type of person. I enjoy studying sadistic murders and their killers. I also am a theistic Satanist, with high interest in the gruesome mind of others who actually can commit barbaric horrible acts. I myself have tried to write stories like these, and done MUCH research.
I must say... this is by far the best book I have ever read (keeping in mind I've only read first book, I'm sure I will state that again in next book review lol). I have never came across a more amazing, realistic, barbaric, sadisticlly written book in my life. Better than I could imagine! Thank you for writing such a wonderful work of art,and I can't wait to continue onto the next book in about an hour lol. Never thought I'd find the perfect book till now. Pure genius!
Wade H. Garrett, you have just earned a huge fan! Congratulations!
August 4, 2014
This was the most gruesome and sadistic book that I have read. It flowed well. There are some surprises and it has a great ending. The author goes in a lot of detail, but it makes the story credible. I actually started rooting for the protagonist and his sick and twisted methods of punishments towards his victims; I felt they deserved what they received, even though most of the acts of punishment were very inhumane. It was a well-balanced read with plenty of dark humor. This book will not disappoint anyone looking for a gruesome horror/ thriller read.
December 24, 2015
deeply disturbing but oh so intriguing horror novel. This was dark, graphic and had me devouring the pages. my only complaint is that it.felt quite repetitive at times. I tired of the hero continually getting in his car, driving across country, checking into hotels to apprehend a predator. It was just too frequent of an occurrence. It was still a well.written horror novel and was graciously offered as a kindleunlimited. I'll definitely check out more of this writer's work.
November 12, 2020
I couldn’t finish this book as it’s just not for me I like detective gory stuff but this book sadly is not for me it’s like saw but in more detail and nothing else I was only 20% in and I was like ‘what am I doing reading this? Im just not enjoying this book’ it’s very dark maybe I’ll revisit one day in the future but not anytime soon!!
December 27, 2013
Wow....if you are a hard core horror reader, then this is for you, gruesome, bloody. Very graphic and each person he tortures . They deserve it, gutted I have finished the book! but there is a sequel :) soon! Would recommend this book to like minded readers of extreme horror
July 29, 2014
this was the only book that i have read that i could not put down....the Author knows how to keep people on the edge of the seat, graphic and very gruesome book...which is what i like.....bring on the next one Wade H Garrett....
April 22, 2024
(I speak for myself, and no one else - this review is extremely biased)
I started reading this book, because when I googled the most hardcore horror books, this one always popped up. I worked in the death industry (and write horror myself) so a lot doesn’t phase me anymore. I wanted to see what I could find that was actually “fucked up” in the land of novels.
This book was one of the hardest I’ve ever had to read - not because it was “extreme” (which imo, didn't feel extreme, just overdone), but because I wanted to do anything else that wasn’t read it. I carried the book around with me in my bag, and found everything else to do that wasn’t read it. I started reading it before bed, but my brain wanted to do literally anything - including being unconscious, microdosing death - rather than read this.
It took me nearly 9 months to finish the damn thing. I DNF’d when I was at about 52%, then decided to pick it up again because I was over halfway through. Then I DNF’d again around 60-something%. Then picked it up again out of pure spite.
My roommate made fun of me relentlessly for trying to finish this book. One of my coworkers has made fun of me for it. One of my coworker’s friends that I met at Trivia one week made fun of me for it, and I had never even met her before. This book is like a mosquito bite that won’t leave me alone, and not in the good way.
But anyways.
A small list of why I disliked this book:
1. This reads like an edgy teenager trying to come up with the most “metal” things an MC can do, then slamming them all into one book. Somehow our MC can do immaculate costuming and prosthesis to disguise himself, and alter his car on a whim, and do perfect surgery on people (and them all survive), afford every piece of equipment he’s using through all these escapades, and attack police officers, etc etc etc - all while somehow never leaving any evidence tied to him anywhere.
2. The torture just isn’t feasible. The torture chamber isn’t feasible. It’s just…well it’s “extreme horror” that is existing for the sake of existing, and not for the sake of being realistic - which is inherently fine, but (in my opinion) should at least be written well to make up for it
3. If you have to constantly fall back on re-using phrases like “the most gruesome you’ve ever seen” or “that you couldn’t even come up with in your dreams” over and over…you’re not selling me.
4. This ENTIRE thing is massively over-telling. Which I get it, MC is rambling about the stories to Dicky. But 400 pages of straight (bad quality) telling of every detail about contraptions alongside the torture isn’t a book I want to read. I don't need a page worth of the exact dimensions and design of your human pegboard.
Decent Qualities:
1. there were some hilarious one-liners
2. I talked about this book to so many people for it being terrible. I met other people, because the book was terrible. Multiple people read the sample of it, and we had a good time critiquing and complaining.
3. I gained a newfound appreciation for other horror books and my own writing, because the quality comparison with this one
I have been wracking my brain, and I don’t believe I’ve read a book that scores WORSE on my scale - this may be the new top of my “Bad Books” list, above “ToeBangers from Outer Space” and “Gore-juice.” I read My Immortal with more zeal and enthusiasm. Hell, I read the Bible with more enthusiasm.
ALL OF THAT BEING SAID – If this novel is ACTUALLY satire, then it’s a hilarious masterpiece that should have been 100 pages shorter.
If it is NOT satire, then it’s just...egregiously terrible.
I could keep going, but I’m not going to. I’m very ready for this book to stop following me around.
I started reading this book, because when I googled the most hardcore horror books, this one always popped up. I worked in the death industry (and write horror myself) so a lot doesn’t phase me anymore. I wanted to see what I could find that was actually “fucked up” in the land of novels.
This book was one of the hardest I’ve ever had to read - not because it was “extreme” (which imo, didn't feel extreme, just overdone), but because I wanted to do anything else that wasn’t read it. I carried the book around with me in my bag, and found everything else to do that wasn’t read it. I started reading it before bed, but my brain wanted to do literally anything - including being unconscious, microdosing death - rather than read this.
It took me nearly 9 months to finish the damn thing. I DNF’d when I was at about 52%, then decided to pick it up again because I was over halfway through. Then I DNF’d again around 60-something%. Then picked it up again out of pure spite.
My roommate made fun of me relentlessly for trying to finish this book. One of my coworkers has made fun of me for it. One of my coworker’s friends that I met at Trivia one week made fun of me for it, and I had never even met her before. This book is like a mosquito bite that won’t leave me alone, and not in the good way.
But anyways.
A small list of why I disliked this book:
1. This reads like an edgy teenager trying to come up with the most “metal” things an MC can do, then slamming them all into one book. Somehow our MC can do immaculate costuming and prosthesis to disguise himself, and alter his car on a whim, and do perfect surgery on people (and them all survive), afford every piece of equipment he’s using through all these escapades, and attack police officers, etc etc etc - all while somehow never leaving any evidence tied to him anywhere.
2. The torture just isn’t feasible. The torture chamber isn’t feasible. It’s just…well it’s “extreme horror” that is existing for the sake of existing, and not for the sake of being realistic - which is inherently fine, but (in my opinion) should at least be written well to make up for it
3. If you have to constantly fall back on re-using phrases like “the most gruesome you’ve ever seen” or “that you couldn’t even come up with in your dreams” over and over…you’re not selling me.
4. This ENTIRE thing is massively over-telling. Which I get it, MC is rambling about the stories to Dicky. But 400 pages of straight (bad quality) telling of every detail about contraptions alongside the torture isn’t a book I want to read. I don't need a page worth of the exact dimensions and design of your human pegboard.
Decent Qualities:
1. there were some hilarious one-liners
2. I talked about this book to so many people for it being terrible. I met other people, because the book was terrible. Multiple people read the sample of it, and we had a good time critiquing and complaining.
3. I gained a newfound appreciation for other horror books and my own writing, because the quality comparison with this one
I have been wracking my brain, and I don’t believe I’ve read a book that scores WORSE on my scale - this may be the new top of my “Bad Books” list, above “ToeBangers from Outer Space” and “Gore-juice.” I read My Immortal with more zeal and enthusiasm. Hell, I read the Bible with more enthusiasm.
ALL OF THAT BEING SAID – If this novel is ACTUALLY satire, then it’s a hilarious masterpiece that should have been 100 pages shorter.
If it is NOT satire, then it’s just...egregiously terrible.
I could keep going, but I’m not going to. I’m very ready for this book to stop following me around.
July 17, 2019
*dusts off his old GoodReads account just to post this review*
I'm normally not into gore, but I found this book through a recommendation thread about books similar to the SAW movies. I was intrigued, so had to check it out.
Holy shit.
This book was *insane* in the levels of gore, and I found myself unable to put the book down. I loved it, and I loved Seth's character--Seth is who really pulled me into the story. I want to know more about him, especially what he does for a day job, who his friends are, and how big is his house???? Seth pulled me into the story, and now I want to read the rest of them.
I'm normally not into gore, but I found this book through a recommendation thread about books similar to the SAW movies. I was intrigued, so had to check it out.
Holy shit.
This book was *insane* in the levels of gore, and I found myself unable to put the book down. I loved it, and I loved Seth's character--Seth is who really pulled me into the story. I want to know more about him, especially what he does for a day job, who his friends are, and how big is his house???? Seth pulled me into the story, and now I want to read the rest of them.
November 1, 2014
Disgusting, abhorrent and astounding. It is exceptionally difficult to write a review about this book.
This book is seriously an experience. I had to keep putting it down to process the vile and graphic imagery - all the while applauding Wade for his message. Halfway through the book I had dreams about it and about Seth. When a book sticks with me then I know it is a good one.
Art must disturb. Boy, does this disturb.
I must mention that I am a gore hound and am definitely no stranger to extreme media. I was seriously skeptical when I read the reviews on here, and I honesty laughed away the warning that the book has. I am more than happy to admit that I should have taken that warning seriously and this book is a ride through extremely dark territory.
A lot of the extremely disturbing books I have read have been extreme in only their violence... or their lack of the English language. Wade, however, tortures his readers with his well written and extremely descriptive prose. Moreover, he doesn't only rely on depraved acts of violence to torture you - he goes a step further and literally rapes your mind with the severe psychological torture Seth inflicts on his victims.
One of the most disturbing - and messed up things that I found about this book (and what really struck a cord with me), was that I could completely and utterly relate to Seth and why he exacted such extreme vengeance on his victims. It is this aspect that really makes this book stand out for me - Seth is completely human, and likeable. At times I found myself laughing at his jokes and then cringing at what he was doing to his victims. Wade makes some extremely interesting points about society and our viewpoints on criminals, and how we punish them.
While this book is definitely not for everyone, I think those who really appreciate excruciatingly dark and violent novels will love this. Heed the warning! If you are in any way offended or sickened by graphic accounts of violence - DON'T read this. However, if you want to read something that makes the SAW films look like a kindergartner wrote them... then this is definitely up your alley.
I am stoked that Wade has written a sequel and cannot wait to read about Seth and his exploits.
This book is seriously an experience. I had to keep putting it down to process the vile and graphic imagery - all the while applauding Wade for his message. Halfway through the book I had dreams about it and about Seth. When a book sticks with me then I know it is a good one.
Art must disturb. Boy, does this disturb.
I must mention that I am a gore hound and am definitely no stranger to extreme media. I was seriously skeptical when I read the reviews on here, and I honesty laughed away the warning that the book has. I am more than happy to admit that I should have taken that warning seriously and this book is a ride through extremely dark territory.
A lot of the extremely disturbing books I have read have been extreme in only their violence... or their lack of the English language. Wade, however, tortures his readers with his well written and extremely descriptive prose. Moreover, he doesn't only rely on depraved acts of violence to torture you - he goes a step further and literally rapes your mind with the severe psychological torture Seth inflicts on his victims.
One of the most disturbing - and messed up things that I found about this book (and what really struck a cord with me), was that I could completely and utterly relate to Seth and why he exacted such extreme vengeance on his victims. It is this aspect that really makes this book stand out for me - Seth is completely human, and likeable. At times I found myself laughing at his jokes and then cringing at what he was doing to his victims. Wade makes some extremely interesting points about society and our viewpoints on criminals, and how we punish them.
While this book is definitely not for everyone, I think those who really appreciate excruciatingly dark and violent novels will love this. Heed the warning! If you are in any way offended or sickened by graphic accounts of violence - DON'T read this. However, if you want to read something that makes the SAW films look like a kindergartner wrote them... then this is definitely up your alley.
I am stoked that Wade has written a sequel and cannot wait to read about Seth and his exploits.
January 31, 2016
Extremely graphic as promised. I also enjoy getting to know Seth and what brought him to this place. This series really plays on the minds of each of us when someone has done something horrible to a loved one and, though we are taught to never think such things, we want to see the wrong doer truly pay the price for what they've done.
Clearly Wade Garrett has done extensive research because many of the things he describes are truly horrific...or at least, I hope he researched all this and didn't just have it inside him already. LOL
If you are looking for extreme gore and horrific detail, you've come home! I'm reading the second in the series now and enjoying it even more than this first one...more story line and we get inside Seth far more. He is a good man in many ways believe it or not.
Clearly Wade Garrett has done extensive research because many of the things he describes are truly horrific...or at least, I hope he researched all this and didn't just have it inside him already. LOL
If you are looking for extreme gore and horrific detail, you've come home! I'm reading the second in the series now and enjoying it even more than this first one...more story line and we get inside Seth far more. He is a good man in many ways believe it or not.
April 18, 2016
This book was epic. I usually never writet a review, but this story had everything you want from love, love lost and absolutely gruesome revenge. It also talks of how our society is getting lax in the judicial side. He is writing what everyone is thinking. I did feel he was a bit too technical on all his forensic explanation, but all in all a great read it is the stuff of nightmares. I recommend this to anyone looking for in your face horror. It definitely gave me nightmares after reading and gave me moments I had to put the kindle down because alone of the things he describes are just gruesome to take in at that moment. Some of the things he describes you say to yourself is that even possible? It was most awesome read.
This book was epic. This story was absolutely gruesome. A bit much on the forensics, but in your face horror.
This book was epic. This story was absolutely gruesome. A bit much on the forensics, but in your face horror.
September 29, 2015
Loved it
This book is horrendously gory and beautifully written. Seth is just fucking awesome. He's a pretty complex guy to say the least. He seeks justice for victims that have been failed by our judicial system and commits horrific acts upon the people he deems worthy of punishment. It actually scares me how often I find myself agreeing with his views and urging him on. He's super passionate about what does and he's highly intelligent and overall, a very interesting character. I enjoyed this book a lot and I highly recommend it. But definitely keep in mind that it is not for the faint of heart! =)
This book is horrendously gory and beautifully written. Seth is just fucking awesome. He's a pretty complex guy to say the least. He seeks justice for victims that have been failed by our judicial system and commits horrific acts upon the people he deems worthy of punishment. It actually scares me how often I find myself agreeing with his views and urging him on. He's super passionate about what does and he's highly intelligent and overall, a very interesting character. I enjoyed this book a lot and I highly recommend it. But definitely keep in mind that it is not for the faint of heart! =)
August 4, 2014
This was an extremely gruesome read. I love hardcore stuff and this one was almost too much at times, especially being a man. The acts of torture definitely fall in the splatterpunk genre, but they are interwoven in a really good storyline that is original and thought provoking. Unlike most splatterpunk books, the gruesome stuff in this one isn’t just for the shock value, it has a purpose and fits the storyline. The book as a whole isn’t splatterpunk, it’s more extreme-horror sprinkled with splatterpunk. If you can handle very graphic descriptions, you will enjoy this book.
December 24, 2013
This was the most twisted and gruesome story I have read. I love gore and this one definitely satisfied me. It's filled with gruesome acts from beginning to end. I love dark humor, and this one made me laugh and gag at the same time. I give this a thumbs up. Take a chance on this new author if you like sadistic acts of vengeance. Also all the ones punished were deserving and the main character, Seth, is awesome.
February 24, 2016
I don't care what anyone thinks of me but I loved this sadistic book. It was nonstop gore and I loved every minute of it. This book wont be for everyone and it is definitely a hate it or love it book. If you enjoy gruesome dark humor than you must check this one out.
January 15, 2018
Amazing!
I have read a lot of extreme gore/splatterpunk, but this beat them all! Not for the weak stomached. Looking forward to reading his other books!
I have read a lot of extreme gore/splatterpunk, but this beat them all! Not for the weak stomached. Looking forward to reading his other books!
October 18, 2025
PERFECT FOR FANS OF THE SAW MOVIES - IF YOU'RE NOT A FAN OF THOSE MOVIES, THE BOOK IS NOT FOR YOU.
PREMISE: In this book we follow a man named Seth Coaker who is speaking to a man that he has locked up in a cell. He tells the man about all different scenarios of horrible people who committed terrible crimes but did not, in his eyes, receive adequete justice for them. Therefore Seth sees himself as some sort of 'Angel of Vengeance', committing the acts of justice that the law didn't allow.
Through the read of this book, the reader starts to wonder why the listener trapped in the cell is there.
But Seth has his reasons and that victim is about to find out.
THOUGHTS: Wade H Garrett definitely achieved what he set out to achieve with this book. It's an Extreme Horror book, so to the end of 'fitting the bill' the book definitely does.
I thought the book was good. To say I enjoyed the read wouldn't sum my thoughts up correctly. It was more that I found the book intriguing.
As someone who is a fan of the psychology behind the saw movies franchise, I have been wanting to read a 'saw' book for a while now. Those books don't exist, but this is extremely close to that, so in the vein it gave me what I was looking for.
Think bad people getting a tortorous uppcomance.
The reveal was fantastic and the way it ended even more so.
I do plan to continue on with the series.
4 Stars
xoxo.
PREMISE: In this book we follow a man named Seth Coaker who is speaking to a man that he has locked up in a cell. He tells the man about all different scenarios of horrible people who committed terrible crimes but did not, in his eyes, receive adequete justice for them. Therefore Seth sees himself as some sort of 'Angel of Vengeance', committing the acts of justice that the law didn't allow.
Through the read of this book, the reader starts to wonder why the listener trapped in the cell is there.
But Seth has his reasons and that victim is about to find out.
THOUGHTS: Wade H Garrett definitely achieved what he set out to achieve with this book. It's an Extreme Horror book, so to the end of 'fitting the bill' the book definitely does.
I thought the book was good. To say I enjoyed the read wouldn't sum my thoughts up correctly. It was more that I found the book intriguing.
As someone who is a fan of the psychology behind the saw movies franchise, I have been wanting to read a 'saw' book for a while now. Those books don't exist, but this is extremely close to that, so in the vein it gave me what I was looking for.
Think bad people getting a tortorous uppcomance.
The reveal was fantastic and the way it ended even more so.
I do plan to continue on with the series.
4 Stars
xoxo.
September 19, 2022
Holy. Fuck.
January 28, 2024
I wish someone would have posted a spoiler review. So imma do it for the next person who gets to a point where you find the story redundant and sounding like it was written by a middle schooler writing an essay but trying to be "edgy" to shock his teacher.
I would like to preface this by saying I am NOT a novice to splatterpunk or extreme horror. Nothing about this book gave me the ick or made me want to stop reading because it was "too extreme" or because im "PC". Wrath James White, Aron Beauregard, Kristopher Triana, CM Guidroz and CJ Leede are amongst my favorite authors of all time. So this review is not coming from a misunderstanding of the genre.
With that said:
Dicky's name is Chuck. Chuck's son Jason and two of his friends attack a guy and a girl in the woods, kills the girl and leaves the guy stuck to a tree with a knife. Chuck is the sheriff and helps his son Jason and Jason's two friends get rid of evidence and made up alibi so they wouldnt get caught for what they did. The guy.... was Seth. The last two stories Seth tells using nicknames are Jason and his two friends. Seth's torture for Chuck is to remain locked in the cell in front of where his son and his friends are being tortured and watch his son be tortured.
After you find this out, a cop knocks at the door and comes in to talk to Seth and Seth recognizes the cop as the person who killed his parents in a car accident and he attacks the cop taking him down to the torture chamber ...queue Book 2: Angel of Death.
Youre welcome.
If you are wondering what this dude does for a living to have all this medical knowledge and equipment and mechanical knowledge and seemingly endless money... he was in contruction, then started in a cabinet shop, then opened his own wood shop. And apparently we are supposed to believe he has the money for all this stuff.
Garrett writes essentially the same story over and over and over in this book. Its entirely too repetitive, and there is NOTHING in his writing that gives good imagery to immerse you in the story or to feel like youre watching the scenes unfold. There is no sense of dread after the first two stories Seth tells because its all the same. When I first started this book I was so excited... it was extreme and it was gory. Then just was on repeat. Every prisoner calls him a sick f*** and threatens to kill him and tells him he wont get away with it. They all somehow speak clearly even with their tongues stretched, hooked, or nailed.
Seth has unlimited knowledge and skills and money apparently since he can rig cars to be remote, devices to stall cars, machines that keep patients in comas and moving during it, afford torture contraptions, keep many people barely alive, has access to medical drugs and equipment, tattoo intricate tattoos on victims, and despite unsanitary conditions of the surrounding...implements sanitation on tools and victims??
So many holes in this story. I tried to find a spoiler online and couldnt find one so i was forced to read the whole book. So now im leaving this review to save anyone like me who finds it boring and repetitive.
I would like to preface this by saying I am NOT a novice to splatterpunk or extreme horror. Nothing about this book gave me the ick or made me want to stop reading because it was "too extreme" or because im "PC". Wrath James White, Aron Beauregard, Kristopher Triana, CM Guidroz and CJ Leede are amongst my favorite authors of all time. So this review is not coming from a misunderstanding of the genre.
With that said:
Dicky's name is Chuck. Chuck's son Jason and two of his friends attack a guy and a girl in the woods, kills the girl and leaves the guy stuck to a tree with a knife. Chuck is the sheriff and helps his son Jason and Jason's two friends get rid of evidence and made up alibi so they wouldnt get caught for what they did. The guy.... was Seth. The last two stories Seth tells using nicknames are Jason and his two friends. Seth's torture for Chuck is to remain locked in the cell in front of where his son and his friends are being tortured and watch his son be tortured.
After you find this out, a cop knocks at the door and comes in to talk to Seth and Seth recognizes the cop as the person who killed his parents in a car accident and he attacks the cop taking him down to the torture chamber ...queue Book 2: Angel of Death.
Youre welcome.
If you are wondering what this dude does for a living to have all this medical knowledge and equipment and mechanical knowledge and seemingly endless money... he was in contruction, then started in a cabinet shop, then opened his own wood shop. And apparently we are supposed to believe he has the money for all this stuff.
Garrett writes essentially the same story over and over and over in this book. Its entirely too repetitive, and there is NOTHING in his writing that gives good imagery to immerse you in the story or to feel like youre watching the scenes unfold. There is no sense of dread after the first two stories Seth tells because its all the same. When I first started this book I was so excited... it was extreme and it was gory. Then just was on repeat. Every prisoner calls him a sick f*** and threatens to kill him and tells him he wont get away with it. They all somehow speak clearly even with their tongues stretched, hooked, or nailed.
Seth has unlimited knowledge and skills and money apparently since he can rig cars to be remote, devices to stall cars, machines that keep patients in comas and moving during it, afford torture contraptions, keep many people barely alive, has access to medical drugs and equipment, tattoo intricate tattoos on victims, and despite unsanitary conditions of the surrounding...implements sanitation on tools and victims??
So many holes in this story. I tried to find a spoiler online and couldnt find one so i was forced to read the whole book. So now im leaving this review to save anyone like me who finds it boring and repetitive.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 7, 2024
Overkill
This book could easily have been 100-150 pages shorter and still told the same story. I loved the idea and the story was really good for the most part, its was just too drawn out. Too much of the same over and over again.
This book could easily have been 100-150 pages shorter and still told the same story. I loved the idea and the story was really good for the most part, its was just too drawn out. Too much of the same over and over again.
December 14, 2016
Ganz ehrlich? Ich bin ja vieles gewohnt und lese mittlerweile fast ausschließlich Extreme Horror. Aber Wade H. Garrett bildet aktuell die Spitze des Eisberges! Wade öffnet in Buch 1 seiner Angel of Vengeance Reihe alle Schubladen eines – glaubt mir – riesigen Folter-Schrankes!
Dem Klappentext kann man ja nicht viele Informationen entnehmen.
Der augenscheinlich normale Kerl Seth ist allerdings alles andere als normal. Er nimmt Rache an Vergewaltigern, korrupten Richtern und Mördern, die der Justiz entkommen sind. Aber er tötet sie nicht einfach nur, sondern Foltert seine „Gäste“ und lässt sich damit teilweise Monate, sogar Jahre Zeit.
Der Autor nimmt kein Blatt vor den Mund und stapelt eine grausame Abartigkeit an die andere.
Mich hat das deutsche Erstlingswerk von Wade H. Garrett wirklich beeindruckt. Genau so muss extreme Horror sein! Ich freue mich schon auf Buch 2 und bin wirklich gespannt, wie es mit Seth weitergeht!
Hartgesottene Extremehorrorleser kommen definitiv auf ihre Kosten!
Dem Klappentext kann man ja nicht viele Informationen entnehmen.
Der augenscheinlich normale Kerl Seth ist allerdings alles andere als normal. Er nimmt Rache an Vergewaltigern, korrupten Richtern und Mördern, die der Justiz entkommen sind. Aber er tötet sie nicht einfach nur, sondern Foltert seine „Gäste“ und lässt sich damit teilweise Monate, sogar Jahre Zeit.
Der Autor nimmt kein Blatt vor den Mund und stapelt eine grausame Abartigkeit an die andere.
Mich hat das deutsche Erstlingswerk von Wade H. Garrett wirklich beeindruckt. Genau so muss extreme Horror sein! Ich freue mich schon auf Buch 2 und bin wirklich gespannt, wie es mit Seth weitergeht!
Hartgesottene Extremehorrorleser kommen definitiv auf ihre Kosten!
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