Penance

by Rick R. Reed

Bound by misery. Marked by sin. Set free by death. Barely into their teens, without homes, they dwell in neon shadows, the violent eddies of urban America. They trade their innocence for money, abuse their hopes, and then a monster comes ... A monster without fangs or claws, but more deadly. Because of them, he has lost his wife, his family. And he vows to clean the streets of Chicago ... for good. One of the street kids and a man of the cloth form a desperate pact. Together, they will find the madman whose basement has become a chamber of horrors ...

Genres: Horror, Fiction

399 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 5, 1992

About the author

Real Men. True Love.

Rick R. Reed is an award-winning and bestselling author of more than sixty works of published fiction, spanning genres such as horror, psychological suspense and love stories. He is a Lambda Literary Award finalist and a multiple Rainbow Award winner.

Entertainment Weekly has described his work as “heartrending and sensitive.” Lambda Literary has called him: “A writer that doesn’t disappoint…”

Find him at www.rickrreedreality.blogspot.com. Rick lives in Palm Springs, CA, with his two rescue dogs, Kodi and Joaquin.

Reviews

[Plagued by Visions · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is legitimately one of the most uncomfortable reads I’ve experienced in a good while. The daring way in which Reed dives into sex addiction, pedophilia, sex work, and sadism is incomparably nonchalant, even feels indulgent at times. Constantly, I thought back to the fact that Reed went on to write solely gay romance novels, and I can say, in the most revolting way, that sensibility is in full display here, for incredibly wrong reasons.

Yet, the story never verges on trying to titillate audiences in a way that would’ve made me put the book down. Instead, Reed constructs incredibly compelling portraits of flawed characters flushed with affect and complexity, and while the horror feels gratuitous at times, there’s an ultimate, resounding denouncement of evil that feels sincere and concerned.

Ultimately, with contentious titles like this one, I just try to think about whether or not I regret reading something. Here, I can say, I really don’t think there’s regrets, but definite apprehension.

[Phil · Rating 2 out of 5]

This novel has the subtly of blunt force trauma; maybe a sledgehammer to the head for example. While Dell's Abyss series had a few winners, most of the ones I have read were like this-- rather abysmal. This chronicles the tale of Jimmy, a young teenage street hustler in Chicago and his pals who live in a squat. One day, a crazy 'john' picks up Jimmy, takes him home via force, and tortures him, but Jimmy just manages to escape (long story). Then, the crazy 'John' decides he must cleanse the world of Jimmy's like, and sets out to snag the teens, torture them and eventually kill them.

Of course, the 'John' was abused by his Aunt who raised him-- an odd mixture of the 'good book' and the belt. This also features a Catholic Priest with homosexual tendencies mixed in with pedophilia for young boys, who tries to befriend Jimmy after his initial trauma, but can Jimmy trust the guy? Every kid here comes from a broken, abusive household and makes a living on the streets however they can.

So, a cast of walking tropes, a simplistic plot (bad crazy guy going after the kids; can they escape or not???) and an anticlimactic ending to boot. Not sure what Dell was thinking here. Yes, this is a gritty novel to be sure, and filled with 'shock' and 'triggers', but outside of that? Meh. Why Stephen King glowingly blurbed this series is beyond me. 2 sad stars...

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

My oh my was this a very bleak story. Gritty and realistic. Brutal.

[Thomas · Rating 2 out of 5]

Abyss #25

I was not a fan of Reed's previous book in the Abyss imprint, Obsessed. I concluded that review with the following comment:

Obsessed is one of those books you use to justify writing that novel you've put off for years, because if something this bad could get published -- by Abyss, no less! -- then there's nothing holding you back.

I went into Penance expecting a similar response, and found myself a little surprised with the story. Maybe my expectations were sufficiently lowered at that point.

In Penance, Reed takes us into the lives of young teen prostitutes living on the streets, all of whom are being targeted by a serial killer. He gets awfully specific and graphic in his descriptions of actions, both sexual and violent, to the point that it feels exploitative. Reed even seems to revel in how explicit he gets in his narrative. This doesn't surprise me; Reed took this approach in Obsessed, too, but here it feels like Reed is showing us this side of life as if it's part of a documentary. It feels more thematic, but in the end, the story is one of graphic violence and cruelty and not one of enlightenment.

Reed's style is very clinical. He provides a lot of detail in his scenes, even adding elements that don't usually show up in fiction because he's being so precise. This is good and bad. It's good because it shows he's thinking things through, making sure to include all aspects of a particular moment, but it's bad because it begins to feel tedious. He also spends a lot of time in showing asides, like when some of the teens escape the serial killer, only for it to come to nothing. He shows us all the steps along the way, but he also rushes through it, and doesn't spend enough time creating the tension of whether the character will escape. It's an odd dissonance that doesn't lend much to the story itself.

I'm not sure I would recommend the book (I'm sure there are other, better books out there addressing teen prostitution that don't feel this exploitative), even to fans of horror. It's more psychological than horror, but even for fans of psychological horror, the story simply isn't anything special.

[Brian Steele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Human misery and suffering can come in many forms. Regardless, I've never seen it delivered in a book with such brutal realism, with such heartbreaking force. This book took me longer than usual to finish, not because it was bad, but because after only a few chapters I'd have to put it down to go play with my damn cats or watch something stupid on TV.

Yeah, the book is filled with THAT much despair. Don't get me wrong... I'm considering that a good thing. It's because it wasn't brought to us ham-fisted or in a melodramatic style, but in a nightmarishly mundane fashion.

Reed has been labeled "The Gay Stephen King." Personally, I think that does a disservice to Reed! And while the homosexual overtones were a bit... looming... it didn't stop this heterosexual guy from getting swept up by the horrible reality of homeless children selling themselves for drugs and money.

Oh, and I dare you to try and find an antagonist you despise more. There may be some minor reasons to try and sympathize with the villain, but seriously, I found myself fantasizing hopefully about his extended torture scene. No joke, Dwight Morris has now entered my Top 5 "Most Despicable" or what have you.

If you have a strong stomach for, well... everything; get this.

[Bunny & Mr. K. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven’t officially gotten over this book yet. Jesus this book. How the hell do you summarize this?! The emotions this has stirred in me has clogged my mind! Let me try…
This is a smooth ass read. Can’t even call it a page turner. That’s too lite. This just rolls.
It’s the best and fluid book I have read in a very long time. Best not to say more. Just read this blind.

[Cindi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full review (with slight spoilers) can be found at -




I have said (since I discovered this author) that no one can bring out emotions and real issues in stories like Rick R. Reed can. Penance proves that. I've read more books than I could ever count. I have been a huge fan of horror and thrillers for as long as I've been old enough to hold a book in my hand. Of all those books, not one has affected me the way this book did. This is the most real story I have ever read and it brought out emotions in me I didn't think were possible.

Penance tells the story of a sick man (Dwight Morris) who blames street kids for his perversions. One by one he takes them and brutalizes them in the name of religion. The street kids have formed a family of sorts. One of them, Jimmy Fels, was the one who managed to get away from the man. This escape puts Dwight on a downhill spiral where he blames Jimmy for every problem he has in his life.

What is described in this book is brutally graphic. It is not a romance. It is not sweet. A lot is on-page so do not read this book unless you know that won't bother you. I ended this book with tears running down my face, after having shed more than a few before I got to the end.

Rick R. Reed is one of the best authors out there. If you want real books about real issues, you can't go wrong with anything he has written. As upsetting as this book is, it's also one of the best I have personally read by this author.



This book was provided by Untreed Reads for the 2014 e-book challenge, in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[K.Z. Snow · Rating 5 out of 5]

As usual from Rick Reed, a masterly treatment of a very disturbing subject. This book is not for the faint of heart.

What I found most terrifying about it was the reminder that twisted SOBs like Dwight Morris do, in fact, exist. I once had to testify in the murder trial of a man who shared some traits with Morris, a trial that took place not far north of Chicago at the time the Dahmer case broke.

***SPOILER***

I so wished for a happier fate for Jimmy, though. For some reason, I warmed to this character most of all. I would have LOVED to see him have his own story as an adult.

[Debra]

Stephen King endorsed the entire Dell Abyss Horror line. Here is his blurb:

"Thank you for introducing me to the remarkable line of novels currently being issued under Dell's Abyss imprint. I have given a great many blurbs over the last twelve years or so, but this one marks two firsts: first unsolicited blurb (I called you) and the first time I have blurbed a whole line of books. In terms of quality, production, and plain old story-telling reliability (that's the bottom line, isn't it), Dell's new line is amazingly satisfying...a rare and wonderful bargain for readers. I hope to be looking into the Abyss for a long time to come."

[Aimee Massey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Started out pretty strong, then began to fall like a stomped souffle.
There's a lot of wasted potential here. A psychotic predator is stalking teenage hustlers on the streets of Chicago in a cold, bleak December in 1991. (The alert reader can spot clues and do the math.) One boy, 13-year-old Jimmy, manages to escape from his clutches alive, but this only enrages the man further, and he resolves to wreak revenge on street kids in general and Jimmy in particular.
A priest, Richard Grebb, who has far too much interest in Jimmy, (and more free time than any man of the cloth of any stripe I ever knew) is drawn into a desperate effort to stop the bloodshed.
The details of sex and violence are unflinching and graphic. Nothing is left to the imagination. It is terrifyingly believable.
But but but! And again, but!
This could have been a great story, raising issues of responsibility and redemption. Reed tries, but he can't quite pull it off. It seems he's distracted by his own gore, and it in turn distracts us from the deeper story.
Worse, he tries far too hard to make us root for Father Grebb; he tries too hard to show his inner struggle against urges that he (Grebb, and I would surely hope Reed as well) knows are extremely unpalatable to all normal people when they remain only unacted-upon desires.
The trouble is, they are not unacted-upon. Grebb has acted on them in the past, even with one of the killer (Dwight Morris's) victims. And he continues to become aroused by Jimmy's very presence, even when they are together under what most would consider to be the most lust-dousing circumstances. Yet all the while, we are asked (implored?) to believe that Grebb truly cares for Jimmy as a friend and as an adult trying to help a teenager in mortal peril. It's clear Grebb does want to help Jimmy and protect him, but always in the context of somehow proving to Jimmy that he can do so without molesting him.
But he has already come close to molesting him, and Jimmy is well aware of it. He sees Grebb for what he is and what he really wants, and is contemptuous of him to the point where he actually tries to entice Grebb into acting on his desires, as if to see how far the priest will go. It's bizarre even in the context of this bizarre story and I for one sometimes felt like Reed was enjoying it all just a bit too much, and it seemed that like his characters, he was very confused about boundaries and what "love" actually means. A book that raises uncomfortable questions is fine, but those uncomfortable questions should not be about the author himself.
The writing is actually quite good, though a bit of editing could have helped a few minor problems like repetition and some British words being used in this Chicago setting. But it was good enough and the plot interesting enough that I did want to finish and see how it all turned out.
And the climax?
Well, the buildup is relentless, but Reed got carried away,as usual, and there were so many "curses, foiled again!" moments and "defeat snatched from the jaws of victory" twists that it felt like padding.
And when we finally, finally got to the honest-to-God ending?
It was rushed and inconclusive, and epilogue that took place only a few minutes after the events at the very end of the very last chapter. It was like Reed suddenly realized, on his way to his publisher, that he had forgotten to finish his book, so he pulled over and quickly tacked on a few paragraphs and called it an epilogue and was done with it. After all he has put his characters and his readers through, it felt like a mammoth brush-off, and I for one didn't appreciate it. We have no idea what actually happened in those few missing minutes to get the surviving characters to the place where we last see them, and we certainly get nothing about what happens in the days and weeks and years afterward. It felt lazy and careless.
I've seen Reed called "the gay Stephen King" and he seems to be trying to be that, but King would never pull that stunt at the end of the book.
What a letdown. I will not be reading any more of Reed's books. It's sad, really; he had a great idea, but just couldn't make it work the way it deserved to work.

[A.D. Aro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Penance reads like a fast-paced thriller but oh man, did it make me feel so icky and want to put it down after every couple of chapters. I had to keep reminding myself that the main character is only thirteen years old, as this book largely deals with pedophiles and young street kids that sell their bodies for money. It's a world that is so bleak and alien to me that it is hard to imagine kids (and adults for that matter) engaging in this type of behavior, but I know it absolutely happens.

And that's where the real horror lies with this book. There is nothing supernatural going on. The monsters here are human. They are predatory men that lust for young boys. There's quite a bit of commentary inside regarding poverty, HIV & AIDS, class struggle and the long-lasting effects of childhood trauma. Think Psycho if Norman Bates was a sadistic pedophile. Well written and an intriguing book that will make you squirm and feel queasy the entire time. This was my first Dell Abyss read.

[Chris Beatty · Rating 5 out of 5]

One reviewer says this is not for the faint of heart,...that is a so true! This is poignant! wonderfully paced and masterfully suspenseful.

[Joyfully Jay · Rating 2 out of 5]

A Joyfully Jay review.

2.25 stars

Penance opens with the graphic rape of a 13-year-old boy. It uses a perjoritive word for a mentally disabled child. It talks lovingly of the sexual fantasies of Richard as he thinks of Jimmy. This book involves children ranging from ages 13-16 performing sexual acts with adults, and then there’s the beatings, stabbings, shooting, imprisonment, fisting, restraint, locking them in coffins and letting them lay in their own filth, choking, beating, and dismemberment. This is a book that feels like it takes a smug pleasure in being upsetting, as if it wants to provoke emotions. And for me, it certainly did.

Read Elizabeth’s review in its entirety here.

[Bobby Stringini · Rating 1 out of 5]

A mean, uncomfortable book that doesn't have the emotional depth to handle the weight of the near constant brutality brought down on its young cast of characters. A cast that feels ripped out of an After School Special subjected to sadistic, sexual violence at the hands of perverted Saturday Morning Cartoon villain by way of Norman Bates. Skimmed the last sixty pages when I realized no amount of retribution could make up for the depravity of the rest of the book. Skip it.

[Kon · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dell Abyss 24/43

Transgression for transgression’s sake, and not particularly interesting either. Reed kinda veers on something near in an almost clinical/near documentation like way of telling this story, but this is pretty by-the-books serial killer shlock that I really feel has no place on a publication line that’s whole gimmick is supposedly being cutting edge and original horror (how wrong I have been since embarking on this journey of reading all the books in the line lmao)

[Rogue Just...Rogue · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't have a lot to say about this book, other than 2 years on, it has STAYED with me. It is everything everyone else has said it is; gutwrenching, sorrowful, unflinching, traumatic, and all too real. I won't read it again, but I'll never forget what it made me feel, and that is it's real power. Do not enter into this one lightly, it may take you places you do not want to go. And bravo for it.

[Duncan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is marvelous in it's complexities, but so unusual that I cannot talk much about the plot without spoiling it! Rick Reed is either a wonderful writer and plotter or has too much personal experience with the subject matter.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full review here:

http://jamesgenrebooks.blogspot.com/2...

Much different read at 41 than it was at 15.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Larry Clarks Movie KIDS meets Norman Bates from Psycho and sprinkled with My Own Private Idaho... PAGE TURNER not letting you guess you know what will happen

[Anonymous · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found this because of the glowing Stephen King review. Sad, disturbing, compelling. Last two pages were awful but the rest wasn't bad If you can handle it

[Eileen Engel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did not care for the ending but the rest was great.