SNUFFSPORT

by Rhys Ware

Four underclass individuals are forced into a brutal game of survival on an island populated with sadistic gangs, deadly tasks, and bloodthirsty viewers who dictate their fate.
With drones delivering both aid and chaos, every move is broadcast to an underground audience, blending horror, exploitation, and cruelty.

The main influences behind SNUFFPORT
Battle Royale (Koushun Takami)
Outer Dark (Cormac McCarthy)
The Running Man (Richard Bachman)
Books of Blood (Clive Barker)
28 Days Later(Danny Boyle, Alex Garland)
Kill List (Ben Wheatley)
Dead Man's Shoes (Shane Meadows, Paddy Considine, Paul Fraser)
Twitch (online streaming platform)
Manhunt (Alan Davidson, James Worall, Christian Cantamessa)
The Long Walk (Richard Bachman)

A gritty, visceral story exploring the psychological torment of the characters and how they use their wits in an attempt to survive against scouting murderers, live viewers, and an artist director.

Features gore, violence, cruelty, animal death, one instance of child abuse, mention of self-harm.


PAPERBACKS AVAILABLE ON 26th AUGUST, 2025.

Genres: Horror

239 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 26, 2025

Reviews

[Nat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Snuffsport is a brutal, thought-provoking novel that reads like a horror version of The Hunger Games. It takes the concept of entertainment through violence and pushes it to terrifying new extremes. Rhys has crafted a story that is both horrifying and impossible to ignore, a dystopian nightmare that forces readers to question how far society is willing to go for a spectacle. It’s not for the faint of heart, but for those who can handle the intensity, Snuffsport is a must-read.

[Sandra R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dieses Buch hier war ein komplett spontaner Zwischenschub, nachdem ich auf Reddit einen Beitrag vom Autor gesehen hab. Als Arc Reader angefragt wurden, hab ich gleich mal hier geschrien.

Also erstmal das Cover: eigentlich gar nicht so meins, es hätte jetzt zumindestens nicht zu meiner Neugier beigetragen, aber wenn man ranzoomt und sich das genauer anguckt, ist es dann doch wieder cool. 😅

Die Story selbst war auch überraschend, denn ich hatte beim Titel, der Beschreibung und der Tatsache, dass der Post im Extrem-Horror Sub war, eigentlich schon damit gerechnet hier jetzt mit einem Metzelfest zu starten. Das war dann aber gar nicht der Fall, denn die Atmosphäre lebt hauptsächlich von der Tension, die die 'Spieler' die ganze Zeit fühlen, man folgt ihnen, irrt mit ihnen herum und hört ihren Gedanken zu. Und sowas liebe ich ja immer sehr. Blutig wird es aber natürlich trotzdem zwischendurch und gegen Ende gab es dann auch die Momente, in denen ich echt mitgefiebert habe. Der Schreibstil ist sehr ausschmückend, alles ist irgendwie bildhaft beschrieben, was super ist, aber mich deshalb auch etwas ausgebremst hat, grad weil es auf englisch ist. Ein paar häufige Wortwiederholungen sind mir aufgefallen, vor allem die Namen der Protagonisten.
War aber trotzdem sehr spannend und ich würde sagen, jeder der so Squid Game oder Menschenjagd interessant fand könnte hier mal reinschauen. 🙂

[Jai Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Snuffsport is really interesting take on the death games sub genre and it proudly wears its Battle Royale influence on its sleeve. Its strengths lie in its heavy, oppressive atmosphere and the different journeys its four main characters go through.

I would’ve liked to see more of the gangs on the island but I loved the ending and the way it hints at how deep this organisation goes.

I’d love a sequel, there’s definitely room to expand here and I’d love to delve deeper into the mysteries here.

[Komp · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was provided an ARC graciously by author Rhys Ware

A bold and fascinating take on the 'Battle Royale' genre, that leans more
towards the Schwarzenegger starring 'The Running Man' 'Ready or Not' and Walter Hill's 'The Warriors'. Yes, others will say it's like Hunger Games, even the author points to those comparisons, but I believe it's underselling the absolute thrill this book provides. It's not young people out to kill each other to win, it's disaffected people trying to survive an onslaught of ghoulish mercenaries.
That is the main difference that makes this entry into the genre fresh. Four young individuals from varying, devastating backgrounds find themselves launched into utter chaos and given a goal, survive the night. Of course you've heard of this logline, but what sets this particular book apart is the disparate leads that traverse the harrowing evils of their blood drenched adventures … and most importantly it is unrelenting and engaging. Each 'lead' is given an abrupt but informative backstory, their presence given weight. For easily confused readers as myself … character names are on their respective chapters. I found that I knew who-was-who though, as well defined they were written. Ware has given everyone in this anonymous hell enough meat to make each character compellingly disparate.

There's no science fiction, but modern technology used to track and set psychotics loose upon them and every single action sequence is riveting. From rooftop escapes, to claustrophobic sewer misadventures, there are a good amount of set pieces to keep your guts roiling in terror for these doomed (?) protagonists. I found the writing to be smart, clear and believable. The close calls felt legit, the psychotic breaks earned, the unrelenting violence to be expected. The fact that we see a realistic depiction of a dark web production falling apart at the seams is darkly funny. You ALWAYS see competence in these types of stories so the see the opposite of the bad guys always knowing what to do is incredibly invigorating.

I found the gore in the book to be at the appropriate level, it was brutal in a realistic sense. The villains (who sometimes get their own chapters) are rightfully grotesque, the heroes absolutely justified in getting as monstrous as their captors. The story moves along at a brisk pace and with the unrelenting action becomes a pretty quick read and worthwhile experience. No bull, one of the more enjoyable reads as of late. A stellar entry into survival horror and utterly brutal.

[Serena · Rating 5 out of 5]

I approached Snuffsport with caution, having seen the highs and lows of the “Extreme Horror” movement, but Ware’s novel floored me. The writing is sharp, immersive, and unflinching, pulling me into a world where the characters feel so real it’s impossible not to root for them.

The premise may recall Battle Royale or The Hunger Games, but the heart of the story lies in its people and in the unbearable tension of willing them to survive.

As a new mother with precious little free time, I gave every spare moment to this book, and I still didn’t want it to end. I’ll be first in line for whatever Ware writes next - especially if it’s a sequel ;)

[Corina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rhys has knocked it out of the park.

You feel the dreariness of the landscape, the fear of the players, the frustration of the gangs. For a concept that already exists, this has a whole new life breathed into it. You don't know what to expect next and so many things surprise and engage you.
The players individual setups and challenges are very unique. Having them in different locations makes you wonder that if they come across each other will they see friend or foe. You end up rooting for these people and feeling invested in their struggle to get out alive.
Looking forward to seeing more from this author.

[Ludivco Street · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid effort

A solid effort from (I think) a debut author? Some intense scenes and relatable characters, but the prose style was a bit flat for me, and some of the grammar took me out of it - see mixing past and present tense.

BUT - a cut above a lot of the slop you find in the extreme horror arena these days.
Better than one particular big name that I won’t bother mentioning.

3.5/5 - i will be interested where this writer goes next and what they bring to the table

[E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love Death Games and Dystopias then Snuffsport is for you! Fall into the madness and get sucked into the well written vivid setting as well as the thrilling action! Snuffsport is an exciting story that follows morally grey protagonists as they're puppeteered by merciless and bloodthirsty villains through a dark game that nobody would want to take part in...willingly.

The perfect book for the spooky season, I highly recommend!

[Brennan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cool battle royale style story, like if the hunger games was more terrifying and organized by internet trolls (that's how I picture "Chat"). It jumps between 4 main "contestants" with lots of action. I thought the pacing dragged a little in the middle despite a lot going on, but the book really found its stride around the time Elliot and Kristy teamed up. I couldn't put the book down during the last 25% - that was my favorite segment by far.

Overall grade: B

[Naomi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed the parallel with Hunger Games meets Black Mirror. It was a little confusing to read, really fast paced, but the action was decent. As an Arc reader, didn’t love reading in PDF format so I waited for the Kindle version to come out. Took me way longer than normal but I would recommend it!

[EK · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gritty and tense, the bridge scene had my heart palpatating. Ben's scenes in particular were TERRIFYING and actually made me feel sick. Love the writing style, felt very real, witty and filled with body horror, tension and psychological torment. Ben's scenes. 😦😦. Wow!

[Skye · Rating 3 out of 5]

SNUFFSPORT is about 4 individuals (Kristy Clemments, Benjamin James, Elliot Brant, and Tobin Mullins) that wake up on an abandoned island and find themselves forced to participate in a cruel game. Chat, the game director, talks to each player through an earpiece and orders them to complete fatal tasks. Alone and afraid, they each have to fight off killers who are hunting them…all for the viewers at home.

Great writing! I enjoyed how each character was introduced. The writing made me feel like I was there, watching it all unfold in front of me. Things really started to ramp up once Elliot and Kristy teamed up. I was rooting for them! I do wish there was more lore on the gangs on the island. Overall a fun read!

Thank you to Rhys Ware for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!