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Gruesome: A Gathering of Nightmares
"You’re not about to step on a rollercoaster. You are about to plummet into the mind and nightmares of a master storyteller."
-Hunter Shea (from his introduction)
You never know what to expect from Terry M. West. A horror author who has delivered the scares for three decades, West chases his dark muse in any direction it goes. Old school creature feature, psychological horror, suspense, B-Movie cheese, humor, dystopia, and extreme horror so dark that it will leave a mark inside-- West refuses categorization. But the one constant to his work: it is always one Hell of a ride. GRUESOME: A Gathering of Nightmares, collects some of his best fiction. Included in this 150,000 word collection: Don't the Monsters All Get Scarier at Closing Time, Honger, Morsel, Turning Face, Picaro, It Makes You Sad, The Rose Man, Southern-Fried Hex (featuring the brand new tale, Cecil & Bubba meet a Drunk Gypsy), Hair and Blood Machine, Honger 2, All of the Flesh Served.
Includes an introduction by the one and only Hunter Shea.
The older tales presented in Gruesome have been re-edited, polished, and in some cases expanded with all new material.
-Hunter Shea (from his introduction)
You never know what to expect from Terry M. West. A horror author who has delivered the scares for three decades, West chases his dark muse in any direction it goes. Old school creature feature, psychological horror, suspense, B-Movie cheese, humor, dystopia, and extreme horror so dark that it will leave a mark inside-- West refuses categorization. But the one constant to his work: it is always one Hell of a ride. GRUESOME: A Gathering of Nightmares, collects some of his best fiction. Included in this 150,000 word collection: Don't the Monsters All Get Scarier at Closing Time, Honger, Morsel, Turning Face, Picaro, It Makes You Sad, The Rose Man, Southern-Fried Hex (featuring the brand new tale, Cecil & Bubba meet a Drunk Gypsy), Hair and Blood Machine, Honger 2, All of the Flesh Served.
Includes an introduction by the one and only Hunter Shea.
The older tales presented in Gruesome have been re-edited, polished, and in some cases expanded with all new material.
- GenresHorrorShort Stories
459 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 31, 2018
44 people are currently reading
55 people want to read
About the author
Terry M. West
198 books134 followersTerry M. West is an American horror author. His best known works: What Price Gory, Car Nex, Dreg and his Night Things series. He was a finalist for 2 International Horror Guild Awards and he was featured on the TV Guide Sci-Fi hot list for his YA graphic novel series, Confessions of a Teenage Vampire. Terry was born in Texas, lived in New York for two decades and he currently hangs his hat in California.
www.terrymwest.com
www.terrymwest.com
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 21, 2019
Review copy
I was a bit reluctant to take on this massive collection. I mean it's twice the size of the average book I read, but when I saw the introduction was written by Hunter Shea, I just had to add this to my reading list and I couldn't be happier that I did. Gruesome: A Gathering of Nightmares is everything I look for in a horror collection.
Don't the Monsters All get Scarier at Closing Time - "Could you love something so hideous and offensive that it made you ill to look at it?" We are off to a terrific start with this "ugly" story of Russell who just received his divorce papers and is drowning his sorrows a few towns over. That way he doesn't have to listen to his friend's lame attempts at commiseration. He should have stuck with his friends.
Honger - A dark and twisted tale of a curse where a few times a year, when the hunger comes upon you, you must feed. If you allow your victim to live, they will likely feed on you and that's the only way you can die. The story covers generations. "Back in the days of prohibition, I frequented many blind pigs (or speakeasies, if you don't want to be too colorful). The booze did nothing for me, but they were good places to spot an easy meal." A truly gruesome story filled with surprises, including a reference to one of my favorite adult animated films from the seventies, "Fritz the Cat."
Morsel - There is an extreme content warning at the beginning of this story and it certainly lives up to that word of caution. I loved this tale of a man looking for a little love on the road.
Turning Face - A wrestling tale with an excellent opening line. "Marcus Aurelius Tojo Smith was an earthbound demon in service to Hell, but that didn't make him a bad guy." His wrestling persona was, "Hailing from parts unknown! He is the terror of Texas! The scourge of the South! Beware the Crimson Demon!" If you were ever a fan of professional wrestling, you won't be able to resist this story.
Picaro - When he came home and found Sweet Daddy dead, Binh Pham had to leave and he had to get far away. He couldn't drive, his narcolepsy could prove deadly were he to fall asleep at the wheel. A bus ride could have the unwanted consequence of ending up who-knows-where if he were to succumb to his condition on the road. So sticking his thumb out seemed to be the logical choice. I love a good hitch-hiking story. You just never know where the tale will take you. This one took Binh to a diner where he meets Paul. Maybe he would have been better off with Sweet Daddy.
It Makes You Sad - Another extreme content warning. This is a story of Kevin, a thirty-year-old virgin. That alone is enough to make you sad, but it gets worse.
The Rose Man - A wildly imaginative tale of a vagrant who sells roses by a busy Houston highway. But, much like a thorn, this description merely pricks the surface of this story.
Southern-Fried Hex - The adventures of Cecil and Bubba. Get ready for the weird. Cecil Edward McGee has been charged with keeping his cousin Garrard company for the day. When the two accidentally run over a gypsy's beloved dog, the result is a curse, "You will be plagued by the strange and evil until the end of your days." Crazy fun.
Hair and Blood Machine - If you're old enough to remember the carnivals of old, the ones with the oddities trailers or freak shows, then you're really going to get a kick out of this story.
Honger 2 - See my comments on Honger. More of the same. And this story has a fun little kicker at the end.
All of the Flesh Served - An apocalyptic tale. Frightening in its parallels to the times in which we live. "The 45th wasn't a prophet. He was a narcissistic fascist who plundered first our country and then our world for all he could. He let industrialists pollute the air, land, and water. He let people grow sick and die while he and his affluent cabal grew wealthier. He used hate. And he used it well. He encouraged people to despise and fear each other solely on creed and color. He set brother against brother, state against state, nation against nation. Until it was all undone. He was a monster."
Terry M. West may not be a household name, but he should be. His writing is as good as any I've read this year. He is an author that deserves your attention. His characters all ring true. Every one of them in every story. I would have given Gruesome: A Gathering of Nightmares a solid five stars, but this collection could stand a thorough proofreading.
Proofreading issues aside, I completely recommend adding this to your TBR pile.
Gruesome: A Gathering of Nightmares is available in both paperback and for the Kindle. If you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited you can read it at no additional charge. Also, if you are an Amazon Prime member you can read it for FREE using the Kindle Owners Lending Library.
From the author's bio - Terry M. West is an American horror author. His best-known works: What Price Gory, Car Nex, Dreg, and his Night Things series. He was a finalist for 2 International Horror Guild Awards. Terry was born in Texas, lived in New York for two decades and he currently hangs his hat in California. He has a wife, Regina, son, Terrence, three dogs, and an enormous horror comic, book, and movie collection.
I was a bit reluctant to take on this massive collection. I mean it's twice the size of the average book I read, but when I saw the introduction was written by Hunter Shea, I just had to add this to my reading list and I couldn't be happier that I did. Gruesome: A Gathering of Nightmares is everything I look for in a horror collection.
Don't the Monsters All get Scarier at Closing Time - "Could you love something so hideous and offensive that it made you ill to look at it?" We are off to a terrific start with this "ugly" story of Russell who just received his divorce papers and is drowning his sorrows a few towns over. That way he doesn't have to listen to his friend's lame attempts at commiseration. He should have stuck with his friends.
Honger - A dark and twisted tale of a curse where a few times a year, when the hunger comes upon you, you must feed. If you allow your victim to live, they will likely feed on you and that's the only way you can die. The story covers generations. "Back in the days of prohibition, I frequented many blind pigs (or speakeasies, if you don't want to be too colorful). The booze did nothing for me, but they were good places to spot an easy meal." A truly gruesome story filled with surprises, including a reference to one of my favorite adult animated films from the seventies, "Fritz the Cat."
Morsel - There is an extreme content warning at the beginning of this story and it certainly lives up to that word of caution. I loved this tale of a man looking for a little love on the road.
Turning Face - A wrestling tale with an excellent opening line. "Marcus Aurelius Tojo Smith was an earthbound demon in service to Hell, but that didn't make him a bad guy." His wrestling persona was, "Hailing from parts unknown! He is the terror of Texas! The scourge of the South! Beware the Crimson Demon!" If you were ever a fan of professional wrestling, you won't be able to resist this story.
Picaro - When he came home and found Sweet Daddy dead, Binh Pham had to leave and he had to get far away. He couldn't drive, his narcolepsy could prove deadly were he to fall asleep at the wheel. A bus ride could have the unwanted consequence of ending up who-knows-where if he were to succumb to his condition on the road. So sticking his thumb out seemed to be the logical choice. I love a good hitch-hiking story. You just never know where the tale will take you. This one took Binh to a diner where he meets Paul. Maybe he would have been better off with Sweet Daddy.
It Makes You Sad - Another extreme content warning. This is a story of Kevin, a thirty-year-old virgin. That alone is enough to make you sad, but it gets worse.
The Rose Man - A wildly imaginative tale of a vagrant who sells roses by a busy Houston highway. But, much like a thorn, this description merely pricks the surface of this story.
Southern-Fried Hex - The adventures of Cecil and Bubba. Get ready for the weird. Cecil Edward McGee has been charged with keeping his cousin Garrard company for the day. When the two accidentally run over a gypsy's beloved dog, the result is a curse, "You will be plagued by the strange and evil until the end of your days." Crazy fun.
Hair and Blood Machine - If you're old enough to remember the carnivals of old, the ones with the oddities trailers or freak shows, then you're really going to get a kick out of this story.
Honger 2 - See my comments on Honger. More of the same. And this story has a fun little kicker at the end.
All of the Flesh Served - An apocalyptic tale. Frightening in its parallels to the times in which we live. "The 45th wasn't a prophet. He was a narcissistic fascist who plundered first our country and then our world for all he could. He let industrialists pollute the air, land, and water. He let people grow sick and die while he and his affluent cabal grew wealthier. He used hate. And he used it well. He encouraged people to despise and fear each other solely on creed and color. He set brother against brother, state against state, nation against nation. Until it was all undone. He was a monster."
Terry M. West may not be a household name, but he should be. His writing is as good as any I've read this year. He is an author that deserves your attention. His characters all ring true. Every one of them in every story. I would have given Gruesome: A Gathering of Nightmares a solid five stars, but this collection could stand a thorough proofreading.
Proofreading issues aside, I completely recommend adding this to your TBR pile.
Gruesome: A Gathering of Nightmares is available in both paperback and for the Kindle. If you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited you can read it at no additional charge. Also, if you are an Amazon Prime member you can read it for FREE using the Kindle Owners Lending Library.
From the author's bio - Terry M. West is an American horror author. His best-known works: What Price Gory, Car Nex, Dreg, and his Night Things series. He was a finalist for 2 International Horror Guild Awards. Terry was born in Texas, lived in New York for two decades and he currently hangs his hat in California. He has a wife, Regina, son, Terrence, three dogs, and an enormous horror comic, book, and movie collection.
September 3, 2022
When it comes to scenes of brutal horror and storytelling as sharp as a machete's edge, Terry M. West is one of the masters. He has been a frequent visitor to the Ruins over the years, giving us the opportunity review many of the stories contained with Gruesome: A Gathering of Nightmares, which makes it the perfect mix of revisiting old fears and discovering new horrors.
Right down to the title, which could have been lifted from a lost episode, "Don't The Monsters All Get Scarier At Closing Time" reads like a darker, more violent episode of the Twilight Zone. You know there's a bit twist coming, right from the start, but watching the story develop through its two characters is where the magic happens. The climax pays off perfectly, with just the right amount of horror, gore, and monstrosity.
"Honger" is a sad, violent tale, an otherwise simple story of monstrous cannibalism, but with a solid backstory and well-developed mythology. After a slow build of character and mythology, the final third of the story races along, only becoming darker, bloodier, and even more chilling with each development. As for the climax, West always nails his endings, and this is no exception.
"Morsel" is a sad, trippy little tale, featuring a salesman who is questioning his life, regretting lost opportunities, and looking for a moment's pleasure with a call girl. There is a lot of emotion here, with the pre-coitus dialogue really setting the stage. I felt like the final twist was a bit of a cheat, robbing the story of some of its horror, but it was a hell of a lot of fun getting there.
Marking a definite change in tone, "Turning Face" is a blackly humorous tale about an Earth-born demon who chooses to serve Satan as a wrestling villain. It's an altogether odd story, with a lot of great flourishes, but it's the demonic take on the nuclear family that resonated with me the strongest.
"Picaro" is the most insidious kind of extreme horror, a story that opens on a grotesque note, but which then lulls you into a false sense of complacency before allowing all Hell to break loose. There's actually a clever bit of misdirection within it, making you think you're reading a violent crime thriller before West pulls the rug out, revealing that trap door to Hell beneath it.
"It Makes You Sad" was a difficult story to read, with the narrative bouncing between present action and past memories, with the combination adding uncomfortable weight to the story. You know from the start that the young man's visit to a strip club won't end well, but it's the why that sucker punches you in the gut.
"The Rose Man" was probably my least favorite in the collection, but I did like it's progression, the symbolism of the roses, and the Rose Man himself.
Three tales in one, "Southern-Fried Hex" proves that West can do comedy just as well as he can horror, with a pair of Deep South slackers who turn to a life of paranormal investigation after being cursed by a gypsy. These are stories that have a very 80s feel to them, and that nostalgia certainly contributes to the entertainment. It's a cheesy read that will have your eyes rolling as often as it does widening, and it's just chock full of moments to make you smile.
Okay, so "Hair and Blood Machine" has a small town psycho, a carnival killer, and a blood-drenched night of blood and brutality. What more could you ask for? If you said a well-told tale that focuses as much on character as carnage, with a long lead-in to set the stage and establish the atmosphere, selling us on the climax to come, then you need to read this. "Would you die for me?" is an easy question to answer . . . "Would you kill for me?" takes a little more thought.
Just as violent as the original, "Honger 2" is a story that's full of bloodshed, cannibalism, and brutality. West never shies away from Chloe's hunger for human flesh, but deals with the entire experience of wanting, fearing, enjoying, and rationalizing the experience. What makes this book even more engaging than the first is how her hunger brings her into contact with a pair of amateur snuff pornographers who see in her the perfect victim for their latest client's dark, perverse demands. It probably comes as no surprise that she doesn't play the victim well, and it make for a suitably glorious and grotesque finale.
That brings us to the concluding tale, "All of the Flesh Served." To be honest, I found it a strange choice for a finale, being more sci-fi than horror, but it does demonstrate how far West's narrative talents have come over the years. It is also his most socially aware story, with some interesting commentary on politics, religion, the media, and terrorism driving the dystopian future. I found myself liking it in spite of my initial reservations, and appreciating its depth.
Clocking in at a whopping 600 pages, Gruesome: A Gathering of Nightmares really does have something to offer for every reader.
http://beauty-in-ruins.blogspot.com/2...
Right down to the title, which could have been lifted from a lost episode, "Don't The Monsters All Get Scarier At Closing Time" reads like a darker, more violent episode of the Twilight Zone. You know there's a bit twist coming, right from the start, but watching the story develop through its two characters is where the magic happens. The climax pays off perfectly, with just the right amount of horror, gore, and monstrosity.
"Honger" is a sad, violent tale, an otherwise simple story of monstrous cannibalism, but with a solid backstory and well-developed mythology. After a slow build of character and mythology, the final third of the story races along, only becoming darker, bloodier, and even more chilling with each development. As for the climax, West always nails his endings, and this is no exception.
"Morsel" is a sad, trippy little tale, featuring a salesman who is questioning his life, regretting lost opportunities, and looking for a moment's pleasure with a call girl. There is a lot of emotion here, with the pre-coitus dialogue really setting the stage. I felt like the final twist was a bit of a cheat, robbing the story of some of its horror, but it was a hell of a lot of fun getting there.
Marking a definite change in tone, "Turning Face" is a blackly humorous tale about an Earth-born demon who chooses to serve Satan as a wrestling villain. It's an altogether odd story, with a lot of great flourishes, but it's the demonic take on the nuclear family that resonated with me the strongest.
"Picaro" is the most insidious kind of extreme horror, a story that opens on a grotesque note, but which then lulls you into a false sense of complacency before allowing all Hell to break loose. There's actually a clever bit of misdirection within it, making you think you're reading a violent crime thriller before West pulls the rug out, revealing that trap door to Hell beneath it.
"It Makes You Sad" was a difficult story to read, with the narrative bouncing between present action and past memories, with the combination adding uncomfortable weight to the story. You know from the start that the young man's visit to a strip club won't end well, but it's the why that sucker punches you in the gut.
"The Rose Man" was probably my least favorite in the collection, but I did like it's progression, the symbolism of the roses, and the Rose Man himself.
Three tales in one, "Southern-Fried Hex" proves that West can do comedy just as well as he can horror, with a pair of Deep South slackers who turn to a life of paranormal investigation after being cursed by a gypsy. These are stories that have a very 80s feel to them, and that nostalgia certainly contributes to the entertainment. It's a cheesy read that will have your eyes rolling as often as it does widening, and it's just chock full of moments to make you smile.
Okay, so "Hair and Blood Machine" has a small town psycho, a carnival killer, and a blood-drenched night of blood and brutality. What more could you ask for? If you said a well-told tale that focuses as much on character as carnage, with a long lead-in to set the stage and establish the atmosphere, selling us on the climax to come, then you need to read this. "Would you die for me?" is an easy question to answer . . . "Would you kill for me?" takes a little more thought.
Just as violent as the original, "Honger 2" is a story that's full of bloodshed, cannibalism, and brutality. West never shies away from Chloe's hunger for human flesh, but deals with the entire experience of wanting, fearing, enjoying, and rationalizing the experience. What makes this book even more engaging than the first is how her hunger brings her into contact with a pair of amateur snuff pornographers who see in her the perfect victim for their latest client's dark, perverse demands. It probably comes as no surprise that she doesn't play the victim well, and it make for a suitably glorious and grotesque finale.
That brings us to the concluding tale, "All of the Flesh Served." To be honest, I found it a strange choice for a finale, being more sci-fi than horror, but it does demonstrate how far West's narrative talents have come over the years. It is also his most socially aware story, with some interesting commentary on politics, religion, the media, and terrorism driving the dystopian future. I found myself liking it in spite of my initial reservations, and appreciating its depth.
Clocking in at a whopping 600 pages, Gruesome: A Gathering of Nightmares really does have something to offer for every reader.
http://beauty-in-ruins.blogspot.com/2...
October 20, 2018
These nightmare stories overall are good!! Good ideas, good writing, great characters! There is a recurring theme in 2 or 3 of the stories that for me ended up being tedious!! I didn’t need 3 stories about the same werewolf/vampire creature! Also, some were very long, so long that I lost interest in the story as I was reading. My fav story is All Of The Flesh Served! The happenings in this story could be in our future! Again, this is my opinion!
May 23, 2018
Whoa! Check out these nightmares! You can read my full review here... https://horrornovelreviews.com/2018/0...
November 22, 2018
Best antho of the year.
I loved every story in this anthology. These stories are fun, horrifying, and thought provoking. A must read. 🤘🏼🤘🏼🤘🏼🤘🏼🤘🏼Buy it!
I loved every story in this anthology. These stories are fun, horrifying, and thought provoking. A must read. 🤘🏼🤘🏼🤘🏼🤘🏼🤘🏼Buy it!
April 5, 2019
Loved it
I recommend this book to anyone who likes horror and sci fi the stories are awesome and I would read more like this
I recommend this book to anyone who likes horror and sci fi the stories are awesome and I would read more like this
April 8, 2019
It was ok. Really only liked the Honger story.
December 21, 2019
Sweet!
Was immensely impressed on how the stories all fit into one another as the book progressed. Kudos for Terry M. West!
Was immensely impressed on how the stories all fit into one another as the book progressed. Kudos for Terry M. West!
April 2, 2019
An excellent collection that is jam packed with great horror tales. West is a pretty darn good writer and I always enjoy his works.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews