Reincarnage

Agent Orange #1

by Ryan Harding

In the 80's a supernatural killer known as Agent Orange terrorized the United States. No matter how many times he was killed, he kept coming back to spread death and mayhem. With no other choice, the government walled off the small town, woods, and lake that Agent Orange used as his hunting ground. This seemed to contain the killer and his killing sprees ended.

Or so the populace thought...

But really, the government has been kidnapping citizens and giving them to Agent Orange to sate his blood lust. A group of people from all walks of life now find themselves trapped and fighting for their lives against an unstoppable killer.

Reincarnage is a blood-splattered meta-tribute to the slasher genre.

Genres: Horror, Splatterpunk, Fiction, Paranormal

248 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 1, 2015

About the author

Ryan Harding is the four-time Splatterpunk Award-winning author of books like Transcendental Mutilation, Genital Grinder, and collaborations with Jason Taverner (Reincursion, Reincarnage), Kristopher Triana (The Night Stockers), Lucas Mangum (Pandemonium), and Edward Lee (Header 3). He wrote the novella The Profile for the all Me Hoop anthology, and wrote guest scenes in Jonathan Butcher's Your Loved Ones Will Die First and Matt Shaw's The Devil's Guests. His short stories have appeared in the anthologies Y'All Ain't Right: Southern Extreme Horror Brewtality, The Big Book of Blasphemy, The New Flesh: A Literary Tribute to David Cronenberg, Splatterpunk Forever, Past Indiscretions, Masters of Horror, Battered Broken Bodies, Into Painfreak, DOA 3, and The Year's Best Hardcore Horror Vol. 3. His work has also been published in German, Italian, and Polish. Upcoming projects include a collaboration with Bryan Smith and the 3rd Agent Orange book with Jason Taverner.

Reviews

[Misty Marie Harms · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thirty years ago, a Vietnam vet nicknamed Agent Orange went on a murderous rampage in the town of Morgan. The military had to intercede to kill him. The problem is he didn't stay dead. No matter how many times he is killed, Agent Orange reappears for more blood and bodies. Finally, the government walled off Morgan and the surrounding towns to keep him inside. However, how do you keep a killer inside the walls when he has no fresh victims? Apparently the solution is to kidnap Americans and toss them inside against their will. Eleven people go to sleep and wake up in the kill zone. There is no time to think, only time to run.

I loved this book. It was like what would happen if Jason was real and loose in the world, but without the awkward teenage sex scenes. Agent Orange is a homegrown nightmare. Recommend for horror readers that don't mind body parts flying and heads on stakes for lawn decorations.

[Paul Ataua · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eleven people find themselves in an abandoned hotel not realizing they are the sacrifices to the ex- agent orange victim, now a supernatural killer that cannot be destroyed. The killer is kept in an area surrounded by thirty foot walls and just awaits his new prey. I was totally attracted to the plot-line, but unfortunately didn’t much enjoy the book. I had to struggle to get to the end, not because of the violence, maybe somewhat due to the racist sexist feel of it, but mostly because of the writing itself. Not my cup of tea, as we say.

[Matthew Vaughn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this, I found it to be one of those 'couldn't put it down' kinda reads. It did end with some unanswered questions, but that happens. The kills were cool, nothing as graphic as Harding's Genital Grinder though.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seasoned horror fans are going to love this and wish that at some point this will be made into a film. All the elements are here, and in Agent Orange we have one hell of a killer. They've tapped into something unique and interesting here, but let's be honest and admit that Reincarnage may not be everyone's cup of tea. This is one for true horror fans who cut their teeth on slashers like Halloween, and even Friday The 13th, but it's not a book that rehashes the past. It's adds to the legacy and becomes a classic all its own. Each kill makes you cheer, each time Agent Orange shows up you get that tingle in your spine because you know something bad is about to happen.

The beauty here is that its not just a simple slasher story. There's a history here, and the characters are simply bowling pins that will at some point be knocked down as violently as possible. The draw here isn't the characters. It's Agent Orange and how he came to be. There's so much more to this character and it would be shame to see this end the way it did. We need this character. We need an origin story and yes, even a sequel. When it comes to horror we all hope we're reading something unique, but here, we get something that shouldn't work at all, but does so brilliantly. These are guys that love horror, and have created a book that becomes a must read event.

[Marvin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reincarnage is one of those novels in which it is so indebted to movies that it is easier to discuss with comparisons from the silver screen than from the written page. It reads like a super tribute to the 80s slasher films, the ones with an unkillable serial killer terrorizing an unsuspecting populace. There is another nod of the head to those films, I am not even sure they have a name for it, in which a dystopic power throws a group of people into a seemingly inescapable situation where they are picked off one by one. CUBE, IDENTITY, even THE HUNGER GAME series are just varying examples of those films and they feature one of my favorite themes in movies; the innocent against an unbeatable evil. Interestingly these two horror sub-genres which seem to be combined in Reincarnage include my least favorite (the slasher film) with my favorite (for lack of a better term, Murder by Dystopia).

In Reincarnage (God! I love that title!) 11 people wake up in a hotel having no idea how they got there. It doesn't take long to realize they are in a walled off region where the government has placed the world's worst serial killer and mass murderer, an ex-Vietnam Vet nicknamed Agent Orange. He isn't just the worst serial killer ever but also indestructable, coming back to life no matter how he is killed or what is done to him. The government keeps him happy in his walled off prison by supplying him victims from time to time. The novel focuses on these 11 people and how they try to survive and fight off Agent Orange. It is not a spoiler to say most of them do not survive and we get to read about their demise in great detail.

It's a dynamite plot if lacking in believability but that is simply something it shares with most of the 80's slasher films it derives inspiration from. Both Ryan Harding and Jason Taverner are impressive writers. They go into creative detail in the action segments and this is the strength of the novel. If one is looking for the best slasher horror novel in print, you will be in the running with Reincarnage.

Yet that is why it doesn't take home the proverbial bacon for me. When I do read a slasher novel or even a splatterpunk novel, of which this is solidly in the same ballpark, it becomes alive when I identify with the victims. I didn't find any of them all that likable or three dimensional, even the two that we eventually should care for. For that reason, the relentless violence became a bit tiring for me. I also had trouble with why they were chosen. There is a lot of positioning and theorizing on part of the victims but I was hoping for more solid explanations in even a fantastical setup like this. It seems secondary to the bloodbath.

But if you are looking for a literary bloodbath, you won't be disappointed. Overall, I enjoyed this novel for what it is; a very imaginative excursion into the serial killer department of the splatter novel. If it is ever made into a movie, and it should be, I will definitely be in line to see it. As for the novel, if you are into the science fiction/supernatural serial killer scenario, this will be the book for you. If you are looking for a little bit more, maybe not.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

For reasons hard to pinpoint, slasher horror may be the most popular film genre to lack a thriving literary equivalent. Sure, there are some authors that will spring to the minds of the most hardcore horror fans, but none that would qualify as household names. Small horror presses have been a godsend to those with niche tastes, but there just aren’t many writers working with the traditional slasher set-up. The fact still remains that there’s a thirsty community of slasher fans eager for reading material that captures in print what they love about the films.

Reincarnage should go a long way toward slaking that thirst.

Ryan Harding and Jason Taverner are two writers who clearly not only love the genre, but also have the skills to do it justice. They’ve created a hell of a supernatural killing machine in the form of Agent Orange, a crazed Vietnam vet who went on a series of murder sprees in the 1980s and can’t stay dead, no matter how many times he’s decapitated, blown to pieces, or even burned. (“Wikipedia lore put the total between twelve and seventeen times by that point,” the book says, “citations still needed.”) With no other options, the government has evacuated and walled off the entire town of Morgan Falls and its surrounding woods.

The action begins when a seemingly-random group of people from various parts of the country wake up in an abandoned hotel with no memory of how they got there. They soon find gruesome signs that make it clear that they’re on Agent Orange’s stomping grounds, transported there by someone (the government, perhaps?) who means for them to satiate the crazed killer’s bloodlust, just as public hunting areas are stocked with game for hunters. Their terror is palpable as they realize what their fate is, and the authors have crafted a backstory for the villain that makes him seem ominous before we even see what he can do.

“Lawrence didn’t hear anything, but he felt something; a tightening in his guts.
Why did the birds go quiet?
Then it was like an avalanche in his senses with a light scattering of rocks before an entire ridge broke off and cascaded down the base of his spine, goosebumps rippling across his arms and back with revelation—Agent Orange is here.”

Part of what makes it all so pulse-poundingly real is the thought put into the characters, whose deep points of view make every action scene all the more intense as they desperately fight for their lives. These are no mere stock slasher characters, set up just to knock down (though they will be knocked down). Even the female characters, often brainless eye candy in slashers, range from feisty to downright fearsome as they take each take on Agent Orange in their own way. Each character’s level of fear, means of coping, and method of attempted survival is filtered through a unique perspective. Point-of-view switches throughout the book keep things changing. What never changes is the brutality of their deaths.

Reincarnage may be a throwback to ‘80s horror, but it’s decidedly modern. There’s certainly nothing old-fashioned about the kills, which would give seizures to a film ratings committee. Fiction has allowed the writers to go beyond what a slasher film can do. That doesn’t just mean deeper characterization and clever writing that is sometimes downright philosophical. Harding and Taverner never stray from the action for very long. They know why you’re here. That’s why they make certain to illuminate every kill in evocative—sometimes downright nasty—detail. And, since the reader gets to experience how it feels to the victim, it’s far more lurid than anything you can merely see. Each twist of a blade or pop of an eyeball is relished. Be prepared for a variety of beheadings, impalings with some surprising objects, and at least one kill that is literally visceral: a disembowelling that gives Chuck Palahniuk a run for his money.

Adding to all of this is the attention to detail Harding and Taverner have given to building this world. It all takes place inside the walls, but the outside has been just as well thought out, from the government’s tactics to cover up what’s really going on to the Stalkers who help opportunists quickly in and out of the Kill Zone to grab items to sell to serial killer memorabilia collectors. Agent Orange’s contributions to popular culture—which any real killer of his caliber would make—are not neglected. Some of the characters have even gleaned potentially helpful survival information from news broadcasts, books, collectible maps, or even from playing an Agent Orange video game.

Through it all, there’s a dark sense of humor that keeps things moving along without ever feeling like a spoof. (Some of the characters spout wisecracks you’ll be saving to re-use later.) Just like in real life, humor still pops up even when things are out of control.

“Who screamed?” Suzanne asked.
Annette, who should have stayed downstairs like Patrick told her, said “I saw a mouse.”
“Oh? Did it have a machete? He does.”

By the end of Reincarnage, the Kill Zone is littered with body parts and one victim is left to take on Orange in a breathless chase. The ending is beautifully satisfying, yet manages to be open-ended enough to warrant the sequel readers will likely be drooling for. (Honestly, there’s so much intriguing backstory to Agent Orange himself, that a prequel would be just as welcome.)

A word should be said about how seamless this is for a collaboration, so there must be some kind of synergy between Ryan Harding (author of Genital Grinder and collaborator with the likes of Edward Lee and Jack Ketchum) and Jason Tavener (newcomer to the Deadite stable). These guys have come up with a clever concept and executed it as perfectly as one of Agent Orange’s kills. Are you listening, movie producers? Because Reincarnage would make one hell of a movie. It sure makes a hell of a read.

[Rachel Mavis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely disgusting. I loved it. Knocked off a star because I despise vague endings and I’ll never know if she makes it out or if she just learns to survive inside with a maniac

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been a fan of horror, and particularly Slashers, for as long as I can remember. And for an equally long period of time I have found that there are precious few novels catered to such a love. I bought this book for one of my brothers, on a whim, for Christmas last year and I decided to take it and read it for myself. I am beyond glad that I did.

The set up here is pretty classic Meta-Slasher material. 12 people wind up in the walled off area of Morgan Falls and find themselves being hunted down and butchered for a famous supernatural killer dubbed Agent Orange, a psychotic Vietnam veteran who is known for a series of mass killings back in the 80s. Everyone in the group knows of him and his history, but none of them know why there are there or how to stop him.

It's such a classic set up and the fact that all of the players are aware of who/what is after them made it somehow more enjoyable, more frightening, then if they had to figure it out along the way. Ryan Harding and Jason Taverner do a fantastic job building the backstory and history of Agent Orange and Morgan Falls. An equally awesome job was done setting up the different locations and set pieces. From a dilapidated hotel to a destroyed lake side community to a ravaged main street the sense that destruction and mayhem have ruled supreme in this town is apparent. Everything is constructed to let us know that plenty of people have fought and died against this killer and left the places in such disarray that I was wanting to here about the previous victims exploits as well. Though, if the ruined towns weren't enough to let us know shit got real the multitude of heads on spikes certaintly helped.

The characters in books and movies like this are usually pretty one note and this novel isn't to much of an exception. There is a variety of sexes and ethnicities, sure, but the characters behind that are pretty standard. Korean girl that the Vietnam vet wants to save for last cuz' he's insane, a young boy and his very strict parents, a gung ho African American and his girlfriend, a British rock star, a crazy pill head, and a few level headed and mildly mysterious people to round it out. It's a pretty big cast of kills and some effort was definitely but into the back stories of each of these people, but it was nothing to special. The most interesting character, a guy kidnapped in Mexico that seems to know a lot about what is going on and turns out to be quite the adept fighter, is not explored nearly enough. A lot of the characters get some POV chapters and that's where the majority of their characterization comes from and a good bit of these chapters are a nice touch to the story. They may not be the most creative or original back stories or characters but at least the effort was there and an attempt was made. That counts for a lot, especially since Horror novels have a tendency to be filled with red shirts that have no depth whatsoever beyond the most typical and mundane. I liked those glimpses into these characters because it really did make me want to root for a few of them. There were some people I wanted to survive this ordeal, or last a lot longer in any case, and that was mostly because of the effort put into making them somewhat believeable and relatable characters.

Another nice touch in this book was the humor. The characters knew what was up and weren't shy about spouting theories or using their knowledge of the land and the killer to voice ideas and opinions. It's definitely meta in that regard, a cast of Randy's from Scream, and I really dug it. It worked out really well in this case to have characters proactively trying to survive instead of just running around in circles. And a lot of them were very funny. Most of them seemed to have the same kind of "inner voice" and a lot of their quips and one liners and jokes seemed to all come from the same source and read as the same person, but I didn't mind that to much. There were some parts that genuinely had me laughing out loud at what was being said or thought, and it did so without taking me out of the terror of the situation.

The real shining star of this book is the gore and the kills. This book is savage and almost no one in these pages dies quietly or quickly. It's a fucking bloodbath and I loved every sentence of it. These kills are creative and they are graphic and it fits into the homage throwback theme of the novel. I'd love to see this as a movie and I'm sure the MPAA would absolutely want the opposite. Eviscerations, decapitations, strangled with their own innards, flare gun down the throat, scalpings, maces to the face, fish hooks ravaging the skull, and that's only half of the kills in this novel. It's a splatterpunks delight and any gore hounds will not be disappointed at the carnage contained within.

I loved this book. I wish there more books like this. More throwback retro novels catered to us Slasher lovers. I've read a lot of horror novels and very few nail the vibe of the 80s slasher as well as this novel did. The characters were a little weaker then I would have liked, the inner monolouges a little to similar, and the ending felt rushed and inconclusive and those are the only things I can complain about. If a little more detail went into the conclusion, some hard details and not allusions, or if a little more of the mystery was explained and not just left up to guesses this would be a 5 star book no question. But as it stands this is still a fantastic read. This has just about everything I was hoping it would. It encapsulated pretty much everything I was looking for in a slasher book and I dug the shit out of it. Chances are I'll be revisiting this book. Especially if my quest for others like it turns up wanting. Highly recommended to all gorehounds and slasher fans.

[Russell Holbrook · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a slasher fan, I totally enjoyed this book. It moves fast and mean and has lots of inventive kills. I like the premise, the story, and the characters. I've heard a rumor that there is a sequel on the way, so I'm definitely looking forward to that! Check this out if you like your machetes coated in blood!

[Ana Albuquerque · Rating 1 out of 5]

Its SO BAD I wanna give you a 0, but thats not possible, so I'll give you a 1 ⭐ (DNF)

you guys are racists, sexists and fatphobics af and it shows what the actual fuuuuuck?!?!?!? I feel so embaressed for all of the other readers that gave more than 1 star this book is for real unlikeable

also you guys not just being racists in the steryotype way with MARCUS the only black character (besides his gf/wife) and with GIN (let me put in capslock cause it seems you forget the name of your own character), always calling her "japanese girl", "chinese girl", "filipino girl"... DONT YOU GUYS KNOW YOU OWN CHARACTER'S ETNICITY?

and I'm not gonna even quote about the assassin

ALSO using a offenssive slang to describe a character with a mental disorder? SHAME.

all of this in 34 pages. congratulations... FOR BEING DISGUSTING. drop your pen, go touch some grass and learn how to write about non white characters without disrespecting them.

Now finishing off in my native language
VAI SE FUDER ESSA PORRA DE LIVRO BANDO DE FELA DA PUTA AHHH VAI TI FUDER PORRA

[Damion Postlewaight · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was like...made me wanna almost be there, almost. Need more from this guy.

[Hexsyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great Slasher

A top of the line slasher with the 80s checklist you would expect and a little background on the town that will comes as a surprise. I really want a sequel and a prequel lol.

[Dylan Derby · Rating 4 out of 5]

As far as splatter punk style books go, this book is totally awesome. Its just one big hunt with an immortal killer. Very fun read, good characters for the most part and some really solid kills. Also this is a very fast read that still feels like you are getting your time and money's worth from it.

[Horror Underground · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review from BeneathTheUnderground.com

What if Jason Voorhees or Michael Myers were real? What would happen if year after year, a group of people were slaughtered by a masked serial killer who is reincarnated just to inflict more death and mayhem? How would society handle an unstoppable, unkillable serial killer? In Reincarnage, authors Ryan Harding and Jason Taverner seek to answer those questions and more… and holy shit do they deliver.

In the 1980s, Agent Orange, a former Vietnam veteran unleashes a torrent of murder in a small town in middle America. Year after year, Agent Orange is killed by survivors, thrill seekers, and even the government, yet still he returns. The US government decides to take action after years of being unable to stop him by building a fortress surrounding the town, lake, and woods that formed his hunting grounds. In hopes to contain him, Agent Orange’s bloodlust provides enough power for him to break through the barriers and continue his killing spree on the surrounding populace.

Read the rest of the review at: http://beneaththeunderground.com/book...

[Hugo · Rating 2 out of 5]

An attention grabbing meta-concept for old school slasher fans, but one which remains frustratingly unexplored (in fact, raising more questions than it is prepared to answer) and which makes very little impact on the plot, which is just a standard stalk-and-slash effort, albeit with creative kills, a well-imagined environment, and an attempt to characterise the victims (though each viewpoint character sounds much like any other, and I suspect they all sound much like the writers - and the casual racism and misogyny (seriously, when was the last time you heard the ugly phrase "yellow fever"?) feels very out of place in a book written well into the 21st century.

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great slasher!

There isn’t a lot to the plot other than 11 people waking up in a hotel and then having to run away from a killer, but it is done well. The characters are enjoyable to read about and this novel is non stop action.

If you are looking for a very deep and unique novel, this may not be your cup of tea, but for those who love slashers this will be a pleasant surprise. Some of the chapters can get a bit long but that didn’t bother me due to how fast paced the novel was.

In conclusion, if you like slashers then Reincarnage is one you will really appreciate. It does the genre well and you will never be bored with it!

[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome, original take on the slasher genre!

[Amanda Kool · Rating 5 out of 5]

A terrific gore-fest of 80's horror tropes - with a terrific, unique twist.

[Regina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun and fast book that read like a movie. A group of people wake up in a hotel, not knowing how they got there only to find they are potential fodder for Agent Orange, a serial killer who won't stay dead. To satisfy his bloodlust, the government apparently dumps people into the walled off area and let's them fight for their lives - a sort of involuntary Survivor meets Jason.

Each chapter is told from a different character's perspective. The characters are believable, and the story provides enough gruesome action to keep horror fans satisfied. I highly recommend this for fans of the genre.

[Tyler Metcalfe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m coming off of Pandemonium and Night Stockers when I read this.

As far as horror goes, this story is in the same quality range, which is great. Those two books are a little more high octane, this one a bit more traditional.

My caveat for it to not get five stars is that I really did not care about a majority of the cast. Most meet grisly ends as is expected, but a common theme in any of my mini reviews for horror on here is the root-able factor in the characters. Of characters we get much time with, there’s probably only 4 that actually engendered any sort of response from me beyond them being meat for the grinder.

I would totally be down for more of this.

[Olivia Rios · Rating 1 out of 5]

sexist, racist, and at times just gross. adam was a total perv and im so glad he got his skull smashed in♡ the only "good" thing about this book were the kills. I get wanting to write an homage to 80s slashers like FT13th but this ain't it. im sure I'd love this if I was a young, white, politically incorrect male.

[Michael Louis Dixon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was some awesome shit! Take your best 70's and 80's slasher flicks and crank them up to 11. The only thing I have to say: I want more!

MLD

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! Great concept. I really hope they write a sequel!

[Joshua Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It was like reading a slasher film straight from the 80s.

[Purityinthecrucible · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. Following up with the sequel!

[sxn haha · Rating 3 out of 5]

its aight

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

Suppose that Jason was real - an unkillable murder machine was reeking havok in the area around Camp Crystal Lake. Now suppose the government dealt with it by sealing up that area and occasionally feeding him victims to keep him satiated and within that area. That's this book.

[Brad Tierney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Agent Orange was awesome and the kills were memorable! Plenty of gore and action-packed combat.