What do you think?
Rate this book
The Fetishists
Jefferson Wellman is a lawyer and has everything—money. He also has a particular taste when it comes to pleasure. And what Jefferson doesn’t have he can purchase. His friend, Richard, visits him at his office one day with a contract and an invitation for a fetish auction by a new company. Bad Pain Entertainment guarantees to have what Jefferson is looking for . . . a ‘ponygirl’. But when Jefferson shows up for the auction located in a remote wooded area, things don’t go exactly as planned: Richard never arrives, Bad Pain’s personnel are a little peculiar, Jefferson wakes up missing a few fingers, and the rest of the attendees are dead. Jefferson believes he has the knowledge to keep his reputation from being ruined. But what he doesn’t know is he is now the focus of a new kind of fetish.
178 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 20, 2017
25 people are currently reading
1885 people want to read
About the author
A.S. Coomer
21 books68 followersA.S. Coomer is a writer, musician, artist, and friend of cats. Books include Memorabilia, Birth of a Monster, The Fetishists, Songs for Leaving, Shining the Light, Flirting with Disaster & Other Poems, Misdeeds, The Flock Unseen, The Devil's Gospel, & several others. www.ascoomer.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews
June 3, 2017
Holy bloody hell. If you are going to read this book - and I advise that you do- set aside some time. You are not going to want to put this novel down. It is brutal, disorienting and completely debasing. Do you want to see the worst? Feel the incomprehensible? Start reading, and repeat to yourself: "debts and hard pain." Behold.
July 13, 2021
ummmm…???
so i got to this book by way of booktok. i have been wanting to read something scary, a thriller, a horror book, whatever, and this recommendation ALLEGEDLY fit the bill. i decided to try after i’m thinking of ending things by iain reid was such a boring flop.
dude. it’s bad. sorry mr. coomer, pls stop reading here
the author is a bad author. sorry. he just is. instead of just referring to the FUCKING bottle of bourbon, he repeated “the eighteen-year, the bourbon” a gazillion times. what?? why? we get it. it’s 18 year aged bourbon. also the chant that ~the creepy people~ say is “debts and bad pain.” if you’re going to chant something, at least make it CATCHY. OR MAKE SENSE!!!! BAD PAIN?! are you 5?? what does that even mean? and what are the debts???
there are so many things that made no sense and had zero explanation. and i think maybe? that could’ve been a creative choice because this was written in first person by a man who was very confused…? but it simply didn’t work. it came off as tho the author just simply didn’t want to flesh the story out, doesn’t even know the background in his own head, just wanted to write about blood. it wasn’t even scary because it was so poorly written.
i don’t get it. the book went literally nowhere. i only finished it because it’s so short. i don’t even usually write reviews but this was such a waste of a couple hours i couldn’t not. i guess read it if you want a couple gross descriptions of gore and that’s it. i’m so glad i didn’t spend any money on it
so i got to this book by way of booktok. i have been wanting to read something scary, a thriller, a horror book, whatever, and this recommendation ALLEGEDLY fit the bill. i decided to try after i’m thinking of ending things by iain reid was such a boring flop.
dude. it’s bad. sorry mr. coomer, pls stop reading here
the author is a bad author. sorry. he just is. instead of just referring to the FUCKING bottle of bourbon, he repeated “the eighteen-year, the bourbon” a gazillion times. what?? why? we get it. it’s 18 year aged bourbon. also the chant that ~the creepy people~ say is “debts and bad pain.” if you’re going to chant something, at least make it CATCHY. OR MAKE SENSE!!!! BAD PAIN?! are you 5?? what does that even mean? and what are the debts???
there are so many things that made no sense and had zero explanation. and i think maybe? that could’ve been a creative choice because this was written in first person by a man who was very confused…? but it simply didn’t work. it came off as tho the author just simply didn’t want to flesh the story out, doesn’t even know the background in his own head, just wanted to write about blood. it wasn’t even scary because it was so poorly written.
i don’t get it. the book went literally nowhere. i only finished it because it’s so short. i don’t even usually write reviews but this was such a waste of a couple hours i couldn’t not. i guess read it if you want a couple gross descriptions of gore and that’s it. i’m so glad i didn’t spend any money on it
June 12, 2022
Absolutely wild from start to finish! I've been meaning to read this so I bought it for kindle so I had something to read on my phone if I forgot to bring a book with me, but I couldn't put this down! So fucking twisted.
May 25, 2019
I’m not sure what exactly happened here. Or how it could have still been entertaining. Several times I felt like I was on the verge of everything coming together and then it was over. Hmm.
February 17, 2019
This is definitely not for all audiences. The first half of this book goes back and forth in time. There is a secret fetish auction and the aftermath when Jefferson wakes up missing fingers in an unknown place. Around the midway point, we find out what has happened and the novel somehow becomes even more disturbing. It's very bleak! I don't think I can recall a time where I felt physically sick reading a book before this. It was a very well-told story. I enjoyed the writing style, it was masterful without being flowery. I'm not sure if 'I enjoyed it' is accurate, but I'd recommend picking it up if you're thinking about it.
January 10, 2023
Overview
💀 Splatterpunk/extreme horror
🆗 Psychological
😯 Heavy gore
💀 Torture
⚠️ ⚠️ Sexual assault
3.5 I think? Rounded up because the book was rated more poorly than it deserves.
The Fetishists is a really weird book. Jefferson is a rich and powerful man with some hyper-specific fetishes. He spends a lot of money in underground clubs and organizations to 'enjoy' these fetishes, which involve ponyplay and abuse. One night he is invited to an exclusive club, and the next he is missing fingers and finds himself at the center of a sinister game.
I really liked the first half of this book. It's very chilling- think SAW meets A Serbian Film but with some psychological elements. As other reviewers have mentioned, the second half completely changes genres and becomes more of a fever dream. To be honest, this would have been a 5 star book if more was explained. Many of the coolest parts of Jefferson's situation are intentionally vague and weird, but it didn't get me thinking as much as it felt frustrating.
If you like splatterpunk, watching evil men get tortured into submission, or psychosexual horror, I think The Fetishists is still absolutely worth it.
💀 Splatterpunk/extreme horror
🆗 Psychological
😯 Heavy gore
💀 Torture
⚠️ ⚠️ Sexual assault
3.5 I think? Rounded up because the book was rated more poorly than it deserves.
The Fetishists is a really weird book. Jefferson is a rich and powerful man with some hyper-specific fetishes. He spends a lot of money in underground clubs and organizations to 'enjoy' these fetishes, which involve ponyplay and abuse. One night he is invited to an exclusive club, and the next he is missing fingers and finds himself at the center of a sinister game.
I really liked the first half of this book. It's very chilling- think SAW meets A Serbian Film but with some psychological elements. As other reviewers have mentioned, the second half completely changes genres and becomes more of a fever dream. To be honest, this would have been a 5 star book if more was explained. Many of the coolest parts of Jefferson's situation are intentionally vague and weird, but it didn't get me thinking as much as it felt frustrating.
If you like splatterpunk, watching evil men get tortured into submission, or psychosexual horror, I think The Fetishists is still absolutely worth it.
June 25, 2017
Four and a half stars.
If you're looking for a triple X rated horror thriller, you have come to the right place. In The Fetishists Jefferson Wellman, a well to do lawyer, is into the sadistic and decadent and will pay anything to get what he wants. He is told about a company that may be able to get him what he wants though a live evening fetish auction. It is no spoiler to say he ends up with more than he bargained for.
But if this was just a gratuitous kinky horror exploitation novel , I wouldn't be typing this. We start with a chapter titled "Now" (the morning after the auction) which then switches to the "previous evening" giving teasingly alternating looks at the results and the precipitating events. There was a bit of an expectancy for a Twilight Zone comeuppance tale at first, due to the main character's immensely dislikable personality, but that goes away as our protagonist is led deeper down the rabbit hole. The novel becomes pure horror and dread going instead for a very bleak journey into terror featuring body horror and issues of control, both mental and physical. This is one of those novels that is as uncomfortable as it is riveting and that is not an easy balance.
If I have an issue with the book, that is where it is, The humanist in me wants it to have some balancing moral ending . The evil in the tale is over-powering and I wanted a wrap-up that left me thinking evil doesn't always conquer. Despite my better judgement, I want it to be a moral tale. Yet the horror literature aficionado in me is mesmerized by that very evil and I have to constantly remind myself that this is just a book. Sometimes you have to read a novel the way the author intends it and, to be frank, I doubt A. S. Coomer was going for puppies and kittens here. He wrote a dark book drowning in nihilism and terror and that is what the reader gets.
At this point, I don't think i need to warn you that The Fetishists is not for everyone. I even hesitate to call it erotic horror. But if you are the type that enjoy their horror on the kinky and bleakly dark side, then you will probably love this. At the very least, you will enjoy the brilliant writing skills of a questionably sane writer who has the cojones to put something like this on paper.
If you're looking for a triple X rated horror thriller, you have come to the right place. In The Fetishists Jefferson Wellman, a well to do lawyer, is into the sadistic and decadent and will pay anything to get what he wants. He is told about a company that may be able to get him what he wants though a live evening fetish auction. It is no spoiler to say he ends up with more than he bargained for.
But if this was just a gratuitous kinky horror exploitation novel , I wouldn't be typing this. We start with a chapter titled "Now" (the morning after the auction) which then switches to the "previous evening" giving teasingly alternating looks at the results and the precipitating events. There was a bit of an expectancy for a Twilight Zone comeuppance tale at first, due to the main character's immensely dislikable personality, but that goes away as our protagonist is led deeper down the rabbit hole. The novel becomes pure horror and dread going instead for a very bleak journey into terror featuring body horror and issues of control, both mental and physical. This is one of those novels that is as uncomfortable as it is riveting and that is not an easy balance.
If I have an issue with the book, that is where it is, The humanist in me wants it to have some balancing moral ending . The evil in the tale is over-powering and I wanted a wrap-up that left me thinking evil doesn't always conquer. Despite my better judgement, I want it to be a moral tale. Yet the horror literature aficionado in me is mesmerized by that very evil and I have to constantly remind myself that this is just a book. Sometimes you have to read a novel the way the author intends it and, to be frank, I doubt A. S. Coomer was going for puppies and kittens here. He wrote a dark book drowning in nihilism and terror and that is what the reader gets.
At this point, I don't think i need to warn you that The Fetishists is not for everyone. I even hesitate to call it erotic horror. But if you are the type that enjoy their horror on the kinky and bleakly dark side, then you will probably love this. At the very least, you will enjoy the brilliant writing skills of a questionably sane writer who has the cojones to put something like this on paper.
April 4, 2024
Not quite sure what Coomer was aiming for here-- morality tale or just shock. Either way, this proved to be a decent read, but one that did not really tickle my fancy. Our main protagonist, Jefferson Wellman, a rich lawyer, has a 'thing' for sex slaves. With his wealth, he always seems to find an outlet for his proclivities. One day his partner at the firm tells him about a new 'auction' that seems amazing; unlike most 'auctions', there will be no cameras to put a limit to his 'fun'. So, off to the auction he goes!
Well, he does find an ideal 'ponygirl' slave, buys her and abuses her to his heart's content, but the next day he wakes up in a field, missing some fingers and a roaring hangover or something. Turns out the hosts of the auction have a little something planned for old Jefferson, and you can guarantee he is not going to like it...
Coomer paces the story well, but it is really hard to find any sympathy for Jefferson. Coming back to what Coomer might have been going for here, the morality play fits to a degree and seeing Jefferson forced into submission (like he did with his sex slaves) has some weight; bringing the rich asshole some justice. The shock value is there as well and Coomer penned some pretty brutal scenes for sure. Yet, the novel just felt unsatisfying for me; maybe the attempt at shock overrode the morality aspects. Anyway, YMMV. 2.5 fetishes, rounding up.
Well, he does find an ideal 'ponygirl' slave, buys her and abuses her to his heart's content, but the next day he wakes up in a field, missing some fingers and a roaring hangover or something. Turns out the hosts of the auction have a little something planned for old Jefferson, and you can guarantee he is not going to like it...
Coomer paces the story well, but it is really hard to find any sympathy for Jefferson. Coming back to what Coomer might have been going for here, the morality play fits to a degree and seeing Jefferson forced into submission (like he did with his sex slaves) has some weight; bringing the rich asshole some justice. The shock value is there as well and Coomer penned some pretty brutal scenes for sure. Yet, the novel just felt unsatisfying for me; maybe the attempt at shock overrode the morality aspects. Anyway, YMMV. 2.5 fetishes, rounding up.
May 23, 2019
NOTICE: This audiobook was provided to me for free via Audiobook Boom in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influenced my review of this book.
I’m all for some kinky horror.
This book didn’t deliver either. It’s almost like the author had a vague curiosity and decided to write a book around it.
Sadly, he’s not a very good writer.
The book bounced between two time lines and takes a drastic shift once the two line up. This is fine because it’s easy to follow thanks to the author constantly talking about “18 year old the bourbon” and the god forsaken missing fingers.
Okay, fine whatever. The plot that goes one way and then it’s like nah I don’t like this let me just pretend I didn’t write that aspect.
There’s also a point in the book where there’s inner dialog of the main character but it’s done in such a way you’d think he was actually conversing with a twin.
I found the narration to be kind of dull. Not until the second half did another voice come through for the characters. I found it all to be rather dull, like a grandfather reading a story to his grandkids except it was about pony girls and an anus.
There’s something here but the author is never able to realize what it is that he’s trying to create. It felt like two incomplete novels that got merged into one.
I’m all for some kinky horror.
This book didn’t deliver either. It’s almost like the author had a vague curiosity and decided to write a book around it.
Sadly, he’s not a very good writer.
The book bounced between two time lines and takes a drastic shift once the two line up. This is fine because it’s easy to follow thanks to the author constantly talking about “18 year old the bourbon” and the god forsaken missing fingers.
Okay, fine whatever. The plot that goes one way and then it’s like nah I don’t like this let me just pretend I didn’t write that aspect.
There’s also a point in the book where there’s inner dialog of the main character but it’s done in such a way you’d think he was actually conversing with a twin.
I found the narration to be kind of dull. Not until the second half did another voice come through for the characters. I found it all to be rather dull, like a grandfather reading a story to his grandkids except it was about pony girls and an anus.
There’s something here but the author is never able to realize what it is that he’s trying to create. It felt like two incomplete novels that got merged into one.
July 7, 2018
Well, that was fucked up.
But it was a fun ride. It starts quickly, and has a great non-linear approach that builds on the mystery unfolding. The sections are short and pack a punch. The pacing makes it almost impossible not to get sucked in and burn through the first 70 pages.
About half way through the initial mystery is resolved. Then new mysteries emerge, all taking place in the present. The books gets darker as we move forward. Our protagonist develops, or perhaps rather, devolves. But he holds on to the last shred of his humanity.
There is a subtle circularity, and a sort of karmic justice in the book. But the author isn’t going to preach about it.
You get shown. Not told.
It was pretty dark for my tastes, but I liked it. The style was smooth. The description contrasted the beautiful with the grotesque. The story was compelling. If you like bleak horror, check it out!
But it was a fun ride. It starts quickly, and has a great non-linear approach that builds on the mystery unfolding. The sections are short and pack a punch. The pacing makes it almost impossible not to get sucked in and burn through the first 70 pages.
About half way through the initial mystery is resolved. Then new mysteries emerge, all taking place in the present. The books gets darker as we move forward. Our protagonist develops, or perhaps rather, devolves. But he holds on to the last shred of his humanity.
There is a subtle circularity, and a sort of karmic justice in the book. But the author isn’t going to preach about it.
You get shown. Not told.
It was pretty dark for my tastes, but I liked it. The style was smooth. The description contrasted the beautiful with the grotesque. The story was compelling. If you like bleak horror, check it out!
April 23, 2024
A surreal, disturbing, horror, novel. Kind of like a combination between Tender is the Flesh and The Trial. It’s the story of Jefferson Wellman, a narcissistic, abusive, uber-wealthy douche bag who describes himself as:
“every bit the lawyer. Every bit the commanding leader. The slick suited man in control. Striding across the courtroom to meet the judge, talk golf, politics, his case, already won before it was even argued “
The author did a great job of cultivating both my contempt for JW and then my compassion wondering:
“There’s worse things than death…”
A.S. Coomer is amazing. Once I recover from this book, I’ll go running to Powell’s to get more.
“every bit the lawyer. Every bit the commanding leader. The slick suited man in control. Striding across the courtroom to meet the judge, talk golf, politics, his case, already won before it was even argued “
The author did a great job of cultivating both my contempt for JW and then my compassion wondering:
“There’s worse things than death…”
A.S. Coomer is amazing. Once I recover from this book, I’ll go running to Powell’s to get more.
July 21, 2021
1 ⭐ Um, what the fuck was this? This book is the literary equivalent of a p***ographic snuff film. Like I can't help feeling the same way about this as I did 'A Serbian Film'. They just shouldn't exist. There is no point to them other than pure depravity.
I picked up this book on a whim because it was in a Tik Tok by Stephanie (That's What She Read) where she talks about extreme horror reads she recommends. Stephanie, girl, why you gotta do me dirty like that? 😭 (spoiler-free synopsis and review below)
"Debts and Bad Pain"
"There're worse things than death"
Jefferson, a high end attorney, attends an underground fetish auction with the intent to purchase a 'pony-girl' to fuck, humiliate, and brutalise. When he blacks out, and wakes up the next morning naked, outside, with missing fingers, he knows somethings gone horribly wrong. He re-traces his steps and tries to piece together just what happened, and why the house where the auction took place is empty of life, but full of bodies.
I literally think I am traumatised, but also, this book SUCKED. There is barely any plot, no character depth or development, and no real twists or surprises. It, to me, seems like a story that was written for the sake of being overtly gruesome and graphic. There is no end point, so what really was the point? Also, there is no ending. None.
This book sucked, and I don't know why so many people have rated it so highly, unless they're just confusing the feelings that arise from the graphic nature with actual enjoyment? Or maybe it's their first time being exposed to such detailed violence that they think it's ground breaking? Unsure, either way, it's a big no from me 🙅♀️
I picked up this book on a whim because it was in a Tik Tok by Stephanie (That's What She Read) where she talks about extreme horror reads she recommends. Stephanie, girl, why you gotta do me dirty like that? 😭 (spoiler-free synopsis and review below)
"Debts and Bad Pain"
"There're worse things than death"
Jefferson, a high end attorney, attends an underground fetish auction with the intent to purchase a 'pony-girl' to fuck, humiliate, and brutalise. When he blacks out, and wakes up the next morning naked, outside, with missing fingers, he knows somethings gone horribly wrong. He re-traces his steps and tries to piece together just what happened, and why the house where the auction took place is empty of life, but full of bodies.
I literally think I am traumatised, but also, this book SUCKED. There is barely any plot, no character depth or development, and no real twists or surprises. It, to me, seems like a story that was written for the sake of being overtly gruesome and graphic. There is no end point, so what really was the point? Also, there is no ending. None.
This book sucked, and I don't know why so many people have rated it so highly, unless they're just confusing the feelings that arise from the graphic nature with actual enjoyment? Or maybe it's their first time being exposed to such detailed violence that they think it's ground breaking? Unsure, either way, it's a big no from me 🙅♀️
May 12, 2021
Yeah, so the first part with the ponygirl was cool, then it was like a wild nightmare, then gets back to reality but takes you to some kind of interesting otherworldly(?) landscape that definitely gave me some awesome visuals. Sometimes I had ideas where it all was going but am glad the author had better ideas. If you know how to appreciate art that doesn’t give you all the answers then give it a shot. I like Coomer’s voice and definitely want to read more of his work.
November 4, 2021
Processing
May 23, 2019
Thanks to A.S. Coomer's The Fetishists, I now know what a "ponygirl" is. This information does nothing for me, of course, as I don't imagine this answer ever popping up on Jeopardy, but that is really the name of the game for The Fetishists. This novel - which I guess could be classified as horror, but is really just the definition of torture porn - offers up virtually nothing of value, and just didn't do a damn thing for me.
In The Fetishists, we follow Jefferson, who is having one hell of a weekend. All we know about Jefferson is that he has money and status thanks to his career as a lawyer. Oh, and he has some crazy, hardcore fetishes, the main one being the desire to have a ponygirl. Really, though, this breaks down to his desire to have full control over a woman; he wants to completely dominate her in every way imaginable. Between consenting adults, this is totally acceptable, of course. Here, though, Jefferson takes things too far thanks to a combination of power, sex, and drugs, and he remains an unlikable prick the entire time.
The first half of Jefferson's story switches between the previous night, and the next morning. The scenes of the next morning are where Jefferson finds himself bloody, hazy about the night before, and missing a couple fingers. He quickly discovers that the events of the previous night have been taken to the extreme, and he must then figure out how he is going to get himself out of the situation.
About halfway through, The Fetishists basically flips the script, and even though we continue to follow Jefferson's story, the situation is completely different. This change was interesting enough, but it was never really explained, came abruptly, and didn't really feel justified at all. There was also a character trait that Jefferson experienced in the first half that just disappeared when the second half began. The character mentioned the change, but it was one line, and then Coomer blew past it, expecting the reader to just go along with it. Because none of these changes felt earned, this took me out of the story. I couldn't justify it away, which really hurt the story overall.
The other major issue I had with The Fetishists was the characters. I do not have to like every character in a story, or even a single character if they are fully realized and interesting. Both of those aspects are completely missing here. We learn virtually nothing about Jefferson to make the reader care about him, and he treated his ponygirl in terrible, horrible ways - not all consensual, mind you - that made me dislike him. When the story flipped, I didn't really care about Jefferson's safety since, frankly, he deserved whatever came his way. You reap what you sow, as they say.
This next complaint is definitely contradictory, but even though I didn't really care about what happened to Jefferson, I still wanted some sort of interesting, surprising, or, at the very least, entertaining conclusion to his story. That was not what we got here. Instead, Coomer opted for a "choose your own ending" style, leaving the reader to interpret the ending how they see fit. This type of ending can work when the author has built a fully-realized world, filled with interesting, dimensional characters that you care about. In The Fetishists, we were introduced to this sleazy, underground, Hostel-inspired setting, but virtually nothing was explained. Who are these characters? Why are they here? How are they getting away with this? What is their goal? Literally none of these questions were answered, which made the whole book feel amateurish.
The audiobook, which was just released last month, was narrated by Sean Duregger. This name might sound familiar to you because Sean is one of the minds behind The Scream Cast Podcast. And in the interest of full disclosure, I definitely consider myself an acquaintance of Sean's, as I followed his podcast when it first started up, and I did know that he was dipping his toes into the world of audiobook narration. Sean has a great podcast voice, but I honestly didn't know what to expect when it came to his audiobook work, which really is acting when it is done well. I am happy to say that Sean did a really nice job here. He found a number of different, interesting voices for each of the characters that made them unique. The story looks to stifle a lot of the emotion from the characters, which limits the narrator's job, but he did what he could with the material. It is clear that Sean has a knack for narration, but he is still new to the scene, so I am sure he will continue to grow with each book.
The biggest complaint I have from the narration specifically is one of my pet peeves when it comes to listening to audiobooks, and that is hearing the narrator take breathes between lines. This is prevalent throughout the narration, and there were points where I would get distracted by it. It's akin to when you notice that someone is saying "um" or "like" a lot, and then that is all you can notice while they talk. Once I started hearing it, I couldn't stop myself from dwelling on it, and it was quite distracting. I have no idea how other narrators record without inhales between lines, but that is what I have grown accustomed to, and anything less is distracting. I am sure Sean will figure this technical aspect out as he gains more experience. I am interested to see where he takes this career, and would love to listen to an audiobook that embraces emotions to really see what he is capable of.
A.S. Coomer is not afraid to go to the darkest of places, both sexually and violently, and often intertwines the two with The Fetishists. I definitely appreciated this aspect of his work. The storytelling here, though, is where the novel floundered. Coomer was purposely vague about what was going on, so much so that it was a detriment to my enjoyment of the book. I can honestly say that I won't forget some of the scenes in this book, but almost all of them happened in the first half. Once the twist hit, that's when my interest dwindled, especially since most of it was left unexplained. This throwback to the torture porn genre is like the novel equivalent of Hostel, or The Human Centipede. It is darker than both of those, but not quite as good, either. Fortunately, at just over a five hour audiobook - or 176 physical pages - if you are morbidly curious about this one, it won't be much of a time commitment.
---
This audiobook was provided free via Audiobook Boom in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influenced my opinion of the book.
In The Fetishists, we follow Jefferson, who is having one hell of a weekend. All we know about Jefferson is that he has money and status thanks to his career as a lawyer. Oh, and he has some crazy, hardcore fetishes, the main one being the desire to have a ponygirl. Really, though, this breaks down to his desire to have full control over a woman; he wants to completely dominate her in every way imaginable. Between consenting adults, this is totally acceptable, of course. Here, though, Jefferson takes things too far thanks to a combination of power, sex, and drugs, and he remains an unlikable prick the entire time.
The first half of Jefferson's story switches between the previous night, and the next morning. The scenes of the next morning are where Jefferson finds himself bloody, hazy about the night before, and missing a couple fingers. He quickly discovers that the events of the previous night have been taken to the extreme, and he must then figure out how he is going to get himself out of the situation.
About halfway through, The Fetishists basically flips the script, and even though we continue to follow Jefferson's story, the situation is completely different. This change was interesting enough, but it was never really explained, came abruptly, and didn't really feel justified at all. There was also a character trait that Jefferson experienced in the first half that just disappeared when the second half began. The character mentioned the change, but it was one line, and then Coomer blew past it, expecting the reader to just go along with it. Because none of these changes felt earned, this took me out of the story. I couldn't justify it away, which really hurt the story overall.
The other major issue I had with The Fetishists was the characters. I do not have to like every character in a story, or even a single character if they are fully realized and interesting. Both of those aspects are completely missing here. We learn virtually nothing about Jefferson to make the reader care about him, and he treated his ponygirl in terrible, horrible ways - not all consensual, mind you - that made me dislike him. When the story flipped, I didn't really care about Jefferson's safety since, frankly, he deserved whatever came his way. You reap what you sow, as they say.
This next complaint is definitely contradictory, but even though I didn't really care about what happened to Jefferson, I still wanted some sort of interesting, surprising, or, at the very least, entertaining conclusion to his story. That was not what we got here. Instead, Coomer opted for a "choose your own ending" style, leaving the reader to interpret the ending how they see fit. This type of ending can work when the author has built a fully-realized world, filled with interesting, dimensional characters that you care about. In The Fetishists, we were introduced to this sleazy, underground, Hostel-inspired setting, but virtually nothing was explained. Who are these characters? Why are they here? How are they getting away with this? What is their goal? Literally none of these questions were answered, which made the whole book feel amateurish.
The audiobook, which was just released last month, was narrated by Sean Duregger. This name might sound familiar to you because Sean is one of the minds behind The Scream Cast Podcast. And in the interest of full disclosure, I definitely consider myself an acquaintance of Sean's, as I followed his podcast when it first started up, and I did know that he was dipping his toes into the world of audiobook narration. Sean has a great podcast voice, but I honestly didn't know what to expect when it came to his audiobook work, which really is acting when it is done well. I am happy to say that Sean did a really nice job here. He found a number of different, interesting voices for each of the characters that made them unique. The story looks to stifle a lot of the emotion from the characters, which limits the narrator's job, but he did what he could with the material. It is clear that Sean has a knack for narration, but he is still new to the scene, so I am sure he will continue to grow with each book.
The biggest complaint I have from the narration specifically is one of my pet peeves when it comes to listening to audiobooks, and that is hearing the narrator take breathes between lines. This is prevalent throughout the narration, and there were points where I would get distracted by it. It's akin to when you notice that someone is saying "um" or "like" a lot, and then that is all you can notice while they talk. Once I started hearing it, I couldn't stop myself from dwelling on it, and it was quite distracting. I have no idea how other narrators record without inhales between lines, but that is what I have grown accustomed to, and anything less is distracting. I am sure Sean will figure this technical aspect out as he gains more experience. I am interested to see where he takes this career, and would love to listen to an audiobook that embraces emotions to really see what he is capable of.
A.S. Coomer is not afraid to go to the darkest of places, both sexually and violently, and often intertwines the two with The Fetishists. I definitely appreciated this aspect of his work. The storytelling here, though, is where the novel floundered. Coomer was purposely vague about what was going on, so much so that it was a detriment to my enjoyment of the book. I can honestly say that I won't forget some of the scenes in this book, but almost all of them happened in the first half. Once the twist hit, that's when my interest dwindled, especially since most of it was left unexplained. This throwback to the torture porn genre is like the novel equivalent of Hostel, or The Human Centipede. It is darker than both of those, but not quite as good, either. Fortunately, at just over a five hour audiobook - or 176 physical pages - if you are morbidly curious about this one, it won't be much of a time commitment.
---
This audiobook was provided free via Audiobook Boom in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influenced my opinion of the book.
January 8, 2022
I’m glad I got this one off my TBR. Am I glad I read it? Not sure yet. This story is one where there are obvious “bad guys”… but are there? Everything that Jefferson does to others is being done to him, albeit in a more sinister fashion. So, I wouldn’t necessarily say that Jefferson is innocent here.
The things that happen to Jefferson are horrid, nauseating, and awful. And I won’t downplay that. But it all boils down to the concept of control over another person, which is exactly what Jefferson craved.
This one was an interesting read, that’s for sure. It definitely toys with your morals and makes you think. Is Jefferson a victim?
The things that happen to Jefferson are horrid, nauseating, and awful. And I won’t downplay that. But it all boils down to the concept of control over another person, which is exactly what Jefferson craved.
This one was an interesting read, that’s for sure. It definitely toys with your morals and makes you think. Is Jefferson a victim?
May 23, 2019
I received an audiobook version of this for review, it was a good listen and I enjoyed it for the most part but I still dont really understand what was going on. In the beginning it was really building up the mystery of ehat was happening and who the "shadow people" where, then halfway through it almost felt like a completely different story (though still a very entertaining one) and the way it switched raised more questions, none of which she answered. There is a lot of violence and depravity and if your intro that it is pretty entertaining anyway but it was a bummer I never learned more. [Spoiler] so the shadow people who where missing fingers killed everyone except him, why? Then they cut off some of his fingers and said he was one of them now to pay off his debt but when he got on the ship he was still the victim along with all the other people missing fingers and body parts. So where the shadow people the bad guys all along or the victims? Who where the victimizers on the ship not missing body parts? What the hell was going on? [/SPOILER]
June 5, 2017
Starts out with some encouraging (possibly unintentional) nods to the likes of Kyril Bonfiglioli and Patrick McGrath but quickly descends into gratuitous silliness. That said, the author clearly had a lovely time writing it and there have been been some enthusiastic responses from other reviewers, so good on him. Maybe juvenile horror/erotica simply isn't my thing.
January 20, 2021
This felt disjointed. The first half was more interesting than the second half and the story could have just ended after the time jumps were done with. Also felt like it was trying very hard to be as edgy as possible. But if you like tortureporn horror then you'd probably like this.
July 11, 2021
was there... supposed to be something insane with this book? i guess the lack of explanations are supposed to make it interesting, but it just made me frustrated. in fact, the entire book just made me frustrated and i felt like the eventual plot twist wasn't interesting.
January 13, 2018
Excellent
Very kinky violent story. Breaks all the taboos all at once. Loved it and couldn't put down. Leaves you wanting more.
Very kinky violent story. Breaks all the taboos all at once. Loved it and couldn't put down. Leaves you wanting more.
August 14, 2021
this was a mistake….don’t waste your time
May 17, 2019
This is absolutely not for everyone. The description is incredibly intriguing which is why I wanted to give it a go but I did not expect the gruesome horror that awaited within. If you're a fan of Eli Roth gore-porn films then you will probably love this sadistic tale. If you are like me and get queasy at the description of someone having their eyes sewn shut with twine, then you really need to avoid this one.
Sean Duregger did a great job narrating such a gory book. I do not envy him.
**I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**
Sean Duregger did a great job narrating such a gory book. I do not envy him.
**I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**
April 13, 2017
Wow. I bought this novel a few hours ago and could not put it down. From start to finish the story is filled with suspense and tension and I found myself flipping pages faster and faster to find out what was going to happen next. Written with the unique ability only the best authors have, the fantastic goriness in the book will play out in your mind in the full vivid red the book evokes. I could physically feel myself start to tense up in the more harrowing parts of the book and would have to pause for a moment and regain some calm before continuing. Really riveting read.
January 21, 2018
Compulsively page turning, I sat down and finished it in under two hours. What a transition, feeling sympathy for a monster. As hard as it is to stomach, I did feel bad for the guy.
I'm rather hoping for more, the way it ended seems like maybe (fingers crossed) there will be more on the mysterious "She".
I'm rather hoping for more, the way it ended seems like maybe (fingers crossed) there will be more on the mysterious "She".
July 19, 2021
2.5
It started off good but didn't really go anywhere. The ending felt like the author got bored of writing and I especially hated the last couple lines. It was too predictable and I'm sure Coomer could have thought of a more creative ending. I get why some people like it but it fell a little short for me.
It started off good but didn't really go anywhere. The ending felt like the author got bored of writing and I especially hated the last couple lines. It was too predictable and I'm sure Coomer could have thought of a more creative ending. I get why some people like it but it fell a little short for me.
October 25, 2021
I was looking for something in the way of gore/extreme horror and I definitely found it. This book is not for everyone and if you are strictly a classic horror or thriller reader I wouldn't go for this novel.
The novel follows a lawyer, Jefferson through a split timeline. One consists of a wild fetish party where Jefferson is looking for a ponygirl (I had no idea what that was until this novel but here I am now, fully aware and wishing that I wasn't LOL). The other timeline follows Jefferson after the party confused and looking for answers to what has happened.
This was an extremely short read, clocking in at 177 pages. I understand that in that timeframe it's hard to keep a plot moving and build strong characters but, I wish I had more background on Jefferson than what was given which was barely anything, just an odd flashback to childhood that did not explain or relate to anything. The book was plot-driven with a lot of what I assume were meant to be *things better left unsaid in order to add allure* but ended up seeming like poor writing and planning in my opinion. So many things are left unsaid and I feel that the author relied on the extreme gore and fetishism to make up for these things and they just didn't for me. Where the book failed in plot and character presence it made up for in extreme horror. I was truly disgusted by what I was reading and the insanity of the acts happening to the unnamed characters. Since I was seeking something blood and guts filled, this was what saved the book for me.
If you're someone who is actively seeking out something gruesome or you tend to stick to this genre in particular, I'd say go for it. If not, I'd pass this title up.
The novel follows a lawyer, Jefferson through a split timeline. One consists of a wild fetish party where Jefferson is looking for a ponygirl (I had no idea what that was until this novel but here I am now, fully aware and wishing that I wasn't LOL). The other timeline follows Jefferson after the party confused and looking for answers to what has happened.
This was an extremely short read, clocking in at 177 pages. I understand that in that timeframe it's hard to keep a plot moving and build strong characters but, I wish I had more background on Jefferson than what was given which was barely anything, just an odd flashback to childhood that did not explain or relate to anything. The book was plot-driven with a lot of what I assume were meant to be *things better left unsaid in order to add allure* but ended up seeming like poor writing and planning in my opinion. So many things are left unsaid and I feel that the author relied on the extreme gore and fetishism to make up for these things and they just didn't for me. Where the book failed in plot and character presence it made up for in extreme horror. I was truly disgusted by what I was reading and the insanity of the acts happening to the unnamed characters. Since I was seeking something blood and guts filled, this was what saved the book for me.
If you're someone who is actively seeking out something gruesome or you tend to stick to this genre in particular, I'd say go for it. If not, I'd pass this title up.
Read
January 26, 2023Do you know how far I got in this book?
49 pages.
And that's with me saying it couldn't be this bad for that long so that I'll just read a little more.
It was that bad for that long.
I went into this hoping for a good horror book that would make me be on the edge of my seat, I was just met with slowly sliding out of my seat from boredom.
All we got was a shitty main character who's behaviour reminded me of those "bad boys" in romance books that are really just abusive as fuck and the author tries to romanticise it? You know, like Coleen Hoover? Same vibes.
And I'm just not even gonna start on the formatting being an absolute pile of shit. No. We're going straight to the fact that the bourbon kept being referred to as the eighteen year old. Every other sentence. I wish that was a fucking joke. But no. No its not. It should be tho because it was also ridiculously humanised for a goddamm alcoholic drink.
And with that, if anyone wants it it'll be in my local thrift store soon.
49 pages.
And that's with me saying it couldn't be this bad for that long so that I'll just read a little more.
It was that bad for that long.
I went into this hoping for a good horror book that would make me be on the edge of my seat, I was just met with slowly sliding out of my seat from boredom.
All we got was a shitty main character who's behaviour reminded me of those "bad boys" in romance books that are really just abusive as fuck and the author tries to romanticise it? You know, like Coleen Hoover? Same vibes.
And I'm just not even gonna start on the formatting being an absolute pile of shit. No. We're going straight to the fact that the bourbon kept being referred to as the eighteen year old. Every other sentence. I wish that was a fucking joke. But no. No its not. It should be tho because it was also ridiculously humanised for a goddamm alcoholic drink.
And with that, if anyone wants it it'll be in my local thrift store soon.
September 9, 2023
Jefferson Wellman a successful Attorney, pays for his “Ponygirl!”
Jefferson arrives at a fetish auction, by a new entertainment company, Bad Pain Entertainment. When his Ponygirl, is on the auction block, he will pay anything for her. A night of drinking and drugs and the use of his Ponygirl, in any way he wants. When he wakes from the night before in the woods, that is when his nightmare begins!
How I rate my books
⭐️ awful
⭐️⭐️ OK
⭐️⭐️⭐️ good
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ very good
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ jaw dropper, excellent (hard to get 5 stars from me)
Jefferson arrives at a fetish auction, by a new entertainment company, Bad Pain Entertainment. When his Ponygirl, is on the auction block, he will pay anything for her. A night of drinking and drugs and the use of his Ponygirl, in any way he wants. When he wakes from the night before in the woods, that is when his nightmare begins!
How I rate my books
⭐️ awful
⭐️⭐️ OK
⭐️⭐️⭐️ good
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ very good
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ jaw dropper, excellent (hard to get 5 stars from me)
May 19, 2019
First of all: "This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review."
This book started out weird and got weirder as it went along. The quirky language usage and syntax of the first-person narrator took a little getting used to, but soon I found it quite entertaining. The story is definitely not for the faint of heart. Though if the title and cover art didn't already give that away, then I don't know what to tell you.
The storyline is intriguing and told in an engaging style full of flashbacks. This may drive some people crazy, but it's a style I don't mind at all.
Minor spoiler here: don't expect a tidy happy ending with this one. But again, if the title and the cover art didn't already give that away...
This book started out weird and got weirder as it went along. The quirky language usage and syntax of the first-person narrator took a little getting used to, but soon I found it quite entertaining. The story is definitely not for the faint of heart. Though if the title and cover art didn't already give that away, then I don't know what to tell you.
The storyline is intriguing and told in an engaging style full of flashbacks. This may drive some people crazy, but it's a style I don't mind at all.
Minor spoiler here: don't expect a tidy happy ending with this one. But again, if the title and the cover art didn't already give that away...
Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews