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Damaged
80s heavy metal meets modern day brutalitySince the 1980s, Damaged has brutalized record charts, sold out countless stadiums, and amassed enough money and fame to last ten lifetimes. But the secret to their success has always been the devil in the details. Wex, Michael, Seth, and Sunny have lived like rock gods for years, but the devil demands his due. The price of failure may be an unspeakable end for Damaged.Horns up for the works of Timothy W. Long and Tim Marquitz"Timothy W. Long injects a stark degree of realism into everything he writes. His horror is more horrific, his heroics more heroic, I love reading his stuff."--Peter Clines, bestselling author of the Ex-Heroes series, 14, and The Fold"Reading Timothy W. Long is like being in a knife fight that doesn't end until the last page."--Nicholas Sansbury Smith, bestselling author of The Extinction Cycle“Tim Marquitz kicks nine kinds of ass…which means he had to invent three new kinds of ass just to kick it.”--Michael Fletcher, author of Beyond Redemption“Tim Marquitz is one of those rare, fearless writers who isn’t bound by genres and conventions. Whether it’s irreverent spoofing like War God Rising, the gritty urban fantasy of Demon Squad, sprawling epic (if grim) fantasy, or straight up horror, the man can do it all like a badass chameleon. It takes talent to master any one of these, but few writers make genre jumping look so effortless. Also, I suspect he doesn’t sleep.”--Jeff Salyards, author of the Bloodsounder’s Arc
313 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 11, 2016
15 people are currently reading
75 people want to read
About the author
Timothy W. Long
63 books153 followersWhen not sitting around watching Rick and Morty reruns in a bathrobe, Timothy W. Long writes stuff. He has a predilection for weird literature and sometimes drinks Coke for breakfast. Don't tell his mom.
Tim is the author of over 30 novels in genres ranging from cozy/Isekai, to all manner of post-apocalyptic because no one has managed to take away his word processor.
Tim is an active member of SFWA, HWA, and Thriller Writers. He recently signed a three-book deal with Aethon Books for his Dark Lord Reborn Series.
Tim is the author of over 30 novels in genres ranging from cozy/Isekai, to all manner of post-apocalyptic because no one has managed to take away his word processor.
Tim is an active member of SFWA, HWA, and Thriller Writers. He recently signed a three-book deal with Aethon Books for his Dark Lord Reborn Series.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 26, 2024
Listed below are the songs and bands we used for chapter titles.
Blackened Dawn - Evergrey
Heaven and Hell - Black Sabbath
In League with Satan – Venom
God of Emptiness – Morbid Angel
Demon of the Fall - Opeth
Ten Seconds to Love - Motley Crue
Wake Up Dead – Megadeth
The Number of the Beast - Iron Maiden
Scream Bloody Gore – Death
The Mirror and the Ripper - Volbeat
Shroud of False - Anathema
Cum on Feel the Noise - Quiet Riot
Fabulous Disaster – Exodus
Serpent Tongue – Cradle of Filth
Given to the Rising - Neurosis
Bloodied Yet Unbowed - Primordial
Finger Paintings of the Insane – Acid Bath
South of Heaven – Slayer
Walk with me in Hell - Lamb of God
Possessed – Venom
Master of Puppets - Metallica
I Hate Therefore I Am – Cyclone Temple
Still Remains - Fates Warning
Angry Neurotic Catholics – Carnivore
Songs from the North - Swallow the Sun
Scavenger of Human Sorrow – Death
Victim of the Night - Circle II Circle
Terrible Certainty – Kreator
For Your Life - Led Zeppelin
Iscariot – Cradle of Filth
Chemical Noose – Flotsam and Jetsam
Born to Booze - Black Label Society
Caress into Oblivion – Celtic Frost
Sanity’s End - Threshold
Blackened Dawn - Evergrey
Heaven and Hell - Black Sabbath
In League with Satan – Venom
God of Emptiness – Morbid Angel
Demon of the Fall - Opeth
Ten Seconds to Love - Motley Crue
Wake Up Dead – Megadeth
The Number of the Beast - Iron Maiden
Scream Bloody Gore – Death
The Mirror and the Ripper - Volbeat
Shroud of False - Anathema
Cum on Feel the Noise - Quiet Riot
Fabulous Disaster – Exodus
Serpent Tongue – Cradle of Filth
Given to the Rising - Neurosis
Bloodied Yet Unbowed - Primordial
Finger Paintings of the Insane – Acid Bath
South of Heaven – Slayer
Walk with me in Hell - Lamb of God
Possessed – Venom
Master of Puppets - Metallica
I Hate Therefore I Am – Cyclone Temple
Still Remains - Fates Warning
Angry Neurotic Catholics – Carnivore
Songs from the North - Swallow the Sun
Scavenger of Human Sorrow – Death
Victim of the Night - Circle II Circle
Terrible Certainty – Kreator
For Your Life - Led Zeppelin
Iscariot – Cradle of Filth
Chemical Noose – Flotsam and Jetsam
Born to Booze - Black Label Society
Caress into Oblivion – Celtic Frost
Sanity’s End - Threshold
November 8, 2016
Holy shit that was a whole lot of damage. I loved every page of it.
Like a deeply dark and disturbing episode of Behind The Music, DAMAGED follows the bloody and twisted life of a metal band as they attempt to keep the devil appeased, for if they renege on their blood-signed deal for fame they will be sent straight to hell...and probably ripped apart beforehand for good measure.
This is definitely a twisted--downright f**ked up at times--story (Mature Rating), and not for the squeamish.
Like a deeply dark and disturbing episode of Behind The Music, DAMAGED follows the bloody and twisted life of a metal band as they attempt to keep the devil appeased, for if they renege on their blood-signed deal for fame they will be sent straight to hell...and probably ripped apart beforehand for good measure.
This is definitely a twisted--downright f**ked up at times--story (Mature Rating), and not for the squeamish.
March 8, 2017
The age old tale of Heavy Metal band makes a deal with the devil gets a macabre twist in this book from the 2 Tims (as an aside I have no idea how you co-author a book but obviously it works well enough on the basis of this one). A fictional band Damage are struggling to make a breakthrough in the Bay Area thrash scene when they receive an offer they cant refuse. Well they might have refused it if they weren't high, drunk and desperate. Or would they?
Having enjoyed the high life, the girls, the guys and with having to do the occasional service for Satan outside of recording albums we join the band and the story as things are starting to take a bit of a turn for the worst!
No album for 3 years means that Lucifer is putting the pressure on to get some new praise out to the loyal fans but the band hate each other and the pressures are starting to tell.
No spoilers but Wex is a real shit of a central character he is so well detailed that its easy to hate him and root for the other characters through the story. In many ways this is a weird book in that there is no real character you are hoping makes it through the story and comes out victorious. IN many ways as the tale progresses you expect them all to die or be killed in one of the many twists and subplots.
As a homage to the metal scene this book is top notch and as a bit of a horror it certainly delivers a macabre and violent punch. Some of the details of acts the band have done for the devil are certainly vomit inducing at times but all handled well by the authors. I think that's the real success of this book it feels real, its pretty much what you would expect could happen if the devil was real and making deals with bands.
Damage as a band when we encounter them are so damaged that every twist and turn in the book works nicely as the characters continue to either self destruct or be manipulated into self destruction or band destruction.
It's a stand alone book and it moves with great pace you'll laugh(inappropriately at times, wince at others and be totally disgusted at times as well. This is well worth a read.
Having enjoyed the high life, the girls, the guys and with having to do the occasional service for Satan outside of recording albums we join the band and the story as things are starting to take a bit of a turn for the worst!
No album for 3 years means that Lucifer is putting the pressure on to get some new praise out to the loyal fans but the band hate each other and the pressures are starting to tell.
No spoilers but Wex is a real shit of a central character he is so well detailed that its easy to hate him and root for the other characters through the story. In many ways this is a weird book in that there is no real character you are hoping makes it through the story and comes out victorious. IN many ways as the tale progresses you expect them all to die or be killed in one of the many twists and subplots.
As a homage to the metal scene this book is top notch and as a bit of a horror it certainly delivers a macabre and violent punch. Some of the details of acts the band have done for the devil are certainly vomit inducing at times but all handled well by the authors. I think that's the real success of this book it feels real, its pretty much what you would expect could happen if the devil was real and making deals with bands.
Damage as a band when we encounter them are so damaged that every twist and turn in the book works nicely as the characters continue to either self destruct or be manipulated into self destruction or band destruction.
It's a stand alone book and it moves with great pace you'll laugh(inappropriately at times, wince at others and be totally disgusted at times as well. This is well worth a read.
March 19, 2017
This is a great little book of horrors. The characters are just awful (by awful, I mean awesome, conniving awful) but there's just enough goodness in a couple of them (namely Michael) to want to root for them. Dark forces prey on these four musicians who desperately want to make it in the music business, so I had some sympathy for them. I lived the metal life a for a decade, and a lot of the situations in Damaged seemed eerily familiar. But what can you do when Satan is pulling the strings?
You don't have to be a metal fan to enjoy this book. It's just good horror, and a lot of campy fun. Sometimes it gets a little dark, but the authors slip in plenty of funny lines to lighten the mood. I liken it to shows like Metalocalyps, Todd and the Book of Pure Evil, Deathgasm, with a little Spinal Tap thrown in. I haven't read a book that captures the essence of being in a metal band so well as this one. I really enjoyed it.
You don't have to be a metal fan to enjoy this book. It's just good horror, and a lot of campy fun. Sometimes it gets a little dark, but the authors slip in plenty of funny lines to lighten the mood. I liken it to shows like Metalocalyps, Todd and the Book of Pure Evil, Deathgasm, with a little Spinal Tap thrown in. I haven't read a book that captures the essence of being in a metal band so well as this one. I really enjoyed it.
October 15, 2016
First off,let me say that I love heavy metal,and have been a fan since being blown away by all the NWOBHM(New Wave of British Heavy Metal)bands when i was a teenager.I enjoyed this book,about a metal band who made a deal with the devil,immensely.It reminds me of the video game Brutal Legend in that it is an homage and love letter to metal fans and all things metal.It's chock full of little heavy metal easter eggs that I had a blast discovering.Great plot,pacing and characters...a must read.
June 24, 2017
Being a heavy metal fan, this novel really appealed to me, in theory. By the time I finished it, I was disappointed, not to the point of dislike, but not quite adoring it, either.
In the 1980s, "Damaged" is just a local LA band reaching for the stars. However, no matter how far they reach, the stars elude their grasp. Disillusioned and about to call it quits, they get a visit from the Devil himself. He offers them a typical Faustian contract, and in exchange for fame and fortune, the band would be required to preach the Devil's ways through their songs and perform regular tributes. Initially the tributes are minor, but as time goes by, they become more and more severe - until the ultimate sin is required of the band members. and then the question is not if someone will break, but when, and what will the consequences be?
"Damaged" is quite a graphic sort of novel, nastiness abounds, and is usually described in minute details. The characters are all rather low on the humanity scale, and this is, perhaps, part of the problem with this book. The average reader will have no one to even remotely relate to. The band members are all quite despicable, but what bothered me the most is they appeared simply like copies of one another, no variety in them. The exception would be the lead guitarist, Michael Blackstone, who has some redeeming characteristics and he, at least to a degree, appears as a human being.
The authors also didn't really win me over with their writing. Their style is thoroughly contemporary, meaning utilitarian, meaning "just here to tell you what's going on and not much else". When they do stop to dive internally into a character's thoughts, these are always the same: how to get some pussy, how to get some booze, how to get some booze, how to get some combination of the three, and how the Infernal contract sucks. It gets tiresome after a while. On the upside, it really reads fast and is non-fatiguing, so I guess there's that.
The plot itself is also somewhat missing. We follow about 6-7 POVs throughout, each usually represented by a single chapter, with characters sometimes sharing chapters. But there's no definitive narrative to drive things forward. Instead, their drug-and-booze induced haze sort of stumbles along as vague and cliffhanger-y things happen. Only about 2/3 into the book, when the character of Nils (based on the infamous Varg Vikernes) appears, do things gain some sense of purpose and direction. Not that the drunken antics of debauchery weren't fun to read, but the appearance of a plot was a welcomed change. And then, comes the end - which was weird and abrupt and, to a large degree, unsatisfactory. Eh... Without spoiling the thing, I'll just say the band-members conflicted natures are resolved in the simplest and basest possible way.
Overall, "Damaged" was not something I regret reading. It was fun, but it's really a one trick pony, whose trick is revealed pretty early, and from then on its more fo the same until the abrupt end. If simple gory fun is what you need, then "Damaged" is your fix. Otherwise, skip it.
In the 1980s, "Damaged" is just a local LA band reaching for the stars. However, no matter how far they reach, the stars elude their grasp. Disillusioned and about to call it quits, they get a visit from the Devil himself. He offers them a typical Faustian contract, and in exchange for fame and fortune, the band would be required to preach the Devil's ways through their songs and perform regular tributes. Initially the tributes are minor, but as time goes by, they become more and more severe - until the ultimate sin is required of the band members. and then the question is not if someone will break, but when, and what will the consequences be?
"Damaged" is quite a graphic sort of novel, nastiness abounds, and is usually described in minute details. The characters are all rather low on the humanity scale, and this is, perhaps, part of the problem with this book. The average reader will have no one to even remotely relate to. The band members are all quite despicable, but what bothered me the most is they appeared simply like copies of one another, no variety in them. The exception would be the lead guitarist, Michael Blackstone, who has some redeeming characteristics and he, at least to a degree, appears as a human being.
The authors also didn't really win me over with their writing. Their style is thoroughly contemporary, meaning utilitarian, meaning "just here to tell you what's going on and not much else". When they do stop to dive internally into a character's thoughts, these are always the same: how to get some pussy, how to get some booze, how to get some booze, how to get some combination of the three, and how the Infernal contract sucks. It gets tiresome after a while. On the upside, it really reads fast and is non-fatiguing, so I guess there's that.
The plot itself is also somewhat missing. We follow about 6-7 POVs throughout, each usually represented by a single chapter, with characters sometimes sharing chapters. But there's no definitive narrative to drive things forward. Instead, their drug-and-booze induced haze sort of stumbles along as vague and cliffhanger-y things happen. Only about 2/3 into the book, when the character of Nils (based on the infamous Varg Vikernes) appears, do things gain some sense of purpose and direction. Not that the drunken antics of debauchery weren't fun to read, but the appearance of a plot was a welcomed change. And then, comes the end - which was weird and abrupt and, to a large degree, unsatisfactory. Eh... Without spoiling the thing, I'll just say the band-members conflicted natures are resolved in the simplest and basest possible way.
Overall, "Damaged" was not something I regret reading. It was fun, but it's really a one trick pony, whose trick is revealed pretty early, and from then on its more fo the same until the abrupt end. If simple gory fun is what you need, then "Damaged" is your fix. Otherwise, skip it.
May 17, 2017
WHAT A REALLY GREAT BOOK, I LOVED IT!!!!!!
What a really great book!!!!! This is one book I definitely recommend to everyone out there who's even thinking of giving it a try. I wasn't sure it was for me (Heavy Metal) as that anywhere having to do with a book for me would have been a big NO. I've seen other books by Timothy W. Long, I like his books and decided to give this one a try. So I have to say this book seriously ROCKS!!!! Timothy W. Long & Tim Marquitz did an amazing job with the way this story was written and I love how each of the key players have their own story set up like a chapter (if I stated that wrong, I'm sorry). That was great as they didn't run together where you had to maybe re-read a paragraph over again, to figure out who was doing the story at that time. I really did think this book was awesome, loved it. I will never judge a book by the cover or title.
What a really great book!!!!! This is one book I definitely recommend to everyone out there who's even thinking of giving it a try. I wasn't sure it was for me (Heavy Metal) as that anywhere having to do with a book for me would have been a big NO. I've seen other books by Timothy W. Long, I like his books and decided to give this one a try. So I have to say this book seriously ROCKS!!!! Timothy W. Long & Tim Marquitz did an amazing job with the way this story was written and I love how each of the key players have their own story set up like a chapter (if I stated that wrong, I'm sorry). That was great as they didn't run together where you had to maybe re-read a paragraph over again, to figure out who was doing the story at that time. I really did think this book was awesome, loved it. I will never judge a book by the cover or title.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews