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Battered, Broken Bodies: A Horror Anthology based on Body Horror
Body horror, biological horror, organic horror or visceral horror is horror fiction in which the horror is principally derived from the unnatural graphic transformation, degeneration or destruction of the physical body. Such works may deal with decay, disease, deformity, parasitism, mutation or mutilation - Wikipedia's definition. Matt Shaw has compiled a "must read" for all fans of horror, featuring some of the biggest names currently working in the horror genre. The authors were given one The story must be based around BODY HORROR. When the authors asked what the limits were, Matt Shaw simply said, "No limits."
- GenresHorrorSplatterpunk
371 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 24, 2021
56 people are currently reading
494 people want to read
About the author
Matt Shaw
529 books2,202 followersBiography
MATT SHAW was born, quite by accident (his mother tripped, he shot out) September 30th 1980 in Winchester hospital where he was immediately placed on the baby ward and EBay. Some twelve years later (wandering the corridors of the hospital and playing with road kill when he was on day release), the listing closed and he remained unsold, he was booted out of the hospital to start his life as a writer and hobbit – beginning with writing screenplays and short stories for his own amusement before finally getting published when he was twenty-seven years and forty-five seconds old.
Once Published weekly in a lad's magazine with his photography work, Matt Shaw is also a published author and cartoonist. Has to be said, can be a bit of a flirt and definitely, without a shadow of a doubt, somewhat of a klutz.
Favourite books
"Roald Dahl's Collection of Short Stories"
Tim Burton's Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy
Anything, really, written by himself. Because he is that good.
MATT SHAW was born, quite by accident (his mother tripped, he shot out) September 30th 1980 in Winchester hospital where he was immediately placed on the baby ward and EBay. Some twelve years later (wandering the corridors of the hospital and playing with road kill when he was on day release), the listing closed and he remained unsold, he was booted out of the hospital to start his life as a writer and hobbit – beginning with writing screenplays and short stories for his own amusement before finally getting published when he was twenty-seven years and forty-five seconds old.
Once Published weekly in a lad's magazine with his photography work, Matt Shaw is also a published author and cartoonist. Has to be said, can be a bit of a flirt and definitely, without a shadow of a doubt, somewhat of a klutz.
Favourite books
"Roald Dahl's Collection of Short Stories"
Tim Burton's Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy
Anything, really, written by himself. Because he is that good.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
January 24, 2022
With an impressive line-up of almost every big name in extreme horror between the cover of Matt Shaw’s newest anthology, ‘Battered Broken Bodies’ is a must-buy book for fans who prefer their stories bursting with blood, bile and bodily fluids.
Within these pages you can expect to find stories of;
• A lawyer at a pharmaceutical company who contracts a deadly illness that causes his body to, quite literally, turn on itself
• A revolutionary new procedure that allows the wealthy to swap bodies with death row inmates
• A visit to Grandma’s house which turns into a house of horrors for Jack
• A man looking to move on from his traumatic childhood following the death of his estranged mother, and the nightmare that waits for him in his former home
• A young student’s infatuation with his teacher and the extreme lengths he will go to in order to get to know her better
• Two friends re-telling an urban legend of the girl who swallowed a cherry stone which grew into a tree, little knowing the real truth behind the myth.
Given I’m not a first-time reader of the vast majority of the authors that feature in ‘Battered, Broken Bodies’ I thought I knew what I was letting myself in for. Even with my sense of good taste and decency left to one side and my sick bag at the ready, I still found myself physically gagging at some of the content. I’m not sure anything can quite prepare you for reading stories like ‘The Gift’ by Jon Athan, or ‘Drainage’ by Wesley Southard. These shorts are the kind of gleefully over the top gross-out stories where you just know the author had as much fun writing them as you did wishing you hadn’t been eating while reading them.
There is a great mix of extreme horror trailblazers, such as Wrath James White, Ryan Harding and Shaun Hutson, alongside a newer, but equally infamous, group of modern macabre masterminds, like Sam West, Aron Beauregard and Rayne Havok. You get a sense that everyone involved is trying to one-up the other by writing the most disgusting, the most vomit-inducing and the most over-the-top debauchery that it is possible to concoct and, despite the consistently taboo subject matter, there is generally a sense of fun and satire to a lot of the stories that tend to be present when any story takes things to a ridiculous extreme.
It is hard to pick highlights as every story boasts, a memorable scene or premise, but none are more original than Jasper Bark’s ‘Peekaboo ICU’. It is such a fantastic idea for a Splatterpunk story and so well executed, it was definitely a high point for me. I would love to see this attempted as a short film because the visuals were spectacular. Special mention to the editor, Matt Shaw’s own contribution, the two-part ‘Chicken and the Egg’, and Jonathan Butcher’s ‘A Threesome with Carcia’, which has the best closing sentence of any story I have ever read.
‘Battered, Broken Bodies’ delivers exactly what you would want an extreme horror anthology to, namely a collection of stories as inventive as they are appalling. There wasn’t a single story that felt like it didn’t belong and every short more than earns its place in a collection that promises body horror of the most disgusting variety. Reading this book is, I imagine, a lot like actually going through the things it depicts; you may have fun doing it, but you’ll almost certainly need a shower afterwards.
Within these pages you can expect to find stories of;
• A lawyer at a pharmaceutical company who contracts a deadly illness that causes his body to, quite literally, turn on itself
• A revolutionary new procedure that allows the wealthy to swap bodies with death row inmates
• A visit to Grandma’s house which turns into a house of horrors for Jack
• A man looking to move on from his traumatic childhood following the death of his estranged mother, and the nightmare that waits for him in his former home
• A young student’s infatuation with his teacher and the extreme lengths he will go to in order to get to know her better
• Two friends re-telling an urban legend of the girl who swallowed a cherry stone which grew into a tree, little knowing the real truth behind the myth.
Given I’m not a first-time reader of the vast majority of the authors that feature in ‘Battered, Broken Bodies’ I thought I knew what I was letting myself in for. Even with my sense of good taste and decency left to one side and my sick bag at the ready, I still found myself physically gagging at some of the content. I’m not sure anything can quite prepare you for reading stories like ‘The Gift’ by Jon Athan, or ‘Drainage’ by Wesley Southard. These shorts are the kind of gleefully over the top gross-out stories where you just know the author had as much fun writing them as you did wishing you hadn’t been eating while reading them.
There is a great mix of extreme horror trailblazers, such as Wrath James White, Ryan Harding and Shaun Hutson, alongside a newer, but equally infamous, group of modern macabre masterminds, like Sam West, Aron Beauregard and Rayne Havok. You get a sense that everyone involved is trying to one-up the other by writing the most disgusting, the most vomit-inducing and the most over-the-top debauchery that it is possible to concoct and, despite the consistently taboo subject matter, there is generally a sense of fun and satire to a lot of the stories that tend to be present when any story takes things to a ridiculous extreme.
It is hard to pick highlights as every story boasts, a memorable scene or premise, but none are more original than Jasper Bark’s ‘Peekaboo ICU’. It is such a fantastic idea for a Splatterpunk story and so well executed, it was definitely a high point for me. I would love to see this attempted as a short film because the visuals were spectacular. Special mention to the editor, Matt Shaw’s own contribution, the two-part ‘Chicken and the Egg’, and Jonathan Butcher’s ‘A Threesome with Carcia’, which has the best closing sentence of any story I have ever read.
‘Battered, Broken Bodies’ delivers exactly what you would want an extreme horror anthology to, namely a collection of stories as inventive as they are appalling. There wasn’t a single story that felt like it didn’t belong and every short more than earns its place in a collection that promises body horror of the most disgusting variety. Reading this book is, I imagine, a lot like actually going through the things it depicts; you may have fun doing it, but you’ll almost certainly need a shower afterwards.
December 31, 2021
Wonderful collection! I enjoyed all the stories but my personal faves were The Gift (it made me nauseous!) & A Nec”Romantic” Love Story.
A great book to end 2021 with.
A great book to end 2021 with.
January 13, 2022
A special mention to Aron Beauregard for my favorite story of the book.
July 10, 2022
I had to read this in pieces. the first story alone set the gruesomeness of this collection.
December 27, 2021
Not for the faint of heart. Hopefully one would know that going into this but just an FYI. My personal favorites were The Garden of Ethan, Inside Man, and Doctor Goodhew's Methods.
February 11, 2022
First of all, I purchased this book as a physical book not on the kindle. I have no idea why godreads does not let me change this. Frustrating.
Anyways, this anthology of body horror is phenomenal!
Every story in this book is fantastically shocking, repulsive, disgusting, and nasty as a fan of the extreme horror genre could hope for. And I loved every page of it.
So many good and established authors (and a few ones I haven't heard about before) added their own flair to make this anthology so powerful and haunting. Some of these stories will brand their images into the readers brain. I couldn't possibly pick one or even more favorite stories because they are all worth to be hyped up.
I highly recommend this anthology if you're a fan of the extreme and body horror. This is your thing! I would add trigger warnings but that would be a very long list.
Enter at your won risk to the wonderful world of body horror (but maybe this is a risk you should take, my dear extreme bookworm).
Anyways, this anthology of body horror is phenomenal!
Every story in this book is fantastically shocking, repulsive, disgusting, and nasty as a fan of the extreme horror genre could hope for. And I loved every page of it.
So many good and established authors (and a few ones I haven't heard about before) added their own flair to make this anthology so powerful and haunting. Some of these stories will brand their images into the readers brain. I couldn't possibly pick one or even more favorite stories because they are all worth to be hyped up.
I highly recommend this anthology if you're a fan of the extreme and body horror. This is your thing! I would add trigger warnings but that would be a very long list.
Enter at your won risk to the wonderful world of body horror (but maybe this is a risk you should take, my dear extreme bookworm).
March 20, 2022
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Athan,Beauregard,Ralston.Triana,Shaw and so many more …..Ohh My! Literally the best of the best. This is a must read for all extreme horror fans.
Athan,Beauregard,Ralston.Triana,Shaw and so many more …..Ohh My! Literally the best of the best. This is a must read for all extreme horror fans.
February 27, 2022
Great collection, you can’t really go wrong! So many brilliant extreme horror authors in the same place 😁
January 4, 2022
Epic line up
So many fabulous author's in one book. These stories were stomach churning. Seriously if you have a weak stomach just skip this one. I enjoyed reading through the unknown to me authors.
So many fabulous author's in one book. These stories were stomach churning. Seriously if you have a weak stomach just skip this one. I enjoyed reading through the unknown to me authors.
November 20, 2022
Truly a mixed bag, some stories are so over the top they were goofy. Sometimes it was good goofy (organs fighting anyone?) sometimes it was just eh okay type goofy for me (very descriptive story about necrophilia). Some stories were also excellent and some were just flat out not my vibe so I wouldn't know how to rate them, there's also one story I had to read with a hand over my mouth to keep my stomach or at least its overly caffeinated content in place (good job Jon Athan!). I picked up this collection because it was recommended to me based on the prompt "the body doing/becoming the horror and not horror being visited on the body by someone" so my rating really is about the stories that fit that request.
It's a multi-author anthology so it's a nice option for someone looking to venture into the extreme horror genre without making too much of a commitment to a single author.
For the ace/sex-repulsed in the room: several of the stories center sex (stories that hinge on the idea of extreme paraphilias as well as stories that just have sex as an important component), approach with care.
It's a multi-author anthology so it's a nice option for someone looking to venture into the extreme horror genre without making too much of a commitment to a single author.
For the ace/sex-repulsed in the room: several of the stories center sex (stories that hinge on the idea of extreme paraphilias as well as stories that just have sex as an important component), approach with care.
March 28, 2022
A lot of nasty shit can be found in this collection of peverted tales, ranging from tumours, diseases, body modifications, and creative slaughtering of the human body. There wasn't a single dud in here. As of yet, this is my favourite anthology I have read. Kiddos to Matt Shaw!
March 18, 2022
First rate extreme horror collection from an all-star lineup.
January 1, 2022
Excellent
Extreme horror! Best stories in body modification horror in a long time. Can't wait for a part 2. Don't miss this.
Extreme horror! Best stories in body modification horror in a long time. Can't wait for a part 2. Don't miss this.
February 21, 2022
Like the title: ‘Battered, Broken Bodies’ says; this book has numerous stories all based on body horror. This is NOT for the faint of heart. You will want to read TW. Before embarking on this read, I really want you to know what you’re getting into. I’ve given ample warnings, so here’s my review:
The authors don’t hold back and some of these stories were truly amazing. I could’ve given this one 5 stars but there were a couple stories that just left me extremely queasy and wondering “Wtf? Why tf did I read this one?”.
The Good? There are truly some amazing stories in here. I even found a couple new authors I want to check out now. Most of the stories flowed very well and had an actual story to them. I also loved the “shorts” in here. This book was so disgusting and gory, but very much in the vein I would be expecting to read for body horror. If you love (and can stand) body horror, I absolutely recommend this one.
The not so good? I can appreciate a solid body horror story, even with all the warnings…BUT…I do like it to be an actual story and not just gore slopped onto the page for the sake of being utterly disgusting. I think some people may like splatterpunk and other gore-horror books just as they are, but I really like books that have a certain depth (no matter what genre they are). There were a couple in here that I just didn’t like. Again though, this is just my opinion.
Overall this is a solid, extreme horror anthology. It was horrifying, scary, gory and grotesque, but it kept me reading.
The authors don’t hold back and some of these stories were truly amazing. I could’ve given this one 5 stars but there were a couple stories that just left me extremely queasy and wondering “Wtf? Why tf did I read this one?”.
The Good? There are truly some amazing stories in here. I even found a couple new authors I want to check out now. Most of the stories flowed very well and had an actual story to them. I also loved the “shorts” in here. This book was so disgusting and gory, but very much in the vein I would be expecting to read for body horror. If you love (and can stand) body horror, I absolutely recommend this one.
The not so good? I can appreciate a solid body horror story, even with all the warnings…BUT…I do like it to be an actual story and not just gore slopped onto the page for the sake of being utterly disgusting. I think some people may like splatterpunk and other gore-horror books just as they are, but I really like books that have a certain depth (no matter what genre they are). There were a couple in here that I just didn’t like. Again though, this is just my opinion.
Overall this is a solid, extreme horror anthology. It was horrifying, scary, gory and grotesque, but it kept me reading.
March 5, 2022
Different
Very entertaining. Anyone into this kind of horror would enjoy this. I would not recommend it for anyone that's sqeamish.
Very entertaining. Anyone into this kind of horror would enjoy this. I would not recommend it for anyone that's sqeamish.
February 5, 2022
Well, that was amazingly uncomfortable. The title sums up this collection. Each story is unique and twisted. Crammed with nothing but body horror.
10/10 ass to mouths.
10/10 ass to mouths.
January 25, 2022
Best horror Anthology
Amazing each story different and deprived in their own way with a line up you cannot beat so much talent in one book and it's beautiful and gross it's a extreme horror must read do not pass it up it is worth ever penny
Amazing each story different and deprived in their own way with a line up you cannot beat so much talent in one book and it's beautiful and gross it's a extreme horror must read do not pass it up it is worth ever penny
December 6, 2022
Gruesome
This read was filled with stories of gruesome, brutal and bloody scenes. Each story bringing it's own uniqueness and gory attributes to the collection. So much so I'm struggling to pick a favourite as every story was exciting and bloody thirsty. That had you cringing and your stomach turning. But if I had to pick the one that had my stomach churning and peeking through my fingers totally grossed out but still wanting to read would have to be 'Drainage' by Wesley Southard. I was engrossed in reading this but wow did my guts churn still does when I think of it. I'll let you read as no spoilers. All I'll say is have a bucket of something near by as some will take to being over the bowl. But a great little story. In fact the whole book is filled with great little stories that won't disappoint. I definitely recommend but not for those easily offended or squeamish.
This read was filled with stories of gruesome, brutal and bloody scenes. Each story bringing it's own uniqueness and gory attributes to the collection. So much so I'm struggling to pick a favourite as every story was exciting and bloody thirsty. That had you cringing and your stomach turning. But if I had to pick the one that had my stomach churning and peeking through my fingers totally grossed out but still wanting to read would have to be 'Drainage' by Wesley Southard. I was engrossed in reading this but wow did my guts churn still does when I think of it. I'll let you read as no spoilers. All I'll say is have a bucket of something near by as some will take to being over the bowl. But a great little story. In fact the whole book is filled with great little stories that won't disappoint. I definitely recommend but not for those easily offended or squeamish.
December 30, 2022
The title tells you all you need to know before attempting this book - it is all about body horror. Just about every trigger warning applies to this collection, so be aware before picking it up. That said, there are some huge names on the list of contributors, so it's been on my radar for awhile. It took some effort to get through ... while I've read some extreme stuff, the short story format means that you never have time to acclimate before the focus shifts. My favorite part about this collection was the different approaches taken by the authors. Some stories focus on gore or repulsion for its own sake (like The Gift), while in others the body horror plays a supporting role to the story (like Homecoming or Sun Poison). There really wasn't a bad story in the batch. If you're a splatterpunk or body horror fan, this is a must read!
February 4, 2022
Outstanding collection! I may be slightly as Body Horror is one of my favourite sub-genre's but even so, this anthology was such a great read. There are NO duds here. I'd say every story ranks somewhere between "above average" and "excellent".
Highly recommended if you are a fan of body horror, extreme horror, or any of the authors featured here.
If - like me - you are always on the look out for some new writers to read (especially those similar to authors you already enjoy), this is an EXCELLENT place to start. I've read a LOT of extreme horror writers' work, but found myself four new writers to try via their submissions to this collection.
Highly recommended if you are a fan of body horror, extreme horror, or any of the authors featured here.
If - like me - you are always on the look out for some new writers to read (especially those similar to authors you already enjoy), this is an EXCELLENT place to start. I've read a LOT of extreme horror writers' work, but found myself four new writers to try via their submissions to this collection.
April 14, 2022
This is a fantastic, dark and addictive set of "splatterpunk shorts" with page after page filled with twists, turns, thrills, shocks, blood, guts, gore and more! If you like dark, horror thrillers as much as I do, this collection of stories is not to be missed.
July 29, 2022
Extreme horror at its best!
January 26, 2023
One of the most intensely brutal yet satisfying body horror collections I've read. Shaw has really chosen a great group of tales that make you scared of your own skin. Or the skin of others.
January 11, 2022
This anthology is absolutely a must for hardened horror fans. Perfect example of extreme body horror! Matt Shaw has made great selections (his story comes in two parts - very wise, trust me!) and manages to keep the reader's interest throughout. There are no bad stories here. The mystery though is why the Jon Athan story was put first. It proves impossible to find another story as strong and perverted as this. All stories, however, challenge the reader's assumptions - exactly as good horror should do! Depraved sex, twisted choices, intriguing plots. Buy it!
January 10, 2022
Great collection of Body Horror. Some of my favorite authors all in one collection. Hard to pick a favorite story. They were all great.
October 25, 2023
This collection is fantastic if you love some good and disgusting body horror. Some stories were really creative, others disgusting af and some Just strange. "Wtf did I Just read" is the motto here, especially for the stories in the second half of the book.
Also the ending of Matt Shaw's Story was pure evil for the Reader. Read it and you know, what I mean with that.
My Favoriten stories:
1. A Threesome with Caricia by Jonathan Butcher
2. Peekabo ICU by Jasper Bark
3. The Garden of Ethan by Kristopher Triana
Bonus points for Feedback Loop by Christine Morgan, for making me nauseous, which did Not Happen for a very long time.
Also the ending of Matt Shaw's Story was pure evil for the Reader. Read it and you know, what I mean with that.
My Favoriten stories:
1. A Threesome with Caricia by Jonathan Butcher
2. Peekabo ICU by Jasper Bark
3. The Garden of Ethan by Kristopher Triana
Bonus points for Feedback Loop by Christine Morgan, for making me nauseous, which did Not Happen for a very long time.
April 4, 2022
have absolutely no idea how I didn't realize the cover was a broken woman's body and yet here we are.
TIL.
This was an absolutely delightful body horror collection. Only a few made me want to skip (sorry necro love story) but the rest were fairly solid. If you like extreme type horror stories, this is def the one for you. @chandler.morrison, Christine Morgan, @authorjonnyathan and @kristopher_triana all have absolute 5 star stand out stories that I think are worth experiencing on their own.
TIL.
This was an absolutely delightful body horror collection. Only a few made me want to skip (sorry necro love story) but the rest were fairly solid. If you like extreme type horror stories, this is def the one for you. @chandler.morrison, Christine Morgan, @authorjonnyathan and @kristopher_triana all have absolute 5 star stand out stories that I think are worth experiencing on their own.
April 23, 2023
This was a great collection! With so many short stories, there's something for every taste. As long as your tastes are depraved, obviously. I particularly liked a nec"romantic" love story, feedback loop, homecoming, cherry tree, and Krokodil fight. Also, shout out to The Gift by Jon Athan. I nearly had to DNF because I was literally about to throw up, which never happened to me before while reading, so good job, and I hope I never read something remotely like that ever again
September 5, 2024
Short stories that are well written and gory as hell
So many fantastic writers for on board with this collection of the goriest, nastiest and downright disgusting body horror stories. Each story was phenomenal in itself...highly recommend
So many fantastic writers for on board with this collection of the goriest, nastiest and downright disgusting body horror stories. Each story was phenomenal in itself...highly recommend
June 9, 2023
omg i DNFed at 4%. i love horror as much as the next gal but I cannot read books that make me physically want to vomit in my mouth. My imagination is quite active so no thank you.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews